Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-15
JESUS AND HIS MOTHER.
To Was I;c,.cr Known to Her Than 10
All tho World BESIDES.
written for the Dispatc

VI cV'sAi'. thdl IVA ~ IN'TN
she had learned much IL not all OF HIS
future history.
J.. There was everything In ChrlstS
early life TO excite her surprise and curl
oslty. and she had abundant time ana
opportunity 10 seek Of Him an explana-
ton. In speaking Of people OF the past
ages, we forget that they possessed ex-
actly the same instinct that we do now
that they reasoned as correctly and iosi-
caliy. TIL evangelists state mat inc
mother laid up" all these remarkaOic
facts and incidents lin her heart. LAID
up for examination and study. OF course
and she had twenty long years to get the
explanations she desired. The son was
In her home day and night, and often
alone with her. The things she desired
to know were worth knowing, and the
wish TO know them was altogether rea-
fonablc.
What mother would not Ike 70 know
Of the remarkable career so strangely
predicted OF her son? What Simeon
meant when the infant OF a few days
was said to ''be set for the falling and
rising up OF many in Israel. and that
a sword would pierce her soul that TN
thoughts Of many hearts should be re
vcaled.' We can't imagine one 50 stupid
as not - inquire Of her own son, At the
proper tine. what 50 serious a matter
could mean. Mary was a woman of
great faith. ard people Of great faith
81 mean trJe faithJ are apt 10 be people
Of good sense. She dill not. at the "annun-
ciat!on." show want OF faith, though the
announcement was against all reason
and experience. Xlchariah. the High
Priest. showed decided less faith in re-
gard TO Elizabeth, and asked for IA sign
and got ii. to his sorrow. though the
prediction regarding his wife was not
half 50 remarkable as that in regard
10 Mary. This fact alone speaks well
for Mays character and piety.
What sensible woman among US would
not, as women say, be- diving" to know
all about the mysterious and remarkable
things said about her first-bOrn? and can
We believe SO good a son rs Jesus would
refuse to crafty so reasonable a curiosity?
IL Is said He WAS "SGbiect TO his par
erts"; that is. obeycd them. What DO
you suppose this Son and His mother
In the same home for twenty years would
talk about? When but l. years old He
told her "he must be about His Fathers
business" What father? What business?
Did she. q wise woman fail u make these
plain. natural inquiries and not be salts
fed without a reasonable answer? Jesus
did not engage in worldly sports. nor
was He m ld.cr. The subject Of His great
mission was uppermost IN His mind, and
He must needs talk about il to His
piOus mother.
This brings US to the second proposition
or proof Of the declaration that the
mother knew all about the Sons mission.
- the marriage at Cana, when the
hostess said 10 Jcsuf's mother supposed
t. be n rc,dt!)n). The wine IS exhausted,
what shall I ID? Mary said TO Jesus
They have no win" my time Is not
yet come" he replied. Don't you know
this? You know Ny plans and mission.
But the mother simply said to the ser
wants. i'm evident confidence of the result,
DO what he tells you" 1t was too late
10 buy VINE. and the mother knew that
the son had power u make H. 70 work
2 miracle. and II one miracle any miracle.
So she knew He had divine power.
II f. not altogether unreasonable to sup
nose In their poverty Jesus had some
times wrought miracles 10 supply the
family need. He clearly had a right. He
created fish on tat seashore for his hun
CRY disciples. But this aside. The wine
was promptly made. good wine and fifteen
gallons Of II.
7 have often been surprised 10 hear our
Jealous Prohibition friends say the wine
was not fermented: that Is no wine at
all. What is the testimony OF a man
2oo0 years after the wine was drunk
in comparison with that Of the Ruler
that drank It. II is utterly useless to
argue with such people. TIL governor
of the feast was 50 much pleased with
the wine that he called the groom ana
asked for an explanation.
That Mary became afterwards We'll ac-
auainted with her Sons miracle-working
power is evident. and in her conversations
with Him got a more perfect insight into
His mission.
From the record the father. Joseph,
died before the CruciiiXion. so the son
gave HIS mother all needed instruction
about the future world and their future
meeting. What a comfort must lie have
been in this dark hour Of the household.
As the widowed mother. leaning on the
bosom Of her divine Son. stood at the
omen grave, what think you were the
words Of consolation he poured into her
bleeding heart. and how tenderly did he
draw aside the veil that hides the slories
Of the upper world and point to His seat
on the right hand of the Father? Blessed
mother. blessed Son!
3 believe further that the Son had
prepared the mother for the terrible
tragedy of the Cross. when her soul
would be pierced with n sword" as before
said. But for this power TO look beyond
the Cross, to the glorious Resurrection and
the grand Ascension. she would not have
been able TO stand under the accursed
tree and see those tender hands and feet
nailed to the rugged wood. II was here,
too, that her great faith trIumphed over
sight" sorrow and suffering, and when
the sad but glad words, 1T is finished.'
fell upon her ear, her triumphant faith
flew with Joy to the resurrected Son and
Saviour of the world.
1t IS singular that no mention is made
of the meeting of the Son and mother
during the forty days between the Resur-
rection and Ascension. though, doubtless,
they met often.
1t Is not stated that Mary witnessed the
Ascension, though 1t would be most I'M
reasonable TO say she did not. a failure
to witness so splendid a departure would
be most unnatural. When a father or
son leaves for Europe the friends see him
of. This has always been true. 1t Is
absurd to suppose hat all things that
Christ did are recorded. Tit contrary Is
expressly stated by the evangelist.
While He wrought thousands Of
miracles only thirty-two or thirty
three are recounted In (brieD detail. Even
Boswelrs -four volumes fail to mention
half Of the acts OF Johnston. The bias
phemer Ingersoll. when here lately. tried
10 prove the falsity of the history OF
Christ by the lack OF sameness In the
four Gospels, when every man Of sense
knows II they had agreed exactly. word
for word, 1t would have been positive
proof that the history was a
fraud. No man knows this better