The National tribune., 1895-02-14

The doctrine OF transmigration Of souls may
have crept into the Jewish philosophy, leading
them TO hold that a soul now suffering may be
undergoing punishment for sins committed in its
former body. The inference would be that the
victim in this lesson was put into blind body
because it was not good In the former incarna-
tion. There is no doubt but the more learned
Pharisees had become somewhat tainted by the
Pythagoresn heresy. The doctrine was held
by surrounding nations. and was quito con-
tagious That Jews wero not uncontaminated
by this error is seen in Josephus, Art, 10: IL |;
Bell, %: Ia; $3.50
Some theoogans held that infants could
sin before birth.
Porsiaus said there were two eternal prinei-
pies-good and evil. Blindness would By their
belief be attributable to the evil principles.
The classic deities quarreled among them
selves, and mortal5 were obliged Often to suffer
the consequences.
That the child might suffer from the sin Of
parents was an explanation easy TO accept
The Decalog says: THE Lord God is q
jealous God, visiting the inquity Of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation Of them that hate him."
In our day emphasizing the Law of
beredity. Science is making it special
study. The principles of this law are quite
generally accepted.
But tho popular orthodox explanation of suf-
foring is yet tho fact that sin preceded tho
troubie 1t is not a comfortable doctrine to
preach TO the afflicted. The so.called comfort
of Job urged him to tell them what sins
he had committed to bring on himself such
trials. When he silent they suggested
that perhaps he had been % bypOcrite.
But Christ plainly declares suffering is not
always n penalty.
And we must away with a sort of dualism
accepted by the Church in some measure, to
50 al. Uzl -.
We hold God is supreme.
This is o thought to be gotten from a book
not often quoted in biblical exegesis-Robin-
son Crusoe. Robinson set to teaching Friday.
lie told him God sends all the good TO mortals,
aud Satan all the evil. The savage could not
quite see into this. He put things together
God is all good, rules all the world, has all
powar-and yet the devil sends the evil. In
his artless way, Friday asked Crusoe: "Why
not God kill the deyil?"
To 10 plain in explaining this verse, we may
say that indirect suffering in general is due to
sin, but that the suffering OF person cannot
always be attributable to his own wrong d DING.
1t WAS Solomon who said: "As the bird by
wandering, as the swallow by flying, SO the
curse, canseless. shall not come" There is a
cause, an explanation for all suffering, but to
make every sufferer punitiyely responsible
alone for his trials is not fair because it is not
right. We are called to pass through much
suffering by or for other persons. If a son steal.
the father is the greatest sufferer. If girl go
astray, it is the mother who agonizes. The
most of the suferings Of many people are
caused more by wrongs of others than by the
sins they themselves committed.
So far as the question of verse implies that
sin AZ a rule lies back more or less remotely OF
the suffering it is correct That there was per-
sonal sin, on the part Of the man given sight,
as an explanation of his blindness. is absurd.
That the parents could have been responsible
was possibility, but that they were not is a
declaration of Christ.
Verses and 8.
These relate to the difficulty of identifying
the man whose sight had been given to him by
Christ. People who had formerly well known
the man wore puzzled By his different appear.
ance. Augustine says: 1.-THE opened eyes had
altered his looks" MuscuIus calls attention to
the wonderful difference in face with blind
eyes, and face brilliantly illuminated with
healthy, shining eyes, noticing that the express
sion Of the face depends very largely on the
eyes.
Suggestions.
!. Pity the blind. VI.
2. Work while alive. VA.
g. Obey Christ. VI.
A. Help without too much questioning. Y. g.
s. Do good as chance gives opportunity. v. l.
The phrase passing BY as here used, is
probably employed simply to indicate that the
miracle was called forth by the occasion, not by
any previously formed purpose Jesus, in going
along. happened to see the blind man and healed
him."
6. Go TO Christ for spiritual light VS..
z. 1t Is right to doctor on Sunday.
8. Each should feel. must.
8. We should feel we arc sent.
10. Facts may exist without explanation.
The man knew he saw, but could not tell how.
Act in the light you possess.