The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-26
AT THE UNITARIAN CHURCH.
A Christian Sermon-The Spiritual Edu-
cation of Jesus.

The Rev. e. NJ. Wheelock preached
an interesting discourse on the above
subject yesterday morning, taking his
text from John 7.15-"And the Jews mar
veled, saying, how knoweth this man
learning, having never been at school"
Said he: The Jewish teachers and
learned pedants were perpleXed to see
the fresh and ample wisdom of this I'M
schooled man. He was the son of Joseph
and Mary. whom they knew, living as Il
common labOrer in poverty and toll and
exclusion from the Rabbinical schools.
They knew he had not been pupil of any
of their famous teachers. Yet the peo-
pie forsook all other rabbis to hear Him.
The soldiers sent to arrest Him as an
agitatOr came back empty-handed, say
ing, never man spake as this man. Their
skilled debaters were baffied and 81
fenced by the strange power of His re-
plies.
Now, how had this son of poor coun-
try carpenter, this rustic, unlettered me-
chanic, acquired such wide and ready
wisdom? What was the schooling which
ripened to such high results? How did
He get so much more out of life than
others have done? The answer may dis
close the pathway of true spiritual edu-
cation for us also and invite us to attain
a similar beauty of character. Jesus was
not an angelic messenger descending Wis
IDLY from theSskies and bearing to men
the message He had learned in the upper
spheres. He was born as other men
are born; He grew up as other men grow
up, and the school of life taught Him as
it may teach us. From the example of
Jesus we learn that the common, simple
influences that environ human life may
be so used that, under the law of spiritual
evolution, man may become divine, a
son of God, brother of all men, and
able to say with the accents of spiritual
truth: 81 and the Father are one"
Jesus started in life weighted with all
the hindrances and Instructions that
block the way of poverty and want. He
had but one exceptional advantage-a
superior mother. 1t is an axiom in the
history of human nature that every great
man must have a great mother. She
who by general consent, stands as sec
ond Eve, at the head of womankind,
transmitted her great qualities in all their
fullness to her still greater Son. She
was a lineal descendant of a long line
of devout seers and magi, in whom
righteousness was passion. This quail
ity passed into the blood of Jesus. BY
the law of heredity lie received splr-
itually minded nature, an untainted soul,
strength made perfect in weakness,
an understanding heart, seeing eye.
With many impediments, but also with
these high advantages. the new Leader of
men began His outward life. His rare
and gracious mother was His teacher,
inspirer, CONSIDER and friend. Her
blessed and faithful love was the first
heaven revealed to His childish soul.
With His mother at His side He early
learned the patient lessons of obedience,
simplicity and daily toll. So she trained
the Son of Man for his work.
She told Him the story of the angels
singing peace on earth at His birth,
awakening strange vibrations in the
frame of this devout and sensitive child.
She told Him of the heroic leaders, sages
and prophets of the Jewish people whose
blood ran warm in His own veins; the