New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-18
"JOH.N DID no MIRACLES.

THE REV. DR. BOWLING. OF BOSTON. TELLS of
THE POSSIBLE GLORY OF OBSCURE LIVES
Following Is a synopsis OF a sermon deir,iSu
yesterday morning in the Church OF inc my
Trinity. Brooklyn. by the rev Or. George lho'"as
Downing OF Boston The text was from John ~ -
John did miracles"
As man grows IN culture he grows N rr rep con-
This Is probably because OF an ncrea-'ns he
scousncss Of strength. FOR the strong men IN who
subdued men. What mean is. that the ,,n M, New.
stamped real character upon thai litlle ~
Engend town where you were porn, tne ative VI
left inheritance OF stability In your hatNe-,i,a
age church, were not bo.sierous ana SCI. ~, were
They "a neither strive nor cry ne. thei 49,
their voices heard IN the street. Their zen, tbil
lips always able. amid those stormy sct'es os
the anti-slavery agitation TO RUE ne "o H. rad
already conquered Wendell philips Thus ne fss Ta n
the ,.unag tatcd ag.tator: Now suppose t,,Pking
characteristic than TINS OF quiet reserved pow,
We compare him with the word n e'V ,citb
Napoleon. Their great deeds seemed TO Dc 'n ~, ~
suit o. great endeavor and as we see ,l' me we
breath. touching at last the pinnacle o. lalhe ""
say: These the men who struggled up l inn
w.:h conposure as though they we're commonpsce
th!ngs-the chance grain spilLng out o. tb}ol,ing
measure And We stand IN silent worship t nm, wy
say. This is He that cometh down from apoN.,
And It is an old trick OF the world TO cruclIy s
this KIND Of power II It's whole existence were
aimed dazzling miracles one astonishnitht nS
shout Long live the King But the worlds sur
face Of power is the startling effects the ina
rical blue lights. the miracles wh-ch ne PEI 10
Otherwise ne is on.y commonplace person, a no.
body man who charges men mat tney s,dls AZ ~
make HIM known To-day ] speak IN behalI ., n,o,
worlds nobodys: the men and women who 30 nor
astOnsh any one. who following the MaS.sI, yt ~,
live their quiet lives and then fall asleep le4Ntns
behind them somehow strength and sunhght
though men scarcely know how they dld ~ AM
speak in behalf OF them who Ike John do no
miracles. The possible glory OF obscure H'es
Jesus Himself made very little Of miracles .. He
did not value a fame which should rest on then
Nowhere is the brilliant man nted OUT anu , ,he
pattern on account Of hs bnH.ahGy vi. va
other hand. who We're Chrst heroes. IL, IL, and
poor woman whom others nave con'' ~ IN
He points 10 her because 81 a n,IT CO. bereso-
ever ms Gospel shall be preached throutG~' nc
whole world. there shall also that Whicn 'mis
woman hath done he told for a memorial Of heri..
And thus RE rejected. as you may ne, f, no
is Heo' \ nobody only carpenters Son. aitel I
He claims 10 be prophet We Will drive lin OUT
where God would have look for II. in that Wfio
IS familiar. The commonplace that which IS just
little lives Even the heavens look grander "neh
go TO Europe TO see them ana We ne 20, go
taking about Italian skies and the moon o. enc
We seldom think that the old mothti' WIN me-
hands All wrinkled is Is great as tnt the
oh farrner with brorzel face and horny arms, VINO
has brought a whole family for God Is az great
F5- jesus teaches rs that. laying aside all other
tests tearing them of as We would the hneN I ron
and Hfe's success must CONSIST. not IN MIRA
cles not in any 'Lo here. or 20 there, ou' IN
falthfulness. - .,,o.
Dannecker the famous German sculptor W0rked
for two years on the marble statue OF Jesus mrs.
Then ne thought K finished. hut calling M
little g.r into MS studio. ne asked her: W no II
that and she replied "A great man. Ana inc
artist turned away dlshear'enel. He had 'aiie1-
for the real Christ would surely be recognized oy
the purA spirit OF 2 little child And so ne WORKER
again month after month. until imost Two var
more had passed away. and then he called ner III
the second time and asked. w no IS thet -,
moment she Cazed in s.erce. and then sne SalI' "
low and gentle tones: Siiter H'tle 'hl'4''" w.
come unto me- IT.
Then he was satisfied His presentation % me
Divine Lori was complete since u could % r' oD
rfzed bv the untutored instinct OF Ettle chil1
10 felt then and after that FOR that Work ne
had been inspred-fha n MS solitary wigs ne RI
seen tho Christ and had bur transferred 10 marine
the image revealed 10 his own heart hr,,, III
after years Nanolao1 requested him 10 MAKE
statue OF Verus FOR the gallery Of the Louvre ne
answered NO. nan VINO mas seen hr 81 aou ha
commit 50 crilege u h. should employ he ART n re
carv.nc OF PAGAN goddess Ny art - enoe'oith
a consocrateel thing. -. .t,
NV friends We oan find 10 gran1er %ork MAJ
tho rerroduct.on In THIS world OF Jesus tht-s anu
We can find that-evcry one OF MS. her mon ~ -
our message which may 90 Win us durlng me
coming week The POSSIBLE glory o. obscure .Ves
"Tohr ala no miracles: but among them that are
horn Of woman there hath not arisen great,
than John the Baptist; for fidelity is success
fidelity is success