The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-01-09

So that we are lett TO conjecture, ana 10
inference, drawn from the habits and
customs Of the place and times In which
he lived, rs TO how his early childhood
was spent. There we're a great many
extravagant and foolish traditions, con.
tanned in the Apocryphal writings som
corning the childhood OF Jesus, ascrib ng
to him wonderful and miraculous pow
ers. But the very silence Of the Bible
record is suggestive OF the true life he
led. Harbaugh says: "Covered, AZ. it Is,
with a holy veil, we really see it as 1t is
not only IA truly infant life, but also a
truly human life, physically and men,
tally, secularly and spiritually, person
ally and socially, only radiant with holi-
ness"
st. Chrysostom truly says: "lt from
His earliest infancy lie had shown forth
wonders, He would not have been nc.
counted a man, the working OF miracles
not being reasonable ~ YET"
We can only reasonably infer that he
gradually developed as any other child
would have done with the same environ
ments-"increasing in wisdom aud stat
IRE, and in favor with zoe and man.
As Harbaugh again, truly, says; The
divine in Jesus developed itself with the
human, not before it, or in violent con.
trast with it, d
A study OF the quiet, meditatiye life Of
| Mary would help us to a true conception
OF the child lie Of Jesus. There is noth-
ing more interesting and beautiful, to
me, than the study OF his ideal virgin,
and model wife, and mother. See the
timid blushiug maiden, when the angel
to her that she should bring
forth the wondrous child OF prophecy, as
she qaietly responds; "Beho.d the hand
maid Of the Lord be it unto me acSord-
ing to thy word SEE her at the housa
OF Elizabeth when she was called the
BLESSED among women as she pours
forth her SOU in rap,urous thanksgiving,
praise, and alteration to God, VINO had
regarded her low estate, II exalted her
above all the women OF the earth! See
her at the manssr as the shepherd told
the angelic announcement, and the sing
ing of the wunderous choir from heaven:
and A. ths Magi came with gifts OF gold,
iran NluGtHS', anu hlg'lhJ lo'AIus NonH
and wursaiplng the babe; how she was
/ silent" and kept all these things, aud
pondered then in her heart"
See her as she fees acress the arid des-
ert waste, from the murderous decree Of
Herod, clasplng the holy child to her
BOSOM, and submitting quietly to an
exile home in Egypt.
t-.z 49,, $50 Lar l., ,ha 1agann tn.dav
as she takes her place in the humble
home at Nazareth, where, as dutitul and
affcctionate wife, and devoted mother,
she gives her life to the domestic duties
OF her Hebrew home; and above all to the
| rearing and training OF this holy child
Jesus. One single passage is a clue to the
religious character OF both Joseph and
Mary: "Now his parents went to Jerusa-
lem eve year at the feast of the pass
over.r lNer. All. According to Jewish
Law females were not required to make
this annual visit; but Mary voluntarily
did this, as Il privilege not to be sighted,
and thereby indicating that she was
faithful in all religions obseryances.
With such Il mother, and such "a reputed
iather, tune peauti'u' S"ata-'e' VI "OeVPH
is too often ~oyerIookedl with the envir-
onments OF this Nazareth houe, as au-
thentic history gives it to US, it is no
dltiicult matter LOT us 10 nave u true con-
~cept.on OF tine boyhood Of Jesus.
Physical surroundings nave much to do
with the development OF human charac-
ter. And we can well imagine that this
mountain home, twelve hundred feet
above tie sea, with its terraced and fruit
iul hillsides, and wide extended and
beautiful landscape views, had much to
do in the development OF Mary's child,
physically and mentally. This open
book OF nature, with nil OF its sacred his
toric associlt ons, as detailed to him by
lis thoughtful. mother, must have deeply
inn ressed tie bright and sensitive mine
OF her boy. His life, in it's details o.
childish amu,ements, daily tolls, anc
education, must nave been very much th'
same As other children IN Na@areth' II
ike humble eS' 80 NTH
have the clstom' ana dress o. tines
oriental cities changed IN the last lev
hundred years, that the pi ure OF tn
boy Jesus. as he ministered TO Ben HUI
on the streets OF Nazareth, is doubtless
true likeness; II allure was simple o
his head a white handkerchief, heid l
place. oy " oo'a' o"e 'o'"e' -" e
tue iore"eAu' II o'nei 'o'
'unio' "lSo "h''e, eo'e'eu : y ~
10 Ah'es' s'I' II 'he war
'e6' were ""'e' on no 'ee' "e'e
OIL the most Pr'm'l''e N'"D' oe'hs 'Vios :
oN-hiue "''"cneu 0 'He a"N,o' y ca"
erh straps inc laee Vi 'ne ooS ".
Y shadea oy locks OF Eelio",sh orisi
0 chestnut h''r, d iace l's"'eo ny var
t olue eyes at ms 'i"ne u eo''' Q app"
ing, so iu'I OF love ana hoIy purpose, 'n'
tney mac al 'he power Oh con"h""u ~