The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-27
-waa ,oaehsa rasr.-Lal. WIS.


have the main features % the wonderful
incident mat furnishes the words O 0eE
text. T-nat they were asked Ia ignofA2Ss .
.a1ueys imagine lie MO could usesA+s az :
robe fringe e. that IL could cure aTeae-
TAI and-humanIy speaktng-lE 2rADiS
YualaSy. do not need 20 ask rhls cues
flon Jesus knew vel enough VINO DAD
toscned Him: bat He wanted 70 crlHs
tnzs grateful person waorn re had nea4cl
tate contact with ths truth. as she naa
already been In contact Win His talllla.
or garment He wanted further 20 draw
ugt her confession. and 10 lei X impress
ses@sf upon the multitude thai throassa
Him on every side. want 20 BRING 1his
incident very close 20 you this morning
i want you 20 realize that tie elements
shaf 20 20 make up this experience are
common today. what happened ia the
roadway in Palestine that day may nap
pen here this morning. diseased sol4 u
twelve yes Of twenty, or forty, or sky
or any number OF years standin8 may
-each forward and touch. only touch, th..t
compassionate Christ and 20 away N
bIsssednezs and peace VIII u be so'
A Crowded Christ
In looking back ~ the gospel story am
impressed first with the crowd. WhefvgsI
leans went r. was pretty sure % 4eiio@
Him. II sarged against Him ana Jostlsa
ssaxe Seeen born In the inn AZ Bethlehem,
where He would have been surrounded
oy some Of the ordinary comforts Oh
Eastern Ilfe but there was no room az
the inn. for the crowd had filed II, ana
left the barn for Jesus. he might nave
lad many an opportunity 10 sit down N
oglattiae vita HIS disciples. but the crowd
xoan searched Him out. waiting His bless
ing. as the only return He knew how 70
give for their indiguity al His birth. lie
could not sit at table bat the crowd huas
around for a gracious word or mlfae"-
lous deed Even the desert did not shelter
Him. for over $500 followed Him, 50 thAt
He had time neither to eat nor sleep
and beFond the borders OF Palestine his
fame went before Him. 20 that even there
He could not be hid. He preached to the
crowd from the slopes OF Mount hatiin.
and from the fishing smack ar the snore
81 Gsnne<aret. He healed the muititudes
as they passed by. He suffered the Dap
tfsu Of John while the assembled crowd
looked on. and walked majesticaliy IN me
presence Of the crowd while the sturdy
prophet cried out Behold the Lamb Of
Godr He went out bearing His cross,
and the crowd followed: and al the end
Of that fearful tragedy We read, the
people stood beholdlng." They came for all
sorts Of reasons. 10 seek all SORTS OF thlhSs-
The curious peered into His face; the
or stood ia their way: the vicious came
out after Him with swords and slaves
the naughty and hypoeritieaf tainted Him
with lmpertinent questions and accused
Him of insiucertty and bl8sphemy. But
only those VINO touched Him In the tru-
est sense realized His true power and
character.
Have We not the crowd and the pushed
and jostled Christ today Is there an
Ina hsfa
ptsblieY Is there another being so fire.
quenfiy upon our streets. so regularly up
on our lecture platforms so Initiated In
wood and stone. In precious metal and
purest marble. 50 etched upon stained
glass window. and made 10 glow upon
canvas, and wrought In needlswork, ana
worn IN orucifix7 Who has so embellish-
ed literature. and immortaiIEed song, and
rendered fascinating fiction. and given 20
oratorlo its chief charm? Larger crowds
are considering Him. His mission. Ills
character His claims. His Influence, than
ever before. More peopie are making up
their minds about this Jesus OF Nazareth
than ever In sill the worlds history. More
are accepting Him. More nre rejecting
Him. hear the sieilant sheer in one d.
reotion and the penotentiai cry In another.
Hera men scor aud ridieule and laugh
uutu they become red in the face with
kkspticaI merriment over the latest joke
that earicatures His atonement: and
there wasted life. with the blotches OF
dissipation on tho face and the sepulchral
voice Of one nigh unto the grave begs for
q ray Of hopo before dissolution. Here
they blaspheme Him, and there they bless
Him. q Thou Christ OF God art Thou
here IN the midst Of this audience ;odayg
Il there a hard face turned toward Thee.
a face that will not be softened by Thy
grace Il there a scornful lip that cuTls
r-.-
a hatefal one that pushes up against Thy
sacred person TO crowd Thee ont OF the
wayq IL there even an Indifferent heart
that Will not take an interest IN Thy
pressncef The crowd presses Thee. There
- disease here 20 be healed. There s. an-
sussh here 10 b. comfortcd There Is
moral weakness here conscious Of tts need
90 divine strength. There Is sincere long
ing here after a purer and better ne that
can only lind its satisfaction iu Thy word
OF ppace Press closer. Master. 20 this
fhrong Of lonely. weary aching hearts.
Press closer. Is there not one who touches
Thee SO gently. - effectively. that thrill
Of departing virtue goes through Thy be-
inef Is there not enc. 80 different in her
contact from all The others who throng
and press Thee on every side. that Thou
art constrained 20 say, - Thou diast say
20 Thy disciples, who touched Me-
san a. Disease.
Again IN considering this Incident. ara
Impressed with the diseased woman Long
suffering bad carved So deep lines on her
face Hone 50 frequently deferred had
made her heart sick. TIE peculiarly deli
cate nature ~ her ma}adv had its effect
uaan her sensitive organism she wished
% eVaae publicity. and vet ahe lonEed 70
De heated she bad spent all her money
IA Intellectual cures. The rude Physicians
81 that day know actually nothing ~ the
complicated human frame and its all
fuents Even today "a that far-of la~H
medical science Is shrouded IN mystery.
The modern physician b. looked upon with
wondering ewes Hs g. the tudlspensA Ale
attendant 81 the Christlkn missionary II
tho swo gallinEs can ha condensed into
ore. che very acme ~ success is gained.
TIE crowds - wretchsd sick cfamorlnr
Tor relief from their numerous ailments.
ctn best 10 Feachet. as 90 thFIv z1flfs
after thev have been relieved a. 90 their
bodies. IN fhe time ~ ChriSt tasrapc1i-
fi-s was absolute guess work The nature
snd functions % the WAL organs were go
..rety unknown srt were therefore the
srl,ie-ts ~ th~ wslarst surrnsses Tsa.~
pharmacy had % - wlth pculticss ana
psasters and = sew herhs taken almost i'm
{ tserrnfnafe3v. Superstition was 50 min
eted wien shslr Nrntfed science thaf either
on- wss likely 30 aeutrsiise fhe other II
Is act - - wondered ~ tArn that tse aa-
v3ce thts peer woman reserved as psha
dearly for e3t her no Naot sud that sAa
sot m hette- hut rather ssvv worse sac
Vas row reduced 20 ths iast * rraaftv
Peer weak. uncleAn csrrznauf aliv. Hn-
.Da3riuE she hears ~ new p-1pheE who
AS sizatv power cver tiseaFt sua she
risks exposure sd consuFe as she snfq-
sies "a the crowd. as presses her way
saseuFs lt 20 80 scar Tim.