The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-15
SUNDAY SCH JL LESSON.
RET. EDWAkD T.. TEJL'S INTER
PRETlTION or ar.
Interesting Lessons Drawn From the Acts
of"The Great Heiper"-His
Miracles.

Feb. b-lNt pitoe 'iN'f~
ZIG.
The wonderful thing about the pulpit
of Jesus was that It had no steps. ne oia
not have to get up above the level Of ms
daily life when he preached ana "hen
the sermon was ended, however hish II
might be, he stepped out upon It's iefe''
What makes tho miracles following the
Sermon on the Mount SO worthy OF our
notice is that they are worthy 10 UNIV"
such a sermon.
The healing of the ceuturion's servant
suggests A multitude OF reflections, many
OF which should be received with caution
I'm view of the obscurity which SURROUNDS
some of the principal characters In the
story If the centurion was pagan VINO
built the Jews synagogue from mere
philanthropy we have an Instance OF
dog eating the crumbs which fell from
the childrens table. III the elders OF the
people mot the elders Of the synagogue)
were not among the followers OF Jesus
we have an instance of men desiring
blessing for others who have no desire
for "A bic.slu. for themselves. Inc FORMER
instance is not uncommon III the blpie'
the latter Is not uncommon to-day. In
almost every community AAA'A' eh' NH'N''
Of the people-honolabl well-to-do men
who are deeply impressed with the idea
that other people ought TO seek blessing
from Jesus We have known men who
had no use for religion themselves TO re-
joice over the conversion OF neighbor.
And there are men who even Join the
church not to receive any beneht them
selves, but in order 70 encourage others
by their example. The writer once knew
a man TO go through the form OF seeking
Christ according to the custom OF his
church who confessed that ne did II mere
~ with the hope Of influencing his wife.
about whose soul he was deeply con-
cernedi
The striking fact Of the miracle-the
fact which awakened the wonder of Jesus
himsef-is the faith OF the centurion. IL
is impossible TO understand this part of
the lesson without assuming that the
centurion was Influenced by the Holy
Spirit. II faith was not the faith which
the wonderful deeds OF the conJurer
awakens His awe was not supersti-
tiOus fest The humility he expressed
was plainly the result of regarding Jesus
as one sent ficm God. His words show
that he believed him 10 be one who had
authority. The message which expresses
his humility as well az his faith Is not
VIti out security Perhaps he meant to
say: 1T is enough FOR you TO speak the
word. For |. also, like you, though in an
infinitely lower degree. am one with au-
thority given me by power above me.
and 1t Is enough for me 10 say to one.
Go, and he goeth; and TO another, Come.
and he cometh." We do not wonder that
Jesus should pause TO hold up such an
example Of faith from this Gentle side
by side with the unbelief Of the chosen,
and 10 solcmnly declare that many Gen
tiles should come from the east and the
west and sit down with Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven
while those who claimed TO be the chill
dren of these patrlarchs and claimed their
seats because they were children after
the flesh would be cast out into outer
darkness.
Soon after the healing OF the c.nturon's
servant Jesus. attended By his disciples
and much people came TO t,se village Of
Main. As he neared the Viliaga "A funeral
procession poured forth from MIS- gate.
Jesus had met the blind and le.t them
seeing. he had met the lame, and they
had run on before him rejoicing: he Mad
met demons. and had cast them out: no\g
at last he was Ia the presence OF death.
what VIII he do? Win he attack this last
enemy also? Possibly the question came
into the minds of the disciples as they
moved on; but more probably it did not
occur TO them that this case was within
the range Of possibility, and they expected
him 10 pass the bier without word.
Everybody noticed that the chief mourner
was woman-apparenuy widow They
saw her awful distress, and pitied her
from their hearts; but they lid not think
TO ask Jesus If he could DO anything for
her But he, too. saw her and In a moment
NE knew IL all the bier bore "A young man
who was the only son OF his mother (fhe
only son she ever had. and she was a
widow. II would be hard 10 find a more
sorrowfuI picture. The multitude regard
ed her with pity-helpless pity. Jesus re-
garded her with sympathy PITY feels
sorry Tor another and passes Oa. SYM
pathy feels another's sorrow and stops
20 see what il can do. Jesus stopped The
procession stopped.
Note that wherever Jesus went he was
the Master OF the situation he never
sought publicity, but he was always 10
the Z ut. he could not be hid However
great might he the crowd he was the
only one that attracted everybody's attNn-
uoh. lie never sought a high seat but
When people saw him. they all picked out
the lowest seats, and left him only the
highest 10 occupy. He did not put him
SELF above men, but men put themselves
at his feet. At Main, as everywhere. he
had only 10 be seen TO be lookd up 10
As he touched the bier the men who car
re1 10 stopped. The people I'm the pro-
cession ceased their loud lamentations
ana stood still. All eyes We're fixed on him.
nat would he do Would Il trumpeter
stand forth and proclaim that a great
deed was 10 be performed? Would there
.I ffrf..
tudes, a procession around the bier. a
confusion OF strange noises and move
menus Would he make a speech 10 the
people ana, after dramatic pause. touch
thc dead man and recall him to life? No
no. never In his ministry was there q
moment OF snow never was there an at
tempt 10 reach the people by working ON
their imagina'ions. without parade
without hesitation, without a moment of
secret testing he simply said, Young
man. ARISE And he that was dead sal
up ana began TO speak. And he de-
Ivered him 10 his mother"
How unaccomodating the Bible IL N
The curious. The narrative always stons
at the point curiosity begins why ara
We not told what the young man saIds
Did he speak Of the spirit land from which
he had Just returned, and il SO. why are
We not told what he saw there2" Rut
the omission Is not an oversight. The
biole Is not book Of knowledge. but a
DOCK or wisdom. IL il not written for
those VINO want merely TO know. but for
nose VINO want to know that they may
do. "'
AND there came q fear on all. and
,hey glorined God" We must NOT law
TOO much stress upon this statement
The crowd was in a very pious frame.
but that seldom means great deal. The |
religion OF the crowd II a mushroom. The |
most depraved men may feel solemn I
awe AT funeral and will give express
INN tn IN. 80