The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-05

did not know the use of it, or who forgot
that it had any part in human affairs.
This was one of the very few occasions of
HIS life when He took advantage of GER
emony to achieve an end.
The beautiful and impressive formalities
OF the morning were not lost upon the
crowd; the dulleSt of minds in it understood
that Jesus regarded the organization of His
disciples as matter of profound impor-
lance to Himself, to them, to the Jewish
race and to the world
The Jews, being a people born and trained
IN severity, took it as matter Of course.
Of mercy they knew little. Command
mentS carved in stone by the greatest of
legislators grimly cut their ancient laws
into the Hebrew instinct. Jehovah had not
Thou shalt not, and thou shalt. With ex-
PLANTATION, or appeal, or promise, he had
never concerned himself. Moses was not a.
tender man. The fiat and its consequences
were as unornamented as Sinai, and as
hard.
Jesus, too, came down from a mountain
on the day when the principles of the
Christian faith were first publicly laid
down. Introducing reverent reference
to the ancient laws of his race-which in a
less sincere man would have been marvel
of dexterity-He succeeded by a wonderful
mngling of oratorical tact and genuineness
Of feeling in unfolding HIS the4rIes OF me Ie
original that they took the breath away
from His audience.
Instead of commandments, Jesus offered
beatitudes. Instead of thunder there was
music. Threats were replaced by prom
ises. Punshments interested Him less than
rewards After thousand years of law,
who could understand love? Amusement
which amounted almost to stupefaction
listened to Him. He spoke of incredible
things He treated them in an astounding
way Something in His manner was more
than priestly; it was more than royal. He
tore down old solid. reapectabie errors OF
a god tossing aside human affairs. In His
audience were certain lumber OF ecclesi-
atca dssg5ef bee e psd ro
their position. He did not on their recount
soften by an adjective anything which lie
had to say He singled them out, in TACT
as He did on more than one other occasion
nv one of the severeSt rebukcS ever known
TO fall from His gentle lips. lie acded to
His enemies on that morning. CopSerVatlVes
did not understand Him. and hypocrltes
feared Him. Silent and secret Jealorsles
and aversons grew in His audience along
side of the admiration, affection ana trust
which it was impossible for Him not to
inspire: ..o.,ro +Lo,ob+, IN
strange wav He offered great things to a
small people He selected the overlooked,
the despised those who were of no conse-
ouence He made extraordinary promises
of ultimate pre-eminence to men without
what is called spirit" to those not quick
to take provocation-patient people, the
gentle. the humble; to those weakened by
foo much grief; to the tender to those
whose longing for what he called righteous
ness. or rightness of heart. was a spiritual
starvation. The unhappy. the slandered;
those who loved peace ana tried TO pre-
serve IL to those who suffered hardship for
a. good cause: all the obscure and unfor-
tunate whom it was not the fashion TO no
tice--these he preferred.
AS BY AUTHORITY.
To one class of men he reserved the most
solemn and most tender of his affectionate
pledges: 1.-The pure in heart" he said, "are
blessed They shall see God" His voice
sank with these words; it was audible only
because it was so clear and sweet; thou
sands held the breath to catch the falling
tone; hundreds hung their heads like little
children when they understood what the
rabbi said. No person looked at his neigh
Dor. Every one was busy with his own soul
On the face of the preacher crept such
look as an unclean man. beholdng, might
have died of, for very shame. Then daz-
cling brightness Snote his countenance
Many in his audience covered their eyes
before its radiance-these if they had seen,
those as If they should never see some
thing too precious to speak of: something
dearer than life, more memorable than
death.
The preacher paused at this point. but
only to gather strength to proceed with his
a brief one, and its beautiful opening was
followed by a train of thought whose power
and originality were no less great than his
introduction. What he said was as fearless
the lightning, yet as practical as any
statute of the ancient law.
He spoke as the maker of a new system
the legislator of higher law. He treated
of many moral offenses. The list ranged
from murder to rash judgment from i'm
morality to excessive anxiety. He dealt with
many virtues; their names were new to his
audience. Each watched TO see how his
neighbor took these confusing things; rich
travellers and poor rustics, philosophers and
women listened with a common bewilder-
ment. The few plain men who had given