The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-23


to him and the world.
God sees us, and knows us perfect
ly, but our moral obligations to him
are unchanged by this knowledge.
This we may say of the entire hu-
manity, which should be an inspira-
ton to all to live righteous and godly
lives. God has made us to be happy,
and this we cannot experience with
out we comply with the conditions
which promote happiness.
All the twelve disciples accepted
the responsible place in the cabinet
of their Master and Teacher. They
were all Jews and had sympathy
with their nation. But their ideas
of Jesus we're incorrect, which led
them into sinful ways. Judas Is
cariot never saw Jesus in his true
character, nor did the other disciples,
till after the crucifixion and resurrec-
ton. They then understood the in
structions of their Master-that he
was moral and spiritual king, and
not a civil and political ruler. Not
one of the twelve was thoroughly
Christian till after the betrayal,
cruci6xion and resurrection, 80 far
as we can learn from the sacred
record. And what was the character
of their addresses to the people pre-
vious to the betrayal and crucifixion,
we know but little. They were all
commissioned to preach saying, "The
kingdom of heaven is at hand"
and to do works of benevolence to
the sick in body and mind. And in
this they sometimes failed, and were
upbraided by their Master for lack of
faith in themselves and God.
They did not live separate and in
dependent of each other, but in a
community, and Judas carried the
bag or purse. This may have in
creased his desire for money. The
other disciples must have had conf
dence in Judas to let him have such
responsible position in their com
munity.
He was intrusted with the funds
on which they subsisted, and distrib-
uted to the poor. In Johns Gospel
Judas is called thief, but what the
particular character of his theft was
is not defined.
There is no doubt, however, but
that Judas had an inordinate desire
for money; and he saw the way open
in the betrayal of Jesus to secure it.
He knew the state of society-that
Jewish authorities were clamoring for
the destruction of his Master. So he
stipulated with the Jewish high
priests to deliver Jesus into their
hands for thirty pieces of silver. This
he did. which was the fulfilment of
VIC pIcOlCGlOu VI JESUS.
Judas had been with Jesus for
three years. He had heard the truths
he had taught, and seen the miracles
he had performed. He knew he had
healed the sick, impaired sight to the
blind, and raised the dead to life. He
knew of no miracle that Jesus could
not perform, and though he betrayed
him into the hands of his enemies, he
doubtless thought he could miracu-
lously escape from them. He wanted
the thirty pieces of silver, and would
thus test the miraculous power of his
Master by his betrayal.
But his expectations were not real
lied. He saw that he had betrayed
the innocent Jesus unto most cruel
death-that he had been guilty of an
irreparable wrong upon the life of his
beloved Master, and saw no way by
which he could amend it.
He did what he could by bringing
back the thirty pieces of silver, which
only added to his grief in conse-
quence of the way the money was re-
ceived. He felt the cutting reproach
of his enemies, and sought relief by
suicide. He died of excessive grief
for the crime he had committed. If
there is case of genuine repentance
for the commission of crime in the
New Testament, it is in the case of
Judas, and if repentance for the COM
mission of sinful acts committed is
an argument in favor of salvation,
we have it in the case of this man.
The love of Judas for Jesus must
have been sincere to have wrought
such an effect upon him-a grief that
produced sudden death. Peters con-
duct toward his master caused him
to sweep bitterly, and no doubt all
the disciples were grieved because
they did not perceive more clearly
the true character of their crucified
Master.
But the good Father had pur-
pose in the life, teachings, and death