The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-12-25
CHRIST. THE BOY,

CHRIST, THE BOY,
We have very little that IS reliable con-
cerning the infancy and youth OF Jesus.
In some respects this Is TO be deploced.
but on the whole it is a matter Of small
consequence our relations 20 Him be-
gan when He entered public ffe Be
fors that He was simply a carpenter,
working at His daily task. and the sen
" carpenter Whether ne was skilled
in His trade or not It is impossible % say.
unless We depend for our opinion Oh the
thousand and one legends which come
floating down the stream Of time like
drif,wood. Rurnor has it that Joseph was
by no means a reliable workman; il goes
so far as 10 declare mat he was bung-
Ter, and that on many occasions it was
necessary 70. the youth to so to his AS
sistaIea and recufy his mistakes It
would seem. therefore that while Jesus
was acceptable to the villagers in Naza-
reih Joseph could earn only scanty pit
tance. "a
Joseph died when Jesus had reached
His aineteenth year. and thereafter the
little family were dependent On the Ia
bors Of the young man for their neagre
support. 1t may he a somewhat realistic
picture to present. but it by no means
offends my reverence for he great re-
former to think of Him wi:h tools in
Ills hands, rising early in he morning
as the sun crept over the eastern hill
tops and chesrily vending HIS way TO the
house OF some neighbor who needed His
services and was willing 10 pay for them
! like also TO think Of Him. the days
work done, returning 10 the home circle
and spending the evening in social inter-
course with the family and with such
callers as might join them, 10 discuss
the signs OF the times. the news from
Damascus, brought by passing cara.
van, or the latest report from Jerusalem. .
where the Jews were in riotous mood
over some new act of oppression.
Then when His great career began I
try 10 think of the new sensations which
nlled the minds and stirred the hearts
of his hea-eue. The Temple folk became
suddenly angry, fer this unlettered nan
denounced their hypocrisy in unmeasured
terms while the common people stared
at him with wonder and arazement. His
doctrines were revolutionary. His deeds
were miraculous. He was a puzzle. des,
tined to start a conAagrasIon whose
flames still fash in the air. though eight
eon centuries have re.rea-ed into the
past.
When the muezzin from mis- lofty tower
proclaims the approach Of noon. all true
Mohamrnedans, in whatever employment
they may be engaged. cease from work
and utter their prayers Of Thanksgiving
or their petitions for help. There Is a
sudden stiffness in the air which is aw-
fully impressive, for the sound Of the I
voice has recalled them from t
their secular tasks and reminded thesn
Of their spiritual duties When the /
prayers have ended however, the devo-
lees resume their work as though nothing
had happened.
Not so with Christ. The simile is only ,
Iartly apropos. When that wondrous ,
Voice was heard the world listened, some ,
With reverence. some with Indignation.
The words they heard were the masonry. >
aid solidly with the cement Of Gods love
or all His children, on which a new sys-
EN- Of religious thought was to be built.
But when the voice was nusned amid
ne plngs Of cruciGnon, men did not -
esume their old tasks in the old spirit.
Mat was rendered forever impossible.
rhe earth has not been the same earth
ince that hour, aad it can never 20 back
0 its old customs and ways. There is a
ew heaven above US and there ere not
louds enough in the armament Of doubt
0 shroud its glories from our grateful
ision.
We should for some reasons, not es-
ential, however, to our spiritual deyel-
pmcnt, be glad TO know more Of the
outh Of Jesus. Our curiosity is natural
ut after all it is only curiosity. It would
ford US qualification certainly to learn
ON authentic sources about His school
lys, His companions. His education.
is home life. HIS personal habits and
'culiarites, and yet there is this ad-
lntage when we look back through the
isis Of time. that there is nothing, ABB 8
iu.ely lothlng 10 distract our atten- r