New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-15
THE STORY OF MARY AND MARTHA.

1ssr-E TAKEN WITH THE REV. MIR. MORGANs
STATEMENTS AT NoRTHFIELD
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir Referring 10 Mr.. Morgan's sermon, oenV-
srsd at East Mortified. Mass. on last sunday
morning. and published In The Tribune OF tnis
morning I beg to inquire Mr. Morgans Sc!ip'urai
authority for saying. Martha gets his touch'nss.
Mary gets His tears. Martha said eHuc"y wa
Mary said When Mary said II. what u'ilei
.rca," Now I submit that the Jews VINO were
nresent with Jesus Martha and Mary. ana 'he
d,sc,,ls who recorded this most touching incideh'
in the ufs CT Jesus. and the Holy opirit "n,I ,
p,oved John ''the beloved disciple, 10 "rite '''S
story OF Jesus love for Martina ana her s,s'i
and Lazarus did not 80 understand H. ioi
Immediately written after the words Jesus w.p
"Tber said the Jews, Behold. how He loved hiH
No, 10, Ms read the thrty-second verse OF the
,ar,h cban,er OF St. John: Then when Mary
was come where Jesus was ana ga" h'' '',e
fell down at his feet. saying unto ti'"' io.u'
Thou hadst been here my brother had not oieu
No tears fell from the eyes OF Jesus 'heh' NO. l.
uas NOT until When Jesus raw Mary weeping ana
,b Jaws also weeping which came with her. he
oaped In the spirit and troubled. ana sa'd
Where have we laid Him." that Jesus "ep'
a. .oa,, we read In the thrty-eghth verse or
,ha Same chapter: Jesus, therefore. again sroah-
,ny in himself cometh 10 the grave. DOCS hot
,he scrptural record Of this event ceary SNOW
tina, Jesus was moved TO tears. not by Mary' re-
o,,.l of Narthas declaration, Lord. II Thou hads'
been here my brother had not dieu' pu' peeauso
His human nature was touched by the "eep','s oi
Mary and Of the Jews who came with her. ana fiiS
human sympathy aroused for Martha and Mary III
,ba death of their only brother? Then. why should
Ar Norran saw Martha gets His teachings Mary
gets His tears. Martha said exactly what Mary
said When Mary said II, what dnerence' D'u
Mr. Morgan say to make u saint o. Mary ana
scoll OF Martha? Taking the Scriptural account II
would really appear So
In considering the actions OF Martha ana Mary
,nn,od,ot.lv after the death Of their brother
Lazarus 1t must not be forgotten that the TWO
sisters had sent message unto Jesus. saying
Lord behold he whom Thou lowest Is sick ana
,ha, Martha az soon as she heard that Jesus was
coming went and met him." not a.one because
abe wanted TO see her Lord IN her sore bereave-
ment. but TO show her faith In His power by say
,nu Lord II Thou hadst been here. my brother
had not died" And Martha's additiona! words. But
I know that even now. whatsoever Thou VIII ask
NJ God God will give 1t TO Thee. clearly evinces,
=, ,.os, rho Rllmmering OF a hope IN her mind that
God IN answer to the prayer OF her Master. would
bring back TO her the life OF her departed brother
And Mr. Morgan will please observe that because
Mary did not meet Jesus as Martha had done He
,,ut this message to her 10y the mouth OF Martha :
.The ' Master is come ana caleth for Thee and
lex Mr. Morgan specially o,v snat ; Jgs"' did ,n not
met Him" And as Mary only repeated ,he. single
ha9sI been here my brother had not died." 1t is
a f,ir Inference 10 say that her faith In Jesus was
NOT as great as that OF her sister Martha. Her
outward emotion only more marked and visi,
HE Mary shed tears. and SO did the Jews. and
viii any one dare say that Martha did not ike
wise? 40 . ~. ~, $780,,
where he gets his scripturai authority for SAYING
wrong herself. the next thing she feels cross with
Mary the third thing she gets cross with Jesus
And also for saying that Martha was numbered
in her own spirit. angry with her sister rejecting
upon her Master. and putting the blame on Him
OF her weariness"? No such unwarranted belief
or assumption can be fairly drawn by inference or
Implication from the brief record which we have
of this incident In the eleventh chapter Of st.
John. Martha loved the Lord Just as deeply as
less outward emotion. than Mary. for while Mary's
love FOR Jesus was unquestionably fervent and
passionate that being her nature, the love OF
Martha was quiet deep. sincere and practical be-
cause that her nature.
Mr. Morgan SAYS and / am s,d to have have, him hin
ordinary attack that she went straight In and
sat down and did nothing" While he IL doing
this I propose to defend Martha from tho unjust
ana I.;sstlaabs attack which Mr. Morgan has