The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-02

explanation. 1t might be called The
Inner life of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God It would be after the manner
of the Gospel of st. John, not SO
much life of circumstances as of
thoughts, purposes, feelings, aspiIa-
tions, desires, portraying the inward
spiritual, metaphysical, eternal life of
Christ. 1t can never be fully written,
because no necessarily limited book
can cover an unlimited subject.
"Only in the degree that we get
into this inward life of Jesus will his
outward life cease to be plague to
US. As it is, we are constantly COM
ing upon things in his life that we
cannot understand or explain and
that often defy intelligence, and
these create doubt and Indifference.
But as we get into sympathy with
the spirit of this inner life of Christ
we begin to do as he did-see these
outward things in their right rela-
tions, color and proportions. When
we hear his words our minds expand,
our hearts burn within us. and our
souls leap with JOY as did the travel
ers to Emaus.
''In all human lives the inward ex-
,,Io;ps fbo o,,t,rard Co.. ,x,.AL 3lo
outward only and we get controversy,
discrepancy, intellectual annoyance.
moral surprises and often spiritual
disappointment. But first thoroughly
know persons soul, get into SYM
pathy with his purposes and motives
and know the scope of his mental
and moral nature, and we at once un-
derstand his words and deeds as
never before. His life of mystery and
character of disappointment and con-
troversy becomes a simple life of un-
derstanding and character of salts
faction and mutual agreement. This
is true with the inner spirit and life
of Christ.
"This study of the inner life of
Christ becomes intensely interesting
and fruitful. By it we are brought
to set the same value on his outward
acts of miracle as he did. What was
the miracle to him; of any particular
value in itself7 None. When did
he ever say: "Behold the mighty tri-
umph of my power" Never. When
did he sound the trumpet and wake
mighty, hosts to see the loosing of
dumb tongue or the opening of
blind eyes? Never. If he had per-
formed the.miracles with the skill of
his fingers only, as the wizard, he
would be proud of them; but when
they fell out of the infnity of his
thinking they were but mere drops
trembling on the oceans brink. Like
our simple breathing in the mighty
wind, nothing because of our greater
life. The miracles and puzzles, en-
igmas, confounding surprises to peo-
pie who come to Jesus in the outward
and circumstantial alone. But if
they come to him through his heart
and speak to him soul to soul, they
then feel the heaving of his great
sympathetic bosom; they then see
the miracles as he saw them; mere
examples to guide children through
the Introductory elements of a higher
law. Jesus orce surprised people by
saying: Greater works than these
shall ye do but nowhere did he say:
Greater thoughts than these shall ye
think, greater love than this shall ye
show There he touched the un-
searchable riches of his own nature.
Study the inner life from another
point; watch him day by day, watch
his deeds. What is the impelling
power, why does he do these things9
When but a boy he answered this
frankly: 'Wist ye not that must be
about my fathers businesss' Work
ing from fathers point of viewl This
the key has given us to his whole life.
1t is but child's expression; can he
keep it upi"
Later he says, My Father worketh
hitherto and work, Il and my Fa-
ther are one." Can he sustain this in
trouble9 Father, if it be possible let
this cup pass from me-" Still higher,
-"Father into thy hands / Icommend
my spirit. "Isn't that the richest har-
mony of musics Keynote, Father"
Out rolls the anthem high as heaven,
deep as hades, broad as nature, yet
the keynote, Father" is sounded at
every brace, and the fundamental air
of natures lullaby is never lost. And
we must give Jesus, the Galilean
peasant, the credit for this persever-
ance in a rythmic consistency in a
course of life that was rugged, tragi-
cal and unparalleled.
"Once more, in studying this inner
life what do we find to be his supreme