The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-04

REPORTING.-The nobeman went
home believing; every step was an act
of faith. He needed no evidence except
the word of Jesus. On that he rested
with fullest assurance that the desire
Of his heart had been attained. In the
way he met his servants coming to
report that his son was alive Cverse 5D.
The information did not surprise him
1T was only what he expected But
there appeared then q disposition to
verify all that had trenspired, TO con-
meet to a certainty the word spoken in
Cana with the cure wrought in Caper-
naum. He learned that at the very
hour when Jesus spoke. the fever left
the son. The coincidence of the an
nouncement and the occurrence was
proof to him that one was the cause
of the other This was good reasoning,
for there was no other adequate intlu-
ence that could have stayed the course
of disease, and in an instant of time
begun the work of restoration 1t will
be noticed that the report Of the ser
wants was rendered on the day fol-
lowing the remark of Jesus (verse 52),
so that the nobleman had not hastened
homeward.
BELIEVING.-There was q rejoic-
ing household in Capernaum when the
ncbleman returned. A son saved from
death is an unspeakable blessing to an
orientalist (L.uSe, Xv:2D. But the JOY
changed its character somewhat and
took on an clement of thanksgiving,
when the facts of the journey were re-
lated in detail. How the plea had been
presented, how II was at first received
with apparent indifference, how in more
earnest words the urgency of the case
was made known, how the benign and
gentle Jesus had spoken, how the heart
of the father Clung to that word, how
he turned away homeward, feeling that
the work was done-all this the noble
man must have recited again and again
to eager listeners, dwelling on the cir
cumstance that at 1 o'clock the fever
left when Jesus uttered the word. And
as a result of that account all the
household of the nobleman believed in
Jesus-believed Him to be the son of
God, the Messiah of the Jews John,
| iii:2). These were the first converts
made in Capernaum, the beginning OF
| that large number who should after.
ward become attached to Him Mn His
future home (verse 53).
O.
REFLECTIONS US try to dis
cover the elements of the rulers faith,
which secured for him the life of his
| son. !. He heard that Jesus had done
great cures, and on that testimony he
believed Him to be able to work this
cure. 2. He heard that Jesus was in
Cana and believed that he might go to
Him and plead his own case. 8. He
had heard of the goodness of Jesus and
believed that He would go twenty miles
to do a generous deed. 4. He knew
that his son was near to deaths door.
but believed that Jesus might save his
| life. 6. He heard the rebuke adminis-
tered to unbelieving Jews who were
| incapable Of faith except by physical
demonstrations, yet he believed that
Jesus had power to heal without being
present. 6. He went home, not in great
haste, because he believed that the one
! he loved would live Qsa., XXviii:16).
! Z. Withal, his faith was contagious. It
| spread through his family. Other
! hearts and minds than his yielded their
| tribute to Jesus, and new plans and
purposes as well as new joys entered
| in to make a new home.