The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-29

Review. Dee. 30, 190O-Studies i'm the
Life of Jesus.


thousand miles up the Nile at Abu simbel
sit those four colossal statues carved out Of a
mountain side with infinite toll Thousands Of
tens of living rock have thus been wrought into
human form by workmen dead and forgotten for
mienniums. with fixed and fatal look. which
is appalling. those faces. most perfect ever pro-
duced by Egyptian art. peer across the sands Of
old hushed Egypt" A Greek sister TO these
strong Egyptian colossi once stood upon the roof
of the Parthenon. 1t was Phidias's masterpiece.
the statue OF PalIas Athene. 1t lowered forty
feet was wrought out of ivory and gold. and
had blazing Jewels for eyes. The face is de-
scribed as beautiful and serene. worthy OF the
serious goddess OF wisdom Thus IL would be
possible 10 go from one nation to another OF an
tiquity and describe statue typical of its art
and thought. But when this should be done
samples only would be given of that incalcula-
Lle multitude Of images with which genius and
indomitable patience fairly peopled the old world
OF the far East. There they are III fresco, mo-
sale, bas relief, effigies colossal and minute.
grand and grotesque. But it is ignorance only
that laughs at the sphnxes. winged bulls. PIN
toned lions hawk headed men, and many-hreast-
ed women that I'LL the ruins of palace and tenn
pie. This was the striving OF the heather mind
to express its ideal of the Deity. The patient
scholarship OF to-day has put the key OF ancient
mythology in our hands. and we can recognize
everywhere the symbols of the attributes pow
ers ana deeds OF the Deity. In spite OF all the
bodness of its striving. however, its earnestness
and the infniteness of its patience we com
PEELED. even in presence OF its masterpieces. 10
pronounce that word failure for no image
craven by art or mans device can show forth
God. The material never satisfactorily in
terpret to us the spiritual: but this unsuitable
desire of the human soul to have make some
manifestation OF the Deity-a desire which ex-
pressed itself in Infinite and painful but unsuc-
cessfui strfving-at length had its satisfaction;
not in a chiseled colossus, not in an image OF
ivory and gold not in cold and breathless mar
ble-but in a throbbing. loving human heart.
st. John may we'll be called the apostle
o: the incarnation. AS in the writings of ST.
Paul, the doctrine OF justification by faith Is
Just the genuineness of faith certified by gooi
works is conspicuous the chief teaching OF
John is that the Lord was made flesh. John
lays it down the infallible test of teachers
soundness that he shall confess that Jesus Christ
hath come in the flesh. 1t is the be-
lever as well. 'Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God" The incarnation
is presumably true. The loving Father will sat
isfy the aspiration Of His children for a mani
festation of himself. That manifestation will oc
cur at the earliest possible date in the history
of the race, when humanity is able TO avail IL.
self of il to the best advantage. No form better
suited to accomplish the end desired can be i'm
agined than that which taken. The mar
Christ Jesus exemplifed the moral qualities
which are essential to the highest type of man
hood Assuming that Jesus was an honest anc
competent witness, we have in His own declara.
tious the evidence of the reality of the incarna.
ton. He that hath hath this
Father" Jesus answered. and said unto him
-
my Father will love him, and we will come unto
Him, and make abode with Him." my Fa
tier worketh and 1 work. THAT all should
honor the Son, even as they honor the Father
Before Abrham was / am" Il that bread
| OF life which came down from heaven
| 1t Is often asked. why are four gospels giver
us?" Tradition tells of king who, desiring Z
| perfect likeness of himself transmitted to pos
| terity. employed four artists. Two painted The
opposite profles, third the front view, tn,
| fourth. sculptor, carved a statue. This ma,
| represent the work of the evangelsts. They pic
| ture Christ from their various standpoints- Each
| presents a finished picture. But the four to
gether bring all the features OF Jesus. 9TH,
| four gospels are, as ii were, the sacred stereo
scope which gives to record of our Savior
not in its bare surface, but in its living sodty.
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