Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-04-19


scriptures-Time Well Spent.
The lesson for April - tells the story
OF THE Centurion's Servant Healed"
1t is found in Luke z: ITO. The golden
text is Psalm 1903: IL. Immediately after
the mountain teaching there came anoth-
CT call for healing. 1t Is not easy for us
to realize how large a part the healing
OF the sick occupied in the ministry OF
Jesus. IL we are to Judge OF his char
acter and of the nature of the religion
which he established by the apportion-
ment of his time. we must think OF Chris
tianity far more as a helpful, ministering,
loye-inspiring life than as a system OF
doctrine.
Explanatory.
A centurion was about equivalent to a
captain or first lieutenant in modern
armies. He commanded from fifty to
100 men-the latter being the maximum
size Of the century or company, six of
which formed a cohort. A centurion who
was merely one among scores of officers
of equal rank in large province would
not be man of much prominence, but
centurion in charge of the garrison Of
an important town like Capernaum
would hold very different position.
Some of the officers in the Roman army,
even in SO low rank as this, were men
of noble family and considerable means,
as are some lieutenants and captains in
the European armies. This centurion had
built the Jews synagogue, and If, as
some think, the ruins at Tell Hum are
Ythe ruins of that synagogue, il was a
large and costly building. Evidently he
was one of the few Roman officials in
Palestine who had succeeded in getting
the favor Of the people.
1t was not rare thing for masters to
feel an affection for slaves as this CEN
turion did. The man was probably a
valet or personal attendant, whose rela-
tons with his master would be most in
innate. There was much cruelty toward
slaves in the Roman world, as any reader
Of "Quo Vadis" or the Latin classics
knows; but also much kind treatment
and genuine affection, as there was
among many Shareholders in the South
ern States before the war.
The action of the centurion in sending
elders of the Jews to plead his case with
Jesus showed that he did not know much
about the approachableness and wide
sympathy of the Nazarene. He evidently
thought he must use diplomatic methods
to get help from a Jew new to the town,
who would not be aware Of his good
standing with the citizens.
Here again the centurion shows his nu-
mility. 1t must be remembered that at
this time Jesus was near the height of
his popularity in Galilee, that crowds
thronged his steps wherever he went, and
that for few months he was the leading
man of the whole district; person with
whom the military rank of Roman cen
turion would not amount to much. But
the centurion's humility was not merely
matter of calculation as to social rank.
He seemed to have felt strongly the nor
NAL dignity of Jesus. As a man of strong
character himself he recognized the mas
terry of this unpretentious rabbi from
Nazareth.
Obedience in the Roman army was in
slant, absolute and complete. Army dis
cipline in all efficient armies is eXacting,
but the Romans perhaps brought it to the
highest perfection of any ancient nation.
A man was not accounted worthy Of the
lowest place in the ranks unless he was
ready to go to certain death at word of
command. The centurion, having learn
mand. and to receive obedience. He
| thought of Jesus as commander in the
sphere of disease, whom the demons or
forces of the paralysis that tormented
his servant would instantly obey. If
only we, with our vastly larger knowl-
edge of the Lords power over the forces
Of the world, physical as we'll as personal,
could think of him with the same conf
4 in
daily life.
Jesus seldom marveled at men. He
marveled at the unbelief of his neighbors
in Nazareth, and at the faith of the CEN
turion. The faith of the Syro-Phoenician
woman also gave him cause for wonder.
One wonders il he finds anything marvel
Gus in the faith of the men of to-day,
or whether il seems very weak and wav-
ering. That a Roman, a pagan, whose
only thought of God must have been of
some vague supernatural power to be
feared and placated should show greater
faith than any in Israel was strange in
/ deed. "He came unto his own, and they
that were his own received him not. But
as many as received him, to them gave
he the right to become children of God,
even to them that believe on his name"
Thus the centurion's servant was heal
ed in the absence of Jesus, as was the
nobleman's son John 4 1904. The the
DRY that all Jesus miracles of healing
were performed by exercising some of
those occult forces that have at different
times been called personal magnetism"
''mesmerism," hypnotic suggestion" etc,
fails to touch such cases.
The great truth illustrated by the mira
Gle is the close connection between faith
and obedience. Each depends on the 9th
err. Faith without obedience is no faith
at all, for faith is belief in action. Real
obedience without faith there cannot be;
the obedience may be more or less want
ing in intelligent comprehension of the
reason for obeying, but such n lack Is not
vital or permanent. OF the two men, one
who has n clear understanding OF Chris
tan doctrine and respect for the Bible
but makes no attempt to guide his life
in accordance Herewith is farther from
Christ than the man who is cropping his
way toward the light in much difficulty
and laundering.
Next Lesson-"Jesus and John the
Baptist. Lake Z: 1928.
Automobile ON the Towpatb.
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