Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-04-11

Mark q: 3-"Is not this the carpenter.
the son of Mary, and brother of James.
anu Joses. and Judas, and Simon"
Luke . 5i-"And he went down with
them. and came to Nazareth. and was
subiect unto them"
The majority of us do not find very
much encouragement and inspiration,
except IN very general sense. in the
lives of great men. Personally do
not derive much help from cont,m
platiOn of the devotion aud herois,n
of the martyrs. Their courage and
self abnegation | admire, but find
no opportunities in my Ii e 10 emu
late their exercise of these virtues.
They moved in asphere so far rrmov
rd from the little. narraw round that
| tread that can find but little in
their experiences that is Identical
with my own.
Some of us have sometimes,
doubt not. had similar feeling in
contemplating the life of our Lord.
We are familiar chiefly with the
events of the closing years of his life
upon earth. We are almost compell
ed To think of him mainly as engaged
IN the greatest work that ever Occu
pied the time, and absorbed the en-
ergies of any member of our race.
Every mention of his work brings he
fore us the vision of one engaged in
raising the dead; healing the sick;
teaching, as man never taught b,
fore, the hungry, wistful souls gath
cred around him of the Fathers ten
deruess aud compassion; bringing
everlasting sunshine into lives that
were enswathed IN darkness deeper
and more appalling than that of AIT
Egyptian uight. We have felt. at
would be easy to be heroic if one onl,
had work to do that was worth DO
ing. 1t is easy To be brave aud to
suffer IN n great cause, but if one
must do every day the same things.
and things that do not count after
they are done, it is altogether diff
ferent matter" We not only feel hat
there is nothing about IA narrow and
common place life TO heroic deeds.
but we have also conviction that
there are no opportunities for the ex
hihition of highest courage in such 81
life.
If this be true of your life, AS it
has been of my own, then think
that we shall find lesson-I hope u
profitable One-in the glimpses
which these two passages give us, of
the way in which Jesus spent thr
larger part of his life.
leaving out his visit To the pass
over ~hru twelve years old. these pas
ages tell Us all that We know Of hi
'Ifr nutil he was thirty years old
Why have we SO little told us con
rrruiug thus period Of his earthly 80
rurn: think it is Simi!y hecauS,
tbs was ahOnt all iha, there was tel
His life was not unlike YOURS ana
mime. Its history could be told la D..
Q hrief sentences.
How much would ! have to write
la order TO tell the story of INV life
a. NonrS: How would something
axe this do for YOURS: lie WAS bora
larke county. and growing up here
Aorked on farm. or, she was born
Oit IN the country, but after her
marriage moved INTO ;he village, and
Kept house for the family. AN
yOu say. "that is just 1t exactly. and
as ! look back now, only one rxpres
sion tittingIy char racterizes it: 'Nani
| " of vanitirs, all il vanity Th
very thought of it fills me with wear
lhess and disgust. 1t has amouutei
to nothing. / have never done any
thing,-have never had the chance tC
do anything" We forget the Jrsns
spent thirty years in Nazareth, IA mis-
erable little hamlet without very
good reputation, and lived com
mon place, uneventful life, doing
nothing bnt serving Joseph and Mary
by attention TO everyday duties, oI
occupying himself 10y working with
saw and hammer making OK yoke;
and tables. and building houses. And
yet his life, | am sure, WAS beautiful
ly and grandly heroic. 1t must hav,
been so; for we are told it was lookec
upon with favor by the Father.
DO YOU know that after thinking
about this matter feel that some