The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-13
THE suNDAY-sCHooL LESSON.


\ singing caravan of GaliIean worshipers
came up from the Jordan valley; they were
chanting tho songs of degrees. each psalm
reaching higher note the pilgrims reached
a plateau. until at length. from the crest
OF olivet. the vision OF the fair and holy city
burst upon their eyes. Then their triumpha Mt
song reached its highest note in the exclama-
ton. "Our feet shall stand still within thy
walls o jerusalem
Scores of such caravans had annually ap-
preached the city during the other festivities OF
the Jewish year. but this caravan was the most
important of all. Cnrecognized. there walked
in il the long-expected Messiah in boyish form.
The devout heart OF Jesus stirred 10 its
depths by what He saw and heard. The pious
conversation by the way, the acts OF prayer
and praise. the sight of city and temple. I'M
pressiye and significant services. eliminating in
the Offering of the paschsl lamb-nothing es-
capped the alert mind of the Holy Child.
No doubt upon this occasion, and by the aid
of these objects and incidents, the conscious
ness of His divine mission began to dawn upon
Jesus mind. He was absorbed by il To such a
degree as TO be oblivious to time. place and
home relationship. He intended no discourtesy
or disobedience &c His parents.
He was no forward child. seeking to arrest
attention by airing His own knowledge. He
had received an intimation. the most porten-
tcus that could be imagined: He was bent
upon learning the import of His great commits
sion. The best bureau of information would be
found in the Sanhedrim, in the temple terrace.
Thither He went. and tarried long
The weary and anxious parents, conscious of
their lapse in the of the Child of Destiny.
found Him at last and His mother in her ex-
citement, almost taxes Him with inconsider-
ateness. His answer, In substance. is: You
ought not TO have consumed time in searching
and inquiring for me on the road. The natural
and proper place for me is in my father S
house"
Yet the dawning and glorious consciousness
of His great commission did not prevent His
honoring His parents. and rendering TO them
cheerful and ready obedience, and in this He
proves himself the perfect model of youth.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
The devout heart of the child Jesus flew TO
the temple like iron to the magnet. Military
pageant Roman game or bazaar had no at
fractions for Him. Those who knew the law
of God and the meaning OF the ceremonias
then In progress were the persons whose COM
pany the child Jesus sought.
The sanhedrim OF the temple had got into a
rut. II could not get out of the groove of ira
ditional thought and expression however much
it might desire to- The naiyete OF the fresh
young mind from Galilee was charming and
refreshing. He viewed these matters from an
entirely new and more exalted point OF vision.
IN nrSt recorded saying OF Jesus is Welf cal
culated to attract attention He not
ashamed to say, Il must" How often We say
it, too. but ENORMOUSLY! He recognized the
constraining principle of duty. and yielded TO
1t gladly. Even at this early stage he could
have cried: II delight to do Thy will. my
God"'
j am asked: ''Why arc four gospels given
u.s. Tradition tells of king who. desiring a
perfect likeness OF himself transmitted to pos
terity. employed four artists Two painted the
opposite profiles. third the front view, the
fourth, sculptor, carved a statue. This may
represent the work of the evangelists. They pic
ture Christ from their various standpoints.
Each presents finished picture. But the four
together bring out all the features of Jesus.
THE four gospels are, as it were, the sacred
stereoscope which gives to us a record of our
savior, not in its bare surface, but in its liv-
ing solidity The emblems of the evangelists
early adopted, and supposed to be derived from
Eek. X, significant; for Matthew.
because he brings out the human character OF
Jesus; lion for Mark. because of the energy
with which he writes; OK for Luke, to sig
Nifty the priestly character of Jesus; eagle
for John. because he into the mysteries
of the Godhead. Matthew, an apostle, wrote in