The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-10-12

Subject: "Con scious Power and
How To Use IT,
Text: 'Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word Of
God. Luke w. 4.
Following the temple scene in Terusa-
lem. we have period of eighteen or more
years of unbroken silence in the life OF
Jesus. All that the Bible writer's tell
us is that He went down from Jerusalem
to Nazareth with His parents and was
subject to them, but subsequent events
prove that those were not idle years. They
were filed with work ana study. He
mastered the Jewish sacred writings, and
after beginning His ministry showed His
familiarity with them He kept close
Ia nature and pondered deeply on the
meaning of its phenomena. He saw
spiritual meaning in what was regarded
rs commonplace. The lilies, the birds, the
broodng hen. the growing wheat and
tares the rising sun, the clouds at morn
ing and evening. the blowing of the wind
all served Him for Illustrations of spir-
i,uaL truth.
He associated with men, learned their
strength and weakness, their virtues and
vices and came to have "A genuine sym
IdtNN 10Y Iiefii. Ike 6OA q 4osSR4' '-'ii'
the shepherd, the fisherman. the farmer
the gardener the jeweer, the merchant
tie carpenter. the vine dresser. the tailor
and tile housewife.
He knew current history From the
plateau above Nazareth. He could see
across the plain of Esdraeon. where
emerged from the Samaritan hills the
road from Jerusalem. thronged with pill
erims and the road from Egypt with
It's merchants going up and down The
Midianita caravans could be watched
for miles coming up from the fords of
the Jordan. and the camel train from
Damascus would round the foot OF the
hill upon which Nazareth stands He
could see the highway from Decapolis
along which legions marched. and princes
swept with their retinues- The sight OF
The Roman ranks and eagle ensign would
not have been unfamiliar to Him.
The news of the Roman empire passed
srto Palestine along the highway close
70 Narazeth He heard the stories about
the emperor's health the changing IN
fiuences OF the great statesmen. the pros
meets at court of Herod or of the Jews.
Caesars last order concerning tribute
the policy of the procuTator and the scan
eIas of the Eerods.
HE knew the customs Of the neigh
noring Gentiles their business methods,
their lax morals and their sensuous ~or-
ship
The conditions the temper, tile preju-
d,ees and the hopes Of His own people
were familiar to Him. He knew the
calling OF the Roman yoke the Jewish
restlessness and half-concealed hate or
existing authority. the Jewish ideas OF
a national God and the political con
ception of a Messiauic kingdom. But He
While "A
1sthized with many OF tho notions OF
His nation He saw their faults and their
1oislirected aims His own spiritual de-
velopment had produced an impatience
with ceremonialism with the belittling
IDEAS Of God and HIS kingdom. and with
the materialistic conceptions OF divine
Dlessedness.
When He had reached the age Of about
thirty years John the Baptist came from
his retirement and with clear bugle cali
began to summon the lsraelites to bap-
tism prepare tory 10 the Kings coming.
Ills soul was bursting with the thought
that the kingdom Of heaven was at hand
and his people were not ready for it.
Jesus. with great thoughts stirring in
Him went TO the Jordan 20 be baptized,
not as a confession Of sin, nor so much
as a conservation for service. for HIS
life was pure and lie was already In
sense consecrated TO Gods service. but
as q public conservation to the work OF
setting up the heavenly Kingdom which
john declared was at hand
With the baptism was born the purpose
that had been for years struggling in the
womb of HIS soul The dove ana the
voice. seen by the spiritual eye and heard
by the spiritual ear, were assurances
from His Father Of His acceptance for
the Messianic work.