The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-29
JESUS EXPRESSED HIS ASTON|SHMENT Dr. Foster Read Two Texts for
 His Sermon. THE HUMANITY OF JESUS Discourse Which Sets Out in Contrast UnbeIlef and the Strong Faith
 of Men Who Saw the
 Savior.
 
THE HUMANITY OF JESUS

The theme of the Rev. Dr. Sterling J. Fosters discourse at the South High lands Presbyterian church at the Il o'clock service yesterday was "rhe As tonishment of Jesus" The preacher read two texts And He marveled at their unbelief St. Mark 6:6.
 When Jesus heard it He marveled and said to them that followed; Verify 1 say unto you I have not found so great faith in Israe."-St. Matthew S:10.
 Dr. Foster said:
 Tt need occasion us no surprise to learn that Jesus expressed astonishment while upon earth, for He was man as well as God. These light touches of the evan gellsts portray for us His humanity more clearly than would the most learned ar guments. He was not simply parading as human, but was in reality such being as ourselves. touched with the feeling of our infirmity.' These two instances set forth the causes of Ills wonder and they are seen to be vastly dissimilar.
 In the one instance the cause Is unbe- lief and in the other it is faith. Return ing to His boyhood's home in Nazareth
 
 for the first time since He began His min istry, He went as was His custom on the Sabbath day into .'the synagogue and be- gan to teach, and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, from whence hath this man these things, and what wisdom is this which Is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands?' Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and loses. and of Juda and Simon, and are not His sisters. here with us? And they were offended at Him.
 And He maryeled because of their un-' belief
 Personal Prejudice.
 Here we observe the tyranical power of a personal prejudice. It was beyond question, that He was the carpenter and thatsHis mother and brothers and sisters were with them, but could thls affect the truth which He taught? Here He had proclaimed the eternal principles of the kingdom of God to which He should have found a ready reference in every heart, end which indeed forced from them a re- luctant admission that "wisdom had been given unto Him" Why should the simple fact that they had known Him since His SOutu tlbStN lHtii HtdIlS dSdlilSl lHtiil
 Such is the power blind and unreason- ing prejudice which builds a wall through which truth and reason. wisdom and jus tice can never penetrate. In their wrath they rose up and thrust Him out of the city. and led Him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built that they might cast Him down headlong. Thus do men ever attempt to destroy the truth. thus do they make war on the principles of the kingdom of God, and even like Jesus, it passes through the midst of them and goes on it's way" It cannot be destroyed by the blind hatred of men for Truth is truth as God is God, and truth the day shall win"
 In striking contrast to these Nazarenes stands the Roman Centurian, who came to Jesus at Copernaum saying, Lord, my servant leth at home sick of tho palsy, grievously tormented | am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.'
 At this Jesus marveled, saying, 'T have not found so great faith, no not in Is- real"
 Faith Triumphant
 ?. Here we find faith triumphant, even over the deepest prejudice. A Roman and reared in the rough school of the Roman army, in the midst of a subject people for whom by every tradition he should have felt only the greatest contempt, this centurion rose to such sublime height of faith, as to awaken the aston lshment of Jesus, and thus forever has he made 1t impossible for one to justify his unbelief of pleading early training, environment or circumstances. If this man could believe, if he could rise superior to the tremendous difficulties that stood in the way of his faith none can find excuse. How great then must be the con stant wonder of Jesus, as now seated at the right hand of God, He looks down on the multitudes who go on in blind un- belief with less reason than had the Nazarenes, with deeper guilt than would have been that of the centurion, are men offended in Him today. For long since has He sealed His testimony with His Blood, and for two thousand years the truth that he taught and the principles he set forth, have gone on their way, as benediction to earth That which was obscure then has long since been made clear and the light shines with increasing brilliancy. Comfort has come to untold millions and hope has ligkted them on their way.
 The walls of prejudice have crumbled everywhere and there are none standing save those which man builds for himself And the wonder grows and will ever hos