Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-04-07

HELP FOR A HEArAeN.
commens ~ william T. Eli

HELP FOR A HEATHEN.
In these days when Il journey arOun(
the world is a simple holiday task. 1
is difficult to understand how restrict
ed was the personal sphere of the life
of Jesus. Aside from the visit t.
Egypt in his infancy, he rarely left thu
borders of Palestine. Most of his life
was spent within the limits of the
province of Galilee. Even after en-
tering upon his public ministry he
rarely went outside the confines Of
his own country.
One such occasion is recorded in the
passage which is the basis of today's
lesson. To find rest and seclusion he
left the teeming multitude which be-
set him at Capernaum, n ~jOurneyed
northwest to Phoenicia, into the neigh
borhoods of historic Tyre and Sidon
He wanted to be away from people
who knew him. Possibly it was ply
steal WEAKNESS which moved him to
take this journey into a gentle coun-
try, or 1t may wen have been spiritual
depression.
A LIGHT LIFTED HIM.
The record tersely says, But he
could not be hid" Doubtless his fame
had preceded him to these foreign
= HCMS VI d IlcdICI SpICdQS
rapidly among those who need him.
Furthermore, the following n per-
sOnality of Jesus were such as to make
him a marked man. The fact of his
unconscious revealing himself suggests
the law that nothing can be hid. The
young man away from home thinks
that he can wander into evil ways be-
aus he imagincs nobody knows him.
The probabilities are. however, that he
and his misdeeds are speedily recog-
niZed and reported.
Murder will out" So will virtue.
Mute, inglorlous Millions sound in
teresting in poetry, but II they were
really Millions they could not be mute
and in~glorious. What we are and what
we do is eve revealing itself to the
world. even an 1t Will be revealed in
the sight of all men in the last great
day.
MoTHER.LovE's PLEA.
Jesus could not hide himself. First
to find him was Il mother with a
stricken daughter. She had the ears
Of love to hear the first whisper of the
nearness of Jesus, go she came in
haste II flung herself at his feet with
the request that the evil spirit be cast
out of her daughter. She was a Syro-
P%hoenician by nation. a gentle and
an alien to the Jews. There may have
been a note Of shrewd policy In her
plea: Have mercy upon me. o Lord.
thou Son of David" She was not a
believer in the Son of David and It
may not have been in sincerity that
she hailed him as Lord.
vt any rate, either to test her faith
Or because the thought that his mis-
sion to the Jews was still strOng4upon
him, Jesus seemed at first to rebuff
the suppliant. He met her appeal with
what was evidently a current proverb:
1T Is not meet to take the children's
bread, and asst 1t to the dogs" This
sounds more severe Than 1t probably
was. 1t must be read in the light OF
the known character of Jesus-his un-
pathy. 1t was not in him to be rude
to a woman.
THE HUMILITY OF A GREAT
DESIRE.
The response of the Superintendent
mother showed her mother-heart
which, in search of the boon for the one
she loved. would not be denied. She
nptly responded, Yea. Lord; even the
dogs under the table eat Of the chill
dren's crumbs" With q humility and
an earnestness which would not be
daunted, like the importunate widow
in the parable. she kept on asking un-
til she secured. The place of blessing
is always very low at Jesus feet. 1t Ii
not the high and naughty unto whom
the Lord delights to give gifts, but Il
those who esteem themselves lowly an6
esteem him highly.
= This woman was only an alien, vel
her need was great and of her need wai
born a victorious faith. Jesus was al
ways moved blythe spectacle OF faith
Wherever he found it he remarked
upon it. His question to his disciples
| When the Son of Man cometh, shall
ne find faith on the earth" may bt
read in the light Of his repeated com
mendations of the faith he encoun
tered.
FAITH TRIUMPHANT.
II the Masters attitude towards tn,
poor Syro-Phoenician mother had a
first seemed cold, there was nothing
lacking in 1t now. Addressing he
warmly. he cried. 20. woman. great Il
thy faith: be it unto thee even as tho,
wilt" There IL that In the nature o.
God which cannot deny insistent, cour
ageous faith. No proper boon asked
In such trust az was here shown IL evel
denied. The faith which holds on ant
seeming rebuff. Is the faith which Coz
rewards with best blessings. So tn
mother wat sent away rejoicing. to he
daughter, who meanwhile had beel
made pure and free and sane. He
parkxosyms were all gone. 1t was
transformed home which the mOther
faith made that day-as indeed faitl
is everywhere transforming lives IN,
homes and communities.
THRoN0o OF NEEDY.
While keeping outside the borders o
GRilec, Jesus returned eastward an,
southwark by q circuitoue rout
through the province OF Decapcais
When he drew near the Sea OF Galilee-
hut on the opposite side from his q
miiiar haunts-he was again besieeo,
by + great multitude. Sickness an
afliction are common enough todA3
with all the arts OF healing which hav
had their origin In the spirit Of SJesul
but al this time the number was vast
ly greater. Behold the melanchol
throng which hAotened to Jesus. ofte
at the cost Of excruciating suffering. Z
he sought I mountain retreat near ia
eastern shore Of GAlilee: l1atthe,
gives the list with some particularit,
A 9veN rrads.
q. r. Atkln. 8 tsAveling S~epreeeutativ
Tor f.. q. Matthias Z Co. farriors. oe Chd
caao. told this otery on him1oaf ~ d
BroadWay Conerol the other eNou1nos ~