The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-06
A Sabbs tn in Capernaurl.

S1OOt LII HI
 It was Sabbath in the city of Nahum tCapernaurn). so famous in New Testa- ment annals exalted to heaven by Jesus residence within it's limits. The usual au- dience had gathered in the marble syna- gogue, which. love had prompted worthy centurion proselyte, to build. The glittering fragments of that house of prayer, with the conventional twisted fol- 1age ornamentation, greet the eye of the modern traveller, and remind him of the doom which Jesus pronounced on ac- count of the spiritual Obtuseness of it's population. Marks spirited. narrative de- scribes Jesus as, going to the synagogue as soon as the doors were open. By common consent. he takes the speakers s stand, and utters word that have a prin- ciple of life in them.
 ''He speaks the prophets words, but with
 an air
 As if himself had been foreshadowed in
 them."
 The most eminent scribe that ever occu- pied that desk never approximated to the self-assertiveness of the present speaker Hear his 'I say unto you!" 'I am the way. the door, the vine, the shepherd truth, life, resurrectioni" Before Abra- ham was, I am!" No wonder that au- dience was dumbfounded. Moses and the prophets were not authorities to be ap- pealed to, but servants to deck the speak CTS brow with aureola of divinity. In the very midst of that fervid sermon, the breathless stiffness of the auditorium is broken by the piercing cry of terror and astonishment with which the underworld recognizes it's Sovereign Master: "Ahi" Woe is mei' ''Mine hour of doom is come.' It was jslst such a cry as the condemned felon might raise at the sud den, unexpected appearance of his execu- tioner. The seed of the serpent recog- nizes the seed of the woman. But even in his terror the unclean spirit sees an opportunity to damage his mighty oppo- nent. He fails not to avail himself of it. He will patronizingly acknowledge the new Rabbis exalted claims, so that there shall be the appearance of collision. The venomous Jews shall be furnished with some color for their damaging accusation that Jesus is himself possessed, and by that means exercises his authority over demons. The Master checkmates that devil in single move. He silences him, and expels him. The demon gives an eX- ample of his malevolent ferocity by giv- ing his unhappy victim "a last fling be- fore he leaves him. In that synagogue by the sea is witnessed sharp encoun- ter between the powers of light and dark ness, and Heavens final triumph is there adumbrated. No wonder that the fame of 1t flew with winged feet. The scene of Jesus 'tireless activity is at once trans ferred from the publicity of the syna- gogue to the sweet privacy of the home of the chiefest of his apostles. What Peter has just seen of the Masters pow CT emboldens him to call his attention to an instance of sickness in his own house "a low, consuming, fatal fever. The do- mestic miracle will produce no such sen sation as that wrought in the synagogue; but love for his disciple, and a desire to confirm this somewhat unstable charac- ter, as well as sympathy for the sufferer. leads Jesus to give the touch and word of power. What God does is well done" No tedious convalescence succeeds the breaking of the fever. As token of gratitude the sick woman instantly rises from her couch and prepares a savory meal All unconSciously she gives a con vincing evidence of the perfection of her cure; at the same time she refreshes the Master after the tolls of the day, and fortifles him for the overwhelming exac- tions of the early evening. For scarcely