The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-03-17

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Prudence suggested retirement.
WEAKNESS demanded it. The retreat
would also afford the apostles an
opportunity to report more infinitely
to the Master the experiences of their
trail-trip two and wOthrough Galilee
from which they had Just returned.
Sc the boat which had been chartered
for Jesus and waited upon Him
was employed to put the weary toilers
beyondsthe reach of the multitudes
that pressed upon them even at meal
times. Head-winds probably drove
the little bark near shore, and retard-
ed its progress. Clandestine as the
departure had been, it failed of its
purpose. An ever augmenting throng
hurried around the head of the lake,
and probably apprised some pilgrim
caravans to the passover of the com
ing of the great Nazarene. So, when
Jesus boat ran its keel upon the peb-
bly, shore, there stood five thousand
men, not to mention the women and
children. So far from being irritaUed
by this foiling of His plans, Jesus
heart was touched to pity ut sight of
the shepherdless flock, and He began
at once to instruct them in many
phases of the doctrine of grace In
the absorbing interest Of the theme.
neither Teacher nor taught observed
how the sun was dipping to the west
ern horizon. But the cOnmissary of
the apostolic college suddenly awoke
to the situation. Five regiments. and
no stores on hand, or any other
country to forage upon. After some
questions on Jesus part, calculated
to test his disciples faith, but to
which they respond with phenomenal
obtuseness, He prepares to work what,
in some respects, was His most
remarkable and significant miracle.
The material basis of the miracle was
paltry in the extreme.
There is vivid descriptive touch
in the Greek which does not appear
in our version. Under Jesus direc-
tion the confused throng was resolved
into the order of Frencee parterre.
He had them sit platwise, so that they
looked, in their high-colored gar
ments, like vertable flower beds with
green turf Intervening. After the
cheerful grace, which Jesus never
omits, He sends him forth to serve.
What He breaks off is large far than
that which remains, But that which
remains is undiminished And all are
fed and filled. AS lesson in fruU-
ality, the unused fragments are order
ed to be gathered up Each hesitat
ing apostle holds in his hands the tan
gible evidence of the reality and
magnitude of the miracle wrought
The Teachers Lantern
Lovely evidence is here of the i'm
plicit confidence which maintained
between Jesus and His APOSTLES
They came to Him. They told Him
what they had done, what they had
taught They were sure of His
sympathy. If they needed correction
they knew it would be done in love
The eldest disciples have no monopolv
however, of Jesus sympathy. He is
touched with feeling for us too. We
can come to him also; to '.tell con.
siderateness which Jesus showed for
the health and comfort of His toiIers
He still feels for those who in this lat
ter day are engaged in His service,
Seasons of respite are Indispensable
for the highest effectiveness. Rnt
apostles nor preachers have a mon.
opoly of Jesus sympathy. 1t sweens
out to inclose all sorts and conditions
of men, Jesus was as compassionate
towards the five thousand as towards
the twelve. So His Savior-heart goes
out toward the great unchurched
masses to-day. Five crackers and two
dried herring-talk of feeding five
thousand with them! But add TO tba
crackers and fish the almigbtiness of
Christ, and the proposition ceases to
be ridiculous. The resources Of tho
Church for spiritual sustenance for
the thousand millions of earth are
palpably inadequate, until the
Saviors power and blessing is added
to the equation. Then there is enouph
and to spare. The heavenliness of
this miracle is evident in it's orderli-
ness. There was no unseemlv scram-
BILE, inequality, or waste. All was
precision, method, order. Grace at
meals is one of the sweetest and most
impressive seryises of family RELIGION
We have Jesus example for it, Paul
could observe it in the midst of ship
wreck, there can scarcely be domes-
tic emergency which would Justify IFS
omission. The spiritual significance
Of this whole scene is finely set forth
In Mary A. Lathbury's noble bymn.
Break Thou the bread of life dear