Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-01-07
"The Hoyhocd of Jesus" Luke H.,
4O.52,
A BOY OF LONG AGO.

considered the Babe of Bethlehem: this
first lesson OF the New Year treats of
the Boy of Nazareth. For six months
the International Series will deal with
the life and words of Jesus. but only
this once does he appear as a child.
The story is of undying interest; art.
literature, philosophy and theology
have all devoted their best powers TO
and interpreting it. The rec
ord of this childhood is brief, just a few
master touches here n there-an
angel visitor to a maiden at Nazareth:
weary pilgrims reaching Bethlehem
too late 10 find lodging; the Babe born
in the home of the gentle beasts: a
luminous appearance to some
and a new song by a heav-
emily chorus: the visit to the temple,
the Babe vas little more than a
month old: the visit of a little company
of strange fasteners, led by Il star.
and h gifts they brought: the flight
down into Egypt to escape Herod's
bloodthirstiness; the return in IL short
time to Nazareth, the former home of
Mary and Joseph: the growth Of the
Boy in wisdom M stature: tac ..s:.. to
the holy city when he was ~ Yeas old:
the eighteen years that followed in the
carpenters home and at the carpenters
bench, and then the public appearance
~ mo- OlIIlSS tI'S WOilUeVlui CIdI
into the clear view of history.
One reason for the meagerness of detail
In this most important life story. it has
been suggested. is hat 1t is less the
of Jesus of Nazareth than
the history of the worlds Savior.
THE TOUCH THAT TURNS.
Homes are mightier than universities.
The touch of the child's earliest envir-
has more to do with detern.in-
Ing the lifelong trend of its character
n later influence. This Boy
whose mission was to make plain and
h way back to the divine
Fathers love for all the wanderings OF
men, spent most of his time in a work.
influences of a humble, pious home.
glorified by the mother-love of the
best m
Mary was the Boys teacher and
friend. From her lips he learned life's
first lessons. She it was rho told him
the hero tales of Israel's history, firing
his young heart with patriotism that
never lost its glow. His evening lullaby
was one of the psalms. Then the serene
sweetness of Mary's own presence was
Il constant formative influence. Only
Mary could have been the mother of
this wonderful child. If it is a high
privilege and responsibility, and the
greatest of joys. to rear up any child.
how much greater was the privilege
and responsibility and joy of Mary,
who knew the secret of this wonderful
Boys birth?
A HOME IN A VILLAGE.
Pity the child who knows only the
streets of a city for his playground and
the harsh. unsympathetic outlines of
brick n stone as the only background
for his early memories. The country,
OF better still. the small village is the
place for a boy to gain the foundation
stores OF health II knowledge and
pleasure upon which he can best build
in the years to come. Not to have
grown up familiar with the life of field
n forest and farmyard; not to have
shared the sports III games Of other
boys: not to have watched the sparks
fly from the village forge or to have
listened on h edge OF the benign
company of village fathers as they
talked over the affairs of state and
church-tnese are d~eprfvations indeed.
The boy Jesus was not deprived Of
them. He lived the active. pleasure
filled life of the normal vigorous boy
The fables about his infant proves
are foolish on their face-his working
miracles to confound his boyish e
mics, his breathing life into birds OF
clay. and all such like. Such a prodigy
and prig would never grow in favor
with God or man. The life of the child
Jesus was an average life: thus did he
purchase perfect knowledge of the lot
of every man.
s%cHooLED IN RELIGION.
He probably went to school at c
years. the Old Testament being his on,
Textbook. He had a boys tasks to dc
and rrands to run, for he was the old
est child in a growing family. A ia.
forite playground was his fathers car
penter shop, and long before he was
called upon to take up the trade fol
himself he knew the names of all tho
tools and the way to handle them.
At every turn the touch of religion
was Upon his life. The sacred law
was upon the door posts of his simple
home. His fathers phylacteries re.
minded him of the awful name. Thu
great urn of water by the door, tt
which he had to turn so often In tn,
course of a day for cleansing, accord
ing to the law. was but one of the daily
accessories of his life reminding him O
The pervasiveness of his faith. Feas
days and fast days. synagogue service.
and the yearly pilgrimages of the eide
to Jerusalem, all combined to impress,
upon his sensitive spirit the primar.
obligations of religion. 1t is not un
likely that Il copy of the Old Testamen
existed in his home; certainly the ia.
miliarity with its pages which he late,
manifested showed early acquaintanc,
herewith. The question which h
asked the doctors in the temple wer,
not the impulses OF a moment. Ever.
child is naturally religious; he pecul
iarly SO.
cLlMPsEs OF THE BIG WORLD.
Thus sequestered amid religious in
%fluences. the boy Jesus was yet also II
touch with the wide worlds active life
Nazareth was near the great highway
Of commerce, and the busiest section
of Palestine. Here the great aravan
of commerce passed. Merchants, sol
diers. travellers touched the little town
affecting its character greatly. So it
people were practical. and not given t
NEWS AND NOTES.
Rev. DR.. Edward Everett Hale will en-
ter upon his duties as chaplain of tn
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