Milford chronicle., 1904-03-11

more respected than lie. The cor
demned criminal might be pardOne
of his crimes even though he was tn
thief who waylaid the poor man on tn
road to Jericho. but the tanners cal
ing was never forgiven. As men shranl
from contact with the leper who's
touch might communicate his lOath
some disease to the healthy person. 81
| the jew shrank from contact with tn,
tanner, whose presence in a hom,
brought ceremonial contamination. tn,
door of hospitality was always slam
med shut in the face of the tanner.
The DesDised Tanner.
By the old Jewish law, if a husband
died without any children, his brother
was compelled to marry the widow
But a widow was not compelled to
marry that brother if he was a tanner
Not even the Jewish law would COM
pei woman to suffer such an igno-
miny. If Il man married a woman
without telling her he was Il tanner.
she could have the matrimonial bonds
instantly annulled, rs soon rs the de-
ception was found out. OF course.
there had to be tanners among the
Jews. as there must be hancmen for
this present generation; yet. so bit
terly We're the tanners despised in
ancient times that by the eastern law
no tanner was allowed to build his
tannery nearer to the outskirts of Il
town than fifty cubits. 1t was TO this
ucsplsed home that the heavenly vision
came opening the gate of the Chris
tan church to the gentle nations
Your home, 0 man. 0 woman. may he
humDie; it may be located in what the
aristocratic people call the slums; if
may even have been associated with
the vicious pollution of society: but
even there the voice from the heavenly
may be heard. Il came not"
SAID the compassionate Saviour "to
'aIl the righteous, but sinners, to re-
lentance." You may be a social ont
'ast, as much Stunned as Simon the
amer. but in your house. too. Won
nay hear a voice saying Come. now.
nd let us reason together: Though /
our sins be as scarlet, they shall be
YhHe as snow; though they be red
IKE crimson. they shall be as wool"
A Message of salvation.
one more thought is suggested by
eter's experience. This vision of the
leet coming down from the heavens
lied with all manner of four footed
casts and creeping things and fowls of
le AIR came to Peter when he was
'mparatively a young man. It came
MN not only as a message of saliva
on Dut also as command, especially
IT young men and women, to 20 to
ork. The Apocalyptic visions of ST
mn We're entirely different When
'hn had his visions upon the island Of
ltmos he was a feeble, wornout M
larch Of ninety. Most Of his friends
ere in heaven. lie was dreaming for
e most part of the life beyond His
rthly work was practically finished
1t the vision came to Peter while he
Is III the stalwart prime Of manhood.
was then Il young man in the thir-
$. My young friends. note the i'm
rtance of this fact. 1t means that
ID is appealing to the young and the
ysically stalwart to consecrate our
ergy and vigor to his service. Some
nS we may do for him before physic- "a
and mental decadence manifests it. q
+; something we may do before we
selves shall join the great silent y
JOrity" beyond.
never hear my pastor preach" said
'oung girl. but l am always filed IN
II the desire to say. Lord. what wilt ID
u have me TO dOT" So never reod
account of the Joppa vision. but |
'ays feel this is a message especial n
for me and for the young people TO -
ON | speak to do something. Oh
ng men and young women. will YOU =
be reused, as Peter was aroused.
the thought that you may become a;
pei messengers to a sinful world?
] you not catch an inspiration for
ious Christian work by standing n
n the house top of Simon the tan
Copyright 1904. by Louis Klopsch.l A