Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-03-31
A GREAT LIFE.

Within three months the In~ternationa
Series of lessons have covered thirty
TWO out OF the thirty-thrce years of tn
earthly life of Jesus. Manlfestly the.
couit DO little more than give twelv,
brief glimpses of important incidents
OF that crowded and wonderful career
Ihe lessons that have been studied dur
ing this quarter, however. are sufficlen
to give n an understanding of til,
character and methods and spirit an,
teaching OF the one who not only spak,
as never man spake. but who lived II:
never man lived. The twelve lessons o
the quarter readily lend themselves tc
a practical application Of the life OF
today. AS hints for present living lei
US glance at them.
YOUTHS LONG, LONG THOUGHTS
Who Il read the heart of a boy
Not even his mother. who is his ncares;
friend can understand The depths OF
his nature. The surprise of Mary whei,
n found that he~ boy had tarried be-
mind at Jerusalem to question the
learned doctors OF the law was no
greater thar the surprise of many am
other mother since, upon finding that
her boy Is thinking her own thoughts
n beginning to live his own life apart
from her. This incident of the twelve
year old Jesus In the temple Is pregnant
with suggestions concerning IA boys
religion. Modern psychologists have
demonstrated that the period of a great
religious susceptibility in the human
life Is between III ages OF eleven and
eighteen. The boy or girl who is dis
couraged from following his or her re.
hgtous impulses until maturity is
reached has a greatly diminished likeli-
hood Of ever becoming a Christian.
A VOICE AMONG MANY ECHOES.
ylyhAp A,@ ~l-z-- d.
ance OF Jesus upon his public ministry,
after the eighteen years OF silence which
followed his interview with the doc
tors. there came out Of the wilderness
a strong, unconventional man, In the
mien and spirit of the old prophets.
announcing himself as a preparer or
~fQrerunner of one who wal to come.
This was John the Baptist. the secon
cousin of Jesus, a young man like him
self, whose birth like his own, had beer
attended with miraculous manifesto
tions. John was wholly unconventional
a Into n time distracted and deaf
ened with a multitude Of echoes he
spoke forth a message that was fresh,
original, resolute and fearless. Soon
he had been following. but whenever
they would do him honor he turned
them towards the coming one. the sub
FINEST example In history of Il man
merging himself into his mission. He
u increase, but I must decrease"
was his message and his spirit. John
was great In power because great In
econaecration 70 a single purpose.
A MODERN TESTING.
As the builders Of a warship subject
It to greater tests on its trial voyage.
than IT is likely to meet in its actual
experiences. SO Jesus, on the threshold
Of his public ministry, entered upon an
nVnorlonpo NJ toOffnU Uyhfrh mt nn1v
proved him. but helped qualify him for
his mission. He had been baptized in
the Jordan, a heavenly voice had pro-
nounced h divine approval n then
80 strangely are great trials linked
to great blessings-he was sent forth
into the wilderness to wrestle, weak
ened In physical powers, with the forces
most temptation. In ite time as
in its character. it was designed
with Satanic shrewdness. 1t vas the
sharp thrust Of the sword OF the spirit
which turned the tempter away de-
feated, unable to stand before, 1T Is
| written" Since that awful experience
| of Jesus every other man who Ia
athy and succor Of him. who az a
young man raj tempted in all points
like az we are"
LOVES FIRST REBUFF.
1t Ii said that every great life needs
Z sorrow to teach 1t the full extent OF
/ its powers, Just AZ the heart OF Jenny
| Lind had to be broken to put into her
voice the one note that was needed ia
make It perfect. Jesus had his great
sorrow at tho outset OF his mission,
| when, with his heart overlooking with
| love for his friends and neighb0rs, he
turned to his boyhood home. Nazareth
bearing the message which he had come
| to bring to the world. The SURPRISE
which other teachers have felt at find.
linz the world unready to receive tho
| truth came / Jesus with chilling force
For those whom he loved. his ole
| familiar friends, the playmates Of hi,
| childhood, refused to hear him. and re-
jected him with anger and scofing and
unto his own and his own received hin
not"
4 MULTIPLYING LIFE.
Every life should reproduce itself Ii
- many ways - possible. Every maj
With Z personality or With 4 msssag,
q under Obligation to make disciples
Jesus soon began 70 gather into hi
school those 70 whom he meant to en-
trust the execution and ful0tlme1
az his miDGaon. The llr1t four disciple'
were called from thsir nets. - God i
daily calling faithful workers from
humblo posts 80 higher duties. No on
can tell Whist call u likely 20 come I.
him any day q he steadfastly perform
hiO allotted tasks. These four men dt'
not understand all about Jesus. blu
they knew enough to make them wan
/ u know more. Light eomes n We 60
lItxia the ma who follows his CLEAN
N1o nnde tho fullest radiance q truth
TNRoMogo DYaTNG NEEDY.