Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-03-24

BREAD EoR MULTITUDE.
Comment, by william T. Ellis.


BREAD FOR MULTITUDE.
The murder of his friend and fore
runner John the Baptist, by the weak
willed ~yoluptuary, King Herod, affected
Jesus profoundly. He was moved to
get away from the thronging people for
a season, that he might mediate and
pray in quiet. The disciples, too. had
just returned from a preaching tour.
and they, too, needed a retreat" to
use the word so familiar at this Lenten
season. So the Master babe them
Come ye yourselves apart into a des-
ert place, and rest awhile" For, as
Mark tersely says. in words which still
apply to the busy workers OF today,
There were many coming and going.
and they had no leisure SO much as to
eat"
AN INTERRUPTED "%RETREAT."
The little company, all sorely spent
In service, and eager to be alone with
n another and their teacher, boarded
IA boat-probably the same one in which
they had been beset by the storm while
Jesus slept--and sailed from Caper-
naum, In search of retirement. The
quiet and seclusion which they sought
We're not to be so easily gained. They
and their boat were marked. Seekers
after Jesus We're pointed to the famil-
Il TAT SAIL, HOW HldkIuS lS way tOMdlO
the northeastern shore OF he lax
Unusual crowds of people were In
the neighborhood at the time, on their
way to the passover at Jerusalem, M
stopping by the way to see this new
Teacher who's fame had spread over
the entire countryside. These were
not to be bafied In their desire to meet
Jesus, so they set out on foot toward
his apparent objective point. Some,
more eager than others, outran the
crowd and arrived even before the boat
itself.
Plainly. there was to be no quiet time
Just hen for the Master and his
friends. Putting his w needs and
desires, aside, he welcomed the I'M
thinking multitudes, who little knew or
cared OF What they had deprived him.
Jesus was v too busy to see people.
Every person with a need had a claim
upon his time. One of the best known
ministers in the land. a prolific author
az well as a busy pastor. Is accustomed
to reply to those who remark upon his
accessibility to every caller. II dare not
deny myself to any one who wan to
see me. Eve the poorest may be the
days greatest opportunity for service.
l cannot tell what needs these visitors
bring, 80 l accept them all as sent from
Cod" II Jesus had turned away the
horde that crowded the plain of Beth
saida tina day he would have missed
an opportunity for one of his greatest
miracles; the only miracle. In fact,
which all he evangelists record.
A CROWDS NEEDS.
Every great man bears IN his breast
somewhat of the shepherd feeling to-
ward his fellow men. Their needs
weigh upon him az a responsibility; he
feels himself bound to give them serv-
ice and leadership. Much more was
this the case with Jesus. He was
raoved with compassion oward the
multitude; not merely h compassion
Mhich the spectacle Of a crowd evokes
in every noble breast, but also the
compassion which was a part OF his
very nature, as the loving Savior of
the race.
This particular crowd had immediate
needs. Many had sought him for heal
ing, for then. sven more than now.
when the spirit and principles of Jesus
have been embodied In hospitals and
healing arts, there was q sad percent
age of sickness In every large company
Of people. Some came to him for In
struction. many from q deep though
perhaps. from sheer curiosity. All
alike had needs which he alone could
meet. So he turned his back upon the
season of privacy n rest which he
had sought In order to minister to this
motley company.
D0e 6NeAO PuO0eGms
People must eat. No matter what
their consuming Interest may be-
overwhelming sorrow. a transporting
spiritual experience, an enGrossinG
pursuit Of knowledge. the fascinationa
Of pleasure az king-they cannot long
forego ministering to h needs OF the
body. The Hottest spirit cannot GET
far away from the primal physical
Tera Was a crowd m ~reat That the
men In 1t alone numbered 5000. The
words OF the Teacher had so held ite
undivided attention. that 1t had forgot
ten for the moment to eat. In the
easy going fashion of the east they
had failed to provide Themselves with
food when setting out from Capernaum
and the other towns and villages.
Some Of the disciples, with the wor.
rying, Martha temperament. felt tn!
responsibility which the people did not
feel for themselves. go they went t.
tho Master, 40 tho sun drew toward thu
west. and urged him to send away thu
multitudes In time for the latter t.
secure their own food.
One Of the commonest ways q shift
ing responsibility for q neighbor0 hely
e to say, 1T IL none Of my busipesl
Every man must look out for himself
the present occasion. But lt wa I
wrong way. Everybodys need 10 thu
business Of everybody else who cai
help. One mans need II another man'i
opportunity. Power to help II obliga.
tion to help.
This was Jesus way. s0ive " then
to eat" was his command. Philip, I
type Of the nan who always sees dim,
cultles. had objected in vain to thu
cost, and the seeming impossiblltty o
the task. Andrew. the optimist, WIN
always saw what light there Z haa
found q small boy with i've nat barrie,
cakes, and two little fish to b. eater
a. relish. and these he reported 70 th,
Master.
A sMALL DoY's LUNCH.
A myriad people to ~ fed. and on,
small boys lunch was the only avail
able supply! What wonderful word
Jesus must have boen apeoktnt q
make = hoy keep his dve barley cake
and two little 0sh intact thyouGh q
!. before he misasouaEses IN eyxia ysSsde
! THAR present in1usnce quAek 0betoe
: Abounded, pf. Henry Jasssp te11D -. &
IN. ono o4 them boGge6 1o0oaAmeG3ooi