The Glenwood post., 1905-10-07
tn, evening meal is still a. 1t was

The evening meal is still ~ It was
In the time Of Christ The guest on
arrival has his sandals removed. This
Is customary in both house and sane
tuary. God said to Moses: Take the
shoes from OF thy feet. for the place
whereou thou standest is holy
ground" So soon as the shoes or
sandals are removed, then the feet
are washed. The reason is obvious.
when it IL known that the only cover
Ing to the foot is the sandal, protect
Ing the sole only. Perspiring in the
intense heat. and walking through the
deep dust Of the streets. the feet are
very dirty. Then as each person sits
cross legged, and his toes touch the
table, which is on q level with the
bench he sits upon. It is obvious why
the Eastern has for the last 1000
years washed his feet on arrival. Jesus
resorted to this custom In order to
give his disciples lesson in humility.
and not to make for the West GER
tain ordinance out Of an Eastern
custom-a necessary custom because
of the other many things peculiar to
the East
At the evening meal the servant will
bring water to wash the hands of each
guest. The people set one dish on
the table, and each man dips his hand
into 1t. No knives. forks, or spoons
exist. Jesus said the betrayer dipped
bis hand with him in the dish. In
taking places at the table. the place
of honor was the first seat next the
host on his right. The second seat
was the one Immediately on the left
of the host. The positions alternating
after that from right to left. When
the Bible speaks of any one being on
the right hand it means that such
person was In the highest place. When
the host brings the guest up to q
place next him on his right, every one
will bow to the person receiving this
favor. Jesus said we were to take
the lowest seat, SO that II We were
told to come up higher we would
have honor with those who sat At meat
with us. The great honor Of tho even
ing is to have the host dip . sop in
the common dish and put it into your
open mouth. This is what Jesus did
with Judas. This was not only . sign
to the rest of the disciples as to who
should betray him, but a revealing Of
his beautiful spirit. 1t showed that
he bore no i'll will nor resentment to
the traitor. but to the contrary, he
made him a guest Of honor for the
evening. Then follows the admonition
to love one another, even as he had
loved them. The Psalm which speaks OF
opening wide the mouth that God may
fill it. does not mean a miraculous gift
of speech, but request that we open
our mouth for him to fill them, or in
other words, give the Lord the op-
portunity to honor us, and he will
do SO.
The grazing lands of Palestine, called
In the Bible deserts, are full Of dan
gers. They are abounding in wild
beasts. The robbing and numbering
Arab Is also there. This makes the
desert a place of danger for the shep-
herd who has to take his sheep there to
feed. At times the shepherd loses his
life In the defence of his flock. Jesus
said that he was the good shepherd.
and laid down his life for the sheep.
The shepherd still carried sling, and
a club and a staff The rod and STAIR
oil the twenty-third psalm should have
been rendered by Club and staff. :"
With the club he defended the sheep,
and with the staff he pointed the way
and administered gentle chastisement.
Thus David said "Thy club and thy
staff they comfort me-" The Lord was
his good shepherd, and being brave and
mighty, the Lord would keep him in
undisturbed possession in the pastures
and by the water streams. The shep.
herd trains his sheep and they know
his voice and obey him. A stranger
absolutely fails with them when he
gives the same commands. Jesus
said my sheep know my voice. and
they follow me. They know not the
voice of strangers. A stranger will
they not follow"
The babies of the land were, at birth
washed. and then salted daily in strong
brine for twelve months. After the
sailing they were dressed In binding
or as the English version gives it, In
swaddling clothes. To neglect the salt
ing or binding of baby would betray
q really absolute neglect. In the gos
pei we read that Jesus was wrapped in
swaddling clothes. In Ezekiel xvi. 4
We read story Of the neglected con