The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-03-17

after his discussion with the Phari-
sees, referred to in our last ;esson,
and, therefore, on the same Sabbath
day Around the temple gates were
usually crowds Of the unfortunate
begging help from the worshipers.
saw man which was blind from his
BIRTH" or the six miracles connected
with blindness VII Itch are recorded In
the Gospels, this is the only case de-
scribed as blindness from birth. In
this lies its special characteristic (v
S2).
2. "Who did sin that he
was born blind" This is the question
that troubled the friends of Job, and
made them so unjust in their judg-
ments, and it has troubled people in
all ages. For 1t is true in many cases
that the suffering is the natural result
of sin. Jesus himself had recognized
this fact in more than one instance
Mark Us; John 5:14; and later on
in Luke 1870. His parents? r. It
IS a well-recognized scientific fact
that children suffer from the sins Of
their parents unto the third and
fourth generation" This man him
self? This was the only alternative;
and the disciples expressed it prob
ably without any definite theory as to
how one could sin before he was born.
8. "Jesus answered. Neither hath
this man sinned, nor his parents. "
Not. that they we-e perfect, and had
never done wrong, but the affiiction
had not come as the result or punish
ment of any particular sin or sins be-
yond that of others who did not suf-
fer such an afIiiction; as in the case
of those upon whom the tower of Si-
loan fell (Luke 13:1-5). But that"
The Greek does not mean that the
man was born blind in order that,
for that purpose, but so that, with the
result or effect that 'the works of God
should be made manifest in him." So
when Lazarus was dying. Jesus said
to his disciples, This sickness is not
unto death; but for the glory of God,
that the Son OF God may be glorifed
thereby" The works of God are al
ways good and loving expressions Of
his heavenly. fatheriy character
Gods Relation to Evil. The laws
of Nature are ordained by God, and
his power is always bekind them and
in them. They are Interchangeable, for
''if they were changeable, erratic, I'M
certain in their action, life would be
intolerable and this world one fright
full chaos. God hates sin, he hates
death, he wants to rid this world Of
sorrow and suffering, he is bringing
the time when this mortal shall put on
immortality, when sorrow and signing
shall flee away, when death shall be
swallowed up in victory.
The Work Of Cod. God uses sor-
row and suffering for this purpose by
chastisement and by discipline. Chas-
tisement is ito make chaste," and
~chaste' is the beautiful. snowy, spot
less, pure, holy, Discipline, related
to disciple" zone who learns" is the
education Of the disciple Chastise-
ment is the purifying of mans spirit.
Discipline is the education Of mans
spirit Through these, and through
every possible good influence Of light
and love, God is training us for the
perfect heavenly life. IT Condensed
from Pres. Charles Cuthbert Halls
Does God Send Trouble"
Thus this blind man was an oppor-
tunity for the works of God-the
works which God sent Jesus to do on
earth-to 'be made manifest in him"
Note this does not assert that God
creates evil that good may come, nor
that the blindness had no connection
with the laws of his universe which
punish Sin, but that God permitted
these laws to work, and allowed this
evil to come upon him, because bless
ings could come to the man through
1t, which would come in no other way.
God leads through a path of darkness
to light and joy inconceiyable and
full OF glory.
Note how Jesus ignores the perplex-
ed and ever perpIexing question Of the
origin Of evil. "The question for us is
not where suffering has come from,
but what we are to do with it, what
are our duties and privileges in regard
to it, how it can be transformed into
good
. IT, The Blind Man Cured by Jesus.
VS.. Az The Time to Work. 4. 81"
Better i've" r. " Jesus associates
his disciples with him. They were
entering into partnership with him
which was to last all their lives. Part
Of their work nay have been to lead
the blind man to the Pool of Sloan.
Must work" Must take active meas
ures. not be turned aside by specula-
tlons on the source of evil, and why
God did not do differently from what
he has done. BE practical. Do your
cart" Multitudes fail in duty, in use
eulness. and in comfort because they
fail to act on this principle. while it
Is day While the sun Of opportun-
ty is shining. The reference is to the
fact trIat Jesus had but a few months
% Hve. THE night cometh (the night
Of his death) when no man can work"
The day OF opportunity passes never