Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-04-13
The W.T. LIS POVERTY

Reai religions means . ueN life. Lift
was me word OfteneSt 81 The Grra
Teachers lips. He found men thinkin;
tiia' religion meant forms and fashions
and obserNancss and methods am
phrases and cccicsi,sticai relationship
II had decayed int a mere matter O
church millinery and sevtarisn shib
h"iethS. Then. as NOW, hat sort -
thing Intensified Theological partisan.
ship pat il failed to satisfy. or eve
interest. tiie great mass Of th. people
While the churches Suuabhlc over thcs.
minor matters of order, HE world gee.
on its way Indifferent.
l;ut let signs OF life appear and man
kind begins to take notice. for life i.
its deepest cotccrn and desire. rh.
humble little COUNTRY of Wales is lin.
center III the whole worlds gaze TODAY
because there may be seen IN express
sion OF religion that spells new life. $,
II WIS when Jesus appeared. His big
word was life fun. free. abundant,
conauerins life. And hungry
men listened. even those who had been
most deaf to prieStiy paticr concerning
rules and %precedents. Wherever Tho
gospel is presented ~ ternas Of lie.
there men heed it.
Th" Masters deeds illustrated his
dictum. Il came THAI We nigh; nave
il!e. IT." proved himself The great
life siNer by imperiously snmmonina
from The tomb, having called back The.
vital spirit TO the four days dead body.
his friend Lazarus. i'"r that deed he
was overland hated. III brought he
cross nearer. hui il also made his mis-
sion clearer. The great miracl1 pulsates
Will! lessons for life.
A Dramatic Scene.
The setting OF the story is the Beth
amy home, n the close friendship that
existed between the family. Lazarus.
slartha and Mary. and their homeless
guest. Seen in the light of this miracle.
We may behold how Jesus priced
friendship. Many persons are TOO busy
OF too careless TO take time for friend
ship: but the Master of life. with :.
universal! philosophy to express and a
worlds redemption Ii effect, all within
three crowded years, took much time
lor these tender. personal human iela-
tons.
Amid all the bcon companions and
close associates in the world. how few
real friends there are, If the peonic
co'iiu see life and its relative values as
Lazarus SAW them after his mysterious
soJourn in another realm. and AS all
VINO nave been freed from the blindness
or hesh see them. they would pursue
friendship with greater Zest than they
now pursue gold.
bet!ef IMAM the purchasing power of
wealth better than the service and
praise of fame. better than the admir-
~aiion-and enNy-of those beneath YOU.
are inc simple joys of close fellowship
with those who Low you. 1t is fine TO
hold congenial converse with tn.
worlds leaders, but ii is Infinitely
sweetei' to talk owe old times with =
friend of long ago, who cares more fur.
you than for what you own or have
aone' 10 near abou; Johns promotion
in business. and Mary's marriage and
new baby; and Charlcy's battle with
inherited appetite: II the alterations
m Inc old a~eighborhood:. and the
health OF mother. and the other ho,nely
topics which. after all. are closest to
me heart. Truly, as the guest cham
bel motto has il. There is no frienr
like AN old friend. unless il he a new
friend worthy TO become an old friend"
Wise with the wisdom of Two worlds
is the man or woman who makes the
venerable domestic, human relations
ms first concern. There. is more of
delight to be seen in eyes that love
than in all the worlds famous sights
so the song of motherhood has IL:
If were a splendid queen,
with a crown 10 keep IN place.
Wo''ld it do for a lis,!e wet mous Ii
To rub all over my face
MY baby my darling.
ne crown may go for mc.
At Friendships Call.
Hated and hunted. Jesus had Sc
himself cross the Jordan i'm
Perea. There a message from the dean.
family circle at Bethany sought him
out. Lazarus was III. and in their dis
tiess the sisters first thought was of
their friend. who was their tower of
and refuge, as lis fr%iendship's
hlsh office. The call was one that since
the world began has given heetness to
horses feet, and speed to ship and
train--"He whom hou lowest is sick"
HnNN nrnnn1inr In ,,,. 49,.
this tenderest heart tina ever beat
within ANA breast!
Yet Jesus did not stir, though John
states right at this point in his nara
tive: Now Jesus loved Martha. and
her sister, and Lazarus Christ's ex-
PLANTATION must have puzzled the dis
ciples. that the sickness was for the
glory of God" This is a profound and
puzzling truth. But II belongs in cv-
cry Christians philosophy: without II
the riddle of life cannot be solved.
inconlprehensible events occur
"for he glory of God" AS the blind
mans affection II Christ's own suf-
fering. Sometimes, AS in the case of
Lazarus. we see that glory wrought
out: but seeing. OF believing without
seeing. 1t is for us 10 recognize, as one
of lffe's Fundamental truths, that the
glory of God is the highest considera-
ton that ver animated divine proyi-
dence or human endeavor. It is eter-
nally mans chief end"
Two days the teacher tarricd-and how
that delay II have narrowed the bind
hearts of the Bethany sisters. wen as III
delay has been the most perplexiny
providence to countless souls sincc-beforc
nc get out for Judea and the home he
loved. 1t is plain 10 why he waited; the
body must lie in the tomb even beyond the
time when Jewish superstition thought
that the spirit lowered near in order hat
there might be no doubt cast upon lie
miracle. 1t was not lear for himself that
held him back, though the fearful solicit
tude OF his discipues tried to constrain him
to remain away. When he would not, We
hear the Illuminating word from Thomas
him whom we call Doubling Thomas
Let us also go, thar we may die with