The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-24

bitter experience what LW3nuGLn cen
fury America IS slowly coming to per-
ceive, that health Is Of first import
ance. Good health is one Of the bless
ings that brighten as they take their
flight The healthy man cannot under
stand or sympathize with the invalid,
though the funda mental religious duty
of visiting the sick is quietly pracuced
by unassuming saints everyWher
This man appears to have had faith
that Jesus could cure him. If he had
not, his friends had. for the story
pointedly says Jesus. seeing their
faith healed the palsied man. In a
sense, friends faith saves friend. The
faith of many a mother has been the
salvation of her SON These four faith
full ones rallied to their friend in his
extremity with spirits and with bodies.
They cOmfOrted him and carried him
in Their resolution and their re-
sourcefulness were equal factors in eff
fecting a cure.
There Is exhilaration in cOntempla-
ton of a deed of indOmitable purpose.
The man whose will refuses to be BAT
fed puts iron Into the blood of the
race. The four men who held the cor
ners of the pallet, or mat, on which
this paralytic lay, were of the type
whom obstacles cannot daunt. Faith
viii find a way. When the crowd,
swarming about the home of Jesus
was found to be impenetrable, these
four did not turn back discouraged be-
cause the doorway proved impassab BILE.
Doubtless many sick wished to reach
Jesus that day; these men willed it.
Like the wise men of old, they would
overcome obstacles in their supreme
pursuit. Extremity proves a man
and it proves God
Ordinarily the conventions are to be
observed, and property rights respect
ed There come times when these
must be disregarded because OF. grave
human need These four had the stuff
OF big strong manhood in them since
they saw that extraordinary conditions
call for extraordinary measures. So,
Dy way of the outside stairway they
mounted to the roof of the Masters
iowly dwelling There was no large up
per room to this house, which was but
one story high. One probably ran for
tools with which to break up the tiles
or the hard earthen roof. AS the fire
man axe, seeking the seat of a
blaze, spares not paint or timber so
these determined seekers after healing
for their friend, regarded not the roof
nor the excitement which must have
been caused below by the sound of
blows by falling dust, and by the grad
ual enlargement of an opening
through which sunlight streamed and
the desperate friends could be seen
toiling.
A Spoiled Sermon.
The living room discourse of the
rabbi was broken off short. In won
der, amazement, anger and impatience.
the crowd beheld this unseemlv inter
ruptlon. Only Jesus was pleased. The
unconventional Christ cared little for
non-essentials; the sight of such faith
meant more to him than the order of
meeting or the sOundness of a roof.
AS the mat with its precious burden
was let tenderly down at his feet, the
rad1anti face of Jesus siIenced the
crowd, and led them to expect some
wonder. Nor had they long to wait.
for with glistening eye the Healer
oeamed upon the wan and scared Grip
PIE, saying, with ineXpressible tender
ness "SOn. thy sins are forgiven ~
Probably this mans disease was d.
rectly the result of his own transgres-
stons. Assuredly, like most of the ills
of the world, its root was fniquity Not
al sufferers have sinned; but all who
sin must suffer.
The QuibbIers Appear.
Amid this scene of gIadness is heard
the snarl Of the critic. Opposition to
Jesus was arising from the ecclesiastics.
Along with the eager common people
who gathered about Him, were the
scrtbes and pharisees- Here was a
theological heresy, and they snapped
it up like hungry dogs a bone. Better
to their way of reasoning. that a man
should suffer than be healed by any
other than their way. They would
rather see the world condemned than
depart a hairs breadth from their the
illogical formula.
Therefore in their hearts they began
to murmur and bubble. "Blasphemy.
who can forgive sins but one, even
Cod? Straightway they were star
tied to have their unspoken thoughts
answered; they failed to realize that
Searcher of hearts. (Which is easier, -
asked Jesus, Ito utter one phrase or
another, when the fact and the result
are the same2 You cannot understand
how I can forgive sins. and see no
proof of it; very well. that you may
know that the Son of man hath this
authority. viii give you evidence that
the mans sins are forgiven by this sign
Of healing" Then turning to the sick
man of the palsy, Arise, take up thy
bed and go into thy house"
There was the unanswerable argu-
ment, a changed life. In all the learn
ing of the rabbis there was no reply
to this The man, erect, sound and re
jOicing, was a fact which all their
theological subtlety could not over
come. They could only hate the Won
derwOrker. The crowd. of simple heart
was amazed and rejoiced. and. where
there was no room a few minutes be-
fore, they fell back gladly to make
room for their healed neighbor as he
strobe forth. The popular instinct was
lruer Inan the doctors learning; for
the people "glorihed God. saying: We
never saw 1t in this fashion"
The four friends had done better
than they knew by their friend. They
gave him of their best. but Jesus bet
tered that. They thought only of heal
/ ing for the poor palsied body: Jesus
gave him cleansing of a sin-sfck spirit
+ What we do for mems souls is more
/ important than what we do for their
bodies if for no other reason than that
4 the renewed spirit viii Of itself make
over the old body and circumstances
Seeming ills are not always real Ills
Like this palsied man, our own times
have many regrettable ailments; but
their real need, underlying all other