The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
DUNG PEOPLES TOPIC

first time he entered into direct con-
fict with mans old enemy, DEATH and
raised Jairus' daughter and the Main
widows son. Disease, in many forms,
and demons IN possession of human
bodies, had fed before his commands.
The very forces of nature proved sub
ject to him and at his Peace be STILL
the raging tempest became a calm.
For his feet, the fluid water became a
solid pathway that he might go to his
own in distress Blind eyes were open
ed and thousands of persons were fed
by bread created in his hands. An
amazing succession of miracles in be-
Wildering variety loom up in these
studies.
Great words accompanied the great
works. Well is the golden text, Never
man spake like this man. A long
succession of parallels, rich in their
spiritual meaning and still treasured
as literary heritages were produced
during these months. These natch
less sermon stories of Jesus are still
the delight Of childhood and the pro
found study of ripe wisdom. As
teacher, Jesus proved himself Without
peer His were wonderful words as
ne Journeyed to and fro from Galilee
Facing Big Problems.
A preacher remarked the other day,
Whenever look up in a commen-
taTy any difficult point of Biblical in
depreciation, I find that the commen-
tators have usually lodged it, That is
the way Of the world. Jesus never re-
sorted to subtleties or evasions. He
faced every question frankly The
teachers of his time had construed SO
many regulations out Of the law of
Moses that every thinking mans way
was strewn with perpIexities. Jesus
dealt radically and vigorously with
these questions. Typical OF them all
may be taken his attitude toward the
Sabbath question.
He fearlessly put himself in the po-
sition Of a Sabbath breaker He did
not hesitate to violate, not only the
conventions of his time, but the pro-
scriptions of the Pharisees and doctors
of the law. He rescued from a mass
of ceremonial rubbish the day that is
meant to be q day of liberty and joy
and profit to mankind. Going right to
( the core of the question, he enunci-
ated the fundamental proposition.
that "the Sabbath was made for man.
and not man for the Sabbath" So it
+ 3s to be used for mans highest vel
fare, and not for his hurt or hard
ship.
Enemies and Friends.
This attitude of Jesus created enc
mics and made imminent the tragedy
/ of Calvary. It brought him face to
( face with the close of his mission. He
/ was forced to take thought of his end
and of the continuance of his work af-
4 ter he should pass away. So he took
/ his disciples apart into training Thus
he turned aside from his enemies for q
| time that his greater work might not be
hindered. Not fear, but the necessities
of his mission led him to depart up into
the region Of Caesarea Phflippi where
he held school with his disciples so
/ there he unburdened his heart The
( picture of the gentle Jesus. bounded
| forever by enemies to whom he had
] done no wrong. Is q sad one. That he
| should have this burden of sorrow as
| well as his burden of loneliness and a
sense Of mans sin, touches our sympa-
thy.
But he had friends. friends upou
whom he counted to continue the work
that he was beginning In their pres
eDce, after testing them, he ablished
formally his church, which has contin-
ued to this day. With them he shared
the burden OF the cross, although they
were not able to bear the heavy end
Of 1t. Their duh minds could not un-
derstand the full significance Of what
he tried so hard to make them see. Thai
he must suffer and die and rise again
This week Of sojourn up in Caesaree
Philippi, has been called "the passion
week Of the north for It was almost
as truly a week Of passion as was the
week which preceded the resurrection.
Light In Darkness.
Out Of this gloomy period, and serv-
ing IS climax TO It, there issued the
great experience Of the Transf1p11ra.
munion with Moses and Elijah in tn,
mountain top and the talk with them o.
the death that awaited him at Jerusa
lem His own physical appearance wa.
Transformed 50 that his flesh emitted
light This experience may be said L
have been beacon on Christ's path
way. It assured him Of the Father,