The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-05-04

too far. He was in perfect equipoise:
| unique, but not eccentric. He was
| combination of the masculine and the
| FEMININE. L like to think that He
| took on all human nature. not simply
| that OF the man. We need not 10 wor-
| ship the virgin Mary. when we have
Jesus Christ. He sympathiZes with
| everything that is beautiful iI human
| life. He was sensitive. but not senti-
mental: brave. but not rash; always
firm, but not obstinate or pigheaded;
| His dignity never approaching pride;
| His sympathy never becomes easy-go-
ing familiarity; He unites implacable
hatred OF sin with the wafmest love toc
| the sinner and keeps a beautiful Dai-
ance between severity and tenderness.
| Our human nature, even at its best.
can hold nothing settled. The scales
are always slipping off the balance.
The finite nature seems to exhaust it.
| self in success in any one line of hui
man achievement. But this balance Of
| the character of Jesus Is never dis
turbed nor needs readjustment In
| Him the diverse prophecies of the Old
Testament unite. In one place He is
described as "a root out of dry
ground" in another as 'the living
| branch" rs "despised and rejected
| of men" in one passage and as "the
| desire OF all nations" in another. In
His character He combines the char
| acteristics of moral excellence.
Think also of the universally Of the
| character Of Jesus. No nation or race.
no time or sect can claim Him as its
own. While a Hebrew, yet there does
not seem to be any particular Hebrew.
or even Oriental, characteristic about
Him. And this Is the more remark
able IL we remember that the Jews
there have been no other such people
in the world-have kept the mood OF
mind. the passive disposition through
all generations. and they have flowed.
like the gulf stream. through the ocean.
yet unaffected by It. They have been
more eternal than the Eternal City"
| itself. The race remains as when
Pompey led their captive fathers to tho
imperial city, 2OOO years ago. Out or
this unmingling race there emerges
Jesus. the cosmopolitan. the man OF
the whole world. We cannot seem to
account for Him or bring Him into line
with His predecessors. In all centuries
He has been recognized as the type Of
human virtue. Socrates would not be
considered an exemplary man to-day.
nor Marcus Aurelius. A good many
saints have been canonized that ought
To have been cannonaded. Jesus Christ
was what He always called Himself.
"The Son Of Man." as If I'm Him hu.
manity was complete.
Again. think of the uniqucness OF
Jesus I'm His teaching. Plato has been
n dominant influence i'm the world. BY
comparing school with school he be-
came one of the most learned men. Not
so with Jesus. He did not sit at the
feet of any Jewish rabbi. He was only
n carpenters son I'm n rural district.
How knowcth this man letters, bav-
ing never learned" was asked. He as
Sociated with those who were His mas
ters in learning, and yet confounded
them. Eruditc lawyers and Pharisees
Joined 10 catch Him. and yet He al
ways answered them Immediately and
never asked for time to consider. His
replies were I'm terms so explicit that
His teachings have settled casuistry
for 2OOO years. No man has ever been
able to add single iota to the moral
and spiritual truth He taught.
Once more think OF the uniquencss OF
His character in regard to His mighty
works, and His manner OF doing them.
He never ascends To His work. buc
always dcscends. His efforts are with
out righteousness or strain, as If rather
"A relaxation, unlike other men when
engaged In n great performance. lie
never prepared Himself for miracle
or studied the laws Of dynamics or
force. In the first chapter Of Genesis
II Is written. God said, Let there be
light" That seems To indicate the way
I'm which Jesus performed His mira
clcS. He acted as II He were accus-
toned 10 dong them. as If they were
spaLgles on the regalia Of king. The
disciples rejoced that "the devils were
subject" TO them. and He told them
rather TO rejoice that their names were
written in heaven" That Is the best
thing.
So we come back TO -he question,
what think ye Of Christi Whose Son
is IIeF" What answer are we going
TO makel We have got 10 answer: no
man can escape II. That personal
query stands dominant and persistent
in front Of every man alive: the one
great Interrogation point facing every
generation and every individual We
know answers that have been given:
That He was the natural product OF
the outgrowth Of the ages; the flower
of the preceding ages. the proceed OF
the force long hello In solution. That
Is the explanation with which evolu-
ton accounts for Jesus Christ. Then
why does not evolution produce an
other Jesus. or something like Him?
Some say He was literary product.
the ideal Of inventive minds. Renan
tells us the gospels are the supreme ro-
mancrs Of the world. My friends. it
would seem to De as credible that
Zulu composed paradise Lost" as that
this superb. marvellous character
should be simply the weaving of hui
man brains. That Interrogation point
still stands: "WEat think ye OF Christi"
Painting the Lily.
In the vicinity OF the Duomo. IN
Florence are the bronze gates that
Michael angelo said were fit TO be the