The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-09

Occasionally we get a glimpse OF
what IS the uDDermost desire OF some
home While Jesus thought to Sc
auester himself in d house far from
his wonted haunts. he was speedily
found out by Syrcphoenlclan woman,
who flung herself at his feet, in the
impetuous eagerness Of the East, ana
besOught with pleadlngs that would NOT
go unanswered the great boon of her
heart the healing of her daughter who
was possessed of an evil spirit This
was her daily desire her nightly dream.
So insistent and clamorous did the
woman become that the disciples were
vexed and urged Jesus to send her
away.
Help for a Heather.
The point of this whole incident is
the fact that this woman was a heath
en-a Canaanitish woman, one Of those
whom the children of Israel were COM
manded to exterminate from the
promised land when they took pos
session. She was a Greek, a Gentle,
and She had nau@ht in common with
the children of Israel The needy Jews
whom Jesus healed. had the claim or
kindred nationality upon his sympa-
thies. They We're the chosen people OF
his father This woman was an alien;
she could put forth no such claim in
the case. Yet she had the greater
claim of deep need and immovable
faith.
Three steps mark the relation of
Jesus toward her First he heard her
in silence. Perhaps her prayer pre-
come on a definite mission to a de-
finite people. More probably he merely
wanted to test her faith further
In the second place, he pointed out
TO her ''I was not sent but unto the
lost sheep of the house of Israel
This did not move the woman. Her
needs transcribed all racial and theo-
logical barriers. She saw clearly into
the spirit of the Master. and that he
would not stand ON any fine points of
doctrine.
Testing her vet to the limit. as Cod
wrestled with Jacob at Pencil, and as
Joseph tested his brothers in Egypt.
Jesus said in the proverbiaI speech of
the time 1T is not meet to take the
children's bread and cast it to the
dogs, Jesus softened that dogs
down to little dogs" the dogs of a
househel5. not the great gaunt. wild
beasts that roamed the streets Of orien-
al cities.
An Ant Answer
Jesus was looking for faith, and he
found it here. for the dauntless reply
of the determined mothers heart was,
yet, Lord: even the dogs under the
table eat of the children's crumbs
She was willing to take any position
whatsoever, so long as help might come
to her daughter Great love and great
of the Door woman whom neither ST.
ience nor refusal nor rebuke could
turn away from her quest. This was
an exhibition which Jesus wanted his
disciples to see: for this he had pro-
longed the wOman's entreaty.
Such a spirit always wins. No noun
tains of difficulty can stand before the
indOmitable will Even God is moved
by human Importantly. It may rever-
emily be said that Jesus could see In
this heather woman a spirit kindred
to himself, and his eve glistened and
his heart ~lowed as he said to her
warmly. go woman. great Is thy faith:
be It done unto thee even as thols
wilt" And her daughter was healed
from that hour. The parent who
pleads with God in q child's behalf
NAV learn the lesson of persistence and
patience here
Faith Without Fences.
For the love of God is broader than
the measure of mans mind
And the heart Of the eternal is most
wonderfully kind"
Such catholicity as this which Jesus
showed. would have staggered the
PhariSees afresh. Their prOvincialfsm
was even greater than their pride. The
breadth of Jesus was a constant Of
Tense to their narrowness. That he
should share the blessings of the king
dom with a heather Canaanite would
have made them gnash their teeth.
Yet faith won the unstinted praise
of Jesus, whether exhibited by a Rom
an centurion or a SyrophOenician won~
an. To these two he granted great
miracles, healing at distance and
without personal contact the aiIine
him. The sincere trust of this woman
was in marked contrast with the cold
and cynical unbelief Of those who