Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-05-05
NUMBER 43

oonle nov. He could romp and play
like other boys. In the games played
between his companions and hlmseif L
have always thought there was no
Iouoh merrier than his and no rolllcK-
ing ioy more full and hearty. l can
mover think of Christ as a frall DaDy
or q sickly boy. Every part OF him 10
me was that of we'll rounded, perfect
" formed child. He was boy VINO
was the life Of his home, q boy "no
was loved by every one.
Now. It was a custom Of all the lsra-
elites ordained by the Mosaic law 10
attend the feast Of the passover once
q year This feast took place In the
springtime. 1t was a combination, IL
might use the smile, Of our Thanks
giving dav and Fourth Of July. 1t was
n time when the Hebrews assemplea
in Jerusalem to thank God for thelr
liberation from Egyptian slavery. In
the spring Of each year from the littio
village of Nazareth, among the ZeDu-
lon hills in the far north, the men ana
women would start Oh their sacred Pill
grimage. The children were leIt De-
hind as a rule on account OF the length'
the fatigue and the danger OF the jour-
nov. Methinks | can see Christ and the
other boys of Nazareth climb the hills
70 watch their fathers disappear In the
distance. But one year Christ does not
mingle with the boys. He has come 70
the sacred age Of twelve. This is the
wear that all the Hebrew boys are al
lowed to Join the caravan. Thus as ne
walks along with his parents l see MS
checks flushed with excitement. Ihis
Is most natural Christ the boy for the
first time is going to see a great city.
Christ the boy is going to the capital
Of his country. Were you not excited
when your father, farmer, took you
to the city for the first time?
In the Temple.
But as Christ the boy wanders
around that great capital, with its
walls and palaces and temple and Its
thousands Of inhabitants and visitors,
There rises before him the dim vision
NJ who he IS and what God wants him
70 do. The vision is there dim In out
line. but 1t is there. He naturally
drifts to the temple and talks with the
learned rabbis. who sat there to teach
and answer questions. The thought
that he was the Messiah whom the
Jews were expecting was probably IN
his mind He wanted to learn what
was the idea that the doctors had OK
that being. and his inquiries showed
go much intelligence that they marvel
ed at him. He had had vision, but
neither they nor his parents, when
thev came. understood 1t. What be-
came of that vision? For ten, fifteen
ave. for nearly twenty - years the
world hears nothing more about tnls
strange boy. Like so many other
= Youthful prodigles, he seems to dlsap'
, near forever. He not only goes pack
70 Nazareth, but instead OF beng
messenger Of God he seems to become
nothing but a carpenter. But nearly q
. score Of years afterward we see this
Christ in Cana, by Lake Galilee. liner
IN rapid succession come the Joroani'
: baptism and the miracles. Then come
Gethsemane and Calvary, then I'M
Easter resurrection and the ascension
All did Christ's vision OF boyhoo'
e come true? So, my friends, want Z
/ fell YOU that the fulfllment OF you
s child's visions, If they are of God ant
u Won welcome them Alright, Will com
d true though they may be many year
o hidden away in q Nazareth oDlivlor
l. Reware how you sneer at those VISION
u of the twelfth year.
. But as plead with you to be careiu
u IN vour dealings with the God give
!, T. visions of your children cannot CLOS
Il without lust one word Of pleading 10
s' Yourself. You are no longer a chilo
u Your hair is gray. Your face Is VIII
IL kled. Instead of having the clear piu
Ie Ie eyes Of youth, your nose Is bridge
- with glasses. A score, twoscore' PEI
- hans threescore years separate 70
e. from the scenes OF your school day'
y. Tell me, do you not believe 1t IS III
~ time for you to see the fultllment
q those visions Of your own chlldnooo
- When YOU were a schoolboy you saw
H. Cod given vision Of a day in which 20
- were to surrender your whole heaI
'o and life unto his service. was II
- dream? DO you not believe the TN
=, has come for that vision to be tulhile
-, ~ at the altar of mercy nowT
~ This is not a useless or an unimpo
u tont moment for you. This momel
m mno NAV decide the eternal destiny OF son
W W one Your vision of childhood, abo
~ ~ giving your heart to Jesus Christ can
80 80 to some Of you nearly fifty years ae
nS 1 Shall not that vision be fulfilled in tn
~ - the twilight Of your life? Shall 1t ne
y. =, by the grace Of God, be fulfilled nov
~ Or if not now, when shall it be run
20 ed? Do you not believe that that WISH
~ of childhood which still fingers In 70
'nt E mind vas a vision sent from &c
~ which. by Gods will, is still calh
inf you to him?
to copyright. 1906, by Louis KlOpsch'l