Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-10-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON w, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 20.

copyright. 1905. by American Press Association.
Our lesson for today takes US back
J leveral days in the order of the events,
for John tells us that the supper and
the amounting at Bethany were six
days before the Passover John XII, y,
and the Passover is the lesson for next
week. Both Matthew and Mark tell
us that this amounting took place in
the house of Simon the leper, and If
we cannot tell whether this Simon was
one Of the lepers whose healing we
have an account of in the gospels or
whether he was the father of this fam
lily or the husband Of Martha, and
whether he was at this time living or
not, we can wait till we see Martha and
Mary and Lazarus, and they will tell
us all we need to know. They made
Him (Jesus) supper John xii, p, and
He tells us that If we will open the
door to Him He Will come In and
sup with us at any time. Martha
served, but she does not now seem to
be numbered as on q former occasion
duke x, 40). Serving meekly, cheer
fully and easily is truly Christlike, for
when at the Passover there was
strife among the disciples as to who
should be the greatest Jesus said, II
am among you as He that serveth"
duke xxi, 24-2O, and He had that
same evening illustrated it by washing
their feet and wiping them with the
towel wherewith He was girded
While at the table Mary took an ala
baster box Of ointment Of spikenard,
very precious, and broke the box and
poured the ointment on His head as
He sat at meat and anointed His feet
and wiped His feet with her hair, and
the house was filled with the odor Of
the ointment (verse Z; Mark xiv, 8;
John xii, 81. This was worship, whole
hearted devotion, true and costly. Some
one has said that in Martha's service,
Mary's worship and the risen life of
Lazarus we have picture of q fully
rounded Christian life such as a true
believer should live.
The beautiful scene is married by the
Indignation of the disciples and espe-
cially of Judas IscariOt the treasurer
of the little company, who was thief
and longed to have the money which
the ointment would bring IL sold in the
bag for his own USE 1t seems that ev-
cry holy scene and holy thing is mar
red by some wretched display Of self |
in some form or other If we would |
manifest the life of Jesus in these NOR
tai bodies we must be ever denying the |
self life and reckoning it cruclfed with
Him III Cor. ", II; Matt. xvi, 24).
How comforting to Mary must have
been the words of Jesus: "Why trouble
We the woman? Let her alone. She
hath wrought q good work upon Me-"
What q comfort these words should be
to many an earnest worker seeking
only to please Him. but frOwned upon
by the powers that be, church dlgni-
taries or officials, who know not the
Lord, or If they do know Him as their
Saviour from the wrath to come they
live more unto self than unto Him and
seek not His approval. How often l
have been helped by these lines
"Men may misjudge thy aim, think
they have cause for blame, say thou
art wrong. Hold on thy quiet way.
Christ is the Judge. not they. Fear
not. Be strong"
How beautiful His commentator,
"She hath done what she could" Mark
T. ohfIffv on1
only asks that we so minister q Pet.
iv, 10, ~, doing as our hand finds, but
doing 1t with all our might q Sam. X,
Z, margin; Feel. tx, 10). But, oh, how
few do what they can! The majority
Of those who call themselves Christians
seem to do as little as they can instead
of as much as they can. Here are
some suggestive lines: "The restless
millions wait the light whose dawning
maketh all things new. Christ also
waits. but men are slow and late.
Have we done what we could2 Have
/? Have your" He who reads the
heart saw motive and a purpose in
this act of Mary's which other eyes
saw not and other hearts did not even
think Of "She did it for my burial"
body to the burying." Against the
lay of my burying hath she kept this'
verse u; Mark xiv. 8; John xii, y.
Even Peter and John did not seem to
believe that He would die and be
buried, although He had repeatedly
said it so plainly, and as to His rising
again the record says that they knew
nothing Of it John Xxx, o.. But this
who sat at His feet and heard
Ills word duke X. 39)-that is. heard
t and received it meekly and laid it
o heart-she understood that cruel
lands would take Him aud kill Him
md that neither she nor others would
)e able then to minister to Him SO (
he had obtained this costly ointment
ind kept it and watched for the OPP
,ortunity which He now had put with
n her reach so graciously and which
he so quickly seized.
If we had the anointed eyes and ears
md the whole hearted devotion Of
nary of Bethany how we would buy
ID the opportunities which He Of ii
Jhron. xvi 8, would be sure to put In ,
'ur way, The other women who
fought spices after He died to anoint
lis body when the Sabbath should
,e past may have loved Him rs much
IS Mary d,d. but they were lacking In q
aith. They did not simply believe '
what He said. "NNithout faith it Is
to please Him" (Heb XII, O.. 4,
What q worldwide memorial Mary I'M .
consciously made for herself that day! >
The odor CT that ointment not only
He'd that house, but is felt wherever :.
he gospel Is proclaimed. May His love =
o constrain us that our all shall be
lways His.
SENTENCE SERMONS.