Arizona republican., 1908-03-02
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THE CHURCHES
THE LOST OPPORTUNITIES OF
 LIFE


 The following is a synopsis of the sermon preached by Rev. Julius At wood of Trinity Episcopal church yes- terday:
 Jesus of Nazereth passeth by" St. Luke 1S:37 This story of blind Bartimeous carries the lesson that it teaches upon it's very face. It brings before us the thought of opportunities lost and opportunities grasped which indeed is the underlying thought of all this Lenten season upon which we shall enter next Wednesday. One more Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. His presence is no less clearly defined among us today than it was long ago when he entered the gates of Jericho, walked the streets of Jerusalem, pass ed along the high road to Galilee and Judea, wandered by the shores of Ti- beris, or communed with his chosen disciples on the mountain heights and amid the gloom and desolation of the Judea wilderness. Jesus Christ is al- ways in the world: he is never for one moment absent from it. he is always entering into our lives he is always close to each and every one of us, though we fail to recognize his pres ence; though our spiritual eye is dim and we see not. And yet there are seasons and crisis in our lives when in a true and moral sense it may be said that Jesus Of Nazereth passeth by. There are times when we come in closer contact as t were to the higher world when in the midst of our mater ial surroundings we hear the sounds of spiritual voices calling us to a mob Ter life. There are moments in the lives of men today just as there were in the New Testament age, when these opportunities come and are accepted or rejected by them. You remember how the opportunity was seized by these early disciples. when Jesus pass ing by Oade them follow him. You re- member how in similar cases to this one Blind Bartimeous, this syrophone- clan woman and the nobleman of Cap ernaum grasped the opportunity that was once offered them and how their faith and devotion were rewarded
 Perhaps you would recall also in these same days when Jesus walked this earth of ours there were men like King AgripDa who was almost per Suelutu AO D1 AJliIlSlldI- iuGI llhc Herod and Felix, the Roman governor, who trembled and were moved to their inmOst being and yet failed to improve the opportunities that were offered to them. And in this present example how would it have been with this poor blind man at the gates of Jericho if he had not earnestly and consistently cried out and demanded to be seen and hear Of Jesus? We know indeed from the history that succeeded that never again did the Master pass that way. and If that occasion had not been inn proved by Bartimeous. the opportunity would have been forever lost. Yet how strange it is that opportunities come to us like the season of Lent and we let them pass away carelessly and in differently thinking that they will come again and at more convenient season we will avail ourselves of the privileges that are offered us. They may or they may not, and If they do come again and if they do not come again in our lives. it is more doubtful, more uncertain. if we will grasp them after having once refused the oppor- tunity that was granted us.