The log cabin Democrat., 1908-04-16
Jesus An0inted
 at Bethany
Sunday Sehsol Lesson for April l9, 1908
 Specially Prepared for This Paper

GOLDEN TEXT-"We love him be cause he first loved us"-1 John, 4:19.
 TIME.-Jesus reached Bethany on Fri day, March 31, A. D. 90, six days before the Passover. He rested the next day, Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, which ended at sunset. The feast was held that evening.
 PLACE.-The house of Simon the leper, in Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. Comment and Suggestive Thought.
 Put in a single word the subject or our Scripture passage, is "Service'- different ways of serving Christ, and the way Christ prefers. No other pas sage in the Bible presents these ways so vividly. Therefore it is passage of great and fundamental importance.
 Geikie imagines that "the sisters had often pondered how they could show their gratitude for all Christ had been, and all that he had done for them" Mary showed it by anointing Christ's feet and head (Matt. 26:D with very precious ointment. By ointment we are to understand rather a liquid perfume than what we com monly know as ointment. ."-Schaff. lt was common to anoint the heads or guests, but amounting the feet was very special honor.
 "Nard" is an unguent from "the head or spike of fragrant East h. dian plant belonging to the genus Valeriana. which yields juice of de- licious dor'-Thayer. This was, lit orally translated, "pistic nard, the adjective meaning pure, genuine; or "drinkable," as some ointments were drunk, mixed with wine; or It may indicate the place whence the nard came.
 "A pound Gatin, libra), the unit of weight in the Roman empire, slightly over II ounces avoirdupois." Expos. Greek Test.
 The estimate of Judas (v. 5 was 300 denarii, "a day laborer's wage for one year" Expos. Greek Test. Equal to $500 or $500 of our money. Altar Of roses sells for $1,200 a pound.
 It was kept in cruse or flask Of ala baster (Mark), called ''an alabaster, just as we call drinking vessel made of glass a glass. It was kind of cruet, having a cylindrical form at the top. Pliny compares these vessels to a closed rosebud. Prof. Marvin R. Vincent.
 The tables were low, sometimes not more than foot high, and the guests reclined around them, leaning on their elbows their feet stretched out away from the table. We recall the ideal picture of Aaron when anointed to the priesthood (Psa. 133:2), to mark here the fulfllment of the type when the great High Priest was anointed for the sacrifice. She who had so often sat at his feet, now anoints them, and alike for love, reverence, and fellowship of his sufferings, will not wipe them but with her hair. - Edersheim. This simple act pro- claimed the self-humiliation of her un- bounded love, seeing that the loosen ing of woman's hair was mark Of unusual self-abandonment." - Pulpit Commentary.
 This deed of Mary became so fa- nous, as Christ prophesied it would (Matt 26:13), because,
 1. It was a beautiful example of that fine virtue, gratitude.
 2. It was a beautiful example of the sacrifices gladly made by love.
 g. It was a beautiful example of loves courage. Mary was willing to face misunderstanding sneers, cap tious criticism, and smiles of ridicule. Her great love brushed these aside like cobwebs. Most service of Christ calls for similar courage, from the first stammering attempt of the young convert to speak for Jesus, to the large tasks of the missionary and the reformer But love for Christ makes it all easy.
 A. It was a beautiful fore-glimpse of Christ's great sacrifice. This deed was the dying of Jesus, in figure. Christ found in it the very spirit that was leading him so steadily to Cal vary. For Jesus, like Mary, lavished everything in saving men. Key. G. H. Morrison.
 5. It furnished a beautiful illustra- tion of Christs ready reception of loving service. The disciples chided, but Jesus praised,
 6. But. fine as it was, Mary's spir- itual devotion to Christ would have been just as fine if it had been ac- companied by household ministrations to his needs. "A kinsman of mine was once entertained by gifted wom- an. who was so much absorbed in his interesting conversation that she for got to inspect the spare room in which he slept, and in which he passed the night in exasperating collisions with a silver soup tureen which long before had been concealed from the burglars in his bed; and l confess l agreed with a cynical female critic who observed, on hearing the story, that clever and devOut women might sometimes most wisely pray and talk less and keep house more.. "-Bishop Potter. Mary may have done both; we are not told.
 n~..