The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-05-26
@We Esteemed Him Notr


It is a sad story. The holiest, the
purest, the best. the most useful man
that ever lived in the world was mis-
understood and condemned. The.
good and beautiful are not always
appreciated. Which one of the
prophets was: not prosecuted? Which
one Of the apostles escaped torture
and Imprisonment? Great and
good men have been regarded as en-
emies by those for whose good they
gave their lives. Socrates was; on
demned to drink poison. Calico
was cast into prison, and Columbus
suffered similar ignominy. Savona-
rola was burned at the stake. Wash
ington, who had come to be the idol
of Americans, was regarded by some
of his contemporaries as a weak
man and by others dangerous to
the liberties of the ,eople. Jesus,
the greatest and best Of all, was
called by some a winebibber and 9TH
ers said, "He hath a devil"
The reasons for this low estimate
of Jesus are not far to seek. Some
esteemed Him lightly because in out
ward appearance He was a common
man. There are those who will for.
give anything sooner than common
place things and non people.
They have an, eye for the splendor
and pomp of the world. Jesus was
q commonplace babe in a very COM
monplace cradle. We can imagine
the conversation Of the guests at the
inn at Bethlehem. Some Of them
were travellers, some merchants, and
some politicians. All the %conversa-
ton turned on trade, politics, and the
state of the country. Not one OF them
dreamed that the glory of Heaven
was shining round about the place
where they were staying. Perhaps
they were told of the peasant mother
with her newborn babe, compelled
to accept such accommodations as
were afforded to the beasts of the
stall, but they did not know that the
most distinguished visitor that had
eve come to this planet was in that
manger. He must be very common
or He would have a better place. We
can imagine we see the men with
whom He labored, and for whom He
toiled at the carpenters bench in
Nazareth. They saw nothing extra
ordinary in Him. He was just a COM
mon man, working at a common
trade, living in a common house in
q common village. When He began
to assert His claims and proclaim
His doctrines they were offended, be-
cause He was only a common man.
They despised Him and esteemed
Him not. They hid their faces from
Him. g,
Another reason why He was lightly
esteemed was the judgment OF those
who condemned Him was perverted.
They had erroneous ideas Of goodness:
and greatness. S%elfshness, hypocrisy
and %wickedness blinded their eyes to-
true merit and goodness. One can
not appreciate music unless he has
music in his, soul. One who has no
taste for culture cannot understand
culture. The people esteemed Jesus
lightly because their tastes and ideas
were all wrong.
Another reason was that they did
not feel their need of Him. Jesus
came to give. sight to the blind, but
they thought their sight was good
ne Cdluc " uldhC "So ASS,'
but they declared that they had never
been in bondage. He came tor save
men from their sins, and they boosted
Of their" righteousness. What need
had they Of such a Saviour? He was
the light Of the world, but they loved
darkness rather than light.
What do we think Of Jesus? Do
we feel u need Of Him? Do we
feel the burden and peril of sim? Do
we think we are good enough. holy
enough, FREQ enough without Him?
II we can appreciate HIM we will
look upon Him, not as a root out OF
dry ground, but as the lily of the val
ley, the bright and morning star, the
fairest among ten thousand, and the
One altogether lovely.-Christian ADJ
vocate.
just One Day.