Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-08
SEEING THROUGH A FRIENDS
EYES.
Terse Comments upon the Christian
Endeavor Topic for July II, "Life
Lessons for Me From the Gospel Of
john" John ID: 1-21.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

There are biographies of practically
every famous life ever lived; and of
not few commonplace ones. Occas-
ionally, though, there appears a book,
like Prof. Palmers life OF Alice Free
man Palmer, of DR.. George Adam
Smiths life of Henry Drummond, or
James M. Barrie's life of his mother,
which is SO written from the heart
that it makes its subject to live again.
1t is love that sees most clearly. The
best friend makes the best biographer.
So the life of Jesus penned by John,
the beloved disciple fairly opens
the inner life of the Master 1t is far
more than record of his acts: it re-
veals his spirit. The clearest appre-
hension of Christ is gained from the
writings of the friend who leaned his
head upon the Saviour's breast.
49,
In the whole expanse of the Old
Testament the Twenty-third Psalm
rears its head like some snow-capped
mountain. In the New Testament the
Mt. Hermon of the sacred landscape
is the fourteenth chapter of Johns
Gospel
Zebedees son, the fisherman, be-
came John, the beloved apostle, and
one of the greatest and tenderest fig
ures of all religious history, through
his association with Jesus. This Is
conspicuous instance of the abiding
truth that ones life is largely deter
mined by ones choice of friends. His
great teacher made John great.
49,
The most human writing is the best
form of literature. John sprang from
the plain people, and he loved to de-
pict the simple. homely, domestic
and everyday scenes in which Jesus
figured. 1t Is John who, above all 9th
ers. limns the individual portraits Of
the New Testament. Through him we
have Nicodemus and Lazarus and the
calling of the disciples, the woman of
Samaria. the blind man at the Pool
Of Sloan, the woman at the cross
and sepulchre, the denial of Peter, and
the doubling of Thomas. AS literary
craftsman, Luke probably was Johns
superior, but John had a genius for
the clear delineation of human person
alities, and Of profound philosophy
which has given him foremost place
sa*
One Of the favorite traditions of the
early church well typifies the charac-
ter of the bosom friend of Jesus. Aft
er he had become John the aged, and
was living in Ephesus, he was regu-
larly borne on chair into the assem-
bly, of Christians. Feebly lifting his
hand in benediction he would say:
Little children, love one another"
After time, feeling that this exhor-
tation was rather monotonous some of
the elders ventured to suggest Faith
er has thou no other message for us?'
There is no other message" came the
calm reply; and again the exhortation
Little children, love one another"
$50
John in youth was a "son of thun-
der" but such is the power of the in
f1uence of Jesus that this fiery, impet-
uous spirit became the mellowed apos-
tie Of love. He Is the high example of
the truth of the modern saying, ''lf
religion has done nothing for your
temper, it has done nothing for your
SOUL
The most familiar and the most po-
tent text in the whole Bible is found
only in Johns Gospel. For God so
loved the world that he gave his only
begotten son that whatsoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life"
The character of an author Is re-
vealed even by the passages he quotes
That it is significant that it was John
who recorded the utterance of Jesus
upon the Good Shepherd, and upon
himself as the Light of the World.
The prologue to the Gospel of John
is one Of the rare passages Of litera-
ture which should be memorized by
everybody. for its dignity, simplicity,
literary beauty and vastness of con
tent:
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the
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