The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-05
THE LESSON TEXT IN EVERY
DAY DRESS.

&fHA.F ~
At the close Of a day OF teaching
on the seashore at Caperlaurn. Jesug
turned TO his disciples and said. Let
us now go over to the other side OF
the lake. Worn out with the days.
iaHnTs, he hoped 20 spent at least a
night In uninterrupted scclusion. The
men To whom he spoke had hardly
loosed the boat before the people IN
the other boats OWNED their tnten-
ton and stsrtod to follow. While
'hey We're making their way across the
water a sudden storm, for which the
lake Is noted. swept down upon the
itttie Hect. Hlling the boats with water
and the hearts of the disciples with
terror. The Master. worn out yvith4he
days toll. had fallen into a deep sleep
and the disciples FASTENED to him.
Master. we perish" cried one. Mas
ter, earest thou 10 that we perish 2''
cried another. Save, Lord, we per-
isf'," cried others. The Muster opened
his eyes. rose to his feet, calmly look
ed out upon the tempest. and then said
TO the wind as he would have spoken
to a dog at his feet, Down. And
turning to the great pillows, he said:
.ffr- srfft+ End fhcn turning to his
disciples. he said Why were you
fearful? How is it that you cannot yet
trust me 60 And as he turned away
the men in the boat iooted into each
others faces and in trembling whis-
pers said: What sort of a mar is this
that even the winds and the ave
should obey his Voice? ?"
ON going ashore Jesus was met by
t.o dernonlac&, who made their home
in the tombs near by. The men We're
naked, furious, demon-possessed luna
ties. OF almost superhurnan strength,
whom nobody could bind. and who
were the terror Of the whole country,
so that no one dared to pass that way
alone. They had recognized Jesus at a
distance ans had rushed down To meet
him as they had often rushed to meet
those whom they would tear in pieces.
But. to the establishment of all, the
they reached the Master they
thkrGw themselves at his feet in an
attitude of worship. Come nut OF
him." said Jesus. speaking TO the de-
mon tn the foremost nan What do
you want with me, Jesus, Son of the
Most High God?' cried the man with
that strange consciousness of the dA-
Yinfty of Jesus which seems TO have
come TO all demonics when they ap-
proached him, what is your name"
asked Jesus. MY name" he said, rs
Legion: for there are many of US:
and he began to beg of him not TO
send the demons away to the bottom
less pit. Send us anywhere but
there" he screamed; anywhere
even into those swine feeding yon-
lerl" Very WELL" said the Mas
ter; "go INTO those swine" And they
left the man-left both men-and
entered into the hogs. and the hogs,
becoming panic-stricken, dashed
through the hedge bordering the
beach and down the steep gravel be-
yond into the water. where they We're
drowned Naturally the ~sysine-keep-
ers ran at once to tell tho owners.
and in a few moments all the village
had turned out to see what had hap
pened. When they came and saw
the men who had been the terror OF
the neighborhood sitting and cloth
ed' and in their right minds, they
we're SO frightened that they began
to beg, Jesus TO leave the country
some perhaps fearing that they, too,
might lose their swine, but all trem-
bling Mt the presence OF the super
human mower. AS Jesus was going
away the restored men begged that
they might be allowed to &c with MIN.
but the Master insisted that they
should return hone and tell their own
people what the Lord had done for
them.
The Heart OF the ncsson.
1. In the story of the sitting or
the storm we have a touching Illus
tration of our Lords consideration
for his own in time OF trounle
It is a truth which we cannot learn
too well, for there is perhaps no other
teachings which we are so often
tempted to doubt We do not
I, when the sun shines. We are ready
to believe anything that Is tod US OF
Gods a r for the sparrows SO iohs
as we do not feel that we are as neip-
less as sparrows. But let the elouas
about U own door anu saus
the sunlight from our own WIN
aovys and what a host of doubts Will
III God really cares or me,
does he not come to my help
we saw In our hearts. And then we
begin to wonder If 1t Is not all q
How do / know mat ne
toward me as a why
does he not show his sympathy ior
me now that I am so much IN heeo
of sympathy?
I wonder If this beautiful picture
Christ stilling the tempest was NOT
given us for just such a moment.
These storm-tossed disciples were
in their hearts, at least. the
same E0TL OIL QAGoAttAis
ha lie there sleeping while we are
in peril of our lives?" Does he
really know we are In peril?" Does
really care IL we perish? Could
help us IL he were awake But
present common sense asserted Itself
and they went to him. This is the
only way TO settle a question about
we must go to him. Their
faith was weak. but they Went: 1t
was the only sensible thing 20 do. And
they went they found that
all the trouble was In their w hearts
ana not with him at all. He was the
same Helper that he had been yes
terday and the day before. His heart
had not changed. His arm had not
grown weak. He was still able and
TO help-willing In spite OF
smallness of their faith. And he
did help. In his power the storm was
nothing more than IA little dog frisk-