Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-30

leave Jerusalem at night when he was
teaching in the city, after the days of
conflict with the Pharisees and Sad
ducees and Herodians and go out to the
quiet village of Bethany on the Mount
Of olives for a good nights rest. Prob
ably the special inducement which led
aim to go there was that He had there
SOME disciples, who were at the same
time warm personal friends. For Jesus
had friends He loved to have friends.
These friends were a family consisting
Of a brother and two sisters-LaZaru
and Martha and Mary. They were not
rich, but seem to have been in comfort
able circumstances, sufficiently so TO
entertain guests and for Mary to break
an alabaster box of ointment worth
about s51 over His feet. Lazarus is
represented in THE Prince Of the House
of David" as being scribe. Martha
the elder sister, was practical, busy, bus
Ting. Mary, the younger, was quiet
contemplative affectionate.
That is a wonderfully beautiful and
realistic picture OF home life given by
Luke duke 1O:3S-42). You remember
it, Jesus was received into the house Of
Martha as he came to Bethany. She was
cooking dinner, busting about and near
ly districted-that is what the word
means in Greek-with so much work.
Mary was entertaining the company, SIT
ting at the feet of Jesus and listening
to His gracious words of wisdom. Mar
tina got jealous, as almost any woman
would under such circumstances, came
to Him and asked Him If He did not
care that Mary had left her to get the
dinner by herself, and requested that He
would tell Mary to help her. Jesus then
made that remarkable reply. Martha,
Martha, thou art anxious and troubled
about many things; but one thing is
needful; for Mary nath chosen the good
mart. which shall not be taken away from
her" luke 10:41-42). Dinner Is all
right But there are some things better
than dinner, sitting at the Masters feet'
for instance. The spiritual are OF more
importance than the material things OF
life.
And then came the time when the
shadow of death entered that home,
when the broth er, the main stay and
support of the home, was taken away.
AS soon as he was taken sick the sfs-
tors sent a message to the Master tell
ing Him, HE whom Thou lowest is SICK.
Rut Jesus was in another part Of the
country and did not get to Bethany I'M
til Lazarus had been dead four days.
When he did come what a picture OF
hopelessness do the two sisters present
saws the same thing, Lord, II Thou
hi dst been here my brothers had not
died" Then what hope does Jesus IN
fuse into them as He tells them' my
brother shall rise again. Martina said
70 Him. I know that he shall rise again
in the resurrection at the last DAY
And then Jesus utters that glorious
promise Il a m the resurrection, anu
the life: he that believeth on Me- though
WhOSOeNer
1ivetb and beIieveth on Me shall never
die" John 11<25-26).
JESUS WEPT.
What a tender scene is presented as
Iesus went to the tomb of his frlend' AS
he stood there among the weeping SIS
ters and friends, John says very sehteh-
tiouslv. Jesus wept'-wept out OF SYM
pathv for those that wept, Wept- on ac-
count of their unbelief because theyl
did not recognize that he had power 10
raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus
,rant -" This is at once the shortest and
one of the most precious verses in the
Rible. Thank God, Jesus wept at the
tornb of his friend. And SO around the
tomb of your friend and my friend ms
great loving heart wells up with sym
na+hv and overfows in tears. on! am
SO glad for this beautiful glimpse INTO
the homelife Of Jesus, into his friendship
and into the depths of his human heart.
AS a practical expression of his sym
Da+hv. Jesus then raised Lazarus from
the dead.
HOUSE OF SIMON THE LEPER.
And then there was that touching scene
at Bethany as he was on his way 10
Jerusalem for the last time, there to
give his life a ransom for many. Simon,
the leper. who had probably been healed
of his leprosy by Jesus, gave him feast
in his house. During the feast Mary,
tender, gentle, loving. Mary came behind
him. poured an alabaster box of ONT
ment over his feet and wiped them with
the hair of her head. When Judas, surly
covetous. treacherous Judas, grumbled at
this waste" Jesus told him to let her
alone With fine womanly instinct she
had discerned that the hour of his death
was at hand and with a delicate woman
~ touch she had anointed him In ad-
vance for his burial She could not do