The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-15
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judged by the good they did or left I'M
done. He did not name some high and
knightly test, but the most ordinary
forms of kindness, well within the
reach of the lowlest; feeding the
hungry, giving drink to the thirsty,
showing hospitality to the stranger,
clothing the naked, visiting the sick
and the prisoner. Simple, these, but
all in the likeness of Christ's ministry.
In his luminous little book, "Fhe Print
of the Nails" the Rev T. H. Darlow
says "The nails of the true cross to-
day are precisely those acts and de-
cisionS of ours which transfiX our com
mon selfishnesS. Whenever we deny
ourselves willingly for the love of
others who do not love us, whenever
we spend pains and patience to under
stand those who have no sympathy
with US, whenever we give up ease or
profit or reputation for the unthank-
full and the evil, we are beginning to
receive these sacred marks of likeness
to the crucified. The ultimate ques-
ton which tests our service of others
is, docs it bear any faint authentic
print of the nails?'
This lesson is hard to learn. We
want to substitute other things for the
simplicities of Christ's prescription.
A few weeks ago a New England
spinster was witnessing the Passion
Play at Oberammergau: behind her
sat a little boy of seven, who sat won
of strain. The spinster had book and
opera glasses, and busted herself with
out thought of annoyance to the per
sons behind, and at appropriate places
she wept copiously. But when she
overheard the child whisper occasional
questions to his father, or when once
he touched the back of her seat, she
turned upon him and glared. She
thought she was in the spirit of the
Passion Play; but, such is the frailty
of human nature, she had no thought
of the real Christ's "Inasmuch"; and
she was only annoyed by one of the
little ones of whom Jesus said: Suffer
the little ones to come unto me- The
illustration is but one of a myriad that
could be piled up to show how we per-
sist in trying to substitute mood or
ecstacy or morbid Spirituality" for the
simple kindness which Jesus prescrib-
ed. The judges will be 1kelier to ask
US how we treated our wives and
vently we cried Amen at religious
services.
The Wonderful ''Inasmuch.'
The Ioftiest motives for the low
Hest of services is given by Jesus
when he identifies himself with all
much as ye did it unto one of these
my children, even these least, we did
it unto me. Inasmuch as We did
it not unto one of these least, ye did
it not unto me-" How these words
should set Christian feet speeding to-
wards the homes of want and sorrow
and sickness, and to the prisons.
While the cobbler unused there passed
his pane
He called him in from the stony street
And gave him shoes for his bruised
feet
The beggar went and there came a
Her face with wrinkles of sorrow
A bundle Of fagots bowed her back.
And she was spent with the wrench
and rack;
He gave her his loaf and steadied her
load
AS she took her way on the weary
Then to his door came a little child,
Lost and afraid in the world so wide,
In the big, dark world. Catching it
He gave 1t the milk in the waiting
And led it home to its mothers arms.
Out of the reach of the worlds alarms.
The day went down in the crimson
And with it the hope of the blessed
Guest
And Conrad sighed as the world
turned gray;
'fWhy is it, Lord, that your feet de-
lay?
Did you forget that this was the day"
Then soft in the silence Voice he
heard:
Lift up your heart. for 1 kept my
word.
Three times I came to your friendly
door;
Three times my shadow was on your
floor.
was the beggar with bruised feet;
I was the woman you gave to eat
was the child on the homeless street"
Edwin Markham.