The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-09-29

LESSON .TEXT-Mark 14:1-11.
GOLDEN TEXT-She hath done what
she could. Mark 14:S
Event crowds fast upon event dur
Ing this the worlds most tragic week.
Two days before the passover oc-
Cured, the chief priests and other
leaders entered a conspiracy how to
rid themselves of this troublesome
Nazarene. This plot mentioned in the
first two verses of the lesson prob
ably occurred four days later than the
amounting. Note the separating para
graph mark; also look up carefully a
good harmony of the Gospels. Follow
ing the Olivet discourse Jesus said to
his disciples, in two days the pass
over" At that very time Judas was
scheming with the rulers for his ar
rest. John, in his Gospel, tells us that
the feast was six days before, and that
it was in connection with this that
Judas had left the company to go to
the priests.
Judas Iscariot was angry at our
Lord and this incident led immediate
ly to the betrayal. Nowhere else in
all history is there a blacker picture
of the human heart or the length of
iniquity to which it will go. Every
thing at this hour is electric and
strange. Events rapidly converge to-
wards the cross. For that, grace has
been planning and sin Is plotting.
L..
!. Mary Criticized, w. 3-5. Jesus
had his inner circle of friends and his
favorite places of abode and none was
evidently more precious than that
home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
In this supreme hour Jesus came to
this home to bring it confirmation of
faith and some further spiritual gift.
From that time of Peters confession,
several months previous. the Lord has
constantly reaflrmed his statement
then made, that he must go to Jeru-
salem, die, and be raised the third day.
This teaching amazed the disciples
and filled them with fear. Jesus did
not, however, awaken faith and then
Quench it with fear, or allow it to Ian
guish and die, John 4:46, "a. Now az
the darkest hour approaches there ap
peared this one touch of appreciative
sympathy. Bethany was of but little
dignity but there lived there a man
who had been raised from the dead
Lazarus. There also resided one who
brought comfort to the heart of Jesus
-Moru Che bod Ecfa To h oh q
understood him, believed and loved
With a woman's keen intuition she
seems to have realized that he was
really going to his death. What that
meant to the hopes and aspirations
she seems to have OWNED, and re
allied, more than all others, his view.
point. How to tell him was her desire
Ont of that love she purchased box OF
ointment representing in value about
fifty dollars, an immense sum and
the full extent Of her treasure. Ordi
nary action will not suffice. The hour
and occasion demanded the extraor,
binary. To it she yielded herself, Law
ishly pouring upon him the wealth and
fragrance of that sacred ointment in.
tended for kings. She had sat at his
feet, Luke 1923, and was ready for
this the proper hour for amounting
John 1877. 1t was her all, but love
does not have the calculating cunning
and prudence of Judas. No doubt
other wise ones deprecated such Law
ishness and suggested a better use OF
SD much money, John 12:4-6, for there
are always plenty of Iscariots ready to
criticize the acts of others, and that
spirit often carries with it all others
IL its company even as the disciples
caught the contagion of the criticism
of Judas. Neither Judas nor the dis
ciples could understand the spirit MOI
the significance of Mary's act, and
envy seems to have dominated their
attitude. Her act was SO far above
and beyond them that they could not
understand 1t. It was not waste" and
/ often it speaks poorly of our love OF
Jesus to suggest such a subterfuge
To suggest the ever present poor and
to neglect the soon to depart Christ
was shallow indeed. There are plen
ty who never give of their own who
are ever ready to criticize both the mo
tive and method of those who do give
Memorial of Her."
u. Mary Commended, wv. 90. The
story is beautiful in the record we
have of our Lords words. Mary's
compensation for the criticism called
for by her conduct was the commenda
ton Of her Lord. We do not censure
the disciples who did not understand
| but we are thankful for the words OF
the Master which their criticism called
forth. Jesus realized the true mean
ing of the act and he named 1t when
he said, She hath done what she
could, she hath anointed my body
aforehand for burying" Notice that
Jesus received the true meaning of hel
act as for himself, still it was for the
world, for he said, this that she hath
done shall be spoken of for mem
orial of her" This was not merely
g. reward for Mary, 1. was that her ACT
should be an inspiration to incite his
followers to like activities and atti
tudes throughout all the ages. This
is all that is asked of any disciple q
Cor. SID. Love forgets self. sur
roundings, cost or criticism. Love
pours out itself to the uttermost and
its fragrance fills not alone the house
but the whole of creation, for who car
measure the utmost bounds of its in
fuence? Mary understood the Mas
ter's message. though those about heI
understood it not, viz, that he was
1 about Re, die for. her " 81