The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-03

with gratitude-and nobody in this
world will ever know what a comfort
1t was to the hunted and harried Naz-
arene to feel that somebody really cared
but He also publicly defended 1t as the
highest use of money. All true diSct-
pies of love are forever indebted to
Mary for providing the occasion for
these words of Jesus upon the superla-
tive worth Of love and all loves offer
ings.
Audaciously it must have seemed to
His hearers-although he himself never
betrayed any doubt of his Gospels
growth-Jesus promised immortal fame
to the deed of Mary. He declared fur
Their that her wisdom was far greater
than that of all his drilled disciples
! and of all the doctors OF the law. Her
intuition had outrun their reason. She
| saw what was hid from them. that
Jesus was about to die. Her sensitive
heart had caught the true Importance
OF his repeated words to his uncompre-
hending disciples. This was her way of
administering comfort and expressing
| loyalty.
The Time for Loves Offerings.
Later on, in due time, Mary would
bear spices to the tomb Of her cruel
| fled Lord Now, however. while he was
living and while his heart was heavy
with the burden Of the world's woe and
,-of the relentless persecution of his enc
mics, and while he was shut apart by
a great loneliness, Mary would make
her timely offering to refresh his weary
spirit. No counsel is commoner than
the living rather than gifts to the dead.
| Margaret Preston has put it into verse:
Had 1 but heard
One breath Of applause, one cheering
| word
Oro 81 Of
So weighted for me with death or life
How it would have nerved my soul to
| strain
Thro' the whirl of the coming surge
again.
Till the swimmers grasp to the rock
has chung?
What worth is Eulogy's blandest
breath
When whispered in ears that are
hushed in death?
No! no! if you have but a word Of
cheer,
Speak it while I am alive to hear
Her sense of spiritual values made
Mary understand that love lies on lavish
offerings. The rose has one value in the
value when it rests in the hands of the
woman to whom it speaks of love and
| ny dtly- III tne eyes OF JUDAS IniS did
baster vessel of pure nard was wortf
three hundred pence; streaming over the
, person OF the Amounted One, 1t had
, worth beyond all appraisal. 1t had come
to its highest use.
There Is a hard utilitarian spirit which
, In mistaken thrift leaves life barren o.
the gracious gifts of love. The Orient
with its immemorial customs of gift-giv
I ing, is wiser than we. Surely no studen
} of this beautiful story will miss tn,
meaning of the fact that Jesus promised
immortality of fame only to this one ex
travagance of loving devotion. Chris
merits the best: Christ honOrS the best
r Christ rewards the best.
rhc Money-Lover at the Feast.
, Aside from the Lord himself and Mary
. there were three other parties to this In
.. c1dens. who are worthy of study. Spac'
permits only mere mention of them.
IN the background, sinister, subtle
= sch ,ming. conspiring, were the ecclesias
= tical enemies of Jesus. They had de
2 termined on his death. With the Gun
E Ming OF veteran plotters they planned tina
!. !. this should take place after the visitor
who came to the feast shoull dispense
e | they were afraid of the multitude. Eve
then oligarchy feared the people: an
then as now, the best defenders of Chris
and his gospel were the plain people. TIL
: plans and presence of these enemies wer
l well known to the Master WHO neverthe
less filled his social obligations and neve
l. let the secret of his own woe dull tn
joys of his friends.
:: /, The host of the feast is a story by him
self. Simon had been a leper but Jesu
has cured him. The feast was his ala
baster cruise of anointment, his offerin
Of g. attitude. All the resources and homo