Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-16
In The Religious World
(REvIEW OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LEssON.)

Jay SCHOOL IESSONO
cuss questions concerning the Messiah
No scholarly bubbles bothered him.
Here was one who met the need of the
destitute. That was proof enough of
his divine mission. Then, as now, sim
pie faith saw most clearly.
] All the while the shrill scream.
growing momentarily more hysterical,
rose higher and higher The bystand.
ers were becoming annoyed and scan
daliZed. They thought it reflected IN,
on the good name of their community
to have the noted stranger met by
such commotion.
With many shake and gesture and
stern word they warned the beggar,
| Hold your peace!" They told him
that the great teacher had no time for
Wayslde beggars. He was on his way
to the great Passover and, of course,
ne was interested in the great build
! ings that Herod had erected to make
jericho famous. The beggar's intru-
sion of his misery was a EARRING note
! Yet so far as Bartimaeus was con-
, cerned, all the concerns of the world
seemed small alongside of this one
particular need of his own. There
was no suppressing such desire as
his. He wanted one thing and wanted
1t with a strong crying that consumed
! his soul and shut out the world. Even
as John Knox cried, Give me Scot
land, or l die!" so Bartimaeus clam.
ored for sight.
Importantly and Opportunity.
opportunity sometimes makes 3D.
portun1ty. God likes to answer per.
slstent prayers. He loves the man who
VIII not be denied. Insistent faith wins
him. OF course, Jesus heard the beg.
CARS cry. What were Herod's palaces
10 MIN alongside of human need? He
cared more for it than for the VERT
able gardens of God that surrounded
Jer1cho In glorious effulgence Some
body has said that God would still all
the celestial choirs of cherubim and
seraphlm around the throne, il neces-
sary, IN order to hear the prayer of
one needy human being The world
mad been unheeding of Bartimaeus for
long dreary years. Jesus knows him
the first time he passes.
Suddenly the procession halted
Turning toward the beggar Jesus said.
call We him. Then the sycophantic
crowd, who had been stilling the clam
or Of Bartimaeus, became vociferous
in their message to him: BE of good
cheer. He called thou"
Dellr1ous with joy the blind man
leaped up. No patient plodding for
"ard, with staff in front of him, on
this occasion. No careful concern for
MS poor property. Flinging aside his
treasured outer garment, and plunsing
forward in the direction of the sweet
voice he had heard, needless of whom
ne might run into, Bartimaeus rushed
to Jesus. Thin is a dramatic picture |
and one that the world would not
Willingly spare from its galleries of
memory.
Getting the Thing We Want.
sometimes our dreams do come true. |
Inc deepest and dearest desires of our
heart are realized. For it is the com
passion OF God to give more than we
ask or desire Such a great hour had
come to Bartlmaeus. This was his !
moment OF opportunity and destiny for
the voice that had summoned him from
MS Wayslde rOOst now continued.
What wilt thou that 1 should do unto
thee?"
What an offer was this! 1t was a
blank check on the resources of heav-
en-. Bartimaeus could have what he
Did he take time for elaboration?
Not he. Was there any need for him
to calculate some scheme of perma-
nent relief that would take him from
the roadside? Could he not get an in
PRODUCTION to Herod's favor?
No consideration of the sort entered
his mind for an instant. He wanted
one thing and only one thing, and he
wanted that so badly that it crowded
into his throat like : sob. Rabbi,
that I may receive my sight"
That was ALL He believed that
Jesus could do this miracle for him.
Nor was his faith misplaced. For a
third time the patient, gentle-voiced
teacher spoke, Go thy way. Thy
'aith hath made thee whole" Straight
way Bartimaeus was no longer blind
Bartimaeus by the roadside, but see
ng man. Exultant in his joy, and
grateful, he left all his old ways and
:ollowed Jesus toward Jericho.
A Picture Story.
In that incident you have the whole
gospel. It is all there, in graphic
:orm. There is mans need, which no
human power can satisfy. There Is
he compassion of Christ, which en-
,ompasses the lowliest and their de-
'ires. There, too, is mans faith crav-
ng the best from heaven, and Christ's
luick answer of full deliverance and
owe.
Blind and needy humanity is to find
IS real needs met by Jesus of Naz- +.
lreth, as he walks through the COM
non ways of life.