The Brinkley argus., 1914-10-09
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 4
cARIsr ANolNTED FOR BURIAL

IESSUN FUh UCIUoEn chRIsT ANolNTED FOR BURIAL.
 LESSON TExT-Mark N:1-n
 GOLDEN TExT-She hath done what she could. Mark 14:a
 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 Readers entered 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 anointing. Note the separating para graph mark; also look up carefully 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 blacker picture of tho human heart or the length of iniquity to which 1t will go. Every thing at this hour is electric and strange. Events rapidly converge to- wayds the cross. For that, grace has been planning and sin is plotting.
 Amased tho DIscipIes.
 | Mary Criticized, W. go. Jesus had his inner circle of friends end his Ifsvorite places of abode and nooe was evidently more precious than that home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus In this supreme hour Jesus came to this home to bring 1t a confirmation of lfaith and some further spiritual gift. From that time of Peters confession, several months previous. the Lord has constantly reafflrmed 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 1t with fear. or allow 1t to lan- guish and die. John 4:46. 54. Now as tho darkest hour approaches there ap- pesred this one touch of appreciative sympathy. Bethany was of but little dignity but there lived there man who had been raised from the dead Lazarus. There also resided one who brought comfort to the heart of Jesus Mary. She had listened to him, she understood him. believed and loved. With 8 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 divined. and re- ,alized. more than all others, his view point. How to tell him was her desire. iOut of that love she purchased a box of ointment representing in value about fifty dollnrs, an immense sum and the full extent of her treasure. Ordi- nary action will not suffice. The hour and occasion demanded the extraor- dinary. To 1t she yielded herself. lav- ashly pouring upon him the wealth and fragrance of that sacred ointment in tended for kings. She had sat at his feet, Luke 10:39, and was ready for this the proper hour for anointing, John 12:y. It was her all, but love does not have the calculating cunning and prudence of Judas.
 "Memorial. os Her."
 W. Mary Commended, w. 60. The story is beautiful in the record we have of our Lords words. Mary'f 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 oi the Master which their criticism called forth Jesus realized the true mean ang of the act and he named it 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 hez act as for himself. still 1t was for the world, oDf he said. this that she hath done shall be spoken of for mem orial of her" This was not merely "a reward for Mary, 1t was that her act should be an inspiration to incite his followers to like activities and atti ltudes throughout all the ages. This l1s all that Is asked of any disciple Ql Cor. 8:12). Love forgets self, sur roundings. cost or criticism. Love lpours out itself to the uttermost and its fragrance fills not alone the house but the whole of creation.
 ili. Judas consplres, w. 10. II. This tender story ends with the terrible ac count of Judas. He had no sympathy for Mary. primarily because he was uot in sympathetic relations with | Jesus.
 Jesus had revealed. called forth, the deepest love of Mary's heart. In the case of Judas he revealed heart ol treachery. Accepting the adorine
 amounting of Mary and also perpetu
 ating it. he at the same time calli
 forth revelation of that compelling
 motive of selfishness in the heart oi
 Judas that led to his own self-destruc
 tion. Contrast these two pictures. w.
 recall the crushed heart of Mary at the death of Lazarus which brought Mar, 1 into the closest fellowship with Jesus