The Penn's Grove record., 1916-03-10
HAD FAITH IN HIM
Lesson to Be Drawn From the
Actions of Jairus and the
Sick Woman.

but come and lay thy hand upon her.
and she shall live. The woman
said within herself. II l do but touch
his garment l shall be made whole"
Matt. 9:1s-21.
Two remarkable stories in one and
the same paragraph, two wonderful
restorations, two supreme instances
of the power of true faith.
Let US revert for a moment to the
scene. The digniied form OF a ruler
OF the synagogue as he appear upon
the threshold of an apartment in which
publicans and sinners are feasting, is
no whit stranger to the bafied ban
queters than the presence of Christ in
such an environment appeared to be
to the carping critics drawn from the
ranks of the Pharisees and Scribes
standing without.
Our heart goes out to Jairus because
he has left the bedside of a dying
daughter. The symptoms, the verdict
of the physicians, the innate con-
seriousness impress upon him, as he
stands in the presence of Christ, the
conviction, my daughter is even now
dead" even now while I am speaking
there is no hope unless Christ be su-
perhuman, unless he be divine. Yet
there is a hope; for he is assured that
though she be even now dead she may
be, she will be, reclaimed. Come and
lay thy hand upon her and she shall
live"
This is his prayer. Leaving the
happy circle of those whom he blessed
with his presence, Jesus and the ruler
lead the way homeward. Their prog
ress is intercepted by a woman whose
chronic illness has prompted her in
faith to touch the garment of Jesus,
who, realizing the outflow of power,
turning, demands to know who it was
that touched him.
Her Abundant Faith.
Trembling with fear. realizing that
she has been the cause of this com.
motion and delay, knowing that she
has been discovered, the sick woman,
a patient no longer, steps forth and
acknowledges before all the people
that it was she who touched his gar
ments in response to the conviction
that If only she do so she could be
made whole. . While Jesus is
still speaking g. messenger from the
home of Jairus conveys the tidings
surmised by the ruler and known by
Jesus: THY daughter is dead, trouble
not the Teacher" The compassion of
the Savior is thoroughly aroused.
Turning to the ruler, he exclaims in
words which cannot be misunderstood,
Fear not, only believe, and she shall
be made whole" The ruler trusts his
physician, guide and comforter. Jesus
assumes the initiative and leads him
to the house which is already being
turned owe to professional Oriental
lamentation. The word of power and
life penetrates farther than the dis
cordant sounds of empty rites. TIA
Htha Kumi" (maiden arise). No
empty form; not even a sacred COM
initial Of the body to the earth; but a
recall of the spirit. The narrative con-
cludes simply: Her spirit returned
and she rose up Immediately"
ITO what extent can, ought and will
Christianity help me?" is but a re-
statement of the words used by two
needy individuals rejecting upon their
condition. Put the question in any
other form you please: Have l a
right to expect anything from Chris
tianity? Will it influence, mellow and
transform my life? Is 1t worth while?
Is it a good thing not only tt die by but
to live by as we'll? What must be my
relationship toward it and it's relation
ship toward me? Is it to be compared
with the medicine in a vial in the
medicine chest, which is to be used
every day, or at regular intervals, or
perhaps only occasionally as a tonic?
Or ought it to be compared with the
air we breathe and without which
we cannot EXIST"
True Spiritual Life.
In coming to Christianity we have
the right to demand and there rests
upon us an obligation to demand life
physical, moral, spiritual life. This
is to be the measure of the request.
To what extent can and ought and
will Christianity help me? 1t will
lend unto me a spiritual life which
will renew me through and through.
The raising of Jairus' daughter from
the dead, the healing of the invalid
woman, were not ends in themselves;
they were means to a higher end. We
all believe, we know without doubt,
that the ruler and the woman obtained
something more than physical and
moral benefits. Spiritual life has been
impaired to them. Thy faith hath
made thee whole" may be predicted
of the ruler as surely as it is told the
woman
To what extent can and ought and
will Christianity help me? To the
extent of the measure of my faith, to
the extent 0f my recopnition Of a