Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-20

sacrifices of dove; and while woman's
devotion is expressing itself by gifts
| of it's best to the cause of country
and humanity, we are opportunely
called to consider again the sweet old
story of how one women loved the
man whom she called Master.
Niggardly prudence and self-inter-
| est may grumble at the unstinted Of
/ ferings of life and treasure to-day be-
ing made in the name of loyalty and
/ love; but the clear word of Jesus
| still sounds, as of old, in praise of
| the uncalculated and seemingly reck-
| less gift of the best treaSurerS, in the
name, of friendship and faithfulness
Never was the nation in better
mood than now to understand and
accept the royal spirit of Mary OF
! Bethany, when she anointed her Lord
with the treasured flask of pure nard,
| her coStliest possession. AS the
fragrance of her glorious deed fills
the world, so the sacrifice and service
of millions to-day is rising like sweet
incense over the earth. Mary's spirit
of eXaltation, and of penetrating
spiritual vision, expresses the noblest
feeling of our own hour. So we go
to the study of the Incident with enA
thusiasm. First, let us read the story
as John, an witness, wrote 1t:
A Beautiful Old Story
Jesus therefore six days before
the passover came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from
the dead. So they made him a sup
per there, and Martha served; but
Lazarus was one of them that sat at
meat with him. Mary therefore took
pound of ointment of pure nard,
very precious, and anointed' the feet
of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her
hair; and the house was filled with
the odor of the ointment.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his dis
ciples, that should betray him, saith,
Why was not this ointment sold for
three hundred shillings and given to
the poor? Now this he said, not be-
cause he cared for the poor, but be-
cause he was thief and having the
bag took away what was put therein.
Jesus therefore said, Suffer her
to keep it against the day of my
burying. For the poor ye have al
ways with you; but me ye have not
always.
The common people therefore of
the Jews learned that he was there;
and they came, not for Jesus sake
only, but that they might see Laza-
rus also, whom he had raised from
the dead. But the chief priests took
counsel that they might put Lazarus
also to death; because that by reason
of him many of the Jews went away,
and believed on Jesus"
Beneath the Shadow of the Gross
All this happened close under the
shadow of the cross. Calvary was
but six days and three miles distant.
The earthly life of Jesus was draw
ing to an end. The hounds of hate
were closing in upon Him. His rails
ing of Lazarus had settled the course
of the ecclesiastics, and now His
death was but a matter of successful
scheming.
Only the Victim saw ahead of Him
the agony of the Passion, the Garden
and the Cross. Stay; there was one
other who, with love-touched spirit
ual vision dimly perceived it. The
disciples were dense and undiscern-
ing; they refused to see what Jesus
tried to show them. But Mary knew.
Trust woman to understand. There
fore she made ready, with sublime
audacity of imagination, her grave
Offering for the doomed Master. He
in turn, made quick and grateful rec
ognition of the gift and its signifi-
canoe.
Gratitude spread the table in the
home of Simon the healed leper, who
gave the feast, at which Lazarus sat
with Jesus, and Martha and Mary
served. Yes, even up to the end, Je-
sus was a guest at feasts; no ascetic
or anchorite He. 1t was a notable
dinner party, and its signs of festiv-
ity brought the curious crowds. The
best belonged to their Beloved; moth
ing is too good for the Master.
Course after course, of appetizing
Syrian ViandS, was served to the
guests seated on the floor, around
little tables. Then, at the close of
the dinner which should have put
even covetous Judas in a good
humor, there came the sensation of
the hour. Mary drew near to where
the Guest of Honor reclined, and
producing from her flowing robes an
alabaster flask of liquid nard, a pre-
cious perfume. such as the East
prizes to this day, she anointed the
head and feet of the friend who had
brought back her brother from the
grave; and, in an excess of passion
ate devotion, disdaining the conven-
tions, she wiped His feet with her
unbound tresses.
Even as the fragrance of the costly
perfume quickly permeated the whole
house where they sat, so the sensa-
tional deed at once filled the air, and
set all tongues to wagging. Such
gift!-why, it was worthy of Ro-
man officials feast. Guests caught
their breath at the lavishness of it.
No such signal social honor had been
paid Jesus since the Wise-Men of the
East brought Nike precious gifts to
His manger- r-cradle.
Love that is not lavish is not love.
We would rightly despise the thrift
of a lover who economized on his
gifts of flowers and sweet and pleas
ures to his beloved. Flowers and pic
lures and books and other beautiful
tokens of love are not extravaganza;
they are of the very warp and woof
of love to a living Friend, rather
and fathers bring home to their fam
lilies every week some token of tender
affection, even though they must
economic in the so-called "neces-
Stiles"
Love always gives its best, with
superb abandon. We follow in Mary's
train when we build beautiful
churches to Christ; and rear stately
monuments to our heroes; and erect
noble buildings for our government.
heard a friend, serving in the
American Ambulance CorpsIin Trance,
tell how he had borne the news of q
soldiers death to aged parents, only
to discover that he was the fourth son
they had given for France; and they
were proud to have had four sons to.
offer their country.
Wise beyond all words was Mary
in that she gave her fragrant Offering
of leve to a living Fried, rather
than to a dead body. The millions
who study this lesson in the Sunday
school should be inspired to go forth
straightway to express their love, in
some tangible form. to those for