Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-04

cloak, He washed His disciples feet.
One would almost have to be a first
century oriental to appreciate that
deed fully. Shoes were not worn in
doors. The laving of the feet, after
a dusty journey against which san
days were poor protection, was
either done by ones self or by
slaves. 1t was not the work of an
equal. No laws of etiquette required
1t of host Perhaps never before
had 1t been done by man of stand
ing for his equals or interiors.
i How the company must have
stared and protested! Impossible!
Preposterous The Orient cares more
for form and ceremony and dignity
than does the West; and this was
an oriental scene. The Great Teach
err doing a slaves work-and the
echoes of the hosannas of the multi
tude scarcely yet died away? In
credible! We have had the story for
nineteen centuries, and 1t is impos
sible for us to comprehend how radi-
cal the procedure was. There is no
modern parallel for 1t.
When the Way-Showers Stoop
Great way-showers have not been
afraid to stoop. President Wilson
helped dig the White House lot, as
a reminder of garden patriotism.
King George has been a total alb
stainer during the war. Governors
have repeatedly doffed their coats
and taken up shovels on Good
Roads Day" Many eminent men
have proudly worn the title of Com
moner;" for, as says the proverb:
"A gentleman can do anything" Fa-
nous generals have fraternized with
their troops
Once though, and only once, a
great king has voluntarily assumed
the tasks of a slave. "Menial' Is an
inadequate word for this feet-wash-
ing service by Jesus. 1t was entire
ly beneath the dignity even of the
disciples. Not one of them had Of
fered to do it, even for the Master
Every one of them would have re-
sented the proposal.
They were like the modern busi-
nessman and public official, Jealous
of their position. Most of us are
pretending to be more than we are.
1t is fun to watch the pretense--
bluff is the modern world-of all
sorts of men claiming credit for more
than their due. Great business or
ganizations are full of it, down to
the Office boy. Each official over
magnifies his own position and i'm
portance. Knowing this. the clothing
manufacturers advertise shamelessly
that they can dress q man so that
the world will be deceived into
thinking that he is somebody of i'm
portance. All the world is bent upon
eXalting itself
Whereas Jesus, when He said II
have given you an example," deliber-
ately abased himself. He knew what
He was about. The full significance
of His action was clear to Him. 1t
seems as If He invested himself with
full royal panoply before He took
towel and basin. AS 1t were, He eX-
hibited His crowd and sceptre and
full royal state before He showed
himself a servant. AS runs the rec
ord, Jesus knowing that the Father
had given all things into his hands,
and that he was come from God, and
| went to God took q towel"
In stately, regal fashion the King
stepped down from His royal throne
to do the work of lowliest ministry;
that all ministry lnight thereafter
be royal.
"Ye call me Master and Lord; and
we say well; for so 1 am. If l then.
| your Lord and Master, have washed
your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet. For IFhave given you
an example, that ye should do as 1
have done to YOU"
| Dr. f1enTy van Dyke mas CduBHl
the genius of Jesus in his poem THE
Toiling of Felix"
Every mason in the quarry, every
builder on the shore,
Every chopper in the paint grove,
every raftsman at the oar,
Hewing wood and drawing water,
splitting stones and cleaving
sod,
! All tho dusty ra nike of In hour in tha
regiment of God,
March together toward His tri-
umph, do the task His hands
! prepare:
Honest toll is holy service; faithful
work is praise and prayer.
"They who tread the path of labour
follow where my feet have
trod;
They who work without complain
ing do the holy will of God.
Where the many toll together, there
am / among my own;
Where the tired workman sleepeth,
there am 1 with him, alone.
| /, the peace that passeth knowledge,
dwell amid the daily strife;
I, the bread of heaven, am broken
in the sacrament of life.
Every task, however simple, sets
the soul that does it free;
Every deed of love and mercy, done
to man, is done to me.
Thou hast learned the open secret;
thou hast come to me for rest;
Nevermore thou needest seek me;
/ am with thee everywhere;
This is the gospel of labour. ring
it, ye bells of the kirk!
The Lord of Love came down from
above, to live with the men
who work.
This is the rose that He planted,
here in the thorn curst soil;
Heaven is blest with perfect rest,
but the blessing of Earth is
toll"
The Call to Our Day
War is changing many things for
mankind. Uncounted institutions
and usages are being transformed.
A new day is dawning for humanity
All who are seers of God should be
preparing the mind or the world for
the changed order. Life after the
war cannot be maintained on the old
basis of narrow selfishness and pride
and provincialism. "Old things have
passed away; behold, all things are
become new" Not to the ambitious
and to the vainglorious, but to the
humble and to the helpful; not to
the getters. but to the givers: will
the transformed world look for sal
vation.
In this hour there comes from the
IL 4 nj N1l L.,