The journal and the Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1913-1920, 1917-02-02

pulred prcJuuices against Galilee.
ana against radical teachings, Nico-
dcntuS stopped to visit tins new rab-
I III, the engagement having doubtless
nC,n made III advance through u
SCrN ant.
When Teacher Became Pupil.
lodging ever to the darker side
OF the narrow Jerusalem streets. and
toiiowlnE at distance the servant
MhC led the way with Il torch, went
NlCudcmUS. filled with the thought
oi his own condesCenson in seeking
oUl TINS new teacher from the north,
, 1lid not at all sure that lie was act
) ;hG " SeiN III so going. His phSlac-
i"rits and his bearded face. and his
robe which marked his office. We're
. hidden beneath the folds OF an all
"ENClupinS cloak. 1t was relief
h. him when they had ascended the
. "ut"r stair to the upper room in the
house Of a friend Whcre Jesus lodg-
90 cd. Nicodemus knocked at the door
/ OF Him who pictures Himself as
knocking at the door OF all hearts:
and NC was promptly received, while
the - rN"nt waited without.
40 great artist has painted that
W"ndCrtm picture. The proud &C.
d 81, siastIC. with the bearing of his
state "nd power, and the humbl\-
D ,ii,U Young Man from Nazareth. each
studying the face OF the other i'll
cniHl lamp. As bccam" his position
. - IN his own cStimatlon-the visitor
0n'nrd the conversation with con-
, "rsruuGinG words OF compliment,
which hc himself. scarcely believed:
. "Rahhi. we know thou arJ Il teacher
. come from cod which was the
. Ncr, thing he did not know. and WAS
| =, "i>iu = TO :iud out.
! Nothing but conventional orient
/ a' polii"rosS lay behind the phrase,
as when an nsinccrc hostess says TO
,an unWclcOmc guest. oh. my dear
Mrs smith. | am so glad to see you"
! In u lesser man Jesus might have iE-
! nor"d or parriCd the SANITATION: but
/ this was the great Dr. NicodcmuS, so,
With the discou"crtinG candor of IN
} utterly honest soul. lie thrust straight
to the realities. With this great re-
! liyioUs teacher in quest "t truth. lie
! dur"d talk on IL" highest level. about
the SublimcSt VcritioS. SO he replied.
/ 'NerilN. verify, | say unto thee. En-
: C"pt one be born an"w he cannot see
, tn" kingdom of God"-cant even
sec it. much less enter.
! Up Among tho Mysteries.
Then to tho dazcd nupil-for such
NiCodcmus had bccome--thc Cali
lean began 10 cNpoumd tho loftiest
conceptions Of His new Message.
Nicodemus had come. conscious of
his own high birth. only to meet the
doctrine that they alone are high
born who. arc born from above. This
light seeking lcCalist had to learn
that religion is a spirit. life. a new
nature. divine sonships. 1t is a
mystery, of Course--aS mysterious as
tho winf that was rustlins the leaves
outsi'ic I he door rs the two men con
hew,a-.s-..-- Ie+uaa,.rr, s.<S
Itd 7aday needs to enter, tn +
of thNSnirt- }rn life. Flesh anH
matcria!ism carsnot change things esN
scntiallv: but the Spirit of God can
! \ now world can con-" only from
new hearts. 1t is regeneration rather
than reform that will set right the
world. The one essential thing in
Christianity is not Crecds Or church
membership or Intellectual aitirma-
ti"ns. but the new birth. The privi-
lcGc is one that God never denies to
! those who seek the new life which is
in Christ.
I While the two mon were convers-
ing earnestly upon this profound
theme, there occurred phrase that
opens wide vista Of meditation.
things. and yc believe not. how shall
No believe If I tell you heavenly
things" That. after The discourse
on tho new birth, II The new birth
Is ""arthly things" what must he
'h"avonlN things" be! Verify. Eye
u.
hci"h' and depth Of love o. God arc
beyond mortal gra~1. The staggering
prOfUndiIies of the Gospc! move us
TO aw" and humble reverence.
= Tho Man who Heard tho IttrrmOst.
7" have heard T.uthcr'S defense al
Worms would have been high
privilege, and the experience Of a
lifetime. To haNc been among the
listeners TO PaulS address in Mars
I'm or 10 Peters sermon at Pcntccost
would have made one 4 marked man.
lSut think what il meant to have
heard. hot from tho lips OF Jesus
Himself. illustrated by His bcaming
eyes and raNiShing smile. the con-
CcntratiOn of all the truth of the Cos
pei tn" supreme utterancc of Om-
ni%CicnCc. For God so loved the
world that he gave his only-DcCotten
Son. that whosoevcr bclieveth on him
should not perish. but have eternal
life"
THAT greatest OF all words was
spoken to an audience OF one. and
\icodcmuS was the man. The Living
Word uttered the vocal word of ut
tcrmost salvation. which Luther used
to call 'fho little Gospcl"--ard the
man who heard had NOT 10