Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-06
Our Household
Conducted by
MISS LIZZIE Q. THOMAS
soME EAsTER THoUGHTs.

SOME EASTER THOUGHTS.
soon will be heard the Easter bells
ringing and happy voices singing songs
OF gIadncsS. Christ is risen" He hath
risen. indeed comes the assertion and
reply that one hears if one is i'll a Catho-
lie country and understands the Ian
guage. \ beautiful custom L call H. for
then the glory Of the resurrection and
the bleSSedness OF His gift Is brought
before use and we acknowledge the truth
OF Easter. FOO many parents IN these
GAYS OF mad euucdVUr are 80 occupied
forget or neglect 10 teach their children
forget or neglect TO teach their children
the real. the inner meaning Of Easter.
More than once / have asked children
what Eastcr. meant and with sparkling
eyes they have said. oh, that is when
we hunt eggs and when the church Is
trimmed Far be il from me TO cur
tail their pleasures. ana 1 would that
the church could be trimmed every
Sunday. But let US impress on the
hearts OF the children the great truth
the supreme fact, that it is the evidence
that our Savior opened the gates OF
death and made clear path from earth
10 heaven for every dying Christian.
The Sunday school lesson for April
Sth is one that all of us should study
carefully. Jesus, the long promised Mes
siah, knowing that the Jews were doing
all that they could TO trap Him. TO mo
an excuse, a real reason they could not
find, to put Him to death, did not let
the knowledge make Him hesitate TO
go to the bereaved sisters. And when
Martha met Him there must have been
a world of regret in her tones as she
said, Lord, if Thou hadst been here my
brother hadst not died.
Even yet the human heart echoes that
wall whenever a loved one goes from
US. In reviewing all that was done we
are so prone to say, 'Oh, if things had
been different death could have been
kept away"
an ihIs case our Savior answered her
with the assurance of her brothers re-
turn TO life, but Martha misunderstood
Jesus and replied as sire would to any
friend trying TO comfort her. Then
came the wonderful statement, Il am
the resurrection and the life. he that
believeth on Ne. though he were dead.
vet shall he live" l wonder if even
then Mnrtha's finite mind grasped the
great truth? At least she understood
enough TO call Mary. There is no doubt
about the others failing to believe until
Lazareth came forth in his Grave
clothes.
The forty days before Easter have
a wonderful significance in them. no
matter whether we belong to a church
that observes Lent or not, and / believe
that as the years rolf on all the denomi-
nations will in some way observe at
least the week before Easter. With fast
inS and prayer that day of Jesus eX-
Quisite suffering should be commence
rated. None of us should wait until
then 10 earnestly seek forgiveness for
our sins, but at that time, as memory
un tolds the scenes of that season. we
should strive to cast out the demons
that prompt us to do the things that
will eventually put US among those to
whom He Will say Depart. l never
knew you" And let me tell you, this
thing OF asking forgiveness for our sins
and before our words have ceased to
echo I'm our hearers minds going right
along the old way, is hooking to God.
Every one OF US have our weak points.
but the fragrant sins that some COM
NIT after such a prayer make me think
that the real meaning OF the words has
faded from their minds.
We had a good lesson last Sunday,
and / enjoyed Mr.. Behre's method of
teaching II. And some things that he
said linger with me yet. Don't imagine
that he did as so many do, forget that
two. or a question to ask. The Socratic
method is very well for some classes,
but give the members of the average
class a chance to answer question or
express a thought occasionally and you
will see how much more interest they
will take in preparing the lesson. This
thought was given me, look at Jesus In
the midst of His enemies. What did
Jesus do? Ii is one that has been pretty
nj.
don wrote his book, What Would Jesus
Do?T Jesus knew that He was among
His enemies; that any day the order
might go forth to execute Him, yet He
never let an opportunity slip to do all
the good He could. He put Himself in
the most dangerous places when the
necessity arose. yet He went into re-
tirement when He could. Remember that
our Savior was a human, as capable of
suffering, of hunger and cold as any
of US, vet not once did He stop to con-
slider whether going to the home i'm Beth
any would he safe or not. AS the power
to raise Lazarus was His, could He not
have remained i'm safety and sent the
message to Mary and Martha to open
the tomb7 Certainly, but "a man of sor-
row. acquainted with grief" His sympa-
thetic heart made Him want to be with
them and His heart yearned after His
friend. Lazarus.
These friends OF Jesus meant much to
him. friends mean mulch to all of US.
and FROM my heart I pity the man Or
woman situated in a community that rs
alien to him or her. With the best inten-
tions that man or woman almost daily
transgresses customs or prejudices and
is made to smart for il. The self right
eous pick at the alien just as the scribes
and Pharisees did Jesus. Narrowness,
criticism. envy and all uncharitablness'
will keep the natives from making
friends of the poor stranger within their
midst and the home in Bethany is al
most a sanctuary.