Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-02
FEARED TOFOLLOW
TRUTH HE FOUND
Nicodemus Favored Above All
Men Did Not Become Disciple
Until Too Late
(By William T. Ellis.)

(By William T. Ellis)
OF all the great dramas in that
richest storehouse of literature, the
Scriptures, there are only two or
three that equal or surpass the tragedy
of the scholar and aristocrat, who
first heard the fullest exposition of
the adivine message and mission of
Jesus, and yet lacked the courage to
follow the truth he had learned. That
is hell. To know the better and to
do the worse; to see the great with
out the nerve to forsake the common
place; to have heard q call of highest
duty, and then to have skunk back
into the dreary ruts of eXpediency
ana convenience - earth has no
worse torment than this state of mind.
The slackers and shirkers of the
European war are no such towards
as the enlightened men and women
who lack stamina to follow truth
Whithersoever it may lead.
With the misguided kindliness of
christian teachers, it has been GUS
tomary to hold up Nicodemus as n
creditable character, and an honor
able man, blinking the clear fact, that
although favored above all men. he
did not become disciple of Jesus
until too late to comfort the heart
or the lonely Teacher who would have
leaned heavily upon the comradeship
OF one such scholar as Nicodemus
Imagine what it would have meant to
our Lord to have had a member of
the sanhedrin for disciplel Only
once while Jesus lived did Nicodemus
open his lips in defense of the Mas
ter; and that was when the court of
winch he was a member, was plot
ung the death Of Christ Nicodemus
timidly expostulated, "Does our law
condemn man unheard? ?"
swift came the snarling reply:
Art thou also q Galilean? Have
any of the rulers believed on Him ?"
And Nicodemus shut up like a clam.
John, who alone makes mention of
Nlcodemus doubtless had the story
from the lips of Nicodemus himself.
alter the resurrection, for, inspired
perhaps by look cast upon him by
the doomed Saviour Nicodemus at
last escaped from his torment of fear
and indecision in time to bring gifts
TO the body of dead Lord. We may
easily imagine the self-reproaches
with which the proud PhariSee con-
fessed to John the Beloved his dis
loyalty and cowardice. John con-
ceals his friends name as he records
the explanation of the entire expert
ence: Even of the rulers many be-
lieved upon him but because of the
Pharisees they did not confess it; for
they loved the praise of man more
than the praise of God" Would that
the tragedy of Nicodemus could ring
IN the ears of every young person in
the land.
Scholar STOPPING
Let us he fair to Nicodemus. He
really had u position to consider. He
nad gone to the top rung of the lad
der OF success among the Jews. for
he was a member of the sanhedrin.
lie was a judge and teacher of his
nation. Wherever he went he was a
marked man, and honored by all.
Other men stepped aside to let him
pass, and his ears were quite accus-
TONED to the sweet music of over
mead whispers: That's Nicodemus
the great scholar and judge. He's a
sood man as well as rich and great"
An arlstrocrat, a gentleman, a public
man with traditions and official posi-
tlon, Nicodemus had much at stake.
Despite all, he came to Jesus
Score that to his credit. He was
open-minded enough to investigate
new truth. He dared condescend to
visit this humble Galilean and confer
with Him. True. he "came by night"
and that tag, "by night" is AFFIXED
TO nm IN every mention of his name
in the Bible and in history. His
courage was not of the daylight sort.
He kept out of the light, for he was
afraid of what they say,"
Johns picture of Nicodemus is
like one of the portraits by the old
Dutch masters: mostly darkness and
shadow and background. The high
light is that the eminent Pharisee,
tully conscious of his social and ec-
clesiastical standing, really did come
to Jesus. He was not n young man,
either: 1t is easier for the young to
accept new ways and new ideas and
adventure new experiences
With all his inherited and acquired
preJudices against Galilee and against
radical teachings, Nicodemus stopped
to visit this new rabbi, the engage
ment having doubtless been made in
advance through a servant.
when Teacher Became Pupil
DodSing ever to the darker side
OF the narrow Jerusalem streets, and
following at a distance the servant
who led the way with a torch, went
Nicodemus, filled with the thought of
his own condescension in seeking out
this new teacher fom the North, and
not at all sure that he was acting
wisely in so doing. His phylacteries
and his bearded face, and his robe
which marked his office, were hidden
beneath the folds of an all-envelop-
ing cloak. 1t was relief to him
when they had assembled the outer
stair to the upper room in the house
of a friend where Jesus lodged. Nico-
demus knocked at the door of Him
who pictures Himself as knocking at
the door of all hearts; and he was
promptly received, while the servant
n tod Il