Evening star., 1917-04-08
IN EASTER DEED BEFORE EASTER DAY
A Discussion of the International Sunday School
Lesson for Today-"Jesus Raises Lazarus
From the Dead'-John. 1117-44. -:

minds face to face with earth's Oldest
riddle Does the highway of life end
in a grave?
At some time or other this question
is of supreme interest to everybody.
The death notices In today'S newspaper
most startling news on the first page
This Easter is the most solemn of al
the days that ever dawned to a multi
tude of human hearts, for 1t brings
them sduarely up to the problem OF lln-
mortality, interpreted in terms OF the
dear dead. So with reverent sincerity
we approach the resurrection theme. a.
1t is set forth for us In the raising 81
Lazarus from the dead. the assigned
Sunday school lesson.
one of the few advantages OF being
stranger in a great city, which is the
completest form of loneliness. is that
thereby one enters somewhat into an
appreciation of what was the normal
Christ moves our hearts. lie wrui
about among uncomprehending and uU-
sympathetic people. Apparently, tic
one refuge which He enjoyed durina
His public ministry was the home ol
Martha. Mary and Lazarus, well-to-du
friends who dwelt short distance out
of Jerusalem. in the village of Bethany.
on the Mount of Olives, just little
way beyond the Garden of Gethsemaus.
Some homes never receive te'e-
gram without dread that it may cor
tain the message which comes 40 of;'''t
by wire that every day hundreds O.
them are handled by the telegraph con-
panies. One day the ancient oriental
equivalent of a telegram swift mes
nger-sought out Jesus beyond tl'r
Jordan, to tell Him that His frieuJ
Lazarus was sick unto death. W.
friend of the heavy heart who saw
life's brightness seem to disappear ,'l
a yellow telegram. Jesus went throusiI
that experience also. He was 'touche'
with feeling of our infirmities."
Yet the prayer of the sorrowing SIS
ters was not answered as they expect
ed. The Friend did not mount the fasl-
est steed in Perea and make all possi
BILE haste over the hilly road to Jeru-
salem. He deliberately waited. to tin
surprise of His disciples. who knew th
depth of the Masters affection for tha.
Bethany family. He had larger plan
for them all than they could know
Dfmly. We now perceive how the rat--
ing of Lazarus was an essential par
of the plan of Christ, being the ante
cedent cause of the triumphal eutl..
and the occasion for precipitating Tin
climax that led to Calvary. But all
this was unknown to the family al "a
to the disciples. To us it is not give
to see the heaven side of the diyin-
designs.
Up in Jerusalem stones awaied Jesus
should He comply with the request of
the sisters. as His disciples were quick
" nllT- e1. aIteT waiting tNt
days, He announced that, although
Lazarus was now dead. He would go
to him. Thereupon Thomas, whom his
tory has written down as the doubtei.
spoke up like a brave and loyal SOU.
Let us also go, that we may die with
Him" Why should We not remember
Thomas always at his best, readE
to make the supreme proof of friend
ship?
First Martha and then Mary mo-
q ho
Bethany. Both accosted Him with q
remark that was a rebuke: III thou
hadst been here our brother had not
died. All, the Ifs" and the butts"
God bears from mortals, OF impatience.
querulousness, chiding and unbelicf
Even such an exquisite saint as Mary
could not let the Master be master. We
| the least of the perquisites of God
Calling Christ Lord, we deny Him the
right to be lord of our lives.
Close as they were to His spirit. MARY
and Martha could not credit the FUR
import of His plan for them and for
Lazarus. When He would be directed
to the tomb. they tried to dissuade Him.
They could have trusted their LORD up
to a certain extent to do wonders for
their brother while he was i'll. But, as
we have all been doing ever since. they
put metes and bounds to His power
That life should come out OF death
seemed altogether too good to be
true" to quote the infidel phrase of our
day Why do skeptics and cynics ques-
ton Immortality? Because it seems 10
mind too proud to accept God in all
His declared goodness as too good TO
be true"
Then Jesus opened the grave with
prayer He knew the dramatic char
acter of that hour. Not a single
hands span of the gathering clouds
of hate was hiden from His eyes
This crowning miracle, which he con
templated, was to bring to climax g!
the plots of His foes. None the less,
with a simple, son-like prayer to the
Father in heaven. He stopped down
and cried, Lazarus. come forth.
Yes. the dead obey Him. Christ -
lord of life and death. His voice each-
ed across the mysterious boundarles
and brought back the spirit of His
friend once more into its earthly hahl-
tation. There are no words that eau
make the wonder simple. At the com
mand of Jesus the gates Of death
swung open. outward. Lazarus. an III
stant before corpse. came PACK I"
walk once more with his loved ones 1h-
familiar haunt. He was TO SIT aga ~
st the breaking of bread with his Lord.
Christendom has heard this tale OF
Lazarus so often that the edge OF
the marvel has gone from IT. TO an
who beheld it this was the supreme
act of the ministry of Jesus. Even
is not believing for the perverse near
the raising of Lazarus meant moth
ing less than the complete Nlndlcatloi
of the claims of Jesus to the Messiah
ship. He plainly shared Gods preroGa
tive of controlling life.
Lazarus was one of the few on earth
to whom it was not left to imagine the
nature of the life beyond the grave
There is room within the theme' slhc-
John set us the example. for the eNer
else of all our gifts of Imagination,
sure that the reality far transcends our
most daring thought.
After all, the uttermost that we know
concerning the mystery of life aud
death is told US by Jesus. What inspii-
ed Paul wrote in the majestic ffteenul
chapter of First Corinthians should
also also be read in any consideration
of this theme. We know that Jesus
gave definite unequivocal assurance ~
personal immortality. His word :"
Martha comprehends all that We haN"
been trying TO say upon the suDJeti
81 am the resurrection, and the lie, ne
that believeth in me. though he de
vet shall he live. and whatsoever liNetH