Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-10
By Rev. Il. 7. Stevenson.

After His conversation with Nico-
demus, Jesus left Jerusalem because
His miracles of healing were attracting
the wrong kind of followers to Him.
He spent some time in the country sec
tions OF Judea. where he attracted and
won many disciples. who were baptized
by His followers. In this way the
Master testified to the unity Of His
work with that of the Baptist. and at
the same time revealed His superiority
over John. whose loyalty to the Christ
was not shaken by the success Of the
Master. 1t was at Aenon. about four
was baptizing shortly before he was
placed In prison, that the Baptist re-
vealed the strength of his character
by his testimony to the Lord Jesus.
when a band Of Jealous Jews, including
of the successful work of the Christ.
The failure of the Pharisees to To-
ment discord between John and Jesus
did not stop their opposition to the
Lord. so. when the Baptist was put In
prison. Jesus returned into Galilee to
preach the gospel of the kingdom OF
God. The time had not come for an
open break with the Pharisees. whose
antaROnlSm ndQ Deen aroused ny the
cleansing of the temple, SO the Lord
returned to the district of His boyhood,
passing for the only time through Sa-
maria. which was the shortest and most
convenient way. Most Jewish pill
grimS, going and returning from Cali
lee to Jerusalem. went by the route on
the east side of the Jordan and through
Jericho, because the luminosity OF the
Samaritans against the Jews. whom
they waylaid and murdered. made the
70 10 iSh
On His way to Galilee. while resting
at the well of Jacob. there occurred an
episode which revealed why Jesus
stopped outside the city while His dis
ciples went in to buy bread.
While resting there at one of the few
authentic places mentioned in the
Scriptures the Master awakened a
faith in a soul that was stranger to
all spiritual life. He may have been
meditating upon the sacredness of the
place or the need of something to re-
store harmony between the Samaritans.
who then dwelt in Schechem. where
Abraham built his first altar to God in
the Holy Land. and where today about
IFS of them remain, preserving in mod
ern Nablous the religious traditions of
their ancestors according to their an
cient copy-the oldest in the world
of the Pentateuch, and the Jews with
whom they had no dealings. when a
Samaritan woman with a past. Whose
life, even in that period of lax divorce,
was a public scandal, drew near. The
appearance of this member of mon
grel race, with their mixed faith,
aroused the weary Lord. who immedi-
ately sought to win her by His revela-
tion of her personal life. His messiah
ship and of the magma charta of relig-
ious liberty.
Christ never missed an opportunity
of trying to win an individual soul.
He came into the world TO save souls,
and He tactfuily presented each individ-
ual the vital truth that would open
their minds TO the necessity of saliva
tion. He placed by His actions the
stamp of approval upon those who try
by personal evangelism to win men
and women for Christ. The woman,
who had failed and who like common
servant came at high noon in the heat
of the day TO draw water, furnished the
weary and tired Jesus an opportunity
TO make the poor sinful Samaritan
woman to understand that God had
need of her service.
She was surprised when the serious
speaking stranger. who she recognized
as Jew. treated her not only with
courtesy but as il He considered her 70
be good and DESTROYS of being of service
TO Him, when He requested that she
give Him drink of water. That re-
quest was an epoch-making one, for
those words were used to break down
the barriers of race and religion, as
the purpose of His mission is to remove
all such barriers and unite in spirit
ual Kingdom the men from all ends OF
the earth. To make one who is down
and out feel that they can still be used
in the service of God and his fellow
man is the first step in the souls
awakening" 1t is a great thing for one
to discover that Christ desires their
service, but it is still greater for one to
learn the joy and aim of their life In
the Masters service.
Before she would be fit for servic,
she must come to know the Christ a.
her Lord and Savior, so Jesus com
menced to arouse the woman's mora
nature SO that she would not only live
q pure life, but become a missionary o.