Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-02
THE CLAIMS OF THE CROWD.
The international Sunday School Les
son for March q ls, "Jesus Feeds the
Five Thousand" John 6:1-14.
(By William T. Ellis.)

AS new as the latest diplomatic de-
velopments of the war, and as old as
the Christian scriptures, IS this ines
capable question, What are you going
to do with the crowds?" For a good
many milleniums the answer has been
that of snobbishness and aristocracy,
so well expressed by the Pharisees
who scorned Jesus and his following
of common people. This multitude is
accursed." The big crowd has been
but material for kings and supermen
to work upon, throughout most of the
long reach Of history. Old philoso-
piers spoke of the rabble with con-
tempt, even as do certain supercilious
writer's and speakers in our own day.
Not SO Jesus. He lived and worked
with the common people. He gave of
the best Of his teaching to them. The
more familiar to him than the exquis'
lite perfumes which burdened the air
Of the homes Of the rich Of his time.
All that Jesus did and taught looked
for it's fulfillment to the new purposes
that should be established in the
hearts of the great mass OF mankind.
A key word, which unlocks the life and
thought of Jesus is this Seeing the
multitudes, he had compassion on
them"
That is a true miniature portrait OF
the heart of Jesus Christ. He recog-
nized the claims Of the crowd. The
common people had right to his best.
All that he could command of the re-
sources of heaven and earth was at the
disposal Of the multitude, which had
no standing with the aristocracy Of
his time. Although he touched life at
all levels and numbered the rich and
noble among his friends, Jesus unde-
niably gave of his best to those who
had the least. 1t Is his spirit and his
example which have established the
common people upon their new plane.
All the surging social consciousness of
our time, all the triumphant emer-
gence OF democracy, are owing to the
Workingman Of Nazareth, who is to-
teachers and leaders.
Sought Solitude. Found Crowds.
Fine spirits incline to select COM
pany and seclusion: they shun the
rabble. Jesus lived ever amidst the
multiudes. He regarded the claims Of
the common folk upon him as sacred.
In the present lesson we find the Mas
ter deeply moved by the news of the
death of John the Baptist, seeking Sc
clusion on the eastern shore Of the
Lake of Galilee. But he could not be
hid. Withsnever shade Of annoyance
he gave up his own cherished plan and
addressed himself to the needs Of the
people. People with wants could COM
mand his services at any hour of the
day or night. He was the Good Physi.
clan.
Because 1t was Passover time the
country was astir with people. Those
of US who have been in Syria at the
season Of the annual Moslem pilgrim.
age to Mecca can understand how ev.
cry center OF the land was crowded
with eager folk, alert for every new
thing. All Jewry had by this time
heard Of the new Wonderworker. So
the throngs sought him out wherever
he was. And with the heedlessness of
crowd, they took little thought Of
the passage Of time or Of the distance
their wanderings had led them from
the food bazaars.
Thus we have the setting Of the
story: an uninhabited hit of country,
multitude Of people hanging upon
the words of Christ, and so interested
in the sermon that they forgot about
their meals which is rather In con.
trast to the way many housewife Is
needless of. the sermon. from thinking
about the Sunday dinner. Now some
preachers would have been above con.
Germ about food for that motley com.
pany. Not so Jesus. We are MT told
his sermon, but we are shown his soil.
citude that the people should be fed.
A Baffied Business Man.
Send the multitude away said the
disciples, as they saw the problem that