The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-06-27
Plain Tales From the Bible
Continued from page two.)

Continued from page twOJ
afforded. Being near jerusalem; having in
it those He loved; we may feel sure that
He often sought its shelter and quiet.
We may picture the intimacy that existed
between these folks and the Jesus who loved
them. Martha ''cumbered about much
serving;" Lazarus Eat the table with Him.
Mary Eat Jesus feet''-what 'homy' pic
ture this is. What place must have been
His in that home. We see Him as their
friend and know that they also looked upon
Him as the Son of God. They would know
of His teachings and miracles. In the rails
ing of Lazarus from the dead, they had had
personal evidence of His Divinity. So, it
was as a man and as the Christ that he tar
ried in that Bethany home.
He loved them-with Divine love; but
may we not believe with a human love as
welli Surely that is what the writers of
those events meant to record. They loved
Him-as the Christ their Lord, and we can.
not believe other than they loved him also as
the man, their friend. Mary-was not
Mary's love that of woman for her ideal.
How else may we interpret the stories told
in the chapters of this history Would it
not be strange, indeed, if she failed in low
ing Him sol But the picture is in every way
complete. We may not see less there than
woman's purest. tenderest. happiest love.
She sat at His feet, listening to His voice.
There is perfect picture of Joy and con-
tent. When her brother lay in the grave
and Jesus came to the home Mary fell at
His feet crying to Him ''hadst Thou been
here There is evidence of a love filled
heart for such faith could spring from no
other source. Nor can we see aught but love
in Mary's act of Amounting Jesus feet. She
was not satisfied with the customary bath
provided for the guests use. Her great love
found expression in the breaking of the
alabaster box of costly ointment and the an
nointing with it of Jesus feet-and she dried
them with her hair. Does that speak of
love? One would be blind to all beauty
did Love not make itself felt in that service.
This act of rare devotion is easy to in
terpret. We can see in it her recognition
of His high dignity and purpose in life. 1t
is evidence of her gratitude for the service
He rendered to her family and for the love
He gave to each of them. 1t testi6es of the
devotion woman's heart holds for the man
she loves, and when we consider the fact
that Mary knew Jesus could not remain in
or be a part of her life and yet gave her
love to the utmost we will realize how far
from Love in its simple purity and high
ideals we have wandered. We will under
stand, then, that IL is not safety that we
should require of love for when this is ac-
complIshed love dies and we are on gross
animal level.
We sorely need such lesson in loving.
We need to learn from it that Love was
meant for the souls detection and not for
the body s coarseness. We need to realize
that where such love exists all evil and
chance Of any wrong conduct is shut out
forever. We need to know, truly, that
where two spirits are so harmoniously unit
ed in that spot the lost Paradise has been
redeemed and whatever of thought, word,
deed or flesh is born of such spirits must
bring immortal blessing and enrichment to
the world.
When we have mastered this lesson we
will have added to our lives the fullest
measure of happiness and worth possible
harmony with Gods infinite universe and
purposes; and the words Jesus spoke to
Martha concerning Mary will include us
as we'll: "Mary hath chosen that good
part, which shall not be taken away from