Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
The international Sunday School Lesson For March "a
"Jesus Ministering To The Multitude" Mark 1926.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

Food will win the war;" shout The
bill-boards at US. Even America !:
slowly waking up to a realization O.
the fact that bread is the basic factor
in the world struggle. Nobody eve1
gets far away from the bread problem
In Russia, as one travels about, ne
notices that all conversations are in
terspersed with the word "klet.' OF
bread. Bread-lines long queues OF cold
and weary women, are the ultimate
political factor in other countries be
side Russia. High and low. spiritua
and worldly, ignorant and learned. al
quickly subordinate every interest tc
concern for bread; just as did the
crowd who thronked about Jesus by
the shores Of the Lake of Galilee.
Most interesting Of all bread
lines" is that horde Of more than Eve
thousand hungry persons who were
lined up and fed on a hillside over
looking the Sea of Galilee by the
great Nazarene teacher, two thousand
years ago. Picturesque, impressive,
moving miraculous-the scene has
gripped the imagination of painter,
student and people, even as 1t laid
such strong hold of the minds Of all
four evangelists that they have IN
common only this one of all the mir
acles of Jesus.
NO TIME FOR TEARS
AS the soldier is given leave from
the trenches and the hurried, harried,
overweight business man of today
seeks a few days of, rest at mountain
or seaside, so Jesus and His followers
planned quiet retreat" for them
selves. One reason was that the
Twelve had just returned from tax
ing missionary tour Of Galilee. Their
leader had said, Come we yourselves
apart into a desert place and rest a
while; for there were many coming
and going, and they had no leisure so
much as to eat" The importance Of
quiet times in the life Of His servants
was clearly perceived by Jesus; and
these words are still in force.
There was another reason why
Jesus sought seclusion from the clam
orous, uncomprehending rabble. A
great sorrow had come upon Him, an
event OF deep significance to His life
and to- His ministry. His kinsman and
herald, John the Baptist, had been de-
capitated by Herod. What this meant
to the sensitive spirit OF Mary's son
even q dull Imagination can partially
He had lost his great
witnesser and His friend. Because of
Him John had died. This great sor-
row overshadowed His spirit, making
Of slight importance the fact that He,
too, had to flee from the jealous Her
DDS Jurisdiction.
AS a wounded deer seeks the den.
sest wood, 80 the smitten heart OF
Jesus sought solitude in His grief.
Right here entered another duty, and
! higher; for even the Son of God
may not cherish His own sorrow
above the worlds need. True grief Is
30 holy that it dare not be selfish. All,
the glory of the brave smiles and tire.
less service to the cause of those who
have lost dear ones at the front.
The multitude pursued Jesus whose
1and and heart had been proved to be
If such helpfulness. to mems varied
needs. Their motive was selfish. but
heir want was real. The miracles
lad brought to each man hint OF
possible succor for his own peculiar
reeds. The neighborhood crowd was
by the hosts of pilgrims
IN route to the Passover at Jerusalem
or the the fame of the Wonder-Work-
n had spread widely. So eager were
he masses to see and hear Him that
hey ran afoot around the head Of the
AXE, which He was crossing by boat.
THE COMPASSIONATE ONE
That spectacle was irresistible All
housht OF His own grief and Of the
leeds of Himself and followers was
IubmerEed, in the mind Of Jesus, but
he sickness, grlefs and ignorance OF
his claimant host. So He taught
hem and healed them until eventide.
There Is a great deal of nebulous
In the world today.
some persons would offer 1t as sub.
titute for Christianity. Let 1t be re-
rendered that it was in Christ that
his spirit was perfectly manifested:
md that even today it is best found
.mong those who bear His name.
Where His spirit does not permeate
md dominate, the great works OF
.harity and ebnevolence will be
ooked for in vain. Heathenism builds
10 asylums. hospitals or soup Kitchens
leither does agnosticism or infdeltty.
An evangelist was preaching the
gospel in San Francisco's Barbary
,oast. Among his hearers was we'll
now infidcl, who challenged the
Evangelist to meet him in public
ebate in some hall. The challenge
vas accepted; but the preacher made
condition. He asked the infldel to.
ONE to the hall on the appointed
yening and bring with him drunk
I'D. who had been made sober man