Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-08
A WoRp OF LIFE FOR DAYS or DEATH
The international Sunday School Lesson for March
10 Is Jesus Restoring Life and
Health'-Mark S 21-43
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS

ture and word He has Dound him.
self not to disregard faith-"All
things are possible to him that be-
lieveth. The heart of faith COM
mands the help of heaven.
The faith of Jairus put Jesus at
his service. Disregarding all his
other engagements. and the cares of
the multitude which trailed after
Him as He turned aside to this new
mission, Jesus strode straightway OF
the house of Jairus. The incident
itself was a powerful sermon to the
people. 1t reiterated the old and
ever new lesson that heavens best is
ever at the service of the man who
has faith in God So highly does
God regard faith that the question
of Jesus to His disciples was. When
the Son of Man cometh, shall he find
faith on the earth?"
Too Late"
The swift progress of Jesus and
Jairus was like a triumph with the
crowds thronging after them; but it
was interrupted by two Incidents
around and demanded to know who
had touched His garments. A wom-
an with an incurable disease had
timidly, trustfully, reached forth to
lay hands upon His cloak. Her hum
BILE faith did not venture to lift its
eyes to His face or to challenge His
personal attention. In the lowlinesS
of trustful womanhood, it sought
only to touch the garment of the
wonder-worker. The Master tarried
TO speak the word of comfort and
assurance to this trusting. needy
woman. Jesus always had time to
be helpful. The grandeur of the
characters of Lincoln and Lee is
shown by nothing more clearly than
by the fact that amid all the vast
concerns of state they never lost
their simple human interest in in
dividuals. They had time to care
for persons.
The delay caused by the Masters
ministry to this timid sick woman,
whose touch of faith had singled her
out from the needless crowd. may
have caused Jairus to chafe. We
would rather believe, though, that a
fellow-feeling made him wondrous
kind. and that he was glad to share
the Master himself. Jairus was to
learn that Gods delays are not de-
malls.
Too late, too that second
by one of the family
servants of Jairus supported his
worst forebodings. The dire tidings
were conveyed that the maiden was
dead. The refinement and unset
fishness that pervaded that whole
household was revealed by the in
quiry, why troublest thou the Mas
ter any further?' Seemingly. Jesus
did not take seriously the
message from the stricken house
hold. He quickly silenced both
Jairus and the servant by the mys-
terious reinsurance, Fear not, only
believe"
Into the House of Mourning
A graphic picture of oriental
mourning is given by Mark in the
closing lines of this story. And
they came to the house of the ruler
of the synagogue; and he beholdeth
4 tumult, and many weeping and
waiitng greatly. And when he was
in, he saith unto them, Why
make We a tumult. and weep? The
child is not dead but sleepeth. And
hey laughed him to scorn. But he,
having put them all forth, taking
he father of the child and her
mother and them that were with
him, and goeth in where the child
was. And taking the child by the
hand, he said unto her, Tabitha
cumi, which is, being interpreted
Damsel, 1 say unto thee, Arise. And
the damself rose up and
for she was twelve years
Did. And they were amazed staight-
way with great amazement-"
The sacred ceremony which Jesus
had planned was not for common
xr-r1e
The house. The hireling mourners
were silenced. With only the ia
-her and mother and His own in
Inmates whom He was training in
the higher school of faith, Jesus
went into the chamber with the still
-orm, to perform the greatest work
Of His earthly ministry up to the
moment. The very elaborateness of !
-hese preparations aroused strange /
The Summons of Life
We are tempted to dwell upon the /
symbolism of the command of Jesus |
% the little girl, "Damsel, l say un-
% thee, Arise" That is what Jesus I
s doing unto young men and young |
everywhere. He, more than |
my other force, is lifting UP life. I
Life ascends at His call. The high =
sst progress of civilization is in ODE F,
iience to His summons.
But the simple fact of the narra-
i've is greater than any homilies.
Tesus took the hand of her that was
lead and commanded her back to
ife. He proved himself Master of /,
ieath as of life. That truth was too |
to be grasped even by (
His intimates until after the resur- I
'ection had made it clear. Even |
hose who witnessed the miracle 1
scarcely realized that He was giving /
he supreme test of His Messiah |
hip.
The scene in the death chamber is !
Eloquent with the message that the |
.ntire attitude of the friends of
christ towards death had been .
by him. He has banished
yailing and hopeless grief, even as I
lie drove out the hired mourners /.
grave suggests the eter
lal hope,
While some have been calloused /
n heart by the horrors of war, most |
# us have been uplifted by the dig |
lity of death and by the glory of |
great ideals which transcend the |
,rave. There is real sense in |
which Christ walks amid the battle !
ields, consoling the dying and re- |
eiving the dead. and calling into |
lis presence-for He. too died a |
'iolent death in young manhood for |
he sake of honor and duty and !
righteousness and a divine loyalty !
brave young soldiers who !