Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-08

spent to purchase is secured. In
Britain it seems as if every family
has its dead. With a shock and
suddenness and an overwhelming
Comprehensiveness, death has be-
come a factor in the whole worlds
thinking. War means death; all vic
tories are won by the sacrifice of
precious life. So the minds of null
titudes are turned with an immedi-
ate and personal interest in the
theme of death.
Some spirits cannot stand up un-
der this burden; they turn to spirit
ualiSm and occultiSm and strange
new cults. 1t is said that any reli-
gious charlatan may secure a vogue
nowadays by appealing to the grief
of those whose sons have fallen in
battle. How cheap and inadequate
all these expedients seem alongside
OF the simple dignity and reasonable
ness of the faith taught by Jesus.
His assurance OF a life transcending
death is the Christians eternal hope.
In the very character of Jesus
there is comfort for all who mourn.
Doubtless. one reason why Jesus
walked so tenderly through the days
was His knowledge of the achins
hearts of people. To Him there was
nothing strange in the appeal of
Jairus, the distinguished citizen OF
Capernaum, coming to him with an
appeal for help In a deep personal
grief.
Where Wealth and Power Fail
The traveller who takes boat from
TiberiaS to the head of the Lake of
Galilee finds himself amid the eX-
Cavated ruins of the old synagogue
at Capernaum. If he has any imagin-
alton at all, the few monks who pos
81, 4 . 49,,
workers who dig and carry, are less
real to him than the figures who
once peopled this magnificently sim
pie structure. AS he stands on the
porch and looks out over the gilt
>tering lake, he realizes that on these
same stones the feet of Jesus and
His disciples and the Roman Gen.
turian and Jairus trod. 1t was doubt
less of this very synagogue that
Jairus was one of the overseers, or
rulers. From the vantage point OF.
these beautifully sculptured pillars,
we look back upon Jairus, the pros
porous, influential, learned, clean
nVing, distinguished citizen of Ca
pernaum. All that this world can
give a man seemed to be possessed
{ this leading pharisee.
cosperity, influence, learning and
teousness cannot keep out sor-
from a home. There come to
., family hours when all stand
.ommon plane of humanity and
the primal griefs of man. King
.easant feel the same kinds of
Ows and pains. The impotence
{. worldly powers to ward of the
really essential ills of life has ap-
pcaled to every thoughtful man. Lit
tie did Jairus care for his standing
in Capernaum at this hour. His
daughter apparently an only child, !
lay dangerously i'll. All that he had |
would he give in exchange for her |
life.
Neither son nor friend can twine |
the tendrils of love about a mans
heart like a little daughter. She /
seems endowed with a genius for
affection. Soft and sweet words of
dIection, lisped into a fathers ear
"a the bedtime hour of cuddling con-
.idences; warm little arms clingins
q, uund his neck; winsome attentions
and acts of devotion; and a hero !
y urship of father that lifts even a
mere man to his height-such men,
ouies as these burned in the brain
uf Jairus, and tore his spirit with
sorrow.
That deep grief drove that proud !
aristocrat to the feet of the new
Teacher from Nazareth. Sorrow has !
been the school wherein myriads
have learned christ. For sorrow /
and death are strong messengers,
and men will listen to them who .
have shut their ears to all others
The proud head of this pre-eminent (
citizen bent in supplication before
the Galiliean Carpenter, his only /
hope.
some Unknown Consequences
Nobody can run a tape-line to the
limit of his influence. Men who
write and speak are frequently find
ing evidences of their touch upon
persons in remote places. Probably !
the disciples of Jesus never suspect
ed the high circles TO which the
words of the Master had penetrated,
and in which they were eagerly dis
cussed. Probably Jairus, the distin-
Suished, had more than once stood
furtively on the edge of a crowd, lis
tening to this unconventional Rabbi,
or had peered through latticed win
dows at Him as He walk and spoke
We know that, like Nicodemus, he
had become convinced of the Mes
slahship of Jesus. yet, like Nico-
demus, because of his worldly po-
sition, he had not avowed himself |
a disciple. The power of Jesus over
Jairus is reminder to US that the
true life reaches farther than the
one who lives it ever dreams.
IF only we strive to be pure and
true,
To each of us will come an hour
When the tree of life shall burst +
into flower.
And rain at our feet a glorious
dover
or something grander than ever
we knew"
Jairus was never so high as when
he bent low at the feet of Jesus
Greatness always knows how to
humble itself. The urgency of love
and need had made a childlike sup
phant OF this synagogue official. He
besought the Master with earnest
ness and pleading to hasten and Law
healing hands upon his dying daugh-
ter. Jairus believed greatly. His
faith, like his love, was of a mag
nifcent quality. AS we behold him.
conventionality laid aside. pleading
for help in his sorrow. our hearts
throb in sympathy wit hhim.
The Master Word of Faith
one of the jungle Stories" deals
with the master word" and how
there was master word that even
won the service of HATH, the ele-
phant, who was lord of the Jungle
Surely 1t is not irreverent to saw that
there is a master word to which even
WhenTired or
CnmVnnn Farm FI-U