Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-01
NORWICH TOWN

The Sunday afternoon service at the Sheltering Arms was conducted by Rev. | Gurdon F. Bailey. Rastor of the First Congregational church. The Scripture lesson was the same as that used at the service that morning. St. Mark, 14th chapter, with special reference to the third and ninth verses. The address which was in commemoration of Me morial day follows:
 In these days of laviSal giving the deed here recorde dwould not arouse any par ticular comment. But in the time of it's performance the deed was real sacri- flee In this particular act of Mary of Benthany Jesus saw something quite un- usual and something quite worthy of be-
 ing remembered So He made the an-
 nouncement that wherever the Gospel story should be told the fame of this
 woman would be heralded. Mary's off,
 fering was indeed extraordinary. There
 were not many alabaster boxes being
 being broken for the Master in those
 days, even though He stood already in
 the shadow of the Cross. It was only
 one of it's kind so far as ever known.
 This extraordinary deed was full of
 meaning to Jesus because He saw in it an evidence of appreciation of his own mission to the world. Very few under stood or appreciated Jesus, or realized the crisis of the hour. But Mary seem- ed to understand and because she could more truly value His worth than others, the Master pronounced this enconium upon her.
 How often the opportunity comes to us to rise to some great national occa- sion. and with discerning eye to see the real issue involved and line ourselves upon the side of principles rather than policy! Every geseration is tested by the issues which confront it, and is com pelled to accept at sacrifice the finer things of eternal worth, or reject them at the price of everlasting disgrace. With Mary we may pour out our sacri- 1 ficial offerings upon the altar of the worlds redemption, or with Judas and others we may sell our honor for a tenn porary advantage.
 | Memorial day we gratefully call to mind a multitude of the fathers, and 1 brothers and sons who in their several 1 generations have chosen the steep and rugged pathway of the secrihcial life
 rather than dodge the issue of the hour | and leave their descendants in slavery. l The speaker quoted conflicts which have been recorded in history as famous, be- canse of victory through the foresight and understanding of others; as we'll as the heavy loss in American blood. The 1 lesson we get from Mary's annointing of 1 Jesus is the debt we owe to those who are far-visioned enough to see moral and spiritual issues in their true light : that certain things must be done in time if they are to be of value. Many knew this. That is why she poured the oint- ment from the alabaster box upon Jesus just at this time.. Good deeds may lose their value if performed too late.
 In reference to the World war the speaker related that so many like Mary saw, in 1918 that the alabaster box must be broken. The next year would be tcs late. America laid her offering on the | altar of the worlds freedom in the cru cial hour.
 Organist Herbert L. Warrington was in l charge of the musical part of the hour Dr. Charles H. Lamb gave in pleasing