Evening star., 1924-09-13
BY REV. HUGH +. STEVENSON.

Jesus selected Nazareth as the
place where He would outline His
program at the opening of His cam
paign In Galilee. 1t had been His
home for quarter of century. He
had been educated in the school Of the
local synagogue. He had learned his
trade and followed it in Joseph's car
penter shop. From early boyhood un-
III He left Nazareth to be baptized of
John. His life had been spent in that
community. It's secluded cuplike po-
sition among the hills of Galilee had
been rendezvous for the priests,
who assembled there and departed in
groups to attend the Temple services
at Jerusalem. Its nearness to cara
van routes, which crossed the plain
or Esdrelon at the foot of the hill
made it center Of commerce, where
men OF all nations met in the village
streets. Here Christ had been trained
for His life's work. 1t was natural
for Him to select it as a place where
He could proclaim the principles of
His practical and progressive plat
form.
The congregation was filled with a
spirit OF expectancy when He entered
the synagogue. Every Sabbath found
Him joining with His countrymnn in
worship. His growing reputation and
power had filled the community with
a desire to hear Him 1t was proba-
bly, in response to the request of the
leading ruler of the synagogue that
He entered the pulpit to read the les
son from the Prophets. He may have
volunteered, as the democracy Of the
Jewish synagogue permitted any rep
utable person to read the Scriptures
and give an exposition. The Master
revealed His familiarity with the
hat hI t,r
Sacred Scriptures to the sixty first
chapter of Isaiah and reading rev.
erently the first and part of the Sec
ond verse. There was a reason for
His stopping at a comma and omit
ting the stern words, And the day of
vengeance of our God" He took the
words read, as a text for sermon
that moved the congregation by its
attractiveness, surprised them by His
learning. but failed to win them by
its principles of Divine grace. He
spoke with authority, as He expound
ed the text, that pointed to Him as
the fulfiller of their national hope. He
boldly presented with power His plat
form.
Christ's Platform.
Jesus presented five planks in His
platform to his old Nazareth friends.
ne appeared TO tnem strongly with
the first four, but a critical crisis de-
yeloped over the fifth plank. The ad-
vancement of the last 20 centuries
has been due to the working out of
the principles our Lord proclaimed
that day. The hope of the future is
found in the message that the grad
uate of the Nazareth carpenter shop
declared to His old neighbors. The
Master has pointed out that His en-
duement with the Holy Spirit was the
secret of His pulpit power.
His first plank contained a promise
of hope for the poor. The Mosaic law
made ample provision and provided
for their care. Jesus recognized that
financial progress was not the essen
tial thing, so He brought to the poor,
who felt that no one cared for them,
message of Gods love that lifted
the burden of poverty by enabling
them to live each day, strengthened
by the love and fellowship of God,
their Father. From this gospel of
love developed the mutual care of
each member of the early church. 1t
has inspired modern philanthropy,
which has reduced to a science the
care of the poor and promoted in our
day great international projects that
have sought to relieve the distress of
poverty and famine.
Christ's second plank promised lib
erty to the captiveS." Jesus has been