Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-02

! eral yards away down q rOuSn
road: and when he came to the pool
he had to so down quite long
! flight of narrow steps before he got
! down to the waters edge. 1t took
| time and patience and faith to walk
that distance-and then, maybe, his
/ doubts would say, my eyes will De
| the same after this mud is washed
| off; whoever heard of mud curing
| blindness like mine? No, no. Jesur,
| the Healer, who he had never seen,
iaG told him to go and wash. Tho
| least that he could do was to obey
I It certainly could not do him any
| harm. The Teacher had done many
wonderful things; why couldn't He
| do this?- SO he went, and washed,
and came seeing, and was a changed
man.
Then he had to make public pro-
tesslon. First as to his identity-his
word settles the dispute as to
whether he or not he was the same
man whom they had known as a
blind beggar. Then he had to tes-
tify as to the way in which he had
received his sight. And Just here
is where the cost began to count.
Immediately they wanted to know
where his Benefactor was, for this
miracle Of healing had been done on
the Sabbath and that was contrary
to the law.
Before the Pharisees ne made
public profession again, telling thena
how he had been healed. He couldn't
stop here: a division among them
had arisen, and he was called upon
to declare himself. What sayeHt
thou of him? And again he boldly
progressed his belief; He is a prophet
Having gone to his parents, they
now come back to him again; but
his testimony is all the clearer: 'One
thing [ know, that whereas [ was
blind, now I see" Twice more he
is made to witness publicly to the
saving power of the Christ, each
time becoming more pronounced in
his profession of faith in the divine
origin and blessing of his Friend
and then they cast him out.
Profession costs. 1t brought him
before the rulers, subjected him to
doubt of his word, to sarcasm, to
persecution, to ridicule, and to ex-
communication enthusiastically and
physically 1t always costs. They
that will live cody in Jesus Christ
must suffer persecution. It may
mean misunderstanding and pliscon-
strued motives; it may mean separa-
ton from loved ones, even in your
it may mean suffering, physical or
mental--it costs to follow Jesus
Christ.
But it is worth while Jesus heard
that he had been cast out, and hunt
ed for him until He found him. He
would not let him suffer without
friend. Having found him, He
brought him the larger blessing. He
had given him physical sight; now
He gives him a revelation Of Him.
self-spiritual sight. do you be-
lieve on the Son of God?" He asked.
"Who is He, Master, that I might
believe on Him?" was the reply. I
have never heard of Him. [ know
that there is a wonderful Healer
around here, although L have never
seen Him. He gave me sight to-
day. But who is this Son of God?
81 that speak unto thee am He"
said Jesus. And the scales from his
y
that never was on land or sea broke
into his heart. Lord, 1 believe, and
he worshiped Him.
This was worth all that it cost;
to know Jesus as the Son of God,
and to know it from His own lips.
TO see the light of day for the first
time in his life was an inestimable
blessing: but to see the love of God
as revealed in the fact of Jesus
Christ was worth millions more.
What was the persecution, the sar-
casm, the ridicule, the loneliness
that his profession cost in COMPARE
son with this?
Yes, the faith OF Christ works;
prejudice kills, and profession of
faith costs-but the knowledge of
God in Christ is worth it. Pay the
price.