The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-02-24

Sunday School Lesson Tor fep-
ruary II.
Mark 5: LII. 49,,
Golden Text: How much then
is n man better than sheep =
Matthew l2: II. 49,
From Capcrnaum in the late
afternoon of great day OF teach-
ing. featured by a sermon IN par
abIes, Jesus and the disciples
crossed the sea encountering the
storm that was stilled at his word
That night or the next day the
Gadarene demoniac was healed
the elected demons driving the
swine hcadlong into the sea. The
visit did not extend beyond a
single day, for at the request OF
the Gadarenes Jesus returned at
once TO Capernaum.
BY calming the troubled sea
Jesus showed himself master OF
natural forces untamed and I'M
tamable by man. By curing the
troubled soul Jesus showed HIM
self monarch in the realm OF spir-
it's which dare not disobey his
word or defy his power; and at
the same time ne gave the DIVINE
measure of mans worth by
changing a demoniac INTO an
evangelist. .-
A MAN DERANGED
MARK S: 1-5)
The demoniac was man de-
ranged. After the storm had SUB
sided Jesus and the disciples, I'M
hindered by wind or wave, pro-
ceeded to the farther side Of the
sea. They were now in the coun-
trv of the Gadarenes. On coming
ashore late in the night or very
carly the next morning they were
mot on the wharf or beach by
most pitiable wreck of a man. ne
was a demoniac and doubtless al
so a maniac. He came out OF the
tombs which were located IN the
natural grottoS Of caverns over
looking the lake. Such asSocia-
ton with the dead made the poor
victim ceremonially unclean and
indeed to everybody a person OF
inter horror, especially since
tombs were regarded as recruit
ing stations for demons desiring
to do their evil work among men.
At any rate, all efforts to con-
fine this denizen of the tombs
were unavailing. Every known
device was used to no purpose.
He had been often bound but was
able to prize apart the chains
links and break in pieces the tet-
ters which may have been cord or
woods as we'll as metal. No man
had the skill to check or control
the fcrocity of this wild man OF
the sepulchers. Eyer by night and
by day, in the tornbs and IN tne
mountains, he rent the air with
his piteous and hideous cries. tie
gashed himself with and among
the rocks. A weird and wild hg-
ure was that which stood before
Jesus and his followers
A MAN DEPRAVED
mark S: lid r.. $685.. -.
The demons made. a man de-
PRAYED. A strange light came m
to the terrible face when ne saw
Jesus from afar, perhaps, looking
seward before the boat landed.
And no sooner had the boat
touched shore than the demonlac
ran directly to Jesus, singing
him out of the crowd "and wor-
shipped him." possibly in a KIND
of involuntary recognition though
Il NAV have been with hostile IN
tent, Then true to form as max
ed, yelling maniac he cried out
with a loud voice, What have l
to do with thee?"-what is there
in common to me and thee? In
other words, here is a hint OF inc
eternal hostility between Christ
and Satan. Did not the demonlac
know that Jesus had come to
earth and to this spot Of 1t to
"destroy the works of the devll:
At any rate, he recognized the
identity of Jesus as "Son OF the
Most High God" the one and on
w Saviour of men but never
Saviour of demons. Then ne trled
~ mt Jesus on oath not to test
him by torture as detectives put
cr;m;nals to the ordeal of the
third degree, nor to sentence him
NJ this time to the everlasting
wilson :" 81 adjure thee by God,
tnrment me notw He knew that
torment was appointed for him
and that he could not escape hrs
eternal fate.
He who was mightier than the
storm that dashed the sea to fury
now proves himself mightier than
the legion of demons flashing this
moor Gadarene to fury. To save
the man and to eject the demon
Jesus sternly ordered: Come
forth, thou unclean spirit, out OF
the man. No one but God in the
person of Jesus had the power to
work such a miracle. The demons
protested against going back to
the abyss before the time.
There was according to their
statement a legion of them and
the Roman legion at the time
numbered 6,S26 men (Robert-
sony. -....... :
A MAN DELIVERED
mark S: 1l-l3)
The Saviour prescntsra man de-
livered. The demons knew they
must leave the man at the word
of the Master. But he granted
their request to go into the herd
of 1000 swine being kept in the