BT 301 . S642 1917 Sperow, Everett H. The silent Nazarene L&I67 5 j>-< \ / A L i b m rv o4 1 1 cO o w 5 lACf'h t* J J c> «-> ^-r'* - v fiF oV,'jV» ‘ Ci * 1 > Vi‘ <■ •& L&N 21 1918 THE A SISAL SE#^ SILENT NAZARENE BY EVERETT H. SPEROW, A.M., B.D. By the Author of “The Rose of Sharon ’ BOSTON: THE GORHAM PRESS TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK CO., LIMITED Copyright, 1917, by Everett H. Sperow All Rights Reserved Made in the United States of America The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. TO MY MOTHER WHO WAS MY FIRST TEACHER, AND WHOSE MEMORY IS SACRED, THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED IN GRATEFUL AFFECTION ./ 4 t / ✓ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. HOW HE CAME FORTH.9 What He Was—Our Vindicator—The Quiet Life in Nazareth—At the Age of Twelve—The Baptism—The Temptation—They Followed Him—They Eyed Him—The Prayer. II. HOW HE GAVE AUTHORITY TO THE NEW TEACHING.81 The New Teaching — Legion—Compassion on the Multitude. III. HOW HE FOUND FAITH IN THE EARTH.95 Why Miraclef—The Paralytic—The Leper — The Womans Touch—The Centurions Faith —The Nobleman s Faith—The Syrophcenician Woman—“And He Healed Many”—The New Birth—The Living Water—The Sinful Woman Forgiven. IV. HOW HE ENTERED THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS.165 The Break with the Pharisees—The Great Con¬ fession—The Transfiguration—The Epileptic — The Entrance of the King—The Great Con¬ solation—The Passover. 5 Contents 6 CHAPTER V. HOW HE TOOK UP HIS CROSS . . . Gethsemane—The Betrayal — Judas—The San¬ hedrin—The Denial—Christ Before Pilate — The Crucifixion. VI. HOW HE CAME FORTH AGAIN . . . They Bar His Tomb—The Resurrection—The Waiting. PAGE 195 269 1 HOW HE CAME FORTH THE SILENT NAZARENE WHAT HE WAS The only creed that’s worth the name, Must grow from out the need; A fire from God—a sacred flame — The life of Christ indeed . T HE object of this little work is not to set forth a life of Christ; nor yet to dis¬ cuss doctrine; nor even attempt any critical analysis either textual or otherwise: but its simple aim is to make emphatic what Christ was as the all important factor in determining the value of what he said and did. Christ was more than anything he ever said or did, just as the Creator is more than the product of His creation, however important that prod¬ uct may be. The miracles apart from Christ would be dim and shadowy, but associated with him they are both reasonable and natu¬ ral : by this is meant they are what would be 10 The Silent Nazarene expected from one who had such a grip upon the centre of infinite possibilities, 'and are natural out of such a supreme faith to work out possibilities. No one can read Matt. 11: 27 without saying, Here is a person that makes extraordinary claims for himself. But when we turn to the gospels we find the per¬ son making these claims living in harmony with them. He goes at his work as one fully ac¬ quainted with God—he claims that he finds no break between his character and that of the being of God himself. This gives him a place to himself and distinguishes him from the rest of mortals. He lives first before he says; what he lives is but an expression of what he is. He lived it first among the few, but now it is gone even into the most obscure places of the earth, and has as a silent leaven modified the lives of men of every rank and description in some way: even if they are not Christians they are yet under the rule and influence of Christianity whether they will or not, and too the heathen nations recognize that there is something extraordinary about those nations that have to do with this Man of Nazareth. Jesus said: “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom- How He Came Forth 11 soever the Son will reveal him.” He held common knowledge with the Father. He was on easy, familiar terms with God. Also “He knew what was in man.” So knowing both God and man he translates or interprets God to man in terms of the human with which we are acquainted. That is, he reveals the Father to those who get the value of the life of the Christ himself. The conceptions of the great¬ ness of Christ’s teachings are in proportion to the greatness of conception of what Christ himself is. As Beecher somewhere says, “Whenever I think of the Father apart from Jesus Christ he becomes a distant glow. He is too great and too vast. I cannot grasp him. All I know of the Father I see in Jesus. He is God for me.” How many others with Beecher must make a like confession. Hence Christ has made good his claim in Matt. ii : 27. It has the ring of genuineness and of truth to it, both when we view the New Testa¬ ment records and when we look at the world in the throbbing heart of which is the life of Christ. Yes, he was placed here as a man, with the ordinary means of a man so far as the world could see. He meets situations and cir¬ cumstances, masters them and towers above 12 The Silent Nazarene them. He makes all things serve him well. Even the madness of men cannot deprive him of his lordly might. He is supreme on every occasion. He wraps bold presumption and daring in defeat at his feet. His enemies who have sought to thrust themselves upon him must retire in defeat, saying “Never man spake like this man.” What Jesus was si¬ lently defeated all opposition. Even when his persecutors broke his body, they only broke the vessel to let the great soul out into the world. Yes, Christ walked on through the grave to take the world. Our Vindicator Humanity has had the shroud of lone¬ liness drawn over it because of the un¬ equalness of the struggle that the best within has had in asserting itself. And, lo, how it must fall back seemingly worsted; yes, from the wonted point of view as having lost out while the merciless floodtide of the grossness and viciousness of sin rolls over it. Even its groans cannot be heard as it goes down be¬ neath the relentless floodtide. Is all lost in this bleakness of scathing, prowling death? There comes a sigh, even from out the loath- How He Came Forth 13 some mass of corruption, yes, it is a plainer whisper, now it is a faint speech—indeed a voice speaking plainly, “I know that my vin¬ dicator liveth.” This lonely humanity has all the while been feeling that its vindicator has been working too—helping and as¬ sisting the good in the conquest, not wait¬ ing for the “last day,” but in the now having placed the true, the good, and the faithful higher in the scale of the ascendency and so nearer its final triumph for the last day when it shall stand forth in its achieved victory in pure white fully vindicated. Humanity looks out of its dark struggle at the opening of the door through which its only ray of light and hope comes, and, lo, there the great white Christ stands—humanity fully vindicated right before their eyes. Why should God give such a vision to mortals? Look again at the white Christ and see. Because of his love he has thus opened his heart to mortals —God so loved the world that they of the earth might see and know that in the stainless Christ all flesh can find a vindicator—even one who will set matters right for them—a goel, one who can walk in earth and who can touch our struggle on every side and come off stainless, a great high Priest who can be H The Silent Nazarene touched with our infirmity and yet without sin. We do not want such a one lifted into the high heavens for there is enough of white¬ ness there, but we need him right down in the heart of our suffering. A voice from the past comes up through the centuries, even from the shores of the beautiful sea of Galilee,— “Right there you will find him for he is in your midst as he that serveth. He is not satis¬ fied to escape stainless from the struggle, but has chosen rather to go down into the heat of the struggle and remain there to assist the worsted in their crying needs. He came not to be ministered unto but to minister. If so be that Christ has come we long to know how he came naturally into our order to minister. We long to see him in the bosom of the home, giving those sacred relations the flower of his life. How about those thirty quiet years in the bosom of the peace of the home at Nazareth when he is known by his countrymen as the carpenter? Those sacred glimpses are withheld from our eyes. But at the age of twelve there comes forth a flash of divine consciousness out of those years of silence. Then too he left the trace of filial obedience which when conceived in the heart of the home places it without a peer in the How He Came Forth 15 earth. When he came forth from that home he did smite the enemy on every side. He went direct into the heat of conflict, and by his righteous life made evil to roll back upon itself while he busied himself relieving men from their suffering. Even at the very outset men put him in a distinct, unique place— and that place is right in the heart of their needs. When his presence calls them—the fisherman, the publican, and the distinguished citizen of Cana leave all and follow him. There is something about him they cannot explain, but they know that they have need of him. It takes some time to sift out the real need but they turn not from following him. The Quiet Life in Nazareth “If Jesus Christ is a man — And only a man—I say That of all mankind I cleave to him, And to him will I cleave alway . “If Jesus Christ is a God — And the only God—I swear I will follow him through heaven and hell, The earth, the sea, the air A Gilder. The Silent Nazarene 16 In a basin-like depression among the foot¬ hills of Lower Galilee nestles the quiet, un¬ pretentious town of Nazareth. A few hills separate it from the highway of nations through which the flower of civilizations poured the bulk of their trade and the choice of their armies. The centuries bring nothing of greatness out of this hill-bound town of Galilee. But bound in by those hills it is passed and repassed by the caravans of the merchants who are “clothed in purple and fine linen and who fare sumptuously every day,” and by the armies of valiant men who give battle upon the great plains—in passing to and from world conquests. This village peacefully sleeps back of Gentile pressed Gal¬ ilee as civilizations come forth and shine in resplendent fairness, each in its turn dominat¬ ing the world. The nations clearly mark and define the borders of Galilee round about. Did they threaten to sever her from the rest of Israel by appropriating to themselves this great highway through the heart of the plain of Megiddo? The prowess of nations concen¬ trate the flower of their strength in these plains. Here they fought more than twenty battles to decide the world championship. Many nations looked with covetous eyes upon How He Came Forth 17 this plain which held the key of world domin¬ ion. But all this while Jehovah was mind¬ ful of their intents and set bounds to their fierce rage that they might not in their stolid, sordid greed separate his people altogether. They might pass this way and even pitch their tents among his people but beyond this the Lord of hosts would not suffer them to go. Did Nazareth sleep as the God of battles was watching over with a jealous eye? Cer¬ tainly she put forth her hand and took some toll out of the wealth of the nations as the long trains laden with exceeding costly treas¬ ures passed by so near her door. And too she had her synagogue. Surely she must find some one of wealth who because of his afflu¬ ence is schooled in the niceties of the Jewish civilization to speak for her. And lo, and behold, one of her sons comes forth to make her the astounding centre of the world civili¬ zation for all time to come. But he is a car¬ penter. You gasp! Thirty years move si¬ lently over the head of this carpenter too, and he has lived within the narrow limits of this quiet village with all the things after which the Gentiles seek roaring and thundering by just outside of its gates. This carpenter be¬ ing about thirty years of age, begins to preach. 18 The Silent Nazarene His teachings at once reverse the old order of things and men are astonished beyond meas¬ ure with the “new doctrine.” His method of teaching too is so different from that of the scribes—he teaches out of a consciousness of a oneness with God and not from the compli¬ cated footnotes of the precise fathers. He naturally comes to his home to teach when he is about to begin his ministry. He enters the synagogue upon the Sabbath where his fellow countrymen are assembled for in¬ struction in the things of the law of Moses and of the prophets. He stands up to read. They do not take exception to his conduct, but hand him the book of Isaiah. He opens the book and reads from the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tid¬ ings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Closing the book, he gives it back to the How He Came Forth 19 attendant and sits down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue are fastened on him. Then he begins to say to them, “To-day is this scrip¬ ture fulfilled in your ears.” As he speaks to them they are filled with astonishment at the words of grace that proceed out of his mouth. Some do not wish to acknowledge what the force of the words have borne in upon them. Their pride is offended, saying, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Others would put it stronger, saying, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?” They know all about this man—every member of his immediate family is known to them, and they know his former occupation too. But they have heard of the great works of healing at Capernaum. He forestalls them, saying, “Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thy¬ self: Whatsoever we have heard done at Ca¬ pernaum, do also in thine own country.” They are telling him that is the very thing they expect of him. “No man seeks to be great and refuses to let it be known.” At this the young Teacher speaks very decidedly, saying, “Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accept¬ able in his own country.” They are filled with 20 The Silent Nazarene wrath which added to their offended pride cause them to cast him out of the city and lead him forth to the brow of the hill upon which their city stood that they might throw him down headlong. “But he passing through the midst of them went his way.” This life came forth not to be withered by the blight of jealousy, pride, and vanity, but to shine in spite of it. He breathed into the heart of humanity the spirit 6f loving service that would surely and ultimately displace this bold monster that is stalking mid the rights of men and is responsible for so many ills and heart-cryings. Jesus made the human divine and the divine human, both to shine in human needs—Immanuel. At the Age of Twelve Many boys played upon the hills about Nazareth in sight of Mt. Carmel where the sturdy, thorough-going old prophet put to death the false prophets of Baal, and reestab¬ lished the worship of Jehovah in Israel. The lads of this village could play upon these foot¬ hills, and look directly upon the great road passing the foot of Carmel, leading from the plain of Sharon into the plain of Megiddo, How He Came Forth 21 where the armies of Egypt and Philistia came up, through which the caravans of Midian poured. And from the same spot they could see directly the ever present highway that led by Jenin from Galilee into the hills of Sa¬ maria, where the pilgrims thronged every year on their way to the temple to attend the great feast. These lads could also gaze upon the naked heights of Gilboa where the beau¬ tiful Jonathan was slain and where Saul in the grip of giant despair fell upon his own sword. How many of them thought upon the beautiful words of David’s great elegy over Jonathan and Saul? How many could see naught but brazen barrenness of naked heights frowning and staring in the face of the fertile plains? Youths played and slept, worn out and tired from play in the very arms of these stirring memories. If any were stirred it was only like the flash that flares to die. Can this be the correct statement of the fact? Once there was an extraordinary child that played on these hills in whose mind the splen¬ did associations of these sacred places mingle and cluster, kindling the great flame in his holy imagination that would burn iout the very dross of sinful pollution of the world. He too sleeps like all other boys playing about 22 The Silent Nazarene those hills—but sleeps to dream of the glories God has shown unto his people in leading them. This boy when tired of play could turn his face to Carmel and see Johovah vin¬ dicated—it were as though a living picture was ever before him of God’s sturdy prophet and the powerless priests of Baal. The eye of this youth could discern the fashion of this world—with Carmel on the one side and the highway of the Pilgrims to the temple on the other, with the Gentiles cutting their broad way through the heart of the plains even across the pathway of the Pilgrims, with their long caravans ladened with merchandise or with the ruthless sweeping march of their armies —their mad rush wrecking, crushing and plundering, sparing none but grinding all be¬ neath the trampling heel of their greed. He too would lift his eyes to the barren frowning heights of Gilboa and see how “the mighty had fallen” before the foes of Israel because of disobedience to Jehovah’s commands. Here “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” The sun has just risen over Gilead’s heights and has sent his flood of light down across the great valley of Jezreel whose beauty of un¬ folding light is like a waving stream flowing How He Came Forth 23 into the deep trenchlike valley of the Jordan. This morning light so suggestive of Jehovah’s deliverance of the souls of his people from darkness is lighting up the whole plain of Megiddo, and at the southeast corner there is a long continuous throng of Pilgrims press¬ ing down upon the hills of Samaria. The boy Jesus is now at the age of twelve and he is in that throng. How often had he stood upon the hills about Nazareth and longed to go with that long moving throng, the van of which was dimming out of his sight among the hills through which they found their course to the temple. Now he is in that throng. With what rich anticipations he had looked forward to this year. It had been the joy of his thought as he searched the law and the prophets and meditated upon the cardinal points on which hang all the law and the prophets—all moral and spiritual integrity of man. He had now joined the happy throng that was moving to the house of his Father. He had not stood upon those hills alone but was reading the significance of the world in the presence of his Father, as the world of trade broadly sweeps over the great plain into the plains of the West as well as the counter stream from West to East coursing into the Pride of the 24 The Silent Nazarene Jordan, and the pilgrim throng cross the cor¬ ner of the plain to quickly vanish among the hills that lead up through the valleys of Sa¬ maria to the altogether barren table-land of Judea. He is now with his parents in that Pilgrim throng going up to the feast enriched by the world-vision he has gotten from those hills about Nazareth in the presence of his Father. How the heart leaps as he comes within sight of Bethel and with an eye full of the con¬ suming fire of godliness he sees Jacob in the midst of his vision. He is now upon the bor¬ derland of Judea and his eye is everywhere busy. Mighty thoughts crowd his mind as he gets glimpses of sacred places and his feet press the hills that are round about Jerusalem. How he loves them, and each hill he ascends brings him nearer his Father’s house which is best of all. As he goes up to the house of the Lord all the sacredness of the centuries is heightened and made grand in him for he is conscious that he is the Son of God. His eye penetrates the meaning of it all. He held the God center and the man center and with that observation so augmented he looked through from one centre to the other and saw things in their proper perspective even as his How He Came Forth 25 Father had purposed them. Yet he was re¬ garded only as boy of twelve going with his parents up to temple as was the custom. His parents have come to the temple and go about their sacred duties. The boy Jesus is in his Father’s house. He had long looked forward to this time when he should have the privilege of standing within the sacred courts of his Father’s house—it was the burning purpose of his heart. The days are fulfilled—Mary and Joseph have made an end of their solemn duties and are facing about towards Galilee. The boy Jesus tarries behind at Jerusalem, but the par¬ ents know it not, for they supposed him to be in the company. They go a day’s journey, and as he does not appear they seek for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. They fail to find him and turn back to Jerusalem seek¬ ing for him. After three days they find him in the temple sitting in the midst of the doc¬ tors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. A glance at this scene is worth while. The Galilean lad with face lit up with a radiance of godliness listening to and talking with the learned doctors—a peasant boy asking and an¬ swering questions with the astute Rabbis about 2 6 The Silent Nazarene the law. These lawyers are amazed and as¬ tonished beyond measure. They had exer¬ cised themselves in the matters of the law as the barren wastes of rocky semi-arid Judea bound them in round about. They could talk eloquently in the face of the silent rocks, but what is their learning and eloquence when they face this youth of Nazareth whose eye was accustomed to sweep the great plains upon which battles and commerce vied, and whose mind daily was fed by meditation upon the law and the prophets; whose eye could see the mighty way of God’s disposing of men, armies and nations—penetrating the heart of human conflict and struggle? This boy who was ever at the heart of life and viewing all struggle in the light of his Father’s presence put to si¬ lence the learned who were thinking about what the fathers said about the details of some line of conduct. But this youth saw the human ever in presence of the divine, and always suf¬ ficient for every need. “And all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” They knew that his results were correct, but with what marvelous power he clothes his words—he teaches with authority. But here the curtain falls. Something just comes in to break off that conversation be- How He Came Forth 27 tween the Galilean peasant boy and the learned doctors—his parents find him, for his hour is not yet come. That search too yields its experience—a bit of history is here also. A day’s journey out of the city require at the best the most of a day to retrace the steps taken. Human are they of this little company who set their sorrowful faces toward Jerusalem in search of their lost boy. Would it be strange that even Mary the mother of Jesus should be exercised about her missing child? She has seen him wrapt in meditation for hours. What if some hurt had befallen him when lost to himself and his sur¬ roundings in a deep meditative frame of mind? Is it not natural for a mother to imagine all sorts of things that might befall the child whose life to her is more than her own life? The very rocks would seem to weep when that mother would scan them with anxious eye thinking that she just must see her boy. How they search their lodgings within the city, in¬ quiring diligently of this one and that one who might chance their way whether they had seen a boy who was seeking his kinsfolks. When they can find no trace that mother’s anxieties become very exacting. Weary and exhausted both physically and mentally they turn their 28 The Silent Nazarene steps to the temple. Perhaps the officials there can help them find a trace of the missing boy though the crowd is great and they can hardly hope for any such thing. They come to a group of eager listeners. These are grouped about the learned doctors who have the chief authority in the Sanhedrin. As they press closer in order to speak with these about their missing boy, they are astonished. That mother sees her son as the centre about which all this crowd of listeners is grouped. She can not help saying, “Child, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing.” She has told him all. Was it a rebuke? Had she not said over and over in her mind when searching for him? Is it not strange for our child to thus deal with us? So she told him that they sought him sorrowing. The mother spoke to that boy as mothers are accustomed to do. But is the reply of this lad who is in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions, as reply of a son to his mother, having failed in his obligation to his parent? Here is his an¬ swer without apology or plea for pardon for having wronged his parent. Is it not rather a gentle rebuke to the over anxious, sorrow- How He Came Forth 29 ing parent? “How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house.” He speaks as though they have al¬ ready had sufficient data to know where to find him. If they failed to recognize it, it was due to their slowness of heart. It were as though he were saying to his mother—“How is it that ye sought me sorrowing? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? Where else could I be? I must be about my Father’s business. Have ye not always found me exercised in the things of my Father? Why should you ever have had any question where to find me?” They understood not the saying he spake unto them. He does not seek an argument with them. He knows that he must be mis¬ understood as price to pay for being what he is. So he goes down with them, and they came to Nazareth: “and he was subject unto them.” The age of twelve is on one side of this un¬ fathomable depths of the silence of the life of Jesus of Nazareth while the age of thirty is the shoreline on the other over which the full¬ ness of his life overflows covering all Judea and Galilee, spreading to the uttermost parts of the earth, and filling the heaven of heavens 30 The Silent Nazarene —such are the breadth and the height of his life which is eternally at floodtide. But he is to grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man, and just live in these eight¬ een years of silence. He learns the carpenter trade, and as he is the eldest son he must pro¬ vide for his mother, sisters, and younger broth¬ ers when Joseph is no longer spared to the home. He must busy himself with the rou¬ tine of that humble home all these years. After the weary hours of toil to keep that fam¬ ily together he goes up from that obscure home to the hill-top about his village to look upon the great plain, and the caravans of the merchants; he gazes upon the long moving train of merchants as the shadows lengthen, even till the dusk and the twilight are swal- owed up into the deep darkness. Then mid the deep darkness he goes to his secluded place of prayer, and there meditates and prays the whole night. In the early morning watch he searches the scripture, and when the press of toil is on he thinks upon these things even as he works at his trade. He is no recluse, but is noted throughout his village among his fel¬ low-countrymen for the skill of his craftsman¬ ship. Even when he set forth to teach he as¬ tonished his fellow countrymen with “the How He Came Forth 31 words of grace that proceeded out of his mouth” so that they begin to say among them¬ selves—“Is not this the carpenter?” They knew of his skill as a craftsman during these silent years but knew not the greater work he was doing in the way of preparation for his ministry when his hour should fully come. If we could have a record of these silent years we should have a book full of the glowing events of human interests. We find his con¬ duct during these silent years written all through his teachings. Parables like those of the good Samaritan, and the Slighted Invita¬ tion throw no little light upon the manner of conduct of this man during these silent years. If these years could be read they would put to shame our vanity and striving after greatness, comfort and fame. He by no means regarded it as least to be exercised about the little things of life. Note well the saneness of his teachings. The common and mediocre were ever of great interest to Jesus of Nazareth. In this sim¬ ple spirit his parables are framed, the color¬ ing of goodly illustrations are from the house¬ hold. Jesus loved the home, and gave thirty of his best years to beautify and to bestow the first place upon earth upon the home. But how about the deportment of the 3 2 The Silent Nazarene mother of that home after the temple affair? We are told that “his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” She opens the door and gives us a glimpse at the marriage feast at Cana at the very beginning of his ministry. She wishes the household to be relieved of em¬ barrassment and whispers to Jesus—“They have no wine.” She expects him to help out the embarrassing situation. She thereby shows her accustomed way of turning to him when perplexities arose in the home. She did not noise it about among the people that she had a remarkable son. She knew it would all work itself out. She has been pondering these things in her heart even ever since the aged Simeon in the temple took the babe up in his arms and blessed him in such a strange manner. She still has a picture of her boy at twelve among the learned doctors in the temple. He has been at the feast many times since he has grown into mature manhood but has never entered into any discussion with the learned lawyers. She ponders this also in her heart that such a remarkable man should so restrain himself (and should refrain) from learned discussions—this is as marvel¬ ous as the youth of twelve talking with the doctors. But when Mary intimates at the How He Came Forth 33 marriage feast that they have no wine he gives her a clue to his remarkable silence, saying, “Mine hour is not yet come.” Jesus knew when the time had fully come, when the fruit was fully ripe in maturity, when the best pro¬ duct could be given. In all this wonderful reserve out of which came forth the grandest product of the centuries the wisdom of those silent years can be read. God’s hand shapes, and Tesus knew that what was fashioned was J V, the best, then why not wait for that product? The Baptism H ow the people throng even the thick jun¬ gle of the pride of the Jordan? The wild beast can no longer find cover there. Throng¬ ing multitudes press through the reeds shaken by the winds to see what? One like unto the shaking reeds? or one clothed in soft raiment? There stands the object of their press—even at the very water’s edge. A sturdy preacher clothed in camel’s hair, with a leathern girdle about his loins, preaching in a fearless man¬ ner to the thronging multitudes. The pierc¬ ing eye of the preacher looks upon the scribes and Pharisees coming up through those dense jungles to the water’s edge—even edging about 34 The Silent Nazarene as best they can so as not to touch the common man but get next to the preacher if possible, and fixing his eye on them and in his imagina¬ tion seeing the grass and thistle of the dry and parched moorlands of Judea on fire and the vipers and scorpions fleeing from their holes before the spreading sea of fire, in all his strength he lifts up his voice and cries out to them: “Ye offsprings of vipers, who hath warned you to flee the wrath to come?” Who is this that dares to warn men with such fiery language? As the multitudes are left questioning among themselves who this might be the fiery preacher vanishes within the wilderness to eat his scanty fare of locust and wild honey and meditate on God and the preacher’s divine mission. After his medita¬ tion he girds up his loins with his leathern girdle and comes forth to preach more fiercely than ever—denouncing the sinful without re¬ gard to rank or station in life. But yet they throng him, and the multitudes become greater than ever. “And as the people were in great expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ,” one of their leaders ventures to put the question to the fiery preacher, say¬ ing, “Who art thou?” He answers, “I am not How He Came Forth 35 the Christ.” “But the officials at Jerusalem must know who thou art, fiery preacher.” So they continue to ask, saying, “What then? Art thou Elijah?” He answers, “I am not.” “Art thou Jeremiah?” He answers, “No.” Now they are at their wits’ end, and they must know, “Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?” This provokes the fiery preacher to answer. He will make a full end now. He tells them that he is a voice crying in the wilderness. Pre¬ pare and make ready for the coming of God’s annointed. God himself will iron out all the uneven and crooked places in the earth. He will smooth things up and make straight paths —justice and righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, for God’s Anointed is come and his zeal will perform it. So the preacher cries out, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, 36 The Silent Nazarene And the rough places smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” After expounding this scripture the great preacher proceeds, saying, “I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire: whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing- floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquench¬ able fire.” The preacher furthermore tells them that the ax is already laid at the root of the tree. There must be a clearing of the thick jungle—the snarled scrub-tree must be cut away. So is the judgment of God already set to making complete work of cleaning out the snarled trees of the jungle that cumber the men of that generation. Such forceful preach¬ ing causes men to pause and think. So great multitudes came to be baptized of him. He is busy baptizing for the remission of sins but is likewise careful to impress them with the fact that there comes after him one the latchet of whose shoes he is not worthy to stoop down to unloose, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His very coun- How He Came Forth 37 tenance flashes fire as he surveys that multi¬ tude with piercing eye. He goes beneath the surface of the appearance of things and be¬ holds the state of things as very black indeed. So unprepared are they for the new order which they are about to enter. The preacher cries aloud and spares not, “Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.” But here is a pause. The preacher fixes his eye upon the centre of that multitude out of which is coming a young man about thirty years of age. The preacher is but six months his elder. As he approaches the Baptist the Pharisees are whispering among themselves, for their eyes are in every place that they might catch some¬ thing, saying, “There goes the preacher’s cou¬ sin from Nazareth.” But what of it? The Baptist is acting so strangely. He is actually bowing before this man. This young man from Nazareth is asking to be baptized of him. The sturdy preacher who has been fear¬ less in face of the multitudes is starting back. Listen! He is actually saying to this young man what he has been saying to the multitudes concerning his own unworthiness to that of the one who is preferred before him, for he The Silent Nazarene was before him—even the Lord’s Anointed. So John would hinder him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” The young man from Nazareth in¬ sists that it be so, saying, “Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteous¬ ness.” Then John suffers it to be so. What an expression of astonishment passes over the faces of those in that multitude at the strange conduct of the fierce preacher! The young man from Nazareth who has received deference from the Baptist asks for no special privilege in the manner of his being baptized. He steps into the muddy Jordan as do they who are being baptized for the remission of sins. Though he is conscious of his sinlessness yet asks that he be baptized as it is needful to fulfill all righteousness. Did he say it takes a righteous man to get under the burden of the sin of the unright¬ eous? Must he be subject to the same temp¬ tations as they who are stained with sin and still be pure? If so he can show the way out. Heaven sends stainless lives among the needs of men to help them out of their sins. So Jesus asks that no exception be made for him. He will be exempt from none of the things other men are subjected to. He will receive How He Came Forth 39 his baptism and go through the sufferings and trials that his struggle brings. But all that the Pharisees and others of the multitude saw was that a young man from Nazareth went down into the muddy waters of the Jordan to be baptized by the stern preacher who made exception of no man till this man came, and that though the preacher protested when re¬ quested by this young man to baptize him, yet when the young man insists and says it is neces¬ sary to do so to fulfill all righteousness the in¬ vincible preacher is conquered by the irresisti¬ ble word of his mouth. But the inner con¬ sciousness of Jesus was to bring in a new order. It was so. When Jesus was baptized while he was praying—even as he was coming up out of the water—“the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.’ ” Did Jesus only see the Spirit descending upon him in the bodily £orm, as a dove? or, did John the Baptist see too? or, was it even given the multitude to see this strange manifestation of Heaven’s ap¬ proval of him who is announced as “My be¬ loved Son?” However this may be the face of things are changed. The heavens remain 40 The Silent Nazarene open and the Dove of God abides upon the brow of man. Heaven approves of the way this man is walking through the earth, and there has gone down through the ages a deep consciousness of a oneness with Heaven which alone has come through this one man. Why announce the atonement at this baptism? All earth bears witness that he made a significant mark there. For that matter earth was at one with Heaven in him even in the silence and seclusion of Nazareth. He faces the wilderness being driven by the Spirit. But he has cast a marvelous change about the > preacher of righteousness. The bold proclaimer of judgment speaks on this wise: “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me.” But now he is lost sight of in the wilderness, and the great preacher of judgment announces that the old order must give place to the new —“He must increase, but I must decrease.” The Temptation This glimpse of the Christ is caught up into silence. The lone desert; the deep solitude; How He Came Forth 4i the absence of human voice—naught but the howl of a hungry brute, the satisfac¬ tion of whose hunger is the end of its ex¬ istence, breaks in upon the silence about the struggling Christ, who is defeating and rising above that about which the savage brute made its fierce and weird cry. Not in the rapture of an Eden’s gorgeous rose-meshes where the soft light fell among the thick clus¬ tered bowers, but mid the barrenness and un¬ couthness of starved nature, with the horrid scream of the ferocious beasts piercing the death-stillness, the man of sorrows whose countenance was marred as no other man re¬ mains without food for forty days and forty nights, facing the awfulness of a sin-deluged world, banishing every specter that came wrapt in an Eden of subtle fancy. Jesus in the midst of human conflict and trial! The purest and the meekest of man¬ kind driven by the Spirit into the face of the storm of human conflict with sin! The stain¬ less and flawless within was forced into the white heat of human passions. Sin has raged long, and its devouring flame has spread scorching all. Not one has escaped though some have been delivered with a mere singe yet there is the mark and trace of sin. What! 42 The Silent Nazarene is this stainless man who has a consciousness within that there is no break between himself and Heaven to be rushed into the wings of this unconquerable flame? The winds of earth-born sense are stout, fierce, and persist¬ ent in lashing the flame all about him. They half conceal their hidden roar and bring their fires through the most subtle and seemingly natural way. This pure man knows what sin is no matter under what guise it slinks in. He has a foil for every approach. He tarries before the face of God for forty days and nights in meditation and prayer. Sin tries hard to climb into his motive and imagin¬ ation but he foils it at every turn. “And when he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.” Satan seizes this as his opportunity to invade his sacred character and soil it with the stain of sin with all mortal kind that has gone before. But this man whose countenance is marred as no other and whose flesh is emaciated—even his vitality reduced to the breaking tension, does not place his hand upon his breast, say¬ ing within himself, “Soul, thou hast remained spotless and pure all this while, and hast much merit laid up to thy credit, so now take a little of the liberty that rightly is coming to thee.” How He Came Forth 43 On such a compromise all humanity is lost. But the Christ stands in the midst of the stony wastes impregnable. He fights and prays for forty days without food. His frame is well-nigh wasted away. The very blood begins to leave the veins. The countenance is marred—no flush remains upon the cheek. A man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs with scarcely sufficient strength left to lift his head, gazes upon the barren stones in his meditation. The Tempter believes his chance has come at last so he subtlely dis¬ guises himself and makes the best of things at hand, saying, “Thou art the Son of God, how easy it would be to change these stone into bread and satisfy the ravishing hunger that is wasting thy body, and thus save thy life.” As soon as it appears Christ recognizes it. (But what harm can it be for a starving man to make bread and eat it when it is within his power to do so—even at his word? So has the world argued, and so have men lost sight of the golden quest of life. The clamor for bread as a necessity has superceded and crowded out the real and chief design of life —moral and spiritual conquest in and with God. It bolts in as a necessity and when it has forced its entrance it fixes its roots in a 44 The Silent Nazarene firm grip, and lo, and behold, they are the all- devouring roots of greed so firmly fixed that they sap every appearance of vitality that would yield a healthy growth of character. So men gorge themselves with things of this world, and crowd out the spirit’s finer need. Hence the warning and the exhortation of the apostle—“If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.”) Will this man turn either to the right or to the left? Sin reigns in the mortal body and all that turn that way is death. If the spirit is chained about and mastered by the body it is dead also. Spirit must have absolute mas¬ tery if it is to become the Spirit in likeness and nature. The body must be fed only to serve the spirit in its needs. In God’s order it has no right to make demands upon the spirit to fulfill its cravings and lusts. It can in nowise cause the spirit to halt in its quest and subor¬ dinate its activities in creating bread even for the most stinging hunger pangs. The body must suffer discomfort till it is completely brought under the leading of the spirit which is directed by the Holy Spirit of God. Out of this conflict emerges the pure white Christ who answers Satan’s suggestion and challenge, How He Came Forth 45 saying, “Why ask for the power of the Spirit of God to turn these stone to bread? Why be over-anxious? Why seek to bring things to pass prematurely by permitting the carnal clamor to displace the spiritual needs? My Father knows that I have need of all these things and will make ample provision for the same if I am faithful in the things that con¬ cern the kingdom. Has not the greed of men always sought to prostitute the God-given things of the spirit in their mad rush for bread? Here they have lost their spiritual freshness mid the wastes of death. It is so with men—everything is bent to the greed of gain. I must rise above and master these things no matter how exacting ravishing hun¬ ger becomes in lack of bread. From the ac¬ customed carnel point of view this would seem an act altogether justifiable but when I lift up mine eyes unto my Father I see it the mon¬ ster devouring this humanity. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Satan, I shall live after this manner of life if it re¬ quires the very last cell of my body to do so.” “Well,” says Satan, “thou sayest that man shall live by every word that proceedeth out 4 6 The Silent Nazarene of the mouth of God. I too accept that state¬ ment of the truth. Spiritual things must be experienced in order to know them. The word of God must be tested as thou goest in life. Here is an opportunity to test the word, and at the same time show to the rulers of the Jews that of a truth thou art the Messiah. From this pinnacle of the temple in the midst of the holy city cast thyself down into the throng in the court, for it is written, ‘He shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.’ “Test out this word, for thou hast said a man must live by it, and what a man must live by must surely stand the test. Surely thou wilt not hesitate to prove out what thou sayest. Thou art so holy and good that God will not suffer any harm to befall thee. Then too thou wouldst have the rulers of this na¬ tion accept thee as their Messiah.” But here also the Master foils the Tempter, saying, “Subtle Tempter, thou wouldst have me enter the ranks of sinning humanity by How He Came Forth 47 falling into this grave error of testing God’s word in this outward physical way where all is lost. This wicked and adulterous genera¬ tion seeketh a sign—their lust for the miracu¬ lous is a raging mania—they would see the power of the Messiah of God demonstrated in some ‘strange thing,’ ;Some miraculous dis¬ play out of the heavens. This is their great sin. Here is where they lose out. Satan, thou wouldst in this subtle appeal wrest re¬ demption from humanity by submerging me beneath the awful deluge of sin with all the rest of the forlorn and wasted race. Arch¬ deceiver of the race, I will live by faith and spiritual companionship of my Father. Thereby all flesh must be justified in the sight of God. Here is a foil. It is God’s word too, and I quote it in its proper relation to the truth it was designed to set forth. “Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.” But as for thee, Prince of Devils, thou know- est perfectly well that thou hast taken the sweetest promise of divine protection out of its proper setting of truth and hast thrown it into the distorted lusts of men for the curious. Thou hast deliberately, maliciously, and will¬ fully misused a most precious portion of sa¬ cred scripture. Thou didst use it so to further 48 The Silent Nazarene thine own infernal purpose.” “Satan, hast thou an answer for the invinci¬ ble Christ even here?” This monster of pre¬ sumption dares even to bolt in after two such decisive defeats. This time he takes him unto an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Here he speaks unto him after this wise, saying: “Great Son of God, thou hast merited much, and is it not for thee as God’s chosen—even His Messiah to rule the world? The whole will lay at thy feet at thy word. Thou hast often gone to the mountain to pray and coun¬ sel with God. From this mountain see all the kingdoms of the world with all their wealth and glory! I will make thee first. Thou shalt have no peer in all the earth. All kings and mighty of the earth shall call thee Lord and King. ‘All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.’ I am the ‘Prince of this world,’ as thou thy¬ self wilt acknowledge. How many even less worthy than thou art ruling in gorgeous splen¬ dor. All at my behest.” Is the fate of lost humanity trembling in the balances at subtle words like these? And here too all things are in the hands of one How He Came Forth 49 man. Humanity’s whole case rests with him. What if he should make a misstep? Upon that failure the fate of all humanity would be sealed. But, lo, the Man with whom we have to deal in this matter is the only one of the race—he is always sure, he never sidesteps. Standing breathless at this awful moment hu¬ manity can well wait his utterance. It is alto¬ gether decisive. Here it is, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” He sees the lie and thrusts it from him. The pure white truth of God’s word is his guiding star. The gorgeous apparel of the palace could not conceal from the searching eye of the pure white Christ the hidden sting that blighted the world—he saw death in vain pride, and the soul impoverished in the exub¬ erance of things of the world. The miracu¬ lous could not hide the lurid light of perverted motive. Hunger’s pangs could not stifle and thwart the spirit’s finer needs. Nature’s bar¬ renness, sin’s foulness—all clamoring about a pure and spotless soul but had no power to stain him. Spotless he came into the desert from the baptismal stream; flawless he abode there; stainless he came forth to take away the 50 The Silent Nazarene sin of the world. Edens bowers may seem fair, Life of Christ is fairer still, For no serpent lingers there — All is God the Father s will. Christ has caught upon his lips Sweetest music of the years; Strains of peaceful Olivet Rise from out our mortal fears . The scene with a back-ground of rough ex¬ posed rocks, at the ragged edges of which the snarled and twisted, struggling, starved scrub life fought for its place; with long stretches of thistle and dead grass whose monotony is broken by an aged thorn-bush with its creep¬ ing vine here and there, formed the Eden in which the God-Man achieved. “Get thee hence, Satan:” was said for all time to come. The lines are drawn clear and distinct. There was no compromise that possibly the other might be right if circumstances were different. The Devil leaves him. The temptations are thrust wholly aside. These marks are clearly seen in all his subsequent life. The victorious champion stands in the very frown of the deso- How He Came Forth 5i lation of starved wasted nature. Angels come and minister to him, while the wild beasts go quietly to their lairs. This Man teaches us to go forward in trust, knowing that in due sea¬ son God provides for both spiritual and phy¬ sical needs if we faint not. Of the victory—What? God sanctions the laws of subsistence, and that for the achieving of the higher ends. But he never sanctions greed. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” In regard to Divine protec¬ tion we are to count on that, but there must be no uncalled for exposure of one’s life to dan¬ ger in order to make a premature and gross test of God’s love and care. His great love and ten¬ der care we are to take for granted and move accordingly about our duties of life in a sa¬ cred trust undisturbed by preying doubts and fears. Do not be anxious to test His presence but take that as the basis of your life without question, “Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.” So to lord it over your fel¬ low will never meet God’s approval. It is not in accord with God’s law and order. He who would rule best is he who serves best. Jesus in giving his final verdict to the Tempter says, “Thou shalt not worship the vain lust 52 The Silent Nazarene of this world/’ but “thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Is he that so serves his God any other than he that serves his fellowman? He is our flawless Champion who near the close of his earthly life makes clear to his fellows on this wise, saying, “I am in your midst as he that serves.” The same said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,” when referring to his work of guiding the sinful woman of Sychar into the ways of life. He forges the one chain of service—brother to brother in the love of the Father. They Followed Him Was this not so with men from the very first? He goes from the wilderness of Temp¬ tation into the thronged and busy regions about the sea of Galilee. What! does he not retire into the wilderness and emerge from it from time to time with burning messages? What manner of conduct is this for a prophet? He is going to live in the nervous throng of hu¬ manity—have a house in Capernaum by the sea where the trade of all the lands centre, and not among the quiet hills of Nazareth. His dwelling is to be by the beautiful blue waters of Galilee abounding with fish. But How He Came Forth 53 even in these fruitful waters the fishermen have toiled all night and have taken nothing. Though at times the sea was slow to give of its abundance of fish, and freakish storms arose upon the waters, driving the persistent waves against the fragile fishing crafts, ham¬ mering them as though to forbid any further pursuit after the teeming life that swarm its depths, yet this sea was like a great nest fledging out a sturdy, persistent, persevering, patient, and conquering life. Here men could toil all night and take nothing, yet the dawn would find them with unabating energies at their tasks, and too these men could forego the breaking of their fast that they might con¬ tinue to wrestle with the waves and the sea for the prize they sought. In the heat of the day the breeze from the lake, met by the upper breeze from the great sea, refreshed their feverish brows. So these fishermen were giants in physical strength and enduring cour¬ age. They knew what price they must pay for that which they sought. It was by this sea that the young Teacher of Nazareth walked. Was it accident that he settled by the shore of Galilee, and resorted thither to teach the multitudes? It is a beautiful morning. The sun has 54 The Silent Nazarene risen upon the high eastern hills that overlook the lake. The dews have not yet left the ter¬ raced gardens upon which Hermon smiles. The Man of Nazareth walks by the sea whose waters are washing the roots of the palm-tree. There is a multitude upon the shore. Mer¬ chants from afar with their attendants, fisher¬ men going to and coming from their work (some coming away empty and others have taken a “great draught”), people who have come out of the city and from the region round about to hear the young Teacher, for all men seek him, make up the multitude by the sea of Galilee that morning. A goodly num¬ ber of merchants who are passing up from Taricheae, where the fish are cured, to visit the market at Capernaum, on seeing the multi¬ tude are curious to know what it is all about, turn aside to listen to the young Nazarene. So a great portion of that multitude is com¬ posed of those who seek those things “after which the Gentiles seek.” It is difficult to get a standing place on even the edge of the shore for those of the multitude are crowding each other as they were wont to do. The fish¬ ermen’s boats are empty as the fishermen have gone out to wash their nets. The young Jew from Nazareth enters one of those boats. Did How He Came Forth 55 it happen to be so? It was Simon’s. Had Simon met up with this young Jew before? Andrew had been with John the Baptist by the Jordan, when that hardy preacher of right¬ eousness pointed out this young Nazarene as “The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” Andrew follows this man of Nazareth as he comes up from the solitary wilderness of Temptation by the place at the Jordan where John was baptizing. Andrew was accompanied by a young man who was also one of John’s disciples. Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, “What seek ye?” And they said unto him, “Rabbi (which is to say, being inter¬ preted, Teacher), where abidest thou?” He said unto them, “Come, and ye shall see.” They accept the generous invitation given. The first thing Andrew does is to go out after his own brother Simon. Finding him he says to him, “We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, the Christ). Simon has always been enthusiastic upon the subject of the coming of the Messiah. How many hours did they toil and take nothing that Simon’s countenance would light up with a lively discussion on the coming Messiah. There is John preaching it too. The heart of 56 The Silent Nazarene Andrew burns all the while, for he can not express himself in glowing verities as Simon can. However he goes off and joins John. He is an exceptionally good listener. Now having found the Messiah he does the big thing for Simon (more than Simon ever did for Andrew in all his glowing discourses on the coming Messiah) ; he brings him to Jesus. So the new Teacher enters Simon’s boat. (Had not this young Nazarene observed this sturdy fisherman many times as he passed along that way on the shore? Now Simon is washing his net, for it has gathered a great deal of filth during the long night of fruitless toil.) The young Jew asks Simon “to put out a little from the land.” He sat down and taught the mul¬ titudes out of the boat. A plain fisherman’s boat was his pulpit, and hearts of plain fisher¬ men were receiving his words. Simon has left off washing his nets, and is listening quietly and attentively to the words of wis¬ dom that fall from the lips of the Teacher. All this has been bubbling up in Simon’s soul, and yet how strangely the words of the preacher sound. He seems not to be as ready as he thought for them. The speaker is paus¬ ing. It is time to begin fishing? but how strangely Simon acts? He would rather lis- How He Came Forth 57 ten to these words though he can not under¬ stand just how and what. (For this Teacher has been speaking so differently from what they were accustomed to hear from the scribes of the Pharisees.) But now this Teacher who has been speaking so earnestly about life, lov¬ ing-kindness and God the Father, says unto Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” A look of surprise comes over the face of Simon. He is puzzled for many reasons. He can do nothing other than comply with the bidding of the Teacher, though he must in keeping with his nature offer a slight protest, saying, “Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net.” Having done as they were bidden, they enclose a great mul¬ titude of fishes; and their nets are breaking. And they beckon to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They fill both boats till they begin to sink. Simon Peter is overwhelmed. He is not ready to stand in the presence of one who can work after this fashion. He has always been rather too self-confident. He falls down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who have come out of the 58 The Silent Nazarene other boat to assist in hauling in the breaking nets with the great multitude of fishes, are standing nearby with Andrew, being greatly amazed at these things. But the Teacher is not through teaching yet. He is giving them a great object lesson. So Jesus, looking di¬ rectly into the perplexed countenance of Simon, who is kneeling at his feet, says unto him, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” The other three fishermen knew that these words as well as this object lesson were meant for them likewise. So bringing their boats to land they left all, and followed him. The little company is headed for the higher ground of Galilee. They pass out of the great road into Galilee by Capernaum. Climbing the higher ground, the olives and figs become more and more numerous, while the palm- trees with their shade are left far behind by the blue sea, and the little company is moving in a more bracing and cooler atmosphere. They are going toward Cana. A wedding is on hand, and Jesus has an invitation. He will take his newly found friends with him. As these four fishermen walk along side of the carpenter from Nazareth, but whom they know only as Master, they are deeply en- How He Came Forth 59 grossed in what he is saying. As they go they meet up with Philip, who is from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. These old friends at once fall into a lively conversation. They tell Philip they have found the Messiah relating the whole story of the draught of fishes, and insist that he too join them. Though Jesus is busy as the little company is about to set forth upon their journey again, he calls to Philip, saying, “Follow me.” So Philip becomes one of the Company over the hills of Galilee. Philip is thinking of his friend Nathanael, for they are bound by the closest ties of friend¬ ship. He would like to have Nathanael in that company too. So as they approach Cana Philip withdraws from the company, which has halted for a rest, and goes forth to seek his friend. He finds him in deep meditation resting beneath a fig-tree. He relates the story of the multitude of fishes as told him by Andrew and Peter. Nathanael is a good lis¬ tener, but he does not believe all he hears, and he too is acquainted with the enthusiastic Simon Peter. So he must make a good allow¬ ance for the story of the fishes as told by Simon to his friend Philip. But Philip urges him to join that company, saying, “We have found 6 o The Silent Nazar ene him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” The name of Nazareth adds nothing to the force of Philip’s invitation. It rather detracts, throwing the whole matter in a rather unfavorable light. Even Nathanael is a little agitated when Philip intimates that the Messiah has come out of Nazareth. He, Nathanael, knows all about Nazareth, having lived all his life in Cana. To a resident of Cana the name Nazareth does not sound good. Out of his piqued pride he answers Philip, saying, “Can any good thing come out of Naz¬ areth?” Is Philip’s ardor chilled at this thrust? He looks into the face of Nathanael, which wears a more satisfied look after giving vent to his feelings, and says calmly,“Come and see.” This is too much for Nathanael. Philip has him. As they go from the shade of the fig-tree the silence is unbroken. They are now passing up over the hill and coming in sight of the little party that is resting. The young leader, who is looking that way, sees Nathanael coming with Philip, remarks to the little group, saying, “Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” Was Philip deep down in his soul wishing the Teacher had not said this? (For they were come within hear- How He Came Forth 61 i ing distance.) Philip is keenly aware that Nathanael is averse to flattery. It is even so— Nathanael must question the compliment from this stranger? Or, is he surprised at the frankness with which the Nazarene spoke it? However this may be, he says unto him, “Whence knowest thou me?” Has he thrown the stranger into confusion so that he is at a loss to answer? There is no hesitancy. The Teacher is ready with the reply, saying, “Be¬ fore Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.” (This is not a speech of one seeking to work himself into the good graces of another. He has committed himself too far for that.) With a glance into that frank face Nathanael confesses reverently, saying, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel.” The skeptic, now changed to believer, lives in the supreme faith of his Master. Jesus anounces to him the un¬ limited possibilities of the faith he is entering, saying, “Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.” Nathan¬ ael does not need any formal invitation. He simply falls in line, and loses himself in the spirit of the Master. The little company files out of the hills into 6 2 The Silent Nazarene the deep valley which forms the shoreline round the great blue lake of Gennesaret. They have been bathed in the refreshing breeze of the hills of Galilee and are now come into the tropical heat of the valley of the lake re¬ gion. Capernaum is on the northwest corner of the lake. Here the great road leading from East to West is daily thronged with mer¬ chants—a fit place also for publicans to sit at the receipt of custom. This Man of Naz¬ areth passes up and down that road with his little group of followers. He goes in and out from his home in Capernaum. How often at the close of day he saw the despised publicans in his place ready to collect toll from those who passed by. “How much?” and it was always enough that the giver gave it grudg¬ ingly. How the fishermen dislike the publi¬ can, even after toiling all night in fruitless labor, on entering the city to their homes they must be annoyed by these publicans. Then, too, these toll gatherers were all too numer¬ ous. Could not a Jew get at a better occupa¬ tion? These publicans were despised by fish¬ ermen and merchants—sellers and traders of every rank and description. The Jews called them dogs of sinners and the Gentiles regard them as troublesome meddlers. But here is a How He Came Forth 63 Jew who has recently come to reside at Caper¬ naum who has no such aversion for this class even. He has passed and repassed a receipt of custom of a rather distinguished looking publican. He always has a kind word for the toll-gatherer too. The publican in like man¬ ner is attracted to him. One day as he passed by and saw this man, Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place of toll, he says unto him, “Follow me.” And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him. Did the fishermen do more when they had a like invitation from this young Teacher? This Man has a strange way of measuring hearts. More publicans would like to have gotten into that little company whose leader mani¬ fested such an interest in them. “Many fol¬ lowed him.” He comes to his house. Does he close the door on them? He throws it open wide and invites them all in to eat meat with him. This is a strange thing for a teacher, or prophet to do. He will ruin his good name. The thing is swiftly told the scribes and Phari¬ sees, who have not seen this disgraceful thing with their very eyes. Good Abraham is look¬ ing on with such dire disgust. He had about made up his mind to join this Teacher himself. But this settles the question forever so far as 6 4 The Silent Nazarene he is concerned. He has seen sufficient to con¬ vince himself in regard to the matter. With his holy conscience smitten he goes and pub¬ lishes the matter as widely as possible. He does so toawith a sigh. How sorry he is that it is so, and he is obliged to tell it—but never¬ theless it is the awful fact. It must be reck¬ oned with. He is eager to enlighten the dis¬ ciples as to the seriousness of this conduct of their Master, saying, “How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?” The disciples tell the Master, which is the thing the Pharisee wished them to do. The Master is ready with his answer. He will take the Pharisee at his suggestion that these publicans are the chief of sinners. But it is just for such as these he has come. So he an¬ swers their question which was designed to call him to account for his conduct, saying, “They that are whole have no need of a physi¬ cian, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” That ends the matter upon that question so far as the disciples are concerned. However, it is but the beginning^ of the festering hurt in the heart of the jealous, envious Pharisee, who stumbles on in his blind piety. How He Came Forth 65 They Eyed Him John the Baptist is leading the austere, as¬ cetic life, teaching his disciples this manner of living. He is instilling into his followers the necessity of fasting often. The fasts also were scrupulously observed by the Pharisees. When John at the Jordan pointed out this man of Nazareth as “The Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” the disciples of the preacher of righteousness set their eye on him. They hear him say to their master when he requests baptism that it must be done to fulfill all righteousness. Their master has pointed him out as the one greater than the Baptist himself. Therefore they are vigi¬ lantly observing his conduct especially in re¬ gard to the austere, ascetic life. They are careful to fast oft, and likewise are the disci¬ ples of the Pharisees very scrupulous in this matter of fasting, but the disciples of Jesus not only ignore the fast but feast with publicans and sinners. This, therefore, not only be¬ comes a source of annoyance but a matter of grave concern. So the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees get together, and send a delegation to the Teacher. These come to Jesus and say unto him, “The disciples of 66 The Silent Nazarene John fast often, and make supplications; like¬ wise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.” Jesus is in no wise disturbed by this advice put in form of a request for information, even though John’s disciples were among those con¬ cerned who so busied themselves, but answers with deliberation not merely their question about which they were so much exercised, but firmly tells them that the old order is at an end and that the new order has already come in—inferring that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees are of the old while his disciples are children of the new, saying, “Can ye make the sons of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come: and when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.” It were as though he cast his eye over the great future which his vision penetrated through and through, saying, “Let these sons of the bridechamber rejoice while the bridegroom is with them, but in the very nature of things the time will speedily come when they will be called upon to deny them¬ selves for sake of the bridegroom and that for which he stands. The things for which I stand will bring pressure from both sides— How He Came Forth 67 the over-scrupulous and religious will despise me and the things I teach, while on the other hand the world will have no part in me for I am not of the world. A new order comes in with me. I make no attempt to graft it upon the old order. Neither the over-charged conscience of the Pharisees, nor yet the ever too light conscience of the world, can find place in this new order.” No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish. But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins.” The new cloth to the old garment will make the rent worse, the new piece will be wasted, and so new wine in old wine-skins will burst the skins and the wine will spill. The things that I teach are al¬ together reasonable. They do not violate the sense of order at all. They do not go about to destroy the things of the past, neither do they attempt to compromise with them. In my order men fast not out of a sense of wrought up piety, for it was no matter to them whether they are or are not seen of men, but 68 The Silent Nazarene they fast because of their loyalty to me, and the truth of which I bear witness, for it must meet up with opposition from every side. My disciples must deny themselves that the truth might live, and must strive always to keep in the path of loving service even as they see me do. I have come to do the will of my Father, and I must drink from whatever cup I encoun¬ ter in my course; and so must my disciples as they follow me in joy and pain, in feasting and fasting, in triumphs and persecutions.” These are strange words for the disciples of John to hear. They return to their master and he thinks upon these things greatly perplexed. He goes forward despite the baffling diffi¬ culties that cross his mind. Doubts begin to shade into his path. Herod has outraged every sense of right in taking his own brother Philip’s wife to himself to wife. The great preacher of righteousness severely rebukes that ruler for this sinful act. This enrages Herod- ias for whose sake Herod lays hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison. There are increasing strange reports coming to John in prison about the conduct of the Teacher upon whom he had set his hopes. These things cut him to the heart. Indeed, has he been mistaken all along? Do they not sound How He Came Forth 6 9 strange to this austere preacher as being sur¬ charged with the things of the world? Can doubt disturb the mind of that bold preacher even though incarcerated in a dungeon cell? Such could not be said of the children of the new order after the bridegroom had been taken away from them, though they suffered in fast¬ ings, persecutions, and prison often. (But John is of the old order, and as he himself de¬ clared his kind must decrease while the other must increase.) At any rate he is troubled for he sends two of his disciples to interview this one whom he had pointed out by the Jor¬ dan as being the hope of the world. They have a direct charge from the Baptist to ask Jesus the question that is directly pressing on his mind, namely, “Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?” When these men from John arrive they can not gain audience with him at once, but must stand by and look on for awhile, for Jesus is busy. He is curing many of divers diseases, plagues, and evil spirits; opening the eyes of the blind, loosening the tongues of the dumb so that they speak plainly, patiently heeding the petitions of the poor and worsted—pour¬ ing out loving words of mercy and kindness, filling crushed hearts with hope and consola- 70 The Silent Nazarene tion. All the while these men from John were looking upon these things. They have hardly the heart to ask this Leader and Teacher the question for which they are sent. But upon reflection they recalled how they had seen this very man eating with publicans and sinners, and how could they return to their leader shut up in prison with an acknowledgment that they had failed to obey his words. With what misgivings they begin to edge their way through that ever growing and crushing crowd to ask the busy Teacher their question which was wrapt about in the clouds of doubt? How they wish they had never been commis¬ sioned to do such an act. But now it is done, for one of them has put the question to the Master, who, though busily engaged, has fixed' his eye upon these two men who were making their way so persistently through that crowd and jam. Jesus does not hesitate at such a question even though it comes directly from John but answers, saying, “Go and tell John the things which ye hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling How He Came Forth 7i in me.” The Prayer The moments of silence in the life of Christ are moments in which reserve forces face the world in irresistible energy. They are the golden nuggets for him who seeks their worth. They are always beneath the surface. They disclose their power to the humble searcher w T ho counts no pain, who sees no obstruction; but in a simple, plain spirit seeks the treasures that bring him life. Be careful, lest in nois¬ ing it about you let this secret slip. Let it tell in a consistent way lest you drift from the source and lose yourself in the noise, confu¬ sion, and perplexity of the floodtide. In silence Christ prays. In silence you must pray and not proclaim it upon the housetop lest you lose it in some base motive. Influ¬ ence must go forth as the rays of the sun and not as the howling winter blast. In the former life thrives and grows; in the latter life fades, withers and dies. In the silence of Jesus Christ man grows; in the ostentation of the Pharisee he dies. Ere the silent dawn creeps over the rugged hills; ere the soft light touches the busy streams; while the blackness of the darkness 72 The Silent Nazarene hovers over the peaceful sleepers: Jesus steals from the midst of his slumbering disciples. He hurries over the dark rock-ribbed hills, crosses the sluggish streams, climbs the moun¬ tain to his favored nook. There he prays. Not an echo to disturb him except now and then the yelp of a hungry jackal or the scream of the lone hyena in search of food. Jesus too is in search of meat. Last evening’s sun went down upon the scene of a busy day. The restless multitudes thronged the Master from early morn to late at eve. Did they weary him? Did he seek this mountain fastness as a cover to rest his exhausted frame? Why not enjoy the sweet slumber with his disciples? Why plod his weary steps to this mountain spot and continue the whole night in prayer? Sleep indeed rests the weary body. But all day there has been a clamor rising above the tumult of voices. It is like the lashing of the waves in the midst of many waters. Seem¬ ingly it is drowning all else in its confusion. The Master knows what it is. It is the crav¬ ing appetite for the miraculous—love of intox¬ ication in thoughts in that which is past under¬ standing. A clamor for the shell that holds the kernel, and not a longing for the life that germinates within the grain. He was not to How He Came Forth 73 strive to satisfy this perverted appetite of man by showing some sign from heaven, though this would win for him the popular, so the clamor said. He was to feed the inner life and let the miraculous incidently flow out of it. His meat was to do the will of the Father, not to stop the clamoring of the multi¬ tude with some paralyzing sign from heaven. He had much to talk with the Father about. These prayers are unrecorded. He told no man about them. But from his life the world has gleaned their import. The disciples caught a glimpse that early morning. They awake and find the Master absent. The people with their sick are al¬ ready beginning to ask for him. The dark¬ ness has not yet withdrawn its sable shades. The disciples turn their faces toward the mountain, seeking him. As they approach they get a glimpse of a form kneeling with face turned toward heaven as the receding darkness unveils and the mellow dawn falls over and about that figure, gradually bringing the calm heaven-endowed countenance to the light of the services of another day of blessing. The disciples tell him, saying, “All men are seeking thee.” He is not seeking out some clever, cunning device by which he might be- 74 The Silent Nazarene witch the multitudes. He did the works of God and the multitudes sought his face. They were astonished beyond measure at his teach¬ ing, for he taught them not as the scribes, but as one having authority. The multitudes knew nothing of those whole nights in prayer. The darkness hid him. It were as though he prayed not at all so far as the spectacular effect of that act was concerned. Any intru¬ sion of that kind would have robbed the hum¬ ble man of Nazareth of the sweetness and power he so greatly enjoyed. There are things too sacred for the eyes of the multitudes and prayer is one of them. The disciples got but a glimpse that early morn. But they did not yet understand why all men were seeking him. Could they have gone below the surface and have seen the real significance of that hour? What? Christ in connection with the secret of power. This is why all men are seeking him in spite of them¬ selves. He is at the source of power. All things are in his hands. Seeming impossibili¬ ties roll away like a mountain of clouds, leav¬ ing a clear sky and a brilliant sunlight. They came to him from every quarter. How could it be otherwise? They must seek him for his authority though they clamor for a sign. Now How He Came Forth 75 these very disciples wanted their Master to win the popular favor and thought it strange that he should not take advantage of oppor¬ tunities for winning the people when they came to him. He moves before them misun¬ derstood. Even though the disciples got this glimpse of him they could not understand the perplexing situation. Who would not have fairly leaped at such opportunities as came to him? Yet he disregards them all, and leaves opportunity after opportunity slip from him, even he is actually incurring the hatred and the malice of the Pharisee. This is of all ways the strangest to walk to the throne. What king has ever acquired power after this fash¬ ion? Yet the people throng him. Why? The white Christ was in that mountain lone¬ liness, getting at men’s most urgent needs. He was talking with the Father about them that he might teach men to be kings and great ones too. He was to walk the path before them and they were to follow. Men need these silent hours with God as well as the busy hours with men. This is the whole truth that the white Christ is making emphatic among men. Men must needs tarry long with God if they would not lose the proper proportion of things. They must be busied with men lest 76 The Silent Nazarene they lose their rewards, as opportunities are fleeting. He sought rest and peace in the Father’s counsels. Here was his source and man was his opportunity. He could not af¬ ford to permit either to displace the other. This man of men lived in the breathing pres¬ ence of the Father, and he saw the whole world in need of his counsels too. This praying, serving man proved by living that His coun¬ sels could be sought by turning the hearts in prayer and by setting the face towards the great Helper. That this was needful Christ made plain, taking without a question what his great apostle said, “He is not far from each one of us: for in him we live and move, and have our being.” This man of men could run counter to all the ways of men and yet mark out the way of true success. He must see his disciples looking into his face with a look of disappointment. Yet he keeps his course. It takes many days for the disciples to get even a hint of the vision of the praying, living Christ. When the com¬ mon people are falling away, and many of his disciples are turning back from following him, do the chosen few find only one way to answer his question—“Will ye also go away?” This answer is given by their spokesman, Simon How He Came Forth 11 Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” This is the esti¬ mate that these men are placing upon their teacher and Master. Here is a flashlight out of the hearts of his disciples that reveal what the Christ was to them and what in turn his prayers signify. All that he said, and all that he did, and all that went out in his silent influ¬ ence, were grandly summed up in what he was. This man’s prayers were as unselfish as his life. Never man prayed like this man; never man spake like this man; never man wrought as this man—it was all in a life of service for others. i II HOW HE GAVE AUTHORITY TO THE NEW TEACHING { \ THE NEW TEACHING I N the midst of action and life we get a glimpse of the new teaching of Jesus. It all harmoniously blends in him. His action, his teaching, his life—all speak one great lan¬ guage of power. It is all conceived, born and imparted in a serene atmosphere of power. Like the soft light of dawn it silently com¬ prehends and unveils each secluded nook in an unaffected way; and like the mighty and fierce tempest it sweeps all clean, or leaves the burden of the dead against the rocky ledge where life is choked and quenched and in the silence of the steady moving years this dead must mix with the elements, feed the life it sought to quench. Is not this God’s hand? That which threatens real defeat only dares to halt; yes, to place a splendid pause till it can get below the fibrous roots that freshen the tender blade that yellowed beneath its bur¬ den. Powers that make for death are trans¬ ferred into powers that make for life. The mighty slaves of sin have died and are resur- 81 82 The Silent Nazarene rected as powerful and efficient forces for righteousness. They die in the oldness of death and rise in the newness of life. These very passions that once did surge and plunge the soul into almost hopeless ruin are staid before the life of Christ—his righteousness and justice sweep them against the dark peaks of malign jealousy, prejudice, and even vicious lust. They heap upon each other till tension gives, then they sink—rather face about as forces in the hand of God for righteousness. They are transformed by the working of the Divine Power into the regenerating forces of the world. By the power of Jesus Christ men become as good as they were bad. Out of evil good has come forth. This is true in more ways than one. The leaven of Christ destroys not the powerful but mellows down, modifies, changes the functions, yes, converts them into powers for good. But upon those that are innocent and unstained He is like the life- giving sunlight, dispelling all forms of death that oppose. Jesus gave authority to His new teaching by ingraining and transforming truth into and through life. In his being truth and life are one and the same. And so he taught men with authority. The mustard seed a man took and cast in How He Gave Authority to New Teaching 83 his garden. That man heard no sound. Did he see? He saw the tiny blade lift its puny tip above the surface of the ground. Some¬ how this tiny birth has burst its prison cell without the hint of a groan or sigh. It found life when bars closed about it. Silently it did creep and rise—each to draw a larger current of life from things that seemed to chain it down till it found its prison den one vast store¬ house to feed life’s growing and increasing energies. Then too it lifts its head into an¬ other world with more food as it higher grows and branches spread embracing more of life’s current—the atmosphere and the prison house are blending in sustaining the product of earth and sky. There is abundance to meet the needs at every stage of enlarging life. Lo, now the birds have lodged mid the branches of this goodly herb. “So the kingdom,” says Christ, “must grow against great odds. The seeds sown may seem very insignificant in midst of such opposition. But my life shall lay hold upon those opposing forces and con¬ vert them into mighty energies for the King¬ dom. I shall ingrain and transform truth into and through life. I shall bring life out of death. In the world, ye shall have great tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have over- 84 The Silent Nazarene come the world.” So the life of the Kingdom is begotten mid the prison-cells of man’s selfish greed but surely it must burst the crust beneath which it is born and feed upon the heart’s affection struggling there and climb into the life of God/ A slow climb but it shall spread and embrace all the earth. Is it strange that fev¬ erish souls should seek a lodging place mid the branches of such a life? Life’s contagion is set up. Life of man begets life within the life of God and what power can stop this irresisti¬ ble growth? Yes, the leaven is hid in three measures of meal. It grows to leaven the whole lump. It can not stop with the branches of the mustard- tree, but it must silently grow as long as hu¬ man hearts are yet untouched and as long as there is any part of the heart of the individual unleavened. It is truth—life-giving truth, and must leaven where it goes. But remember one thing—it must be “hid” in the meal or the leaven will not take hold of the particles, lose itself, and grow in and through them till the whole lump is leavened. Men seem im¬ patient and dissatisfied with this hidden way. Can you marvel that they fail who seek an¬ other way? There is no other way than the How He Gave Authority to New Teaching 85 life-source of truth, and that life-source is God. The Life of God must be hidden in the life of the heart of man and of men if the teaching is to be NEW breathing authority everywhere. So did the Nazarene give au¬ thority to all that he said. This caused those who beheld his wonderful conduct to be amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Legion How the wild lunatic raves! No man can bind him. In his mad fury he snaps the chains asunder and breaks the fetters in pieces. Naked he raves in the tombs and roves the mountains. And always day and night these solitary, desolate places resound with unearthly, weird, demoniacal screams as he is cutting himself with stones. No man had strength to tame him. When Jesus comes out of the boat he is met by this fierce man out of the tombs. The wild stare is in his eyes as he bursts forth from the midst of the tombs. But seeing Jesus from afar, he runs and worships him, crying out with a loud 86 The Silent Nazarene voice, saying, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not.” What strange thing is this? This one whom no man could tame running to Jesus and worshipping him? Ah, the Master has said, “Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man.” The real fact was there—sin, its dread, its tor¬ ment. To obey the demons know they must. They clamor as though with noise they would evade the issue. The Master asks him, “What is your name?” And he saith unto him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Even devils are reduced to extremity by the authority of the words of his mouth. They know they must go out of the man. They beg that their power be not destroyed altogether. So they make the poor fellow plead in behalf of these familiar spirits with whom he had dwelt for such a length of time that the Teacher would not send them away out of the country. But the devils must go and there is a great herd of swine feeding on the mountain. And there were they who kept the herd. So the devils would seize the opportunity. So they besought him, saying, “Send us into the swine that we may enter into them.” He gave them leave. “And the unclean spirits came How He Gave Authority to New Teaching 87 out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number, about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.” They that fed the swine fled and told it in the city and the country. The madness and frenzy of this wild, raging maniac was the talk throughout the Decapolis and the regions round about. As the citizens came forth in multitudes they that kept the herd and saw it declared unto them how it befell the man that was possessed with demons, and concern¬ ing the swine. They are amazed beyond measure as they look upon him who aforetime raged in unabating madness clothed, and in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus. They were afraid, and began to beseech him to depart out of their borders. But what of him who had been possessed with demons? The Master is complying with their requests. He is entering into the boat. But there is he that had been possessed with demons beseeching him that he might be with him. What a laudable desire? Surely the Nazarene is craving companionship of those who love him. But listen! This is strange from the lips of Jesus. “Go to thy house—” But then we will hear him through. “Go to 88 The Silent Nazarene thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how he had mercy on thee.” What could give authority to the words of the mouth of this man but that change that had come into his life? He went his way, and began to pub¬ lish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him, and all men marveled. Truth and life here had no break but were one and the same and the new teaching had authority so that all men marveled. Compassion on the Multitude Jesus goes apart with his disciples. He seeks a solitary place. He seeks rest and quiet. Can even a desert place insure him the needed rest? See the people running from every quarter. Yes, they saw the Master and his disciples take boat to cross the lake, “and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.” Be¬ hold a multitude in a desert place, but the great Christ is there, and where he is wells of refreshment break forth and streams abound, and the thirsty lands bring forth their increase a hundredfold. The multitudes are fed. How He Gave Authority to New Teaching 89 The multitudes to Christ have fled — The weary, thirsty, hungry, tried; The multitudes by Christ are fed, No lone deserted soul has died. “And he came forth and saw a great multi¬ tude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Men running to and fro—they knew not why. They sought but dread confusion fell about them. They were lost not only to each other—but each was lost to himself. Christ with mind clear and masterful saw the conflicting, surg¬ ing passions, the emptiness of life and the craving of souls in the heart of the multitudes, and “he had compassion on them.” Having thrown open the doors of sympathy he entered the lives and saw their lack—their crying needs, “and taught them many things.” As he taught them he fed them upon the bread of his life and their soul hunger was satisfied. Should it be counted strange that he should say, “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life?” Should we not ex¬ pect to hear something like this from a fol¬ lower of his, “Thou hast the words of eternal life?” 9° The Silent Nazarene He saw the languid and famishing—souls that were hungry out of burning needs, even those on the brink of despair out of ravishing sighing—sighing for relief and help which none could bring, not even within the power of most intimate friends and companions to succor. Even in desert places they sought him for needed relief. Those writhing in pain and disappointment lay hold upon his great heart. Those baffled, worsted, de¬ feated catch his penetrating eye. Those sore distressed in sickness and bereavement draw near to the great physician whose sympathy leaps forth to rescue them from despair in that last hard struggle of the cleaving hope and the despondent heart. The hopeless and the hardened touched by the soft breezes of quick¬ ening grace breathe again. For them the great compassion of Christ is an open foun¬ tain. At last all can find a place in one great heart. Sympathy flows forth as the placid streams with healing in the waters thereof. These healing streams of sympathy are life unto the multitude. The heart depressed beneath the burden of sin’s oppressive weight finds Christ to lift the burden. Lo, lift up your eyes and look upon the desert place, for Christ is there. Then How He Gave Authority to New Teaching 91 you can see the meaning of the multitudes that flock those desert sands. Jesus looks upon the multitudes—sees the vieing of flaming pas¬ sions, lashing and being lashed. But what of the hearts in which these raging passions are madly surging? Will not the frail bark be wrecked in the storms that rise out of the whirlpool of the deep? Whence are these raging forces? Are they not from out the mighty deep of life that buoys up the frail bark they are rending asunder? The eye of Christ sees, the mind of Christ knows, and the heart of Christ pleads. He sees passions mak¬ ing havoc of men, and tells them he is there to help them out of their dismay. It is as though his life silently but emphatically speaks, say¬ ing, “I see your dismay and anxiety. You are like sheep without a shepherd. You run through and through each other. You know not where or why. I am here not only that the shadow of apprehension, dismay and fear may withdraw from you, but to remove the cause—to show you the way and help you out of sin. T am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. I am come that ye may have life, and may have it abundantly. As the Father has life in himself, so has he given the Son to have 92 The Silent Nazarene life in himself.’ As the Father serves so doth the Son serve, as the Father helps so doth the Son deliver, as the Father saves so doth the Son redeem. ‘For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that he him¬ self doeth.’ ” Then do we ask why this multitude about him in a desert place? Christ walks the earth with men and knows what they must have. He meets their needs and helps them out of sin. He breaks the bread of life and feeds the multitudes. Can any question the authority of the new teaching of this Teacher of Nazareth? Ill HOW HE FOUND FAITH IN THE EARTH / . ! V WHY MIRACLE? He who can clothe the leafless plant In leafy foliage green, Can clothe my soul, don't say—He can't, Though all is yet unseen . His smile I see, his hand I grasp, And walk with Christ to see — Where God's hand works the first, the last, And fills eternity. I T seems to be popular and fashionable, as well as scholarly, to slur over and omit al¬ together what is called the miraculous. Nevertheless it is like our blood coursing through all the arteries and veins of our lives. Science tells us the blood carries the digested food-particles to replace the worn-out tissues. There the food particle is tissue. How? It wears out, and is thrown off; yes, and is re¬ placed with digested food from blood corpuscle again. Are they the same that placed the tissue here before? It works. 95 9 6 The Silent Nazarene That’s true. We know that. But the cause? The how? If we being earthly cannot dis¬ cern these things that are earthly, how are we going to explain those things that are heavenly? The earthly and the heavenly are not the same; neither is the flesh and the spirit the same. The analogy that holds good in one does not necessarily hold good in the other. We know something about material things, and we know something about spirit¬ ual things. We can hardly say we are better acquainted with things spiritual than with things material. To be frank we must con¬ fess greater ignorance in regard to things spiritual out of the very nature of the case. If we could stand where God stands and be clothed in his powers we could understand both equally well. But then where would mortal man come in? We at once hold the key to create. All would be creators. If there would be any flesh and blood to analyze you could tell exactly the how. Then all miracle would be natural as we understand and use the word now. It would all be within our comprehension. But now since we do not know much about possibilities it may be well and wise always to leave a large place open for the unknown pos- How He Found Faith in the Earth 97 sibilities which would be perfectly natural if we were behind the scene where we could analyze. Now Christ moved in this unknown and un¬ explored world of possibilities. And he made no great bluster about it either. What he did do is this—he sought to help men to find them¬ selves. He found men not living anywhere up to their privileges spiritually and morally, and as a consequence of this failure and neglect they were forfeiting a large part of the possi¬ bilities the Creator had designed for them. The Master well said of the fig tree that with¬ ered at his command: “Have faith in God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.” This he said because he was living where he could verify it. Of course the first and last product of faith is moral and spiritual excellence. Apart from this nothing can be brought to pass. So Jesus himself is the miracle with which we have constantly to do. What he was makes his miracles natural. “Apart from me ye can do nothing.” A supreme faith always accom- 9 8 The Silent Nazarene panies what he says and does. Where else has faith shown such a wonderful miracle among mortals? “He hath done all things well.” “Never man spake like this man.” “What manner of man is this?” Never man was like this man; “insomuch that Pilate mar¬ velled.” The Paralytic Let the deep darkness of the night guard the praying Christ, and let the rosy blushes of the dawn conceal themselves back of the black curtain before the threshold of the break of day while the Master sifts the pressing human cry. Let no irreverent tongue break in upon those solemn thoughts. The Son of God is counseling with the Father. What beastly forms are endeavoring to spring upon him— they call themselves human needs. But Christ sees the creeping tiger and the crouching lion —knows the tiger ere he leaps upon and the lion ere he crushes the frame and bids them desist their madness and know him as the rul¬ ing Lord. Greed must not assume the form of need and ask the Lord to lend it his sup¬ port; it must divest itself of its fair form and stand out as loathsome greed. Neither can the flighty thoughts of men entangled in the How He Found Faith in the Earth 99 meshes of the cravings for the marvelous en¬ slave the mind of this quiet man. He is mas¬ ter and holds dominion free; proves himself Lord at every turn. As the breaking light climbs the steps of the eastern sky the Christ is ready for every crying need—ready to unclothe it of its dis¬ torted form and show how God will meet the humblest need if truly need it be. Day after day Capernaum has witnessed stirring scenes. The busy Teacher is making his home there. He has now gone through that press and throng into the house. A stream of human forms move along the street—each impatient at the one who moves before. They clamor to get to his side. The bolder and stronger are fighting the timid and weaker aside. Now they crush in at the door. They discern not the image of the beast with which the conquering Christ has fought and thrust aside the night just passed. Their thirst is insatiable to see some strange thing—some wonder-awing thing to blur their senses. Who can have the privilege of packing the door¬ way? They must let no opportunity slip in their curiosity seeking. Ah, that sea of up¬ turned faces that cannot get near—each cran¬ ing the neck as though they hoped to see him IOO The Silent Nazarene in spite of the walls of the house. How few will see though the rush is mad! How few of the few will see the glory there! On the edge of that surging crowd four men are carrying a pallet upon which a helpless man is lying. Will the crowd be generous enough to divide so as to permit these men with their sick to pass to the door? Is there not one generous enough to push aside, saying, Give these men room to pass with their sick? It seems that one has dared to do this thing, but how that big fellow bolts into the vacant place! Men are too eager to see to yield a place to the suffering need that is pressing. These men can’t get even near the door. So they divert their course rather than jam into that crushing, trampling humanity. They go to the stairway at the side of the house and carry their sick to the roof. Tearing up the roof, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay. And Jesus, seeing their faith, saith unto the sick of the palsy, “Son, thy sins are forgiven.” This is not what those faith¬ ful men expected either. But they are silent in their disappointment. But what of the crowd? “Son, they sins are forgiven thee”— the murmur falls like some thick sound upon hidden waters. The scribes are outdone and How He Found Faith in the Earth ioi overcome in their consternation. They breathe great heavy sighs from their heaving chests. Jesus knew their thoughts. He knew what they were looking for. They had gone far afield. He casts his piercing eye upon them and says, “Why reason these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy) I say unto thee, Arise, take up they bed, and go unto thy house.” Is there a shuffling of feet as those deep¬ breathing Pharisees have crowded too near the Master in the press, and that man who had been chained about with the palsy arose and stood upon his feet and took up his bed to go to his home? There is no need to ask the thronging crowd to make a way for this healed man to pass. They do that instinc¬ tively. Or, are they dazed by what they have seen? Or, is their lust satisfied? Nothing can be heard for the time being on every side save expressions like these: “We never saw it on this fashion”; and “We have seen strange things to-day.” 102 The Silent Nazarene There Jesus stood—a calm master of him¬ self. He knew what was in man, and how dif¬ ficult it was to displace gross misconception with truth. He scans the centuries while they in their bewildering amazement are saying, “We never saw it on this fashion,” and he sees the marvel they are astonishel at vanishing in face of the truth he has just set before them. They never saw it on that fashion; they did see strange things. But they spoke far better than they knew. They of course referred to the healing of the body. Had they any grasp of the masterly work performed? Jesus heals the suffering of the body and it is good; he breathes his loving spirit into the heart of man that pain may be eased and suffering relieved, and we call it blessed; but first and all impor¬ tant he “forgives sin” and cures the heart— makes the immoral leper clean. Here is the summum struggle of the race— to cut free from the biting, smarting sense of sin. The Master clearly showed the way by living. But as he looks over the writhing, worsted humanity, hear him say, “Not all men can receive this saying.” They must be helped. So he cuts the shackles loose and leads them on the way. Here he differs from all other teachers in that he could live stain- How He Found Faith in the Earth 103 less in each man’s case. He discovered the need of that crowd at Capernaum as well as that of the palsied man. He discovered and came to help. This Teacher claims the power to cure men from sin as Son of man. When he frees the man from his physical infirmities, the multi¬ tudes saw it, and were afraid, and glorified God, who had given such authority unto men, but Jesusproclaimed that the highest privilege of his authority was to set at liberty them that are bound with sin. His great work was to make men righteous. This was the full test of his power—to put the individual in right re¬ lation with God and his fellow. The Lep er It was so with the temple: “there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.” Majestic silence has ever enriched the con¬ templative within the sacred courts of the Lord. No mortal lifts the veil and looks upon the Holy of Holies save he who with cov¬ ered head waits in the awful stillness of un¬ broken silence and knows the Lord that he is Jehovah. No robber unveils this. No 104 The Silent Nazarene amount of daring lets a man behind the veil. Silently but surely the power behind the veil draws the humble worshippers from all parts of the land to the court of the temple with their sacrifices and their prayers. Has the silence of the night lifted the shad¬ ows? Has any ear heard shrieks or groans? The pure, majestic, achieving soul of Christ is breaking the clutching shackles of human weakness, and is rising above the crushing tide of tendencies that submerge the human race without exception in sin. Are the clamoring voices of men striving to force an entrance into this silent Holy of Holies of Christ? Truly they are drawn to him because they are mystified by that some¬ thing that certain have found. They think to thrust themselves upon him and win this something for themselves. But behold they are unable to break in. Their defeat fills them with indignation. This erects stouter bars. But look, that crowd is breaking. What is this strange thing? A leper who is forbidden by law to draw near, but must stand afar off and lift up his hands and cry, “Unclean! un¬ clean!” is kneeling before the Master, praying, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” How He Found Faith in the Earth 105 The face of Jesus is all compassion and he touches him. What? Touch a leper? Set aside the ceremonial law? Who is this man who dares break with such a stringent past? Listen, he speaks, “I will; be thou made clean.” Straightway the leprosy departs from him, and his skin is renewed as though it were the flesh of a young child. He is clean. Does this Teacher set aside the ceremonial past so as to show men how radical he could act? Hear: “Go show thyself to the priest, and of¬ fer for thy cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” This leper was drawn by the power that baffled those that stood by. The leper had need of this power and felt it. He knew that it could heal him and would do so, if ap¬ proached by one who knew his own crying need. But it was simply to the confusion of the multitude—this very power which was the healing of the leper. He, the unclean outcast, knelt and touched the Holy of Holies in healing power. Upon the great pillars of faith the enlarging chambers of his soul rested, purged of all its loathing sin. Listen! the phy¬ sician and Teacher is giving a charge to the healed man: “See thou say nothing to any man. 106 The Silent Nazarene But he who had beeh a leper was not the Master. He had not yet caught the true secret. He went forth and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter a city, but was without in desert places. He noised it about rather than let it work out in masterful silent power. Could not men see for them¬ selves the marvelous cure that had been wrought upon him? But this over-anxious desire to publish it must thrust it upon them. In turn these restless multitudes persist in clamoring their way to the secret of power. But no such way leads there. It only puts them to greater confusion and perlexity. u What manner of man is this?” They were bent on finding out by use of violent methods. They could not get it through them that the leper’s way—kneeling at the feet of Jesus in prayer, was the way and the only way to the secret of that sacred power. They came to him from every quarter. They sought him in many desert places. Their stormy efforts were as barren as the deserts themselves. Has not the great sun made its round in silent triumph, and yet how much life is wasted mid the clamoring tempest? And is not the earth wherein the life-giving How He Found Faith in the Earth 107 sunbeams rest too often the burnglass that scorches that self-same life with death? So there are many barren and desert spots even where Jesus passes in his lowliness and holi¬ ness, and many waste places remain where he is present. The Woman s Touch It is given to the most wretched, the most destitute, the most hopeless, and the most helpless to find this silent way to the secret of power. Not even did the disciples under¬ stand it. They cannot see how any touch can differ from any other touch in the press and throng. But see how they press and throng him. It is literally a jam. To make way is next to im¬ possible. Can any hope to edge through that crowd? There is a lone woman who scarcely has sufficient strength to drag herself along and physicians have pronounced her hopeless, yet she is edging her way through that jam and press. This woman has had an issue of blood twelve years, and has suffered many things of many physicians, and is nothing bet¬ tered, but rather has grown worse. See! she is patiently making her way through that wedging press. These cannot bar her from io8 The Silent Nazarene her great physician. She does not clamor for them to stand back. She does not lament and tell her mournful tale of woes that a path might be made for her through that press and throng. But poor, weak woman! she patiently and silently struggles for every little opening given her in that pressing jam till she finds herself directly behind her Physician. There has been no shout—“stand back,” and now there is no cry for mercy. She sees the Master busy teaching. But she knows that to touch even his garment will suffice. She touches the very border. Poor soul! she is satisfied with the lightest fringe. She knows she has found the proper way of approach. Heaven will meet the condition though she but touch the border of his garment. Ah, she touches. Straight¬ way the fountain of her blood is dried up, and she feels in her body that she is healed of her plague. The Master turns. Why, because none but that healed woman knew the difference be¬ tween a touch of faith and that of the acci¬ dental press and jam. “Who touched my gar¬ ments?” The disciples are indignant at such a needless question when they press him on every side. Peter becomes their spokesman, saying, “Master, the multitudes press thee and How He Found Faith in the Earth 109 crush thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?’ ” But the Master looked round about to see her that had done this thing, saying, “Some one did touch me; for I perceived that power had gone forth from me.” - Then the trembling creature came forth. She dared to tell it all. There will be no sor¬ did motive of making it a show. Falling at his feet in the presence of all the people, she told for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately. It was only to convince and prove the genuineness of a working faith. She even explained her mo¬ tive the best she could. Ere she touched the border of his garment she said within herself on this wise: “If I but touch his garments, I shall be made whole.” After she had made an end of telling him the whole truth, Jesus said unto her, “Daugh¬ ter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” The Centurion s Faith Faith must give another glow—a radiant hue. It was to be cast in the soul of centurion this time. Faith is like the rare gem that lends itself to the delicate touches of the light. no The Silent Nazarene Lo, it shines best where the light must strug¬ gle to disclose its hidden beauty. The cen¬ turies were preparing the heart of the Jew a receptacle for the supreme faith of Christ to find response. But what were the cen¬ turies doing for the dog of Gentile in this matter? Jesus here brings forth a living pic¬ ture of what was being done by the great good God to give his supreme revelation to even these despised ones. As he comes down out of that mountain of prayer the lepers—the outcasts of society, fling themselves at the feet of him who dares to enter even their retreats. The lepers are cleansed, the eyes of the blind are open, the ears of the deaf are unstopped, the sick are made whole of divers plagues, and release is proclaimed to the captives as Jesus of Naza¬ reth went about doing good. Somehow as the thronging multitude is moving toward Caper¬ naum it is purer than when it met this Teacher at the foot of the mountain of prayer. Not Jews alone notice this strange transformation that is daily going on before their eyes, but the Gentiles are observing too. And shall we say these very Gentiles are reading deeper than are the Jews? But look well to it, that moving throng has How He Found Faith in the Earth ill halted. What is taking place? The Master is looking very earnest into the faces of two men who are standing before him. Who are they? They are Jewish elders stroking their long beards. They are talking to him about a centurion whose servant that is dear unto him that is grievously tormented with the palsy. They are speaking in a confidential tone on this wise: “No, Teacher, we are aware that this is a centurion—a Gentile that is sending us to request this thing of thee. We also fully appreciate that it is not in keeping with our customs to request that Jewish favors be bestowed upon Gentiles, but this man is worthy for whom we ask this. He takes an interest in our religion. Yes, he loves our na¬ tion and has built us a synagogue. Now he has sent us to say to thee, ‘Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.’ He requested us to come to thee and lay his cause before thee. Of course if he were a Jew he would have come to thee himself and would have made his request di¬ rectly to thee as he might desire.” The Master went with them, saying, “I will go and heal him.” As he is now not far from the house, the centurion who had his eyes set in the direction the elders had gone forth, got I 12 The Silent Nazarene a glimpse of Him in the midst of the throng and press, and rose up quickly to go and meet him. Yes, he sees the Jewish elders in the van of the throng. They were leading the throng with an air of importance because of this thing that they had done, for it was through their good offices that the Teacher recognized the plea of this centurion at all. The feet of the elders are very light as they feel an exhilarating satisfaction going through their every tissue. But the Roman halts as though a second thought has taken hold of him. He is turning and speaking to some Jewish friends at his side. What is he saying to them? They are too far away to let the throng hear the words. But, lo, these men are running towards the crowd while the centurion is turning back to his house. What has taken place in that Rom¬ an’s mind? Is he disgusted at the vanity of the elders? Has he lost faith, and dispatched these friends to inform the Teacher that it is useless to come further? Now the friends of the centurion are before the Master. Listen! they are saying unto him: “Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: wherefore neither thought I myself How He Found Faith in the Earth 113 worthy to come unto thee: but say the word and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers; and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” There is a look of amazement on the face of the great Teacher. Have the multitudes ever witnessed such a look before? Has he not performed marvelous things before their eyes? Certainly this is out of the ordinary for this Teacher to marvel. All is silent as the great Master looks into the faces of these men who have brought these words from the centurion. The eye of Christ penetrates that thronging multitude and searches the worshipping heart of that centurion. Then turning to the pas¬ sionate, unsettled multitude that followed him, he says, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” It were as though he said: “I have been searching the hearts of Israel for a glimpse of such a precious faith but I have been unable to find any near the sim¬ plicity and beauty of this centurion’s faith. I have been obliged to go out of the borders of Israel to find this high degree of working faith. Ye prize yourselves in being children The Silent Nazarene 114 uf special privilege. Ye make yourselves be¬ lieve that the Gentiles are excluded from these privileges by God. But I say unto you, ‘That many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.’ And this thing shall not be for any arbitrary reason either. This centurion by reason of his high degree of faith shall naturally take his place with Abraham. This man is being jus¬ tified by faith even as it was with Abraham, and therefore takes a seat in the kingdom even by Abraham, which ye forfeit because of the unbelief of the hardness of your hearts.” Jesus pauses as he turns his eyes toward the house, and penetrating that miracle-mon- gering crowd sees the honest, sincere worship¬ ping heart, and the heart of Jesus is knit with the heart of the centurion, and opening his lips he speaks directly to the centurion, for he had drawn nigh unto the house, saying, “Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” How He Found Faith in the Earth 115 The Nobleman s Faith In what awkward ways the heart makes its attempts at faith? It is hard to draw the line between sight and faith. Often a man will insist that his faith is pure when it is three- fourths sight. But Jesus who has his fan in his hand is ever sifting the chaff from the wheat; yes, he sifts for the finest of the wheat after the first separation is made from the coarser chaff. This sifting process is the more difficult for it is hard to discern heavenly things. But Jesus moves in faith clear and unclouded. He is coming out of Judea into Galilee. He has been to his first Passover since beginning his ministry. The people had their eyes fixed upon him down there at the feast. Many be¬ lieved on his name, beholding the signs that he did. But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men. He saw the mistaken direction of their faith. They be¬ lieved because they beheld the signs. Faith was sight with them. Different ones were try¬ ing to tell him what these “believing Jews” expected of him. The disciples themselves were very anxious to inform him of the nature of what these adherents were looking for in ii 6 The Silent Nazarene order that they might not be disappointed in their expectations, and that he might leave no opportunity slip in winning disciples. As these were whispering such things among them¬ selves with a degree of confiding, his great lonely heart was full of pity for those who thought themselves so nearly after his heart. They did not need to explain conditions unto Him for “he himself knew what was in man.” With this deep insight he goes into Galilee —everywhere meeting a throng. When at the very doors grossness is bolting in. The Galileans throng him. They have seen all the wonders that have made disciples at Jeru¬ salem, for they also went unto the feast. They insist that he do mighty works in Galilee as he did at Jerusalem. They are thronging him, asking for a sign. He has made his way as far as Cana. They come from Capernaum to Cana seek¬ ing signs. There comes out of Capernaum an officer of the king—even one of Herod’s of¬ ficers. This nobleman has something weigh¬ ing upon his mind and heart. He draws as near the Master as possible mid the jamming crowd. With anxious countenance he looks into the face of the busy Teacher. The eye of Christ has seen all the while but he does not How He Found Faith in the Earth 117 pause in the midst of his teaching for he knows full well the nature of the atmosphere in which he is moving. This nobleman is anx¬ ious to speak with the Healer but cannot bring himself to break the laws of propriety and thrust in upon him to ask favors while he is busy. But how can he tarry longer? His son is at the point of death. Why would it not suffice to touch his garments? Why not kneel before the Teacher as did the leper and con¬ fess to the Master what he believes he can do if he wills? The Master pauses and looks upon him as distress is marking itself upon his countenance more gravely every minute. The pause is but an instant and the impatient nobleman breaks in with a flood of supplica¬ tion. He presses upon the Master the neces¬ sity of coming down to Capernaum at once and healing his son lest he die. Of course if he dies all is over. It must be done at once to save the life of his boy. In his excitement he has forgotten propriety. The Teacher in masterful calmness speaks, saying, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will no wise believe.” The nobleman did not expect this rebuff. Now a pleading excite¬ ment of over-anxiety lays hold of him as he vehemently insists, saying, “Sir, come down 118 The Silent Nazarene ere my child die.” This nobleman would im¬ press the Teacher with the necessity of making haste—no time to discuss the relations of be¬ lief to signs. It would have been well if he could have spoken after the manner of the centurian,“Lord, speak the word and my child shall live,” instead of being jeopardized by the awful fear lest there would not be suf¬ ficient haste to save his child. Jesus will lead this nobleman into that higher faith into which the centurian leaps and seizes the reward. This man could not reach his home till the morrow though he turn back at once. Jesus speaks on this wise: “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” This was as though he said: “Thou art acting on the assumption that faith and sight have something in common, and that sight may exist, without faith, but faith never without sight. But I say, Go without sight, Go thy way; thy son liveth.” Jesus remains at Cana while that nobleman with his train of servants which he had to bring Jesus down departs for Capernaum. Somehow he is fac¬ ing Capernaum in a new faith—everything is new. The morning is beginning to break, and the crimson hues of light are making the rosy morning blush. There coming up the steep slopes towards the valley of the Sea of Galilee, How He Found Faith in the Earth 119 he gets a glimpse of a little company. As they draw nearer he recognizes his own ser¬ vants. Does a cold chill of apprehension that something worse has befallen his child since he left come over him? Not at all—his faith is clear and complacent, he knows all is right. He believed the word of Jesus. His servants are eager to tell him that his son lived. He quietly inquires of them the hour. They an¬ swer, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” As the little company moves on in silence the nobleman in deep meditation rever¬ ently mutters, “It was at that hour the Teacher said, Thy son liveth.” As he enters the house and relates the story, the mother looks upon her boy restored to health and then upon her husband upon whom faith had wrought such wonderful transforma¬ tion, and believes. Yes, the whole house be¬ lieves. What? That a prophet is able to say the word in Cana among the hills of Galilee so that the sick is restored to health in Caper¬ naum by the sea? But what of the Teacher’s faith? Some¬ how the supreme faith this Teacher manifested was as though he walked in sight. He al¬ ways brought forth results. In spite of all this he would insist that these outward manifesta- 120 The Silent Nazarene tions which the people called results were not “the good part that could not be taken away.” The large as well as the important part was hidden from sight. Faith only could achieve in this larger realm. So he must bid the noble¬ man walk by faith over the hills of Galilee even from Cana to Capernaum. As the noble¬ man walks in faith he walks with God and achieves—grips the secret of faith which had its spring in the Teacher. The Syrophcenician Woman As Teacher goes forward the opposition be¬ comes more persistent and stubborn. Truly he is finding faith in the earth—much fertile and good ground to receive the seed he is sow¬ ing, but the edge of vanity and jealousy is be¬ ing whetted more keen. Eyes that really hate are fixed upon his good deeds of service. He cuts through the shell and lays bare the hurt that is festering beneath a goodly appearance. The Pharisees are placing their treacherous snares everywhere. Jesus knows it all. Yet his kindness to men does not abate, though the • rising storm to crush him beats in persistently from every side. He withdraws into the borders of Tyre and How He Found Faith in the Earth 121 Sidon. There he seeks rest. He goes into an obscure house seeking cover from the storm that has been so mad about him. But he has no rest there. Here comes this one begging to be healed; there is that unfortunate crea¬ ture imploring aid. He goes out into the open. He may as well stand in the midst of the rushing stream of humanity—men want to see the face of Christ even in these foreign bor¬ ders. But he is for the Jews only—of course he is. What then is that Greek woman about in fol¬ lowing him? She is actually crying for mercy. The Teacher is paying no attention to her cry either. She goes persistently on and gets rather boisterous in her cry, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.” But he is silent—he answers her not a word. How can this man who went about doing good so ignore the cry of this distracted woman? The disciples are vexed at this altogether im¬ proper action on the part of this dog of a Gentile, and besought him, saying, “Send her away; for she crieth after us.” He answers and says, “Yes, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Does she see that she is disgusting the disciples, and is 122 The Silent Nazarene not winning the approval of the Teacher? She hears what the Teacher has said to the disgusted disciples and crushes herself through the edging crowd, and came, and worshipped him, saying, “Lord, help me.” Her impru¬ dence calls rebuke from the Teacher upon whom she has thrust herself? Why did he not send her away at the suggestion of the out¬ raged disciples? Why cruelly thrust through her fervent appeal? Listen! is this from the lips of the Teacher who spake words of sym¬ pathy and hope as never man spake? “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.” But what of that creature? Does she resent this unwarranted thrust? She is conscious that she is a Gentile, and does not have to have it reinforced by a phrase of con¬ tempt to cause her to realize her position. Is there something in the manner of his voice that kills the spirit of resentment, or is she so overwhelmed with grief that she does not sense it? Hear—she speaks, “Yea (that’s so), Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the chil¬ dren’s crumbs.” We will question the wisdom of the procedure of this Teacher no further. He answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.” How He Found Faith in the Earth 123 This woman was where she could will and have her desire. And her daughter was healed from that hour. “And He Healed Many” This man of Nazareth walks forward in the earth taking for granted that all things must bend to the wishes of the fullgrown man. Of course this man must be fullgrown, and a man must walk with Jesus to be fullgrown. We find this Man teaching as never man taught before—the source of his teaching is centered in God while the object of his instruction is centered in the needs of man—his brother. He is negligent of his own needs. It is as though he had none that should call for con¬ sideration. At times he did try to find rest but upon how many occasions did he forsake his rest and come into the throng to help men on to life. Never man did as this man—he was no recluse, no ascetic—but what of sacri¬ fice? That was everywhere. Things that the earth called good were constantly thrust be¬ hind him. They must go as shadows as he wades into the suffering needs of men. Yes, he heals many of divers diseases. He does not stop here. He takes the dead by the hand 124 The Silent Nazarene and says, “Arise.” Yes, as one would call a friend from his morning rest he calls the dead to life again. It is so when men laugh him to scorn because he speaks of death as men do of sleep, he goes on unwavering in his course, takes the dead by the hand and calls it back into life as gently as a mother calls her sleep¬ ing child to its play. Who is this man? We must read what we can of his life and let that suffice, for the power with which he is ac¬ quainted is always at hand and is always effi¬ cient. He needs only to exercise faith in this power and things are done. He seeks to con¬ vince men that such power is even at their doors. He tells them that with an almost in¬ conceivable amount of faith they could uproot a mountain and hurl it into the sea. A word would do this he says. Have faith in God and all things are at your command. But we must not forget that he who taught and acted on this principle said likewise, “An evil and an adul¬ terous generation seeketh after a sign”; and that he also said of himself, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me.” So the great mark of consistency is found everywhere in him. Now he has come out of the borders of Tyre and Sidon to the sea of Galilee into the midst How He Found Faith in the Earth 125 of the Decapolis. Yes, he is in the midst of the cities again, and there is a howling multitude. They all are eager to see. To see what! Just what men of every generation clamor for—to see “some strange thing.” How they tire of the mediocre and commonplace. Yet life is staked deep in things of common kind. Here the restless multitude is surging again—their fickle demands pressing upon the overwrought teacher. Many also bring their sick to be healed. Here is a deaf mute. What can he expect? Jesus cannot get an answer from this man as to what he would have him do and thereby determine his faith. This man of God de¬ pends not upon lips to tell needs and show faith. He knows “what is in man,” and he is at home with the needs of men. So this tongue-tied, deaf man does not even need to nod his head to tell what he believes can be done. But Jesus takes him aside pri¬ vately from the fickle multitude that was cu¬ rious to see “some sign,” and he put his fingers into his ears and touched his tongue; and look¬ ing up to heaven he sighed and said unto him, “Be opened.” Why aside privately? Could he not have been healed with a word mid the multitude? 126 The Silent Nazarene Is not this what the friends of the dumb man expected? His ears were opened; the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. But something else happened. The Healer charged this loosed tongue to hold the secret—“tell no man.” But the more he charged him so much the more he published it. Yes, when he re¬ turns to the multitude speaking plainly every one must ask him a question to hear how he speaks. Do you hear them exclaim, “It was never so seen in Israel.” They were as¬ tonished beyond measure, saying, “He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.” They could test this miracle on the spot, and examine it by the word of mouth—handle and touch it everywhere. So the Teacher lays the charge, “Except ye see signs ye will not believe.” The New Birth The prophet said of the coming righteous ruler—the Branch of the stock of Jesse, “He shall draw his breath in the fear of the Lord.” He gives him a place of unique distinction above all the rulers of the earth. The atmos¬ phere in which the rulers of the earth draw their breath is charged with self-interests— How He Found Faith in the Earth 127 they judge after the sight of the eye and the hearing of the ear. But it is not so with this king. “He shall not judge after the sight of the eyes, neither decide after the hearing of the ears; but with righteousness.” Marked are the traces in physical life of the atmosphere in which they draw their breath. They are as the breath they breathe. They live, move and have their being in that which they breathe. They change with it, and we say, They become accli¬ mated. When they give up drawing their breath in the atmosphere they become like the inanimate nature out of which their breath came. Some of the elements of their decom¬ posing forms become through the changing processes of nature the atmosphere to feed the physical life anew. Constantly a new or¬ der is born out of an old order, but still it is physical—still it is densely ingrained in sel¬ fishness—each seed is yielding seed after its kind. They feed and help each other in spite of self-promotion. Nature forces them to die —to give their lives to others—a law born out of necessity. This is the law to which the brute must yield. Must man share in the same? He must draw his breath in two atmos¬ pheres—the physical and the spiritual. 128 The Silent Nazarene Man opens his eyes in a material world, and he has his ears open to catch the sounds from every direction. He may doubt every¬ thing else, and he may thrust himself along and exist in spite of everything else, but one thing he knows—he knows the body must be fed. He may gather his living as the savage by plundering the weaker, or he may steal, or he may get it dishonestly by invading the rights of his fellow, or he may be in the struggle honestly for that which he knows he must have. This to both eye and ear is the very important thing—“A man must live.” Now the spiritual side in its manifold pos¬ sibilities is in need of training and develop¬ ment to enable it to swing out into the larger range of the universe. But here at the very threshold it is endangered of being bound hand and foot in the physical struggle for ex¬ istence which develops into greed. Instead of the spirit enlarging and rising out of the physical it is saturated and surcharged with it. This renders the rulers incapable of ren¬ dering righteous judgment, they are largely biased by their own interests—they are as the atmosphere in which they draw their breath. What moral and spiritual excellence must there be to lift above these things? It must How He Found Faith in the Earth 129 be none other than this, that one must draw his breath in the spiritual rather than the phy¬ sical atmosphere. The spiritual atmosphere must proceed forth from the God-centre—He must draw his breath in the fear of the Lord. “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.” It is no longer a matter of nature driving and forcing on out of its laws of necessity that death may force the rightful claim of others, but it is a matter of moral and spiritual achievement in which the motives of unselfish¬ ness rule and make possible the life that is achieving in giving up all in enriching life about it. Such requires the new birth—the birth from above out of the higher spiritual order: “Ye must be born again.” What then is the advantage? Here the rights of others are not only tolerated, and jealousy safeguarded, but the servant’s own life is lost sight of in interest of the life all about. It is no longer bold necessity driving one to give up for sake of the other but it is love sweetening and strengthening life every¬ where. Brutes no longer devour one another for a subsistence but men live for one another, and all work together in the supreme love of God for the perfecting of the plan of crea- 130 The Silent Nazarene tion. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.” Now this was the way exactly the common people were measuring Jesus, namely, by the miracles he was performing. Marveling at the signs that he did, the common people at once took him to be the Messiah, and set them¬ selves to make him their king; but the same excited jealousy in the breasts of the Pharisees. But this time we have a Pharisee coming to Jesus and it meant much for this man, being a ruler of the Jews, to take such a step. He had seen these signs wrought and his heart was burning within him to have a private in¬ terview with the Teacher. The night is quiet, and why arouse any needless prejudice in a matter of this kind? The foolhardy and the unwise flaunt what they can do in the face of bias and prejudice. So this man comes at night to have a quiet, un¬ disturbed interview with the great Teacher. Jesus is not talking to the unlearned and the man of common affairs this time; but he is How He Found Faith in the Earth 131 conversing with one who should, if any, un¬ derstand the great things that pertain to the religion of the Jews. However, this ruler did did not introduce himself, happily for his position and standing in Israel. He was tak¬ ing the same standard of measurement as the common people. At the suggestion of the learned ruler that the signs that the Teacher did were unmistak¬ able marks of his divine origin, Jesus an¬ swered and said unto him: “Then, Nicodemus, thou hast proof of what I am, and whence I came?” “Yea, Teacher, I have good evidence—I have seen the miracles thou hast wrought, and I am convinced that no man can do these signs except God be with him.” “This then is proof conclusive that the king¬ dom of God is come?” “Yea, Rabbi, all men believe that Messiah has come.” But Jesus answered and said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” There are two or three deep furrows in his forehead as Nicodemus looks into the calm, benign face of the Christ as the pale light of the moon is but half revealing the delicate 132 The Silent Nazarene tender pity that is expressing itself from his deep searching eyes. Do the lips of the Christ quiver, or do they remain fixed while his eyes in the spell of that pale moonlight pierce and speak, “Are they hard words, Nicodemus?” What questions have been beaten out at white heat from the forge of the inquiring soul under the spell of the mystical? The lips of this ruler of the Jews part, and the question that is forged under the glow of the mystical spell, he somehow attempts to excuse in a childish inquiry, saying, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Jesus answers on this wise: “Is it possible that thou canst only think in terms of the flesh and the material? The flesh profiteth noth¬ ing. The Spirit maketh alive. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of the Spirit he cannot see the kingdom of God.” At this Nicodemus looked upon the Christ in silent amazement. He was not prepared to speak for what a trifling distance was the un¬ derstanding of this ruler of the Jews removed from that of the common people? He was measuring the Teacher with the same measure as that of the fickle multitude. The Teacher looked upon this ruler mystified to silence. How He Found Faith in the Earth 133 and said: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Thou knowest that it is done—the marks are proof positive.” Nicodemus is perplexed beyond measure, for somehow he feels the ground sliding from under his feet—even that ground upon which the Jewish thought of the Messiah had built so strongly. All the Jews’ ambitions and hopes were freighted upon this one hope. Now he discovered this man to whom he bound this hope looking into something vague and un¬ certain—apart from the cherished hope upon which the Jew had staked his all. So with lips apart Nicodemus continues to look into the face of the great Teacher, but as he looks his lips steal an expression from his over¬ charged soul. “How can these things be?” Jesus knew all the while what was going forward in this ruler’s soul of souls, and an¬ swered and said unto him, “Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these 134 The Silent Nazarene things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?” Nicodemus bows his head in deep contem¬ plation as though he said, “I don’t understand but I will follow thee.” So it was when the rulers of the Jews were assembled in Council to condemn the Teacher and plan his destruc¬ tion that Nicodemus saith unto them, “Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?” This brought down the storm upon the head of Nicodemus, for they answered him, saying, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” And John who gives us this glimpse of the great Teacher and this lone pupil on that certain night gives us this glimpse also: “And there came also Nicodemus, he who at first came to him at night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices.” The silent miracle was at work—the new birth was on in spite of the fact that the cher- How He Found Faith in the Earth 135 ished hope of Israel was shattered. The Living Water These two are inseparably linked together —God and immortality. This has been the miracle working spirit among men. It mat¬ ters little how men of scientific bias endeavor to explain the teachings of Jesus as being pri¬ marily confined to this earthly life, there al¬ ways has been, and there is, and there always will be a large majority among Christians who insist with Paul: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (pitiable).” However, this may be interpreted, this one thing is certain, the apostle had insistent reference to the resur¬ rection and the hope in the future life for the individual. Not the immortality and triumph of the good, though that is tacitly assumed. It is certainly individual immortality that is aimed at—Eternal life and enjoyment of the Kingdom of God for all who have “fought the good fight” and have “kept the faith.” Men will ever interpret such words as these from Jesus: “Because I live, ye shall live also,” not as referring to a redeemed and purged social order, but as a declaration of in- 136 The Silent Nazarene dividual immortality when death has stripped the last vestige of material being from off the soul of the believer. It shall be an immortal¬ ity of divine companionship—the life of the believer is inseparably bound up in the life of the great Friend and Redeemer. And as this Redeemer is God for us, it is the most natural conclusion in the world to say: “Be¬ cause God lives we shall live also.” Do not the gospels breathe out this spirit everywhere? The parables have reference to this great up¬ lifting hope that raises humanity’s drooping head; so is the irresistible undercurrent of the miracles or works of Jesus (for all the works of Jesus are miracles, for when have works transformed the heart of humanity as these works have done?) ; and his direct teachings (without parable and without works) always leave the spirit aglow that this is so. Men may have taken the teachings of Paul to erect their precise definitions in theology, but it cannot be said that from these precise man¬ made phrases and absolute categorical defini¬ tions they have drawn their inspiration of eternal life. Sanely considering it on the other hand—the works, the parables, the direct teachings, and the life of Jesus Christ on earth have the great climax in the risen Lord How He Found Faith in the Earth 137 —a voice that cannot be hushed. Earth may hold the empty tomb but heaven received the risen Lord. The believer remembers that Jesus of Nazareth said, “I go to prepare a place for you,” and that believer knows that the risen Lord has gone that way to fulfill the promise, and sets his face steadfastly in the direction his Lord has gone. The burden of proof is with the opposition if they will have it otherwise. Why all these words? Because men have been unwilling to grasp immortality in its en¬ tirety. Not that they fail to live the whole of immortality at once, that is out of the question, but that they have been confused as to its be¬ ginning—many thought the grave was to be the beginning; yes, and many think the same to-day; while others hold—eat, drink, and be merry here, and if there is anything hereafter— “all well and good,” and if not you have this much enjoyment out of your existence at any rate. This latter class miss the mark en¬ tirely. Such would not justify even an exist¬ ence. It is sheer selfishness to make enjoy¬ ment an end in itself as this class would fain do. Existence is justified only in living for others, and immortality awakens in the breast just in so far as life is lost in the welfare of 138 The Silent Nazarene the neighbor. The two voices must not be confused. Gross selfishness says, “Get out of life all you can for yourself:” while the seed out of which immortality bursts forth is every¬ where exclaiming, “Put into life all you can for others.” So the embryo of immortality is service, and this is certainly what Jesus taught, “He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Equally true is it that self-seeking is the sepulchre of death, “He that findeth his life shall lose it.” Here it is all put succinctly. The man who seeks to get out of life all he can for self and who fears to trust too much to a future life lest he leave some enjoyment slip here on earth, loses himself in eternal death; while the man who lives by the great principles of Christ in denying self and taking up his cross forgets himself into eternal life. This is not merely a great name to endure to the end of time in the memory of men, for that too is hollow deceiving, but the fact of a personal life of development out of the great principles of love and service in an eternity beginning with the first unfolding of life— this unbroken development of the personal life of the individual is the immortality that is meant. As a reaction to the doctrine that we must How He Found Faith in the Earth 139 wait till the grave gives up its dead to begin immortality, and also to escape the monstrous idea that we are to get all the enjoyment out of this life possible, as a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, men have laid undue emphasis upon service to our fellows here. Yes, they tell us to go ahead and do the right thing by our fellows here as the future is back of the veil and we do not know very much about it at any rate. It’s a matter of very little concern to us, and Christ did not place much emphasis upon it either. Is this so? Is this voice a true interpretation of Christ? Does it voice the highest that is in the heart of man? The answer in each case comes with an emphatic “No.” Personal immortality is the important thing just as the personal exist¬ ence of the Eternal God is the important thing. Then the man who is voicing our age throws up his hands and exclaims with great indignation, “Selfishness!—then you make the motive for immortality selfish, and personal salvation is a selfish affair.” Let the charge this voice has brought be searched out. It is a selfish affair if you are trying to be saved alone regardless of the good that should come by your having lived to your fellows. But if what we see here among men is 140 The Silent Nazarene a glimpse of the perfect type that is in heaven, then it is no selfish idea if we wish to grow out of limitations and imperfections to be clothed upon with larger capacity for doing good. We are told by him who attained the highest moral and spiritual achievements the earth has ever witnessed that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that who¬ soever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Now the motive that prompts Heaven to serve and save is love. Love does not need an imperfect world in the sense that it is sin¬ ful to do service. Many in these days speak as though the whole of service is the patching up of disabled machinery. The machinery needs repair, that is true, but it needs to be repaired that the grain might be better pro¬ duced and garnered. Therefore, the highest achievements, and that for which we are so busy in bringing about the proper conditions for bodily comfort and development is moral and spiritual excellence. Jesus Christ says, Take the Father’s perfection as the goal to¬ ward which to strive. If we are to be perfect even as our Father who is in heaven is perfect, it should not be surprising when we hear Jesus saying such How He Found Faith in the Earth 141 things as these: “Whosoever liveth and be- lieveth in me shall never die”; “He that be- lieveth on me hath everlasting life”; “Because I live, ye shall live also”; “Whosoever drink- eth of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” The grave does not even arrest this great process of life. It is but the bursting of the crude shell, and life cuts loose from its many limitations, springs up into its larger activities—a living in and because of Christ, putting on more and more of the nature of God. He who grasps this conception here prays fervently and reverently, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. God’s will being done here does not exclude its being done in heaven, but makes emphatic the burning de¬ sire of the child of God that earth be brought into closer relation and a deeper harmony with heaven. He who prays fervently, “Thy kingdom come,” does not exclude individual or personal immortality, but shares in the great beneficent nature of God who wills that all peoples of the earth have part in the high¬ est possible good and blessedness. They who utter this prayer are moved by the great mo- 142 The Silent Nazarene tive that moves the heart of God, for God so loved the world. This is participating in God’s great nature, entering into his beneficent plan, and achieving along with his Almighty arm. "Therefore to whom turn I but to thee, the ineffable Name? Builder and maker, thou, of houses not made with hands! What, have fear of change from thee who art ever the same? Doubt that thy power can fill the heart that thy power expands? Th ere shall never be one lost good! What was, shall live as before; The evil is null, is naught, is silence imply- ing sound; What was good shall be good, with, for evil, so much good more; On earth the broken arcs; in heaven, the perfect round.” Shall we then say that the grave shall sun¬ der such relations, or even arrest this com¬ panionable working together? Shall the Al¬ mighty go on and cast aside those with whom he has wrought and take on new till he sees How He Found Faith in the Earth 143 fit to be done with them? Wherein then shall the plan of creation be effected? Shall he discard and cast aside all types till he gets a type to suit him? Why not then have created a perfect type in the beginning? Can he take the imperfect type and bring it into perfec¬ tion if that type desires that such should be, and that God’s will be done in the achieving? Is not the desire of the child like unto that of the Father? And where is the power in heaven, earth or hell that can separate the yearnings of the heart of the child for the Father from the loving kindness and the ten¬ der mercies of the great heart of the Almighty Father for the child? “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas, and then how much more grandly shall developing souls burst the crude shell and enter upon the eternal inherit¬ ance, as servants of the Most High; yea, as sons of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. The redeemed and purged social or- 144 The Silent Nazarene der upon the earth will not exclude individual immortality, and was never taught by Christ and his disciples that it would. But on the other hand the definite teachings on which the hope of individual immortality is based, have broadened the horizon, deepened the zenith, and have made men heroic in circum¬ stances that otherwise would have crushed them. To minimize this uplifting hope will be to make men move in a dead line in the earth, however pure and noble the idea may be thought to be by doing so. What grander purpose can there be than a glowing desire to have all men everywhere to lift up their heads above the dead-weight of materialism and share in this most blessed of hopes? Without it men become gross as the material with which they work, and though noble their ef¬ forts might seem to be the force is spent in patching up machinery to have it fall to pieces in their hands. The Master has warned us of this sort, saying, “Labor not for the meat that perisheth.” Then too with the fulcrum of immortality to lift the faith of men we have something to console when “The silver chord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returneth How He Found Faith in the Earth 145 to the earth as it was,” for we are persuaded that the spirit of our friend “returneth unto God who gave it.” Jesus leaves Judea, and departs for Galilee, and he must needs pass through Samaria. And he came to Sychar, a city of Samaria, near to the parcel of ground Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. He sat by the well as his disciples departed into the city to buy bread. As he sat there a wo¬ man came out of the city to draw water. That woman saw him this lone Jew but made as though she saw him not. This Jew, however, is searching out her heart, and saith unto her, “Give me to drink.” The woman, starting back, saith unto him, “How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me who am a Samaritan?” “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, ‘Give me to drink,’ thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” The woman saith unto him, “Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water?” The eye of the great Teacher penetrated and searched deep into the secrets of the soul 146 The Silent Nazarene that was drawing within itself. The woman would ask another question as though subtly to conceal the importance she attached to the first. “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof him¬ self, and his sons and his cattle?” But help¬ less creature! she had only opened the way for this Jew whose eye was searching her out. The Jew answered, saying, “Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again. The water of this well gives only temporary sat¬ isfaction; thirst becomes as burning as ever, and if the man who drinketh here is lost in the desert he will die of thirst. “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.” Doth she still evade as though she discerned not in the least the meaning of what he said? “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not (had she made an end of speaking here it had been well, but she must add further only to her confusion), neither come all the way hither to draw.” The great Master has pressed the motive of her heart to a thirsting desire, and now must How He Found Faith in the Earth 147 uncover and lay bare the heart, showing her “all she ever did.” “Go, call thy husband, and come hither.” Can she find any subtle way of evading this request? She cast her eyes down and in spite of herself made the bold confession, for the searching eye and the pressing question of this Jew had stung her to the quick: “I have no husband.” She didn’t mean to tell him that she only sought to escape that scrutinizing search. But the Teacher had uncovered the secret—laid open the wound to the garish light which she had fought so hard to keep him from accom¬ plishing. “Thou saidst well, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband; this hast thou said truly.” It is as though the Teacher said even in lan¬ guage more expressive than the spoken word, “Thou hast made as though thou couldst not sense the meaning of what I was speaking to thee concerning ‘the living water,’ but in thine every word to conceal thou didst lay bare thy need of the diving water.’ ” The thing is so. But it is too plain for the woman’s comfort. Again she must confess 148 The Silent Nazarene as the truth presses, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.” Had she stopped with this admission she had done well. But such was not to be. The gaze of the eyes of the revealer of hearts was burning into her soul. She can¬ not look into his marvelous clear eye but must cast her eyes to Mt. Gerizan, for she would fain turn that terrible searching eye from her heart to this place of Samaritan worship. How she cried in her soul that he might spare her as that eye was searching out the secrets, and laying bare things just as they were. How could she dare let him go further? So she ventures a word to turn him from the privacy of her soul to the general customs of her re¬ ligion, saying, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” But, woman, you have spoken again to your confusion. This is no ordinary Jew, nor even a Jewish prophet with whom you are speaking. You understand far better than you wish to admit by the manner of your speaking. Your passing remark that either Jew or Samaritan is wrong as each is insistent upon his own pe¬ culiar place of worship as the only right and proper place is to cover you with greater con¬ fusion because of your subtle pretensions to How He Found Faith in the Earth 149 conceal the fact that you have recognized the truth. Did you hope to sidetrack this teacher —to divert him from the matter in hand by raising a question concerning the customs of these peoples who had been antagonistic from remote times? Listen! the Teacher takes up the remark. “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusa¬ lem shall ye worship the Father. Ye wor¬ ship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.” This Teacher has started out in a way alto¬ gether new—the place of worship of the Fa¬ ther would not be either in Mt. Gerizan, or in Jerusalem. In this statement alone he is a strange teacher for he has now swung back into line with the strictest of Jews: “Ye wor¬ ship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.” Has the expectation of the Samaritan woman been met by the Jew? Have we reached the despair of the Gentile in this Teacher also? But he has not made an end of speaking yet. Let us hear. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in 150 The Silent Nazarene spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. It cannot be otherwise. It is a matter of the heart, woman, and not of either ‘this mountain,’ or Jerusalem.” Is she saying in the holy of holies of her soul, “Yea, he is hitting straight at me again— I have had five husbands, and the man with whom I am living at present is not my hus¬ band. The heart must be true if the spirit is to worship the Father. So here the well of water springs up unto eternal life. But, oh! my heart-” Why didn’t she tear herself away from him? He was reading her life and she was reading out of the same book. She must stand and leave him read. It is so—she forgets all about filling her water-jar, and is led to ask question after question to her own confusion. He has gone to the seat of her sinful life, and now launch¬ ing out into the deep of spiritual mysteries he is telling her what is essential to be a true worshipper. It all resolves itself into what he told Nicodemus—“Ye must be born anew.” This woman knows that it all comes to what her heart is. Will she ask a needless How He Found Faith in the Earth 151 question? or will she ask a question to verify what she already is convinced to be true? “I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ) : when he is come, he will de¬ clare unto us all things.” This declarative question is a feeler of the way. Somehow she wishes to have her con¬ viction reinforced by words direct from the Teacher. Hardly daring to put a question for a matter so plain she hopes that a suggestion or hint will suffice. Jesus saith unto her, “I that speak unto thee am he.” Upon this came his disciples and they mar¬ veled that he was speaking with the woman; yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why speakest thou with her? So the woman left her water-pot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, “Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ?” How is Jesus regarding this conversation with the woman? His disciples urge him to eat, for the journey has been long and trying. But he saith unto them, “I have meat to eat that ye know not.” The disciples are standing together in 152 The Silent Nazarene couples with their heads together quietly dis¬ cussing the matter, saying, “Hath any man brought him aught to eat?” Has Simon Peter offered him bread and invited him to eat in behalf of the other disciples who were mar¬ veling at the strange conduct of the Teacher? But Simon is not to be lightly refused. He must prevail upon the Teacher till the Mas¬ ter must explain that he has meat to suf¬ fice already. Simon is silenced and the dis¬ ciples are perplexed beyond measure. The Master answers their perplexities, saying: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest. He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto eter¬ nal life; that he that soweth and he that reap¬ eth may rejoice together. For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are en¬ tered into their labor.” As he caused the woman to find her soul by referring to the well of water from which she had come to draw, so he was helping the dis- Hozv He Found Faith in the Earth 153 ciples to find the soul of their work from the loaf of bread they had offered him to eat. Thereupon the Samaritans came out of the - city and besought him to abide with them, and he abode there two days. This is the voice of the many who believed as they addressed the woman, saying, “Now we believe, not because of thy speak¬ ing : for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.” Is Simon Peter whispering into the ear of Andrew, saying, “This is the last place in the world one would expect to hear anything like this, is it not?” “Verily it is so, Simon, and there are no Pharisees to hear it either,” suggests Andrew. “Well, I don’t quite understand the Master these last few days,” gasped Simon. Were they standing too near that woman who was puzzled over the fact of the invasion of the privacy of her life? , “Men, why question ye concerning this Teacher? He told me all that I ever did. When I asked for that living water, he told me that the worship of God depends alone upon a true heart; yea, that God and immor¬ tality of the spirit are inseparable—out of the true heart a well of water springeth up unto 154 The Silent Nazarene life eternal because God is a Spirit.” The golden thread running through the dialogue of the Teacher with this lone Samar¬ itan woman as well as that with the disciples upon their arrival from the city at the well is that the whole purpose of God consists of life. His works are eternal because He himself is eternal. As we are sharers in his work with reference to his eternal purpose and plan, we are partakers with him of eternal life. To do His will and achieve with him is to become like him—sharing his nature and life. He who said, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to accomplish his work,” said this also, “I and my Father are one,” and the same authority declared, saying, “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.” His kinsman are they who achieve with him in the eternal purpose and plan of the Father. Why? “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit.” Then how natural is his earnest prayer to the Father, “That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us.” How He Found Faith in the Earth 155 “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.” Another way of saying that the activities and processes of life shall not be arrested at the grave, but rather the limitations being thrown off shall achieve in the unbounded freedom of the Father. The Sinful Woman Forgiven If we have no direct evidence that Nicode- mus became an out and out disciple of the great Teacher, and have no direct language from the Samaritan woman that she ever re¬ ceived the living water, we have without read¬ ing between the lines the example of a woman who was a sinner experiencing the forgive¬ ness of sins. Here is the master miracle per¬ formed and yet men regard it so little. It takes men so very long to find out that achieve¬ ment in the excellence of character is the chief end and goal of life. This grand product is drawn out of the promiscuous mixture of life in its alloy by the magic power of love. Men are constantly mistaking the alloy for the gen¬ uine currency and consequently love is smoth- 156 The Silent Nazarene ered out by what is cheap and gross. Jesus has made the line distinct so that there need be no mistake provided one wishes to find out what is enduring that undue importance be not attached to that which is passing. The greed of the Rich Fool covers him with confu¬ sion and death—“So is he that layeth up treas¬ ure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Loving service is the radiant glow of eter¬ nal life while self-indulgence and greed dark¬ ens in the sombre gray of death. The acts and teachings of Jesus were golden shafts of the light of eternal life. In Him love bursts forth into life everlasting. It is a well-spring producing eternal life in others, and others in turn are the lovers to renew the life in the soul that loves, and so it is ever perpetually re¬ newing itself in vigor, energy, and fullness in the completion of life—eternity is needed for the maturing of the fruitage of love. It is completed unselfishness that loses and finds itself in the abundant life. Personal immortality is the highest idea of unselfishness—we would live forever that we might live for others, that life might have its full fruitage. Blessed are those who “love much.” Is this not the heart of God? “God so loved the world that he gave his only be- How He Found Faith in the Earth 157 gotten Son.” Because He loved God lost himself. His loving life rescued the prey out of the jaws of death and in its glow “brought life and immortality to light.” So the acts and teachings of Jesus can be explained in no other way than love working out eternal life. Did I hear a citizen of Capernaum say, “Who can but love the prophet of Nazareth? Why, he’s doing good and helping men every¬ where.” “Yes,” exclaims a Pharisee, “he’s a likely person but then he is not careful enough how he goes around with sinners.” Now Simon the Pharisee steps up, and with an intensive gesture says, “That’s all very true -—he’s not careful how he touches sinners, but I like him.” Well, Jesus gets an invitation to the home of Simon the Pharisee, and as they are sitting at meat a woman of the city, who is a sinner, comes in and standing behind at his feet, weeping, began to wet his feet with her tears, and wipe them with the hairs of her head, and she kissed his feet, and she broke over them the alabaster cruse of ointment which she had brought with her and anointed them. A dark frown broods over the brow of i 5 8 The Silent Nazarene Simon as he looks upon this thing. He is say¬ ing within himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.” Was Simon not aware of the conduct of the Teacher before he bade him to his house, to share the hospitality of his board? Or has he felt his hospitality outraged by the conduct of the Teacher as he sat at his table? Even the feelings at times suppress and hide and strive to conceal the real motives mid the shadows of subtle pretensions of generosity. But Jesus, answering these dark question¬ ings going forward within the soul of Simon, said unto him, “Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.” Now Simon is at the supreme effort of sub¬ tle devising to conceal—he is at the end of his string. He must make it appear that noth¬ ing extraordinary has taken place within him¬ self, and that he is ready to learn in eagerness what the Teacher has to say. He requests him to proceed. “Teacher, say on.” “A certain man had two debtors: the one owed him five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. When they had not wherewith to pay, How He Found Faith in the Earth 159 he forgave them both. Which of them there¬ fore will love him most?” Simon is now creeping within himself, but there is but one respectable thing to do and that is to answer him—and to answer him properly as common sense would instruct. Yet he is a trifle reluctant after he had begun to make answer. “He, I suppose to whom he forgave most.” The Teacher is full of self-possession and his is the opportunity to drive home the truth. He will rip off the bark that the palpitating heart of the Pharisee might be laid bare and exposed. Fixing the searching eye intently upon the eye of Simon he said, “Thou hast rightly judged.” Turning to the woman the great Teacher said unto the Pharisee— “Here is the application of the parable. Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she has wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins which are many, are for- i6o The Silent Nazarene given; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” He is turning his eye from Simon as he is uttering this last phrase in which he points out Simon as the other debtor that loves little. In his rebuke he is saying to the Pharisee, Thy frown bars thee ever from sharing the blessedness this woman shares this day. Now his concern is the woman as he looks with deep compassion upon her, saying, “Thy sins are forgiven.” This is but to intensify the feelings of dis¬ approval that is rankling in the hearts of those who sat at meat. Hard knots are filling the throats and they are beginning to say within themselves, ‘‘How far will this man go?” “Who is this that even forgiveth sins?” But the hands of Jesus are lifted in bene¬ diction as he is saying unto the despised wo¬ man, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” He performed no physical miracle of heal¬ ing upon this woman, and this woman had not come for such. Jesus tells us why she came and anointed his feet, “For she loved much.” She loved the good and pure, but how prone she was to do the evil. She was chained about, helpless. She would do better but evil was present with her and so powerful. She saw How He Found Faith in the Earth 161 how wonderful kind and good this prophet was. She was convinced that he could lift her burden, relieve her of sin and strengthen her to begin life all anew. She could not tell him what was wrong in her life and how much she loved the good and the pure, and how she longed for his help and assistance. She can do better than telling—she can act it all out. So it comes to pass as has been related simply because love burns through the dross of sin, unites the heart with God, and buds into life eternal. We hear the Master say, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” IV HOW HE ENTERED THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS THE BREAK WITH THE PHARISEES P HARISEE, why cast an eye of suspicion upon the work and life of the Nazarene? Do you regard it as not genuine that you con¬ stantly impute to him perverted, dark motives as prompting all his gracious works? You say this Man works through the Prince of devils—Beelzebub. You say he is not of God or he would not dare work on the Sabbath. What gracious act of loving service can pro¬ fane the Sabbath? You violently charge him with blasphemy because he declares his right to so work, “My Father worketh hitherto and I work.” The Lord has put the matter up to you, “Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?” The sub¬ lime truth, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” The Christ 165 166 The Silent Nazarene made this truth living and concrete in his life so that all might see it and profit by it. “The Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.” Pharisee, why charge this Man with profan¬ ing the Sabbath who finds it at the very root of human need? You strain your treacherous eye to entrap him. Can you find anything save your own dark charges? Is not the mul¬ titude seeking him even in desert places? The people would make him king. They are de¬ serting you on every side. Strict religious formalists—slaves of a hopelessly compli¬ cated tradition, you know that this man is at the heart of life and you are losing ground day by day. You see him among the urgent needs of men. How these needs cry out to him? H ow busy he is ministering! He is sought on every side. Ah, your mad jealousy is ris¬ ing as you see these things. You question among yourselves how you can make away with him. Hear the warning the Master gives concerning you: “Do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and they lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” The great Teacher has placed the charge at your How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 167 door. This is why men forsake you and seek His new teaching of authority. Yours is arti¬ ficial ground while His is truth—the ground in which life has sent down and fixed its roots. You have nothing to wage your warfare with save treachery and jealousy. So you say there are dark motives at the seat of all this grand achievement of this humble man. So you plot underhand, secret, and devilish methods for seizing him and making way with him. Brazen boldness! crush rather than let the superior live. The Master warns against your secret leaven which gathers all the filth and dregs from hidden, dark, poisonous, deadly sources—“Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Your sin stalks into his most sacred and forbidden courts. You have your religion on parade and your aim is to impress the people with the spectacu¬ lar and show them how much better you are than they. “Woe unto you scribes and Phari¬ sees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses and for a pretence make long prayers: there¬ fore ye shall receive greater damnation.” You despise the publican, and shun with horror and revolting disdain the wretched harlot. Hear the Man of Nazareth speak: “Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the har- 168 The Silent Nazarene lots go into the Kingdom of God before you.” You do your works to be seen of men—make broad your phylacteries; love the uppermost rooms at the feasts and chiefest seats in the synagogues; love to be greeted in the market¬ places and be called by all men “Rabbi, Rabbi; yes, your very prayers are made to be seen of men, for you stand in the conspicuous places of the market and even thank God in a very distinct voice that you are not like other men. Reserve must give when tension is too great and the time has fully come. Terrible facts must stare mortals in the face with all their ghastliness. Scathing condemnation and bit¬ ing rebuke from the lips of the Nazarene who everywhere spoke loving words of hope and good cheer. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the out¬ side of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess.” He dares repeat the charge—“Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness. Even so ye also appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” And this also, “Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 169 how shall ye escape the judgment of hell.” The Great Confession Jesus goes up and down the land faithfully teaching and living the love of God. His pathway glows with service. The people come to him from every quarter. The multi¬ tudes throng him daily. They attempt to make him their king. He hides himself from their greed and perverted desires. But the Pharisees are acting out an entirely different drama They are moved against him with ceremonial prejudice because he permits his disciples to eat with “unwashen hands,” with religious bigotry and pride because “He is the friend of publicans and sinners,” with jealousy and envy because “all men hang on him listening.” Therefore they seek to kill him. They are planning that they might take him secretly because they fear the people. He goes up out of the borders of Israel into the parts of Caesarea Philippi. Here in this alien region he asks his disci¬ ples, saying, “Who do men say I am?” After listening to several opinions the disciples had caught from the people he asked them, “But who say ye that I am?” Peter is now the 170 The Silent Nazarene spokesman. “Thou art the Christ.” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.” “From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed.” The rec¬ ords state, “He spake the saying openly.” It is as though he said: “My disciples, you share the popular no¬ tion of making me a king. Have I lived so long a time with you serving the lone worsted outcasts in the by-ways and hedges and yet you share with the people the gross perverted ideas. All who follow in the paths in which I am serving men shall bear the image of kings. I am carrying out that image day by day. I am establishing the kingdom in your midst. You call it losing but in this seeming defeat I am achieving nobler and grander than ever earth has witnessed. “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and the chief priests, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Peter at once begins to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this .shall never be How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 171 done unto thee.” Jesus had vanquished this same Tempter before in the Wilderness of Temptation. How subtle the cunning—he comes in the garb of a disciple seeking to be¬ friend his Master. But Jesus knows the sub¬ tle Tempter and strips him of all his guile. He turns and says unto Peter, “Get thee be¬ hind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.” It is as though he said: “Must I too follow the multitudes down the broad way of death? Or should as many as it is given follow me into the narrow way of life through the straight gate? Be it far from me to go the way of ease. I am drinking the bitter cup and I must drain it to the bitter dregs. This is the way of God. This is ful¬ filling his purpose, hence my mission, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Thus Jesus enters the shadow of the cross and the disciples follow him, though they un¬ derstood him not, as he faces about to go to Jerusalem from Caesarea Philippi. Jesus is undisturbed, but the chosen few are full of dark apprehensions. They are as helpless fledglings. They hear the flutter of wings 172 The Silent Nazarene mid the darkness, but they can not tell whether they be the wings of mother bird or of some alien bird of prey. They stay close to the Master as these dark shadows of growing ap¬ prehensions are falling all about them. He takes three of them to the mountain that they might get a glimpse of the likeness of his resur¬ rection. The Transfiguration After six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John, and bringeth them into a high moun¬ tain apart. Yes, he takes the chosen three with him apart from the rest even of the disci¬ ples. He had been wont to frequent the mountain retreat alone for prayer but this time he wished to have the select three with him. As he prays his face shines as the sun, and his garments become white as the light. “And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.” The disciples are filled with the ecstasy of joy. In the thrill of their ecstatic condition Peter be¬ comes the spokesman, saying, “Lord, it is good for us to be here!” As one beside himself be¬ cause of the exuberance of joy he suggested, “If thou wilt, I will make here three taber- How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 173 nacles; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Luke says: “Now, Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.” Overawed by the marvelous vision Peter made the suggestion of the three taber¬ nacles, “not knowing what he said.” But even as Peter is speaking the heavenly visitors are parting from the Man of Nazareth. And ere that disciple had made an end of speaking, “There came a cloud and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye Him.” The disciples fall on their faces, and are sore afraid. Jesus comes and touches them, say¬ ing, “Arise, and be not afraid.” Lifting up their eyes they saw no one save the lone Man of Nazareth whom they had seen so often com¬ ing from his mountain retreat of prayer and entering the thronging multitudes to teach. But they will never forget the vision which this Man of Nazareth permitted them to be¬ hold of him as he was in prayer. He did con¬ stantly behold the heavenly but “their eyes were holden.” The disciples got a glimpse of the inner life 174 The Silent Nazarene of Jesus, and it is this that caused his path to glow radiant with service. A glimpse of the pure white Christ and a glimpse of his way is exceeding strange to earthly eyes. The heavenly coincides with the highest good that abounds in earth. His way is heavenward and homeward—the way of the highest good. So as he comes down from the mountain Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead. The disciples were confused and perplexed, “And they kept the saying, ques¬ tioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean.” To con¬ ceal their perplexity they would ask him about the coming of Elijah, for somehow they be¬ lieved that his reference to the “rising from the dead” had to do with the completion of his work as Messiah. Death is suggestive of suffering preceding. He told them all about that before he caused them to see this vision. Now after this vision he is telling them that the Son of man must rise from the dead. They must hold the secret till then. They must have some recourse, for Peter was rebuked when he undertook to assure him that no suf¬ fering could overtake him like unto that which he referred to while at Caesarea Philippi. So How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 175 they suggest, “How is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come?” With but few words he convinces them that Elijah indeed has come in the person of John the Baptist. But now they are come to the multitude and here things are different. The Epileptic From the silence of the mountain of this heavenly vision they move down into the val¬ ley at the foot of the mountain into the noise and the tumult of an excited multitude. There comes a man to him, kneeling before him, say¬ ing, “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is an epileptic, and suffereth grievously; for oft- times he falleth into the fire and oft-times into the water.” The epileptic is frothing and foaming before the disciples who remained at the foot of the mountain. These disciples are at their wits’ end as they have tried every way to relieve the suffering epileptic. The father has looked with great anxiety which turns to suspicion as their efforts prove vain and of no effect. Now that father is pleading with the Master, saying, “I brought him to thy disci¬ ples, and they could not cure him.” The Master is prompt to answer this heart cry— 176 The Silent Nazarene “Bring hither thy son.” As he is coming the demon dashed him down and tare him griev¬ ously. As he fell on the ground and wal¬ lowed foaming even Jesus seemed perplexed, and asked his father, “How long time is it since this hath come unto him?” as though the duration of the sickness would limit the power even of Jesus. The distracted father, believ¬ ing himself up against it here at the last resort, declares, “From a child.” He then describes anew the terrible condition of his boy and ends by saying, “But if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” There is a grave look on the face of the Master as he gazes into the face of that father, saying, “ Tf thou canst!’—even this kind fills the tombs of the earth. Heaven knows no such. ‘All things are possible to him that believeth.’ ” The distracted father braces up under the stinging rebuke so gently turned back upon him by this man who had been in prayer in the mountain, and cries out of the stress of his soul, “I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” The Master, seeing the multitude running to¬ gether, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, “Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.” And having cried out, and torn him How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 177 much, he came out: and the boy became as dead.” The multitudes are always ready with an opinion. Most of them shout aloud—“He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up, and gave him back to his father. “And they were all astonished at the majesty of God.” Now the baffled disciples who had re¬ mained at the foot of the mountain came to Jesus apart, and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said unto them, “This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer.” ?r- The Entrance of the King As morning dews upon the tender blade so are the prayers of Christ upon the soul. In silence they collect. Have you touched the blade mid the fevered heat of day? It is ten¬ der, yes, very much so. Yet it has not the sparkle of dew upon it. The sun is lowering; the twilight is gathering; the light is fading mid myriads of glimmerings; the darkness is falling all about. Touch the blade, and it has the gentle moisture of the dews upon it. Even in the pale light of the moon the grass is greening mid freshness of dews. Were it not for the night where would we find the gen- 178 The Silent Nazarene tie dews that sparkle beneath the radiance of the morning sun, and wear a freshness in the tender life till close of day when dews again freshen the larger forms in which life has shaped in spreading growth? How often in silence did Christ wait and gather the sweetness of heaven to his soul. The gentle dew-drops of refreshing hope and love came about his life we know not where and how. Yes, he stood forth as a living witness of the freshness of this power day by day. But at no time were they sweeter than when his earthly sun began to creep slowly down upon the horizon, and when the twilight of that great earthly life was gathering fast, yes, when the light of popular flattery and favor were fading even from the common people, when the darkness of the cross and Calvary and, the grave was heavily vailing all—ah, then the dews were gathering, the immaculate, the consummate sweetness of that great rich life in one tenderness of love and meekness; yes, suffering showed the goodliest vein of all, and death could not eclipse that life but only made it possible for the gentle and refresh¬ ing sparkle beneath the radiance of the heav¬ enly sun of the resurrection morning. Where have richer dews collected? What has ex- How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 179 celled the hope in the resurrected Christ and forever the living Redeemer? Ah, is the blade withered? See how the dews unfold it. Is the heart sunken and destitute? See how the resurrected and living Christ can make it alive, rejuvenescent in an expanding hope. Again were it not for the night how could we have such splendid dews collecting? Even in such nights mid the darkness brothers have plunged their swords to the very hilts into the breasts of their very best friends—even those who meant them nothing but well. Did they not so with Christ, the ablest and best friend man ever had? Yet of these same nights came the pure dews of sacred love. Here the very bosom of the Father is uncovered and unre¬ strained love leaps forth to wrest the bloody knife from the hands of cruel men—even the knife they are plunging each into the heart of his fellow; yes, this very knife God in Christ directs into his own heart and pours out his blood in profusion as a testimony unto them —even as a witness that mad man would plunge the gory knife into the breast of his very best friend in the blackest night of his insane, unwarrantable passion. The life of Christ passed through the nooks of silence, the only way Heaven has to 180 The Silent Nazarene speak. Such alone is consistent with Heaven’s nature. Did not the Still Small Voice so whisper in the soul? Did not that voice echo in the same consistency the revelation of the great God that spoke through all the nooks of human experience till Christ himself came to speak of it with authority? Not by lifting it out of this relation but by placing it more truly in its natural relation, and interpreting it more plainly there. In other words he showed men how God meant them to live. Everything material must subserve this pur¬ pose. Christ quietly lived this before men; yes, he lived it as he knew it from God. In life he finds its setting. In life he makes it speak. The life of man and God he made to blend. Then how plainly the voice of God is brought to man. Man hears it for himself. It is the Father’s voice to the children making it clear to them that they belong to him in the higher order and therefore should not be slaves to the lower order; that is, he is down with and among them to show them the way out—and not merely to show them, but to lead them—to go with them the whole distance— and further not merely to lead them but to deliver them—to lift them up into his bosom where they might breathe and live in him. How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 181 He saves them. This is what Jesus lived and taught each day in spite of the people misinterpreting him. His life was spent each day seemingly lost in misinterpretation, and even willful mis¬ representation. The dews collect at night¬ fall as Christ gathers in prayer within the silent covering of the darkness the reinvigorat¬ ing power for the duties and trials of the en¬ suing day. He knows that he is right and the clamoring multitudes are erring and deceived. They would make him king by force. The disciples found a colt tied at the door without in the open street; and they loose him, and bring him to Jesus, and cast upon him their garments; and he sat upon him. Meek and lowly this king of the hearts of men rides upon an ass. A great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went forth to meet him. And most part of the multitude spread their gar¬ ments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees and spread them in the way. And they that went before and they that fol¬ lowed, cried, “Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our 182 The Silent Nazarene father David: Hosanna in the highest.” Even the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen; saying, “Blessed is the king that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” The Pharisees rave within themselves and some of them from out the multitude call unto him, “Teacher, rebuke thy disciples.” But the Master holds the key of power. He will answer his enemies directly. “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones will cry out.” It is as though he said— “Things are right where cre¬ ation must speak. If its creatures and spokes¬ men do not testify to the truth, the very stones will cry out. Your mad jealousy can not stop this voice. You can not provoke them to si¬ lence longer. They must cry out even though they understand not what they cry. They in¬ deed hail me as king coming into my capitol to exalt this nation above the ends of the earth that this people might have the glory of swaying the sceptre over men—that men might bend their necks beneath their yoke.” As the multitude and the disciples were un¬ stinting in their praise the heart of this great king was sad—even mellow with pity and How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 183 compassion as he drew nigh the city and wept over it, saying, “If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation.” The Great Consolation The eve of the passover is come. The lit¬ tle group is gathered in the upper chamber. They saw that unusual sorrow marked the brow of the Master. The Master sees their hearts overstrained with anxiety. They were looking for things in an entirely different di¬ rection in spite of his teaching and life which had been wholly consistent. His conduct and actions are exceedingly strange to them. He, conscious of his oneness with God, lay aside his outer garment, girds himself with a towel and begins to wash his disciples’ feet. Peter’s protest is vehement, and can you won- 184 The Silent Nazarene der. Why John the Baptist declared that he himself was unworthy to stoop down and un¬ latch this man’s shoes. Now this very man is washing the disciple’s feet. He did this not to raise a sensation in his favor. He knew that he had all authority in heaven and on earth. Why then should he need a sensation? Then why perform this lowly service—even the work of a slave? The peerless Master will speak for himself. “You call me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you ought to wash one another’s feet. Have I ever strained an effort to impress you with my importance? Have I ever assumed any strained relation to impress you with my lordly dignity? Have I ever cut myself off from you to cast a strange, bewildering, mystic cloud about you? Are these ideas not dominating the earth, men striving to lord it over their fellows? Royalty has used them to domineer and enslave the subjects; religious impostors have used them to wing their fame. “But I am among you as he that serveth.” I and my Father are one. He showeth me all things that He himself doeth. Therefore I always do what things I have seen him do. You have seen me wash How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 185 your feet. I see the Holy Spirit of the Father doing as humble service in the midst of this broken humanity. I am his Son. It is my joy to do his work; yes, it is my meat to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work. You know him as your God. You reverence and worship him. Lo, He is in your midst as he that serveth.” The words that he spake were so different from those they were accustomed to hear from the lips of the scribes of the Pharisees, their teachers, that they sounded strange in their ears. The Master understood it all and set about to com¬ fort their hearts, saying, “I see your hearts are troubled. You can not understand me. You have fixed your mind too steadily upon my mortal body. You have been willing to concentrate and stake your all upon this visible manifestation. That is the reason you can not understand the way, Thomas. And for the very same reason you can not see the Father, Philip. Yes, you do not see Me. I would make this truth plain to you, but sorrow hath filled your hearts. You are sadly disappointed. You are at the brink of believing all is lost. The very fact that my body is here, that I am in the flesh, would help you understand if you would lift up your 186 The Silent Nazarene eyes and see Me. Indeed my body must be broken and taken away that you may under¬ stand. Then the Comforter which you can not see now will bring all things to your re¬ membrance. ‘He will teach you all things.’ He dwelleth with you even in your midst at this present hour. Your minds must be lifted out of the earthly by removing the earthly, even my mortal form. When this is come to pass you will see the great Spirit of God min¬ istering in lowly service even as you have seen me do in the body. This Teacher and Guide will never leave you but will educate you into life eternal. Those born of God know not how—but they know that they have passed from death unto life. “Surely I have lived, acted, and told you that such is the nature of God. I simply ask you if you would be my disciples to learn of me and go and do likewise. All this I have spoken about has no artificial undergirding. It is no make-believe fountain head. By gen¬ uinely loving one another is the only way to find the seat of life—the pure spring out of which gushes the infinite love of God which is eternal life. If you love me, keep my com¬ mandments. They will do you good. They will bring you into life. How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 187 “Now you are troubled, perplexed and overstrained. If you obey my voice and do as I have done then it will be well with you. For I go to prepare a place for you—even a place in my Father’s house, yes, among the mansions of my Father. I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also. But make good the time left you. Know that you are perfectly safe and secure in God, and that you shall so be in eternity, only you shall then better know it, and all life shall be given in larger meas¬ ures. Grow as though the evil about you were not, for it shall not come nigh you, for you have put your trust in me. No harm shall befall you, for the Lord shall be your secret pavilion and dwelling-place forever. He shall hide you beneath His wings, and shall keep you secure, though troublers are many on every side. He will feed you with his own life. He has sent me to tell you just such things as these. Let not your heart be trou¬ bled, neither let it be afraid. “You are just on the brink of eternity. If your eyes could see you would be surprised to know how near your Father’s house you are. You think you are far away. This is a delu¬ sion, a deception. How many sons returning 18 8 The Silent Nazarene home mid midnight darkness have been be¬ wildered, lost, even at the father’s door. If they could see, their confusion would not be at all. Now you can not see. You are dis¬ turbed, confused. Yet you believe in me. You have reposed confidence in me even up to this hour. I tell you the truth. You are very near the Father’s house where there are many mansions. You must lay aside your mortal body just as I laid aside my garment at the supper to wash your feet, and ye are there. Even now in this life you must regard the body as dead, as a garment laid aside, that the spiritual activities may have greater freedom to achieve, and that you may lose yourselves in lowly paths of service. Herein is my Fa¬ ther glorified that you bear much fruit. The glory of my Father is exceedingly bright in the mansions above. His glory there differs in no way from his glory here—that you bear much fruit—except in larger measures. When you have laid aside the mortal all these things will be plain. Where I am there you will be also. Have faith in God and see.” The Passover Fast falls the eventide, the darkness deep- i How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 189 ens, and Christ is with his little flock in the upper chamber. It is a lingering of the great soul of Christ over the few anxious, suspect¬ ing souls who had their all wrapt up in him. They knew their Master held the secret but were confused as to the meaning he wished to convey to them. His words seem plain but they were not so to them before all that terrible suffering and death. They were entering the dark heavy cloud that was, to shroud all in the black night of disappointment. Christ saw this anxiety resting upon them and their hearts in great uneasiness. It is like when the storm is brewing and the beasts of the field huddle and tremble with fear. A mournful unquiet¬ ness pervades everything. In the impending storm we get a glimpse of what Jesus saw and knew even while the spiritual darkness preg¬ nant with apprehension falls about the dis¬ quieted disciples, threatening to separate them sharply from their Master. Wells of sym¬ pathy opened in his great soul, and irresistable streams went forth charged with love and af¬ fection and emptied themselves into the gloom-pressed hearts of the disappointed, per¬ plexed and sorrowing disciples. A solemn si¬ lence reigns. Jesus knows there is but one way to save the situation—to inspire faith and 190 The Silent Nazarene hope. The earthly undergirding truly must be cut asunder. Rather the earthly scaffold¬ ing must be torn away, else all would stop with the earthly, the visible—all would be swal¬ lowed up in mortality. He has come to recon¬ cile them to God, to make them one with the Father even as he is one with the Father—to make known to them that they are sons of immortality. He sought to make this all plain to them that evening. But they had been cradled in other ideas. They were accustomed to think otherwise. It were as though all circum¬ stances were conspiring together, smiting them with blindness so that they knew not whither to turn. What if they could have been unrobed of mortality that evening? But God had another and better way, though they could not hear their Lord. (Have not words that were plain afterwards puzzled and be¬ wildered the best of us before an impending calamity?) It was a steady growth through mortality and a sure climb into immortality where each step is fixed with a clearer and larger vision. So the Master told them, say¬ ing, “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter. Do not mistake How He Entered the Shadow of the Cross 191 the primer for the final reader. Is it not but the threshold to the world of knowledge? The promise is ever—Thou shalt understand hereafter.” But now the hour is come, and he is sat down with the disciples. He had sought every available way to make it all plain to them. As he looks upon the passover meal spread before them there is a suggestion that there remains a possible way of showing unto them the great truth that is so baffling to them. At this he said unto them, “With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: for I say unto you, I shall not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” How was he to eat and not eat the passover with them at that hour? (Perplexing para¬ dox to disrobe the truth of words by words that it might stand out naked and plain.) So the Evangelist Luke writes: “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you: this do in re¬ membrance of me. And the cup in like man¬ ner after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.’ ” So he spake on that side of the cross but 192 The Silent Nazarene they understood him not. Even at this solemn hour, after all the teaching and example, “there arose also a contention among them, which of them was accounted to be the great¬ est.” The Master speaks sadly rebuking, warning and pleading, saying, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made supplication for thee that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren.” All this came to pass before he entered Gethsemane. HOW HE TOOK UP HIS CROSS GETHSEMANE T HE Man of sorrows acquainted with bit¬ ter griefs is in the midst of the group of perplexed disciples passing through the streets of the city, which are muffled in the thick si¬ lence of midnight. They cross over the brook Kidron, “where was a garden, into which he entered himself and his discipes.” When he comes unto a place that is called Gethsemane, he saith unto his disciples, “Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.” The silence will not permit a leaf to rustle. The very brook itself muffles its murmurs. The wild beasts too seem to know it is time to be quiet—there is not a howl or scream to be heard. Creation could well afford to stop its clamor and plunge itself in one deep silent pause this awful hour—this blackest hour when the fierce madness and fury of men born of envy and jealousy is striving to crush the stainless Man who is suffering with and for man. Yet was not the mellow dawn born out of the womb of the first great morning for 195 196 The Silent Nazarene man? The hour is darkest just before the breaking streaks of light stretch out of the eastern sky and point to the position of the mid-day sun. Has the grim darkness settled upon man’s black night of misery and strug¬ gle? Is the foulest treachery of man to be played upon the best friend man ever had? What miserable contradictions in our night of sombre madness? H ow did Jesus see this? Let his conduct, actions and prayers speak for him. What a battle is on hand! How dare Creation breathe! He taketh Peter, James and John and went apart and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. These three disciples ought best to understand him, for how oft did he take them apart alone with him ere this? He saith unto them, “My soul is exceeding sor¬ rowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me.” He is parted from them a stone’s cast. He kneels and prays, saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me!” Heaven and earth turn in breath¬ less silence to this garden—even to this spot where the Man of sorrow is wrestling in an agony as he prays more earnestly and his sweat becomes as it were great drops of blood falling How He Took Up His Cross 197 to the ground. An awful pause! Earth is ascending; heaven is bending: wills are blend¬ ing—“Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” “And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven strengthening him.” Re¬ demption is wrought; man is lifted into the life of God without a stain. He has acquired dominion in and over the earth. The will of God is being done in earth as it is in heaven. Things are shaped about in harmony with the design of creation. This is the sinless man, the peerless conqueror who lived sanely in the earth, achieved and wrought even as the Father willed. He comes to the three who were to watch with him and finds them sleeping for sorrow, and he saith unto Peter, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” They are in a semi-conscious condition—a stupor bearing down heavy upon them. He warns them, saying, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again a second time he goes and prays saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.” He came again and found his dis¬ ciples sleeping, “for their eyes were heavy.” He left them and went away, and prayed a 198 The Silent Nazarene third time using the same words again. His single aim is—the will of the Father. All else is subordinate. He comes unto the disci¬ ples and saith unto them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” His reserve had the strength of the lion without its beastliness; and his entire spirit had the meekness and gentleness of the lamb without its dumbness. He stood at the centre of power. This Man of Gethsemane’s dark hour is the peerless champion of the race. He is the lion of the tribe of Judah; and the scepter shall never depart out of his hand: he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, and over him sin shall never have dominion, as the holiness of his nature shall utterly consume it before his face. He draws his breath in the fear of the Lord and the breath of his lips slay the wicked. The heel of the traitor is on the sacred spot. Jesus must arouse the disciples out of their sorrowing stupor. “Arise, let us be going: be¬ hold, he is at hand that betrayeth me.” i 9 9 How He Took Up His Cross The Betrayal The midnight darkness! Majestic sweet¬ ness rests upon the Saviour’s brow. He re¬ signs all into the Father’s hands—to be done after God’s way regardless of the cost in¬ volved. His single aim is the will of God be done. Carve it out of the rough facts of earth, by giving his life to engrave the Father’s im¬ age and likeness therein. His meat was to carry God’s will out to entire completion. The dews of innocence gather upon the mild¬ ness and meekness of his spirit mid the silence. He comes from prayer and calls to his disci¬ ples, saying, “Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me.” It is as though he were saying, “Come, let us be going lest he betray me even upon this most sacred spot. He knows well where I pray.” It is so. Judas is on the very spot Christ counts most sacred and dear. He is at the head of a band armed with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Mid the thick darkness he comes to Jesus, and says, “Hail, Rabbi”; and kissed him. And the Master says unto him, “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? Do that for which thou art come.” At this the band 200 The Silent Nazarene of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, come with lanterns and torches and weapons—even lining up before him and his disciples. Jesus stands forth be¬ tween the disciples and the soldier band, say¬ ing, “Whom seek ye?” They answer him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus says to them, “I am he.” As he said it they went backward and fell to the ground. Again, therefore, he asks them, “Whom seek ye?” And they re¬ ply, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answers, “I told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, “Of those whom thou hast given me I lost not one.” Then they come and lay hands on Jesus, and took him. When the soldiers were about to lead him away they that were with him said. “Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” Even before the question was finished Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Jesus answers and says, “Suffer ye them thus far. Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Then touching the ear heals the high priest’s servant, and turning and looking upon Peter says, “Thinkest thou that How He Took Up His Cross 201 I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of an¬ gels?” Then as though he would make plain to the disciple who was so ready to defend him by sheer force why he assumed this atti¬ tude so strange to humankind he says, “The cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? How then should the scripture be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” The disciples shrink back as the soldiers gather more closely about him, and Jesus says unto the chief priests, and captains of the tem¬ ple, and elders, that were come against him, “Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not.” What an hour! The thick darkness; the traitor’s kiss; the armed soldiers taking a .meek, unarmed man who meant nobody hurt but who meant everybody well, and whose life was made up of actions, deeds and words that flowed rich with love and helpfulness to all men. There is a certain young man lying abed a-dreaming. He hears a tumult in the street. He rushes to the window to stare upon a whis¬ pering mob. Yes, they are coming from the sacred garden where his Master is wont to 202 The Silent Nazarene pray. He seizes a piece of linen cloth and throws it about his naked body, and rushes out into the night of the street. He follows the sneaking crowd that seems to hunt the very sides of the walls for the cover even of their shadows in the dim light of the lanterns. He follows but does not permit himself to be seen. Foes, friends and the Christ—all there, but the impulsive Peter follows afar off. The young man with the linen cloth about his body has not learned the caution of even the impul¬ sive Peter and loses track of himself in the ex¬ citement of the hour. He so completely for¬ gets himself that he edges his way into that very mob. Some of the young men of the crowd seeing that he is none of theirs lay hold on his linen. This brings him to a sense of his peril. He leaves the linen cloth in the hands of the cruel men who were leading away his Lord, and fled naked. This band—the tool of the chief priests and Pharisees with Judas at its head! Why staves and weapons to capture Jesus of Nazareth, if capture it could be called (it was rather a taking) ? How it pierced through his true and loving soul. “Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye How He Took Up His Cross 203 stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of dark¬ ness.” By his silence and reserve he proves his kingship over their crass, daring might. He rises majestic over the crude display of force. He raves at nothing. He is free from the the cramping grip of jealousy. He is envi¬ ous of no man’s prosperity and popularity. All things were in his hand, and he was deeply conscious of his power even when he placed himself at the disposal of brute force and be¬ came a prey to the heartless jealousy of vicious men. Brute force thrusts him on. Yet how powerless is this receding physical force before the persistent spreading love of Christ? Even in that brief season of his passion, when all seemed defeat, he proves himself supreme at every turn. Judas What! a disciple of Christ to join a murder band? Why should that dastardly band choose one from the chosen few of the sacred bosom of Christ to plunge the hidden dagger of malignant treachery into his great soul? “Judas, didst thou hate thy Lord? Was it thy whole desire to see him murdered? Why, 204 The Silent Nazarene cringing, sneak into his most sacred place for prayer? and press thy deceitful lips upon his cheek?” He knew well the spot Christ counted most sacred and dear—yes, he who betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples—even there Judas dares tread and betrays his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. He who dipped his hand in the dish with his Master and heard his Lord say, “The Son of man goeth even as it is writ¬ ten of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born,” now in that dark solitary garden where Christ has agonized till his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground, comes stealthily to pierce his soul through with the unkindest cut of all—the emblem of friend¬ ship—the kiss, but “a traitor’s kiss.” It cut to the quick. How dare it be used in foul mockery, irreverence and treachery? The rebuke of the Master is mildly given as the brazen traitor presses the deceitful kiss as Jesus stands in his sacred place of prayer, “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” “Traitor, how durst thou use this em¬ blem of loving friendship in violation to ev- How He Took Up His Cross 205 erything sacred—outraging honor? Indeed, is there nothing too sacred to be trampled un¬ der foot?” “Why wait! Expect him free and hold thy blood money to boot? What queer inconsist¬ ency! How canst thou throw thy victim into the jaws of the wild beasts and expect him to escape? Were things ever done after this fashion? Dost thou look to miraculous in¬ tervention to deliver him that thou mightest enjoy thy blood money? Then God would need intervene in behalf of mortals tricked for gold at all times to ease the smarting remorse of thieves. No, thy deed is done. The de¬ spair and anguish of thy soul, hot with raging passion, must send forth shrieks and screams like the bewildered, starving, solitary hyena. See that traitor rage and tear; ah, he knows not where to find relief. He is like a beast that has himself full of deadly poison from the pangs of which he can in nowise find re¬ lief. He must roar, rave and scream, then he must lie quiet and let the piercing pains sting him to the very death. So this man is at the point of exasperation—with all brute pain and all soul stress at a breaking tension. “Judas, this is a full measure of interest to pay for thy thirty pieces—yes, sin is not satis- 20 6 The Silent Nazarene fied with the interest, but demands the princi¬ pal—all without reserve. Rush into the pres¬ ence of the chief priests and elders, with thy thirty pieces of silver, crazed man. Thou seest that thy victim is sure of death now.” Hear that wretched creature ejaculate from out the smarting remorse of his overwrought and crushed soul. What dismal refuse is smothering that soul? And yet in the last death throes he must lift out the truth that must stare all ages to come in the face—a bare¬ faced fact which no falsehood can cover: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.” Ah, what comfort and consolation do they have to offer him? How do they an¬ swer him? “Judas, didst thou think thyself a good fel¬ low with these men? Hast thou won their favor and respect? Ah, they throw it all in your teeth. ‘What is that to us? see thou to it.’ Judas, thou findest neither respect nor sympathy there. They have used thee and that is all they want with thee. The blood money is thine affair.” But the maddened traitor would not have it so. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary—even before the religious murderers, and departs. Then, insane with How He Took Up His Cross 207 hot despair and remorse, he rushes out and hangs himself. From a tree over a steep place falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. The disposal of the thirty pieces of silver he has put up to the religious murderers. The chief priests take up the pieces of money, and declare, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.” Wretched, deluded mortals, how long will you besmirch yourselves with gory sin, and then strive to shift it from your heads by some triv¬ ial act? They take counsel, and buy with the thirty pieces the potter’s field into which the crushed and broken form of the traitor has fallen, to bury strangers in, and there the traitor was buried also. Traitor, thy thirty pieces of silver only pur¬ chased thee a grave for thy unsightly form among the wandering poorest of the poor of earth. What an awful price to pay with eyes blinded with the lust of money. So must sin pull its ruin in upon itself; and the lust of money must make its own hell to set a million hells on fire—to blight, wreck and consume a world prone to covetousness. 208 The Silent Nazarene The Sanhedrin What would the life of Christ be without the silent pauses—pauses that make his life so consistent and plain to those who long to know the way of life. Such grand pauses set off each sentence of his great life—make each emphatic and pregnant with meaning. Who could read that life without them? Truly they are written in terms of the human but their meanings extend into the eternities. Yes, they dim to mortal vision as they further recede into the limitless and endless eternity. Then that which is dimmest melts into the unseen, and is lost in the all-comprehensive only to be found as the eager searcher loses himself in the quest. He is in the way of Christ and to him it is given to get a glimpse behind the veil which is forbidden to the im¬ pure heart and unclean eye. These silent pauses mark off that infinite life so that its simplicity can be read with an increasing in¬ terest as the liver grows deeper into the secret depths. Simple but profound in whatever place it touches and interprets. It is the sim¬ plest of the simple, and yet the profoundest of the profound. What child cannot love its simplicity? What sage can fathom its hot- How He Took Up His Cross 209 tomless depths? It embraces earth; it com¬ prehends heaven. It speaks the language of heaven in terms of that of earth. It blends earth and heaven in one harmonious whole— speaking a language all can know who live simply and humbly. This is the life of the man who said: “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” Lo, see that quiet isle in the midst of that swift rushing stream. The turbulent waters are rushing heedlessly together till they reach the slope of the isle, then they foam, divide and swiftly clamor by on either side. Then the noisy waters rush into one another, leaving a misty void at the foot of the isle beneath the struggle of the wrestling giants as they inter¬ lock their forces and rush on heedless as be¬ fore. The quiet isle lifts itself in majestic stillness above the floodtide. The sunlight rests upon its peaceful bosom; the morning mists arise and mingle with the ever-present spray. Still mid even’s dews the spray is there. Undisturbed, a modest plant lifts its head above the surface of the isle. It grows as the waters surge and rage. In silence un¬ broken its growth reaches a more perfect ma- 210 The Silent Nazarene turity. The season passes; the remnant of the fruit is gleaned; but still the savage waters clamor and wrestle. From the likeness we see in this isle we catch a glimpse of the Christ. O for a sight into the life divine, Which Christ did live majestic here; 1 While fretful mortals writhe and pine, Though Christ saw naught in earth to fear. Yes, for a sight into that great complacent life —that peaceful and undisturbed life that rose sublimely majestic over and above the flood- tide of the ages. How restfully he rises out of and above the stormy passions of men. Yes, he rises stainless out of that floodtide where the God-blessed law of human subsistence are changed into beastly greed; and where the God-sanctioned laws of self-assertion are transformed into cramping jealousy, and bane¬ ful envy; where the evil eye rests with treach¬ ery upon the good successes of others. How Christ was proof against all this. He stood silently elegant while these were clashing and dashing themselves to pieces in surf and foam. In this he is like the majestic isle that, though it is placed in the midst of the fury, is proof How He Took Up His Cross 211 against the floodtide. He rises over this flood- tide of clashing death and nourishes in his bosom the finest product Heaven and Earth could give—the beautiful life of the God- Man. Did not the life of humanity, freighted with fears, anxieties, and emulations, rush on heed¬ less in boisterous clamor till it came to the visible form of Christ, an isle of majestic quiet? Here these plunging, forging forces find the mortal in reserve. Something strange is in this mad fight that is on so hotly. Here this stream is arrested, broken in foam of its own confusion, divided. Then it madly rushes on as heedless as before. The mortal eye could glance no further than the form of the isle that arrested its mad rush. There this stream divides:—a part in implacable hatred and malice:—a part clamoring for mortal honor and splendor; yes, the Pharisee jealous of the merits of Christ; the people seeking to make him their king; the disciples rushing for the chief places in the great earthly kingdom which they believe is about to be set up. Not even one disciple had the spirit of Christ; John, the beloved not excepted, for did he not ask for himself the very chiefest place? They are all befogged in the mists of their own con- 212 The Silent Nazarene fusion, and rush about the quiet, complacent Christ. Not a stir of emotion, not a quiver of the lips, the Christ in deep complacency stands be¬ fore the Sanhedrin. The popular floods surge high about him. Now they are dividing, rushing by heedless of the majestic Christ they are passing—a part flows with the resistless current of Phariseeism,—while a part lags and flags with the disappointed, dejected disciples. How very few are they who tarry with him; but even they are lost, confused in what they know not. The great complacent Christ stands majestic there, though the floods are noisily and angrily lashing all about. The most beautiful, the most delicate of Heaven’s flowers is unfolding in that quiet, undisturbed bosom. It is the divine life that is calmly lifting itself in silent growth from the rough¬ est and crudest of earth into the finest and pur¬ est of heaven. What noble fruitage matures from out the life of Christ in earth. Ah, it is blending and losing its all in the life of God. This was the life of the Christ of God whose meat was to do the will of the Father, and who was in the midst of the earth as one who serves. What a wonderful monument to be erected in the midst of the rush of the ages. How He Took Up His Cross 213 A monument to the best that is in man, and to the power of God’s love to lift and ennoble and set it on high. What figure can express this life? And whereunto shall we liken it? This life fulfills the purpose of creation. It is the blazing torch of heaven by which all failures are seen and judged, as well as the Source from which all help and good come. Hear the ancient Simeon speak: “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel.” He also called him “A light for the unveiling of the Gentiles.” What loneliness hangs its shadowy curtains all about an isle in the midst of a mad rushing stream. What sublime loneliness throws it¬ self about the unfolding life in the bosom of the isle. What awful and exceedingly grand loneliness in the lofty heights of the rugged, overhanging cliffs, in the dark and awful silence of which some lone growth is strug¬ gling to send down and grip its spreading roots. As Christ rises in the midst of the stream of the ages, towering above in moral and spiritual achievements, what loneliness falls about his great expanding, loving soul. He saw his disciples disappointed and sor¬ rowing. He sought to lay hold upon their hearts with his great sympathy and interpret 214 The Silent Nazarene to them his way. What he would say in re¬ gard to it would seem to deepen their sorrow, at least the apprehension of something, they knew not what. They could not understand him. He was misunderstood and misinter¬ preted by all. His jealous enemies viciously and harshly misinterpreted him. But how painful the misunderstanding of the disciples? How could the tense stress and tension be re¬ moved? How he longed to give security in his great undisturbed life to those he saw so sorely dismayed. Truly he was seeing the shepherd smitten and the sheep scattered. His great lonely soul was before the Sanhedrin, composed of men who bore him deadly hatred, without a friend understanding him in any way whatever. Completely misunderstood by friends and foes, he enters the valley of the shadow of death without a fear of the evil that was besetting him on every side at its utmost concentration and its consummate daring. He relied upon the rod and the staff of Jehovah; yea, his all was caught up and identified with the will of the Father. There could be no defeat or failure here. All was perfectly se¬ cure. Even death must yield him the palm of victory. How he longed to make his disci¬ ples understand all this. Would that they How He Took Up His Cross 215 could find and live the secret he lived. But how is it? One of these very ones not only misunderstood him but actually wilfully de¬ nies him. Yes, at this moment of severest test a disci-, pie who had sworn to be faithful even unto death, flatly denies him at a maiden’s question. Yet that very denial was a powerful witness of the greatness of the Christ. Peter, even in his denial, testifies of the saving power of the Lord Jesus. A look from the faithful, tried countenance of Christ melts the rash over¬ confident disciple’s heart to tears. It saves him. Those very tears are changed to heroic power as that heart goes with Christ from sorrow to sorrow and shares in the full flower of the resurrected life. Can the apostle Peter not speak for himself? “This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are witnesses.” Time but intensifies the witness of this man, even that flat denial from his lips. All must witness for Jesus. The power of Jesus is most beautifully seen in safeguarding and saving the unfaithful. “All are witnesses,” not merely the disciples but the whole great world of imperfection and sin. This is not all. Jesus causes his enemies to 2 i 6 The Silent Nazarene witness for him, even where his disciples wit¬ ness not. God in Christ truly makes the wrath of man to praise him. They seek witnesses against him and find them not. They must conjure up something. They seek false wit¬ nesses. But even this fails them, for what the false witnesses bring is of no avail for the end in view. They construed his words in regard to the temple to suit themselves. Yet they signified nothing in way of accusation. They seek an answer from him. He is silent. There is no need of answer. Now they begin to play the coward, and try to take advantage of the stronghold by sordid motives. They see that silence is his strength and that the truth is on his side. So they are forced to do desperate things. They seek to break his silence. Would he dare to own himself as the Son of God at this moment? It would mean certain death. They knew not the man who stood before them. When fear demands silence it is time to speak. “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus does not conceal the truth in his answer. He speaks it out frankly and plainly. Yes, it is strikingly plain and distinct. “ T am.’ And ‘ye say that I am.’ By your very actions ye show that ye are convinced that this is so. Now do ye think I should fear How He Took Up His Cross 217 to speak upon this matter even though I know ye will use it as a pretext for putting me to death? More than this ‘ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ I shall have complete sway and jurisdiction over the earth, and ye shall be judged by my counsels.” The reserved, complacent Christ saw their sordid weak hearts. He was fully conscious of the base motives they sought to move upon. They rend their garments and act in the most distressed manner. Yea, Christ the master of the situation saw the results. He saw beneath the foul mockery, willing to play upon the base motive of fear if only an end could be reached. It was an unfair attack upon the great citadel, and only meant the complete confusion of all who assailed the mighty bul¬ wark. Jesus for that matter could just as well say what he was in the presence of the high priest as in the seclusion of Caesarea Philippi. He was just as much in the presence of the Father here as there. He had the truth on his side just as much here as there. The great undisturbed mind of Christ knew when to speak and when to withhold. He knew when speech was demanded and when it was useless mockery. Could there be stronger witnesses 2 l8 The Silent Nazarene for Christ than these men who viciously sought to condemn him, but who unintentionally and unconsciously lifted the beauty of that life be¬ fore the eyes of men of all succeeding ages? They meant to crush him, but they lifted him to fuller view. So all the enemies of Christ may seek to conceal and even erase, blot out that life from the eyes of men but they shall surely lift it to a broader and clearer vision of humanity. They cause things to conspire to¬ gether that the brilliancy of the genuineness of the Christ comes forth and dims not but in¬ tensifies with the ages. Truly do you not hear even these witnessing positively of his transcendent mission and greatness? Hear what the high priest says:— “That it is expedient that one man should die for the people.” Was it an echo? If so, from where? “O high priest art thou sitting in the halls of truth? Is it strange that thou shouldst catch a faint trace of that which is reverberating through the great chambers of truth that are laid in the heart of the universe? Is not the universe converging about this one great truth this very moment? Yes, it is so very near the surface of things that the very rocks are almost ready to cry it out.” How He Took Up His Cross 219 If earth can see but one silent moment, it is but a hint of what is back of it in the heav¬ ens. What then if earth can get a glimpse of one perfect life? Should this life go down in silence before the clamor of the imperfect ones? This life is a glimpse of heaven; yea, as much of heaven as could be pressed in a mortal span. Out of the silence in which it went down the world’s regenerating forces rise, as did the creative forces out of God’s great self to make the worlds and place them in their order. We are a new creation in Christ; for the former things are passed away, but not till they could die to give the newer birth. So when the old creation holds its fair¬ est flower, it dies in giving sweetness to the coming fair, and leaves a fairer land which blooms in greater freshness as the fair ones die to yield their sweetness to the living fair; as each doth know a fairer stage from each as all approach the life complete that gave them birth. Did not Christ, the fairest flower of creation die to show by proof that it is so? His mortal form broken dies, and his great life bursts forth and fills the world with heaven’s very life. This is the life of the man who said:—“Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, 220 The Silent Nazarene it abideth alone: but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.” The D enial What a tempestuous disciple! so full of emotion. Always ready with an answer for whatever comes. Just as ready with advice unasked for—for superior as for inferior. He withstands his Lord to the face insisting that his Master must be mistaken as he himself can¬ not be in error. Let us see how he falls all over himself as he comes to the real test. How positive he is that he will remain true to his Lord in every crisis and under every circumstance. But not far removed from even the very beginning of the gracious min¬ istry treachery is casting its shadow over the grand work of the Christ. Yes, at the very height of his activities restlessness steals its way even among his disciples. Some of his fol¬ lowers have turned back from walking with him. Of course the fickle crowd is falling away since he has refused to let them take him and make him king with the hope of subject¬ ing and enslaving the earth. This is to be ex¬ pected. But when his sincere followers begin to turn back it is uncertain as to where it would end. Christ put his test question to his i How He Took Up His Cross 221 disciples for he knew that they also were par¬ takers of human nature; and so being they were sharing in the doubts and ambitions so characteristic of our race. So he addressed the chosen few, saying: “Ye see that men are falling away from fol¬ lowing after me. My ways do not meet their approval. Even some that were very sincere have turned aside. Would ye also go away?” Quick as a flash is that impulsive disciple with an answer. “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” “Truly, Peter, hast thou flashed upon a glimpse back of the veil?” But the shadows are growing; they lengthen and stretch themselves over and across the life of Christ as he is facing his western sun—his declining sun so far as his earthly life is con¬ cerned. Man’s dark treachery is malignly plotting to crush out his life. The Master distinctly points out to his chosen few that the shepherd shall be smitten and the sheep scat¬ tered. Yes, he told them, saying: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night.” In what hot haste is Simon Peter to reply. Pie is very sure of himself. He is vehement in his language. 222 The Silent Nazarene “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” But the fact of the matter is that his Lord knows Simon far better than Simon knows his own self, and his Lord says, “Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” Ah, this is irritating to the rash and over¬ confident disciple and spokesman. Indeed he spoke what he thought. He assumed it all to be truth, and was very much agitated that it should provoke a question within his Master. So he would make it very strong with vehem¬ ent words. “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.” So we are told “Likewise said all the dis¬ ciples.” “O disciple, thou art defying all reason. Wilt thou impulsively rush on as if no warn¬ ing had been given? How long is it neces¬ sary to find out that blindly blundering and rushing up against things, is not mastery?” “At the betrayal thou art just roused out of thy sleep; slash off the ear of one of the gang that is about to take thy Lord. Art thou dreaming, or but half awake? Hast thou been How He Took Up His Cross 223 so long a time with thy Lord, and hast not learned better than this? Is it possible that thy Lord must rebuke thee, and bid thee put up thy sword into its place, when thou hast stood so very near him for three years? Did he not take thee with him to the Mount of Transfiguration? and did he not choose thee as one of the three to go with him for prayer in this very garden? Where is all this education at any rate? Is it possible to breathe in the very presence of Christ and miss the spirit of his life so completely? Now we see the force of the words of the Blessed Master to the doubting Thomas: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Is it that the mortal is so much in thy way? But lo, what strange thing is taking place? What un¬ looked for spirit has come over thee? Is it not so contrary to thy past? Why follow this Mas¬ ter to whom thou hast sworn allegiance afar off? Hast thou forgotten thy pledge already? Or didst thou not understand thyself when thou rashly didst swear to stand with him even unto death? Ah, Simon Peter, thou art very much human too; and art heir to much human weakness, yes, and hast very much to learn and profit thereby.” This early cool morn, see Simon Peter 224 The Silent Nazar ene slowly drawing nearer the high priest’s house. The stealthy band with their prisoner is within the porch, except a few who are hanging around the outside. As he draws gradually nearer is he wondering how he is to get by these, that he might see what is taking place within? His head seems bowed, as though in deep meditation. Perhaps he is thinking how he slashed off that ear in the garden, and how his Master touched it and healed it, and yet let them lead him captive to the high priest. Maybe they have him spotted now, and are on the lookout for him. He must exercise great caution or they will capture and try him, if for no other reason than for wounding a man, and perhaps impute to him the intention of murder. As his mind is all befuddled, in some way he edges by these who are whisper¬ ing together on the outside. Just as he gets through he lifts his eyes and sees the whisper¬ ing danger through which he has just squeezed himself. A shudder goes through his body. Maybe it’s all about himself. He feels cool at any rate and draws near the fire to warm his shaking frame. Whether a nervous chill or a chill from the natural cold without he was busy with thought. The warm fire is wel¬ come to the trembling body, but his senses are How He Took Up His Cross 225 certainly bewitched and in a muddle. That little maiden who draws near to the fire and asks him whether he was not with Jesus, adds to his confusion and perplexity. He had enough of trouble as it was without being dis¬ turbed by a maiden, and especially one who wanted him to commit himself right in the presence of those who held his Lord as a pris¬ oner. Perhaps if he could have whispered it to her apart from them he might have done so. He is not exactly a coward, but somehow he has lost his grip. He, therefore, replies— “I don’t know what thou art talking about. I don’t understand thee; what thou sayest.” He did not mean to say that. “But Simon, thou hast proven unfaithful, and untrue. Thou hast lied only to make thy condition more baffling. Thou art vexed that they don’t leave thee alone at that. How can a man’s sins leave him alone? Dost thou think that such an answer will satisfy those who wish to pry into thy whereabouts? and shield thee from further annoyance and unpleasantness of assault? Why go out into the porch? Dost thou hope to run away from and escape the sting? Ah, it follows thee there in hot pace. Thou canst not help but be seen. Yes, seen by an¬ other maiden, and she too knows what she is 22 6 The Silent Nazarene talking about. She makes it her business to tell those who are standing by who thou art.” “This fellow was also with Jesus of Naz¬ areth.” She could not help but talk about the important event that was taking place. She wished to tell all she knew about it too. That was perfectly natural. Can Simon Peter keep his reserve and remain silent? Is not his Lord passing through the tests with wonderful reserve? The information is not addressed to Simon, but somehow he thinks it is meant for him, and he chafes under it. Ah, he denies again with an oath, “I do not know the man.” “Simon, thy sin is driving thee to close cor¬ ners. Its demands are growing harsher, and thou art sinking deeper. Thy sin of unfaith¬ fulness is burning thee blacker. It will hunt thee down. If thou returnest back into the presence of thy Master it will press thee ex¬ ceedingly hard there. But there only thou canst be saved.” But that maiden has not spoken in vain. Thy vehement protest has only roused suspi¬ cion with those that are standing by. They see that thou art too anxious to escape this charge. They become restless in their curios¬ ity to press the matter. How much time will they allow elapse? Just now see one gradu- How He Took Up His Cross 227 ally drawing nearer. He seems to have some¬ thing to say. Hear, his curiosity gets the bet¬ ter of him. “Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech maketh thee known.” “It is useless to deny it. Thy very speech giveth thee away. Thou art a Galilean. There is no mistake about that. Every evidence shows that thou art. Yes, we saw thee in the garden with him; and-” Simon Peter breaks in, cursing and swear¬ ing, saying, “I know not this man of whom ye speak.” Then there was a terrible moment of awful silence and immediately the cock crew. Just then the Master who had been si¬ lent all the while turns and looks on that un¬ faithful disciple. He speaks not a word; but that look crowds that disciple’s mind with overwhelming thoughts, and melts that heart so that if it were capable it would flow rivers of tears. Yes, he would pour the whole heart out in sobs of bitter weeping. “And he went out and wept bitterly.” But so much anguish must be pent up and retained, to tear the very sinews out; to wrap the soul in remorse, and the body in excruciat¬ ing pain. Both must suffer together. Both must grow together out of the old life into 228 The Silent Nazarene the new, where pains, misgivings, and remorse even must fade away, as the soul grips itself and lives in the higher life of Christ. Yes, when the Apostle Peter could live in the ten¬ derness, and loving innocence of that look of his Master he could truly say, “I live,” or rather with the Apostle Paul, “Christ liveth in me.” Ah, in very truth, whenever our look claims those who are unfaithful to us, with¬ out any reason for their being so on our part, we are getting the spirit of the Master; we are saving men with Christ. Christ liveth in us. We are like Peter, we know such a little about ourselves that we must run up against many things in our overconfidence before we find our own inability to cope with things as they are, and our need of a stronger arm to rely upon; yes, a stronger mind on which to shift burdens too heavy and complex for us. It takes much stumbling to find that God is our burden-bearer. The load must be next thing to impossible to carry—it must be at the breaking down and crushing point, if we will let him have it and dispose of it for us. It took many rough hard rebuffs for the quick impulsive Peter to find that the quiet, inno¬ cent look of his Master alone could save him. How He Took Up His Cross 229 It was a look so full of pity and compassion that he remembers it all now. How he had been living with Christ and the manner of life Christ lived. He recalls vividly how his Master warned him of his weakness, and how he heedlessly rushed on in his rash way till he had showed himself in this last des¬ perate extremity of unfaithfulness. Was it not time for the look of Christ to bring him back? Yet it was in due season—the proper moment. Ah, God always steps in at the proper mo¬ ment. He withholds the arm of Abraham when he has the point of the knife at his son’s heart. Just when a man’s sin is about to do its last deadly work the love of Christ smites the glaring lance into shivering splinters. Man finds himself, and lays his soul as is hon¬ orable and right at the feet of this Knight of the ages. This man of silent greatness de¬ livers after a wonderful fashion. A look from him can save a man. Can save a man who, when he seeks relief from pressure, gen¬ erally choses a way open to his own confu¬ sion. He trusts in the “horses and horsemen of Egypt” only to be trodden down by them. Yes, he is lost in his own bewilderment. The pure, the serene, the masterful look of Christ 230 The Silent Nazarene alone can bring him back to himself. Christ Before Pilate Lo, how many stretches of mortal existence there are in spite of our frailty. We live in spite of our faults and mistakes; yes, mistakes that are too often blind blundering. When we have passed we often wonder how we have passed the impassable breach, and yet are safe. To human eye this becomes a mystery. But the vivid flashes from the hidden depths somehow make our pathway sure, so we are willing to move on though we know that we are capable of making many blunders—stum¬ bling into many dangers that beset our path¬ way. If the soul is set on avoiding these hid¬ den snares by placing reliance upon these prompt and persistent flashes out of the hid¬ den depths; yes, if the pilgrim seeks this guid¬ ance diligently, he will pass unhurt. Some¬ thing tells us right from wrong in no uncer¬ tain terms. But what if this gentle though sure guide is ignored? Then conscience either becomes a scourge, or it is silenced beneath the ruins of an immortal soul. How often scourged like galley slave we are forced to do the How He Took Up His Cross 231 right. We remember the wrong as long as the smarting sting is there. Then straightway we forget and commit as grave errors as before with the sting intensified a hundredfold. It becomes a marvel how so many of us pass and live. God warns; we forget. Some eyes are open; others are delib¬ erately closed. These latter stumble into their own ruin. So Pilate, like a Galley slave, was scourged into his own hell. Does not the clamoring voice bewitch you that it holds the power—performs the work? Is not the fright too often at the report and not at the bullet stroke of death? The ex¬ plosive force may send the bullet on, but first the quiet touch must give it leave. The rip¬ ping thunder clash may fall like splintering sounds all about the storm-shrouded dale, but ere this is heard the vivid piercing lightnings have done their work. The clamoring crowd is like a seething mass that finds its vent at every fissure that may break within its prison walls; the weakest points must yield to its infuriate haste. The thunderous noise confuse, dethrone men from their reason, and they plunge into the lava stream of death. Alas for Pilate, who suf¬ fered the clamoring voice of the multitude to 232 The Silent Nazarene bewitch his senses and plunge him into the ignoble deed that brought him ruin. Well might he ask, “Art thou a king?” of the meek, self-possessed Christ who stands before him. Pilate was caught in the muddle of the clamor. But this man in a strange power that grew in¬ tense with his silence was master. When his answer came it was a kingly one. Its ring set at naught the clamor and made the hands of Pilate weak. *‘Thou sayest it” made Pilate prisoner in the question he had asked. And Jesus still must speak to this man’s utter confusion. “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” How Pilate’s confusion waxes bewildering. He is at a loss to know how to help himself. He can only resort to a question again; yes, a question to plunge him into deeper perplexity. He asks, “What is truth?” and nervously rushes out without an answer, saying to the Jews, “I find no crime in him.” The strain of indecision became more tense and chained his mind within its hold; the great silent king with irresistible power on one side, and the How He Took Up His Cross 233 clamoring multitude with their crushing pres¬ sure on the other. “Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse thee of.” Ah, but there in unbroken silence the Christ stands. He knows that the so-called accusa¬ tions in themselves have no weight at all. To reply to them would be useless folly; yes, sheer madness. Such would unarm him of his mastery. Christ stands there with master¬ ful reserve. Pilate marvels. Well might he marvel. The kingly might of the silent man dethrones the governor so that as a perplexed beast he sought every manner of escape. The fear of the multitude fell upon him like a stinging scourge, and the mastery of the silent king impelled him he knew not where. Now at the feast he was accustomed to re¬ lease unto them one prisoner whom they asked of him. There was one Barabbas who was ly¬ ing bound with them that had made insurrec¬ tion, men who in the insurrection had com¬ mitted murder. “Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.” But Pilate wishes to anticipate the wishes of the multitudes that he might the more gain their favor. So he goes out to them, saying, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Ba- 234 The Silent Nazarene rabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” How high the clamor goes. It is like the crest of the floodtide, and its roaring clamor like the floods of many waters. So disorderly and irresisti¬ ble are they. The governor makes as though he does not understand the multitudes, and in his mad endeavor to get from them that which he hopes to receive, he repeats his question, elimi¬ nating the names that had thrown the multi¬ tudes into such a mad frenzy (as he supposed). “Which of the two will ye that I release unto you?” They shout back, “Barabbas.” But the governor ignores them and makes as though he does not hear. “Will ye that I re¬ lease unto you the king of the Jews?” Now all their fury is thrown into their vehement an¬ swer. They will make it strong and clear to him this time. The governor cannot mistake it again. It is like the pounding of the waters upon the tide-lashed rock-ribbed sides of the narrow sound. He must hear it because of its massive weight if for no other reason. “Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: Not this man, but Barabbas.” Then the dis¬ tracted governor asks as though he would cover his confusion with further confusion, saying, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” “Ah, Pilate, thou hast ig- How He Took Up His Cross 235 nored the first part of their reply so that they can drive the sting deeper into thy smarting soul. Again thou art asking that raving mul¬ titude what to do.” They roar him back the answer with hoarse throats, heaping distract¬ ing confusion upon his already insane and wrecked judgment. Yes, they are like the crashing floods that break and overflow his soul, and in their raging bluster sweep away in ruins his better self. The shouts, “Crucify him, crucify him,” are overwhelming this victim of the fickle mob. Pilate seeking to stop its fury again asks that mad mob a ques¬ tion—asks to reason with them, saying, “Why, what evil hath he done?” The cry of the fierce multitude is but intensified—hoarse throats shrieking out: “Let him be crucified.” There was no let up but the cry became ex¬ ceeding fierce so that no man could tame it down with reason as Pilate sought to do. It had all gotten beyond him. And while Pilate is sitting on the judgment seat his wife sends a message unto him. As he reads it darkness crowds his brow and his restless countenance betokens a disquieted soul. She has written to her already distracted hus¬ band, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered many 236 The Silent Nazarene things this day in a dream because of him.” Everything points to the righteousness of this kingly man but the multitudes without are clamoring with hoarse voices the one thing, “Let him be crucified.” “So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this man; see ye to it.” And all the people answer, waxing ex¬ ceedingly bold on seeing the governor weaken —relaxing his grip upon the silent kingly man between him and that furious multitude. “His blood be on us, and on our children.” He re¬ leases to them Barabbas and gives Jesus over to them to be scourged. Does it befit a ruler to do a childish act? Can Pilate wash his hands clean of the inno¬ cent blood? His distorted countenance be¬ tokens an outraged writhing soul. His acts carve out a living picture of a slave. What to scourge a man in hope that he might get the consent of the mob to set him free? “Pilate, why try to humble that silent man to make him tenfold more thy king? The crown of thorns, the purple robe will but distract thy already enslaved senses, and show more grand¬ ly the silent Master who made thee marvel. How He Took Up His Cross 237 Each trifling deed when thou canst stand on neither side will make thee more a slave.” “Now you stand, O bonded slave of the throne. You are bound about with regal shackles. The people seize the manacles and clutch them about your hands. You move to¬ ward that multitude, suffer the innocent, un¬ resenting man to be mocked, jeered at in the most humiliating way. Now he is crowned with thorns; now arrayed in purple robe; now struck with the hand, and smitten with the reed: Yes, even he is spit upon. But unkind- est of all, see these vile mockers bow the knee, and in derision cry out, “Hail, king of the Jews,” striking his head with the reed they had placed in his hand as a mock sceptre. Now, Pilate, you come forth to this crowd wild with the fury of hate to whom you have been giving just enough of his blood to make their mad¬ ness rave from an unsatiate thirst—you come forth to say to that mob. “Behold I bring him forth to you, that ye may know, that I find no fault in him.” Pilate, can you continually kindle and feed the fire and expect it stop burning? The lowly man is at your side— how? Honored with royal diadem and regal splendor? Alas he wears a crown of thorns and a mock robe of purple. You call out to 238 The Silent Nazarene that grimy, thirsty mob, “Behold the man,” and then expect him free? Does the savage beast leave off devouring his prey because he has mangled and torn it? Will his gaze upon it satisfy him? Does it not rather in¬ crease his thirst for the blood of his victim? Yes, humanity not merely encages the soul in beastly prisons, when deadly passions rage, but makes the soul its slave to lift the beastly passions to tenfold greater shame. Pilate, you dare not throw your victim into beastly jaws and hope to rescue him by so doing. And so too it is vain for you to walk into the fire, and hope to avoid it at the same instant. Do you hear out of that multitude’s clamor, something that will break the tension of your way? Listen, “By our law he ought to die, be¬ cause he made himself the Son of God.” Pi¬ late, will you still insist that the silent kingly man answer the clamor of the raving multi¬ tude as you are trying to do? Is your confu¬ sion insufficient still? Why threaten him be¬ cause of his silence? How dare you say, “Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?” But listen, Pilate, the silence is broken. “Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it was given How He Took Up His Cross 239 thee from above!” Did Pilate believe him? Then why did he try to “release him from that very hour”? Is it strange after all this that he should have believed it, being spoken by this kingly man? How could he have stood before such a life, and not have had the power of the words that proceeded out of its silence masterly enforced and borne in upon him? Yes, the life of Christ clinched what he said. His words were pow¬ erful because he was so much greater than his words. His very life spoke more elo¬ quently than words could convey. What he was convinced Pilate that this was so. He needs no other evidence. He tries to free Jesus. But what of this howling multitude? Pilate has committed himself to them. How can he extricate himself? They have drawn him into the subtle meshes of their web. He is their victim rather than the silent man of Galilee. When the multitude see the governor straining every nerve to release the silent pris¬ oner they shout up to him, saying, “If thou re¬ lease this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” Pilate has the life whipped out of him as he hears these crued words fiercely 240 The Silent Nazarene hurled at him. His unavailing energies flag— exhausted he is on the point of total collapse^ and brings Jesus out, and sits down upon the judgment-seat at a place called the Pave¬ ment, but in Hebrew Gabbatha. Why does Pilate continue to counsel with that mob? Is he not deep enough in confusion and perplex¬ ity? He does not know what he is doing. He is exasperated because of indecision. But what mania has taken hold of him? What possesses him to come before that crowd again, and say, “Behold, your king?” Does he ex¬ pect to work himself into their graces because of this saying? or is he mocking them? Have not things here of late taken too serious a turn for Pilate to mock at the expense of this si¬ lent kingly man before him? Where are his senses? Did that dream of his wife give him the nightmare too? “Poor slave of thy own ambition and fears! The people have made them into a scourge for thy lacerated and bleeding soul. They are scourging thee with¬ out mercy. They cry out with deafening clamor: “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” “Pilate, poor wretch thou art, wilt thou come at them again with a question in thy last extremity?” “Shall I crucify your king?” “What answer didst thou expect, How He Took Up His Cross 241 worsted mortal?” The chief priests are ready with an answer for thee, Pilate.” “We have no king but Caesar.” (Here these religious murderers are very loyal for it is both con¬ venient and needful in obtaining the sentence of murder upon the silent Man of Nazareth.) At this the multitude backed up the chief priests with their harassing clamor: “Crucify him, crucify him. Away with him, away with him, crucify him—let him be crucified.” This would-be ruler is as helpless as a babe, but unlike a babe his soul is withered, cowed, and scourged into fiery despair by the lash¬ ings of his better self, and crushed by the ir¬ resistible power of the truth as it stood before him in the person of the silent prisoner on trial. Ah, but such is the irony of things that Pilate was on trial before the face of Christ; yes, the face of the truth—he was weighed in the balances and found wanting. He could not stand the test. The pressure was too great for him. He vields to the clamor of the mul- j titude which he sought to appease and satisfy from the very first—dragging the silent man into it with a vain endeavor to set him free. But what he did was to constantly commit himself to it without drawing the silent, self- possessed man into the vortex of the whirlpool. 242 The Silent Nazarene Pilate lost his grip, but the masterful spirit never failed the humble Man of Galilee. The record says: “Therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified.” The Crucifixion Life speaks in one great silent language. Yet its speech is most wonderfully powerful and emphatic. It speaks what it is. To him that lives this speech is clear and its notes grow clearer as he presses further on in his quest; yes, a quest that finds itself simply by living. It makes disclosures in no other way. Does not the tender plantlet sprout in silence? Is not the language of the tender sprout the eloquent speech of silent growth from day to day? It is all so simple and natural that when men avail themselves of this secret of nature they grow and live also. But, hush! there comes a sound. What can it be? It comes from out the life that grew in silence as the seasons passed—a limb is broken from the sturdy tree. Could that which grew in silence all these years be snapped, and broken in a niche of time? The fractured fibers tearing cell from cell, brings a crash- How He Took Up His Cross 243 ing sound from out this splendid peace. Is not the growth from the tender sprout to the deep colored, luscious ripe fruit without a break? Why this infraction—this break be¬ tween the sprout and the fruit immature? Is the break death? Is the life to go blasted and fruitless? The body that life gives in si¬ lent growth must yield a groan when death in¬ trudes upon the order that imparts it life. But life itself shall take another form till death shall frown it to the earth again. Such is the life of earth where change and decay mark things everywhere. When death is van¬ quished this frown shall be removed from the brow of mortal things, and all shall, as sym- boled in the death of earthly things, die to each other that the life of each may unfold trans¬ parently beautiful in the life of the other, when all that is achieved and done is for the good of the life of the other; yes, all is lost in giving sweetness to life on every side. This is the life of Heaven. A life which Christ re¬ vealed in resplendent fairness. What he was in living conduct spoke this language even more powerful than his words. His life was the full flower of what he said. What he said but points you to his life to see for yourself whether these things be so. He who said: 244 The Silent Nazarene “I am among you as one who serves,” lost him¬ self so completely in serving that he walks straight into the jaws of death. This Man said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a may lay down his life for his friends.” This Man who said this waded through in¬ gratitude of even his friends to do this very thing, that is to lay down his life for them. This Man who said: “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” actually after having suffered insult after insult from those who hated and despised him without a cause, prays for them when they are putting him to death. He who said: “Love ye one another,” not only stoops to wash his disciples’ feet, but when utterly forsaken by them in his extremest need, when loneliness shrouded his soul as the thick darkness, and the foul throats of treacherous men were like sepulchres gaping with death all about him, he resented not their desertion but with a heart full of love prays the Father to keep them from the evil one. Yes, even when facing this thick darkness he prays this prayer, knowing the frailty of those for whom he prayed, his heart welling with sympathy for them and his consuming desire being that they be kept against the fiery trials that beset them mid this midnight gloom. This is the Man who an- How He Took Up His Cross 245 nounced the law that he lived, “he that loseth his life shall find it.” This is the law of heaven translated into that of earth by the life of Jesus. Is not the life of Jesus found ev¬ erywhere? And wherever it is found there is happiness and peace; yes, life in its consum¬ mate sweetness, and death must yield its all in the perfecting of this sweetness. Thus we find his death the great prototype in earth of that which is perfect in heaven. We know it so because Christ in life proved it so. When we go his way we find it so. As we look into the great mirror of nature we behold a likeness to the great spirit life. The child unconsciously grows to greater stat¬ ure. But lo, we stop for need of strength to take a further step. What is it? Here life unclothes far greater secrets than we saw in silent growth of plants; here, virtues sweeten before our eyes. How they grow and mature is the secret life itself must prove. How often life is called to halt by death, even in the midst of exceeding freshness and fairness. How often the most promising life goes down into the silence of the grave before those of far less promise. The frail form sighs. But what of all this sweetness that gathered in this life? Could the body part with such fairness 246 The Silent Nazarene without a sigh? That broken temple racked with pain must go with groans to the lower or¬ der and yield the fair life to larger measures than it could give. This is the hope that Christ has given, for he himself has gone this way. In the full flower of his life he was cut down. It is no hopeless'way to him. It was the only gateway to hope. He tells his disci¬ ples so. Yes, he tells them so when he is standing at the very gateway itself. “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” It were as though he said, “If I die, my life will fill the world; if I put off my mor¬ tal body the Spirit of God shall take the hearts of men; the life of my Father shall be every¬ where present comforting and imparting life in abundance for He is living and serving in your midst as ye see me live and serve.” What sage can enter the secret of the life of Christ in its preparing stages? The how it grew is still with God. The record tells us, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” He lives in meekness, but there issues from his life a power before which all that would oppose grows pale, shrivels and recedes. That which bends toward his life obtains a greater fresh- How He Took Up His Cross 247 ness which defeats the grossness that would mar its life. What a revelation? What a magnificent life in all its unfolding? There is not a tinge to mar its symmetry, and perfec¬ tion. Lo, there is a rustle on the leaf? What, Nature dare not leave a storm break here upon the serene sky of human perfection? Well might it be so, that Nature might chain and interlock her wrestling forces. But the thing that works the ruin has laid its hand upon humanity’s vesture. It will rend it from the top to the bottom, though it can not touch the perfection within. So Christ must bow his head and give up the ghost. Thus far can hu¬ man madness rave, but there it stops while the stainless Christ moves on. What a concourse of people. How they press in upon each other. The whole attention seems riveted upon some one in the very midst. Those on the edges are now running here and there as if seeking to find some open¬ ing that they might set their eyes upon what is going forward in the heart of that moving tumult. It is headed in one general direction. Now you can just get a glimpse of some women as the wedging line breaks a little. Ah, see these women are weeping. See that 24B The Silent Nazarene one who is leaning upon the shoulder of a splendid young man. Splendid in more ways than one. He seems to have special favor with the tumultuous mob that makes up the centre of that moving train. At the same time he shows special care for that weeping woman whose heart no doubt is in the midst of that mob. See, her very attitude so indicates. Ah, now that very centre breaks. There is great excitement. Behold, a young man has fallen prostrate beneath his load. What con¬ fusion. That weeping woman is about to fall and embrace that exhausted young man when a soldiers forbids her interference. This must be their prisoner who has fallen faint to the earth. Yes, he has fallen beneath a tree they have compelled him to bear. Have they been trying to flag his life out in this way? Then why do they not let him die on the spot? for see, they have seized upon another fellow who chanced to be handy and compel him help bear the tree. Surely they have given their victim torment enough already. But no, they close up the line as closely massed as before, and press on toward Golgotha’s ghastly frown. Again through the break in that petulant tu¬ mult you get a glimpse of that mother, for mother she is, for hear (for you can hear even How He Took Up His Cross 249 though you can not see). Yes, see too, for the mob centre breaks again. See that young man beneath his heavy load turn and address the women who follow with bitter weeping. Let us listen to what he has to say. “Daughters of Jesusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your chil¬ dren. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never give suck. Then shall they be¬ gin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” Who is the man who dare utter such things? See the mockers scorn and jeer. But what wonderful self-control; what marvelous self- possession this man has over all emotional out¬ bursts. He is perfectly composed and calm, though his face shows marks of intense suf¬ fering. His countenance is marred as no other man’s. Yet as they buffet him and in¬ sult him, he plods on with his crushing bur¬ den; yes, he bears the cross without a murmur to the place of the skull. As he trudges up that ghastly hill with his straining load his body exhausted must yield a sigh. Ah, this 250 The Silent Nazarene but a hint of the painful tragedy that is tak¬ ing place within. With all this stress and suffering pent within, the Christ lays down his cumbersome burden on' Calvary. He laid down his physical burden to prepare to lay down his spirit’s at the same place and the same hour. Yes, here is where all mortals who follow Christ can drop their burdens and go free. Now that crowd stops and for a moment there is silence. Yes, stinging silence that is broken by the sound of the bar that is digging up the earth and cleaving the rock. They are making three holes in which to set three crosses. Ah, nearby the one in the middle there stands that young man whose counte¬ nance is marred as no other man. His coun¬ tenance is exceedingly sad. He glances at the woman who is leaning upon a young man’s shoulder and then casts an eye at the young man who is supporting the grief-stricken wo¬ man as if to say, “Thou knowest what I mean. There is not a look of vagueness upon the young man’s face to whom the sad look is ad¬ dressed. It is even so, the young man with auburn hair falling over his shoulders returns the meaning look to that sad countenance from which men hid their faces as though How He Took Up His Cross 251 he were saying: “I know what thou meanest, for thou hast fulfilled the law and the prophets, and thou regardest as not the least of the law this, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ This is the first commandment with promise, and too thou hast said, ‘The meek shall inherit the earth.’ Mas¬ ter, I see now why thou didst pass the severe condemnation upon that which was said to be Corban—a thing given to God or the temple when the gift rightly belongs to the support of the needy parent. My Lord, I see it all at a glance now. I was very near thy heart at the supper and at many other times, but now thy mother whose heart is pierced through with a sword is leaning upon me and I know. Thou hast built the home about the sacredness of mother—intertwining filial affection and her pure, unfailing love, so making the home secure.” It is now about nine o’clock in the morn¬ ing and they are at the place of crucifixion. The physical energies of the young prisoner standing by the middle cross are so far spent that he seems on the verge of a collapse. They could not suffer this to be so. They must 252 The Silent Nazarene strain his physical strength so he succumbs not till they have inflicted the last item of suffer¬ ing their minds are capable of conjuring up. They must offer him wine to stimulate, and add myrrh to the wine so as to enhance its effect in bracing and warming the system. But he would have none of it. He knew there was sufficient strength left to endure all the suffering meted out to him by the cruel torturers. They must come to the end of their string—reach their limit and then have noth¬ ing more that they can do. But he must have a clear, unclouded mind to drink the cup the Father had given him. He would not “cheapen his righteousness by making it safe” by calling on Divine help, and surely he would not accept relief from stimulants which have covered multitudes of mortals with irretriev¬ able ruin. But now they are turning his face away from even looking upon his mother. They strip him of his clothing, and the soldiers lay him on the ground, and thrust the cross-beam beneath his shoulders. Do they hesitate? The crown of thorns has fallen from his brow hot with the fever of physical agony and soul anguish. Ah, they have bruised him and they must pause to look upon him whom they have How He Took Up His Cross 253 bruised. That look but maddens their rage. Look, they replace the crown of thorns. But listen. Ah, what is it? What, the ring of a hammer on a nail? Yes, many rings fill the heavy, choking air as they forge the spikes through the palms of his hands at the extrem¬ ities of the cross-beam. But be quiet! Hear! What spell has come over that watching people? Is the air too heavy to bear the sounds that they stand mute? Ah, there arises from the midst of that ringing and clanging of hammers and nails, utterances laden with the sweetness of a great soul; yes, sweetness that surpasses that of the incense of the evening sacrifice. These words come from the lips of him who is being cruelly spiked to the beam of the (middle cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Did high priest ever bring a grander oblation to the altar than this High Priest? What high priest has entered back of the veil as he, and offered once for all, his all in the Holy of Holies of humanity’s temple? The incense of this oblation is an odor of sweet smell filling humanity’s temple. It melts the vilest sinner’s heart to repentance and worshipful love. It lifts above the foul¬ ness of resenting snarl, and leads the sinner 254 The Silent Nazarene face to face with the love of God. This love either melts the stony heart, or lets him rave as a dumb brute—slave to all that he con¬ fronts. But now the ring of the hammers cease. Why? Have they left off—are they repenting of their dastardly work at hearing such a prayer? See, the chief priests, and among them many eminent Jews, are crowding close to the victim. They have heard his prayer. But their ears are heavy and they are quar¬ reling bitterly among themselves. Pilate has commanded that a superscription of the ac¬ cusation of the victim be set up over his head. It was written in Hebrew, and in Latin, and in Greek, so that all who passed, no matter from what quarter they be, could see and read. These demagogues had a tight tussle with Pilate this morning before coming to this place. They were insistent on the governor, saying, “Write not, The King of the Jews; but, that he said, I am the King of the Jews.” But they have played with Pilate too long. For once he will have his way. He answers them once for all, saying, “What I have writ¬ ten I have written.” Now these leaders are at variance among themselves, for they are up against it. The soldiers are raising the cross- How He Took Up His Cross 255 beam with the victim spiked fast through his hands at the extremities, and securely fixing it to the upright pole which is already planted. As he is being placed astride the wooden-peg of the upright pole again the hammers ring, for they are spiking his feet fast to that crude pole. Now the superscription must be set up as Pilate has commanded. “Ruthless mur¬ derers, you cannot always have your way. You must give in here and rave. You cannot even shun this. You must see and hear peo¬ ple from every quarter read it as they pass this way. The governor would have it in the three great languages so that no one would miss it. This is the first measure that is being turned back to you. The inevitable has its way.” But now the soldiers have him securely spiked to the cross, the crown of thorns is on his head, and the superscription written plainly in Hebrew, and in Latin, and in Greek is set up over his head. These soldiers hav¬ ing performed their work turn to their lawful booty as Roman soldiers. They take his gar¬ ments and make four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They say therefore to one another, “Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.” 256 The Silent Nazarene “Soldier, you would not spoil a goodly gar¬ ment. You would rather that your comrade have it if you yourself can not have it entire. So in this way it will do some one good. You are sensible in your rigid economy. But the world that absorbs your interests and accrues you good is confined to the garments the pris¬ oner wore. But here we must leave you and turn to the suffering prisoner.” There are standing by the cross his mother, and his mother’s sister, and Mary Magdalene. These women are grouped there with faces full of the bitter anguish of their hard pressed, suffering souls. Anguish is fiercely tearing at the heart of the victim spiked to the cross. He forgets the crown of thorns and the blood trickling from his brow as he casts his eyes down and surveys the motley crowd at the foot of the cross. They are going here and there: priest, Levite, scribe and lawyer, as well as soldier, man of affairs, and those who have no affairs but stand and gaze—all are mingling and intermingling. But the eye of Jesus rests upon one humble woman weeping at the foot of the cross, and turning his eyes to the young man with auburn hair upon whom this anguish-smitten woman is leaning for support he says unto his mother, “Woman, behold, thy How He Took Up His Cross 257 son!” Bringing his eyes to rest upon his mother again, he addresses his beloved disci¬ ple saying, “Behold, thy mother!” It were as though he was saying unto John: “My be¬ loved disciple, see my mother weeping bitterly there. Her heart is breaking beneath the stress of this hour—a sword is piercing through her soul. Thou knowest how care¬ fully I provided for her, and in what tender regard I always held her. I made her a home. Now take her into thine own home, and treat her as thine own mother for my sake.” (Great Christ, we thank thee for this glimpse of tender human love; where Divine love can meet the human without a taint of lust.) How beautifully the heart of that disciple responds to that which forms the border-land of earth to the spotless white soul of heaven. “And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home.” “A loving trust, John, the one that Jesus the Nazarene regarded so dear to him while he spent those thirty quiet years making sacred manual toil by his own hands and spreading his godly benediction of love over the home all those years. What a peculiar privilege to stand so near the heart of Christ as that.” 258 The Silent Nazarene But nothing can hush the mockers’ taunts. He must bear the torture as they pass by and wag the heads, saying, “Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God come down from the cross.” The chief priests wish to press home to him what the rabble has been saying in giving him such a timely challenge. His position is both awkward and hopeless and the boastful words he had spoken before he came into this hour are as foolish babbling. They must make him feel it. So they back up the rabble saying, “He saved others; him¬ self he can not save.” Did these Jewish teach¬ ers mean to point out to that noisy rabble the cardinal fact of the life of this Nazarene? Hardly so, for hear! they continue, and their thought as well as their words must fall down even with that of the rabble—“He is the king of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him. He trust- eth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the son of God.” So they of the rabble passing by wag¬ ging their heads join the rulers repeating the challenge, “Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen.” It is “Physician, heal thyself.” (Had not Jesus told the disci- How He Took Up His Cross 259 pies it would be so?) Now these mockers cast it in his teeth when his body is at a high pitch of fever and pain. He bears it all and replies not to their harrowing taunts. The brazen soldiers mock, offering him sour wine, saying, “If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.” Would even this Roman dare med¬ dle, saying, “Didst I not hear thee make thy boasts what thou wouldst do when thou wert before the high priest this morning? Thou didst say something about coming on the clouds of heaven. Now, then, thou hast a chance to make good, if thou canst do it.” Why should a soldier blurt out such things? What does a Roman know about the signifi¬ cance of being the King of the Jews? Poor, mocking wretch, he wanted to be in the push, and thought it smart to jeer with the rest. He is an all right fellow with the gang and must show that he is a “good fellow.” Yes, he heard the chief priests and the scribes sar¬ castically remark, “Let Christ, the King of Israel, descend from the cross.” But listen; he that hangs on the middle cross is mocked even by the one on the left cross. This is a thief who rails on him this time. He has a little more reason for his conduct than has the motley crowd at the foot of the cross, though 26 o The Silent Nazarene it is purely selfish, “Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.” Poor, wretched, dying thief, thou hast failed to catch the secret of the spirit of the life of “the Christ” that saves. J esus still is silent—not one resenting word es¬ capes his lips. He is master even now when a vile wretch who is about to enter eternity as a just recompense for his deeds turns his railing voice on him without a cause, except it be that he hears others mocking, and thinks he may as well have it out on somebody in ending his miserable existence. Have all turned mockers—priests, scribes and Pharisees, rulers, soldiers, common peo¬ ple, and even thief? No, be attentive, there comes a scathing rebuke from the one who hangs on the right-hand cross to the one who vilely mocks from the cross on the left. A thief speaks this time also, not only in fiery denunciation and biting rebuke in face of such unwarranted vileness, but in a humble rever¬ ential spirit he lifts his prayer out of his burn¬ ing needs to the One hanging upon the middle cross. See—he turns his head and addresses his fellow in like condemnation, saying, “Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: How He Took Up His Cross 261 but this man hath done nothing amiss.” It were as though he were saying, “I am aston¬ ished at thee joining this band of mockers against him who is innocent—even daring to do so at this critical moment. Dost thou not fear God since thou art hanging on that cross justly? What right hast thou to ask to be delivered from paying thy penalty?” At this the thief hanging upon the right-hand cross turns his face to the One crowned with thorns and held in vile derision, and lifts up his voice in a meek, petitioning spirit, saying, “Jesus, remember me when thou comest in * thy kingdom.” (Had all others given up hope that all was lost? certainly this thief had not. No matter what others thought this thief who keenly feels his own urgent needs knows him as Lord and Saviour even though nailed to the cross and physically as helpless as the petitioning thief himself. Even his disciples may go their way saying, “We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.” (“But we were mis¬ taken.”) Such despondent sighing was not the kind that could bind this thief in hope¬ less helplessness. But this thief in his ex- tremest need knows that this is He who would redeem the soul. If he did not believe this, 262 The Silent Nazarene his petition would be meaningless, since he is at the very brink of death, and he neither asks nor expects to be delivered from physical death either at that very hour.) Is the petitioner disappointed? Does the One on the middle cross to whom the petition is directed still keep his lips sealed in silence? Was it not so all through that jeering mockery? But was such the case with the Nazarene when he walked through the avenues of service ministering to the needs of men? Will he be consistent with his conduct then? Will he break his silence? Here the needs of a wretched lost man is ap¬ pealing, and Christ opens his lips to meet those needs. He towers above the agony of pain of soul stress to give consolation to a soul that has appealed in its extremest need. At last one soul found the way the Christ was going, and that soul met up with him before the very door of death, and a thief too at that. Ah, the words are very tender and mellow with hope, “Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” How it lifted the burden from off that soul, and poured into the wounds of that violated con¬ science the healing oil of peace and consola¬ tion. Now it was about three o’clock in afternoon How He Took Up His Cross 263 and darkness came over the whole land and continued until six o’clock. Had this Man of sorrows and afflicted with griefs forgotten the hard demands of his agony? He may rise above excruciating pain to think of the good and comfort of others; but surely the body must succumb in time to such exacting pressure. The soul may rise above its crushing and stress in saving others, but when the crashing avalanche moves on even that soul too must be covered until the crushing mass has ground and chiseled its way over its groaning heart. Pressure with¬ out and stress within are at work upon the great soul of Christ, as death is drawing its ugly scowl over the face of things. Ah, the shadow moves before it as the shadow before the moving cloud. Physical agony intense; fiendish cries of mockers fall upon his suffer¬ ing soul; insulting jeers from those very men whom he sought to lead into the way of life. Ingratitude as a ravishing beast bore down heavily upon his soul, as he saw himself not only forsaken but actually derided by those upon whom he had poured blessings as re¬ freshing showers. The curtains of loneliness rolled down thick and heavy. It seemed as though the very heavens are closing in upon 264 The Silent Nazarene him as a great prison-cell of brass. Nothing was there to relieve the tension. Out of the depths of such sublime loneliness he cries with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.” Is it posible that everything must crush in upon such a soul, so full of innocence and love. Is the Universe conspiring together in one sweep of accumulated power to blot it out? All desertion and suffering is as naught if he can keep his mind unclouded, fixed upon the mind of Heaven, but when the body is ema¬ ciated and the spirit is so completely crushed down with that which the bodily thrusts in upon it without mercy or sparing, filling it hot with anguish, the sufferer is forced to reckon with these things. Physical strength after the natural order must give. It forces its demands. He opens his quivering lips. He has en¬ dured and suffered this stinging, breaking an¬ guish for a long while and now it forces ut¬ terance. He didn’t intend to let it pass his lips, either—but it is not a complaint, some¬ how it has forced itself out, “I thirst.” (This is so with all the crucified. He suffers thirst as he was flesh and suffered all the while. He How He Took Up His Cross 265 told us this to make sure we understood.) H as that soldier who has mocked any pity now? Ah, he runs, dips a sponge in sour wine, places it on the end of a reed and lifts it to the lips of the suffering Man. When he tastes the sour wine he says, “It is finished.” “My work is finished and all the suffering that is portioned therewith.” Now the thick veiled cloud begins to with¬ draw its shadow from his soul. The whole burden is shifted. His work is completed. It all rests with God. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”; and saying this he gives up the ghost. The veil of the temple is rent in two from the top to the bottom—the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies become one great Holy Place for this great High Priest has entered back of the veil once for all and has sprinkled his own blood upon the mercy-seat—rending the veil in twain. The sun covers his face as with sackcloth. In the midst of the darkness the earth sends forth a shudder that shakes the insolent crea¬ tures of her lap as though to say—Were it not for the love of him who prayed for them who were spiking him to the tree, she would swal¬ low them up into the depth of her bowels that 266 The Silent Nazarene they might never more mar her fair forms and cover her with revolting shame and ignominy. The blood of this Man rests mid thick dark¬ ness upon the heads of the mockers. In the midst of this awful frown of Nature, do you hear even the centurion who is over that band of mocking soldiers who did the crucifying, say (All are consenting with him), “Certainly this was a righteous man.” That centurion and they that were with him watch¬ ing Jesus must make it even more emphatic mid the tremors of the chiding, outraged earth, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.” VI HOW HE CAME FORTH AGAIN * f THEY BAR HIS TOMB “And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts, and all his acquaintance, and the women that fol¬ lowed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.” J ESUS the Nazarene has died. Some hearts are bleeding and open as the deep silence stretches itself across the brow of mor¬ tal things. The women linger still about the cross. There two men go with bowed heads, talking with each other. They are of the rul¬ ers. Others of the crowd are dispersing here and there—some with heads bowed and de¬ jected, and some wearing a proud scorn upon their countenance. These are saying some¬ thing about it being the Sabbath on the mor¬ row and it would not be lawful to let the bodies hang on the crosses. These, with scorning brows, are headed in the direction of the two men with dejected countenance. Those 269 270 The Silent Nazarene two sorrowing men are wearing garments sim¬ ilar to those of them who are muttering un¬ der their breath about it being the Sabbath on the morrow. These men of sad countenance are Jewish officers—members of the Sanhe¬ drin. They are headed for Pilate’s palace. Nicodemus counsels with Joseph of Ari- mathaea, saying, “When you go in to ask Pilate for the body I will do what I can to as¬ sist you.” As these goodly men come into the presence of the governor and Joseph makes his request, Pilate marvels, saying, “Yes, if he be dead already?” Pilate calls in the centurion but he wishes to avoid leaving any hint that he doubts for a moment the veracity of this most noble Jewish ruler. He just wishes to ascertain how long a time he has been dead—whether it had been any great while. He is now convinced, and grants the corpse to Joseph. These two sad men depart, having secured their object. Scarcely are they gone when the others come to ask that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the Sabbath (for the day of that Sabbath was a high day). They ask Pilate that their legs might be broken, and the bodies taken away. The watch at the cross stir as the soldiers from the governor arrive. A soldier lifts his How He Came Forth Again 271 spear and touches the quivering flesh of the thief on the left of the middle cross. There is a sudden twitch, and a sigh comes from the fevered lips. Then with a brutal blow of the hammer he breaks the legs, and the vic¬ tim yields a groan and drops his head in death. Then they approach the thief on the right and break his legs; but merely a passing sigh es¬ capes as his spirit flees to Paradise to join his Lord, who is waiting to receive him there. When they come to the middle cross they see that he is dead already, and brake not his legs. Pilate could not believe his ears when told by Joseph that Jesus was already dead. And is it so that this soldier can not believe his eyes? He saw that he was dead already and brake not his legs; howbeit the soldier with a spear pierced his side, “and straightway there came out blood and water.” He is dead —of that the soldier is certain now, or did he do the thing out of sheer brutality? That is a question. But how about the blood and water that straightway came out of his pierced side? See if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow? Did he not tell the chosen three in the garden, “My soul is exceeding sorrow¬ ful even unto death?” Could his heart be breaking under all these experiences which 272 The Silent Nazarene call out more than human endurance, and his great heart not be broken so that he gave up the ghost? Surely he died of a broken heart and when the soldier pierced his side straight¬ way there came out blood and water. Not a bone of him is broken. They look on him whom they pierced. So the scripture is ful¬ filled. They must wonder what manner of man this is. But those who would not brave his rescue while alive, now take him from the cross. In spotless linen his body is wound, and borne by tender hands to the peaceful garden nearby, to the new hewn tomb in the rock; yes, a tomb in which man had never yet lain. Here they laid the body of this great Teacher in Israel to whom Nicodemus came by night to inquire the way of life. “Ah, Nicodemus, thou didst behold this blood-thirsty transaction on the part of thy comrades. How couldst thou help but seal it with an act showing thy disap¬ proval, if not disgust? What of the spices that thou didst bring as a token of the high regard in which thou didst hold this Nazarene teacher?” Ah, the sweet fragrance of the spices that are wound in the linen with the body is but a hint of the sweetness of the life that has gone into paradise. Yes, Mary’s ala- How He Came Forth Again 273 baster cruse was but the breaking of a heart over full of love to pour it out in profusion upon the one whom she loved. Jesus then said, “She has wrought a good work. She has done this against the day of my burial.” Truly this day the heart of Jesus was broken, like the alabaster cruse to pour his love in profu¬ sion upon the world. This fragrance of the love of Christ bursts forth from his tomb, fill¬ ing the world with resplendent hope, even that from the full flower of the resurrection. But how little these knew of that this day. Is the Sun lowering as the forms as mute as statues are moving from the lonely garden? Joseph rolls a great stone to the mouth of the sepulchre, and departs. The faithful women are still sitting over against the sepulchre. They are noting carefully how everything is done. They have not paid their last tribute yet. The sun is casting its last gleams on yonder heights of hanging cliffs. It is time to withdraw, for the sinking sun ushers in the Sabbath. Yes, night rolls down her thick, black curtains, shrouding the scene of that day’s tragedy from the sight of mortal eye. From hence forth it must live in the imagina¬ tions of men; in some pale as a misty halo, in others acutely vivid. Yes, night shrouded the 274 The Silent Nazarene deserted in exceeding quiet, that the weary, broken body of the Master might sleep and rest from its manifold labors, and the pressing, yes, crushing strain of this tragedy of trage¬ dies, for this body had to hold the suffering of the greatest soul that ever inhabited mortal flesh. No wonder it was racked and broken. How could it suffer with such a soul without bursting beneath the strain? Well could the night cover it with its sheltering wings that it might peacefully rest. The restless multitude seeking some sign could not crowd in here, and break this peaceful slumber; neither could those craving ambition disturb his quiet rest; no, not even those who sought the teacher could wake him from his pillow; ah, the disciples are full of fears and apprehen¬ sions but they can not wake him now and have him quiet them. Yes, now their hearts are overflowing with the floods of sorrows, but they must remember what he has said, for they can not walk to his couch and ask him for comfort now. Then, too, the jealousy of the treacherous Pharisee dare not snatch away any of his peaceful moments now; they can’t thrust themselves in upon him and break his slumber now; their wily devices can not en¬ trap him so that he needs to withdraw from How He Came Forth Again 275 his native land. Ah, he sleeps unmolested right in the heart of it now. What can ex¬ ceed the sublime grandeur about the silent tomb of Christ as restful quiet wraps this lonely spot, where rests the broken frame of Christ from the mad fury that has just sub¬ sided by the closing of his eyes in the gentle sleep of death that none dare break. Yes, the hush of raving mortals is very quiet and still beneath the cover of that night when suns, moons and planets could well be veiled from the face of the earth. The earth could well drape her face in a deep veil both to hide her blushing forms from the rest of the universe, and to conceal her mourning countenance from the stare and the gaze of the shining worlds about her: what can atone for her rav¬ ing mortals; what can replace the purest that has been snatched from her bosom? But the rising sun must disperse her lin¬ gering, drooping clouds, for it must lay bare more of the folly of mortals that was heatedly concocting that very night. The chief priests and the Pharisees! are come together unto Pilate that Sabbath morning. For what? Can not their jealous ravings cease when they have crushed the life from out the body? But hear what these men say in petitioning the 27 6 The Silent Nazarene governor: “Sir, we remember that that de¬ ceiver said, while he was yet alive, ‘After three days I shall rise again.’ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, ‘He is risen from the dead’; so that the last error shall be worse than the first.” Dare Pilate, who had been so wrought up and en¬ slaved by this very voice the day before still continue to commit himself? Hear him speak for himself, “Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as you can.” Was Pilate afraid he would be made ridiculous, should the body disappear out of its place, or did the fear of the multitude still lash him? But pray, how could these pious Jews ask for a watch upon the Sabbath day, and ap¬ proach a Roman at that to offer their plea? How could they violate what they had so scru¬ pulously guarded? Was not this very thing the chief charge brought against the Naza- rene? Was it not in this that they persistently tried to entrap him? “Inconsistent mortals, why wade through and trample under foot scruples whenever it suits and is convenient to do so? It more unclothes your mad jeal¬ ousy, and lays bare your real motive that mur- How He Came Forth Again 277 dered this great Teacher who not only rose above you, but by his very life made your hollow formalism ineffective and caused it to lose its grip upon the hearts of men. In the death grapple you are doing desperate things. But your hold is lost and you are surely sink¬ ing, and that very fast, pulling your complex niceties into the grave with you. In your madness you have just made it possible for this Man’s power to take the world.” Lo, what is entering the gate? Do you see the Sun gleaming upon shields and lances? It is the guard to make sure the sepulchre. See those dignified Pharisees, whose haughty bear¬ ing is crying everywhere, “Touch me not; I am holier than thou.” See those demagogues violate the Sabbath even beyond the asking for a watch. They can’t trust the sealing of the rock to the soldier guard, but they must go and seal it with their own hands. Why is not the watch sufficient without a sealing of the rock in the mouth of the sepulchre? What friend would dare brave these Roman soldiers to steal the body away? “Ah, Pharisee, a rest¬ less suspicion is all over you. You can’t trust yourselves. You feel as if you are not done with this Man yet. You do not know how to put aside this dread that is overawing you. 278 The Silent Nazarene You are constantly apprehending alarm. Something forces you to look for something to happen on the third day; something to take place that will make you ridiculous in the eyes of men. Folly, folly, unbridled folly, to seal the grave to keep Christ in. This Man has walked over all your follies up to this time and he will walk over this one also; yes, he will walk out of this grave sealed with mortal’s folly. How long will ye hold the instru¬ ments of death gleaming in the brightness of the sun in bold defiance to the hand of Heaven and to the decrees of right?” The Resurrection As Night rolls back her curtains upon that Sabbath in which the Prince of Glory slept to rest his weary broken frame, and it begins to dawn towards the first day of the week, new light breaks gently upon the world—Jesus comes forth from the grave. This Jesus has put all under his feet and now he wraps the shroud of death about the empty tomb. Yes, the earth must tremble as the hand of heaven cuts asunder the bars of death. Ah, a mighty quaking and a shudder runs through the earth as Heaven opens her door to let her angel How He Came Forth Again 279 down to roll away the stone that mortal hands have sealed into the mouth of the tomb in which the frame of Christ had slept. Yes, Heaven’s messenger descends, rolls back the stone and sits upon it; as if to say, “The door of death is open, and open forever, for Heaven has placed immortality right over it. What mortal madness dare shut it, while Heaven’s messenger with shining countenance like lightning, and raiment as white as snow, stands guard over it. See the keepers who have stood guard over the sealed tomb, shake because of him. What a fear falls over them. It is as the pall of death itself. Ah, verily, they become as dead men. As the hand of Heaven is blinding their eyes that they might not look upon the spotless form of Christ, there is something exceedingly strange to mor¬ tals taking place within that tomb, Christ is rising from his rock-hewn couch as from the peaceful slumbers of the night. It is an early rising that morning, of all the earth’s the best. He places the linen clothes to themselves, and folds the napkin in its place; he makes his bed ere he leaves his chamber where sweet slum¬ ber has refreshed his wasted frame. By so doing he tells mortals not to dread this couch; but lay themselves down for peaceful rest till 28 o The Silent Nazarene they awake in the eternal morning of immor¬ tality. Yes, Jesus walks out from the tomb as undisturbed as one who walks from his couch after peaceful slumbers. He is ready to greet his friends he meets that morning. But let us see. What of the guard? Heaven lifts the pall of fear which had made their bodies as rigid as though in death. They re¬ cover from their paralysis, and hasten to the city to tell the chief priests all the things that were done. Where is human folly now? Has it not been enough already? Have not mortals been entangled deeply enough in its meshes? But lo, they assemble, chief priests and elders. For what? To stifle this which they could not cut down with death? What madness? Yes, to try to make a hush with a lie? Inconsistent mortals, you are fanning the flame. Hear them as they whisper confi¬ dentially to the members of that guard: “Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.” Is it possible that the chief priests and elders were so sure they could do anything they pleased with the Roman gover¬ nor? They know they have him, and they can ask anything of him, even the lives of un- 28 i How He Came Forth Again faithful Roman soldiers. What would Caesar say about this if it came to his ears? But Pilate was unmanned and these Jewish offi¬ cers knew it. They knew they could tie his hand whenever they were pleased to do so. So they gave large money unto the soldier. These poor, blind wretches, puppets of the wily hands of crafty rulers, took the money, and did as they were taught; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day; and to this day, too, though these very Jews are scattered to the very corners of the earth, whilst this Man against whom they raised this lie is taking the world. The Waiting The darkness rests on Olive’s brow as though the peace of earth has knit its brows in one great solemn thought. Does this great peaceful spot now wear a scowl? Or are hearts clothed in deep reflection turning to this sacred place where Christ was wont to kneel in secret prayer? The restful Sabbath breaks? The innocent toiler from his plow may rest his weary frame, but ere last night’s setting sun hasted to dip itself in the great blue billows of the sea those 282 The Silent Nazarene who lost their all must wait in grief as the great sun slowly climbs the heavens and there at zenith height it seems to stand and mock the hurried fears of anxious, restless mortals who constantly turn to see it in the west but painfully slow is its descent from its throne to the great surging billows of the deep. But sink he must though he may seem to press a lagging year within his daily path. Night hangs heavy about three faithful women’s hearts. The spices were made ready ere the sun went down on yesterday’s sad tragedy. Night’s veil lingered as if some giant drone now held his sluggish hand upon the curtain and refused to be roused from out his drowsy slumbers. At the end of the Sabbath as it begins to dawn toward the first day of the week; as the countless forms begin to creep from out the shadows, three faithful women turn toward a peaceful garden. They move as quietly as the light and darkness move across their wait¬ ing hearts. But now they speak, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” They turn into the garden as the sun is just rising from out the chambers of the night. “What, O Sun, to witness faith¬ ful women anointing the body of their sacred How He Came Forth Again 283 dead?” Ah, faithful women, look. The stone is rolled away, though it is very great. You have prepared the spices. Heaven says, It is enough; your feeble strength may not be able to do more; nay, not even roll this stone away. Heaven requires this not of you. The hand of Heaven will unseal, and roll away the stone of your difficulty every time if you will but go forward and do what you can. But if you falter and lament the grave will remain sealed before your face. Enter the tomb, O Faithful, for there Heaven’s messenger awaits you.” Lo, it is so. A young man in white now speaks: “Be not amazed. Ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.” The message was given to the women from the mouth of Heaven, now they were to go and bear it to the disciples. An angel bids mortal man to serve. “But go tell his disciples and Peter. He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” But these messengers are mortal still. Well is it that Heaven leaves them so. They go out, and flee from the tomb; a trembling and astonish¬ ment had come upon them. They say noth- 284 The Silent Nazarene ing to any one, for they were afraid. Did the message stop at the empty tomb? Had Heaven paralysed earth in seeking to give the message direct? Was all to stop at this gateway hopeless, though transcendent hope had entered through it into the world? Where mortal vision ends, did not Heaven forge the link that would make the chain com¬ plete? Did not God see its need, and put it in its proper place? He who trusts will be content to pass the mortal shadows till he sees the Christ who has passed that way. Let us see how Mary Magdalene saw the Christ, and how she quickly bore the message to others of mortal kind. The lingering Mary stands without the tomb and weeps. She stoops and looks within and sees the angel vision, but still an empty tomb to her. “Woman, why weepest thou?” is the question from angel lips within the empty vault. The heart is the mouth in giv¬ ing answer to this question. “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” But turn, Mary, a stranger is at your side—the gardener? Surely he can answer well the question you seek to know. Hear, he speaks: “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” 285 How He Came Forth Again “Mary, why not ask this questioner who he is? But no, your own question is too burning for that. You don’t care to know who the living might be that address you; you only care to know where the body of a dead friend is. You take it for granted that this is the gardener. There is no cowering weakness in the sadness that prevails, but majestic strength that seeks to claim its own. This Mary is not afraid to ask him to restore her sacred dead to its proper resting place: “Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” But listen, this stranger simply says, “Mary,” and she turns herself, and says, “Rabboni.” By a single word-accent the riddle is solved, the question is answered, the mystery is unveiled; she knows her Lord. Her first impulse is to touch him, and worship him. Was it not he that had come to her when steeped in sin to meet her greatest needs, and now he pulls back the veil and lets her look upon the im¬ mortal, arrayed in its spotless purity. It is a precious glimpse; but hear! “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto my Father.” Is the mortal not to touch the immortal pure lest the mortal enter the immortal pure ere the message is borne to 286 The Silent Nazarene others of mortal kind. The Same who bids Mary not touch him bids her go tell the dis¬ ciples. “But go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.” It were as though he said: “Mary, this can’t stop with a touch, neither can it stay with the things of the flesh; the work is not done yet; yes, it must end in God. And God is a Spirit. Have I not been constantly leading you so? Spiritual things are not to be touched as you in the flesh are so prone to think. Would you understand this mystery, then first carry the message as best you can to my brethren who are mortal as you are, for otherwise you would not be able to bear the message to them.” And so the message goes when each has finished his work and ascends with Christ, and leaves the message with mortal kind still to tell. To tell her message, Mary speeds; Inspired by Christ who knew her needs. O what a lonely walk. Two walking to¬ gether and are sad. They have a common cause for sorrow. For listen, they are softly whispering to each other. Yes, they are ques¬ tioning together. Do you hear now and then How He Came Forth Again 287 a troubled accent that betrays a very perplex¬ ing situation? Lo, now there is a stranger drawing near. They are too busily engaged in conversation to notice him. But now they stand still and look sad. This stranger speaks: “What manner of communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk?” Ah, they are amazed at such ignorance. Why, it is the talk of everybody. It is the topic of the day everywhere about Jerusalem. “Dost thou sojourn alone in Jerusalem, and knowest not the things which are come to pass there in these days?” “What things?” the stranger asks. Ah, these men are very earnest in this matter. “Certainly, if you would even have overheard any one you would have heard of “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.” Yes, do these men falter here? Lo, now they wish to tell this stranger what interest they had in this sad tragedy. “But we hoped it was he who should redeem Israel.” “Yes, and certain women who were at the tomb early this morning say they saw a vision of angels who told them that he is risen. And certain 288 The Silent Nazarene of them that were with us went to the tomb, and found it empty, his body being not there, just as the women had said, but him they saw not.” At this point the stranger takes up the thread of the subject of the conversation and begins to unravel it from the tangled meshes of perplexities of both heart and reason. He addresses them sternly but kindly, even rebuk¬ ing them for their slowness of heart, saying, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Be¬ hooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory?” The look of ex¬ pectancy marks the faces of these men as they look into the face of that stranger and listen to his wonderful words, expounding to them the mystery of the Christ. This stranger con¬ vinces them as he proceeds, beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, that he has the secret of interpretation of all the scrip¬ tures concerning the mystery of the Christ, who was to suffer all these things they had seen and about which they were troubled and sad, and naturally should enter into his glory as reported by the vision of angels to the women who were early at the tomb. As the stranger is expounding to them the How He Came Forth Again 289 way of the Christ and they are amazed at his discerning insight as he talks with them in the way they draw nigh unto the village, whither they are going. Wrapt in thought they are standing before their door, but the stranger who is talking with them is moving on. But they can not leave this stranger go; he is so interesting and then it is near evening. So they constrain him, saying, “Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” He goes in to abide with them. What a welcome they give this stranger! They look forward to hear more good things of him that evening. His marvelous wisdom has set their cravings on edge. The evening meal is spread and what a feast of good things they will have in the fellowship together at that meal! When he is sat down with them to meat he takes the bread and blesses it; and breaking it gives to them. Their eyes are open, and they know him, and he vanishes out of their sight. What a dreadful silence falls all about that table. They are facing each other in amazement. But they are seeing the face of their risen Lord only. That awful spell of solemn si¬ lence! What can break it? Can they find words for utterance? They are speaking one to the other, “Was not our hearts burning 290 The Silent Nazarene within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures?” At that very hour they rise up and return to Jerusalem, where they find the disciples gath¬ ered together for strange reports are current this day. Here they find this little group wait¬ ing before God in prayer. They who have been slow of heart to believe in all the proph¬ ets have spoken concerning the sufferings of the Christ through which he must needs enter into his glory, are come to the waiting disci¬ ples with a message direct from the lips of the risen Lord himself. They rehearse the things that happened in the way, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. But now the evening is fully come, and the doors are shut where the disciples are assem¬ bled, for fear of the Jews. They are waiting in awe because of the strange things that were told the inner circle during that first day of the week and at the falling of the shadows of eventide. As they wait on God in solemn silence Jesus stands in the midst of them, say¬ ing, “Peace be unto you.” When they heard this being mute with silence, he showed them his hands and his side. “The disciples there¬ fore were glad, when they saw the Lord.” It is a glad hour. Jesus lifts his hands to repeat How He Came Forth Again 291 his benediction upon them, saying, “Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” After joining the benediction and the commission, forging and welding all into one moving spirit of that little group, he breathes upon them, saying, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.” But the record states this also, “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.” It is not strange that when the other disciples meet up with him that they should tell their message, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas has heard many such like reports here of late. He has given them no credence, and very little atten¬ tion. He is very positive in the stand he has taken regarding such tales that are being told even by men who ought to exercise more cau¬ tion in such matters. So he replies that his words might be final and they would not an¬ noy him further with such reports. “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not be¬ lieve.” “Thomas, you are not satisfied with the words of your staunch, tried friends. You must investigate for yourself—you must han- 292 The Silent Nazarene die and see. Will Heaven grant the demands of this peculiar set bias of your nature? It looks as though Heaven will refuse you—a whole week has passed, leaving you battling with your doubts as seriously as ever.” Upon the eighth day Heaven takes up the challenge. The disciples again are within the closed doors but Thomas is with them this time. But quiet is not reigning as was the case on the eve of eight days ago. There is a spirited talk on. Thomas is in a heated debate with the other disciples, “You say He showed you so much proof. Eight days have passed and things are as they were the day he died. Furthermore I expect the coming days to dif¬ fer in nowise from the eight days that have passed since the report was made current that He is risen from the dead, except that these tales will cease.” There is a hush. A familiar voice speaks in a familiar way, for Jesus is standing in the midst, saying, “Peace be unto you.” Was he present when Thomas made the challenge eight days ago? Flow is it that he has it so exact? “Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believ¬ ing.” Thomas answers in reverential awe: How He Came Forth Again 293 “My Lord and my God.” Jesus speaks. He would not rebuke the disciple before him in worshipping reverence, he simply would have him understand the way of blessedness. “Be¬ cause thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Have all these testified that he is risen. Let us hear another witness—let Paul speak for himself: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scrip¬ tures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to a child untimely born, he appeared to me also.” | How did Paul see Jesus? He saw the risen and glorified Christ that changed him from a relentless and bitter persecutor of the church into the most faithful and zealous of the apos¬ tles. Even on his way to make havoc of the church, while he yet was breathing out threat- 294 The Silent Nazarene ening slaughter against the disciples of Jesus, he saw the Lord against whom he was lifting his hand stained with the blood of the martyr Stephen. In whatever form he saw his Lord of this one thing the world knows, that from that very hour he became the most steadfast of all the apostles, and that through him Chris¬ tianity broke the narrow bounds of Judaism and spread as an irresistible leaven to leaven the whole world. Thus this man became the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” Through this man with a world vision all subsequent history of the church is changed, and this was the very man who sought to wipe the church from off the face of the earth before he saw his Lord. Where does he hinge all his extraordinary faith that is responsible for his unparalleled conduct? Let us hear him speak, for we will surely grant that he is authority in this matter. “For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” He meets this irresistible logic by stat¬ ing what he knows to be fact. “But now hath Christ been raised from the dead.” Over this fact stern logic and faith clasp hands and the great Apostles shout: “The first fruits of them that are asleep.” This made him the invinci- 295 How He Carrie Forth Again ble apostle that he was, and gave his message the authority that would brook no opposition —“Christ lives in me” seizes the prey out of the jaws of death. But there is the apostle who before his Mas¬ ter was crucified was so certain that he was ready to go to death with him, but denied with cursing and swearing when pressed and closely questioned as to his relation to the Galilean prisoner who was on trial before Caiaphas. It would be interesting to know something of him in this connection. Every one of that little band left the foot of the cross Friday afternoon with crushed ambitions and dejected hopes, and Peter was no exception mid these trying circumstances. But we are told that of the disciples Peter is second only to John, and that because the latter outran him, in arriving at the empty tomb on the morning of the third day. We are told that Peter is the first to boldly enter and investigate the empty tomb. It is Peter who stands up boldly on the day of Pentecost and preaches the living Christ so that as a result of that sermon there are three thousand souls added to them. But the most outstanding feature of all in the conduct of this man is that a strict, stringent, strong¬ headed Jew should utter words like these: 296 The Silent Nazarene “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him.” This is a long way to come for a disciple who would thrust from his Master a Syrophoenician mother who had come to plead in behalf of her demented daughter. And too this disciple boldly defends his con¬ duct for so acting toward Cornelius, a cen¬ turion of the Italian band at Caesarea, when called to give an account of himself to the apostles and brethren of the Jerusalem Church, saying, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.” Read carefully the written word and see whether it did not take the risen Lord to do work like that with Simon Peter whom before upon the testimony of Jesus himself Satan was desiring to sift as wheat. The Shepherd has been smitten and the sheep have been scattered; but now the voices of these very men, who have rallied about an empty tomb cannot be silenced by raging per¬ secutions. What strange thing has come to pass that should cast such a spell over them that would not wear away; but grow firmer as the devouring, bloody sword entered with such havoc among them? Why should they catch How He Came Forth Again 297 the spirit of the Master now and wade through blood for Him and that for which He stood alone when in earth; when before (even though with Him) they wish to call down fire to consume insolent Samaritans who re¬ fused to give them shelter? How changed? They are ready to die for Jew, Samaritan, Greek, and Roman, no matter how hot perse¬ cution waxes. They lay the head upon the block without a murmur except it be a whis¬ pered prayer for persecutors; they walk to the cross without offering the least opposition, but count it a glory to lay down their life for the Lord Jesus. The prayer of the martyr for the murderers who are staining their hands with the innocent blood—“Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” surely marks a change in the course of all things. What new spirit has taken hold of these men that they should die in such a heroic—such a godlike manner? These men could fight with beasts, laugh at the fagot and flaming torch, because of their faith. Why? What occurred on the morning of the third day after that great Teacher in Israel had been put to death? No art, or cunning, or wisdom can bury the witness to this great event, for it is living all about us. If you can 298 The Silent Nazarene get a man big enough to blow out the life of the world, he might blow out this flame also. But until such a man is found this flame will spread regardless of all talks of the “isms.” If you can sweep the conscience of every soul bare you might sweep this out. But where is the man that can scour God out of this world in this manner? If that man is in this gener¬ ation let him come forth and try his hand. If he can make good he will stand forth; if not he must step back into the ranks of the rest of the foiled ones with their “isms.” Whatever we think of it, the question of the Almighty to Job is as timely and pertinent as ever: “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him?” Truth is truth, and to tear the soul out of it is to tear the soul out of the world. Can the product of all the ages be up¬ rooted? Can the heart be torn out of this gen¬ eration, for the heart is pulsating strong and very strong through the faith of the fathers who went the blood-stained way of the cross? The challenge of Gamaliel is still open to those who would contend against this way. “Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. . . “And now I say unto you, refrain from these How He Came Forth Again 299 men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught; But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” Has the world seen Gamaliel’s judg¬ ment vindicated? The world will outgrow much; but it can¬ not outgrow its soul. Christ breathes his spirit of loving service and of unselfish devotion to the truth into man and man becomes a living soul—a new creature fashioning into the like¬ ness of the Son of God Himself. On Olive’s sunlit crown the little group is assembled and the Master is in the midst. There he renews the promise to them, saying, “Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you.” In the full beam of light out of the great promise he charges them with the great commission, saying, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” He closes the greatj charge with another great promise which is a radiant beam of white light—“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” He lifts his hands to pray his benediction upon them as he was wont to do, but this time he was received into a 3 00 The Silent Nazarene cloud out of their sight. They must walk by faith and not by sight. Faith must be as actual as sight if they are to plant this “new teaching” in the hearts of men. To have dynamic to do effectual work they must be in living unity with the Master they knew. As Paul interprets, saying, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me; and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.” Christ’s grip on the life of God wells up in the life of Paul. Christ is God living in Paul. Christ is all Paul knows of God. Christ by his supreme faith translates God into the heart of his disciple by living in the heart. Hence the creed, and the only creed “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord/' He is God for us. Even as the Teach¬ er has made plain to us that he is our Lord, saying, “Neither doth any man know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.” Theologica Seminary Libraries 1 1012 01197 0490 sun -fiiH innu wmm mui r liiiflili«2c 8kkkk!Bm$ I |r i Hgmffl i ’Crlrr H > : i; ■ \ ( ,[■ ,••'••• ninjoij(]f)v|orw )' < nfv life jii yiii ia>i (Jj 5b{; H ‘ ?wy luLilinfirlcnnjl lBfiliiUjIlIKfl I BB felfi •v>t Hfij Mi ISOS H m fifi m iii