14
A MIRACLE AND A MYSTERY
The International Sunday School Lesson For April 1
Is, "Jesus Gives Sight to the Blind."—John 9 :l-38
By -William T. Ellis
In a remote village in the South
land, far away from the main cur
rents of life, I recently met an in
teresting man, who first attracted at
tention because of his resemblance
to the storied pictures of a pirate.
Unshaven, unkempt, looking out on
life from beneath the lowered brim
of an old soft hat. he appeared like
the heavy villain of a melodrama.
Yet it did not take long to discover
that the real interest of Mr. Black
beard was in the old. old problem, of
immortality and personal responsi
bility to an Infinite Being. He
quoted for me, verbatim, and at great
length, the newspaper report of a
sermon upon the deathless hope of
humanity. Further, 1 found that he
could quote extended passages from
the New Testament, and fugitive
poems concerning the problems of
life which have engrossed all the
world's thinkers, from tlio beginning
of time to the present hour.
Everywhere wo may find the same
unobtrusive interest in the eternal
mysteries. Man is man, with a ca
pacity for a quest after the spiritual.
The commotion created in Jerusalem
by this miracle of the healing of the
man born blind is true to life. In it
the people saw not only a wonder
and a "sign," but also an instance of
the great riddle of sin. Eagerly they
seized upon the Wonder-Worker, for
possible light upon the mystery of
the relation between sin and suffer
ing. Beneath the froth and flash of
our pleasure-seeking life of to-day
there still revolves this old, old ques
tion.
The Philosopher Who Had Eyes
We rather expect philosophers to
dwell amid the clouds, oblivious to
the practicalities of life. Jesus, on
the contrary, had an eye for all the
wayside realities of life. Business men
of Jerusalem, and temple officials,
and pilgrims to the feast, were ac
customed to pass daily this blind
beggar without really seeing him. Ho
was as much a part of the landscape
as the stones of the street, or the
gray olive trees over on the Hill to
the East, outside the city wall. But
Jesus saw him; that is, took a per
sonal, human, intelligent interest in
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him, and was concerned with his
neeus.
Over apd over again, with tireless
iteration, let it be said that one T>f
the lirst and most obvious lessons
taught by the life of Jesus is that of
being compassionate, of caring for
folks, of doing deeds of helpfulness.
Nobody is walking in tlio footsteps of
Jesus, no matter how clear his theo
logy, or how eminent his ecclesias
tical position, who is not busy at the
art of being kind. Heartaches are as
common about us us blind beggars
in old Jerusalem, yet we are not per
mitted to grow accustomed to tlTem,
or callous in our feelings concerning
them.
Without stopping to speculate upon
whether he belonged to the deserving
poor or not, Jesus undertook to meet
the blind man's most evident need.
He made clay of spittle—for so by the
use of means did he provide a crutch
for feeble faith—and sent the man to
batho his eyes in the Pool of Slloam.
Not that the man needed either the
clay anointing or the bath in the pool,
but that he needed to give token of
his belief. The miracle is told in one
short sentence: "He went away there
fore, and washed, and came seeing."
The Iliritllc of Sin antl Sufferinc
Whereas Jesus saw in the blind
beggar a man needing help, some
saw in him only a theological per
plexity. Had the man himself sin
ned, or his parents? The pettiness of
many qulbblcrs In the presence of
a great question reminds me of an ex
perience I had at the seashore last
summer. I was lishing in the surf for
channel bass, when a small boy came
along with the Inevitable question,
"Catch anything, Mister?" "No; not
yet." "Weil I' can tell vou where yu
can catch plenty. Right over there by
the boardwalk there is a little pool,
and it's just full of mlnnies." I thank
ed the lad but did not tell him that I
was baiting with a lish that could
swallow a dozen minnows, and that
I was after bass weighing thirty, forty
or fifty pounds. In the fashion of the
small boy, some of us talk in terms of
minnows, when the real objective is
big fish—fighting llsh.
Like grief-crazed parents who can
not see in the death of a child any
thing but personal hostility to them
on tke part of God, so these by
standers, with their concrete think
ing, were sure that the somebody's
sin was the immediate cause of this
man's blindness. Indubitably, sin is
often followed by suffering; any phy
sician can give particulars upon that
point. But there is much suffering
that may not be so easily explained.
In the case of the blind man, the
Master made plain that It was for the
glory of God that this visitation had
come upon him. That is to say, the
secret lies behind the veil of the in
scrutable purposes of God. "Haply
we know somewhat more than we
know."
God has plans that work out be
yond our ken. All his vast designs
need two words for their fulfilment.
When George Matheson was jilted by
a selfish sweetheart because of his
blindness, it seemed a cruel and in
explicable providence, yet surely the
clear vision that came to him of
spiritual verities, so that he could
"trace the rainbow through the rain,"
and minister to the broken hearts of
millions, is justification for his great
sorrow. Now and then wo glimpse
these mysteries as from "the heaven
side of the river of death," and per
ceive that if life is to be an ordered
thing, with God in control, then His
will must be supreme; and that it is
also beautiful and good. He is work
ing out larger designs than now we
know; but it is He who is working
them out, and his other name is love.
The Urge Within the Great
"So much to do! So little done!"
cried General Armstrong on his
deathbed. That plaint is one that is
heard from all great spirits. "We
must work * * the night com
eth," declared Jesus. Every soul with
vision experiences this sense of ur
gency. In a world of need, and of
flying days, this spur is required to
keep us up to the level of our best.
"Time workcth. let me work too;
Time undoeth, let me do
Busy as time, my work X ply
Till I rest in the rest of eternity."
"The night cometh." Soon it will
be too late to lift that burden, to
speak that word of praise, to whis
per that confession of love, to make
that apology and explanation, to do
that deed of brotherliness, to stand
up for Christ, or to act upon that
other noble impulse. '
Plain, practical, inescapable is the
message written here, that simple
industry, the everyday art of doing
things now, rather than of dreamipg
of greater ones to-morrow, is both en
joined and exemplified by Jesus. Being
busy for God In the commonplace
ways of the ordinary days accomp
lishes more for him than the occa
sional high resolution or heroic deed.
In the wayside opportunities, like the
I beggar whom Jesus helped, we find our
duty to God. Christians do not need
to know of new things to do for the
Master so much as they need to keep
on doing the commonplace tasks,
done in His name, which glorify the
Father in heaven.
"Unhasting, yet unresting," Jeesus
went His way, a minister to men. The
urge within His soull sometimes ex
pressed itself. Yet He thanked God
for His work. One of the basic joys
and boons of life is work to do. Pity
not the people cumbered with cares,
but pity rather the idlers and the
empty-lived. What can they know or
fellowship with the Master of all
good workmen, or with the brave
spirits of all times, who, by hand or
tongue or pen, have served their gen
eration? ThanH God when you have
learned the majesty of the motto of
Jesus, "I must work."
A Man As a Marvel
Naturally, the old town of Jeru
salem was set by the ears when this
familiar figure, the blind beggar, was
seen walking about with sight re
stored. The marvel made town talk.
Never before had It been seen on this
wise. A deed always creates more
Interest than a word. Two-legged
sermons go farthest. When a blind
man—physically or spiritually blind
—receives his sight, he has only to
go about seeing, among those who
knew him aforetipie, In order to pro
claim the merits of the physician.
There is no need to advertise sunlight;
it shines for itself. A life made over
is the one adequato and ultimate ad
vertisement of the Gospel of Jesus.
Shining saints convince more persons
than shouting saints.
Controversy followed the great
miracle. Of course, Jesus was Him
self always a center of controversy,
and so are His works and His work
ers. When a church Is not stirring
up interest In a community, and when
the neighbors ignoro It, and the po
liceman on the corner cannot direct
a stranger to it, then be very sure
that church needs a revival of relig
ion. Christians and churches who
cause no commotion are not in the
goodly fellowship of the restored
blind man, or of the apostles and
martyrs. Wherever the G>ospel Is do
ing its real work of making: over livj)B,
there It is creating a sensation. iViat
man who once had been blind was
the best presa-agent Jesus could have
had in all Jerusalem. A big electric
sign on the church door may be good,
but saved and shining saints in the
membership are better.
Raffling the Bigots
I shrink from commenting so often
upon the fact that the professional
churchmen of His time were in con
stant opposition to Jesus. Yet we
cannot escape the record. The prin
cipal controversy of Jesus was with
the accepted leaders of Judaism. His
harshest words were reserved for
them. We contemplate with awe the
possibility for our own day which is
wrapped up in the clear fact that the
official custodians of the religious
welfare of the nation were the arch
enemies of the Revealer of religion!
The truth should make us open
souled and forward-looking, and fill
ed with a horror of what the lingo
of to-day calls a stand-pat mind. Let
us be gentle and tolerant toward fall
new teachings which come confess
ing the name of God; but let us not
run after them simply because tehy are
new. When God speaks, let us have
listening ears.
Here again, in this lesson story,
we have the ecclesiastics hot and
hungry and hateful on the trail of
Jesus. They were openly displeased
over the healing of the blind man.
They cared more for their dogmas
than for human welfare—a sure sign
that the dogmas are not of God.
Theirs was the ignoble mind which
Longfellow charactefized as "The
strife for triumph more than truth."
The deeds of Jesus ran counter to
their little creeds. Like all established
religions or forms, their faith had
solidfled Into a set of rules, which is
always contrary to the spirit of Jesus.
The great helping, healing heart of
Jesus had broken the ecclesiastical
regulations concerning the Sabbath.
This made one more occasion for an-:
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tagonlzLng the new Teacher, who
cared so much more for life than He
did for the Organization.
When the Beggar Became a Man
Even the restored beggar came to
despise the place-holding ecclesi
astics, who cared so much for their
jobs, and for a triumph over One
whom they deemed a rival, than they
did for the truth of God. That Is
why most prophets are out of official
position. How few of the real states
men of the Church to-day are holders
of high office! In his new manhood,
this beggar, who had lost his wnino
when he found Christ, answered up
like an equal, even Indulging in sar
casm at the expense of the Pharisees.
Ho dared state to them the uttermost
truth He knew. His simple logic—
the logic of testimony—confuted the
sophistries of the ecclesiastical law
yers.
One thing this man knew. Ho had
been blind, and now he could see.
In that position he was unshakable,
to the confusion of the Pharisees. He
might not be able to pass an exam
ination in the catechism. His tor
mentors knew more about theological
hair-splitting than he would ever
learn. In position they might over
awe him. But his feet could not be
moved from the rock of his personal
experience. Much fruitless contro
versy would be avoided if we would
all but stick to the fact which we
know. Dr. Albertson says: "There
Is more logic in a simple demonstra
tion than In a whole volume of rea
soning * • * A man wrote a
book to prove that no vessel could
cross the Atlantic propelled by steam.
A steamship carried the first copies
qf his book across the sea." The law
yers might out-argue the blind man;
but he knew one fact which upset all
their arguments.
Thereupon he was cast out of the
synagogue. It was the old, old, ar
gument of the axe, the stake, the
stones. When you cannot convince,
smite. If a man teaches uncomfort
ible truth, boycott him or take his
job away from him, or crush him
somehow. How often some of us have
felt that! Every man who Would
speak the truth that is given to him
must reckon with the stones in the
hands of the strong.
Driven out from the synagogue,
this newly-bold beggar found him
self driven to Christ. Ah, that made
It worth while to be an outcast. Some
persons, even of those who have re
ceived most signal benefits from the
Saviour, do not really find Him until.
In turbulence and distress of soul,
they are forced to fly to Him for ref
uge. Bitter as seemed the fate of the
persecuted man, who was one of the
first to suffer for Christ's sake, it was
a means to fuller knowledge, larger
life. No price is too high to pay for
finding Christ; and many there be
who have found Him in'the stress of
soul who would never have known
the fulness of His personality and
power had they remained unshelter
ed from persecution. This is but one
of the aspects of the blessedness of
persecution. For the blind beggar en
tered into the goodly company of
those who have not only received
favors from Christ's hand, but who
also have entered into the secret of
real fellowship with Ilim. Once he
had been blind even to the beauties
of earth, but now his eyes had been
opened to see Jesus himself.
FIRST WOMEN CONDUCTORS
Moose Jaw, Sask., March 30. —Four
Moose Jaw street cars were run with
women conductors yesterday. It is
believed this Is the first time women
ever have served as conductors in
Canada. They wore uniforms with
military capes, short skirts and leg
gings.
BANK CI.OSES WITH $.10,000 SHORT
Newcastle, Va.. March 30. The
Bank of Newcastle, a State institution,
closed its doors yesterday with the
announcement that a shortage of $30,-
000 had been discovered.
Mrs. Arnold Dies Three
Months After Her Husband
Mechanicsburg, Pa., March 30.
The death of Mrs. Elizabeth Arnold
occurred yesterday after a stroke of
paralysis at her home in Weest. Green
street. She was aged 78 years. Her
husband, George Arnold, died a little
more than three months ago. The fol
lowing sons survive: Amos and Wil
liam, of Mechanicsburg, and Charles,
of Harrisburg. Funeral services will
be held to-morrow afternoon at 2.30
o'clock, conducted by the Rev. E. C. B.
Castle, pastor of the First United
Brethren Church. Burial will bo made
in the Mechanicsburg Cemetery.
FIND Si IS BODY MONTHS LATER
Lancaster, Pa., March 30. Tony
Madona, fi, of Lancaster, disappeared
last December under circumstances
that led to the belief he had been kid
naped. Last evening his body, In good
condition, through being in cold water,
was found in the Conestoga River, at
Wabank, by an employe of the elec
tric light plant there. It is supposed
the child ventured on the icebound
river and fell into an airhole. The
case was one that excited unusual in
terest here.
SUFFRAGE BILL PASSES
Des Moines, la., March 30. The
lowa house of representatives, by a
vote of 85 to 20, yesterday passed the
joint resolution submitting to the peo
ple a constitutional amendment which
would provide woman suffrage. The
resolution already had passed the sen
ate.
DRYS WIN IN WISCONSIN HOUSE
Madison, Wis., March 30.—A bill
calling for a referendum on state-wide
prohibition passed the lower house of
the Wisconsin legislature here yester
day by a vote of 56 to 37.
.'.'OMAN PREVENTS A LYNCHING K j
Trenton, Tenn., March 30. Mrs. ,
Taylor, daughter of Sheriff Dav
idson. of this county, early yesterday
prevented a mob from gaining en
trance to the cell of a negro charged
with abducting a white girl. While
her father debated with the leaders
she secured the cell keys and slipped
away through the crowd.
COINT FIFTY! NO
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