The Man Nobody Knows By Bruce Barton
Christ, by Heinrich Hoffmann
Paramhansa Yo Yogananda wrote: wrote: Intellectual Recipe: l. Read a few lines from Shakespeare every day.
2. Read the !mitation of "hrist#$ by Thomas a Kempis. %. Read !n Tune with the !nfinite#$ by Ralph &aldo Trine. '. Read “The Man Nobody Knows,” by Bruce Barton. !t is the best modern book on (esus. B) *+R+M,+NS+ )-+N+N/+ (East-West, (East-West, May-une, !"#
%$&o'ananda at on')ess o* Reli'ious +ibe)als, !"#
The Man Nobody Knows By Bruce Barton NTENT.
,ow !t "ame to be &ritten The 0eader The -utdoor Man The Sociable Man ,is Method ,is &ork and &ords ,is &ay in -ur &orld The Master -ri1inally published in 324. 5dited by "harles 6eldbush and Richard ". Nickels.
&hen published in 324# The Man Nobody Knows topped the nonfiction bestseller list# and is one of the best sellin1 non7fiction books of the 28th century. The Boston ,erald wrote# “The wrote# “The life of Jesus, as we ordinarily read read it, is what the life of Lincoln would be if we were given nothing of his boyhood and young manhood, very little of his wor in the !hite House and every detail of his assassination" Jesus lied to dine out# He was the most $o$ular dinner guest of Jerusalem" The reader is not shoced by this method of %r# %r# &arton's &arton's # # # Jesus seems ev en more the being for the ages#(
The Man Nobody Knows How It Came to Be Wr Written itten T,5 little boy sat bolt upri1ht and still in the rou1h wooden chair# but his mind was very busy. This was his weekly hour of revolt. The kindly lady who could never seem to find her 1lasses would have been terribly shocked if she had known what was 1oin1 on inside the little boy9s mind. :)ou :)ou must love (esus#: she said every Sunday# :and od.: The little boy did not say anythin1. ,e was afraid to say anythin1; he was almost afraid that somethin1 would happen to him because of the thin1s he thou1ht. 0ove od< &ho was always pickin1 on people for havin1 a 1ood time and sendin1 little boys to hell because they couldn9t do better in a world which ,e had made so hard< &hy didn9t od pick on someone ,is own si=e> 0ove (esus< The little boy looked up at the picture which hun1 on the Sunday7school wall. !t showed a pale youn1 man with no muscle and a sad e?pression. The youn1 man had red whiskers. Then the little boy looked across to the other wall. There was /aniel# 1ood old /aniel# standin1 off the lions. The little boy liked /aniel. ,e liked /avid# too# with the trusty slin1 that landed a stone s@uare on the forehead of oliath. +nd Moses# with his rod and his bi1 brass snake. They were fi1hters 7 those three. ,e wondered if /avid could whip the champ. Samson could< That would have been a fi1ht< But (esus< (esus was the :0amb of od.: The little boy did not know what that meant# but it sounded like Mary9s little lamb# somethin1 for 1irls 1irls 7 sissified. (esus (esus was also :meek and lowly#: a :man of sorrows and ac@uainted with 1 rief.: ,e went around for three years tellin1 people not to do thin1s. Sunday was (esus9 day; it was wron1 to feel comfortable or lau1h on Sunday. Su nday. The little boy was 1lad when the superintendent ran1 the bell and an d announced# :&e will now sin1 the closin1 hymn.: -ne more bad hour was over. 6or one more week the little boy had left (esus behind. )ears went by and the boy 1rew up. ,e be1an to wonder about (esus.
,e said to himselfA :-nly stron1 men inspire 1reatly and build 1reatly. )et (esus has inspired millions; what ,e founded founde d chan1ed the world. !t is e?traordinary e? traordinary.: .: The more sermons the man heard and the more books he read the more mystified he became. -ne day he decided to wipe his mind clean of books and sermons. ,e said# :! will read what the men who knew (esus personally said about ,im. ! will read about ,im as thou1h ,e were a character in history# new to me# about whom ! had never heard anythin1 at all.: The man was ama=ed. + physical weaklin1< &here did they 1et that idea> (esus pushed a plane and swun1 an ad=; ,e was a 1ood 1o od carpenter. ,e slept outdoors and spent ,is days walkin1 around ,is favorite lake. ,is muscles were so stron1 that when ,e drove the moneychan1ers out# nobody dared to oppose ,im< + kill7oy< ,e was the most popular dinner 1uest in (erusalem< The criticism which proper people made was that ,e spent too much time with publicans and sinners Cvery 1ood fellows# on the whole# the man thou1htD and enoyed society too much. They called ,im a :wine bibber and a 1luttonous man.: + failure< ,e picked up twelve humble men and created an or1ani=ation that won the world. &hen the man had finished his readin1# he e?claimed# :This is a man nobody knows<: :Someday#: said he# :someone will write a book about (esus. ,e will describe the same discovery ! have made about ,im# that many other people are waitin1 to make.: 6or# as the man9s little7boy notions and preudices vanished h e saw the day7to7day life of ,im who lived the 1reatest life and was alive and knowable beyond the mists of tradition. So the man waited for someone to write the book# but no one did. !nstead# more books were published that showed the vital "hrist as one who was weak and unhappy passive and resi1ned. The man became impatient. -ne day he said# :! believe ! will try to write that book myself.: +nd he did.
hapte) ! - The +eade) !t was very late in the afternoon. !f you would like to learn the measure of a man that is the time of day to watch him. &e are all half an inch taller in the mornin1 than at ni1ht; it is fairly easy to take a lar1e view of thin1s when the mind is rested and an d the nerves are calm. But the day is a steady drain of small annoyances# and the difference in the si=e of men becomes hourly more apparent. The little man loses his temper; the bi1 man takes a firmer hold. !t was very late in the afternoon in alilee. The do=en men who had walked all day over the dusty roads were hot and tired# and the si1ht of a villa1e was very cheerin1 as they looked down on it from the top of a little hill. Their leader# decidin1 that they had 1one far enou1h# sent two members of the party pa rty ahead to arran1e for accommodations# while ,e and the others sat down by the roadside to wait. +fter a bit the messen1ers were seen returnin1# and even at a distance it was apparent that somethin1 unpleasant had occurred. Their cheeks were flushed# their voices an1ry# and as they came nearer they @uickened their pace# each wantin1 to be the first to e?plode the bad news. Breathlessly they told it7the people in the villa1e had refused to receive them# had 1iven them blunt notice to seek shelter somewhere else. The indi1nation of the messen1ers communicated itself to the others# who at first could hardly believe their ears. This backwoods villa1e refuse to entertain their master 7 it was Enthinkable. lie was a famous public fi1ure in that part of the world. ,e had healed sick people and 1iven freely to the poor. !n the capital city crowds had followed ,im enthusiastically so that even ,is disciples had become men of importance# looked up to and talked about. +nd now to have this country villa1e deny them admittance as its 1uests 7. :0ord# these people are insufferable#: one o f them cried. :0et us call down fire from ,eaven and consume them.: The others oined in with enthusiasm. 6ire from ,eaven# that was the idea< Make them smart for their boorishness< Show them that they can9t affront us with impunity< "ome# 0ord# the fire 7 There are times when nothin1 a man can say is nearly so powerful as sayin1 nothin1. + business e?ecutive can understand that. To ar1ue brin1s him down to the level of those with whom he ar1ues; silence convicts them of their folly; they wish they had not spoken so @uickly; they wonder what he thinks. The lips of (esus ti1htened; ,is fine features showed the strain of the precedin1 weeks# and in ,is eyes there was a foreshadowin1 of the more bitter weeks to come. ,e needed that ni1ht9s rest# but ,e said not a word. Fuietly ,e 1athered up ,is 1arments and started on# ,is outra1ed companions followin1.
!t is easy to ima1ine ,is keen disappointment. ,e had been workin1 with them for three years would they never catch ca tch a true vision of what ,e was about< ,e had so little time# and they were constantly wastin1 ,is time. . . ,e had come to save mankind# and they wanted ,im to 1ratify ,is personal resentment by burnin1 up a villa1e< /own the hot road they trailed after ,im# awed by ,is silence# va1uely conscious that they had failed a1ain to measure up. :+nd they went to another villa1e#: says the narrative 7 nothin1 more. No debate; deb ate; no bitterness; no futile conversation. !n the mind of (esus the thin1 was too small for comment. !n a world where so much must be done# d one# and done @uickly memory# could not afford to be burdened with a petty sli1ht. :+nd they went to another villa1e.: 5i1hteen hundred years later an important man left the &hite ,ouse in &ashin1ton &ashin1ton for the &ar &ar -ffice# with a letter from the *resident to the Secretary of &ar. &ar. !n a very few minutes he was back in the &hite ,ouse a1ain# burstin1 with indi1nation. The *resident looked up in mild surprise. :/id you 1ive the messa1e to Stanton>: he asked. The other man nodded# too an1ry for words. :&hat did he do>: :,e tore it up#: e?claimed the outra1ed citi=en# :and what9s more# sir# he said you are a fool.: The *resident rose slowly from the desk# stretchin1 his lon1 frame to its full hei1ht# and re1ardin1 the wrath of the other with a @ui==ical 1lance. :/id Stanton call me that>: he asked. :,e did# sir# and repeated it.: :&ell#: :&ell#: said the *resident with a dry lau1h# :! reckon it must be true then# because Stanton is 1enerally ri1ht.: The an1ry 1entleman waited for the storm to break# but nothin1 happened. happ ened. +braham 0incoln turned @uietly to his desk and went on with his work. !t was not the first time that he had been rebuffed. !n the early months of the war when every messen1er brou1ht bad news# and no one in &ashin1ton &ashin1ton knew at what hour the soldiers of 0ee mi1ht appear at the outskirts# he had 1one to call on eneral Mc"lellan# takin1 a member of the "abinet with him. -fficial eti@uette prescribes that the *resident shall not visit a citi=en# but the times were too tense for eti@uette; he wanted firsthand news from the only man who could 1ive it.
The 1eneral was out# and for an hour they waited in the deserted parlor. They heard his voice at last in the hall and supposed of course that he would come in at once. But the :)oun1 :)oun1 Napoleon: was too filled with his own o wn importance; without so much as a word of 1reetin1 he brushed by# and proceeded on his hau1hty way upstairs. Ten minutes passed# fifteen# half an hour 7 they sent a servant to remind him that the *resident * resident was still waitin1. -bviously shocked and embarrassed# the man returned. The 1eneral was too tired for a conference# he said; he had undressed and 1one to bed< Not to make a scene before the servants# the "abinet member restrained himself until they were on the sidewalk. Then he burst forth# demandin1 that this conceited u pstart be removed instantly from command. 0incoln laid a soothin1 hand on the other9s shoulder. shou lder. :There# there#: he said with his h is deep# sad smile# :! will hold Mc"lellan9s horse if only he will brin1 us victories.: -ther leaders in history have had that superiority to personal resentment and small annoyances which is one of the surest si1ns of 1reatness# but (esus infinitely surpasses all. ,e knew that pettiness brin1s its own pu nishment. The law of compensation operates ine?orably to reward and afflict us by and throu1h ourselves. The man who is mean is mean only to himself. The villa1e that had refused to admit ,im re@uired no fire; it was already dealt with. No miracles were performed in that villa1e. No sick were healed; no hun1ry were fed; no poor received the messa1e of encoura1ement and inspiration 7 that was the penalty for its boorishness. +s for ,im# ,e for1ot the incident immediately. immediately. ,e had work to do. 6or some# formal theolo1y has diminished the thrill to be found in ,is life by assumin1 that ,e knew everythin1 from the be1innin1 7 that ,is three years of public work were a kind of dress rehearsal# with no real problems or crises. &hat interest would there be in such a life> &hat inspiration> )ou who read these pa1es have your own creed concernin1 ,im; ! have mine. 0et us for1et all creed for the time bein1# and take the story ust as the simple narratives 1ive it 7 a poor boy# 1rowin1 up in a p easant family# family# workin1 in a carpenter shop; 1radually feelin1 ,is powers e?pandin1# be1innin1 to have an influence over ,is nei1hbors# recruitin1 a few followers# sufferin1 disappointments# reverses and finally death. )et )et buildin1 so solidly and well that death was only the be1innin1 of ,is influence< Stripped of all do1ma# this is the 1randest achievement story of all< !n the pa1es of this book let us treat it as such. !f# in so doin1# we are critici=ed for overemphasi=in1 the human side of ,is character# we shall have the satisfaction of knowin1 that our overemphasis tends a little to offset the very 1reat overemphasis which has been e?erted on the other side. Books and books and books have been written about ,im as the Son of od; od ; surely we have a reverent ri1ht to remember that ,is favorite title for ,imself was the Son of Man. Na=areth# where ,e 1rew up# was a little town in an outlyin1 province. !n the fashionable circles of (erusalem it was @uite the thin1 to make fun of Na=areth 7 its crudities of custom and speech# its simplicity of manner. :"an any 1ood thin1 come out of Na=areth>: they asked derisively when the report spread that a new prophet had arisen in that country town. The @uestion was re1arded as a complete rebuttal of ,is pretensions.
The alileans were @uite conscious of the city folks9 contempt# but they bore it li1htly. 0ife was a cheerful and easy1oin1 affair with them. The sun shone almost every day; the land was fruitful; makin1 a livin1 was nothin1 much to worry about. There was plenty of time to visit. 6amilies went on picnics in Na=areth as elsewhere in the world; youn1 people walked to1ether in the moonli1ht and fell in love in the sprin1. Boys lau1hed boisterously at their 1ames and 1ot into trouble with their pranks. +nd (esus# the boy who worked in the carpenter shop# must have been a leader amon1 them. 0ater on we shall refer a1ain to those boyhood e?periences. notin1 how they contributed to the vi1orous physi@ue which carried c arried ,im triumphantly throu1h ,is work. &e are @uite unmindful of chronolo1y in writin1 this book. &e are not bound by the familiar outline which be1ins with the son1 of the an1els at Bethlehem and ends with the weepin1 of the women at the cross. &e shall thread our way back and forth throu1h the rich variety of ,is life# pickin1 up this incident and that bit of conversation# this dramatic contact and that audacious decision. &e shall brin1 them to1ether to illustrate our purpose as well as we can. 6or that purpose is not to write a bio1raphy but to paint a portrait. So in this first chapter we pass @uickly over thirty years of ,is life# notin1 only that somehow# somewhere# there occurred in those years the eternal miracle 7 the awakenin1 of the inner consciousness of power. The eternal miracle< !n New )ork )ork one day a luncheon lunche on was tendered by a 1atherin1 of distin1uished 1entlemen. There were perhaps two hundred at the tables. The food was 1ood and the speeches were impressive. But what stirred one9s ima1ination was a study of the men at the speakers9 table. There they were 7 some of the most influential citi=ens of the present7day world; and who were they> +t one end an international financier 7 the son of a poor country parson. Beside him a 1reat newspaper proprietor 7 he came from a tiny town in Maine and landed in New )ork )ork with less than a hundred dollars. + little farther alon1 the president of a world7wide press association 7 a copy boy in a country newspaper office. +nd# in the center# a boy who 1rew up in the poverty of an obscure villa1e and became a commandin1 statesman. &hen and how and an d where did the eternal miracle occur in the lives of those men> +t what hour# in the mornin1# in the afternoon# in the lon1 @uiet evenin1s# did the audacious thou1ht enter the mind of each ea ch of them that he was lar1er than the limits of a country town# that his life mi1ht be bi11er than his father9s> &hen did the thou1ht come to (esus> &ass it one mornin1 when ,e stood at the carpenter9s bench# the sun streamin1 in across &a the hills> &as &as it late in the ni1ht# after the family had retired# and ,e had slipped out to walk and wonder under und er the stars> Nobody knows. +ll we can be sure of is this 7 that the consciousness of ,is divinity must have come to , im in a time of solitude# of awe in the presence of Nature. The &estern &estern ,emisphere ,emisphere has been fertile in material pro1ress# but the 1reat reli1ions have all come out of the 5ast. The deserts are a symbol of the infinite; the vast spaces that divide men from the stars fill the human soul with wonder. Somewhere# at some unfor1ettable hour# the the darin1 filled ,is heart. ,e knew that ,e was bi11er than Na=areth.
+nother youn1 man had 1rown up near by and was be1inin1 to be heard from in the lar1er world. ,is name was (ohn. ,ow much the two boys may have seen of each other we do not know; but certainly the youn1er# (esus# looked up to and admired ,is handsome# fearless cousin. &e can ima1ine with what ea1er interest ,e must have listened to the reports of (ohn9s impressive reception at the cap ital. ,e was the sensation of that season. The fashionable folk of the city were flockin1 out to the river to hear his denunciations; some of them even accepted his demand for repentance and were bapti=ed. ,is fame 1rew; his uncompromisin1 speeches were @uoted far and wide. The businessmen of Na=areth who had been up to (erusalem brou1ht back stories and @uotations. There was considerable head wa11in1 as there always is; these folk had known of (ohn as a boy; they could hardly believe that he was as much of a man as the world seemed to think. But there was one who had no doubts. + day came when ,e was missin1 from the carpenter shop; the sensational news spread throu1h the streets that ,e had 1one to (erusalem# to (ohn# to be bapti=ed. (ohn9s reception of ,im was flatterin1. /urin1 the ceremony of baptism and for the rest of that day (esus was in a state of splendid e?ultation. No shadow of a doubt darkened ,is enthusiasm. ,e was 1oin1 to do the bi1 thin1s which (ohn had done; ,e felt the power stirrin1 in ,im; ,e was all ea1er to be1in. Then the day closed and the ni1ht descended# and with it came ca me the doubts. The narrative describes them as a threefold temptation and introduces Satan to add to the dramatic @uality of the event. !n our simple story we need not spend much time with the description of Satan. &e do not know whether he is to be re1arded as a personality or as a personification of an inner e?perience. The temptation is more real without him# more akin to our own trials and doubts. &ith him or without him# however# the meanin1 of the e?perience is clear. This is its meanin1A the day of supreme assurance had passed; the days of fearful mis1ivin1 had come. &hat man of outstandin1 1enius has ever been allowed to escape them> 6or how many days and weeks do you think the soul of 0incoln must have been tortured> inside himself he felt his power# but where and when would opportunity come> Must he forever ride the country circuit# and sit in a din1y office settlin1 a community9s petty disputes> ,ad he perhaps mistaken the inner messa1e> &as &as he# after all# only a common fellow 7 a fair country lawyer and a 1ood teller of okes> Those who wh o rode with him on the circuit testify to his terrifyin1 moods of silence. &hat solemn thou1hts besie1ed him in those silences> &hat fear of failure> failure> &hat futile rebellion at the narrow limits of his life> The days of (esus9 doubt are set down as forty in number. !t is easy to ima1ine that lonely stru11le. ,e had left a 1ood trade amon1 people who knew and trusted ,im 7 and for what> To become a wanderin1 preacher# talkin1 to folks who never heard of ,im> +nd what was ,e to talk about> ,ow# with ,is lack of e?perience# should ,e find words for ,is messa1e> &here should ,e be1in> &ho would listen> &ould they listen> ,adn9t ,e perhaps made a mistake> Satan# says the narrative# tempted ,im# sayin1A :)ou :)ou are hun1ry; here are stones. Make them into bread.: The temptation of material success. !t was entirely unnecessary for ,im to be hun1ry ever. ,e had a 1ood trade; ,e knew kn ew well
enou1h that ,is or1ani=in1 ability ability was better than (oseph9s. (oseph9s. ,e could build up a far more more prosperous business and ac@uire comfort and wealth. &hy not> Satan comes in a1ain# accordin1 to the narrative# takin1 ,im up into a hi1h mountain and showin1 ,im the kin1doms of the world. :+ll these can be yours# if you will only compromise.: ,e could 1o to (erusalem and enter the priesthood; that was a sure road to distinction. ,e could do 1ood in that way# and have the satisfaction of success as well. -r ,e mi1ht enter the public service and seek political leadership. There was plenty of discontent on which ,e could cou ld have capitali=ed# and ,e knew the farmer and the laborer. ,e was one of them; they would listen to ,im. 6or forty days and ni1hts the incessant fi1ht went on# but# once settled# it was settled forever. !n the calm of that wilderness there came the maestic conviction which is the very soul of leadership 7 the faith that ,is spirit was linked with the 5ternal# that od had sent ,im into the world to do a work which no one else could do# which 7 if ,e ne1lected it 7 would never be done. Ma1nify this temptation scene as 1reatly as you will; say that od spoke more clearly to ,im than to anyone else who has ever lived. !t is true. But to every man of vision the clear Goice Goice speaks; there is no 1reat leadership whe re there is not a mystic. Nothin1 splendid has ever been achieved e?cept by those who dared believe that somethin1 inside themselves was superior to circumstance. To choose the sure thin1 is treason to the soul. !f this was not the meanin1 of the forty days in the wilderness# if (esus did not have a real temptation which mi1ht have ended in ,is 1oin1 back to the bench at Na=areth# then the forty days9 stru11le has no real si1nificance to us. The youth who had been a carpenter stayed in the wilderness; a man came out. Not the full7fled1ed Master who within the shadow of the cross could cry# :! have overcome the world.: ,e had still much 1rowth to make# much pro1ress in vision and self7confidence. But the be1innin1s were there. Men who looked on ,im from that hour felt the authority of one who has put his spiritual house in order and knows clearly what he is about. The mastery of ideas# the achievement of ideals 7 what we call success is always e?citin1; we never 1row tired of askin1 what and how. &hat# then# were the principal elements in ,is power over men> ,ow was it that the boy from a country coun try villa1e became the 1reatest leader> 6irst of all# ,e must have had the voice and manner of the leader 7 the personal ma1netism which be1ets loyalty and commands respect. The be1innin1s of it were present in ,im even as a boy. (ohn (ohn felt them. -n the day when (ohn looked up from the river where ,e was bapti=in1 converts and saw (esus standin1 on the bank# he drew back in protest. :! have need to be bapti=ed of thee#: he e?claimed# :and comest thou to me>: The lesser man reco1ni=ed the 1reater instinctively. instinctively. &e speak speak of personal p ersonal ma1netism as thou1h there were somethin1 mysterious about it 7 a ma1ic @uality bestowed on one in a thousand and denied to all the rest. This is not true. The essential element in personal ma1netism is a consumin1 sincerity 7 an overwhelmin1 faith in the importance of the work one has to do. 5merson said# :&hat you are thunders so loud ! can9t hear what you
say.: say.: The hardened 6rench captain# Robert de Baudricourt# could hardly h ardly be e?pected to believe a peasant 1irl9s story about heavenly voices promisin1 she would do what the /auphin9s armies couldn9t. )et )et he 1ave (oan of +rc her first sword. Most of us 1o throu1h the world mentally divided a1ainst ourselves. &e wonder whether we are in the ri1ht obs# whether we are makin1 the ri1ht investments# whether# after all# anythin1 is as important as it seems to be. -ur enemies arc those of our own bein1 and creation. !nstinctively we wait for a commandin1 v oice# for one who shall say authoritatively# authoritatively# :! have the truth. This way lies happiness and salvation.: There was in (esus supremely that @uality of conviction. 5ven very prominent people were moved by it. (esus had been in (erusalem only a day or two when there came a knock at ,is door at ni1ht. ,e opened it to find Nicodemus# one of the principal men of the city a member of the Sanhedrin# a supreme court ud1e. -ne feels the dramatic @uality of the meetin1 7 the youn1# almost unknown teacher and the 1reat man# half curious# half convinced. !t would have been easy to make a mistake. (esus mi1ht very naturally have e?pressed ,is sense of honor at the visit# mi1ht have saidA :! appreciate your comin1# sir. )ou are an older man and successful. ! am ust startin1 on my work. ! should like to have you advise me as to how ! may best proceed.: But there was no such note in the interview 7 no effort to make it easy for this notable visitor to become a convert. -ne catches his breath involuntarily at the audacity of the speechA :Gerily# :Gerily# verily# verily# ! say to you# Nicodemus# e?cept e?cep t you are born a1ain you can not see the kin1dom of ,eaven.: +nd a few moments later# :if ! have told you ea rthly thin1s and you have not believed# how shall you believe if ! tell you heavenly thin1s>: The famous visitor did not enroll as a disciple# was not invited to enroll; but he never for1ot the impression made by the youn1 man9s ama=in1 self7assurance. !n a few weeks the crowds alon1 the shores of the Sea of alilee were to feel the same power and respond to it. They were @uite accustomed to the discourses of the Scribes and *harisees * harisees 7 lon1# involved ar1uments backed up by many citations from the law. But this teacher was different. ,e @uoted nobody; ,is own word was offered as sufficient. ,e tau1ht as :one havin1 authority and not as the scribes.: Still later we have yet more strikin1 proof of the power that supreme conviction can carry. +t this date ,e had become so lar1e a public influence as to threaten the peace of the rulers# and they sent a detachment of soldiers to arrest ,im. They were stern men# presumably immune to sentiment. They returned# after a while# empty7handed. empty7handed. :&hat9s the matter>: their commander demanded an1rily. :&hy didn9t you brin1 ,im in>: +nd they# smartin1 smartin1 under their failure and hardly knowin1 how to e?plain it# could make only a surly e?cuse.
:)ou9ll :)ou9ll have to send someone else#: they said. :&e don9t want to 1o a1ainst ,im. Never man so spake.: They were armed; ,e had no defense but ,is manner and tone# but these were enou1h. !n any crowd and in any circumstances the leader stands out. By the power of his faith in himself he commands# and men instinctively obey. This bla=in1 conviction was the first and 1reatest element in the success of (esus. The second was ,is powerful 1ift of pickin1 men and reco1ni=in1 hidden capacities in them. !t must have ama=ed Nicodemus when he learned the names of the twelve whom the youn1 teacher had chosen to be ,is associates. &hat a list< Not a sin1le well7known person on it. Nobody who had ever accomplished anythin1. + hapha=ard collection of fishermen and small7town businessmen# and one ta? collector 7 a member of the most hated element in the community. &hat a crowd< Nowhere is there such a startlin1 e?ample of success in leadership as the way in which that or1ani=ation was brou1ht to1ether. Take Take the ta? collector# Matthew# as the most strikin1 instance. ,is occupation carried a heavy wei1ht of social ostracism# but it was profitable. ,e was probably well7to7do accordin1 to the simple standards of the nei1hborhood; certainly he was a busy man and not subect to impulsive action. ,is addition to the 1roup of disciples d isciples is told in a sin1le sentenceA :+nd as (esus passed pa ssed by# he called Matthew.: +ma=in1. No ar1ument; no pleadin1. + small leader would have been compelled to set up the advanta1es of the opportunity op portunity.. :-f course you are doin1 well where you are and makin1 money# ,e mi1ht have said. :! can9t offer you as much as you are 1ettin1; in fact you may have some difficulty in makin1 ends meet. But ! think we are 1oin1 to have an interestin1 time and shall probably accomplish a bi1 work.: Such a conversation would have been met with Matthew9s reply that he would :have to think it over#: and the world would never have heard his name. There was no such triflin1 with (esus. +s ,e passed by ,e called Matthew. No leader in the world can read that sentence without acknowled1in1 that here indeed is the Master. ,e had the born leader9s 1ift for seein1 powers in men of which they themselves were often almost unconscious. -ne day as ,e was comin1 into a certain town a tremendous crowd pressed around ,im. There was a rich man named Haccheus in the town# small in stature# but with such keen business ability that he had 1ot himself 1enerally disliked. Bein1 curious to see the distin1uished visitor# he had climbed up into a tree. !ma1ine his surprise when (esus stopped under the tree and commanded him to come down# sayin1# :Today ! intend to eat at your house.: The crowd was stunned. Some of the bolder spirits took it on themselves to tell (esus of ,is social blunder. ,e couldn9t afford to make the mistake of visitin1 Haccheus# they said. Their protests were without avail. They saw in Haccheus merely a dishonest and 1reedy little man; ,e saw in him a person of unusual 1enerosity and a fine sense of ustice# who needed only to have those abilities revealed by
someone who understood. So with Matthew 7 the crowd saw only a despised ta?1atherer. (esus saw the potential writer of a book wh ich will live forever. So also with that :certain "enturion#: who is one of the anonymous characters in history that every businessman would like to meet. The disciples brou1ht him to (esus with some mis1ivin1s and apolo1y. They said# :-f course this man is a Roman employee# a nd you may reprove us for introducin1 him. But really he is a very 1ood fellow# a 1enerous man and a respecter of our faith.: (esus and the "enturion lookin1 at each other found an immediate bond of union 7 each respondin1 to the other9s stren1th. Said the "enturionA 9Master# my servant is ill; but it is unnecessary for you to visit my house. ! understand how such thin1s are done# for !# too# am a man of authority; ! say to this man 9o9 and he 1oeth; and to another 9"ome#9 and he cometh; and to my servant# 9/o this#9 and he doeth it. Therefore# speak the word only# and ! know my servant will be healed.: (esus9 face kindled with admiration. :! have not found anywhere such faith as this#: ,e e?claimed. This man understood ,im. The "enturion knew from his own e?perience that authority depends on faith# and that faith may depend on authority. authority. 5very businessman# every leader in any field today# knows 7 or should know 7 what the "enturion knew. ,avin1 1athered to1ether ,is or1ani=ation# there remained for (esus the tremendous task of trainin1 it. +nd herein lay the third 1reat element of ,is success 7 ,is vast unen din1 patience. The "hurch was attached to each of the disciples the title of Saint# and it may be that thinkin1 of them e?clusively as Saints robs us of an essential reality. They They were very far from sainthood when ,e picked them up. 6or three years ,e had them with ,im day and ni1ht# ,is whole ener1y and resources poured out in an effort to create an understandin1 in them. )et )et throu1h it all they never fully understood. &e have seen# at the be1innin1 of this chapter# an e?ample of their petulance. The narratives are full of similar discoura1ements. !n spite of all ,e could do or say# they were persuaded that ,e planned to overthrow the Roman power and set ,imself up as ruler in (erusalem. ,ence they never tired o f wran1lin1 as to how the offices should be divided. Two Two of them# (ames and (ohn# 1ot their mother to come to ,im and ask that her sons mi1ht sit# one on ,is ri1ht hand and one on ,is left. &hen the other ten heard of it# they were an1ry an1r y with (ames and (ohn# but (esus never lost ,is patience. ,e believed that the way to 1et faith out of them is to show that you have faith in them. -f all the disciples Simon was most noisy and a11ressive. !t was he who was always volunteerin1 advice# forever proclaimin1 the staunchness of his own coura1e and faith. -ne day (esus said to him# :Before the cock crows tomorrow you will deny me thrice.: Simon was indi1nant. Thou1h they killed him# he cried# he would never deny< (esus merely smiled 7 and that ni1ht it happened. happ ened. . . . + lesser leader would have dropped Simon. :)ou have had your chance#: he would have said# :! am sorry but ! must have men around me on whom ! can depend.: (esus had the rare understandin1 that the same
man will usually not make the same mistake twice. To this frail very human# very likable former fisherman ,e spoke no work of rebuke. rebuk e. !nstead ,e kept ,is faith that *eter would carry on bravely. !t was darin1# but ,e knew ,is man. The shame of the denial had tempered the iron of that nature like fire; from that time on there was no falterin1 in * eter even at the death. The Bible presents an interestin1 collection of con trasts in this matter of e?ecutive ability. Samson had almost all the attributes of leadership. ,e was physically powerful and handsome; he had the 1reat coura1e to which men always respond. No man was ever 1iven a finer opportunity to free his countrymen from the oppressors and build up a 1reat place of power for himself. )et )et Samson Samson failed miserably. miserably. ,e could do wonders sin1le7 handed# but he could not or1ani=e. Moses started out under the same handicap. ,e tried to be everythin1 and do everythin1 7 and was almost on the ver1e v er1e of failure. !t was his 6ather7in7law# 6ather7in7law# (ethro# who saved him from calamity. Said that shrewd old manA :The thin1 that thou doest is not 1ood. Thou wilt surely wear away# both thou and this people that is with thee# for this thin1 is too heavy for thee# for thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.: Moses took the advice and associated with himself a partner# +aron# who was stron1 where he was weak. They supplemented each other and to1ether achieved what neither of them could have done alone. (ohn the Baptist had the same lack. ,e could denounce# but he could not construct. ,e drew crowds who were willin1 to repent at his command# but he had no pro1ram for them after their repentance. They waited for him to or1ani=e them for some sort of effective service# but he was no or1ani=er. So his followers drifted away and his movement 1radually collapsed. The same thin1 mi1ht have happened to the work of (esus. ,e started with much less than (ohn and a much smaller 1roup of followers. ,e had only twelve# and they were untrained# u ntrained# simple men# with elementary weakness and passions. )et )et because of the fire of ,is personal conviction# because of ,is marvelous instinct for discoverin1 their latent powers# and because of ,is unwaverin1 faith and patience# ,e molded them into an or1ani=ation which carried on victoriously. &ithin &ithin a very few years after ,is death# it was reported in a far7off corner of the Roman 5mpire that :these who have turned the world upside up side down have come hither also.: + few decades later the proud 5mperor himself bowed his head to the teachin1s of this Na=areth carpenter# transmitted throu1h common men.
hapte) # - The utdoo) Man To most most of the crowd there was w as nothin1 unusual in the scene. That is the tra1edy of it. The air was filthy with the stench of animals an imals and human bein1s herded to1ether. Men and women trampled one another# cryin1 aloud their imprecations. +t one side of the court were the pens of the cattle; the dove ca1es at the other. !n the fore1round# hard7faced priests and money7chan1ers sat behind lon1 tables# e?actin1 the utmost farthin1 from those who came to buy. -ne would never ima1ine that this was a place of worship. )et )et it was the Temple Temple 7 the center of the reli1ious life of the nation. +nd to the crowds who ammed its courts the spectacle seemed perfectly normal. That was the tra1edy of it. Standin1 a little apart from the rest# the youn1 man from Na=areth watched in ama=ement which deepened 1radually into an1er. !t was no familiar si1ht to ,im. ,e had not been in the Temple Temple since ,is twelfth year# when (oseph and Mary took him up to be le1ally enrolled as a son of the law. ,is ,is chief memory of that precious visit was of a lon1 conversation with certain old men in a @uiet room. ,e had not witnessed the turmoil in the outer courts# or# if ,e had# it made small impression on ,is youthful mind. But this day was different. 6or weeks ,e had looked forward to the visit# plannin1 the ourney with a company of alilean pil1rims who tramped all day and spent the ni1hts in their tents under the open sky. To be sure some of the older ones muttered about the e?tortions of the money7chan1ers. + woman woman told how the lamb# which she had raised with so much devotion the previous p revious year# had been scornfully reected by the priests# who directed her to buy from the dealers. +n old man related his e?perience. ,e had b rou1ht down the savin1s of months to purchase p urchase his 1ift# and the money7chan1ers converted con verted his provincial currency into the Temple Temple coin at a robber9s rate. -ther pil1rims had similar similar stories# but after all they were old people# prone to complain. The ourney and the sacrifice were worth the cost. -ne must e?pect to pay for so 1reat a privile1e. So the youn1 man may have thou1ht the ni1ht before; but today ,e faced the sordid reality# reality# and ,is cheeks flushed. + woman9s shrill tones pierced ,is reverie like a knife; ,e turned to see a peasant mother protestin1 vainly a1ainst a ruthless e?action. +n unruly animal threatened to break throu1h the bars# and a part of the crowd fell back with cries of terror. + money7chan1er with the face of a pi1 leaned 1loatin1ly over his hoard. . . . The youn1 man had picked up a handful of cords from the pavement and half unconsciously now was bindin1 them into a whip# watchin1 the whole scene silently. silently. +nd suddenly# without a word of warnin1# ,e strode to the table where the fat money7 chan1er sat# and hurled it violently across the court. The startled robber lurched forward# 1raspin1 at his 1ains# lost his balance and fell sprawlin1 on the 1round. +nother step and a second table was over7turned# and another and another. The crowd# which had melted back at the start# be1an to catch a 1limmerin1 of what was up and sur1ed forward around the youn1 man. ,e strode on# lookin1 neither to ri1ht nor left. ,e reached the counters
where the dove ca1es stood; with @uick sure movements the ca1es were opened and the occupants released. Brushin1 aside the 1roup of dealers who had taken their stand in front of the cattle pens# ,e threw down the bars and drove the bellowin1 animals out throu1h the crowd and into the streets# strikin1 vi1orous blows with ,is little whip. The whole thin1 happened so @uickly that the priests were swept off their feet. Now# however# they collected themselves and bore down on ,im in a body. &ho was ,e that dared this act of defiance> &here had ,e come from> By what authority did ,e presume to interrupt their business> The crowds 1ave way a1ain at the onslau1ht; they enoyed the tumult as a crowd always does# and they hated the priests and robbers# but when it came to answerin1 for the conse@uences# they were perfectly willin1 to leave it to ,im. +nd ,e was willin1 they should. ,e stood flushed and pantin1# the little whip still in ,is hands. ,is 1lance swept scornfully over the faces distorted by an1er and 1reed. :This is my authority#: ,e cried. :!t is written# 9My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations#9 but ye have made it a den of robbers.: Stun1 by ,is taunt# ,is accusers hesitated and in their moment of hesitation were lost. The soldiers turned their backs; it was nothin1 that they cared about. But the crowd burst forth in a mi1hty cheer and rushin1 forward bore ,im out of the Temple# the priests and the money7chan1ers scurryin1 before ,im. That ni1ht ,is action was the talk of the town. :/id you hear what happened h appened in the Temple today>: :Not a man of them dared stand up to ,im.: :/irty thieves 7 it was comin1 to them.: :&hat9s ,is name>: :(esus.... Esed to be a carpenter up in Na=areth.: !t was a very familiar story# much preached upon and pictured. But almost invariably the pictures show ,im with a halo around ,is head# as thou1h that was the e?planation of ,is triumph. The truth is so much simpler and more impressive. There was in ,is eyes a flamin1 moral purpose# and 1reed and an d oppression have always shriveled before such fire. But with the maesty of ,is 1lance there was somethin1 else which counted powerfully in ,is favor. +s +s ,is ri1ht arm rose and fell# strikin1 its blows with that little whip# the sleeve dropped back to reveal muscles hard as iron. No one who watched ,im in action had any doubt that ,e was fully capable of takin1 care of ,imself. The evidence is clear that no an1ry priest or money7chan1er cared to try conclusions with that arm. There are those to whom it will seem almost irreverent to su11est that (esus was physically stron1. They think of ,im as a voice# a presence# a spirit; they never feel the rich conta1ion of ,is lau1hter# nor remember how heartily ,e enoyed 1ood food# nor
think of what ,is years of hard toil must have done to ,is arms and back and le1s. 0ook for a minute at those first thirty years. There was no soft bed for ,is mother on the ni1ht ,e entered the world. ,e was brou1ht forth in a stable amid animals and the animal7like men who tended them. ,e was wrapped in rou1h 1arments and e?pected# almost from the be1innin1# to look after ,imself. &hen ,e was still an infant# the family hurried away into 51ypt. -n the lon1 trip back some years later# ,e was ud1ed old eno u1h to walk# for there were youn1er children; and so# day a fter day# ,e trud1ed beside the little donkey or scurried into the woods by the roadside to find fuel. !t was a hard school for babyhood# but it 1ave ,im a hardness that was an enormous asset later on. 5arly in ,is boyhood (esus# as the eldest son# went into the family carpenter shop. The practice of carpentry was no easy business in those simpler days. /oubtless the man man who took a contract for a house assumed responsibilities for di11in1 into the rou1h hillside for its foundations# for fellin1 trees in the forest and shapin1 them with an ad=. !n after years those who listened to the talk of (esus by the Sea of alilee and heard ,im speak of the :man who built his house upon a rock: had no doubt that ,e knew what ,e was talkin1 about. Some of them had seen ,im bendin1 ,is stron1 clean shoulders to deliver heavy blows; or watched ,im trud1e away into the woods# ,is a? over ,is shoulder# shoulder# and return at ni1htfall with a rou1h7hewn beam. So ,e :wa?ed stron1#: as the narrative tells us 7 a phrase which has ha s rather been buried under the too7fre@uent repetition of :the meek and lowly: and :the 0amb.: +s ,e 1rew in stature and e?perience# ,e developed with ,is personal skill an unusual capacity for directin1 the work of other men# so that (oseph allowed ,im an increasin1 responsibility in the mana1ement of the shop. +nd this was fortunate# for the day came when (oseph stood at the bench no lon1er 7 havin1 sawed his last board# and planed it smooth 7 and the mana1ement of the business descended on the shoulders of the boy who had learned it so thorou1hly at his side. !s it not hi1h time for a lar1er reverence to be 1iven to that @uiet unassumin1 u nassumin1 (oseph> To Mary# his wife# wife# the church has assi1ned a place of eternal 1lory# and no thou1htful man can fail to be thankful for that. !t is impossible to estimate how 1reat an influence has been e?erted for the betterment of woman9s life by the fact that millions of human bein1s have been tau1ht from infancy to venerate a woman. But with the 1lorification of Mary# there has been an almost complete ne1lect of (oseph. The same theolo1y which has painted the son as soft and 1entle to the point of weakness has e?alted the feminine influence in its worship# and denied any lar1e place to the masculine. This is partly because Mary lived to be known and remembered by the disciples# while nobody remembered (oseph. &as &as he ust an untutored peasant# married to a superior woman and baffled by the 1enius of a son whom he could never understand 7 -r was there# underneath his self7effacement# a vi1or and faith that molded the boy9s plastic years> &as &as he a happy companion to the youn1sters> /id he carry the youn1est lau1hin1 and crowin1 on his shoulders# from the shop> &a &ass he full of okes at dinnertime> &as he ever tired and short7tempered> /id he ever punish> To all these @uestions the narrative 1ives
no answer. +nd +nd since this is so 7 since there is none who can refute us 7 we have hav e a ri1ht to form our own conception of the character of this vastly si1nificant and wholly unknown man# and to be 1uided by the one momentous fact which we do know. !t is this. ,e must have been friendly and patient and fine; he must have seemed to his children an almost ideal parent 7 for when (esus sou1ht to 1ive mankind a new conception of the character of od# ,e could find no n o more e?alted term for ,is meanin1 than the one word :6ather.: Thirty years went by. (esus had dischar1ed ,is duty; the youn1er children were bi1 enou1h for self7support. The stran1e stirrin1s that had 1one on inside ,im for years# settin1 ,im off more and more from ,is associates# were crystalli=ed by the reports of (ohn9s success. The hour of the 1reat decision de cision arrived; ,e hun1 up ,is tools and walked out of town. &hat did ,e look like that day when ,e appeared on the bank of the (ordan and applied to (ohn for baptism> &hat had the thirty years of p hysical toil 1iven ,im in stature and physi@ue> Enfortunately the ospel narratives supply no satisfyin1 satisfyin1 answer to these @uestions# and the only passa1e in ancient literature which purports to be a contemporary description of ,im has been proved a for1ery. Nevertheless# Nevertheless# it re@uires only a little readin1 between the lines to be sure that almost all the painters have misled us. They have shown us a frail man# under7muscled# with a soft face 7 a woman9s face covered by by a beard 7 and a beni1n but baffled look# as thou1h the problems of livin1 were so 1rievous that death would be a welcome release. This is not the (esus at whose word the disciples left their work to enlist in an unknown cause. +nd for proof of that assertion consider only four aspects of ,is e?perienceA the health that flowed out of ,im to create health in others; the appeal of ,is personality to women 7 weakness does not appeal to them; ,is lifetime of outdoor livin1; and the steel7like hardness of ,is nerves. 6irst# then# ,is power of healin1. ,e was teachin1 one day in "apernaum# in a house crowded to the doors# when a commotion occurred in the courtyard. cou rtyard. + man sick in bed for years had heard reports of ,is marvelous power and persuaded four friends to carry him to the house. Now at a t the very entrance their way was blocked. The ea1er listeners inside would not 1ive way even to a sick man; they refused to sacrifice a sin1le word. Sorrowfully the four friends started to carry the invalid back to his house a1ain. But the poor fellow9s will was stron1 even if his bod y was weak. Risin1 on his elbow he insisted that they take him up the stairway on the outside of the house and lower him throu1h the roof. They protested# but he was infle?ible. !t was his only chance for health# and he would not 1ive up until everythin1 had been tried. So at len1th they consented# and in the midst of a sentence the Teacher was interrupted dramatically; dramatically; the sick man lay helpless at ,is feet.
(esus stopped and bent down# takin1 the limp hand in ,is firm 1rasp; ,is face was li1hted with a wonderful smile. :Son# thy sins are for1iven thee#: ,e said. :Rise# take up thy bed and walk.: The sick man was stupefied. :&alk<: ,e had never e?pected to walk a1ain. /idn9t this stran1er understand that he had been bedridden for years> &as this some sort of cruel est to make him the lau1hin1stock of the crowd> + bitter protest rushed to his lips; he started to speak and then# haltin1 himself# he looked up 7 up to the calm assurance of those blue eyes# the supple stren1th of those muscles# the ruddy skin that testified to the rich red blood beneath 7 and the healin1 occurred< !t was as thou1h health poured out of that stron1 body into the weak one like electric current from a dynamo. The invalid felt the blood @uicken in his palsied limbs; a faint flush crept into his thin thin drawn cheeks; almost involuntarily he tried to rise and found to his oy that he could< :&alk<: :&alk<: /o you suppose for one minute that a weaklin1# utterin1 that syllable# would have produced any result> !f the (esus who looked down on that pitiful wreck had been the (esus of the painters# the sick man would have dropped back ba ck with a scornful sneer and motioned his friends to carry him out. But the health of the Teacher was irresistible; irresistible; it seemed to cry out# :Nothin1 is impossible if only your will power is stron1 enou1h.: +nd the man who so lon1 a1o had surrendered to despair# rose and 1athered up his bed and went away# healed 7 like hundreds of others in alilee 7 by stren1th from an overflowin1 fountain of stren1th. -ne day later# as (esus walked in a crowd# a woman pushed forward and touched ,is 1arment# and by that sin1le touch was cured. The witnesses acclaimed it a miracle and so it was# but we need some definition of that word. ,e ,imself was very reticent about ,is :miracles.: !t is perfectly clear that ,e did not interpret them in the same way that ,is followers did# nor attach the same importance to them. ,e was often reluctant to perform them# and fre@uently insisted that the individual who had been healed should :1o and tell no man.: +nd on one celebrated occasion 7 ,is visit to ,is hometown# Na=areth 7 the narrative tells us clearly that the miraculous power failed# and for a very interestin1 and impressive reason. The people of Na=areth were ,is boyhood ac@uaintances and they were skeptical. They had heard with cynical c ynical scorn the stories of the wonders ,e ha d performed in other towns; they were determined not to be fooled. ,e mi1ht deceive the world# which knew ,im only as a teacher# but they knew ,im better 7 ,e was ust (esus# their old nei1hbor# the son of the local carpenter. So of that visit the 1ospel writers set down one of the most tra1ic sentences in literature. :,e could do there no mi1hty work#: they tell us# :because of their unbelief.: &hatever the e?planation of ,is miraculous power# it is clear that that somethin1 bi1 was re@uired of the recipient as well as the 1iver without a belief in health on the part of the sick man# no health was forthcomin1. +nd no man could have inspired that belief unless his own health and stren1th were so perfect as to make even the impossible seem easy.
Men followed ,im# and the leaders of men have very often been physically stron1. But women worshipped ,im. This is si1nificant. The names of women constitute a very lar1e proportion of the list of ,is close friends. friends. They were women from widely varyin1 stations in life# headed by ,is mother. *erhaps she never fully appreciated ,is 1enius; certainly she was not without her periods of serious doubt# as we shall discover later on. )et )et her loyalty to ,is best interests# as she conceived them# remained true# and she stood tearful but unwaverin1 at the foot of o f the cross. There were Mary and Martha# two 1entle maiden ladies who lived outside (erusalem and in whose home with 0a=arus# their brother# ,e enoyed fre@uent hospitality. hospitality. There was (oanna# a rich woman# the wife of one of ,erod9s stewards. These# and many others of the type which we are accustomed to desi1nate as :1ood: women# followed ,im with a devotion which knew no weariness or fear. The important# and too often for1otten# fact in these relationships is this 7 that women are not drawn by weakness. The sallow7faced# thin7lipped# so7called spiritual type of man may awaken maternal instinct# stirrin1 an emotion which is half re1ard# half pity. But since the world be1an# no power has fastened the affection of women upon a man like manliness. Men who have been women9s men in the finest sense have been vital fi1ures of history. The other sort of women came into contact with ,im# too 7 women of less fortunate e?perience and reputation# whose illusions re1ardin1 men were 1one# whose eyes saw piercin1ly and whose lips were well versed in phrases of contempt. +s +s ,e tau1ht in the Temple# Temple# one of them was hurried h urried into ,is presence by a vul1ar crowd of self7ri1hteous Scribes and *harisees. She had been taken in the act of infidelity# and accordin1 to the Mosaic law she could be stoned to death. Shrinkin1# embarrassed# yet with a look in which defiance and scorn were min1led too# she stood in ,is presence and listened while their unclean lips played with the story of her shame. &hat thou1hts must have raced throu1h her mind she who knew men and despised them all and now was brou1ht to ud1ment before a man< They were all alike# in her philosophy; what would this one do and say> To her ama=ement and the discomfiture of her critics# ,e said nothin1. ,e :stooped down# and with his fin1er wrote on the 1round# as thou1h he heard them not.: They craned their necks to see what ,e wrote and continued to taunt ,im with their @uestionsA :Moses says stone her; what do you say>: :"ome now# if you are a prophet# here9s a matter for you to decide.: :&e found her in the house of So and So. She is 1uilty; what9s your answer>: +ll this time ,e had not once looked at the woman9s face# and ,e did not look at her now. Slowly ,e :lifted himself up#: faced the evil7minded pack and said @uietlyA :,e that is without sin amon1 you let him first cast a stone at her.:
+nd a1ain# says the narrative# ,e stooped down and wrote on the 1round. + painful silence fell on the crowd; ,e continued writin1. &ritin1 &ritin1 what> Some have ventured the conecture that ,e traced names of people and places that brou1ht a blush of shame to men in that crowd. That may be so# but it is more impressive to think that ,e wrote nothin1 of si1nificance; that ,e merely busied ,is fin1er in the sand# so as not to add to her discomfiture by lookin1 in her eyes. ,e wrote 7 and one by one the thick7 lipped champions of morality drew their 1arments around them and slipped away# until the court was empty e?cept for ,im and her. Then# and only then# ,is 1lance was lifted. :&oman# :&oman# where are those thine accusers> accu sers> ,ath no man condemned thee>: ,e in@uired# as if in surprise. +ma=ed at the sudden turn of affairs# she could hardly find her voice. :No man# 0ord#: she murmured. :Neither do ! condemn thee#: ,e answered simply. :o# and sin no more.: 6rom the moment when the noisy vul1ar thron1 had broken in on ,im# ,e was complete master of the situation. Those were men not easily abashed# but they slunk out of ,is presence without waitin1 for ,is command. +nd +nd she# who knew men so much more truly than men ever know one another# felt ,is mastery# mastery# responded to ,is power and spoke to ,im reverently as :0ord.: +ll ,is days were spent in the open air 7 this is the third outstandin1 testimony to ,is stren1th. -n the Sabbath ,e was in the syna1o1ue because that was where the people were 1athered# but by far the 1reater part of ,is teachin1 was don e on the shores of ,is lake# or in the cool recesses of the hills. ,e walked constantly from villa1e to villa1e; ,is face was tanned by the sun and wind. 5ven at ni1ht ,e slept outdoors when ,e could 7 turnin1 ,is back on the hot walls of the city and slippin1 away into the healthful freshness of the Mount of -lives. ,e was an ener1etic outdoor man. The vi1orous activities of ,is days 1ave ,is nerves the stren1th of steel. +s much as any n ation ever# +mericans understand and respect this kind of man. ,e stepped into a sailboat with ,is disciples late one afternoon and# bein1 very tired# lay down in the stern and was almost immediately asleep. The clouds 1rew thicker and the surface of the lake# which had been @uiet a few minutes before# was broken into sudden waves. The little boat dived and tossed# and still ,e slept. ,is disciples had 1rown up on the shores of that lake; they were fishermen# accustomed to its moods and not easily fri1htened. But they had never ne ver been out in such a storm as this. !t 1rew fiercer; water be1an to come in over the side and every moment seemed to threaten destruction. +t last they could stand the strain no lon1er; they went to the stern and woke ,im. ,e rose without the sli1htest su11estion of hurry or alarm. + @uick 1lance was enou1h to 1ive ,im a full understandin1 of the situation. ,e issued a few @uiet orders# and presently
the menaced boat swun1 round into the smoother waters of safety. "all it a miracle or not 7 the fact remains that it is one of the finest e?amples of self7control in all human history. Napoleon said that he had met few men with coura1e of the :two o9clock in the mornin1 variety.: Many men can be brave in the warmth of the sun and amid the heartenin1 plaudits of tile crowd; but to be wakened suddenly out of sound sleep and then to e?hibit instant mastery 7 that is a type of coura1e which is rare indeed. (esus had that coura1e# and no man ever needed it more. !n the last year of ,is public work the forces of opposition took on a form and coherency whose si1nificance was perfectly clear. !f !f ,e refused to retreat or to compromise# there could be but one end to ,is career. ,e knew they would kill ,im# and ,e knew how they would kill ,im. More than once in ,is ourneys ,e had passed the victims of the ustice of that day# writhin1# tortured bein1s nailed to crosses and waitin1 piteously for release. Sometimes they wilted for days before the end. The memory of such si1hts must have been constantly co nstantly with ,im; at every sunset ,e was conscious that ,e had walked ust one day nearer ,is own ordeal. )et )et ,e never faltered. "almly# cheerfully# cheerfully# ,e went forward# cheerin1 the spirits of ,is disciples# and strikin1 those fiery blows a1ainst hypocrisy and oppression which were to be echoed by the hammer blows upon ,is cross. +nd when the soldiers came came to arrest ,im# they found ,im ready and an d still calm. The week of ,is trial and crucifi?ion c rucifi?ion takes up a lar1e portion of the ospels. 6or that week alone we can follow ,im almost hour by hour; we know where ,e ate and slept# what ,e said and to whom; we can trace the 1atherin1 storm of fury which finally bore ,im down. +nd this is the ma1nificent tilin1 to remember 7 that throu1h all that lon1 torture of imprisonment# court trials# midni1ht hearin1s# scour1in1s# loss of food and loss of sleep# ,e never once ceased to be the Master. ,is accusers were determined. They thron1ed the courtyard before the palace# clamorin1 for ,is blood# yet even they felt a momentary awe when ,e appeared before them on the balcony. 5ven *ilate felt it. The two men offered a stran1e c ontrast standin1 there 7 the Roman 1overnor whose lips were so soon to speak the sentence of death# and the silent# self7 possessed former carpenter 7 accused and doomed 7 yet bearin1 ,imself with so much maesty# as thou1h ,e were somehow beyond the reach o f man7made law# and safe from the hurt of its penalties. !n the face of the Roman were deep unpleasant lines; his cheeks were fatty with self7indul1ence; he had the colorless look of indoor livin1. The strai1ht youn1 man stood inches above him# bron=ed and hard and clean as the air of ,im loved mountain and lake. *ilate raised his hand; the tumult died; a stillness descended on the crowd. ,e turned and faced (esus# and from his coarse lips there burst a sentence which is a truer portrait than any painter has ever 1iven us. The involuntary testimony of the dissipated cynical Roman in the presence of perfect stren1th# perfect assurance# perfect calmA :Behold#: he cried# :the man<:
hapte) / - The .ociable Man + &!"K5/ &!"K5/ falsehood has come down throu1h the a1es. !t reappears every once in a while# usually in works by reputable and well7meanin1 writers# and usually in some such form as thisA The author will# in his readin1 and research# have come onto the supposed description of (esus by the Roman 0entulus# who succeeded *ilate as overnor of (erusalem. 0entulus9 description was detailed# and it concluded with the unfortunate statementA :Nobody has ever seen him lau1h.: &e want to be reverent. But to worship a 0ord who never lau1hed 7 it is a strain. The @uotation from 0entulus is a for1ery# penned by an unknown impostor in a later century; yet how persistently it has lived# and with what tra1ic thorou1hness it has done its work. ,ow many millions of happy7minded folk# when they have thou1ht of (esus at all# have had a feelin1 of uneasiness< :Suppose#: they have said# :,e were to enter the room and find us lau1hin1 and enoyin1 ourselves< &hen there is so much sufferin1 and sin in the world# is it ri1ht to be happy> &hat would (esus say>: &ith such compunctions cheerful folk have had their bri1hter moments tinctured. The friendliest man who ever lived has been shut off by a black wall of tradition from those whose friendship ,e would most enoy. Theolo1y has reared a 1raven ima1e and robbed the world of the oy and lau1hter of the reat "ompanion. !t is not hard to understand when you remember the character of the early theolo1ians. They lived in sad days; they were men of introspection to whom every simple thin1 was symbolic of some hidden mystery and life itself was a tan1le of philosophic formulas. Baffled by the death of (esus# they reected the splendid truth and fashioned a creed instead. 0ambs were put to death the Temple Temple as a sacrifice for the sins of the worshipers; lon1 a1o# (esus was the 0amb of od. ,is death had been planned from the be1innin1 of the world. The human race was hopelessly wayward; od knew that it would b e# and nothin1 would turn ,im from ,is vindictive purpose to destroy it but the sacrifice of an innocent Son. . . . Thomas *aine remarked truly that no reli1ion can be really divine which has in it any doctrine that offends the sensibilities of a little child. !s there any reader of this pa1e whose childish sensibilities were not shocked when the traditional e?planation of the death of (esus was first poured into his ears> &ould &ould any human father# lovin1 his children# have sentenced all of them to death# and been persuaded to commute the sentence only by the sufferin1 of his best beloved> Small wonder that the (esus of such a doctrine was supposed never to have lau1hed< The ospels tell a different story. story. But the writers were men of simple minds# and naturally 1ave 1reatest emphasis to the events even ts which impressed them most. Since death is the most dramatic of all the phenomena of life# the crucifi?ion and the events immediately precedin1 it are set forth in complete d etail. The denunciation of the
*harisees Cas startlin1 to the disciples as the denunciation of the Enited States Senate by a barefooted philosopher would be to usD; the arrest by the soldiers at ni1ht; the trial trial before the Sanhedrin; the hushed moment of the appearance on the balcony of ,erod9s palace; the lon1 sad stru11le out to "alvary# and the hours of a1ony on the cross 7 these were the scenes that burned themselves indelibly into their memories# and all the sunny days precedin1 faded into less importance. The life of (esus# as we read it# is what what the life of 0incoln would be if we were 1iven nothin1 of his boyhood and youn1 manhood# very little of his work in the &hite &hite ,ouse and every detail of his assassination. +ll of the four ospels contain very full acco unts of the weepin1 which attended the crucifi?ion 7 the final miracle; (ohn alone remembered the lau1hter amid which the first one was performed. !t was in the little town of "ana# not far from Na=areth. (esus and ,is mother had been invited to a weddin1 feast. -ften such a celebration continued for several days. 5verybody was e?pected to enoy himself to the utmost as lon1 as the food and drink lasted 7 and it was a point of pride with the bride9s b ride9s mother that both food and drink should last a lon1 time. 5nthusiasm was at a hi1h pitch on this occasion when a servant entered nervously and whispered a distressin1 messa1e to the hostess. The wine had 1iven out. *icture if you will the poor woman9s cha1rin< This was her dau1hter9s weddin1 7 the one social event in the life of the family. 6or it they had made every sort of sacrifice# cuttin1 a little from their livin1 e?penses# 1oin1 without a new 1arment# ne1lectin1 a needed repair in the house. +fter it was over they could count the cost and find some way to even up; but until the last 1uest had 1one# no effort should be spared to uphold the family9s di1nity in the nei1hborhood. To this end the poor woman had planned it all in her proud sensitive fashion# and now# at the very hei1ht of success# the whole structure of her dreams came tumblin1 down. The wine had 1iven out. Most of the 1uests were too busy to note the entrance of the servant or the @uick flush that mounted to the hostess9s cheek. But one woman9s si1ht and sympathy were keener. The mother of (esus saw every move in the little tra1edy# and with that instinct which is @uicker than reason she understood its meanin1. She leaned over to her son and confided the messa1e which her friendly eyes had readA :Son# the wine is 1one.: &ell# what of it> ,e was only one of a score of 1uests# perhaps a hundred. There had &ell# been wine enou1h as it was; the party was noisy and none too restrained. 0et them @uiet themselves# say 1ood7by to their hostess and 1et off to bed. They would feel much better for it in the mornin1. . . . -r# if they persisted in carryin1 on# let the relatives of the hostess make up the deficiency. ,e was only a 1uest from another town. /oubtless the woman9s brothers were present# or# if not# then some of her nei1hbors. They could easily slip out and brin1 back wine from their own stores before the shorta1e was commented on.... &hy should ,e be worried with what was none of ,is affair>
Besides# there was a precedent in the matter. -nly a few weeks before when ,e was tortured by hun1er in the wilderness# ,e had refused to use ,is miraculous power to transform stones into bread. !f the recruitin1 of ,is own stren1th was bene ath the di1nity of a miracle# surely ,e could hardly be e?pected to intervene to prolon1 a party like this.... :My friends# we have had a very pleasant evenin1 and ! am surely indebted to our hostess for it. ! think we have trespassed as far as we should upon her 1enerosity 1en erosity.. ! su11est that we wish the happy couple a lon1 and prosperous life# and take our way home.: Surely this is the solemn fashion in which a teacher ou1ht to talk. /id any such thou1hts cross ,is mind> !f they did# we have no record of it. ,e 1lanced across at the wistful face of the hostess 7 already tears sparkled under her lids 7 ,e remembered that the event was the one social triumph of her self7sacrificin1 life# and instantly ,is decision was formed. ,e sent for si? pots and ordered them filled with water. &hen the contents of the first one was drawn# the ruler of the feast lifted his 1lass to the bride1room and the bewildered but happy hostessA :5very man setteth on first the 1ood wine#: he cried# :and when men have drunk freely# then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the 1ood wine until now.: The mother of (esus looked on in wonder. She had never fully understood her son; she did not ask to understand. ,e had somehow saved the situation; she did not @uestion how. +nd what was sufficient for her is sufficient for us. The whole problem of ,is :miracles: is beyond our ar1uments at this distance. &e either accept them or reect them accordin1 to the make7up of our minds. But if they are to be accepted at all# then surely this first one ou1ht not to be omitted. !t often is omitted from the comments on ,is life or at least passed over hastily. But to us who think first of ,is friendliness# friendliness# it seems 1loriously characteristic# settin1 the pattern for all the three years that were to follow. :! came that ye mi1ht have life#: ,e e?claimed# :and have it more abundantly.: abundantly.: So# at the very outset# ,e makes use of ,is mi1hty power# not to point a solemn moral# not to relieve a sufferer9s pain# but to keep a happy party from breakin1 up too soon# to save a hostess from embarrassment. . . See# the ruler of o f the feast rises to propose a toast . . . hark to the discordant strains of the nei1hborhood orchestra. 0ook# a tall broad7shouldered man towers above the crowd ... listen# hear ,is lau1h< The (ewish prophets were stern7faced men; there are few if any 1leams of humor in the -ld Testament Testament from be1innin1 to end. !t was the business of a prophet to denounce folks for their sins. o to the Boston *ublic *u blic 0ibrary and look at their portraits. )ou )ou are moved by their moral 1randeur but rather 1lad to 1et away. They are not the kind of men whom you would choose as companions on a fishin1 trip. (ohn the Baptist was the last of this maestic succession of thunderers. ,e forsook the cities as bein1 wicked beyond any hope# and pitched his camp in a wilderness beside the banks of the (ordan. 6or clothes he wore the skins of animals; his food was locusts and wild honey. ,e indul1ed in lon1 fasts and vi1ils# from which he emer1ed with flamin1 eyes to deliver his uncompromisin1 challen1e. : Repent#: he cried# stretchin1 out his 1aunt arm toward the thou1htless capital# :repent while you still have time. od has 1iven up hope. ,is patience is e?hausted; ,e is about to wind up the affairs of the world.:
Many people flocked out to his camp# and his fiery lan1ua1e burned throu1h to consciences that were over1rown with a very thick crust. 6resh from the carpenter shop came (esus to stand and listen with the rest. To what de1ree was ,e influenced> /id ,e# too# believe that the world was almost at an end> /id ,e see ,imself cast in a role like (ohn9s# a Goice Goice in the &ilderness# cryin1 destruction> There is some evidence to make us think so. ,e went away from (ohn9s camp and hid ,imself in the woods# and there for forty days and ni1hts ,e fou1ht the thin1 throu1h. But at the end ,is mind was wa s made up. ,is place was amon1 ,is fellows. 6or a time ,is preachin1 bore a decided resemblance to (ohn9s. ,e# too# talked of the imminence of the Kin1dom of ,eaven and warned ,is hearers that time was short. But little by little the note of warnin1 diminished; the appeal to ri1hteousness as a happier# more satisfyin1 way of livin1 increased. od ceased to be the stern# unfor1ivin1 ud1e and became the lovin1# friendly 6ather. ,e ,imself was less and less the prophet# more and more the companion. So much so that (ohn 7 imprisoned and depressed 7 be1an to be tortured by doubt. &as this (esus really the man whom he had hoped would carry on his work> ,ad he# (ohn# made a mistake> &hat were these rumors that came to him of (esus9 conduct 7 ,is presence at parties# ,is failure to keep the stipulated fasts# the the unconventional habits of ,is followers> &hat did such unprophetic conduct mean> (ohn sent two of his disciples to watch and an d to ask. +nd (esus# knowin1 how wide was the difference between their attitudes and ,is# refused to ar1ue or defend. :o and tell your master what you have seen and heard.: ,e said. :The sick are healed# the blind receive their si1ht and the poor have the 1ospel preached to them. . . . !t is true that ! d o not fast nor for1o the everyday pleasures of life. (ohn did his work and it was fine; but ! cannot work in his way. ! must be my self . . . and these results which you have seen . . . these are my evidence.: ,e loved to be in the crowd. +pparently ,e attended all the feasts at (erusalem not merely as reli1ious festivals but because all the folks were there and ,e had an all7 embracin1 fondness for folks. &e err if we think of ,im as a social outsider. To To be sure it was the :poor: who :heard him 1ladly#: 1ladly#: and most of ,is close disciples d isciples were men and women of the lower classes. But there was a time when ,e was @uite the favorite in (erusalem. The story of ,is days is dotted with these phrasesA :+ certain ruler desired him that he should eat with him.: . . . :They desired him 1reatly to remain and he abode two days.: 5ven after ,e had denounced the *harisees as :hypocrites and :children of the devil#: even when the clouds of disapproval were 1atherin1 for the final storm# they still could not resist the charm of ,is presence# nor the stimulation of ,is talk. "lose up to the end of the story we read that a :certain chief of the *harisees desired him that he would dine at his house.: No other public fi1ure ever had a more interestin1 list of friends. !t ran ran from the top of the social ladder to the bottom. Nicodemus# the member of the supreme court# had too bi1 a stake in the social order to dare to be a disciple# but he was friendly all the throu1h an d notably at the end. Some unknown rich man# the owner of an estate on the Mount of -lives# threw it open to (esus 1ladly as a place of retirement and rest. &hen ,e needed a
room for the 0ast Supper with ,is friends ,e ha d only to send a messen1er ahead and ask for it. The re@uest was enou1h. + Roman centurion was 1lad to be counted amon1 ,is ac@uaintances; the wife of the steward of ,erod. and probably the steward himself# contributed to ,is comfort. +nd in the last sad hours# when the hatred of ,is enemies had completed its work and ,is body hun1 lifeless from the cross# it was a rich man named (oseph 7 a rich man who would have sunk into oblivion like the other rich men of all the a1es e?cept for this one 1reat 1 reat act of friendship 7 who be11ed the authorities for ,is body and# havin1 prepared it for burial# laid it in a private tomb. Such were ,is associates amon1 the socially elect. &hat sort of people made up the rest of ,is circle> +ll sorts. *harisees# fishermen; merchants and ta? collectors; cultivated women and outcast women; soldiers# lawyers# be11ars# lepers# p ublicans and sinners. &hat a spectacle they must have hav e presented trailin1 after ,im throu1h the streets# or coverin1 the 1reen slopes of the mountain where ,e delivered ,is one lon1 discourse< ,ow they reveled in the keen thrust of ,is answers when some smart member of the company tried to trip ,im up< &hat heated ar1uments carried back and forth; what shrewd retorts# what pointed okes< ,e loved it all 7 the pressure of the crowd# the clash of wits# the eatin1 and the after7dinner talk. &hen ,e was critici=ed because ,e enoyed it so much and because ,is disciples did not fast and 1o about with 1loomy looks# ,e 1ave an answer that throws a wonderful li1ht on ,is own conception of ,is mission. :/o the friends of the bride1room fast while the bride1room is still with them>: ,e demanded. :Not a bit of it; they enoy every moment of his stay. ! am the bride1room; these are my hours of celebration. 0et my friends be happy with me for the little while that we are to1ether. There will be plenty of time for solemn thou1hts after ! am 1on e.: This was ,is own picture of ,imself 7 a bride1room< The center and soul of a 1lorious e?istence; a brin1er of news so wonderful wo nderful that those who received it should be marked by their radiance as by a bad1e. -f course# ,e disre1arded the narrow "ode of the *harisees. :)ou :)ou shall walk only so far on the Sabbath#: said the "ode. ,e walked as far as ,e liked. :These thin1s you may eat and these you shall not#: said the "ode. :)ou9re not defiled by what 1oes into your mouth#: ,e answered# :but by what comes out.: :+ll prayers must be submitted accordin1 to the forms provided#: said the "ode. :None other are acceptable.: !t was blasphemy to ,im. ,is od was no Bureau# no Rule Maker# no +ccountant. :od is a spirit#: ,e cried. :Between the 1reat Spirit and the spirits of men 7 which are a tiny part of ,is 7 no one has the ri1ht to intervene with formulas and rules.: ,e told a story which must have hav e outra1ed the self7ri1hteous members of ,is audience. ,e said that a certain man had two sons. The elder# a perfectly proper and perfectly
uninterestin1 youn1 man# worked hard# saved his money and conducted himself 1enerally as a respectable member of society. But people were 1loomier rather than happier when he came around. ,e never once 1ave way to a 1enerous impulse. The youn1er son was a reckless ne9er7do7well# who took his portion of the estate and went into a far country where he led a wild life and presently was penniless p enniless and repentant. !n that mood he proceeded to work his way back to his father9s house. The father had never ceased to watch and hope; he saw the boy comin1 a lon1 way down the road# ran to him# threw his arms around his son9s dusty shoulders# kissed the bo y9s forehead and bore him in triumph to the front door. :Brin1 a fatted calf#: the father cried. :Make a feast; call nei1hbors in to celebrate. 6or this my son which was 1one has come back; he was dead to decency and idealism. Now he has cleaned up his thinkin1 and is alive a1ain.: There were hi1h doin1s in that house that day# and every one enoyed them e?cept the older son. ,e was sullen and self7pityin1. :&here do ! come in>: he e?claimed. e? claimed. :,ere ! work and save and have never had a 1ood time. This irresponsible youn1ster has had nothin1 but 1ood times and now# when he comes home after havin1 run throu1h h is money# they 1ive him a party. !t9s wron1.: The father did not defend the youn1er son# but h e rebuked the elder. That was what hurt the smu1ly complacent members of the audience to whom (esus told the story. The implication was too plain. :There are two ways m which a man may waste his life#: the story said in effect. :-ne is to run away from his responsibilities# causin1 sorrow to his parents and hurt to his associates# killin1 his finer nature. nature. That is wron1# and a man must repent of such conduct and chan1e his life if he is to be received a1ain into his 6ather9s house.: :But the other is e@ually wron1. od is a 1enerous iver# and selfish 1ettin1 is sin. od lau1hs in the sunshine and sin1s throu1h the throats of birds. They who neither lau1h nor sin1 are out of tune with the !nfinite. od has e?ercised all ,is in1enuity in makin1 a world a pleasant place. Those who find no pleasure and 1ive none no ne offer ,im a constant affront. ,owever precise their conduct# conduc t# their spirits are an offense....&oe offense....&oe to you# Scribes and *harisees. )ou )ou are painfully carefully careful to 1ive e?actly one7tenth of your incomes to the Temple# Temple# fi1urin1 down to fractions of pennies. pen nies. But you ne1lect the wei1htier matters of the law 7 the supreme obli1ation to leave the world a little more cheerful because you have passed throu1h.: This was ,is messa1e 7 a happy od# wantin1 ,is sons and dau1hters to be happy. (esus 1rew tremendously sure of ,imself as ,is ministry pro1ressed. No passa1es in all literature are more scathin1 than ,is denunciations of the cheerless# self7ri1hteous *harisees. They smarted under the stin1# and the crowds lau1hed at their discomfiture and cheered the youn1 man who dared to call ,imself the 1reatest of the prophets and who proclaimed that life is a 1ift to be enoyed# not a penance to be served. +ll +ll persons who
achieve somethin1 have a sublime disre1ard of criticism. :Never e?plain; never retract; never apolo1i=e; 1et it done don e and let them howl#: said a 1reat 5n1lishman. (esus too i1nored personal criticism. :No man can e?pect to accomplish anythin1 if he stands in terror of public opinion#: ,e said in substance. :*eople will talk a1ainst you no matter how you live or what you do. 0ook at (ohn the Baptist. ,e came neither eatin1 nor drinkin1 and they said he had a devil. ! come both eatin1 and drinkin1 and what do they call me> + wine bibber and a 1luttonous man<: ,e must have told it as a oke on ,imself and on (ohn# thou1h the ospels do not say so. !ndeed# we must often wonder how much of ,is humor has been bee n lost to us by the literal7 mindedness of ,is chroniclers. ,ow about that incident# for e?ample# at the pool of Bethesda> The pool was in (erusalem near the sheep market and was supposed to have ma1ic properties. ,undreds of sick people were left alon1 the ed1es to wait for the moment when the waters would be stirred by the visit of an an1el from ,eaven; whoever mana1ed to 1et into the water first# after the stirrin1# was healed. *assin1 by it one afternoon# (esus heard the whinin1 voice of an old fellow who had been lyin1 there for thirty7ei1ht years. 5very time tile pool stirred# he made a half7hearted effort to ump in; but there was always someone with more determination or more helpful friends. So the old chap would drop back onto his couch and bemoan his hard luck. ,e was bemoanin1 it on this day when (esus stopped and looked at him with a whimsical smile. :&ilt thou be made whole>: (esus demanded. The old man was instantly resentful. &hat an absurd @uestion< -f co urse he wanted to be made whole< ,adn9t he been tryin1 for thirty7ei1ht years> &hy annoy him with such an impertinence> The smile on the face of (esus broadened. ,e knew better. be tter. 5noyin1 poor health was the old fellow9s profession. ,e was a marked man in those parts; in the daily 1rumblin1s when the sufferers aired their complaints he was the principal speaker. Nobody had so many pains as he; no other symptoms were so distressin1. 0et these newcomers take a back seat. ,is was the only ori1inal hard7luck story. story. ,e had been there for thirty7ei1ht years. The keen eyes of (esus saw deep into the souls of men. There was a twinkle in them now. :et up#: ,e said briskly# :and walk.: The old chap spluttered and 1rumbled# but there was no resistin1 the command of that presence. ,e rose# discovered to his own ama=ement that he could stand# rolled up his bed and walked off. + reverent hush fell on the assembled crowd# but before they could find their voices (esus# too# was 1one. The disciples were too deeply impressed for comment; they dropped back a respectful distance and (esus walked on alone. Suppose they had followed closer> &ouldn9t their ears have been startled by somethin1 suspiciously like a chuckle> !t was a 1ood oke on the old chap. ,e ima1ined that he9d had hard luck# but his real hard luck was ust be1innin1. . . . No more of the pleasure of
self7pity for him.... &hat would his folks say that ni1ht when he came walkin1 in> &hat a shock to him in the mornin1 when they told him that he9d have to 1o to work< The shortest verse in the New Testament Testament is :(esus wept.: That tra1ic note in ,is story the ospel record has carefully preserved. ,ow we wish it mi1ht also have told us what occurred on the ni1ht after the chronic old 1rumbler was healed< /id (esus stop suddenly in the middle of the supper# and set down ,is cup# while a broad smile spread across ,is wonderful face> !f ,e did# the disciples were probably pu==led 7 they were so often pu==led 7 but surely we have the ri1ht to 1uess# with reverence# what was in ,is mind as ,e pictured the home7comin1 of that cured old man. -n that evenin1 surely (esus must have lau1hed. Someone has said that 1enius is the ability to become a boy a1ain at will. 0incoln had that type of 1enius. +round his table in &ashin1ton &ashin1ton sat the members of his "abinet# silenced by their overwhelmin1 sense of responsibility. !t was one of the most momentous meetin1s in our o ur history. To To their ama=ement# instead of addressin1 himself directly to the business in hand# 0incoln picked up a volume and be1an to read aloud a deli1htful chapter of nonsense from +rtemus &ard. &ard. 6re@uent chuckles interrupted the readin1# but they came only from the *resident. The Secretaries were too shocked for e?pression< ,umor at such an hour 7 it was well ni1h sacrile1ious< ,eedless of their protestin1 looks# 0incoln finished the chapter# closed the book and scanned their 1loomy faces with a si1h. :entlemen# why don9t you lau1h>: he e?claimed. :&ith the fearful strain that is upon me ni1ht and day# if ! did not lau1h ! should die; and you need this medicine as much as !.: &ith that remark he turned to his tall hat which was on the table and drew forth what Secretary Stanton described as a :little white paper.: The :little white paper: was the 5mancipation * roclamation. Stanton could scarcely restrain his impulse to stalk out of the room. No one in h is "abinet really understood 0incoln. ,e was constantly scandali=in1 them by his calm disre1ard of convention and his seemin1ly prodi1al waste of time. The friends and advisers of (esus were similarly shocked. ,ow could anyone with such important business allow himself to be so casually interrupted< -ne of the surest marks of 1reatness# of course# is accessibility and the appearance of havin1 an unstinted allowance of time. The man who appears too busy is not always 1ettin1 much done. The disciples were e?tremely busy# busy# (udas most of all. ,e was the treasurer of the 1roup# harassed because e?penses ran hi1h and there was no certainty of tomorrow9s income. (esus brushed away such petty worries with a smile. :"onsider the lilies of the field#: ,e e?claimed; :they toil not# neither do they spin# yet Solomon in all his 1lory was not arrayed like one of these.: That was all very poetic# very nice# but it did not fool (udas. ,e knew that you cannot 1et anywhere in the world without money# and it was his ob to find the money. The other disciples had similar
worries. They wanted to 1et it clear as to their relative positions in the new Kin1dom; they were concerned because bec ause outsiders# not properly initiated into the or1ani=ation# were claimin1 to be followers of (esus and doin1 miracles in ,is name. They fretted because there was so much work to be done and the days were too short for doin1 it. But ,e towered ma1nificently above it all. &herever ,e went the children flocked. *omp and circumstances mean nothin1 to them. They are neither attracted by prominence nor awed in its presence. Their instinct cuts throu1h all outward semblance with a keen swift ed1e; unfailin1ly they comprehend who wh o are real and who are a re not. &ith &ith a knowled1e which is the accumulated wisdom of all the a1es they reco1ni=e their friends. So they swarmed around# climbin1 on ,is knees# tu11in1 at ,is 1arments# smilin1 up into ,is eyes# be11in1 to hear he ar more of ,is stories. !t was all hi1hly improper and wasteful in the disciples9 eyes. e yes. &ith &ith bustlin1 efficiency they hastened to remind ,im that ,e had important appointments; they tried to push ea1er mothers back. But (esus would have none of it. :Suffer the little children to come unto me<: ,e commanded. +nd ,e added one of those sayin1s which should make so clear the messa1e of ,is ospelA :They are the very ve ry essence of the Kin1dom of ,eaven#: ,eaven #: ,e said; :unless you become like them you shall in no wise enter in.: 0ike them... like little children# lau1hin1# oyously unaffected# trustin1 implicitly . . . with time to be kind. To be sure ,e was not always in the crowd. ,e had ,is lon1 hours of withdrawal when# in communion with ,is 6ather# ,e refilled the deep reservoirs of ,is stren1th and love. Toward Toward the end ,e was more preoccupied. ,e knew months in advance that if ,e made another ourney to (erusalem ,is fate would be sealed; yet ,e never wavered in ,is decision to make that ourney. Startin1 out on it# ,is mind filled with the approachin1 conflict# ,is shoulders burdened with the whole world9s need# ,e heard ,is name called out from the roadside in shrill unfamiliar tonesA :(esus . . . (esus# thou son of /avid# have mercy on me.: !t was the voice of a useless blind be11ar. +t once the disciples were on him# commandin1 silence. "ouldn9t he see the Master was deep in thou1ht> &ho was he to interrupt> Keep still# blind man... 1et back where you belon1. But frantic hope knows no reserve. !t was the poor fellow9s one possible chance. ,e cared no more for their rebuke than they for his need. +1ain the shrill insistent voiceA :(esus thou son of /avid# have mercy on me.: (esus stopped. :&ho called my name<: :Nobody# Master . . . only a blind be11ar# a worthless fellow. . . . Bartimaeus# nobody at all . . . we9ll tend to him.:
:Brin1 him here.: Tremblin1 with hope# he was 1uided forward. The deep rich eyes of the Master looked into those si1htless eyes. The mind which had bee n buried in the 1reatest problem with which a mind ever wrestled 1ave itself unreservedly to the problem of one forlorn human life. ,ere was need# and ,e had time.... + lon1 time a1o a sermon was preached in S t. (ohn9s "hurch# New )ork# )ork# which dealt very severely with the frailties of poor human nature# a nd put forth# with unctuous assurance# the promise of eternal punishment for a lar1e proportion of the race. +mon1 the worshipers was a 1entleman of fortunate reputation but keen mind# whose name lin1ers unfor1ettably in our history. history. +s he left the church a lady spoke to himA :&hat did you think of the sermon# +aron Burr>: she asked. :! think#: responded +aron Burr# :that od is better than most people suppose.: That was the messa1e of (esus 7 that od o d is supremely better than anybody had ever dared to believe. Not a petulant "reator# who had lost control of ,is creation and# in wrath# was determined to destroy it all. Not a stern (ud1e dispensin1 impersonal ustice. Not a vain Kin1 who must be flattered and bribed into concessions of mercy. mercy. Not a ri1id +ccountant# checkin1 up the sins a1ainst the penances and strikin1 a cold hard balance. Not any of these . . . nothin1 like these; but a 1reat "ompanion# a wonderful 6riend# a kindly indul1ent# oy7lovin1 6ather.... 6ather.... 6or three years (esus walked up and an d down the shores of ,is lake and an d throu1h the streets of towns and cities# tryin1 to make them the m understand. Then came the end and# almost before ,is fine firm flesh was cold# the distortion distortion be1an. ,e who cared nothin1 for ceremonies and forms was made the idol of formalism. Men hid themselves in monasteries; they lashed themselves with whips; they tortured their skins with harsh 1arments and cried out that they were followers of ,im 7 of ,im who loved the crowd# who 1athered children about ,im wherever ,e went# who celebrated the callin1 of a new disciple with a feast in which all the nei1hborhood oined< :,old your heads hi1h#: ,e had e?claimed; :you are lords of the universe . . . only a little lower than the an1els . . . children of od.: But the hymn writers knew better. They wroteA :-h to be nothin1# nothin1: and :6or such a worm as !.: ,is last supper with ,is disciples was an hour of solemn memories. Their minds were heavy with forebodin1. ,e talked earnestly# but the whole purpose of ,is talk was to lift
up their hearts# to make them think nobly of themselves# to fill their spirits with a con@uerin1 faith. :My oy ! leave with you#: ,e e?claimed. :Be of 1ood cheer#: ,e e?claimed. (oy# cheer 7 these are the words by which ,e wished to be remembered. But down throu1h the a1es has come the wicked falsehood that ,e never lau1hed.
hapte) 0 - 1is Method M+N) leaders have dared to lay out ambitious pro1rams# but this is the most darin1 of allA Matthew and Mark report in different words that they and nine of their fellows were commanded to preach the ospel to the whole creation. "onsider the sublime audacity of that command. To carry Roman civili=ation across the then known world had cost millions of lives and billions in treasure. To create create any sort of reception for a new idea today involves a vast e?pense and well7or1ani=ed machinery of propa1anda. (esus had no funds and no machinery. ,is or1ani=ation or1ani=ation was a tiny 1roup of uneducated men# one of whom had abandoned the cause as hopeless# desertin1 to the enemy before the command was 1iven. ,e had come proclaimin1 a Kin1dom and was to end on a cross; ,e knew ,e would not be physically present much lon1er; yet ,e dared to talk of ,is ospel con@uerin1 all creation. c reation. &hat was the source of ,is faith in that handful of followers> By what methods had ,e trained them> &hat had they learned from ,im of persuadin1 men> &e speak of the law of :supply and demand#: but the definition seems misleadin1. &ith &ith anythin1 which is not a basic necessity the supply always precedes the demand. 5lias ,owe invented the sewin1 machine# but it nearly rusted away before +merican women could be persuaded to use it. &ith &ith their sewin1 finished so @uickly what would they ever do with their spare time> ,owe had vision and had made his vision come true# but he could not sell< So his bio1rapher paints a tra1ic picture 7 the man who had done more than any other in his h is 1eneration to li1hten the labor of women is forced to attend 7 in a borrowed suit of clothes< 7 the funeral of the woman he loved. Nor are men less stubborn than women in opposition to the new idea. The typewriter had been a demonstrated success for years before businessmen could be persuaded to buy it. ,ow could anyone have letters enou1h to ustify the investment of one hundred dollars in a writin1 machine> -nly when the Remin1tons sold the "alli1raph "ompany the ri1ht to manufacture machines under the Remin1ton patent# and two 1roups of salesmen set forth in competition# was the resistance broken down.
+lmost every invention has had a similar battle. Said Robert 6ulton of the "lermontA :+s ! had occasion daily to pass to and from the shipyard where my boat was in pro1ress# ! often loitered near the 1roups of stran1ers and heard various in@uiries as to the obect of this new vehicle. The lan1ua1e was uniformly that of scorn# sneer or ridicule. The loud lau1h often rose at my e?pense; e?p ense; the dry est; the wise calculations of losses or e?penditures; the dull repetition of 96ulton9s 6olly.9 Never did a sin1le encoura1in1 remark# a bri1ht hope# a warm wish cross my path.: That is the kind of human bein1s we are 7 wise in our own conceit# resistant to su11estions. Nineteen and a half centuries a1o we were even more impenetrable# and we continued so till the discoveries of science in recent years a1ain and a1ain shot throu1h the hard shell of our complacency. . . To the whole creation. . . +ssuredly there was no demand for a new reli1ion; the world was already oversupplied. +nd (esus proposed to send forth eleven men and e?pected them to substitute a new kind of thinkin1 for all e?istin1 reli1ious thou1ht< !n this 1reat act of coura1e ,e was the successor# and the surpasser# of all the prophets who had 1one before. &e spoke a moment a1o of the prophets as deficient in humor# but what they lacked in the amenities of life they made up richly in vision. 5ach one of them brou1ht to the world a revolutionary idea# and we cannot understand truly the si1nificance of the work of (esus unless we remember that ,e be1an where they left off# buildin1 on the firm foundations they had laid. 0et us 1lance at them a moment# startin1 with Moses. &hat a miracle he wrou1ht in the thinkin1 of his race< The world was full of 1ods in his day 7 male 1ods# female 1ods# wooden and iron 1ods 7 it was a poverty7 stricken tribe which could not boast of at least a hundred 1ods. The human mind had never been able to leap beyond the idea that every natural phenomenon was the e?pression of a different deity. deity. +lon1 came Moses# one of the maestic intellects of history. history. ,is understandin1 transformed humanity. ,is 1reat truth can be contained in one short sentenceA There is one od. &hat an overwhelmin1 idea and how ma1nificent its conse@uences< Takin1 Takin1 his disor1ani=ed people who had been slaves in 51ypt for 1enerations 7 their spirits broken by rule and rod 7 Moses persuaded them that od# this one all7powerful od# was their special friend and protector# fired them with faith in that conviction and transformed them from slaves to men who could know freedom and have the coura1e to win it. Moses died and his nation carried on under the momentum which he had 1iven it until there arose +mos# a worthy successor. :There is one od#: Moses had said. :od is a od of ustice#: added +mos. That assertion is such an elementary part of o ur consciousness that we are almost shocked by the su11estion that it could ever have been new. But if you you would have a true measure
of the importance of +mos9 contribution# remember the 1ospel that was current in his day 7 the 1ods of the reeks# for e?ample. Heus was chief of them# a philanderin1 old reprobate who visited his wrath upon such mortals as were unlucky enou1h to interfere in his love affairs and threw his influential to whichever side offered the lar1est bribes. ,is wife and sons and dau1hters were no better; nor was the moral standard of o f the od of the !sraelites very much superior until +mos came ,e was a tradin1 od# ready to offer so much victory for so many sacrifices# and insistent on prero1atives. !t was the hi1h privile1e of +mos +mos to proclaim a od who could not be bou1ht# whose ears were deaf to pleadin1s if the cause was unfair# who would show no discrimination discrimination in ud1ment between the stron1 and weak# the rich and poor. !t was a stupendous conception# but +mos persuaded men to accept it# and it has remained a part p art of our spiritual herita1e. )ears )ears passed and ,osea spoke. ,is had not been a happy life. ,is wife deserted him; heartbroken and ven1eful# he was determined to cast her h er off forever. )et )et his love would not let him do it. ,e went to her# for1ave her and took her back. Then in his hours of lonely broodin1 a 1reat thou1ht thou1 ht came to him< !f he# a mere man# could love so unselfishly u nselfishly one who had broken faith with him# must not od be capable of as 1reat or 1reater for1iveness toward errin1 human bein1s> The thou1ht fired his ima1ination. ,e stood up before the nation and with burnin1 =eal proclaimed a od so stron1 that ,e could destroy# yet yet so tender that ,e would not< -ne od. + ust od. + 1ood od. These were the three steps in the development of the 1reatest of all ideas. ,undreds of 1enerations have died since the days of Moses# of +mos and ,osea. The thou1ht of the world on almost every other subect has chan1ed# but the conception of od which these three achieved has dominated the reli1ious thinkin1 of much of the world down to this very hour. &hat was there for (esus to add> -nly one thou1ht. But it was so much more splendid than all previous ideas that it altered a1ain a 1ain and even more surely the current of history. history. ,e invited frail bewildered humanity to stand upri1ht and look at od face to face< ,e called on men to throw away fear# disre1ard the limitations of their mortality and claim the 0ord of "reation as 6ather. !t is the basis of all revolt a1ainst inustice and repression# all democracy. 6or if od is the 6ather of all men# then all are ,is children and hence the commonest is e@ually as precious as the kin1. No wonder the authorities trembled. They were not fools; they reco1ni=ed the implications of the teachin1. 5ither (esus9 life or their power must 1o. No wonder succeedin1 1enerations of authorities have embroidered ,is idea and corrupted it# so that the simplest faith in the world has become a comple? thin1 of form and ritual# of enforced observances ob servances and :thou shall nots.: !t was too dan1erous a *ower to be allowed to wander the world unleashed and uncontrolled.
This was what (esus wished to send to all creation throu1h the instrumentality of ,is eleven men. &hat were ,is methods of trainin1> ,ow did ,e meet prospective believers> ,ow did ,e deal with obections> By what sort of strate1y did ,e interest and persuade> ,e was makin1 the ourney back from (erusalem after ,is spectacular triumph in cleansin1 the Temple when ,e came to (acob9s &ell &ell and# bein1 tired# sat down. ,is disciples had stopped at one of the villa1es to purchase food# so ,e was alone. The well furnished the water supply for the nei1hborin1 city of the Samaritans# and after a little time a woman came out to it# carryin1 her pitcher on her he r shoulder. Between her people# the Samaritans# and ,is people# the (ews# there was a feud of centuries. To be touched by even the shadow of a Samaritan was defilement# accordin1 to the strict "ode of the *harisees; to speak to one was a crime. The woman made no concealment of her resentment at findin1 ,im there. +lmost any remark from ,is lips would have kindled her an1er. She would at least have turned away in scorn; she mi1ht have summoned her relatives and driven ,im away. + difficult# difficult# perhaps dan1erous situation. ,ow could ,e meet it> ,ow 1ive a messa1e to one who was forbidden by everythin1 holy to listen> The incident is very revealin1A there are times when any word is the wron1 word# when only silence can prevail. (esus knew well this precious principle. +s the woman drew closer# ,e made no move to indicate that ,e was conscious of her approach. ,is 1a=e was on the 1round. &hen ,e spoke# ,e spoke @uietly# musin1ly# as if to ,imself. :!f you knew who ! am#: ,e said# :you would not need to come out o ut here for water. ! would 1ive you livin1 water.: water.: The woman stopped short# her interest challen1ed in spite of herself; she set down the pitcher and looked at the stran1er. !t was was a burnin1 hot day; the well was far from the city; she was tired. &hat did ,e mean by b y such a remark> She started to speak# checked herself and burst out impulsively# impulsively# her curiosity overleapin1 her cautionA :&hat are you talkin1 about> /o you mean to say you are 1reater than our father (acob who 1ave us this well> ,ave you some ma1ic that will save us this lon1 walk in the sun>: /ramatic# isn9t it 7 a sin1le sentence achievin1 triumph# arousin1 interest and creatin1 desire> &ith &ith sure instinct ,e followed up ,is initial advanta1e. ,e be1an to talk to he r in terms of her own life# her ambitions# her hopes# knowin1 so well that each of us is interested first of all and most of all in himself. &hen the disciples came up a few minutes later# they found the unbelievable 7 a Samaritan listenin1 with rapt attention to the teachin1 of a (ew. ,e prepared to 1o but she would not allow it. She ran back to the city to summon her brothers and relatives. :"ome#: she cried# :and see a man who told me all thin1s ever ! did.:
They followed her out to the well 7 these preudiced# reluctant men and women who# an hour before# would have thou1ht it incredible that they should ever hold conversation with one of their traditional enemies. Suspiciously at first but with steadily ascendin1 interest# they listened to ,is talk. !t is said that 1reat leaders are born# not made. The sayin1 is true to this de1ree 7 that no man can persuade people to do what he wants them to do unless he 1enuinely likes people and believes that what he wants them to do is to their own advanta1e. -ne of the reasons for (esus9 success was an affection for people which so shone in ,is eyes and ran1 in ,is tones that even the commonest man in a crowd felt instinctively that here was a friend. The afternoon shadows len1thened while ,e talked. -ther citi=ens# attracted by the 1atherin1# made their way out to the well and swelled the audience. Before the evenin1 meal ,e prepared to 1o. They would not hear of it. ,e must be their 1uest# meet their nei1hbors# tell them more# persuade them further< :They besou1ht him to abide with them; and he abode there two days.: Some years later a tired pil1rim arrived in the modern and perfectly self7satisfied city of +thens. ,e arrived on foot because he had no money for ridin1. ,is shoes were sadly worn and his clothin1 frayed and covered with dust. -ne would say that these disadvanta1es were enou1h to dis@ualify him for success in a town so smart and critical# but he had other handicaps more fundamental. ,e was too short and thickset to be impressive; his eyes had a decided s@uint; in fact# he was not at all the kind of man who commands respect before a crowd. That he should come to the most sophisticated center of the ancient world and e?pect to make an impression was e?traordinary. e?traordinary. The principal business of the clever 1entlemen of that city was standin1 around the market place# there to :hear or to tell some new thin1.: They were the oke makers and fashion setters of their era. They ori1inated new ideas; they did not buy them from the provinces. +nd as for investin1 in a new reli1ion 7 they had hundreds of reli1ions# some new# some fairly new# some old# but all entirely unused. + fine appreciative atmosphere for the forei1n visitor named *aul< See him trud1in1 alon1 throu1h the suburbs and up toward the center of the town. *oor little chap< &ait &ait until the wise ones catch si1ht of him; h im; they will certainly have a fine afternoon9s sport< Strai1ht on he marched until u ntil he reached Mars ,ill# the Broadway and 6orty7second Street corner of town. + few few of the clever ones 1athered about# moved by the same cynical curiosity which would have prompted them to look at a sword swallower or a three7 le11ed calf. The critical moment had come. *aul must say somethin1# and no matter what wh at he said# it would be wron1. Suppose he had be1un in the usual wayA :ood mornin1# 1entlemen. ! have somethin1 new in the way of a reli1ion which !9d like to e?plain# if you9ll 1ive me ust a minute of your time.: + boisterous lau1h would have ended his talk. + new reli1ion 7 what did they care about that> But *aul knew the psycholo1y of the crowd.
:Men of +thens# ! con1ratulate you on havin1 so many fine reli1ions.: Nothin1 in that to which anyone could take offense. The sophisticated pressed up a little closer; what was the chap drivin1 at# anyhow> a nyhow> :!9ve traveled about @uite a bit and your assortment is lar1er and better than ! have seen anywhere else. 6or as ! passed p assed up your main street ! noticed that you not only have altars erected to all the re1ular 1ods and 1oddesses; you even have one dedicated to the ENKN-&N -/. :0et me tell you an interestin1 coincidence# 1entlemen. This od whom you worship without knowin1 ,is name is the very od whom ! represent.: "an you see the crowd> "ynical but curious# ea1er to turn the whole thin1 into a oke# yet unwillin1 to miss a chance to hear the latest. *aul stopped short for a moment# an d voices called out demandin1 that he 1o on. !t appears later in the narrative that after his talk was over :some mocked# and others said# 9&e will hear thee a1ain of this matter9.: !t was not a complete victory such as his Master had achieved at (acob9s ℓ but the audience which confronted *aul was hostile# and his initial success was so cleverly won that this story deserves a place beside the one which we have ust related. To1ether To1ether they help us to understand the 1reat mystery 7 how a reli1ion# ori1inatin1 in a despised province of a petty country# could so @uickly carry around the world. !t con@uered not because there was any demand for another an other reli1ion but because (esus knew how# and tau1ht ,is followers how# to catch the attention of the indifferent# and translate a 1reat spiritual conception into terms of practical self7concern.
This aspect of (esus9 universal 1enius may perhaps be best understood by the psycholo1ist and the businessman. 6rom everyday e?perience they will understand that 7 e?cept for the infinitely 1reater value of ,is work 7 (esus was usin1 a method not unlike those used now as the most modern techni@ue of overcomin1 unreasonin1 resistance to a helpful idea# service or product. + wise and 1ood man who was also a splendid salesman e?plained it like thisA &hen you want to 1et aboard a train which is already in motion# you don9t run at it from ri1ht an1les and try to make the platform in one wild leap. if you do# you9re likely to find yourself on the 1round. No you run alon1 beside the car# increasin1 your pace until you are movin1 ust as rapidly as it is movin1 and in the same direction. Then you step aboard easily# without dan1er or olt. :The minds of busy men are in motion#: he would continue. They are en1a1ed with somethin1 very different from the thou1ht you have hav e to present. )ou )ou can9t ump directly at them and e?pect to make an effective landin1. )ou )ou must put yourself in the other man9s place; try to ima1ine what he is thinkin1; let your first remark remark be sincere and honest but in line with his thou1hts; follow it by another such with which you know lie will not disa1ree. Thus# 1radually# your two minds reach a point at which small differences are lost in common understandin1 of a truth. Then with perfect sincerity he will say 9yes9 and 9yes9 and 9that9s ri1ht9 and 9!9ve noticed that myself.9
(esus tau1ht all this without ever teachin1 it. 5very one of ,is conversations# every contact between ,is mind and others# is worthy of the attentive study of any sales mana1er. *assin1 alon1 the shores of a lake one da y# ,e saw two of the men whom ,e wanted as disciples. Their minds were in motion; their hands were bu sy with their nets; their conversation was about conditions in the fishin1 trade and the prospects of a 1ood market for the day9s catch. To have broken in on such thinkin1 with the offer of employment as preachers of a new reli1ion would have been to confuse them and invite a sure rebuff. &hat was (esus9 approach> :"ome with me#: ,e said# :and :an d ! will make you fishers of men.: 6ishers 7 that was a word they could cou ld understand. . .. 6ishers of men 7 that was a new idea. . . &hat was ,e drivin1 at> 6ishers of men men 7 it sounded interestin1 . . . well# what is it# anyway> ,e sat on a hillside overlookin1 a fertile country. Many of the crowd who 1athered around ,im were farmers with their wives and sons and dau1hters. ,e wanted their interest and attention; it was important to make them understand# at the very outset# that what ,e had to say was nothin1 va1ue or theoretical but of direct and immediate application to their daily lives. :+ sower went forth to sow#: sow#: ,e be1an# :and :a nd when he sowed some seeds fell by the wayside and the fowls came and devoured them up....: &ere they interested . . . were they> 5very man of them had 1one throu1h that e?perience< The thievish crows 7 many a 1ood day9s work they had spoiled.... So this Teacher knew somethin1 about the troubles that farmers had to put up with# did ,e> 6air enou1h . . . let9s hear what ,e has to say.... say.... !t would be easy to multiply e?amples# takin1 each of ,is parables and pointin1 out the keen knowled1e of human motives on which it is based. The e?amples already 1iven are enou1h for this chapter. They show how instantly ,e won ,is audiences. &ith ,is very first sentence ,e identified ,imself with them; it invariably e?pressed a thou1ht they readily understood# a truth easy for even eve n the dullest to comprehend. +nd the first sentence awakened an appetite for more. (esus knew very well the value of bein1 able to sense an obection and meet it before it was advanced. ,e went one ni1ht to dine with a prominent *harisee. ,is presence in any house attracted stran1ers who found it easy under the far from ri1id conventions of those days to make their way into the room# where they could watch ,im and listen. Thus# while the *harisee9s dinner was in pro1ress# a woman 1enerally considered immoral came into the room and# kneelin1 down by (esus# be1an to bathe ,is feet with precious ointment and wipe them with her hair. (esus (esus knew what that outburst of unselfishness meant to an overburdened spirit# and ,e accepted the tribute with 1racious di1nity# even thou1h its emotional warmth must have been embarrassin1. But all the time ,e was perfectly well aware of the thou1hts that were passin1 throu1h the self7satisfied self7satisfied mind of ,is host.
:+h#: that cynical 1entleman was sayin1 to himself# :if ,e were a prophet# ,e would have known that this woman is a sinner and would have refused to let her touch ,im.: ,e mi1ht have been tempted to put his thou1ht into words# but he never had a chance. Fuick as a flash (esus turned on himA :Simon# ! have somewhat to say to thee.: :Teacher# :Teacher# say on.: !t was a half7concealed sneer. :There was a man who had two debtors#: said (esus. :-ne owed him five hundred shillin1s and the other fifty. Neither could pay and he for1ave them both. &hich of them# do you think# will love him the more>: Simon sensed a trap and moved cautiously. :! ima1ine the one who owed him the 1reater amount#: he said# and wondered what was comin1 ne?t. :Ri1ht#: said (esus. :Simon# seest thou this woman>: Simon nodded. ,e be1an to wish the conversation had not started. :&hen ! came into your house# you 1ave me no water for my feet#: (esus continued with that e?traordinary frankness which cut strai1ht to the heart of thin1s. :But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried d ried them with her hair. )ou )ou 1ave me no kiss# but she has not ceased to kiss my feet. )ou )ou poured none of o f your e?pensive oil on my head# but she has taken her precious ointment# which she could ill afford# and anointed me.: Simon s@uirmed in his seat. !t was not comfortable to be reminded before a crowd of his delin@uencies as a host. ,e had invited this :interestin1: former carpenter because it was @uite the fad to invite ,im. But the whole atmosphere had been one of condescension 7 the unspoken intimation was :,ere9s a 1ood dinner; now 1o on and amuse us with your ideas.: There had been none of the niceties; the rich are so well accustomed to bein1 inconsiderate< The dinin1 room was silent; every eye e ye was turned to the Teacher; the poor woman still knelt at ,is feet# embarrassed that her action should have caused so much comment# wonderin1 if the incident was to end in a rebuke. (esus did not look down at her; ,e was not yet throu1h with Simon. :She is like the debtor who owed the five hundred shillin1s#: ,e said. :,er sins which are many are for1iven# for she loved much. To whom little is for1iven# the same loves little.: +nd then with a 1lance of infinite tendernessA :Thy sins are for1iven#: ,e said to her simply. simply. :Thy faith has saved thee; 1o 1 o in peace.:
!t is easy to ima1ine that the conversation co nversation rather dra11ed durin1 the remainder of the meal. 5ven very supercilious and self7assured 1entlemen hesitated to e?pose themselves to the thrusts of a mind which could cou ld anticipate criticisms before they were uttered and deal with them so crisply. -n other occasions ,e won ,is case with a sin1le @uestion 7 one of the best weapons in the whole armory of persuasion and all too infre@uently employed. ,ow often a blunderin1 advocate allows himself to be dra11ed into futile ar1ument# when by throwin1 the burden back onto his opponent9s shoulders he could attain an easy mastery. (esus seldom ar1ued. The record of ,is @uestions is a fruitful study for all of us who# in our everyday affairs# must deal with other minds. 0et us recall two o f those @uestions. The *harisees set a trap for ,im. -ne Sabbath day they hunted up a man with a withered hand and deposited him in the Temple Temple where (esus would be sure to pass. Then they waited. !f (esus healed him# it would be a breach of the "ode# which forbade any activity on the Sabbath. They would have that to recall when the crisis came. (esus sensed the rest and met it without hesitation. :Stand forth#: ,e said to the poor chap. The bi1oted formalists pushed in close. This was their moment. They had du1 the pit cleverly# and now ,e was about to fall in. The soft li1ht went out of (esus9 eyes# the muscles of ,is aw 1rew tense# ,e looked :round on them with an1er#: as ,e demandedA
:!s it lawful on the Sabbath day da y to do 1ood or o r to do harm> To save a life or to kill>: ,e waited for an answer but none came. &hat could they say> !f they replied that the law forbade a 1ood deed# their answer would be repeated all over town. The crowd of common men who followed ,im were ,is friends# not theirs 7 only too 1lad to spread a story which would cast discredit on the proud p roud defenders of the law. The *harisees had sense enou1h to reco1ni=e that fact# at least. They :held their peace: and sullenly slipped away. -n another day it was ,is own disciples who learned how ,e could compress a whole philosophy into a well7directed @uestion. They were by no means free from the frailties frailties of ordinary human nature. They fussed about little thin1s 7 ar1uin1 amon1 themselves as to who should have pre7eminence; wonderin1 how their bills were to be met and ust where the whole enterprise was comin1 out. ,e brou1ht them up short with a @uestion. :&hich of you by bein1 an?ious can add a sin1le day to his life>: ,e demanded. :+nd if you can9t do this simple thin1 why wh y worry about the rest> "onsider the ravens; they don9t
sow or reap; they have no storehouses or barns# and yet od takes care of them. /on9t you suppose that you are of more value in ,is si1ht than a flock of birds>: ,ow trivial seemed their concern and controversy after a @uestion like that< !n all the three years of ,is public work wo rk there was not one moment when ,e failed to be complete master of the situation. ,e was accessible to anybody 7 in the market place# in the Temple Temple and on the main streets 7 fair 1ame for the keen and clever. !t became @uite a reco1ni=ed sport to match wits with ,im. *harisees tried it; Scribes tried it; :a certain lawyer: tried it. +lways they came off second7best. +t len1th the very chiefs of the priests came one afternoon. 0esser anta1onists had 1one down; now the leaders themselves would take the matter in hand. han d. They would demolish this presumptuous upstart; by the splendor of their presence and their offices# they would awe ,im into line. :By what authority do you do these thin1s#: they demanded briskly# :and who 1ave you this authority>: !f they e?pected ,im to yield an inch# they received the surprise of their lives. ,is retort was instantaneous. :!9ll ask you a @uestion#: he e?claimed# :and if you answer it# then !9ll tell you by what authority ! work. +nswer me now# what about (ohn; was his work in bapti=in1 inspired by heaven or by men>: They cau1ht their breath. Their heads came to1ether; e?cited and disturbin1 whispers were e?chan1ed. &hat shall we say> !f we answer that (ohn had come from ,eaven# ,e will say# :&ell# why then didn9t you believe him>: !f we say that he came from men# this crowd of fools will tear us to pieces# because every last one of them believes that (ohn was a prophet. &hat shall we do> Better tell ,im we don9t know; better 1et out of here as @uickly as we can. :&e don9t know#: know#: they muttered. :+ll ri1ht#: said (esus serenely. :)ou :)ou don9t answer my @uestion. Neither will ! answer yours.: !t was a perfect triumph. +mid the eers of the deli1hted crowd the chiefs 1athered up their fine robes and went away. )ou )ou would think as you read the narratives that the wise ones would h ave been wise enou1h to let ,im alone. 5ven a child# havin1 burned its fin1ers once# knows enou1h to avoid the fire. But their ealousy and an1er drove them back a1ain and a1ain; and every time ,e was too much for them. !n the very last week the :*harisees and ,erodians: 1athered to1ether a picked dele1ation of sharp wits and sent them to (esus with what looked like an absolutely foolproof bomb. b omb. They started in with flattery; after all# ,e was a simple fellow from the provinces 7 a few kind words and ,is head would be turned. Then they would catch ,im off 1uard.
:Teacher# :Teacher# we know that you speak the truth#: they said# :and that you don9t care anythin1 about the authority or office which a man holds. )ou )ou treat them all alike# and speak your mind bluntly because you 1et your thou1hts direct from od. :Now# tell us# is it lawful to 1ive tribute unto "aesar or not>: Gery Gery clever# 1entlemen# very clever indeed. !f ,e answers that it isn9t lawful# you will have the record of ,is reply in ,erod9s hands in an hour and instantly ,e will be under arrest for propa1atin1 rebellion a1ainst the Roman power. !f ,e answers that it is lawful# ,e will lose ,is popular followin1 because the people hate the Romans and dod1e the ta?es at every turn... very# very clever. ,e looked at them with frank contempt as if to say# :/o you really think ! am @uite as simple as all that>: :Somebody lend me a coin#: ,e e?claimed. +n ea1er listener du1 into his purse and produced it. (esus held it up where all could see. :&hose picture is here>: ,e demanded. :&hose name>: They be1an to be uneasy. The shrewdest suspected that the path was leadin1 toward the precipice# yet there was no escape. They must answer. :"aesar9s#: they replied. :Gery :Gery 1ood#: ,e said. :Render unto "aesar the thin1s that are "aesar9s and unto od the thin1s that are od9s.: +nother repulse for the best le1al talent in the city# another 1ood lau1h for the crowd# another story to tell in the taverns# in the Temple Temple court# in the market place . . . wherever the common folk crowded to1ether. !n describin1 the defeated @uestioners three of the ospels sayA :they marveled at him: and a little later we read# :and no man after that durst ask him any @uestion.: 5very obection had been turned back on the obectors; every trap had been sprun1 on the fin1ers of those who had set it. No ar1ument was left for them e?cept the final one which is always a confession of failure. They had brute force on their side. They could not n ot stand a1ainst ,is thinkin1 but they could# and did# nail ,im on the cross. Not in time# however. Not until until ,is work was finished. Not until ,e had trained and e@uipped a force which would carry on with double power because of the very fact of ,is death.... 5very year in our country there are thousands of conventions 7 political# charitable# business. Most of them are a waste. They are conducted on the false assumption that oversellin1 and e?a11eration are p otent forces 7 that the ener1ies of men respond most powerfully to promises of easy victory and soft rewards. The 1reat leaders of the world have known better. ideon# for e?ample. &hen he called for volunteers to fi1ht the Midianites# thirty7two thousand responded. ideon looked them over critically. critically. ,e knew the conflictin1 con flictin1 motives
that had brou1ht them there 7 some had come from mere love of adventure# some because they were afraid to be taunted with cowardice# some for plunder# some to 1et away from their wives. ,e determined to weed them out immediately. :&hosoever is fearful and afraid# let him 1o home toni1ht#: he proclaimed. The ne?t mornin1 twenty7two thousand had vanished. -nly ten thousand remained. Still ideon was unsatisfied. ,e hit on a strata1em. /own the hillside and across a little brook he led the whole band. !t was a hot mornin1; the men were thirsty and tired. ideon standin1 on the bank and watchin1# had a shrewd idea that character would show itself under the strain. Sure enou1h# of the ten thousand# a vast maority knelt down and pushed their faces into the cool clear water# takin1 lon1 refreshin1 refreshin1 drau1hts. But a few were too much in earnest to loiter. They cau1ht up the wa water ter in their hands# dashed it into their faces and hurried across to the other bank# restless to 1o on< -nly a handful; only three hundred. But ideon kept them and sent the rest home. Better three hundred who could not be held back from the battle than ten thousand who were halfheartedly ready to 1o. &ith the three hundred he won. !t is a hi1her type of leadership that calls forth men9s 1reatest ener1ies by the promise of obstacles rather than the picture of rewards. !n our time we heard "hurchill9s :blood# sweat and tears: address to his countrymen# and we saw their response. (esus was the 1reat master of this kind of leadership. By it ,e tempered the soft metal of ,is disciples9 nature into keen hard steel. The final conference by which ,e prepared them for their work is thrillin1 in its maestic appeal to coura1e. 0isten to the calm recital of the deprivations and dan1ersA *rovide neither 1old# nor silver# nor brass in your purses# p urses# Nor scrip for your ourney# neither two coats# neither shoes# nor yet staves . . . CMatt. 8A378D. Behold# ! send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. But bewa re of menA for they will deliver you up to the councils# and they will scour1e you in their syna1o1ues; +nd ye shall be brou1ht before 1overnors and kin1s for my sake ... CMatt. 8AI7JD. ,e that loveth father or mother more than meA and he that loveth son or dau1hter more than me is not worthy of me. +nd he that taketh not his cross# and followeth after me# is not worthy of me. ,e that findeth his life shall lose itA and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. CMatt. 8A%7%3D &atch the faces and the fi1ures. See the shoulders strai1hten# the muscles of the lips 1row &atch hard. There is power in those faces that will not be withstood 7 power born of the most transformin1 appeal which ever fell on human ears. The voice of the speaker was stilled
at the cross# but the power carried on. !t withstood prisons and scour1in1; shipwreck and weariness; public condemnation and the loss of personal friends; chains# and the roar of lions and the flames. (ames was the first to die 7 ,erod +1rippa +1rippa killed him. ,is brother (ohn# imprisoned for years on the stony island of *atmos# suffered martyrdom in fri1htful torture. +ndrew died on a cross whose pattern bears his name to this day. Simon *eter insisted that he be crucified head downward# deemin1 himself unworthy to suffer in the manner of his 0ord. Nero stilled the voice of *aul by beheadin1 him; but bu t the spirit of *aul which had proclaimed that :we are in all thin1s more than con@uerors#: be1an at that moment to have its lar1er influence. (ust a few brief years and every member of the ori1inal or1ani=ation was 1one# but the :blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church.: The Master9s trainin1 had done its work. The 1reat !dea prevailed.
hapte) - 1is Wo)2 and Wo)ds (esus was# as we say# many7sided# and every man sees the side of ,is nature which appeals most to himself. The doctor thinks of the 1reat *hysician whose touch never failed# who by the 1enius that remains a mystery to man preceded modern science in a knowled1e of the relation of the spirit to health# a knowled1e still incomplete. The preacher studies the Sermon on the Mount and marvels that truths so profound should be e?pressed in words so clear and simple. The politically active man remembers best ,is coura1e in oppo sin1 the most powerful elements in ,is community and is awed by ,is capacity to speak honestly without loss of loyalty. 0awyers have written in praise of ,is pleadin1 at ,is trial; and the literary critics of every a1e have cheerfully acknowled1ed ,is mastery as a storyteller. 5ach man# it is plain# understands unde rstands that part of ,is universal 1enius which with his own abilities and skills he can most nearly approach. ! am not a doctor doc tor or lawyer or critic but an advertisin1 man. That means that ! am and have been concerned with the ways in which words# desi1n and color may carry conviction to people# with the art 7 science of brin1in1 others to your point of view. !t is perhaps not unnatural that ! can think of the brilliant pluma1e of the bird as color advertisin1 addressed to the emotions of its its mate. This is# you may 1rant# a view not unsupported by observable fact. !t has been remarked that :no astronomer can be an atheist#: which is only another way of sayin1 that the scientist knows od because he has seen an order so vast and perfect that the idea of purposeful creation must be part of any thou1ht about it.
My view is less e?alted# but my purpose deeply sincere. ! propose in this chap ter to consider some words and deeds of (esus which persuaded and still persuade men of the wisdom and ustice in ,is teachin1. So ! have# ! hope# seen (esus as a man who lived and worked# and not as the symbol conventionally displayed. 0et us be1in by askin1 why ,e could command public attention and why# in contrast# ,is churches have not done so well. The answer is twofold. ,is mission was to teach men. But before even ,e could teach# ,e must 1et men to listen. ,e was never trite; ,e had no sin1le method. The ospels show clearly that no one could predict what ,e would say or do; ,is actions and words were always new# ne w# arrestin1# arrestin1# challen1in1 and meanin1ful to the men amon1 whom ,e lived. Take Take one day as an e?ample. The four ospel narratives are not chronolo1ical. They are personal records written after ,is death# not diaries in in which entries were made every ni1ht. Thus we cannot say of most of the incidentsA :This happened on such and such a day.: day.: The four stories repeat# conflict and overlap. ove rlap. !n one place# however 7 the ninth chapter of Matthew 7 we have a detailed account of ust one day9s work. -ne of the events was the callin1 of Matthew himself to discipleship; hence we have every reason to suppose that the writer9s memory of this particular day must have been more than usually reliable. 0et us look at these twenty7four hours. The activity be1ins at sunrise. (esus was an early riser; ,e knew that the simplest way to live more than an avera1e life is to add an hour to the fresh end of the day. +t sunrise# therefore# we discover a little boat pushin1 out from the shore of the lake. !t makes its way steadily across and deposits (esus and ,is disciples in "apernaum# ,is favorite city. ,e proceeds at once to the house of a friend# but not without bein1 discovered. The report spreads instantly that ,e is in town# and before ,e can finish breakfast a crowd of townsmen have collected outside the 1ate 7 a poor palsied chap amon1 them. The day9s work be1ins. ,avin1 slept soundly in the open air# (esus meets the call @uietly. The smile that carried confidence into even the most hopeless heart spreads over ,is features; ,e stoops down toward the sufferer. sufferer. :Be of 1ood cheer# my son#: ,e says; :your sins are all for1iven.: Sins for1iven< !ndeed< The respectable members of the audience draw back with sharp disapproval. :&hat a blasphemous phrase<: :&ho au thori=ed this man to e?ercise the functions of od> &hat ri1ht has ,e to decide whose sins shall be for1iven>: (esus sensed rather than heard their protest. ,e n ever courted controversy; ,e never dod1ed it# and much of ,is fame arose out of the reports of ,is verbal v ictories. Men have been elected to office 7 even such hi1h office as the *residency 7 by bein1 so 1ood7 natured that they never made enemies. But the leaders who are remembered are those who had plenty of critics and dealt with them vi1orously.
:&hat9s the obection>: ,e e?claimed# turnin1 on the dissenters. :&hy do you stand there and critici=e> !s it easier to say# 9Thy sins be for1iven thee#9 or to say# 9+rise# take up thy bed and walk9> The results are the same.: Bendin1 over the sick man a1ain# ,e said# :+rise# take up thy bed and 1o unto thine house.: The man stirred and was ama=ed to find that his muscles responded. Slowly# doubtin1ly# he stru11led to his feet# and with a 1reat shout of happiness started off# surrounded by h is ubilant friends. The critics had received their answer# answer# but they refused to 1ive up. 6or an hour or more they persisted in an1ry ar1ument# until the meetin1 ended in a tumult. !t9s hardly necessary to say that (esus did not heal merely to stir# awe and an1er doubters. )et )et ,is honest directness had a startlin1# far7reachin1 effect. -ne of those who had been attracted by the e?citement was a ta? collector named Matthew. Bein1 a man of business he could not stay throu1h the ar1ument# but slipped away early and was hard at work when (esus passed by a few minutes before noon. :Matthew# ! want you#: said (esus. That was all. No ar1ument; no offer of inducements; no promise o f rewards. Merely :! want you:; and the prosperous ta? collector closed his office# prepared a feast for the brilliant youn1 teacher and forthwith announced himself a disciple. -nce a1ain we can be sure (esus9 purpose was sin1le. But we can easily believe also that ,is instant winnin1 of Matthew shook "apernaum for the second time that day. + feast provided by Matthew furnished a third sensation. !t was not at all the k ind of affair which a reli1ious teacher would be e?pected to approve. /ecidedly# it was 1ood7 natured and noisy. n oisy. No theolo1ical test was applied in limitin1 the invitation. No one stood at the entrance to demand# :&hat is your belief re1ardin1 (esus>: or# :,ave you or have you not bee n bapti=ed>: The doors were flun1 wide# and# alon1 with the disciples and the respectable folks# a swarm of publicans and sinners trooped in. :-utra1eous#: 1rumbled the worthy folk. :Surely if this Teacher had any moral standards ,e never would eat with such rabble.: They were shocked# but ,e was not. That ,e had condemned ,imself accordin1 to their formula worried ,im not a whit. ,is likin1 for people overran all social boundaries; ,e ust could not seem to remember that some people are nice people# proper people# and some are not.
:"ome# come#: ,e e?claimed to the *harisees# :won9t you ever stop na11in1 at me because ! eat with these outsiders> &ho needs the doctor most 7 they that are well or they they that are sick> :+nd here9s another thin1 to think about#: ,e added. :)o : )ou u lay so much stress on forms and creeds and occasions 7 do you suppose od cares about all that> &hat do you think ,e meant when ,e saidA 9! will have mercy and not sacrifice9> Take that home and pu==le over it.: + fourth event to rouse the town. )ou )ou may be sure it was carried into hundreds of homes durin1 the ne?t few weeks# and formed the basis for many a lon1 evenin19s discussion. (esus had been intent only on ,is ministry. ministry. Thou1h ,e had not sou1ht attention# the streets ran1 with ,is name. !ndifference to such a manner was impossible. +s the meal drew to its close there came ca me a dramatic interruption 7 a ruler of the city made his way slowly to the head of the table and stood silent# bowed by a terrible wei1ht of 1rief. That mornin1 he had sat at his dau1hter9s bedside# claspin1 her frail hand in h is# watchin1 the flutter of the pulse# tryin1 by the force of his lon1in1 to hold that little life back from the precipice. +nd at last the doctors had told him that it was useless to hope any more. So he had come# this ruler# to the stran1e youn1 man wh ose deeds of healin1 were the sensation of the day. &as it too late> The ruler had thou1ht &as thou1 ht so when he entered the door# but as he stood in that splendid presence a new thrillin1 conviction 1ripped himA :Master# my dau1hter is even now dead#: he e?claimed; :but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.: (esus rose from ,is seat# drawn by that splendid outburst of faith# and without hesitation or @uestionin1 ,e started for the door. +ll ,is life ,e seemed to feel that there was no limit at all to what ,e could do if only those who besou1ht ,im believed enou1h. ,e 1rasped the ruler9s arm and led the way up the street. ,is disciples and motley crowd walked behind. They had several blocks to travel# and before their ourney was completed another interruption occurred. + woman who had been sick for twelve years ed1 ed throu1h the crowd# eluded the sharp eyes of the disciples and touched the hem of ,is 1arment. :6or she said within herself# if ! may but touch ,is 1arment# ! shall be whole.: &hat an idea< &hat a personality ,is must have been to provoke such ideas< :My dau1hter is dead# but lay your hands on her and she will live.: ... :!9ve been sick for twelve years; the doctors can do nothin1# but if ! only touch ,is coat !9ll be all ri1ht.: The woman won her victory. victory. By that touch# by ,is smile# by the few words ,e spoke# her faith rose triumphant over disease. She :was made whole from that hour.:
+1ain ,e moved forward# the crowd pressin1 hard. The ruler9s residence was now in si1ht. The paid mourners# hired by the hour# h our# were busy about the doorway; they increased their activities as their employer came in si1ht 7 hideous wails an d the dull soundin1 of cymbals# a horrible pretense of 1rief. (esus @uickened ,is stride. :ive place#: ,e called out to them with a commandin1 1esture. :The maid is not dead but sleepeth.: They lau1hed ,im to scorn. ,e brushed them aside# strode into the house and took the little 1irl by the hand. The crowd looked on dumfounded# for at the ma1ic of ,is touch she opened her eyes and sat up. Now every citi=en must have been thinkin1 of this man. 5very citi=en had to answer @uestions about ,im. ,ad these thin1s really happ ened> + woman sick twelve years and healed< + child whom the doctors had abandoned for death sits up and smiles< No wonder a thousand ton1ues were that ni1ht discussin1 ,is name and work. :The fame there went abroad into all that land#: says the narrative. Nothin1 could keep it from 1oin1 abroad. !t was irresistible news< ,e was known by ,is service# not by ,is sermons; this is the noteworthy fact. ,is preachin1 seems in the li1ht of such events almost incidental. -n only one occasion did ,e deliver a lon1 discourse# and that was probably interrupted often by @uestions @u estions and debates. ,e did not come to establish theolo1y but to lead a 1ood life. 0ivin1 more healthfully that any of ,is contemporaries# ,e spread health wherever ,e went. Thinkin1 more darin1ly# more divinely# than anyone before ,im# ,e e?pressed ,imself in words of 1reat beauty ,is sermons# if they may be called sermons# were chiefly e?planatory of ,is service. ,e healed a lame man# 1ave si1ht to a blind man# fed the hun1ry# cheered the poor; and by these works ,e was known. The church# which hopes h opes to spread widely the news of 1ood 1 ood work# often receives little attention. )et )et it is much more fruitful in such 1ood works than the uninformed suspect. Most of our colle1es were founded under u nder its inspiration; most of our hospitals 1rew out of# and are supported by# b y# its its membership; the ideals that animate all civic enterprises are its ideals; and its members furnish to such movements the most depe ndable support. More than this# the day7by7day life of any 1enuine pastor is a constant succession of healin1s and helpin1s# as anyone who has been privile1ed to 1row up in a minister9s family very well knows. The doorbell or telephone rin1s at breakfast time; it rin1s at dinner time; it rin1s late at ni1ht 7 and every rin1 means that someone has come co me to cast his burden on the parsona1e. + man comes blinded by his 1reed or h atred or fear 7 he opens his heart to the pastor and 1oes away havin1 received his si1ht. + parent whose child is dead in selfishness comes leadin1 the child by the hand. +nd sometimes the preacher is able to touch the withered veins of conscience# and life becomes normal and wholesome a1ain. + man out of work# whose family is hun1ry# knocks timidly at the parsona1e door. +nd somehow# somehow# from the parson9s few loaves and fishes# the other family family is fed.
These are (esus9 works# done in (esus9 name. !f ,e lived a1ain now# ,e would be known by ,is service# not merely by ,is sermons. -ne thin1 is certainA certainA ,e would not ne1lect the market place. 6ew of ,is sermons were delivered in syna1o1ues. 6or the most part ,e was in the crowded places 7 the Temple Temple court# the city s@uares# the centers where 1oods were bou1ht and sold. ! emphasi=ed this fact once to a 1roup of preachers. :)ou :)ou mean that we ou1ht ou1 ht to do street preachin1<: one of them e?claimed. But street preachin1 is not at all analo1ous to what (esus did. The cities in which ,e worked were both small and leisurely; the market was a 1atherin1 place where ever ybody came at some time 7 the place of e?chan1e for all merchandise and for ideas. The world is no lon1er so small. &here will you find such a market place in modern days> + corner of 6ifth +venue> +venue> + block on Broadway> -nly a tiny fraction of the city9s people pass any 1iven point in the downtown district on any 1iven day. + man mi1ht stand and preach for years at 6ifth +venue +venue and 6orty7second Street# and only one in a hundred thousand would ever know that he lived. No. 6ew ideas 1ain currency unless they may be presented simultaneously to hundreds of thousands. Ma1a=ines# newspapers# radio and television networks are now the street in "apernaum. ,ere our 1oods are sold; here voices are raised to win our loyalty to ideas# to causes 7 to faiths. That the voice of (esus should be still in our market place is an omission which ,e could soon find a way to correct. The minds ,e challen1ed in "apernaum cannot be so different from ours. &e are not stirred because we do not hear. !f it came to us so directly as it came to the townsmen of "apernaum# could we refuse to heed ,is callA 6or what shall it profit a man# if he shall 1ain the whole world# and lose his h is own soul> -r what shall a man 1ive in e?chan1e for his soul> CMark JA%I7%D. Suppose ,is challen1e were in every newspaper and ma1a=ine; and with it an invitation to share in the oyous enterprise of ,is work. -ne eminent publisher has a rule that no photo1raph shall ever be b e printed in his newspapers unless it contains human bein1s. )ou )ou and ! are interested most of all in ourselves; ne?t to that we are interested in other people. &hat do they look like> ,ow old are they> &hat have they done and said> (esus reco1ni=ed this trait of human nature. -ne of the most revealin1 of all verses to those who would understand the secret of ,is p ower is thisA :+ll these thin1s spake (esus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.: + parable is a story. ,e told them stories# stories about people# and let the stories carry ,is messa1e. ,e mi1ht have adopted very different methods 7 many teachers and would7be leaders do. ,e mi1ht have dealt in 1eneralities# sayin1A :&hen you are 1oin1 about your business# be as kind as you can. Be thou1htful of the other travelers on the hi1hways of life. Take Take time
to look for those who have hav e fared less fortunately; lend them a helpin1 h and whenever you can.: ! say ,e mi1ht have uttered such 1eneralities. But if ,e had# do you suppose that they would ever have ha ve been remembered> &ould &ould the disciples have recorded them> &ould our a1e ever have heard ,is name> ,e was far wiser in the laws and habits of the human mind. !nstead of such commonplace phrases# ,e painted this strikin1 pictureA :+ certain man went down from (erusalem to (ericho and fell amon1 thieves.: There9s your illustration< !f you had lived near (erusalem or (ericho# if you often had occasion to use that very road# wouldn9t you want to know what happened to that unfortunate traveler> :They stripped off his raiment#: the parable continues# :and wounded him# and departed# leavin1 him half dead.: Soon a priest came by and seein1 the victim said to himself# :That9s a shameful thin1. The police ou1ht ou1h t to do somethin1 about these outra1es.: But he crossed the road carefully and passed p assed by on the other side. + certain respectable 0evite also appeared. :,is own fault#: he sniffed; :ou1ht to be more careful.: +nd he too passed by. Then a third traveler drew near and stopped 7 and the whole world knows what happened. ... eneralities would have h ave been soon for1otten. But the story that h ad its roots in everyday human e?perience e? perience and need# lives and an d will live forever. The parable of the ood Samaritan condenses the philosophy of "hristianity into a half do=en unfor1ettable para1raphs. Take Take any one of the parables# no matter which 7 you will find that it is a perfect e?ample of the way in which a new idea may be presented. +lways +lways a picture in the very v ery first sentence; crisp# 1raphic lan1ua1e and a messa1e so clear that even the least interested cannot escape it. :Ten vir1ins went forth to meet the bride1room.: + strikin1 picture# and the story which follows has not a sin1le wasted wordA +nd five of them were wise# and an d five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps# and took no oil with themA But the wise took oil ill their vessels with their lamps. &hile the bride1room tarried# they all slumbered and slept. +nd at midni1ht there was a cry made# Behold# the bride1room cometh; 1o ye out to meet him. Then all those vir1ins arose# and trimmed their lamps. +nd the foolish said unto the wise# ive us of your oil; for our lamps are 1one out. o ut. But the wise answered# sayin1# Not so; lest there be not enou1h for us and youA but 1o ye rather to them that sell# and buy for yourselves. +nd while they went to buy# the bride1room came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marria1eA and the door was shut. +fterward came also the other vir1ins# sayin1# 0ord# 0ord# open to us. But he answered and said# Gerily Gerily ! say unto you# ! know you not. &atch therefore# for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. CMatt. 24A27%D. +nd anotherA
&hat man of you# havin1 an hundred sheep# if he lose one of them# doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness# and 1o after that which is lost# until he find it> +nd when he hath found it# he layeth it on his shoulders# reoicin1. +nd when he cometh home# he calleth to1ether his friends and nei1hbors# sayin1 unto them# Reoice with me; for ! have found my sheep which was lost. ! say unto you# that likewise oy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine ust persons. which need no repentance. C0uke 4A'7D. !f you were 1iven the task of makin1 known to the world that od cares enormously for one human life 7 no matter how wayward and wron1 the life may be 7 how could you phrase a messa1e more memorably than that> )et )et how simple# simple# how sincere# how splendidly crisp and direct< Benamin 6ranklin in his autobio1raphy tells the process which he went throu1h in ac@uirin1 an effective style. ,e would read a passa1e from some 1reat master of 5n1lish# then lay the book aside and attempt to reproduce the thou1ht in his own words. "omparin1 his version v ersion with the ori1inal# he discovered wherein he had obscured the thou1ht or wasted words or failed to drive strai1ht to the point. 5very man who wishes to know a little more of (esus should study the parables in the same fashion# schoolin1 himself in their lan1ua1e and learnin1 the elements of their power. . 6irst of all they are marvelously condensed. "harles +. /ana# it is reported# once issued an assi1nment to a new reporter on the New )ork )ork Sun# directin1 him to confine his h is article to a column. The reporter protested that the story was too bi1 to be compressed into so small a space. :et a copy of the Bible and read the first chapter of enesis#: said /ana. :)ou9ll :)ou9ll be surprised to find that the whole story of the creation of the world can be told in si? hundred words.: (esus had no introductions. + sin1le sentence 1rips attention; three or four more tell the story; one or two more and both the thou1ht and its application are clear. +nd this is true of ideas that reformed the moral structure of the world< &hen ,e wanted a new disciple# ,e said simply :6ollow me.: &hen ,e sou1ht to e?plain the deepest philosophic mystery 7 the personality and character of od 7 ,e said# :+ kin1 made a ban@uet and invited many 1uests. od is that kin1 and you are the 1uests; the Kin1dom of ,eaven is happiness 7 a ban@uet to be enoyed.: Two men spoke on the battle1round of ettysbur1 nearly a century a1o. The first delivered an oration of more than two hours in len1th; not one person in ten who reads this pa1e can even recall his name; certainly not one in a thousand can @uote a sin1le sentence from his masterly effort. The second speaker uttered two hundred and fifty words# and those words# 0incoln9s ettysbur1 +ddress# are a part of the mental endowment of almost every e very +merican. Many noble prayers have been b een sent up to the Throne of race 7 lon1 impressive utterances. The prayer which (esus tau1ht ,is disciples consists of si?ty7si? words and
can he written on the back of a post card. Many poems and essays have been penned by writers who hoped that they were makin1 a permanent place for themselves in literature# but one of the 1reatest poems ever written consists of one hundred and ei1hty7ei1ht words. !t is the Twenty7third Twenty7third *salm. (esus hated prosy dullness. ,e praised the "enturion wh o was an?ious not to waste ,is time; the only prayer which ,e publicly commended was uttered by a poor publican who merely cried out# :od# be merciful to me a sinner.: sinner.: + seven7word prayer# prayer# and (esus called it a 1ood one. + si?ty7si? word prayer# ,e said# contained all that men needed to say or od to hear. &hat would be ,is verdict on most of our prayers and our speeches and our writin1> 2. ,is lan1ua1e was marvelously simple 7 a second 1reat essential. There is hardly a sentence in ,is teachin1 which a child cannot understand. ,is illustrations were all drawn from the commonest e?periences of lifeA :a sower went forth to sow:; :a certain man had two sons; :a man built his house on the sands:; :the kin1dom of heaven is like a 1rain of mustard seed. The absence of adectives is strikin1. ,enry &ard Beecher said once that :to a lar1e e?tent adectives are like leaves on a switch; they may make it look pretty# as a branch# but they prevent it strikin1 tin1lin1ly when you use it. :! recollect a case in which my father at a public meetin1 was appointed to draw up an article#: Beecher continued. :,e had written one sentenceA 9!t is wron1.9 Someone in the meetin1 1ot up and moved in his enthusiasm that this be corrected# and that the sentence readA 9!t is e?ceedin1ly wron1.9 My father 1ot up and said# in his mild way# 9&hen ! was writin1 out this resolution in its ori1inal shape that was the way ! wrote it# but to make it stron1er# ! took out the :e?ceedin1ly.: :e?ceedin1ly.: (esus used few @ualifyin1 words and no lon1 ones. &e referred a minute a1o to those three literary masterpieces. The 0ord9s *rayer# The Twenty7third Twenty7third *salm# The ettysbur1 +ddress. Recall their phraseolo1yA -ur 6ather which art in ,eaven# hallowed be thy name; The 0ord is my shepherd# ! shall not want; 6our score and seven years a1o. Not a sin1le three7syllable word; hardly any two7syllable two7syllable words. +ll the the 1reatest thin1s in human life are one7syllable thin1s 7 love# oy# hope# home# child# wife# trust# faith# od 7 and the 1reat pieces of writin1# 1enerally speakin1# use the small word in p lace of the lar1e if meanin1 permits. %. Sincerity illuminates stron1ly every word# every sentence ,e uttered; sincerity is the third essential. Many wealthy men have purchased newspapers with the idea of advancin1 their personal fortunes or brin1in1 ab out some political action in which they have a private interest. Such newspapers almost invariably fail. No matter how much money is spent on them# no matter how =ealously the secret of their ownership is
1uarded# readers eventually become conscious that somethin1 is wron1. They come to feel that the voice of the editor is not his own. !t was the way (esus looked at men# and the life ,e led amon1 them# that 1ave ,is words transformin1 power. &hat ,e was and what ,e said were one and the same thin1. Nobody could stand at ,is side for even a minute without bein1 persuaded that here was a man who loved people and considered even the humblest of them worthy of the best ,e had to 1ive. There is no presupposition more deadenin1 to a writer than the idea that he can :write down: to his readers. No man was ever bi1 enou1h to build endurin1ly on the basis of insincerity; but many like *eter the ,ermit# ,ermit# fired with conviction# have been able to create and sustain a very v ery considerable influence. (esus was notably tolerant of almost all kinds of sinners. ,e liked the companionship of the rou1h7and7ready folk who were entirely outside the churches; ,e was tender toward unfortunate women; ,e had a special fondness for (ames and (ohn# whose un1overnable tempers had 1iven them the title of :Sons of Thunder:; ,e for1ave the weakness of *eter who denied ,im; and ,e was not resentful at the unbelief of ,is near relatives and ,is native town. But for one sin ,e had no mercy. ,e denounced the insincerity of the *harisees in phrases which stin1 like the lash of a whip. They thou1ht they had a first mort1a1e on the Kin1dom of ,eaven# and ,e told told them scornfully that only those those who become like little children have any chance of enterin1 in. 0ittle children know no pretense. They are startlin1ly frank. They look at the world throu1h clear eyes and say sa y only what they think. No writer# no orator# orator# no salesman# e?ercises any lar1e dominion in the world unless un less he can humble himself and partake of their nature. :Thou1h ! speak with the ton1ues of men and of an1els and have not charity# ! am become as soundin1 brass or a tinklin1 cymbal#: wrote Saint *aul. Much brass has been sounded and many cymbals have tinkled in the presentation of ideas infinitely less comple? and true. *ersuasion depends on respect for the listeners# and in (esus 1reat respect coupled with 1reat love. '. 6inally (esus knew that any idea may have to be repeated. -ne of the sons of (ames +. arfield was travelin1 with his father throu1h -hio when the *resident was addressin1 county fairs. +t the close of the day he asked the boy what he thou1ht of his speeches. The boy was embarrassed by the @uestion. :&hy . . . why they were fine# /ad#: he stammered# :but ! felt uncomfortable part of the time. )ou )ou repeated yourself so often; once you said the very same thin1 in different words four times over.: &ith a hearty lau1h# arfield slapped the boy9s shoulder.
:So you thou1ht your old dad was runnin1 out of ideas# did you>: he cried. :&ell# :&ell# ! don9t blame you; but there9s a method in my madness. Tomorrow Tomorrow when ! reach that passa1e in my talk# you watch the audience. The first time ! make the point# you9ll see by the faces that a few folks near the platform 1et 1e t it. But further back there will be noise an d commotion; people will be turnin1 their heads to find out who has ust driven up# or what sort of hat Mrs. (ones has on# and they won9t hear me at all. &hen ! repeat it the first time a few faces in the middle of the crowd will show a response; on the third 1o# !9ll make still more converts and on the fourth trial they9ll all h ave a notion of what ! am talkin1 about. But it takes four shots to land them all; e?perience with all sorts of audience has made me sure of that.: !t has been said that :reputation is repetition.: No important truth can be impressed on the minds of any lar1e number of people by bein1 said only on ce. The thou1hts which (esus had to 1ive the world were revolutionary# but they were few in number. :od is your father#: ,e said# :carin1 more for the welfare of every on e of you than any human father can possibly care for his children. ,is Kin1dom is happiness< ,is rule is love.: This is what ,e had to teach# and ,e knew the necessity of drivin1 it home from every possible an1le. So in one of ,is stories od is the Shepherd searchin1 the wilds for one wanderin1 sheep; in another the 6ather welcomin1 home a prodi1al boy; in another a Kin1 who for1ives his debtors lar1e amounts and e?pects them to be for1ivin1 in turn 7 many stories but the same bi1 !dea. Because the stories were unfor1ettable# the idea lived a nd is today one of the most powerful influences on human action and thou1ht. To be sure the work is far from complete. The idea that od is the 6ather of all men 7 not merely of a daily selected few 7 has still to reach some areas and to establish its dominance in society. More or less unconsciously a lot of us share the feelin1 of the 6rench nobleman in Saint Simon9s immortal story# story# who was sure that od would :think twice before damnin1 a person of his @uality.: Said the /uchess of Buckin1ham to the "ountess of ,untin1ton# in a delicious letterA ! thank your 0adyship for the information concernin1 the Methodist preachers; their doctrines are most repulsive and stron1ly tinctured with impertinence and disrespect toward their superiors. . . . !t is monstrous to be told you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl on the earth. This is hi1hly offensive and insultin1# and ! cannot but wonder that your 0adyship should relish any sentiments so much at variance with hi1h rank and 1ood breedin1. !n spite of all the /uchesses of Buckin1ham# however# the 1reat parables continue to advance. Monarchies are succeeded by democracies# buildin1 their 1overnments on the firm foundation that men are free and e@ually entitled to a chance at the 1ood thin1s of life. The privile1ed protest and the a1itators denounce# but slowly the world is learnin1. +nd whoever feels an impulse to make his own life count in the 1rand process of human betterment can have no surer 1uide for his activities than (esus. 0et him learn the lesson
of the parablesA that in teachin1 people you first capture their interest; that your service rather than your sermons must be your claim on their attention; that what you say must be simple and brief and above all sincere 7 the unmistakable voice of true re1ard and affection. :)e#: :)e#: said ,e# :are my friends.:
hapte) $ - 1is Way in u) Wo)ld &,5N (5SES was twelve years old# ,is father and mother took ,im to the feast at (erusalem. !t was the bi1 national vacation; even peasant families saved their pennies and looked forward to it throu1h the year. Towns Towns like Na=areth were emptied of their inhabitants e?cept for the few old people who were left behind to look after the very youn1 ones. "rowds of cheerful pil1rims filled the hi1hways# lau1hin1 on their wa y across the hills and under the stars at ni1ht. !n such a mass of people it was not surprisin1 that a boy of twelve should be lost. &hen Mary and (oseph missed ,im on the homeward trip# they took it calmly and be1an a search amon1 the relatives. The in@uiry produced no result. Some remembered havin1 seen ,im in the Temple# but no one had seen ,im since. Mary 1rew fri1htened; where could ,e be> Back there in the city alone> &anderin1 &anderin1 hun1ry and tired throu1h the friendless streets> "arried away by other travelers into a distant country> She pictured a hundred calamities. Nervously she and (oseph hurried back over the hot roads# throu1h the suburbs# up throu1h the narrow city streets# up to the courts of the Temple Temple itself. +nd there ,e was. Not lost; not a bit worried. +pparently +pparently unconscious that the feast was over# ,e sat in in the midst of a 1roup of old men# who were @uestionin1 ,im and applaudin1 the common sense of ,is replies. !nvoluntarily ,is parents halted 7 they were simple folk# uneasy amon1 stran1ers and disheveled by their haste. But after all they were ,is parents# and a very human feelin1 of irritation @uickly overcame their diffidence. Mary stepped forward and 1rasped ,is arm. :S on# why hast thou thus dealt with us>: she demanded. :Behold# thy father and ! have sou1ht thee sorrowin1.: ! wonder what answer she e?pected to receive. /id she ever know e?actly what ,e was 1oin1 to say> /id anyone in Na=areth @uite understand this keen ea1er lad who had such curious moments of abstraction and was forever breakin1 out with remarks that seemed far beyond ,is years>
,e spoke to her now# n ow# with with deference as always# but in words that did not dispel but rather added to her uncertainty. :,ow is it that ye sou1ht me>: ,e asked. :&ist ye not that ! must be about my 6ather9s business>: -f course# the an?ious parents did not fully understand. 5ven if we consider they understood the boy9s bo y9s words as 0uke is translated in the Revised Standard Gersion Gersion 7 :/id you not know ! must be in my 6ather9s house>: 7 we can ima1ine nothin1 but pu==lement. + prosperous carpenter shop was e?actly the place for the bo y. )et# Mary said nothin1 more. Somethin1 in ,is look and tone silenced her. She and (oseph turned and started out# and (esus followed them 7 away from the Temple and the city back to little Na=areth. 0uke tells it with a 1rave and beautiful simplicity. :+nd he went down with them# and came to Na=areth# and was subect unto them; but his mother kept all these sayin1s in her heart.: ,is hour of boyish triumph had not turned ,is head. ,e knew how thorou1h must be ,is preparation. + buildin1 can rise hi1h into the air only as it has sunk its foundations deep into the earth; the part of a man9s life which the world sees is effective in proportion as it rests on solid foundations never seen. ,e knew this. 6or ei1hteen years more ,e was content to remain in the little town 7 until ,is stren1th was mature until ,e had done ,is full duty by ,is mother and the youn1er children. Entil ,is hour had come. :+nd (esus increased in wisdom and stature# and in favor with od and man.: But what interests us most in this one recorded incident of ,is boyhood is that ,e defined here and at this a1e the purpose of ,is career. ,e did not say# :&ist :&ist ye not that ! must show men the ran1e of my understandin1>: or :&ist# ye not that ! must 1et ready to meet the ar1uments of men like these>: The lan1ua1e and intent were @uite different. ,owever we translate# the essential remains the same. ,ere ,e announced to men ,is dedication. de dication. &e know what followed. Thus we understand what those who first heard could not. ,e was sayin1 that# obedient to od9s will# ,e offered ,is life to men. To what what e?tent is this principle by which ,e conducted ,is life applicable to ours> +nd +nd if ,e were amon1 us a1ain in a time a1ain tormented by selfishness# ambition# pride and misunderstandin1# would ,is philosophy work> Before we consider that let9s turn to another occasion when# you recall# ,e stated more fully the 1reat principle. !t was on the afternoon when (ames and (ohn came to ask ,im what promotion they mi1ht e?pect. They were two of the most ener1etic of the lot# called :Sons of Thunder: by the rest# bein1 noisy and always in the middle of some sort of storm. They They had oined the ranks because they liked ,im# but they had no very definite idea of what it was all about. Now they wanted to know where the enterprise was headin1 and ust what there would be in it for them.
:Master#: they said# :we want to ask what plans you have in mind for us. )ou9re )ou9re 1oin1 to need stron1 men around you when you establish your kin1dom; our ou r ambition is to sit on either side of you# one on your ri1ht hand and the other on your left.: "an we really obect to that attitude> 5ach of us has asked or hoped for advancement. !f we want a better place# we usually ask for it. (esus answered with a sentence of 1reat poetry. But wouldn9t it have sounded absurd to the sons of thunder> :&hosoever will be 1reat amon1 you# shall be your minister#: ,e said# :and whosoever of you will be the chiefest# shall be servant of all.: +nd ,e added that ,e had come :not to be ministered unto but to minister.: rand soundin1# yes. But isn9t it contradictory> Be a 1ood servant and you will be 1reat; be the best possible servant and you will occupy the hi1hest possible place. + splendid speech but utterly impractical; nothin1 to take seriously in a common7sense world. That is ust what most men thou1ht century after century; and then# @uite suddenly# 1reat enterprises science# industry# business services 7 woke up to a 1reat discovery. 6or several decades now that discovery has been proclaimed more and more widely and fre@uently as somethin1 distinctly modern. 6ree men# actin1 independently of 1overnment# pool their skills and money to aid other men in other countries who have been enslaved. The wealth of a family or a corporation is put to work in the service of science# the arts# education. The principle that he who serves best accomplishes most spreads to every area. ! observe most closely what is closest to me# and ! know that business and industry have learned that a real understandin1 of and re1ard for the individual and the social or business community# lar1e lar1e or small# must be part of every aspect of work. The hu1e plants and financial stren1th of# say# an automobile manufacturer rest on the willin1ness and ability not only to provide for your safety# comfort comfort and convenience but bu t to feel 7 and convince you of it 7 a 1enuine 1en uine concern for your pleasure in the product# your benefit from it. -f course the manufacturer has a profit motive. But to say that as if it made the service a mere sales trick is to misread the record and miss the point entirely. Some self7interest Cnot selfishnessD can be shown in almost any hu man enterprise# and it may well be a vital worthy part of most. The important fact is that we seem to be increasin1 our awareness that worthiness is related to any advancement or 1ain. The evidence of this new attitude is overwhelmin1. Manufacturers of buildin1 e@uipment# of clothes# of food; presidents of railroads and steamship companies; the heads of banks and investment houses 7 all of them tell the same story. They They call it the :spirit of modern business:; they suppose# most of them# that it is somethin1 somethin1 very new. (esus preached it more than nineteen hundred years a1o.
-ne afternoon in a *ullman car ! listened to a wise man who certainly understood what (esus was sayin1 to (ames and (ohn. :! am ama=ed by some of the youn1 men who ask me to use my influence to 1et them better positions or increases in salary#: salary#: he said. :Such an attitude on their part shows an absolute failure to understand fundamentals. ! spent many years in one business# with one company. ! never once asked what my salary or title was to be. None of the men who made that company ever wasted time over such @uestions. &e had a vision of e?tendin1 our company9s service throu1hout the world# of makin1 it the finest# most useful institution of its kind.: True# the company made this 1entleman rich. My own conviction is that he thou1ht of service# not n ot of 1ain if he served. :!f you9re forever thinkin1 about savin1 your life#: (esus said# :you9ll lose it; but the man who loses his life shall find it.: Because ,e said it and ,e was a reli1ious teacher# because it9s printed in the Bible# does it fail to apply in any way wa y to a man9s work> &hat did the man on the *ullman mean if it wasn9t that he and his friends buried themselves in a 1reat undertakin1# literally lost their lives in it> +nd when they found their lives a1ain# they were all of them bi11er and richer in all ways than they had ever supposed they could be. &ould they have achieved so much if they had been b een careful and calculatin1 about themselves> :&e mustn9t overdo this thin1#: they mi1ht have said. :This is a 1ood company and deserves to 1row# but every man must look out for his own interests. (ust what is there 1oin1 to be in it for us>: !nstead they worked selflessly to build somethin1 they considered 1ood and useful. /oes the financial reward make worthless the dedication that never had this profit in view> -ne sprin1 mornin1 the founder of a 1reat manufacturin1 company tipped a kitchen chair back a1ainst the wall and asked meA :,ave you ever noticed that the man who starts out in life with a determination to make money never makes very much>: !t was rather a startlin1 @uestion# and without waitin1 for my co mment he went on to answer it. :&hen we were buildin1 our ou r ori1inal model# do you suppose that it was money we were thinkin1 about> -f course we e?pected that it would be profitable if it succeeded# but that wasn9t in the front of our minds. &e wanted wanted to make our product so ine?pensive that every family in the Enited States could afford to have one. So we worked mornin1# noon and ni1ht# until our muscles ached and our nerves were ra11ed. -ne ni1ht when we were almost at the breakin1 point ! said to the boys# 9&ell# 9&ell# there9s one consolation. Nobody can deliver d eliver more for less if he9s not willin1 to work harder than we9ve worked.9 +nd so far#: he concluded with a whimsical smile# :nobody has been willin1 to do that.: Thou1h it happened lon1 a1o# !9ll never for1et one trip from "hica1o to New )ork on the Twentieth Twentieth "entury 0imited. &e were due at rand "entral Station at nine7forty# a nice leisurely hour# and three of us who were travelin1 to1ether d ecided to make a comfortable mornin1 of it. &e 1ot out of our berths at a @uarter after ei1ht# shaved and dressed and half an hour later were makin1 our way back to the dinin1 car.
+ door to one of the drawin1 rooms was open# and as we walked by b y we could hardly keep from lookin1 in. The bed in the room had been made up lon1 since; a table stood between the windows# and at the table# buried in work# was a man whose face the newspapers had made familiar to everyone. ,e had been overnor of New )ork# a (ustice of the Supreme "ourt# a candidate for the *residency of the Enited States. My companions and ! were youn1 men; he was well alon1 in middle life. &e were unknown; he was famous. &e were doin1 all that was re@uired of us. &e were up and dressed and would be ready for work when the train pulled in at a little before ten. But this man# of whom nothin1 was actually re@uired# was doin1 far more. ! thou1ht to myself as we passed on to our leisurely breakfast# :That e?plains him; now ! understand ho w he has done what he has done.: :+nd whosoever shall compel thee to 1o a mile#: (esus said# :1o with him twain.: &hich# as ! understand it# means# :/o more than is re@uired of you# do twice as much.: +nother startlin1 bit of advice. &here will a man ever 1et if he delivers twice as much as he is e?pected or paid to do> The answer is that he will probably succeed in whatever he is doin1. Remember the words of (esus when ,e said# :!t is more blessed to 1ive than to receive.: &e came perilously near to losin1 those words. They are not recorded in any one of the four ospels. Matthew# Mark# 0uke and (ohn did not set them down. -f course we don9t know why. )et )et it9s possible to believe that even to these devoted men the words must have seemed to contradict all e?perience. +t any rate they all passed over the sayin1. But *aul did not. ,e who had abandoned a social position and an assured career for the service of the alilean# he who had already 1iven so much and would later 1ive his life# he heard the words and remembered. ,e understood. +re they empty words> !s a man a fool to let them be a 1uidin1 influence in his life> ! talked one day with a 1reat historian. ! saidA :)ou :)ou have stood upon a mountain and viewed the whole panorama of human pro1ress. )ou have seen the captains and kin1s# the princes and the prophets# the scientists and the adventurers# the millionaires and the dreamers. &hat heads rise above the common level> +mon1 all those who have fou1ht for fame# who have actually achieved it> &hat half do=en men amon1 them all deserve to be called 1reat>: ,e turned the @uestion over in his mind for a day or two# and then 1ave a list of si? names# with his reasons for each. +n e?traordinary list< (esus of Na=areth Buddha
+soka +ristotle Ro1er Bacon +braham 0incoln Think of the thousands of emperors who have battled for fame# who have decreed themselves immortal and fashioned their immortality into monuments of brick and stone. )et )et +soka# who ruled in !ndia centuries before "hrist# is the only emperor on the list# and he is there not because of his victories but because he voluntarily abandoned war and devoted himself to the betterment of his millions of subects. Think of the hosts who have stru11led for wealth# frettin1 over fi1ures# denyin1 their 1enerous instincts# cheatin1 and 1raspin1 and worryin1. But no millionaire is on the list# with the e?ception a1ain of +soka. &ho sat on the throne in Rome when (esus of Na=areth hun1 on the cross> &ho ruled the hosts of *ersia when +ristotle thou1ht and tau1ht> &ho was Kin1 of 5n1land when Ro1er Bacon laid the foundations of modern scientific research> +nd when the historian# lookin1 over the field where they contended for the pri=e# seeks for somethin1 which has endured# he h e finds the messa1e of a teacher# the dream of a scientist# the vision of a seer. :These si? men stood on the corners of history h istory#: #: the historian said. :5vents hin1ed on them. The current of human thou1ht was freer and clearer because they had lived and worked. They took little from the world and left it much. They did not 1et; they 1ave and# in the 1ivin1# 1ained eternal influence.: !n our own country# in Monticello# Gir1inia# Gir1inia# an +merican statesman lies buried. ,e was Secretary of State# Minister to 6rance# *resident of the Enited States. ,is epitaph makes reference to none of these honors. !t readsA ,ere was buried Thomas (efferson 7 +uthor +uthor of the /eclaration of +merican !ndependence 7 of the Statute of Gir1inia for Reli1ious 6reedom and 6ather of the Eniversity of Gir1inia. The offices that he held are for1otten on the stone. ,e desired to be remembered only by what he 1ave. +nd he has his wish. Somewhere in his 5ssays# 5merson has a sentence to this effectA :See how the mass of men worry themselves into nameless 1raves# while here an d there a 1reat unselfish soul for1ets himself into immortality.: immortality.: !t is a fine thou1ht# finely phrased# but (esus thou1ht it first. So we have the main points of ,is philosophyA D &hoever will be 1reat must render 1reat service.
2D &hoever will find himself at the top must be willin1 to lose h imself at the bottom. %D The rewards come to those who travel the second# undemanded mile. (udas would have sneered at all this. Not really a bad fellow at hea rt# he had the virtues and the weaknesses of the small7bore businessman. ,e was hard7boiled# and proud of it; he :looked out for Number -ne.: !t was no easy ob bein1 treasurer for a lot of idealists# (udas would have you know. ,e held the ba1 and 1ave every cent a 1ood ti1ht s@uee=e before he let it pass. &hen the 1rateful woman broke her bo? of costly ointment over (esus9 feet# the other disciples thou1ht it was fine# but (udas knew better. :*retty wasteful business#: he 1rumbled to himself. The bi1 talk of the others about :thrones: and :kin1doms: and :victory: did not fool him; he could read a balance sheet# and he knew that the i1 was up. So he made his private little deal with the priests# probably supposin1 that (esus would be arrested# reproved and warned not to preach in (erusalem a1ain. :! will 1et mine and retire#: he said to himself. But (esus said# :!# if ! be lifted up Lon the cross; that is to say# if ! lose my life will draw all men to me.: 5ach made his decision and received his reward. &e have spoken of a few men and a few pursuits# but the same sound principles apply to every walk of life. reat pro1ress will be made in the world when we rid ourselves of the idea that there is a difference between work and reli1ious work. &e have been tau1ht that a man9s daily business activities are selfish# and that only the time which he devotes to church meetin1s and social service activities can be sincerely dedicated to accomplishin1 1ood. +sk any ten people what (esus meant by ,is :6ather9s business#: and nine of them will answer :preachin1.: To interpret the words in this narrow sense is to lose the real si1nificance of ,is life. !t was not to preach that ,e came into the world 7 nor n or to teach nor to heal. These are all aspects of ,is 6ather9s business# but the business itself is far lar1er# more more inclusive. 6or if human life has any si1nificance# it is this 7 that od has set 1oin1 here an e?periment to which all ,is resources are committed. ,e seeks to de velop perfect human bein1s# superior to circumstance# victorious over fate. No sin1le kind of human talent or effort can be spared if the e?periment is to succeed. The race must be fed and clothed and housed and transported# as well as preached to and tau1ht and healed. +ll work can be worship; all useful service prayer. +nd whoever works wholeheartedly at any worthy callin1 associates himself with the +lmi1hty in the 1reat enterprise which ,e has initiated but which can never be finished until men do their full part. ,ow does a man achieve> &hat constitutes :success:> (esus spoke of crowns and died on a cross. ,e talked of ,is kin1dom# and ended ,is days amid the eers and taunts of ,is enemies. :,e was in all points tempted like as we are#: says the 5pistle to the ,ebrews. &e have read it often# heard it read oftener# but we have never believed it# of course. The conception of ,is character which some theolo1ians have 1iven us makes any such idea impossible. ,e was born differently from the rest of us# they insist. ,e did not belon1 amon1 us at all# but ca me down from ,eaven on a brief visit# spent a few years in reprovin1 men for their mistakes# died and went back to ,eaven a1ain. + hollow bit of
sta1e play. &hat chance for temptation in such a career> ,ow can an actor 1o wron1 when his whole part is written and learned in advance> !t is fri1htfully hard to free the mind from the numbin1 1rip of lon17established attitudes. But let us make the effort. 0et us touch once more the 1reat episodes in this finest# most e?alted story# considerin1 now the perils and crises of success in its truest sense. (esus was not at all sure where ,e was 1oin1 when ,e laid down d own ,is tools and turned ,is back on the carpenter shop 7 unless we can believe this# ,is stru11le ceases to be :in all points: like our own; for each of us has to venture on life as onto an uncharted sea. Somethin1 inside ,im carried ,im forward 7 the somethin1 which has whispered to so many boys that there is a place for them in the world which lies beyond the hills. ,e went to (ohn to be bapti=ed bap ti=ed and for a while (ohn9s influence molded ,im. ,e# too# retired into the wilderness and there met the first crisis of ,is career. &hen ,e emer1ed# ,e had formed ,is own plan for ,is work; asceticism and denunc iation# ,e knew# were not the role for ,im. ,is first success was swift beyond all e?pectations. -ut of the Temple# Temple# shriekin1 and cursin1# went the money7chan1ers# while the crowd cheered ,is name until it echoed. That ni1ht the whole city was stirred. &hen ,e left# at the end of the feast# and went back into ,is own north country# ,e found that ,is fame had preceded ,im. "rowds flocked to hear ,im talk; news of ,is deeds of healin1 traveled ahead of ,im everywhere. ,is vision of ,is work be1an to take definite shape. ,e would restore the self7respect of the people# abolishin1 the rule of formalism# and establishin1 a fresh# 1lorious conception conception of the 6atherhood of od and the brotherhood of man. !t all seemed so natural# so easy# there in the warm sunshine of alilee with the responsive faces of the multitude turned ea1erly toward ,im. The year or year and a nd a half that followed were filled with the oy of increasin1 reputation and achievement. +pparently there was not a sin1le cloud in the sky. But there were people in (erusalem with whose private affairs ,is ideas would seriously interfere. ,e was not left lon1 in doubt dou bt as to their attitude. !ncensed at ,is cleansin1 of the Temple# Temple# they sent their spies into the north country co untry to report ,is movements# and they made every effort to turn the crowds away. *erhaps at first ,e had hope of winnin1 even ,is enemies to ,is teachin1 7so alto1ether simple and satisfyin1 ,is messa1e seemed to ,im. !f so# the hope soon vanished. -pposition crystalli=ed; it made itself felt in every audience ,e addressed# in every town ,e visited. Reluctantly ,e had to face the fact that the time was comin1 when ,e must compromise or fi1ht. !t was with this reali=ation that ,e faced a second and a 1reater crisis. ,e had crossed the lake one day in a little boat to 1et away from the crowds# but they were too @uick for ,im. They hurried around the end of the lake# 1atherin1 recruits as they went# and waited for ,im at the landin1 place 7 more than five thousand stron1. ,e was tired and wanted a chance to rest and think. But here were the people# pathetically ea1er# and ,e :had compassion on them.: So ,e sat down amon1 them and went on with
,is teachin1 until the day was almost over. Then# Then# at last# the disciples came# hardly concealin1 their tired petulance# and demanded that ,e send them away. :But they have made a lon1 trip and have been with us all day without food#: ,e replied. :&e must feed them be fore they 1o.: The disciples re1arded ,im with blank ama=ement. :6eed them 7 on what>: wh at>: they demanded# :&e have no money# and even if we had there are more than five thousand in the crowd<: (esus apparently did not hear them. :,ave them sit down#: ,e commanded. :ather up whatever food you can find and brin1 it here to me.: /oubtin1ly# but too well7trained well7trained to ar1ue# the disciples d isciples did as they were told. They arran1ed the crowd in companies of fifty and a hundred# collected the little supply of food which the more prudent members had brou1ht# and laid the collection at ,is feet. ,e lifted ,is eyes to ,eaven# blessed the food# ordered it redistributed and somehow the people ate and were satisfied. (ust what happened in the moment when the food was laid before ,im is an impenetrable mystery# mystery# but there is no doubt at all as to what took place afterward. !t was the event for which the people had waited# the unmistakable si1n< Moses had fed their fathers on manna in the wilderness; here was one who likewise called on ,eaven and supplied their wants. Surely ,e was the son of o f /avid# lon1 foretold# who would overthrow ove rthrow the rule of their con@uerors and restore the throne to (erusalem< (oyously they shouted the news back and forth. The day of deliverance had come; the tyranny of the Romans was about to end. Their enthusiasm carried them to their feet 7 fifty in this 1roup# a hundred in that; almost as if by ma1ic they found themselves or1ani=ed. They were an army and had not reali=ed it. Ri1ht there on the field they were enou1h to outnumber the 1arrison in (erusalem; but they were only a nucleus of the host that would 1ather to their banners# once their southward march was formed. !f they were five thousand now# they would be fifty thousand# perhaps a hundred thousand then. + wild enthusiasm sei=ed them. Shoutin1 ,is name at the top of their voices# they sur1ed forward toward the little hill where ,e stood. . . +nd then 7 ,e had foreseen their purpose# and even while they were perfectin1 their plan# doubt had ra1ed throu1h ,is spirit with the force of a tempest. &hy not accept their nomination why not be their kin1> !t would mean an alteration in ,is pro1ram# to be sure 7 a surrender of ,is vision of spiritual leadership. +nd yet it mi1ht not be such a surrender# after all. Solomon had been kin1# and a 1reat spiritual leader; /avid had been kin1 and
had written the nation9s hi1hest ideals into his *salms. ,e ,imself was better b alanced than /avid# wiser than Solomon 7 why not> !t was as splendid a picture as ever stirred the pulses of an ambitious man. 6or only an instant (esus allowed ,is eyes to rest on it. Then ,e saw the other picture 7 the vast dumb multitudes of men# ,is brothers and sisters# the blind bein1 led by the blind# their souls s@uee=ed dry of vision and hope by the machinery of formalism. ,e saw 1enerations born and die in spiritual servitude which nothin1 c ould end e?cept the Truth that ,e had come to declare. To put ,imself at the head of this army of fanatical patriots would be perhaps to risk ,is life and ,is messa1e with it. But worse than the possibility of failure was the probability of success. To To be kin1 of the (ews would mean a lifetime lifetime spent in the defense of ,is throne and title# a lifetime of bloodshed and intri1ue# while ,is messa1e remained unspoken. 0ivin1# ,e would 1ive ,is people only a semblance of national life; eventually ,e would die and leave them to be re7enslaved by the Roman power. +nd the Truth which ,e had come to declare# which was capable of continuin1 its work of emancipation throu1hout the world as lon1 as time should last# would be traded for a 1litterin1 crown and an empty name. !n a flash ,e saw it all and made ,is decision. 5ven as the multitude sur1ed forward# ,e 1ave a few crisp orders to ,is disciples and disappeared. The ospel story puts the dramatic clima? into a sin1le sentenceA &hen (esus therefore perceived they would come and take him by force# to make him a kin1# he departed a1ain into a mountain himself alone. C(ohn IA4D. !n that hour of crisis ,e proved ,is title to be the companion# 1uide and master of every man and woman in every time. ,is understandin1 was universal. There is no worthy work of mind or muscle that cannot lead to ,im# that does not no t inherit from ,im its most valid charter and most useful policy. There is no mere theori=in1 in ,is words; ,e speaks out of what ,e ,imself has proved. !f ,e says that a man9s work is more eternally important than any title# ,e has a ri1ht to speak. ,e ,imself refused the hi1hest title. !f ,e says that there are thin1s more vital than merely makin1 money# let no one @uestion ,is authority. ,e was handed the wealth of a nation and handed it back a1ain. !dealist ,e is# but there is nothin1 in the whole hard world so practical as ,is ideals. :There is a success which is 1reater than wealth or titles#: ,e says. :!t comes throu1h makin1 your work an instrument of 1reater service and lar1er livin1 to your fellow men and women. This is my 6ather9s business and ,e needs your help.: ,e told one story which should be published every year in all business ma1a=ines# all trade papers# all house or1ans. !t concerned a certain rich man whose enterprises prospered beyond all his e?pectations. ,is land :brou1ht forth plentifully#: plentifully#: so much so that he said to himselfA :&hat shall ! do# because ! have no room where to bestow my fruits>:
+nd he said# This will ! doA ! will pull down my barns and build 1reater; and there will ! bestow all my fruits and my 1oods. +nd +nd ! will say to my soul# Soul# thou hast much 1oods laid up for many years; take thine case# eat# drink# and an d be merry. But od said unto him# Thou fool# this ni1ht thy soul shall be re@uired of thee . . . C0uke 2A J728D. The poor fool had re1arded his business as nothin1 but a means of escape from business. ,e had hoarded his wealth# denyin1 every 1enerous impulse; spent h is health# forfeitin1 every chance for wholesome enoyment; en oyment; sacrificed the oy of livin1 for a selfish satisfaction that he hoped was comin1 when he had made his pile. +nd fate lau1hed in his face. ,e thou1ht he had provided for every contin1ency# but the one 1 reat event which is always une?pected came like a thief and found him unprepared. &ith that anecdote should be published another# which is also a tra1edy. !t concerns the little hotel in Bethlehem# :the inn.: The mother of (esus of Na=areth knocked at its doors and could not come in. !t mi1ht have sheltered the 1reatest event in human history# and it lost its chance. &hy> &hy was (esus born in a stable> Because the people in the inn were vicious or hostile> Not in the least. The inn was full# that was all; every room was taken by folk who had affairs to attend to and money to spend. !t was busy. There was no :room in the inn.: Men9s lives are sometimes like that inn. )ou )ou know a man whose heart is broken because his son is a fool. )et )et deep within himself he knows that the fault is his own. +ll throu1h the formative years of the boy9s development# he never 1ave him any time. Not that he didn9t love the boy# but he was busy. There was no room for family life# and his son is a fool. )ou )ou know men whose health hea lth is 1one; men whose taste for readin1 and music and art is 1one. Men who have hav e literally no interests in life beyond the office which has be come a mere treadmill on which their days are 1round away. !n the process of bein1 successful they have sacrificed success. Never once for1ettin1 themselves# they have for1otten everythin1 else. This is not (esus9 idea of what a life should be. ,e# who refused to turn aside from ,is business to become a kin1# was never too busy to turn aside for a sick man# a friend# a little child. ,e never n ever for1ot that one ni1ht ,is mother had stood on a threshold where there was no welcome. The threshold of the little inn in Bethlehem. !t was so busy that the 1reatest event in history knocked at its doors 7 and could not come in.
hapte) 3 - The Maste) So we come to the end. To the final tests of a man9s livin1... ,ow does he bear disappointment> ,ow does he die> 6or two years it seemed almost certain that (esus would prevail. &e &e have marked the dramatic success with which ,is work be1an. &e have watched the crowds flock about ,im in the market place; we have heard the cheers that 1reeted ,is victories over shrewd anta1onists and the murmured awe when a sick man rose and walked. Reports of ,is triumphs preceded ,im everywhere so that men competed for the honor of bein1 ,is host# there was friendliness in ,is audiences that made almost anythin1 seem possible. +nd why not> !f# by acceptin1 ,is messa1e# men could be lifted up# transformed into sons of od# heirs of eternity# why should any be so stubborn or so foolish as to oppose> Surely such truth must con@uer. !f you read the story carefully# you can see how ,is tone and manner 1rew in confidence. in hours of e?alted communion ,e stood face to face with od# od # felt ,imself od9s son# knew that ,e could lift the hearts of men as no other had ha d ever lifted them. The knowled1e thrilled ,im beyond ecstasy. :! am the &a &ay# y#:: ,e cried# and ,e called on ,is friends to free themselves# to cast their burdens upon the 0ord# to believe more# reoice more# e?pect more of od. Those who listened in those days were profoundly impressed. 5ven the most callous yielded 1rud1in1 admiration. :Never man so spake#: said they. +s for the multitude# its enthusiasm would brook no halfway measures. They would take ,im by force and make ,im kin1. Then came the chan1e. ,is home town was first to turn a1ainst ,im. *icture# if you will# the enthusiasm with which ,e planned ,is visit to it. Na=areth was little and despised# a est amon1 the wits of the day. !t had produced no 1reat men# been the scene of no historic achievement. (esus knew all this. Those familiar streets and faces must often have been in ,is memory. &hen ,e healed a sick man in "apernaum# it could well have pleased ,im to think that the report would be carried back ba ck to Na=areth. &hen ,e drove the plunderers from the Temple# Temple# ,e mi1ht have reali=ed that# in the fame which had come to ,im# ,is home town would have a share. :(esus of Na=areth#: ,is world called ,im# linkin1 its name with ,is. ,e had lifted the little villa1e out of obscurity. +nd now# in the hei1ht of ,is 1lory# ,e was 1oin1 back.
/id ,e arrive in the dusk and slip almost unnoticed throu1h the streets to ,is mother9s house> *erhaps she was in the kitchen; on hearin1 that footstep which she could never mistake# she ran and threw her arms around ,is neck. :(esus#: she cried# pattin1 ,is cheek and lookin1 up at ,im with 1listenin1 eyes. :(esus# my boy# my boy<: ,earin1 the name ,is brothers and sisters came hurryin1 from other parts of the house. +ll sorts of reports had drifted back 7 almost unbelievable reports. 5very day the 1ossips of the villa1e had stopped them to ask whether a letter or a messa1e had come. :Seems to be doin1 1reat thin1s#: said the 1ossips with ill7concealed envy. :,ope ,e doesn9t try to 1o too far#: they said in tones which revealed all too clearly their real hope that ,e would 1o too far and come to 1rief. +1ainst cynicism and innuendo# we can believe ,is brothers had stood their 1round proudly. ,e was doin1 doin1 1reat thin1s. The reports were not a bit e?a11erated. Someday ,e would come back and show them all; the townspeople would wish then that they had believed.... +nd now ,e was back. ,e looked healthy and confident# but not otherwise different. Na=areth was a bit disappointed and ,e felt it. *eople# we reason# hardly knew what it was. *erhaps they had e?pected that ,e would be somehow bi11er or better dressed or ta11ed with some outward si1n of authority.... authority.... &ith forced enthusiasm they bustled about# askin1 ,im @uestions# praisin1 ,is appearance# but throu1h it all ran a note of restraint. :"ome now# you must 1et to bed early#: ,is mother may have said. :They will all be wantin1 to see you at the syna1o1ue tomorrow.: So ,e went up to the room# ,is old room# alone. The homecomin1 was not @uite what ,e had dreamed. They loved ,im; they were proud of ,im# but they doubted 7 that was clear enou1h. +nd they dreaded the test that must come ne?t day. ,e awoke refreshed and heartened. Some nei1hbors dropped in after breakfast# for the report of ,is arrival had spread @uickly throu1h the little town. &hen ,e and ,is mother reached the door of the syna1o1ue# a crowd was waitin1 outside. They returned ,is 1reetin1 with a mi?ture of re1ard and curiosity and pushed promptly throu1h the door behind ,im# fillin1 the little room. There was much much whisperin1 and cranin1 of necks. ,e made ,is way to the front of the room# picked up the roll of the prophet !saiah# turned around toward them and smiled. !nstantly all ,is illusions vanished. !nstead of sympathetic understandin1 there was only cynicism on those faces. The old woman# ,is nei1hbor# whom ,e had planned to heal# was sittin1 prominently in front. She was willin1 to take a chance on anythin1# for she had been a lon1 time sick# but her look was less a hope than a challen1e. The substantial men of the town settled solidly in their appointed seats# and dared ,im with their hard eyes to try ,is tricks on them< :)ou may have caused a stir in "apernaum#: they seemed
to say# :but Na=areth isn9t so slow. &e &e know you. )ou9re )ou9re no prophet; you9re ust the son of (oseph the carpenter# and you can9t fool us<: Slowly ,e opened the roll# and in tones that stirred them in spite of themselves ,e be1an to readA The Spirit of the 0ord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the 1ospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted# to preach deliverance to the captives# and recoverin1 of si1ht to the blind# to set at liberty them that are bruised# To preach the acceptable year of the 0ord. C0uke 'AJ73D. ,e closed the book and handed it back to the attendents :This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears#: ,e said simply. There was an ominous silence in the syna1o1ue. :+nd the eyes of all... were fastened on him.: ,e knew what they were thinkin1; they wanted ,im to do some such mi1hty work as ,e had done in "apernaum. But ,e knew# ,e must have known# also the uselessness of tryin1. Scorn and i1norant self7sufficiency were miracle7proof. They would never receive ,im# n ever be proud of ,im. They merely wanted ,im to e?hibit ,imself and they hoped that ,e would fail. :No prophet is accepted in his own country#: country#: ,e said to them sadly. 5lisha before ,im had said# :Neither is this the city.: &ith &ith a look of soul weariness ,e turned to leave. Then the storm broke. +ll the pent7up envy of the little town for one who has dared to out1row it burst out. The townsmen roared and sur1ed forward# hurryin1 ,im throu1h the main street to the ed1e of a precipice where they would have thrown ,im over. But the wrath which had been sufficient to conceive ,is destruction 1rew suddenly impotent when ,e turned and faced them. They shrank back# and before they could re7form their purpose# ,e had passed :throu1h the midst of them: and was on ,is way. !n ,is ears sounded the bu== of malicious comment# but ,e was too heart7sick to look back. 6rom henceforth "apernaum became :his : his own city.: city.: Na=areth# the home h ome of ,is youth# the dwellin1 place of ,is boyhood friends and nei1hbors# had 1iven its verdict. ,e had come unto ,is own# and ,is own received ,im not. ,is brothers deserted ,im. &e ou1ht not to blame them too much perhaps. No man is a hero to his valet. The close relatives of an y 1reat man# who have lived with him throu1h the familiar e?periences of everyday life# must be always a little mystified by the world9s worship. The brothers of (esus had been witnesses of ,is defeat# and were left behind by ,im to bear the i1nominy of it. ,ow the sardonic lau1hter must have run1 in their ears< ,ow endlessly the wits must have cracked their okes about that mornin1 in the syna1o1ue. . . . These home7town sneers were bad enou1h. but the reports that came back from other towns threw the simple unima1inative family into a panic. !t was said that ,e made seditious speeches; that ,e claimed to have a special relationship to od; that ,e utterly disre1arded the "ode of the *harisees and denounced them openly before the crowds. Such conduct could mean only one thin1. ,e would 1et ,imself into ail# and ,is relatives with ,im. ,ence# the members of ,is family# who should have been ,is best helpers# spent their ener1y in the effort to 1et ,im to 1o further away from home. -nce
when the 6east of Tabernacles was bein1 celebrated in (erusalem# they ur1ed ,im to :depart hence: and taunted ,im# sayin1 that if ,e could really do all that ,e claimed# the place for ,im to make ,is reputation was at the capital. +nythin1 +nythin1 to 1et ,im out of alilee. They were all unsafe while ,e stayed near them 7 so they thou1ht. :6or neither did his brethren believe in him.: C(ohn A4D. ,e was teachin1 one day in "apernaum# to a crowd that hun1 spellbound on his words# when suddenly an interruption occurred. + messen1er pushed throu1h the audience to tell ,im that ,is mother and brothers were outside and insisted on speakin1 to ,im ri1ht away. + @uick look of pain shot across ac ross ,is face. ,e knew why they had come; they had been sendin1 ,im hints of their comin1 for weeks. They had made up their minds that ,e was ust a little bit out of ,is head# and they were determined ,is e?trava1ances should not ruin them all. ,e drew ,imself up to ,is full hei1ht and pointin1 to ,is disciples turned to the messen1erA :My mother and brethren>: ,e repeated. :Behold those who believe on me# they are my mother and my brethren.: They were indeed ,is real kindred# and many times they proved themselves worthy of the name; but even their devotion could not entirely remove the hurt. &hen later ,e had ,is brief hour of triumph# when the crowds flun1 their 1arments into the streets before ,im and shouted their :,osannas#: even then ,is heart must have been sore at the thou1ht that in all that multitude there was no t one of the brothers for whom ,e had sacrificed so much of ,is youth. + warm hand clasp from one of them would have meant more than all the hi1h homa1e h oma1e of the multitude. But they were far away# still still ashamed of the relationship# still re1ardin1 ,im as well meanin1 but not @u ite sane. ,is best friend died doubtin1 ,im. To that friend# (ohn the Baptist# ,e owed ,is initial success. (ohn had introduced ,im to the people; ,is first disciples had come because (ohn pointed ,im out as a 1reater prophet than he himself. The two men were entirely unlike in character and method. (ohn was austere# harsh# denunciatory 7 a lonely spirit# dwellin1 apart. (esus was cheerful# friendly# never happier than when in a crowd. (ohn laid down for his disciples a ri1id pro1ram of ce remonies and fasts; (esus disre1arded forms and encoura1ed ,is disciples to disre1ard them. ,e reco1ni=ed that ,e and (ohn must do their work in different ways# but it had n ot occurred to ,im that their differences would ever loosen the bond of friendship. ,e was cut to the @uick# therefore# when two messen1ers came from (ohn with a wistful# doubtin1 @uestionA :+re you really a prophet# as ! told people that you are>: (ohn asked. :!nstead of fastin1# you ban@uet. !nstead of callin1 on men to abure pleasure# you share their pleasures. +re you the hope of the world# as ! believed you to be# or must we look for another>: Gery Gery tenderly# but sadly# (esus sent back ,is reply. :o tell (ohn what you have seen and heard#: ,e said# :how the blind see# lepers are cleansed and the poor have the 1ood news preached to them.:
!t was a wonderful won derful answer# but did it convince ,is friend> + few few weeks later# in the dun1eon of ,erod9s castle# (ohn paid a last 1reat penalty for his idealism and coura1e. (esus# when ,e heard of it# :withdrew into a desert place alone.: ,is closest friend and first adherent had been killed 7 a sacrifice to the selfishness of a social order which ,e ,imself was fi1htin1. !n that heartbreakin1 event ,e saw an omen for ,imself. They who had been stron1 enou1h to murder (ohn would one day destroy ,im also. &hen ,e returned# there was a new seriousness in ,is face# a harder note in ,is teachin1s. ,e saw at the end of ,is path the shadow of the cross. +nd ,is heart was heavy because the friend who ou1ht to have understood ,im best had misunderstood ,im and died in doubt. The people deserted ,im. &hen last we cau1ht cau 1ht a 1limpse of them# they were cheerin1 ,is name beside the lake# seekin1 to force ,im to be their kin1. ,e eluded them and retired into the mountain to think and pray. !t must have been a dramatic moment when ,e reappeared. -nly a sin1le :)es: :)es: was needed# and they would have lifted ,im on their shoulders and born ,im in triumph to the city 1ates. ,ushed and e?pectant they waited for ,is answer 7 and what an answer< :! am not come to restore the kin1dom to (erusalem#: ,e cried. :Mine is a spiritual missionA ! am the bread of life. )ou )ou have cheered me because ! fed you in the wilderness# but ! tell you now that what ! have come to 1ive you is myself# that by knowin1 me you may know your 6ather.: They could not have been more stunned if ,e had struck their leaders across the face. &hat did ,e mean by b y this senseless mysticism# this talk about :the bread of life:> ,adn9t they seen ,im heal the sick and con@uer the *harisees in debate 7 were not these si1ns that ,e was the leader# so lon1 promised# who would rout the Romans and restore the throne of /avid> +nd now# when the hour was ripe# when they were ready to march# why this lan1ua1e which nobody could understand> The (ews therefore murmured concernin1 ,im# because ,e said# :! am the bread that came down from ,eaven.: !t was sacrile1e or nonsense# one or the other. !n either event it proved ,im an unsound leader. entiles mi1ht mi1ht continue to follow ,im if they chose# but ,is company was clearly no place for a self7respectin1 (ew. (ew. Silently the cautious people slipped away# and afterward denied that they had ever had anythin1 to do with ,im. Those who were more darin1 or devoted continued with ,im throu1h the rest of the week# and on the Sabbath crowded into the syna1o1ue where they knew that ,e would speak. The days had 1iven ,im time to reconsider and compose ,is thou1hts; perhaps now ,e would make a reasonable reply to their hopes. h opes. But there was no compromise in ,is messa1e that day. +1ain ,e repeated ,is seemin1ly senseless talk about the :bread of life.: !t destroyed the last hope of those who had looked to ,im for the deliverance of !srael. :These are hard sayin1s#: they protested# :who can understand them>: +nd then the note of tra1edy. :Epon this many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.: So Saint (ohn notes in his ospel the faithlessness of the crowds that had professed faith.
The tide had turned. ,e reali=ed it clearly thou1h the twelve could not. +t every opportunity ,e sou1ht to build up in them an increased sense of their responsibilities. ,e must :1o into (erusalem#: ,e told them# :and suffer many thin1s of the elders and chief priests and scribes# and be killed.: They could not# would not# believe it. *eter# hotheaded and enthusiastic# took ,im aside and rebuked ,im for what seemed a temporary loss of coura1e. :Be it far from thee# 0ord#: he e?claimed; :this shall never be unto thee.: enerous loyal words# but they revealed an utter failure to appreciate the real situation. +ll hope of a revived and re1enerated nation was 1one; (esus9 one chance now for permanent influence was in weldin1 ,is little 1roup closer to1ether and sealin1 their union with ,is blood. 6or the first time in ,is public work ,e forsook *alestine and led ,is wonderin1 but still dutiful followers into the forei1n cities of Tyre Tyre and Sidon. The ourney 1ave ,im a chance to be alone with the twelve; and it was# in a small way# a repetition of ,is earlier triumphs. These forei1n folk were friendly without ulterior motive. They cared nothin1 about the establishment of a throne in (erusalem or the possibility of profit for themselves from ,is political triumph. They came to hear ,im because ,is words thrilled them# because they felt their better selves touched and made vibrant by the wonder of ,is life. ,e hated to leave these kindly stran1ers. Much more ,e dreaded the thou1ht of another trip throu1h alilee. &hat a 1raveyard of hi1h hopes it was< 5very road# every street corner# almost every house and tree was alive with memories of ,is earlier triumphs. Now ,e must pass each one a1ain# conscious that it mi1ht be the last time# ,is heart wei1hed down with the thou1ht of hi1h purposes that had brou1ht no response and sacrifices seemin1ly in vain. Small wonder that ,e cried out a1ainst "hora=in and Bethsaida and even ,is own loved "apernaum# the cities for which ,e had done so much. :&oe unto you.: ,e cried in ,is loneliness# :for if the mi1hty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented lon1 a1o# in sackcloth and ashes.: But neither Bethsaida nor "apernaum had ears for ,im now. Some other novelty had taken hold of the public ima1ination. ,e had had ,is day; nothin1 more was to be e?pected from ,im. So the sprin1 and summer passed# and autumn came# brin1in1 the 6east of Tabernacles# Tabernacles# which ,e determined to celebrate in (erusalem. !t was a suicidal resolve. The report of ,is dwindlin1 influence had b een carried to the Temple Temple cli@ue# which was emboldened by the information. There were spies in every crowd that listened to ,im; the echo of ,is smallest act was heard he ard in the capital; ,e could not hope to arrive outside the city walls without imminent dan1er of o f arrest. +ll this ,e knew# but it did not wei1h a1ainst ,is resolve. This mi1ht be ,is last feast. There would be visitors from all over the world# some of whom would surely take the seed of ,is messa1e with them back to their homes. ,e must be true to ,is callin1 at whatever cost. So ,e went. &e catch one 1limpse of ,im on the Temple Temple steps# surrounded by b y a partly curious# cu rious# partly anta1onistic crowd. !t was ,is chance to recapture a little of the popular favor# to speak a placatin1 word that mi1ht open the way to reconciliation; but no such thou1ht entered ,is
mind. The time for defiance had come. :! have offered you the truth#: ,e cried# :the truth that would make you free.: +nd when they shouted that they were sons of +braham and hence already free# ,e replied that they were no children of +braham# +braham# but :children of the devil.: They would have killed k illed ,im then and there# but their coura1e failed. +fter all ,e had still a considerable followin1# and it was better to wait. ive ,im rope and ,e would tan1le ,imself ine?tricably. 5very speech was alienatin1 somebody. &hen the time was ripe# they would sei=e ,im 7 perhaps at the ne?t feast# if in the meantime ,e had not entirely discredited ,imself and disappeared. So they a r1ued amon1 themselves# and ,e went back once more into ,is alilee. (ust for a moment# in the ne?t sprin1# there seemed to be a renewed popular interest. The crowds flocked around in the old familiar way; the disciples noted it oyously. :The multitudes come to1ether to ,im a1ain#: they e?claimed and at once their hopes were busy with new visions of ,is success. But dismay dismay followed fast. +1ainst +1ainst their ardent protest ,e carried them off into close retirement. retirement. They were restless# lonely# lonely# distressed at the way in which ,e turned away supporters. &as &as it necessary to be so harsh with the *harisees> +fter all there were many estimable men amon1 them whose contributions would have been very helpful. &hy should ,e have ridiculed them> &hy tell people that their precious ritual was less acceptable to od than the cry for mercy of an untau1ht publican> &hy sli1ht their ready hospitality in favor of an outcast like like Hacchaeus> ,is little 1roup of friends were still 1ropin1 for a clear vision of messa1e and purposes when for the last time ,e led them down to (erusalem and the final feast. The one week of ,is life which everybody knows is the last week. ,ence we pass over it in this book. !t be1an with the triumphant shouts of :,osanna:; it ended with the bloodthirsty cries of :"rucify.: :"rucify.: Between the first mornin1 of triumph triumph and the last hours of mortal a1ony it witnessed ,is finest verbal victories over ,is opponents. Never were ,is nerves more steady# ,is coura1e hi1her# ,is mind more keen. /eliberately ,e piled up the mountain of hatred# knowin1 that it would crush ,im# but determined that there should be no doubt throu1h the a1es as to what ,e had stood for and why ,e had to die. 5very man who loves coura1eous manhood ou1ht to read these final chapters at least once a year. +ny attempt to abrid1e or paraphrase them would result in failure or worse. &e pass over them in reverent silence# stoppin1 only for a 1limpse of Che three most wonderful scenes. 6irst# the final supper on that cool# @uiet @u iet Thursday ni1ht. ,e knew that ,e would never meet with the disciples around the table a1ain. +ll the memories of the three 1reat years must have crowded into ,is mind as the meal pro1ressed. ,ow often they had sat to1ether under a tree beside the lake# sharin1 the fish that their own nets had cau1ht. ,ow they had enoyed that first meal at "ana when ,e turned the water into wine< &hat a 1lorious afternoon it was when ,e fed five thousand# and the shouts of 1ladness 1 ladness echoed back and forth amon1 the hills< +nd this this was the end. ,is relatives had turned their backs on ,im; ,is home town had scorned ,is advances; ,is best friend had died doubtin1; the people had turned away# and ,is enemies were about to triumph triumph 7 is there any other
leader who would have stood forth unbroken by such blows> &hat was ,is attitude> -ne of complaint> -f faultfindin1> -f weak railin1 at ,is own misfortunes or the willful wickedness of men> See# ,e rises in ,is place. ,e speaks# this proud youn1 man who had refused to be a kin1 and now is to die with common thieves. +nd these are ,is wordsA 0et not your heart be troubled . . . C(ohn 'AD ! have overcome the world. C(ohn IA%%D. There is nothin1 in history so maestic< +lready one of ,is disciples had slipped away to betray ,im. That very ni1ht the soldiers would take ,im# bind ,im# ,im# throw ,im into prison. The priests and *harisees whom ,e had taunted would have their turn to taunt ,im now. ,e would be harried throu1h the streets like a hunted thin1# the butt of every corner loafer9s est. +ll this ,e anticipated# and with the vision of it fresh before ,is mind# ,e lifted ,is head and looked beyond# into the far distant a1es. :Be of 1ood cheer#: ,e said to them# in tones whose w hose splendor thrills us even now. :! have overcome the world<: They went out into the arden where so many of their happy hours had been spent. The very air was fra1rant with their most sacred confidences. Ender this tree they had 1athered for worship# while the settin1 sun 1ilded the towers of the city; in the waters of that brook they had found refreshment; to left and ri1ht of them the very stones cried out in heartrendin1 reminder of the days that were 1one. 5ven at that hour it was not too late for ,im to save ,is life. Suppose ,e had said to ,imselfA :! have delivered my messa1e faithfully# faithfully# and it is no use. (udas has 1one already to brin1 the soldiers; they will be here in half an hour. &hy should ! stay and die> !t is only ei1hteen miles to (ericho# in bri1ht moonli1ht and downhill all the way. -ur friend Hacchaeus will be 1lad to see us. &e can reach his house by dayli1ht# d ayli1ht# rest tomorrow# cross the (ordan and do useful work the rest of our lives. The disciples can fish; ! can ope n a carpenter shop# and teach in a @uiet way. ! have done everythin1 that could be e?pected of me. &hy not>: !t was all perfectly possible. The rulers in (erusalem would have been 1lad to be rid of ,im on such terms. ,e mi1ht so easily have continued on down the hill to peace and a comfortable old a1e 7 and oblivion. !t was the last 1reat temptation and decisively ,e dismissed it. ,e walked a little ahead in silence# followed by the eleven 7 for (udas was with them no lon1er. &hen they came to a @uiet place# (esus left them while ,e went away for ,is last hour of hi1h communion with ,is 6ather# od. ,is spirit was torn with a1ony. ,e was youn1# thirty7three. ,e did not want to die. ,e cried out to od that the cup mi1ht pass from ,is lips# that ,e mi1ht have time to sweep away the char1es of blasphemy and evil which ,is enemies had heaped on ,im# time to build up the fra1ile stuff of ,is little little band on whom the whole future of ,is messa1e must depend. So ,e prayed in a1ony# and in a little while returned to find them sleepin1. 5ven so short a vi1il had proved too much for their feebleness. ,e tried to rouse *eter
with a word of 1entle rebuke and warnin1# but *eter9s heavy lids would not stay open and his ears were stopped with drowsiness. +1ain ,e withdrew. The hi1h tide of ,is revolt had subsided. The coura1e which had never deserted ,im throu1h out the three years was clearin1 ,is soul# steadyin1 ,is nerves. :!f it be not thy will that this cup pass from me#: ,e prayed# : then# 6ather# thy will be done.: ,e went back and found them still in deep sleep. ,e left them so and for the third time went a little way off. Now# with the calm peace of the con@ueror without arms or armor# ,e could make ready for the end. Now it was full victory after a fter battle. -n ,is reoinin1 them this time# ,e startled them all wide awa ke with the rin1in1 word that the crucial hour was at hand. They had not lon1 to wait. The soldiers were already at the entrance of the 1arden. 6rom ,is vanta1e point on the side of the hill ,e could mark the pro1ress of their torches across the brook and up the path. The clan1 of their weapons ran1 throu1h the trees; rou1h e?clamations troubled the @uiet evenin1 air like profanity in a temple. ,e waited until the armed men stumbled into and then rose and stood before them. :&hom seek ye>: ,e demanded. Startled# awed# they could only o nly mumble :(esus of Na=areth.: :! am ,e.: The answer compounded of pride# humility# humility# dedication. They had e?pected an1ry denunciation# perhaps resistance 7 these they understood and could cope with. But such calm# such di1nity# went beyond the boundaries of their e?perience. !nvoluntarily they 1ave way and# rou1h veterans that they were# some of them :fell to the 1round.: !t was a tribute# silent but ma1nificent. :! told you#: ,e repeated calmly# :that ! am ,e.: +nd then ,is thou1hts turned at once to those who had shared ,is triumphs and ,is sacrifices throu1h the yearsA :!f therefore ye seek me let these others 1o their way.: way.: But ,e had no need to think of the disciples9 safety. +lready they had made their swift escape 7 the last of the deserters 7 7 first ,is home town 7 then ,is best friend 7 then ,is relatives 7 then the crowd 7 finally the eleven.
+ll who had stood at ,is side had 1one and left ,im to face ,is fate alone. -n a barren hill beyond the city walls they nailed ,is perfect body to the cross. Two robbers were crucified with ,im. !t was over. The rabble had sickened @uickly of its reven1e and scattered; his friends were hidin1; the soldiers were busy castin1 lots for ,is 1arments. There was nothin1 left of the e?ternal influences which fire men9s ima1inations or 1rip their loyalty. Surely the victory of ,is enemies was complete; ,e could do no miracle there# han1in1 on a cross. +nd yet 7 :(esus.: !t was the voice of one of the robbers. :(esus#: he says painfully# :remember me# when thou comest into thy kin1dom<: Read that# my friends# and bow your heads. )ou )ou who have let yourself picture ,im as weak# as a man of sorrows# uninspirin1# 1lad to die. There have been many leaders who could call forth enthusiasm when their fortunes ran h i1h. But ,e# when ,is enemies had done their worst# so bore ,imself that a crucified felon looked into ,is dyin1 eyes and saluted ,im as kin1.
&ruce &arton, one of the founders and later Chairman of the &oard of &atten, &arton, )urstine and *sborne, wrote this this boo in the twenties+ since then it has made $ublishing history# t sold sold over half a million co$ies in hardcover in the -nglish language alone+ translations of it have a$$eared all over the world#
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