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liverance　from　sin。　As　the　blood　of　the　slain　lamb　sheltered　the　homes　of　Israel；　so　the　blood　of　Christ　was　to　save　their　souls；　but　they　could　be　saved　through　Christ　only　as　by　faith　they　should　make　His　life　their　own。　There　was　virtue　in　the　symbolic　service　only　as　it　directed　the　worshipers　to　Christ　as　their　personal　Saviour。　God　desired　that　they　should　be　led　to　prayerful　study　and　meditation　in　regard　to　Christ's　mission。　But　as　the　multitudes　left　Jerusalem；　the　excitement　of　travel　and　social　intercourse　too　often　absorbed　their　attention；　and　the　service　they　had　witnessed　was　forgotten。　The　Saviour　was　not　attracted　to　their　company。

As　Joseph　and　Mary　should　return　from　Jerusalem　alone　with　Jesus；　He　hoped　to　direct　their　minds　to　the　prophecies　of　the　suffering　Saviour。　Upon　Calvary　He　sought　to　lighten　His　mother's　grief。　He　was　thinking　of　her　now。　Mary　was　to　witness　His　last　agony；　and　Jesus　desired　her　to　understand　His　mission；　that　she　might　be　strengthened　to　endure；　when　the　sword　should　pierce　through　her　soul。　As　Jesus　had　been　separated　from　her；　and　she　had　sought　Him　sorrowing　three　days；　so　when　He　should　be　offered　up　for　the　sins　of　the　world；　He　would　again　be　lost　to　her　for　three　days。　And　as　He　should　come　forth　from　the　tomb；　her　sorrow　would　again　be　turned　to　joy。　But　how　much　better

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she　could　have　borne　the　anguish　of　His　death　if　she　had　understood　the　Scriptures　to　which　He　was　now　trying　to　turn　her　thoughts！

If　Joseph　and　Mary　had　stayed　their　minds　upon　God　by　meditation　and　prayer；　they　would　have　realized　the　sacredness　of　their　trust；　and　would　not　have　lost　sight　of　Jesus。　By　one　day's　neglect　they　lost　the　Saviour；　but　it　cost　them　three　days　of　anxious　search　to　find　Him。　So　with　us；　by　idle　talk；　evilspeaking；　or　neglect　of　prayer；　we　may　in　one　day　lose　the　Saviour's　presence；　and　it　may　take　many　days　of　sorrowful　search　to　find　Him；　and　regain　the　peace　that　we　have　lost。

In　our　association　with　one　another；　we　should　take　heed　lest　we　forget　Jesus；　and　pass　along　unmindful　that　He　is　not　with　us。　When　we　become　absorbed　in　worldly　things　so　that　we　have　no　thought　for　Him　in　whom　our　hope　of　eternal　life　is　centered；　we　separate　ourselves　from　Jesus　and　from　the　heavenly　angels。　These　holy　beings　cannot　remain　where　the　Saviour's　presence　is　not　desired；　and　His　absence　is　not　marked。　This　is　why　discouragement　so　often　exists　among　the　professed　followers　of　Christ。

Many　attend　religious　services；　and　are　refreshed　and　comforted　by　the　word　of　God；　but　through　neglect　of　meditation；　watchfulness；　and　prayer；　they　lose　the　blessing；　and　find　themselves　more　destitute　than　before　they　received　it。　Often　they　feel　that　God　has　dealt　hardly　with　them。　They　do　not　see　that　the　fault　is　their　own。　By　separating　themselves　from　Jesus；　they　have　shut　away　the　light　of　His　presence。

It　would　be　well　for　us　to　spend　a　thoughtful　hour　each　day　in　contemplation　of　the　life　of　Christ。　We　should　take　it　point　by　point；　and　let　the　imagination　grasp　each　scene；　especially　the　closing　ones。　As　we　thus　dwell　upon　His　great　sacrifice　for　us；　our　confidence　in　Him　will　be　more　constant；　our　love　will　be　quickened；　and　we　shall　be　more　deeply　imbued　with　His　spirit。　If　we　would　be　saved　at　last；　we　must　learn　the　lesson　of　penitence　and　humiliation　at　the　foot　of　the　cross。

As　we　associate　together；　we　may　be　a　blessing　to　one　another。　If　we　are　Christ's；　our　sweetest　thoughts　will　be　of　Him。　We　shall　love　to　talk　of　Him；　and　as　we　speak　to　one　another　of　His　love；　our　hearts　will　be　softened　by　divine　influences。　Beholding　the　beauty　of　His　character；　we　shall　be　〃changed　into　the　same　image　from　glory　to　glory。〃　2　Cor。　3：18。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　9

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Days　of　Conflict


From　its　earliest　years　the　Jewish　child　was　surrounded　with　the　requirements　of　the　rabbis。　Rigid　rules　were　prescribed　for　every　act；　down　to　the　smallest　details　of　life。　Under　the　synagogue　teachers　the　youth　were　instructed　in　the　countless　regulations　which　as　orthodox　Israelites　they　were　expected　to　observe。　But　Jesus　did　not　interest　Himself　in　these　matters。　From　childhood　He　acted　independently　of　the　rabbinical　laws。　The　Scriptures　of　the　Old　Testament　were　His　constant　study；　and　the　words；　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord；〃　were　ever　upon　His　lips。

As　the　condition　of　the　people　began　to　open　to　His　mind；　He　saw　that　the　requirements　of　society　and　the　requirements　of　God　were　in　constant　collision。　Men　were　departing　from　the　word　of　God；　and　exalting　theories　of　their　own　invention。　They　were　observing　traditional　rites　that　possessed　no　virtue。　Their　service　was　a　mere　round　of　ceremonies；　the　sacred　truths　it　was　designed　to　teach　were　hidden　from　the　worshipers。　He　saw　that　in　their　faithless　services　they　found　no　peace。　They　did　not　know　the　freedom　of　spirit　that　would　come　to　them　by　serving　God　in　truth。　Jesus　had　come　to　teach　the　meaning　of　the　worship　of　God；　and　He　could　not　sanction　the　mingling　of　human　requirements　with　the　divine　precepts。　He　did　not　attack　the　precepts　or

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practices　of　the　learned　teachers；　but　when　reproved　for　His　own　simple　habits；　He　presented　the　word　of　God　in　justification　of　His　conduct。

In　every　gentle　and　submissive　way；　Jesus　tried　to　please　those　with　whom　He　came　in　contact。　Because　He　was　so　gentle　and　unobtrusive；　the　scribes　and　elders　supposed　that　He　would　be　easily　influenced　by　their　teaching。　They　urged　Him　to　receive　the　maxims　and　traditions　that　had　been　handed　down　from　the　ancient　rabbis；　but　He　asked　for　their　authority　in　Holy　Writ。　He　would　hear　every　word　that　proceeds　from　the　mouth　of　God；　but　He　could　not　obey　the　inventions　of　men。　Jesus　seemed　to　know　the　Scriptures　from　beginning　to　end；　and　He　presented　them　in　their　true　import。　The　rabbis　were　ashamed　to　be　instructed　by　a　child。　They　claimed　that　it　was　their　office　to　explain　the　Scriptures；　and　that　it　was　His　place　to　accept　their　interpretation。　They　were　indignant　that　He　should　stand　in　opposition　to　their　word。

They　knew　that　no　authority　could　be　found　in　Scripture　for　their　traditions。　They　realized　that　in　spiritual　understanding　Jesus　was　far　in　advance　of　them。　Yet　they　were　angry　because　He　did　not　obey　their

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dictates。　Failing　to　convince　Him；　they　sought　Joseph　and　Mary；　and　set　before　them　His　course　of　noncompliance。　Thus　He　suffered　rebuke　and　censure。

At　a　very　early　age；　Jesus　had　begun　to　act　for　Himself　in　the　formation　of　His　character；　and　not　even　respect　and　love　for　His　parents　could　turn　Him　from　obedience　to　God's　word。　〃It　is　written〃　was　His　reason　for　every　act　that　varied　from　the　family　customs。　But　the　influence　of　the　rabbis　made　His　life　a　bitter　one。　Even　in　His　youth　He　had　to　learn　the　hard　lesson　of　silence　and　patient　endurance。

His　brothers；　as　the　sons　of　Joseph　were　called；　sided　with　the　rabbis　They　insisted　that　the　traditions　must　be　heeded；　as　if　they　were　the　requirements　of　God。　They　even　regarded　the　precepts　of　men　more　highly　than　the　word　of　God；　and　they　were　greatly　annoyed　at　the　clear　penetration　of　Jesus　in　distinguishing　between　the　false　and　the　true　His　strict　obedience　to　the　law　of　God　they　condemned　as　stubbornness。　They　were　surprised　at　the　knowledge　and　wisdom　He　showed　in　answering　the　rabbis。　They　knew　that　He　had　not　received　instruction　from　the　wise　men；　yet　they　could　not　but　see　that　He　was　an　instructor　to　them。　They　recognized　that　His　education　was　of　a　higher　type　than　their　own。　But　they　did　not　discern　that　He　had　access　to　the　tree　of　life；　a　source　of　knowledge　of　which　they　were　ignorant。

Christ　was　not　exclusive；　and　He　had　given　special　offense　to　the　Pharisees　by　departing　in　this　respect　from　their　rigid　rules。　He　found　the　domain　of　religion　fenced　in　by　high　walls　of　seclusion；　as　too　sacred　a　matter　for　everyday　life。　These　walls　of　partition　He　overthrew。　In　His　contact　with　men　He　did　not　ask；　What　is　your　creed？　To　what　church　do　you　belong？　He　exercised　His　helping　power　in　behalf　of　all　who　needed　help。　Instead　of　secluding　Himself　in　a　hermit's　cell　in　order　to　show　His　heavenly　character；　He　labored　earnestly　for　humanity。　He　inculcated　the　principle　that　Bible　religion　does　not　consist　in　the　mortification　of　the　body。　He　taught　that　pure　and　undefiled　religion　is　not　meant　only　for　set　times　and　special　occasions。　At　all　times　and　in　all　places　He　manifested　a　loving　interest　in　men；　and　shed　about　Him　the　light　of　a　cheerful　piety。　All　this　was　a　rebuke　to　the　Pharisees。　It　showed　that　religion　does　not　consist　in　selfishness；　and　that　their　morbid　devotion　to　personal　interest　was　far　from　being　true　godliness。　This　had　roused　their　enmity　against　Jesus；　so　that　they　tried　to　enforce　His　conformity　to　their　regulations。

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Jesus　worked　to　relieve　every　case　of　suffering　that　He　saw。　He　had　little　money　to　give；　but　He　often　denied　Himself　of　food　in　order　to　relieve