shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.'

994

The Pharisees sought distinction by their scrupulous ceremonialism, and the ostentation of their worship and their charities. They proved their zeal for religion by theme of discussion. Disputes between were loud and long, and it was not

making it the opposing sects

66

He went out... into a solitary place, and there prayed."

unusual to hear on the streets the voice of angry controversy from learned doctors of the law.

In marked contrast to all this was the life of Jesus. In that life no noisy disputation, no ostentatious worship, no act to gain applause, was ever witnessed. Christ was hid in God, and God was revealed in the character of His Son. To this revelation Jesus desired the minds of the people to be directed.

The Sun of Righteousness did not burst upon the world in splendor, to dazzle the senses with His glory. It is written of Christ, "His going forth is prepared as the

5

morning." Quietly and gently the daylight breaks upon the earth, dispelling the darkness and waking the world to life. So did the Sun of Righteousness arise, "with healing in His wings."

"Behold My Servant, whom I uphold;

Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth.”

"Thou hast been a strength to the poor,

A strength to the needy in his distress,

A refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat." 8

"Thus saith God the Lord,

He that created the heavens, and stretched them out;

He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it,

And spirit to them that walk therein.

I the Lord have called Thee in righteousness,

And will hold Thine hand,

And will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, For a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes,

To bring out the prisoners from the prison,

And them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.'

"I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;

I will lead them in paths that they have not known;

I will make darkness light before them,

And crooked things straight.

These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

"Sing unto the Lord a new song,

And His praise from the end of the earth,

Ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein;

The isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

10

Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar doth inhabit:

Let the inhabitants of the rock sing,

Let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Let them give glory unto the Lord,

And declare His praise in the islands.""

Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it;

Shout, ye lower parts of the earth!

Break forth into singing, ye mountains!

O forest, and every tree therein !
For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob,
And glorified Himself in Israel."

12

He "manifested forth His glory; and

His disciples believed on Him."

From Herod's dungeon, where in disappointment and perplexity concerning the Saviour's work, John the Baptist watched and waited, he sent two

of his disciples to Jesus with the and

message:

"Art Thou He

come, or do we another ? '' 13

jose gili olan disord that should

look for sift ba

The Saviour did not at

once answer the disciples'

question. As they stood more
wondering at His silence,"
the afflicted were coming
to Him. The voice of the f
mighty Healer penetrated
the deaf ear. A word, a agr
touch of His hand, opened
the blind eyes to behold
the light of day, the scenes
of nature, the faces of di
friends, and the face of
the Deliverer. His
voice reached the ears
of the dying, and they b
arose in health and
vigor. Paralyzed de-
moniacs obeyed His
word, their madness left

A word, a touch of His hand, opened the

ered about Him, and He spoke to them the words of eternal life.

7

Thus the day wore away, the disciples of John seeing and hearing all. At last Jesus called them to Him, and Se sai quom snt to briw gnota :balwbed

"The poor peasants and laborers who were shunned by the rabbis as unclean, gathered

About Him." of 25 ஜம்

riguo
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atised silt of grids bade them go and oo tell John what they had seen and heard, Swadding, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be

og offended in Me." 14 The or disciples bores the message, odo and it was enough.llotarT

John recalled the prophecy conssbn bscerning the Messiah, "Jehovah hath Juoa anointed Me to preach good tidings unto as the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up orthes broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the Fusionmaiyear of Jehovah's favor, and comfort all that mourn." 99 15 Jesus of Nazareth was the promised one.

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The works of Christ not only declared Him to be the Messiah, but showed in what manner His kingdom was to be established. To John was opened the same truth that had come to Elijah in the desert, when "a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire:" 16 and after the fire, God spoke to the prophet by a still small voice. So Jesus was to do His work, not by the overturning of thrones and kingdoms, not with pomp and outward display, but through speaking to the hearts of men by a life of mercy and self-sacrifice.

The kingdom of God comes not with outward show. It comes through the gentleness of the inspiration of His word, through the inward working of His Spirit, the fellowship of the soul with Him who is its life. The greatest manifestation of its power is seen in human nature brought to the perfection of the character of Christ.

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The followers of Christ are to be the light of the world; but God does not bid them make an effort to shine. does not approve of any self-satisfied endeavor to display superior goodness. He desires that their souls shall be imbued with the principles of heaven; then, as they come in contact with the world, they will reveal the light that is in them. Their steadfast fidelity in every act of life will be a means of illumination.

Wealth or high position, costly equipment, architecture or furnishings, are not essential to the advancement of the work of God; neither are achievements that win applause from men and administer to vanity. Worldly display, however imposing, is of no value in God's sight.

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