Part 21

Then Jesus said: "If any man Desire the highest place, He shall be last, and servant, too, Within the realm of grace."

He set a child in midst of them, Then took him in His arm, And said: "Whoso receiveth such, And shieldeth him from harm,

"Receiveth me, if, with true love, He does it in my name, And not only receiveth me, But Him from whom I came."

The Young Lawyer.

AND now behold a lawyer rose With tempting question vain, And said: "Master, what must I do Eternal life to gain?"

Jesus addressed His questioner With manner frank and kind, And by a parable He taught His keen and doubting mind;

Told of the good Samaritan Who succored a poor Jew; Then, in conclusion, counseled him: "Go thou and like wise do."

At Bethany.

AND as they went, He and the twelve, Along the public road, They entered into Bethany, Where Martha, kind, abode;

Who hospitably welcomed Him Into her house to rest, Then hastened to provide for Him Refreshments of the best.

Meanwhile her sister Mary, Who long had wished to meet The gracious Lord and hear His voice Sat meekly at His feet.

But Martha, cumbered and perplexed With anxious, household care, And wishing for her welcome Guest A banquet to prepare,

Entered the room where Jesus sat, And said: "Lord, dost Thou know My sister lets me serve alone? Bid her some help bestow."

And Jesus answered in a tone Of grace yet kind concern, "O, Martha, Martha, good and true, Thou something hast to learn.

"Thou careful art, and troubled much All good things to enjoy, And that thy friends may feast full well Thy time and means employ;

"And yet there's but one needful thing, Worthy thine utmost thought, And that good part is Mary's choice, Which from her take thou not."

The Lord's Prayer.

AGAIN, did Jesus journey on, When, in a certain place, He lifted up His voice in prayer With unction, power and grace.

When He had ceased one of the twelve Said: "Lord, teach us to pray, As John taught those who followed him, "We wish to do as they."

He taught them then that form of prayer Which pure devotion is; Known as THE LORD'S PRAYER ever since, Because the words are His.

Then on He went, and preached the truth, Along each country road, And taught the people, high and low, The love and fear of God;

And told them how God answers prayer, If prayer be warm and true-- With far more loving, swift response Than earthly parents do.

The Woman with an Infirmity.

NOW, in a synagogue, as He One Sabbath day did preach, Behold a woman, quite bowed down And listening to His speech,

A poor, afflicted sufferer, Who bore with groans and tears, A spirit of infirmity For fully eighteen years.

Upon her Jesus laid His hand, And, suddenly made straight, She rose and glorified her God, Whose mercies are so great.

The ruler of the synagogue, Indignant that the Lord Upon the Sabbath day had wrought This healing by His word,

Unto the people said: "There are Six days in which you may Do all your works;--in them be healed-- Not on the Sabbath day."

Then Jesus answered: "Hypocrite, Doth not each of you think It right, on Sabbath day, to lead His beast away to drink?

"And ought not this poor woman, who Is Abraham's daughter, be Made loose from pain she bore so long Through Satan's tyranny?"

And all His adversaries were Ashamed when thus He chid, While others wondered and rejoiced For all the works He did.

The Man Born Blind.

WHEN, coming near His journey's end, Jerusalem was nigh, He, one day, saw a man, born blind, As He was passing by.

And His disciples questioned Him: "Master, whose sin hath done Such evil as is this man's lot-- His parents' or his own?"

And Jesus answered: "Neither hath His parents sinned nor he, But that the works of God, in him, Might be made plain to see.

"I must perform my Father's works While it is day; the night Is coming, when no man can work; But I am the world's light,

"As long as I am in the world." And when He thus did say He spat upon the ground, and made The spittle into clay;

And with it He anointed thick The eyes that ne'er had seen, Then said unto the man: "Go wash In water pure and clean."

Then went the man obediently, And washed his sightless eyes, And instantly he saw all round, With grateful, glad surprise.

The neighbors said: "Is this the man Who begged, and could not see?" Said others: "He is like to him." But he said: "I am he."

They asked him how he gained his sight, And he, with thankful voice, Told all about the wondrous work That made his heart rejoice.

And now unto the Pharisees The happy man they brought; And it was on the Sabbath day This miracle was wrought.

Questioned by doubting Pharisees, He did to them relate The way by which he was relieved From his unhappy state.

They said the man who gave him sight A sinner, sure must be Or He would not, on such a day, Make a blind man to see.

Yet others said: "How can a man Who is a sinner do Such miracles?" The healed man said: "He is a prophet true."

The Jews would not believe the man Was ever blind at all; And, to find out if it were so, They did his parents call,

And asked them: "Is this man your son, Who without sight was born? How, then, doth he now see so well, Yet blind until this morn?"

The parents said: "He is our son, And was born blind, we know; But know not how he gained his sight; Himself the truth must show."

The Jews straightway recalled the man, And said: "Give God the praise, We know this man's a sinner, by His Sabbath-breaking ways."

He answered them: "I know not if This man a sinner be; One thing I know, that whereas I Was blind, yet now I see.

"We know that God regardeth not A sinful man's appeal; But to obedient worshippers He will Himself reveal.

"Since first the world began can ye Such wondrous power find As that a mortal man could heal The eyes of one born blind?

"And if this man were not of God, Nor down from heaven came, He could do nothing in my case-- All glory to His name!"

And then they answered, wrathfully: "Thou, who believest thus, Wast altogether born in sin, And art thou teaching us?"

They cast him out; which Jesus heard, And found him, when alone: "Believ'st thou on the Son of God?" He asked in gentle tone.

The man said: "Lord who is He, that My faith to Him might bow?" Said Jesus: "Thou beholdest Him, He talketh with thee now."

Then he said: "Lord, I do believe," With fervent voice, and loud, And bending forward to the earth, In reverent worship bowed.

The Raising of Lazarus.

OF Martha you've already heard, Who entertained the Lord When once He passed through Bethany, And Mary heard His word.

They had a brother, Lazarus, And Jesus loved the three, And now the young man was brought low, And very ill was he.

And his sisters sent a message Unto the Lord, in haste: "Behold, he whom Thou lovest well Is sick and failing fast."

But Jesus said: "This sickness Comes not that he must die, But for God's glory, that His Son Be glorified thereby.

"Our friend, Lazarus, sleepeth," Were the next words He spake: "And I go hence that I may him Out of his sleep awake."

Then said they: "Lord, if Laz'rus sleep He surely shall do well"-- Thinking that it was natural rest That o'er his eyelids fell.

Then He said, plainly: "Lazarus Is cold and still in death. But well, for your sakes, 'tis that I Went not while he had breath.

"For so your faith shall be made bright, That may be somewhat dim; But now arise and leave this place, That we may go to him."

Then Thomas said--called Didymus-- To the disciples all, "Let's go, that we may die with Him, If death should Him befall."

And now all hearts are sad and still, And many throb with fear, As Jesus and His followers To Bethany draw near.

And those who meet Him tell the news Of sorrow and of gloom, That Lazarus has already lain Three days within his tomb.

Now Bethany was very near Unto Jerusalem; And many to the sisters came, To see, and comfort them.

And as they sat in silence, Their hearts with grief bowed down, The word was brought that Jesus Was coming into town.

Then Martha went to meet the Christ, And said unto Him: "Lord, If Thou hadst been here, my brother Had recovered by Thy word."

"Thy brother," thus the answer came, "Shall rise again, I say." "Yea, in the resurrection morn," She said, "at the last day."

"I am the resurrection, and The Life," the Lord replied. "He that upon my name believes Shall live, though he had died."

"Oh, Lord," she answered fervently, "I truly do believe Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, Whom this world should receive."

When Jesus saw the sisters' tears, And tears of those around, He groaned in spirit and was sad, With troubled thoughts profound.

He said to them: "Where have ye laid Your friend and mine to sleep?" They say to Him: "Lord, come and see," Then all beheld Him weep.

And then they took away the stone From where the dead was laid, And Jesus lifted up His eyes, And solemnly He said:

"Father I thank Thee that Thou hast Heard my heart's secret prayer, And I know that Thou dost always Bow down to me Thine ear."

And when He thus had spoken, He cried in accents loud: "Lazarus, come forth," and the dead Came forth, bound in his shroud,

And his face bound with a napkin; His movements thus were slow; But Jesus called out, with command: "Loose him and let him go."

Then O, what deep and solemn joy The sisters' hearts conceived! While many of the Jews around On Jesus Christ believed.

They Brought Little Children to Him.

ONE day the mothers, who believed, Their little children brought, And from the Master's gentle hand A gracious blessing sought.

But the disciples, in their zeal, Said: "Take these children home, They're in the way of older ones, Who for some good have come."

But Jesus loved the little lambs, And much displeased was He, Saying: "Suffer little children, That they may come to me.

"For 'tis such innocents as these That God's high kingdom win; And all must have as simple hearts Who gain a place therein."

Then gently lifting in His arms, And folding to His breast, He put His hands upon their heads, And every infant blest.

The Young Ruler.

NOW, as He went forth in the way, A certain ruler came; "What shall I do," he frankly asked, "That I may heaven claim?"

"Why callest thou me good?" the Lord Enquired in gentle tone. "There is none good in earth or heaven But God, and God alone.

"Thou knowest the Commandments; Keep them in deed and truth, He answered and said: "Master, I've Observed them from my youth."

Then Jesus looked at the young man, And loved him in His heart, And said: "One thing thou lackest yet, Thou with thy wealth must part.

"Go sell, and give all to the poor, And stored in heaven 'twill be, Then come and cheerfully take up The cross and follow me."

But the young man was sad at heart, Unwilling to obey; His riches he would not give up, So, grieved, he went away.

And then to His disciples The Lord said, grave but kind: "How hardly shall the rich their way Into God's kingdom find?

"It is easier for a camel Through a needle's eye to go Than he who loves his worldly goods The bliss of heaven should know."

Peter Questions Him.

AND Peter then began to say: "Lo! we have given up all, And followed and believed on Thee; What shall to us befall?"

And Jesus answered, "Verily, I say, no man hath left Parents or brethren, wife or child, Of home or lands bereft,

"To suffer for the Gospel's sake, Who shall not find much more, Both in this world and that to come, Laid up for him in store.

"But they who will be first on earth Shall be the last in heaven; And they who here take lowest seats Shall then have highest given."

Parable of the Laborers.

AND Jesus taught them as they walked, By pointed parable, That all shall have an equal right Who serve the Master well.

He told them of a man who hired Some laborers to work, And promised each a penny, for The day, from morn to dark.

Again at noon, and later still, He others idle found, And sent them into his vineyard To work upon the ground.

And then again, and just before The closing of the day, He hired others who should get A penny for their pay.

But when the eventide had come, And the day's work was done, The men were called, that each might get Whatever was his own.

The last come were paid first, and each A pleased expression wore. But when the first were paid they thought That they should get still more.

And when a penny each received, They murmured at the pay, Which was the same for one hour's work As for the long, warm day.

The good man answered one of them: "Friend, I do thee no wrong; A penny I agreed to give-- That doth to thee belong.

"Take that thine is and go thy way, I will to this last one Give just the same as unto thee-- Is it not all my own?

"So shall the last be as the first, And first as last to view; For many be the called of God, And yet, the chosen, few."

Foretells His Death.

THEN Jesus took the twelve apart, And gravely said to them: "Behold, we now are on our way Up to Jerusalem,

"And all things that the prophets wrote About the Son of Man, Shall be accomplished in that place, True to the ancient plan.

"And He shall be betrayed unto The chief priests and the scribes, Delivered up to the Gentiles, And mocked with taunts and jibes;

"And they shall scourge and spit upon, And crucify your Lord; The third day He shall rise again, According to His Word."

The apostles listened, yet these things They could not realize; The meaning of the truths they heard Was hidden from their eyes.

The Request of James and John.

THEN came, as they were walking on, The wife of Zebedee, Who said: "Lord, what I most desire Wilt Thou grant unto me?"

He said unto her: "What wilt thou?" She answered: "That my sons May at Thy right and left sit down, Thy kingdom's greatest ones."

Then Jesus to the young men said: "Ye know not what ye ask. To drink my cup, my baptism bear, Would be too hard a task."

They answered: "We are strong enough.' Then He said: "Ye shall try To drink my cup, my baptism bear, While grace shall strength supply.

"But to sit at my right and left I cannot give to you; My Father doth reserve those seats For whom He deems them due.

"Be not such lords as Gentiles are, And who would highest be Let him be servant to the rest, And take a low degree.

"E'en as the Son of Man came not To take a lofty place, But to be minister, and give His life to save the race."

Blind Bartimeus.

AND now the Lord His way must take Through ancient Jericho. The people crowd around Him there, And make His progress slow.

And Bartimeus, blind and poor, Was sitting by the way; Another beggar, sad and blind, Sat by his side that day.

And when they heard the tramping crowd, And asked the reason why, They learned that Christ of Nazareth Was just then passing by.

Then each man cried aloud at once, In tones of earnest plea: "Jesus, Thou Son of David, Have mercy upon me."

And Jesus had compassion on Their dark and helpless plight, And gently touched their eyes and said: "Your faith doth give you sight."

Immediately their eyes were healed, And both with joyful mind, Followed the Master, praising God, And all the people joined.

Zaccheus.

AND now, as Jesus passed along, A rich man hasting came-- A chief among the publicans, And Zaccheus by name.

Jesus he sought to see, as did The people, one and all, But could not overlook the crowd, His stature was so small.

So he ran on before, and climbed Into a sycamore tree; That, perched above the surging throng, He might the better see.

And when the Lord came near, He raised His eyes, saw him, and said: "Zaccheus, in thy house, to-day, I will take rest and bread."

And then in haste the man came down, And joyfully received Into his house, which stood near by, The Lord, whom He believed.

And when the crowd saw what was done, To murmur they began, That Jesus was content to be Guest with a sinful man.

Yet Zaccheus heeded not, but stood, And said unto the Lord: "Behold, Lord, half of all my goods I to the poor afford.

"And if I aught have taken, Through falsehood to me told, More than is right from any man, I give it back fourfold."

And Jesus said: "Salvation is To this house come to-day; For this man is of Abraham's line, Though having gone astray.

"For I, the Son of Man have come Into this world below, To seek the straying and the lost, And save from guilt and woe."

Parable of the Pounds.

AND as the people all around Attentively did hear, Believing that God's kingdom would Without delay appear;

He taught the listening company, By parable profound, How God expects His faithful ones To occupy His ground.

And as He does commit to them Ten pounds, or five, or one, He will reward them, at the last, By what they each have done.

And having finished His discourse, Wisely instructing them, He went before them, in the way, Up to Jerusalem.

The Anointing at Bethany.

SIX days before the Passover The Lord appeared again In Bethany, where Lazarus dwelt, And his good sisters twain.

There, by a supper in the house, Their welcome was expressed, And Martha served, but Lazarus sat At table with the guest.

Then Mary came and took her place Down at the Master's feet, And broke an alabaster box, Of odor very sweet.

And tenderly she did anoint The feet of Jesus there; And wiped them with the flowing locks Of her luxuriant hair.

Then Judas, called Iscariot, His sullen silence broke, And of the woman's costly gift Thus, with a sneer, he spoke:

"For three hundred pence, in money, This ointment would have sold, And that would feed and clothe the poor, Who hungry are, and cold."

He said this, though he had no care Or pity for the poor; But was a thief, and had the bag, And coveted the store.

Then Jesus said: "Let her alone; Against my burial day She poured this ointment on my feet, Her last regards to pay.

"The humble poor ye always have With you, to help their needs; But me ye cannot always have To show me loving deeds."

Now many people of the Jews Soon knew that He was there, And crowded in, that they might see, And His discourse might hear.

Yet not for Jesus' sake alone Had they the visit made, But to see Lazarus, whom He Had raised up from the dead.

Entry into Jerusalem.

THE morning rose with peaceful skies, The first day of the week, And Jesus forthwith went His way, Jerusalem to seek.

He knew what waited Him--the thought His lofty spirit thrilled-- That all His Father's' work be done, And Scripture be fulfilled.

Along the road towards Olive's mount-- That oft-trod road--He went, Then two of His disciples Into Bethphage He sent;

And said: "Into the village go, Where straightway ye shall see An ass tied, and a colt with her; Loose them and bring to me.

"If any may say aught to you, This shall be your reply: 'The Lord hath need of them,' then he Will cheerfully comply."

Then the disciples went their way, And found, as they were bidden, An ass tied, and a colt, whereon No man had ever ridden.

And their owners, as they loosed them, Enquired: "Why do ye so?" They said: "The Lord hath need of them." And then they let them go.

And they brought them unto Jesus, And put on them their clothes; And Jesus rode upon the colt, While loud Hosannahs rose.

And multitudes of people spread Their garments in the way, While others strewed palm branches where The Master rode that day.

And "Hosannah, Son of David!" They cried with one accord, "Blessed is He that cometh thus In the name of the Lord!"

But the Pharisees said: "Master, Rebuke this noisy shout." Said Jesus: "Should they hold their peace, The stones would then cry out."

Now they descend fair Olive's Mount, Jerusalem appears, And Jesus beholds the city, And over it sheds tears,

Saying: "Hadst thou but known the things Which belong to thy peace: But now from thine eyes they are hid; Thy day of hope shall cease."

The city's gate they enter now; Much moved, the people say: "Who is this?" Some answer: "Jesus, Prophet of Galilee."

Then to the temple went the Lord, To clear its spacious courts Of those who bought and sold within Its sanctified resorts.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw His wondrous works and ways, And children in the temple courts Shouting these words of praise:

"Hosannah to great David's Son!" They very angry were, And said to Him: "These babbling cries Around, dost thou not hear?"

And Jesus saith unto them: "Yea, Have ye not read the Word: 'The mouths of babes and sucklings doth Thy perfect praise accord?'"

The Pharisees, among themselves, Said: "Do ye not perceive That ye prevail naught while the world Doth on this man believe?"

The Barren Fig-Tree.

BUT now the eventide was come, And Jesus turned away, And with His twelve disciples went And lodged in Bethany.

Next morning, as the Lord returned, Quite early in the day, He wanted bread, and looking, saw A fig-tree in the way.

Without delay He went to it, To get some figs to eat; But He found only leaves thereon, Which are not good for meat.

And then the Master spoke to it-- Spoke to the useless tree-- And said: "Henceforth, forevermore Let no fruit grow on thee."

Into the city then He went, And in the temple taught, And preached to all who thronged around And His instructions sought.

But the chief priests and elders came, And asked Him: "Who gave thee Authority to do these things That we both hear and see?"

And Jesus answered: "I, also, Will ask one thing of you, Which, if you tell me, I will tell Who prompts the things I do.

"The baptism of John, whence was it, From heaven, or of men?" This question, which He asked of them, They could not answer then.

For thus they reasoned with themselves: "If we shall say from heaven, He will say: 'Why not, then, to him Was your attention given?'

"But yet, if we shall say of men, The people's wrath we fear; For all hold John a prophet true, And his name they revere."

And so they said: "We cannot tell." He answered: "Nor to thee Tell I by what authority I do the things you see."