(3) The Motive, — The first motive is love to the Saviour. The next motive is love to the home and friends. A few years ago, in the British House of Peers, a certain speech was delivered on a question concerning the extreme limits of our Indian Empire. That speech just thrilled England from end to end. It was delivered by a plain man of action, who had done his duty in days gone by, and came to the gilded chamber to speak out his convictions. Some say he broke down, and lost the thread of his argument. Certainly, an average local preacher might display better command of language, and a board school pupil teacher might have corrected his faults of style. But just because he could say, " I love India," the wisest and greatest of our land crowded to hear him. Perhaps some of us will consider that the speech was on the wrong side ; that the India which the noble speaker loved was not that which most demands our affection ; it was India's govern- ing classes rather than her starving millions. But we may learn from the effect produced, the kind of testimony that Jesus wants to-day. There are people in this world who respect you for what you are and what you have done. If you tell them in a few blundering sentences, " I love Christ ; He loved me, and gave Himself for me," no one can tell the effect of your poor stammering words. The great revival we pray for is waiting for just such testimony as this.
^ The Eev. J. B. Ely relates that an oculist just from college commenced business in the city of London, without friends, with- out money, and without patrons. He became discouraged, until ST. MARK. — 10
146 THE GREAT TEXTS OF THE BIBLE
one day, going down one of the streets, he saw a blind man. Looking into his eyes, he said, " Why don't you have your eye- sight restored ? " The usual story was told of having tried many physicians and spent all his money without avail. " Come to my office in the morning," said the oculist. The blind man went. When an operation was performed and proved successful, the patient said : " I haven't got a penny in the world. I can't pay you." " Oh yes," said the oculist, " you can pay me, and I shall expect you to do so. There is just one thing I want you to do, and it is very easy. Tell it ; tell everybody you see that you were blind, and tell them who it was that healed you."
The Carpenter.
Literature.
Campbell (J. M.), Bible Questions, 77.
Clifford (J.), The Dawn of Manhood, 34.
Davies (D.), Talks with Men, Women, and Children, 4tli Ser. 437.
Davies (J. P.), The Same Tilings, 168.
Farquliar (J.), The Schools and Schoolmasters of Christy 61.
Halsey (J.), The Beauty of the Lord, 213.
Jackson (G.), The Tahle-Talk of Jesus, 19, 37.
Jefferson (C. E.), My Father's Business, 147.
Jerdan (C), Pastures of Tender Grass, 44.
Laurie (E.), in Christ and His People, 121.
Manning (H. E.), Sermons, ii. 220.
Matheson (G.), Thoughts for Life's Journey, 143.
Morgan (G. C), The Hidden Years at Nazareth.
New (C), The Baptism of the Spirit, 231.
Pearse (M. G.), The Gentleness of Jesus, 29.
Purves (P. C), The Divine Cure for Heart Trouble, 89.
Selby (T. G.), The Divine Craftsman, 1.
Stubbs (C. W.), in Lombard Street in Lent, 164.
Tymms (T. V.), The Private Relationships of Christ, 73.
Christian World Pulpit, t. 232 (Dorimg; ; x. 85 (Johnston) ; xii. 124
(Palmer) ; xlv. 129 (Stubbs) ; li. 118 (Pearse) ; Ixvii. 264 (Tymms) ;
Ixxi. 17 (Holland) ; Ixxvi. 40 (Steele). Church of England Pulpit, xxxvii. 241 (Stubbs) ; Ixii. 90 (Holland). Expositor, 5th Ser., iii. 95 (Bruce). Homiletic Review, v. 220 (Jones). Preacher's Magazine, [1897] 60 (Pearae). 20th Century Pastor, xxvi. 66 (Kelly).
The Carpenter.
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and J udas, and Simon ? and are not his sisters here with us ? And they were offended in him. — vi. 3.
Jesus had gone up to the city of Nazareth. Once before He had visited it, immediately after His baptism and at the very beginning of His ministry, only to be angrily rejected with furious violence. This time His fame, which was being spread through the land, led them to receive Him with a greater show of welcome. They were eager to hear His words and to see His works. But a second time they turned from Him scorn- fully. " Whence hath this man these things ? " The words may have in them that dark and dreadful meaning which the Pharisees did not hesitate to express more plainly when they ascribed His miracles to the power of the devil. At any rate, the people of Nazareth were offended in Him and went mutter- ing, " Whence hath this man these things ? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon ? and are not his sisters here with us ? "
^ " Is not this the carpenter ? " This is an illuminating question. It throws light ; and it throws the light in two direc- tions. When you hold up a lamp or lantern in order to see the face of some one approaching you in the dark, you light up, not only the face of the person approaching you, but you light up your own face as well. When these people ask the question, " Is not this the carpenter ? " they light up their own faces and also the face of Jesus.