THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S siah, Philip has no explanation to sug gest. He only says “Come and see.” In the case of the five thousand, the fact that Jesus put the question to Philip to prove him, suggests that of all the Twelve he needed most a stimu lus to spiritual apprehension. He is faithful, however, to what he does know. This is a mark of true great ness. Nathanael, whose family name is Bartholomew, is a man of prayer and vision. He is also a student of Scrip ture. He objects to Nazareth as the town of the Messiah’s origin, having probably Micah 5:2 in mind. His objec tion is not so much an evidence of prej udice as of carefulness to be right. His acknowledgement of Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel indicates prayerful contemplation and spiritual intuition. He is just the kind of char acter to pair off with Philip, the man of dull spiritual vision. Thè Master greets him with a graceful compliment, passing by the little beginning of objec tion, marks the good, encourages the fairness of spirit and brings it into active exercise. • He shows Himself also as one present in time of need, “I was with thee under the fig tree,” and thus develops a stronger trust toward Him self and His call to service. Finally He makes him stronger still by pointing his faith and hope to “greater things”. What a wonderful Master to follow and serve! CROSSING THE BAR It is said Tennyson’s nurse was sit ting one day at his bedside, sharing to a degree the general anxiety about the patient when she said to him suddenly: “You have written a great many poems, sir, but I have never heard anybody say that there is a hymn among them all. I wish, sir, you would write a hymn while you are lying on your sick bed. It might help and comfort many a poor sufferer.” The next morning, when the nurse had taken her quiet place at the bedside, the poet handed her a scrap of paper, saying, “Here is the hymn you wished me to write.” She took it from his hands. It proved to be “Crossing the Bar,” the poem that was sung in Westminster Abbey at Tennyson’s funeral and which has touched so many hearts.
874 three must be also. What a blessed hope it is, when one looks upon the sad condition of the nations today, to be assured that He shall not fail nor be discouraged until He hath set justice in the earth. MONDAY, Sept. 29. John 1:29-42. John and Peter Become Disciples. John and Peter came to Jesus at the game time, John being attracted by the personality of Jesus and Peter, being brought by the personal work of his own brother. They were life-long friends, men of the same town and partners in the same business. Their mutual regard rested upon their contrasts. John ad mires Peter who can act. Peter admires John who can think. John looks up to the man whose efficiency the Master relies on. Peter looks up to the man who is deepest in the secret of their Lord. Though they differed so widely in temperament, they had a common faith and ideals. Their friendship was no doubt an important element in the development of their spiritual life. Upon Peter the Master places more practical reliance. In John He finds more per sonal congeniality. He appoints duties to the active efficiency of the one. He imparts lofty truth to the apprehension and responsiveness of the other. Peter was always impetuous and forward, right or-wrong. John’s self-restraint is evidenced in the reticence of his Gospel writing. He does not name himself at all. ' He does not add to John 1:41, that the other disciple found his own brother James. He does not name his father, mother, brother, nor even his adopted mother committed to his care from the cross. In his epistles he is simply “the elder’’. He might have loved Jesus more than any other disciple loved Him and if it were so, he might have referred to himself as that disciple who loved Jesus. Instead of that he speaks of himself as that disciple whom Jesus loved. John is the only one of the Twelve who is supposed to have sur vived the first century. Tradition says that his last days were passed as pas tor of the church at Ephesus. TUESDAY, Sept. SO. John 1:43-51. Philip Eindeth Nathanael. Philip and Nathanael are companions and friends like Peter and John. Philip is somewhat slow of comprehension. When Nathanael protests against Naza reth as the home of the prophesied Mes-
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