MARY AND MARTHA.

FROM THE GERMAN OF F. W. KRUMMACHER.

BY L. H. S.

Mary, Lazarus, Martha! We might point to these as impersonations of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith sits, an attentive listener, at Jesus' feet, Mary; Hope is silent, gazes upwards and attains the crown,-Lazarus; Charity labors, bestirs herself and serves,-Martha. But why look for pictures, when the history itself speaks so grandly, and unfolds such rich treasures of thought before us? Mary, Lazarus, Martha ! There is scarcely to be found, in the consciousness of the Church, any other three persons of sacred history with such well-defined forms and marked traits of character.

Bethany! Who can hear the sweet sound of this name, and not dream of an ante-chamber of heaven in the valley of death? Such was the house of the three. Nowhere, prior to the great day of the outpouring of the Spirit, was the new spiritual life developed in such fullness, freshness and depth as here. The family of Bethany furnishes a living type of the perfected kingdom of Christ on earth, that is most edifying and refreshing to the heart. As though in the loveliest enclosure of His divine garden full of the flowers of hope, the Lord was accustomed to retire here after the labor and heat of the day. One may think that the words of the Song of Solomon apply to his visits to Bethany: "My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies."

The divine Friend of sinners found in Mary's heart a fertile and productive soil for the heavenly seed of His Word. A deeply-felt need of salvation brought this earnest and finely-strung soul to Him, and caused her to look for the divine Mediator in the Man of Nazareth, before even He had judged it meet to reveal Himself to the world. In the depths of her spirit, with the cry of Asaph: "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee," even when first she met Him, a tender ivy seeking support and aid, she fastened herself to Him with all the fibres of her inner life. What she had sought in anguish, but had nowhere found, she found in exceeding abundance in Him. Perhaps for a long time she knew not what name to give it, nevertheless it was hers. When she sat at His feet listening to His words of life, she felt this was the object of her most secret and holiest longing; and when He looked at her with eyes full of compassion, a joyous peace flowed into her heart, from an invisible miraculous fountain, in the double assurance of guilt blotted out and adoption as a child of God secured, such as she had scarcely dreamed of before.

What a festival day it was in the cottage at Bethany, as often as He repeated His visits fraught with blessings! Then the house seemed a

temple to the young disciple, her poor chamber the Holy of Holies which the glory of the Lord was filling. She had eyes and ears then only for Him. As the bee in the floral cup rich with honey, so was her soul absorbed in every sound that proceeded from His lips. As the morning star, losing its own brightness in the sea of rays that stream forth from the rising sun, so was she lost in the glory, of which John testifies: "We beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Luke, the Evangelist, introduces us to such a festival scene. The pious woman there meets us wholly devoted to the everlasting magnet of her heart. Living waters flow from His mouth, she drinks them in full, blissful draughts. But along with His words of wisdom she drinks in His own image, with His words of consolation she takes Himself to her heart. Martha, the older sister, probably a widow, as she was the owner of the house, is occupied with the preparation of the evening meal for the distinguished guest. She also is overjoyed to know under her own roof the Man, of whose fame Judea was then full, and whose divine mission so unmistakably shone forth in radiant beams streaming from His brow. What, however, moved her soul so joyously now was more the honor of His presence than the necessity of her own salvation. More occupied with business matters than Mary, and at present less concerned with the true state and inmost needs of her heart, she had barely in her meditations recognized in Jesus the divinely-sent Teacher and Prophet, and her love for Him was, with all its sincerity and fervor, at first more of an enthusiastic human admiration of the ideal of moral beauty and loveliness which seemed to her embodied in His character, than the sanctified, unconditional resignation of a lost child to Him, as its own Saviour and Redeemer. But the Gospel expressly says, "Jesus loved Martha." Why should He not have loved her? There could not have been found a more honest, ingenuous, and well-meaning soul in all Israel; and Jesus who recognized in her simplicity the seal of divine election, was pleased with the rose although then only in the bud.

It is true that a trait soon manifests itself in Martha, which superficially considered, may cause us to err as to the ingenuousness and earnestness of the loving woman. While busily engaged in preparing for the evening meal, she sees Mary sitting in raptures at the Master's feet, and she dares to interrupt Him in His remarks to her thirsting for grace, at the same time addressing in a tone not without irritation these somewhat angry words to Him: "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she shall help me."

We regret this demonstration, which with one rough blast strips the delicate enamel from her character. If Martha had, without complaint or side-glances, continued in her domestic labor of love, this would not have occurred to us as a mark of reproach to the busy housekeeper, nor would we have thought of it as the mark of a heart not wholly devoted to the Lord. We may say, that such persons also have their place in the kingdom of God, and that even in such shapes ingenious and untiring love for the Lord may show itself. The fact that she not only fails to comprehend the devotion of Mary to Jesus, but would draw her away from her complete absorption in the mediatorial glory of the Only-begotten of the Father to her own state of distracting domestic activity, this seems re

markable, and betrays the superficial nature of her faith in general, as well as of her conceptions of the Person of Jesus and particularly of the ultimate object of His mission. Do you say, that perhaps there was a gloomy misgiving that her sister having honored their distinguished guest more highly and treated him more courteously than she had done, might have occasion to rejoice in no small preference at His hand? Indeed it seems that, although there was something like jealousy in the look she cast at the pious soul clinging to Jesus, with involuntary self-accusation at the same time in her own breast, and as though proof is shown in her angry words that, although hardly conscious of it, she aimed at removing the object of her envy. If we think of Martha's genial disposition (and we are justified in doing so), we may reconcile ourselves with this inexcusable outburst of ill-humor, inasmuch as we may believe that she then began to be conscious of what was wanting in her, and we may entertain the hope that the better spirit, against which she had been contending, had prevailed.

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"Martha, Martha !" With this word the Lord checks the restless wanderer in her path of error. What the crowing of the cock was to falling Peter, the repetition of the word Martha was to her. There certainly never had been manifested in words so much forbearing tenderness with such searching sharpness, so much loving gentleness with such powerful earnestness as in those words of reproach which the Lord directed against Martha "Thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Unmistakably He first reproaches Martha for regarding and treating His visit to her house too much as though it were that of a mere man, where He had not come solely on His own account, and least of all to have a meal prepared for Him. But the meaning of His words passes beyond this into the spiritual, and He censures Martha's distraction and occupation with minor cares and troubles, in order to make Him comfortable under her roof, when He had not come to be served but to serve her, and above all that she might think of making His gracious presence profitable to her immortal soul, and that, listening and believing, she might receive the fullness of His salvation. The Lord does not rebuke her much serving as such. A commentator justly remarks on this passage," Willingly He accepts love that is active about many things. Very often there is great need of outward activity for the Lord, and it is praiseworthy to be careful about many things." The Lord only reproves the distracting mental character that underlies her service. One thing is needful; that man should partake of Him, should eat and be nourished by the bread of heaven unto divine life. Mary has chosen that good part, not merely because she is sitting in listless contemplation at the feet of Jesus, but because, separating herself from all other cares, she confines herself to one thing that she may secure the likeness of Christ in her, and thus tread the way in which she alone acquires ability to serve the Lord. Mary's part shall not be taken away from her. That which Martha secures, viz.: the sweet consciousness that her household affairs have been properly cared for, and that everything has been made agreeable to her great Guest, is all vanity and without permanent comfort, to say nothing of saving significance. Mary, on the other hand, lays up a good foundation for the future and secures by her believing apprehension of Christ, a treasure that will endure forever.

That Martha understood the words of admonition uttered by the Lord and shared in the blessings of the same is beyond question. The peculiar stamp of her natural disposition was indeed not erased afterwards, but it was sanctified and glorified. She continued to be with every advance in inward sanctification, the same cheerful, active Martha specially attached to the business and service of love. Like Peter to John, so was she attached to her sister Mary. However different the caskets, the hidden treasure was the same in each.

Lazarus, the beloved brother, was ill, and at a time, to the great sorrow of the sisters, when the Master was far distant in the wilderness beyond Jordan. We can easily understand that the first thought of the sorrowing sisters would be of Him. As soon as the sickness assumed a serious character a message was sent to Him, which, out of respect for His feelings, was tenderly and thoughtfully expressed in these words: "Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick." They trusted that He would hasten to Bethany immediately on the receipt of the news; but their hope was disappointed. The messenger returned without Him; but he brought to the sisters, borne down with sorrow, the heart-relieving answer: "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." What wonder that they interpreted these enigmatic words to signify that their brother should not die, but should recover to the praise of God. How great was their consternation, when on the other hand they found the sickness increasing hourly, and that at last that which they thought impossible had occurred, the face of their dear brother had become pale in death. Oh! they were not able to hear the words of rich promise which the Master spoke when the news of Lazarus' death reached Him. "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of his sleep." And when His disciples, not understanding the figure, answered Him: "Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well," then He added, speaking more plainly: "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." But all this was not heard by them, and it is difficult to say which bowed them down most in sorrow, sadness at the irreparable loss they had experienced, or anguish on account of the grievous disappointment they had felt, obscuring as it did the glory of their Lord.

Lazarus had lain in the grave four days already when the news reached the mourners of Bethany that the Master was near at hand. Immediately Martha, quite in accordance with her temperament, ran to meet Him, for whom she had so ardently longed. But it harmonized more with the character of Mary, weighed down with grief, to remain in the house and to receive Him amid its quiet, away from the noise of the streets. "Lord"-these are Martha's words of welcome as she meets Jesus "if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." How true were both Martha's thoughts and words! It could not have been, that any one should become the victim of death in the presence of Him, who is life itself. "But I know"-Martha continued "that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee." She recognized Jesus as the Only, and Well-beloved Son of His heavenly Father; whence was grounded her hope, but not her faith. Nevertheless Martha appears to us already in fact to have made some spiritual progress. The Lord

seeks by degrees to lift her up to higher views of His person and mission. At first He confirms the confidence she expresses in Him with the emphatic declaration-"Thy brother shall rise again." When Martha misapprehends the proper signification of these words and begins to generalize and to weaken the assurance, which brought but little comfort to her sorrowing soul, that Lazarus at some far distant time in the future, -at the last day-would rise again, then the Lord graciously reveals Himself in full, bearing this strong testimony: "I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." Martha is convinced. Her soul is reverently bowed down in the dust before the Lord and, as though it were the echo of His own testimony, the confession is wrung from her inmost heart--" Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God which should come into the world."

Upon the wings of joyous expectation she hastens back to Bethany and, with the view of preventing a useless concourse of people, she whispers to her sister Mary, who was surrounded with a crowd of neighbors and relatives who were there to comfort her: "The Master is come and calleth for thee." This announcement gives wings also to Mary's feet. Having come where the Lord was, she sinks sobbing at His feet, and says, more clearly understanding the meaning of her words than Martha : Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." "When

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Jesus therefore saw her weeping," the account states, "and the Jews also weeping, which had come with her, He groaned in spirit, and was troubled," that is, He gave Himself wholly up to the profound, holy indignation that had seized Him, the indignation of the Holy One of Israel, of the Lord of heaven and earth, against sin as the frightful parent of all the misery and crime on the earth. Then He spake with the quiet dignity of Him, who was superior to all the powers of perdition; "Where have ye laid him?" The answer was: "Lord, come and see.' "And Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him." Others said other things. After He had come to the grave, He commanded: "Take ye away the stone." And now there is shown once more in contrast with His glory, the utter weakness of the human heart, of little faith, occupied with outward appearances, far removed and estranged from the sphere of divine action, and entirely bound down in its thoughts by the limits of the humanly possible. "Lord, by this time he stinketh," says Martha, for he hath been dead four days." In answer to this lamentable and frivolous utterance, there follows the voice of Majesty to rouse the weakness of faith from its poor, dark, earthly dreams: "Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God." Then the stone was removed, and every one knows that the assurance of the Lord that "the sickness was not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of Man might be glorified thereby"was true. There occurred that glorious miracle of the resurrection illuminating the world with imperishable splendor, with which there is bound up on all sides such great results: results ripe for the demons of perdition, and others for the reward of godly faith. Beyond all doubt Martha's complete enlightenment and second birth took place simultaneous with that matchless self-glorification of the Master. Many have been, in a spiritual way, raised with Lazarus from the dead; but that which the sisters had lived to see was an ascension rather than a resurrection.