Part 5 (2/2)

For this wors.h.i.+p of the Virgin Mary there is a reason. Satan could not successfully lead astray so many millions of people, despite a preached gospel and a printed Bible, unless there was some truth lying at the root of this ineradicable Virgin wors.h.i.+p. This root we shall discover when we recall woman's position prior to the advent of Christ, the place she was called upon to fill in the scheme of redemption, and the influences set in motion by the life of Christ upon the earth.

1. _Let us notice woman's position previous to the advent_. Before Christ came, woman was regarded as inferior to man. She had lost her equality. She was excluded from general intercourse, and her confinement to her own home and apartments, without education, without social recognition, left her without strength of character, self-reliance, or resources with herself. ”Woman's safety in society lies in two elements: her own virtue and intelligence, and the consequent respect for her which such a character inspires. Where these two things are found, she may partic.i.p.ate in general society, mingling freely with men as their equals, and regarded, it may be, even as their superiors. Here, it may be worthy of note, that no such estimate or honor is ever put upon woman except when Christianity has given her this elevation.”

Before Christ appeared, the qualities honored as divine were peculiarly the virtues of the man--courage, wisdom, truth, strength.

Womanly virtues were regarded as puerile and contemptible, and woman herself was little better than a slave.

2. _Notice the place woman filled in the scheme of redemption_. It is admitted by those who recognize the Word of G.o.d as authority, that the Atonement required the sacrifice of one whose nature represents equally the dignity of the Law-maker and the humanity of the transgressor. In him Deity and humanity must be united: Deity, that he may give value to the offering; humanity, that he may obey the positive precepts and endure the penal sanction of the law human nature has violated. It was therefore essential that the prophecy of Isaiah, uttered six hundred years before the advent, should be fulfilled, viz., ”Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel--G.o.d with us.” This work had been accomplished, and Mary was honored with the privilege of taking the words of Eve, ”I have gotten a man with Jehovah,” and making it no longer a prophecy, but a fact. So we sing,--

”Thou wast born of woman; them didst come, O, Holiest! to this world of sin and gloom, Not in thy dread omnipotent array; And not by thunder strewed Was thy tempestuous road,-- Nor indignation burned before thee on thy way; But thou, a soft and naked child, Thy mother undefiled, In the rude manger laid to rest, From off her virgin breast.”

Then, for the first time, the mother resumed her place. When the wise men came into the house they saw the young child, with Mary his mother, and fell down and wors.h.i.+pped him; and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. The old Eastern custom, which placed the child before the mother, was now understood. G.o.d guarded against making Mary first, and at the same time provided for her a place. When G.o.d appeared to Joseph in a dream, he did not say, Take the mother and child, but the ”young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.” This brings us naturally to consider--

3. _The influences set in motion by the life of Christ upon the earth_. First, let us review the history of Christ's personal relations to Mary. Up to twelve years of age, his home was in Nazareth; and Luke declares (second chapter, fortieth verse), ”The child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of G.o.d was upon him. And when he was twelve years old, his parents went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. For three days he was away from them. When they found him he was in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us?

Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.”

It is noticeable that Luke mentions Joseph before he mentions the mother; and when Mary speaks, she ignores the miraculous conception, and calls him the son of Joseph. But Jesus _does not forget_ his origin, nor does he recognize Joseph as father, but says, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them; but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. ”And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with G.o.d and man.”--Luke ii. 42.

Again, at Cana of Galilee, there was a marriage, and the mother of Jesus was there. Eighteen years have pa.s.sed since we last saw him in the temple, when Mary ignored his miraculous conception, and when Jesus rebuked her, by a.s.serting his Sons.h.i.+p and by claiming G.o.d as Father. At Cana both Jesus and his disciples are invited to the wedding. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, ”Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” Plainly, and in the most emphatic manner, Christ refuses to recognize Mary as intercessor or director. A third instance is still more marked. Jesus is talking to an immense mult.i.tude, and is making a hand-to-hand fight with Pharisees and Scribes. ”While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.”

Evidently Mary had no idea of the character or the mission of the Man Christ Jesus, but feeling that he was popular, she was glad to exhibit her relations.h.i.+p in a public manner, and so through the throng sent in word, saying, ”Tell Jesus his mother and his brethren stand without, desiring to speak with him.” But he answered, and said unto him that told him, ”Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?” It is not difficult to picture the G.o.d-man shaking off the trammels of the flesh and rising to the height of his great work. What a contrast is presented between the second and the first Adam! The first Adam yielded without remonstrance to Eve, who had wors.h.i.+pped the creature rather than the Creator, and thus paved the way for the introduction of idolatry; while the second Adam--the Lord of Glory--withstood the influences of Mary, rebuked her intermeddling and dictation, and stood forth to his work in the declaration as he Stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, ”Behold my mother and my brethren.

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is MY BROTHER, AND SISTER, AND MOTHER.”

Again, while Christ was conversing with his disciples, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, ”Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” Thus suddenly flamed up this pa.s.sion for Mariolatry. It was instantly rebuked by the words, ”Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of G.o.d and keep it.” Thus he tore the crown from the brow of Mary woven by the irreligious, and intimated that, as Mary was greater than Eve, because of her identification with Himself, so whosoever should believe in Christ, and serve him, should be the equal of Mary. The purpose of G.o.d in forming Eve, should be realized in the womanly character resulting from a reception of the truth as it is in Jesus, and by doing the will of G.o.d on the earth.

Thus he severed the tie binding him to family, and proclaimed himself the Son of Man, and the Son of G.o.d, the Brother of the Faithful. From this declaration came the brotherhood and sisterhood of the church of Christ, so that no matter what be the rank or position of the worldling redeemed by the blood of Christ, he becomes an equal shareholder in love, and is recognized as a partaker in the fellows.h.i.+p of the church.

At the cross we find Mary standing with others. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, ”Woman, behold thy son.” Then saith he to the disciple, ”Behold thy mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own house. Once more she appeal's as wors.h.i.+pper, and not as the wors.h.i.+pped. Her name is mentioned, with others, in Acts i. 14, as being with the disciples in the Pentecostal chamber waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit.

From this scriptural testimony, it is apparent that the Saviour, by his conduct towards his mother, s.h.i.+elded the church from the curse of Mariolatry. Had he yielded in one instance, reasons for supporting the claims of Romanism had been furnished. Mary was only a woman. She was honored of G.o.d just as far as she served G.o.d, and when she turned aside she was no more than any other person. Her perceptions of Christ's work were not as distinct or comprehensive as were those of Mary the sister of Lazarus, or of Mary Magdalene. In this Mary was not peculiar. Very frequently women a.s.sociated with great workers fail to appreciate the character of the work committed to them to do. To the world a worker may seem to be a wonder. To the one most intimately a.s.sociated with him he is a very ordinary individual. It is said a man is never a hero to his servant. Is it not almost as true of his wife?

A living great man is ordinary in so many things in his daily life, that the wife forgets his greatness. The wife of John Milton saw but a blind man in the bard, dwelling upon his immortal thought and evolving his world-renowned poem. As the eagle stirs up her nest, compelling her broodlings to exert themselves, so G.o.d sometimes suffers a good man to link his fortunes with a woman who is ill-mated with him in every way. In the light of the fact that Jesus found little or no appreciation in the society of Mary, and sought the home-joys elsewhere, woman ought to learn a lesson. Is it not possible that you mistake your mission, and strike the rock of stumbling in your home, rather than avoid it by ignoring that which is grand and admirable in the life of him with whom you are a.s.sociated? Doubtless in a busy man, now full of joy, and now morose; now engrossed by a thought or scheme to such an extent that he forgets himself and his family, and now idle and listless as a boy,--it may be hard, yet it is none the less a duty for woman to love him for what he is, and to see to it that he be ministered unto in his efforts. O, how dear to the heart of a working man--no matter whether he toil with brain or hand--who feels that his wife understands him, defends and protects him, and keeps the home bright with love, though tempests may sweep across the path that leads him into the world! There is a lesson here which belongs to men.

Mary's lack of appreciation did not turn Jesus from his work. It permitted his true character to appear to better advantage. It tore down the scaffolding of Mariolatry, and permitted the G.o.d-man to stand forth in his grand proportions. ”Wist ye not I must be about my Father's business?” said Jesus. Many men make trouble at home an excuse for going to the bad. It is not an excuse. The design of home trouble may be to send a man to Jesus; to make the tendrils of love twine about the heavenly rather than the earthly. It surely is not to induce a man to twine his affections about the devilish and earthly.

It is not manly thus to do.

_Man moves in three circles_. The first is that of Self; the second that of Family; the third that of Country. A man who properly performs duties that pertain to himself, we shall not call n.o.ble. By neglecting family he becomes less than a man. By performing them never so well he comes not to merit applause. Distinctive n.o.bleness begins with the third cla.s.s. It is when he rises above self and family, when he looks abroad on the family of mankind, that he takes the alt.i.tude which in a man is distinctively great; when he feels no longer the little necessities which compel, or the little pleasures which allure, and yet is able to contemplate men as a great brotherhood of immortals, with a gaze a.n.a.logous to Him in whose image he is made; when he can look on the world through the light of eternity, and is willing to suffer all things, and to endure all things, that by him and through him blessings may reach others,--then it is he does that which it is the high privilege of man on this earth to do, and becomes a power to which under G.o.d humanity owes all it has achieved in time. ”I serve”

is the law of the living forces of mankind. Each man and woman has a place. If they fill it, they furnish a channel along which G.o.d's beneficent purposes find their way to a lost world. If they do not fill it, they are set aside, and the verdict of the world is, Served them right.

It if surprising that, after Mary had been rebuked at Cana of Galilee, that she should have presumed to have interrupted Jesus in the presence of the mult.i.tude. It is instructive that Christ taught us that the tie binding us to G.o.d and to humanity, is the most sacred of all; for while it made the G.o.d-man a brother to us, it makes us co-workers with G.o.d in carrying forward the enterprises with which men are identified on the earth. When a man is true to self, to humanity, and to G.o.d, and so girds himself with the strength arising from confidence, he deserves the support, if not the admiration, of those with whom he is a.s.sociated. It was unworthy of Mary to ignore the Divine origin of Jesus, and call Joseph his father before the elders.

She thought to raise herself by lowering him. He would not be lowered.

By his mother and by the world he knew that he had a right to be recognized as the Son of G.o.d. This tendency to belittle greatness lives yet. Men are seldom known until they die. We praise the dead and ignore the living, as a rule. There is too little respect shown to men occupying positions of public trust. There is too little respect shown in the household. The father and mother are not honored in the home as they deserve to be, and in the state the same principle rules. ”Thou shall not speak evil of the ruler of thy people,” is an apostolic precept, and the command, ”Honor thy father and thy mother,” was repeatedly reiterated by Christ.

It is a significant fact, that Eve was led astray by Satan in the same direction that was Mary. Mariolatry is only the outgrowth of the seedling that lay dormant in Mary's heart, and is indigenous. It is not natural for us to be contented with being used as an instrument for glorifying G.o.d. We desire to be honored, as something more than an instrument. In fact, it is true, that all are, no matter what their powers or capacities, instrumentalities employed of G.o.d for distinct purposes. Against this power we revolt and are thrust aside. The _really_ great delight to recognize this truth, and their prayer is, ”Use me for thy glory” and for the world's advantage.

Another truth incidentally appears, and furnishes the root of Mariolatry. We come to appear to the world what we really are. Mary was tempted to place herself above Christ, and so we are not surprised that those who have turned against Christ should join the tempter in placing Mary above her Son. The refutation is the life of Christ, who died for man, and the life of Mary, who never forgot herself in thinking of others. The triumph of Mary was won by submission. Had she revolted against Christ, she had lost all. In the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, the apostle speaks of the glory of the women as of a thing distinct from the glory of the men. They are the two opposite poles of the sphere of humanity. ”Their provinces are not the same, but different. The qualities which are beautiful when predominant in one are not beautiful when predominant in the other.

That which is the glory of the one is not the glory of the other.” The glory of true womanhood is a combination of various qualities, many of which were ill.u.s.trated by the life of Mary. She was considerate of others. She was submissive. As has been said, ”In the very outset of the Bible, submission is revealed as her peculiar lot and destiny.

If you were merely to look at the words as they stand declaring the results of the fall, you would be inclined to call that vocation of obedience a curse but in the spirit of Christ it is transformed, like labor, into a blessing.” The origin or root of Mariolatry has been accounted for in the following manner: ”In all Christian ages the especial glory ascribed to the Virgin Mother is purity of heart and life. Gradually in the history of the Christian church, the recognition of this became idolatry. The works of early Christian art commonly exhibit the progress of this perversion. They show how Mariolatry grew up. The first pictures of the early Christians simply represent the woman. By and by we find outlines of the mother and the child. In an after age, the Son is seen sitting on a throne, with the mother crowned, but sitting, as yet, below him. In an age still later, the crowned mother is on a level with the Son. Later still, the mother is on a throne above the Son. And, lastly, a Romish artist represents the Eternal Son, in wrath, about to destroy the earth, and the Virgin Intercessor interposing, pleading by significant att.i.tudes her maternal rights, and redeeming the world from his vengeance. Such was, in fact, the progress of virgin wors.h.i.+p.”

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