Jesus our friend; the life of Christ told in picture, song and story

Preface

WHY I WRITE THIS BOOK.

F OR several years the writer has, with blackboard, crayon and colored illustrations, been telling in picture, song and story, about “Jesus Our Friend.”

This book, written in lecture rather than regular book style, is an effort to reach many more with “the old, old story of Jesus and His love.” I have written for the common people, rather than the scholarly, wishing to be understood by all, and especially by the dear boys and girls whom Jesus loved and still loves, and whom He is now as willing to bless as when the Judean mothers brought their little ones to Him.

The Author.

•US, A COMPLETE SAVIOUR

In the parapets of a bridge leading to an Austrian city are numerous statues of the Saviour. One represents Him as the Sower, another as the Good Shepherd, another as the Carpen¬ ter, another as the Great Physician, and others in still other characters.

As the simple-minded people from the country come into the city, with their produce for the early morning market, they pause and offer their morning prayer before the statue of Christ the Sower; the carpenters and others on the way to their workshops, pause and pray before the statue of Christ the Carpenter. As the mists of the morning are dispelled by the rising sun, and the invalids creep forth from the city to breath the fresh country air, they pour their morning devotion before the statue of Christ the Great Physician.

There is "doubtless much of superstition in the worship of these people ; but you will notice that each one worships before the statue of the Saviour which brings Him the nearest to his own individual need and thought.

It is the glory of the Christ that He can be everything to everybody everywhere. I am glad that I have such a one to present to you, a complete Saviour; one who is our “all and in all,” and who has been tempted in all points like as we are, and who says to us all: “ Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The Author.

Introduction

To introduce the book and the writer of the same is the purpose and plan of the usual introduction. I wish, instead, to present to you my Lord and Master, of whom I write.

After several years of sweet communion, blessed fellowship and enjoyable service; finding in Him a complete Saviour and Redeemer, I have an intense desire that all who read these lines may find in Him the same loving Saviour and compas¬ sionate Friend.

W. N. Tenney.

Boston, Mass., Aug. io, 1905.

A Pen Picture of The Christ

* • r f "'HE following is the only reliable pen picture of Christ as seen in

X actual life, and is an exquisite piece of word painting. It is taken from a MS. now in the possession of Lord Kelley and in his library. It was copied from an original letter of Publius Lentulus at Rome. It being the usual custom of Roman governors to advise the Senate and the people of such material things as happened in their provinces in the days of Tibe¬ rius Caesar, Publius Lentulus, Procurator of Judea, wrote the letter to the Senate:

“‘There appeared in these, our days, a man of great virtue named Jesus Christ, who is yet living amongst us; and of the Gentiles is accepted as a prophet of Truth. He raises the dead and cures all manner of disease. A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely, such as the beholder may both love and fear. His hair of the color of a chestnut full ripe ; plain to His ears, whence downward it is more orient and curling, and waving about His shoulders. In the midst of His head is a seam, a partition in the hair, after the manner of Nazarites. His forehead plain and very delicate ; His face without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a lovely red. His nose and mouth so formed that nothing can be reprehended. His beard is in color like His hair, not very long, but forked. His look, innocent and mature. His eyes, gray, clear, quick and luminous. In reproving He is terrible, His eyes pierc¬ ing— as with a two-edged sword — the greedy, the selfish and the oppres¬ sor, but look with tenderest pity on the weak, the erring and the sinful. Courteous and fair spoken. Pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. In proportion of body most excellent — a man for His singular beauty sur¬ passing the children of men . 111

Contents

CHAP. PAGE

I. The Babe of Bethlehem, and Why He Came.n

II. The Visit of the Wise Men.20

Chapter I The Babe Of Bethlehem, And Why He Came

AKE up, father, come quick ! ” shouted a Bethle¬ hem shepherd lad, who was taking his turn at “keeping watch over their flock by night,” as he ran under the folds of their shelter tent. Listen !

Do you hear the beautiful singing? ”

By this time all the shepherds were aroused and were very much afraid, be¬ cause of the glory of the Lord which shone so brightly about them. An angel visit¬ or said to them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you, good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,”

THE ANGEL VISITOR

Just then the great multitude of angels, whom they had heard singing, came so near that they could hear the words of their wonderful song:

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace,

Good will toward men.”

When the angel choir had finished their singing and started back toward their heavenly home, the shepherds went at once about a mile distant, to Beth¬ lehem, the city and birthplace of David, the shepherd lad and king, and sure enough they found the infant Jesus, the royal Son of David, in the manger-bed, just as the angels said they would, and they bowed around Him in praise, adoration and worship. Then, returning to their flock, they glorified God for what they had seen and heard.

When we speak of Jesus coming into our world, as we believe He has come, we are met by people who say they do not see the need of His coming, and wonder why He came. Let me give you a little illustration to show you the need and necessity of His coming. You who are familiar with the story of the creation of our first parents, Adam and Eve, know that when God made them, He placed them in a very beautiful garden.

I suppose the Garden of Eden was the most lovely spot in the whole world. You have seen many handsome flower gar¬ dens, but none of them would compare with the Garden of Eden, where for a long time they lived in perfect innocence and purity. The picture opposite represents this condition and

ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

71 ND the Lord God planted a garden eastward *** in Eden ; and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food ; the tree (f life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

- r shows the state of union and fellowship that existed between man and his Maker, while he lived in the beautiful garden. But one day the tempter came into the garden, and, listening to his beguiling voice, they partook of the fruit which God had forbid¬ den them to touch. The harmony and union was then broken because of sin, making a separation between God and man.

We ask, Can man do anything to restore himself to favor with God, or to bridge the chasm which sin has made?

The words of the Psalmist come to us,

“None of them can by any means red e e m his brother, nor give to God a

ransom for him.” But, can God do anything for us? Oh, yes ; for we read in John 3 : 16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

And so we learn that Jesus came down from heaven, and that He died upon the cross that we might live; and that “ On Him was laid the iniquity of us all; ” that “ He tasted death for every man; ” and thus the break caused by sin is completely bridged over, and through the cross of Calvary and the death of Jesus upon it, as a sacrifice for sin, man may be restored \ once more to harmony and fellowship with God.

God had said, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof

1 6

thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2: 17.) Adam and Eve ate of the fruit He had forbidden them to touch, and they were driven forth from the beautiful Garden of Eden. But before they were driven out, God made them a precious promise of a coming Redeemer; that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the tempter, and this promise shone out as a ray of light amid the darkness that had gathered around them because of sin.

We do not know whether Adam and Eve ever offered sac¬ rifices to God or not, but we know that their children did. We have here a picture of Cain and Abel as they were out in the field sacrificing to the Lord. Both built an altar and brought an offering unto the Lord;

Cain bringing the fruit of the land,and Abel a firstling of his flock. As the smoke ascended heavenward, God’s approving smile beamed down upon Abel, and his sacrifice was received, because he shed the blood of his lamb as a type of the blood of Christ; thus showing his faith in God’s promise. The offering of Cain was not received, because he did not show faith in God’s promise of the coming Redeemer. Many others, after the days of Abel, had faith in this same promise ; and while the story of their faith would be interesting, it is too long to rehearse here.

We pass now from these Old Testament scenes, sufficing to say that all the sacrifices offered upon Jewish altars so many years ago, pointed by faith to Christ, the Lamb of God, and

CAIN AND ABEL OFFERING SACRIFICE

I 7 showed their faith in God’s promise to send Him into our world.

In passing, we mention the fact of the deliverance of God’s people from the bondage of Egpyt. They had been in cruel servitude for many long years, and the time had come for God’s promise of deliverance to be fulfilled. Several plagues had been visited upon the Egyptians to punish them for their oppression, but the heart of Pharaoh was hard, and he would not let the people go. Finally the Lord told His servant Moses that He would bring one more plague on Egypt; that upon a certain night the destroying angel would pass through the land and slay the first born, from the king on his throne to the slave in the dungeon, and of all their cattle.

He was to tell the people to select from their flocks, upon the tenth day of the month, a lamb of the first year, without blem¬ ish or spot, and to keep it until the fourteenth day, and then in the evening, or, as the marginal reading is, “ between the evenings,” which would be at three o’clock in the afternoon, as we reckon time now; then they were to slay the lamb, and with a bunch of hyssop, sprinkle the blood upon the side posts and lintel of their door.

They were to remain inside the house, behind the blood, and eat the flesh of the lamb that night roasted with fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. It was to be eaten in haste, with their shoes upon their feet, and staff in hand, already to leave the land of bondage.

The following Jewish legend tells the story of this visitation:

A JEWISH LEGEND.

“ When the first passover drew near,

Which darkened Egypt’s land with fear,

A young and gentle Hebrew maid Was on a bed of sickness laid ;

And to her hot and fevered brain An anxious thought gave added pain ;

i8

“ And oft in restless tones she cried,

‘ O, father! is the blood applied Upon the door and lintel high,

That bids the angel pass us by ?

I am the eldest born, you know,

On me would fall the fatal blow.’

“ He tried to soothe her troubled thought With the assurance that she sought;

‘ I told a servant to be sure And put the blood upon the door ; 1 But still her cry came like a prayer,

‘ Say, are you sure the blood is there?’

“ Her father lifted her at last,

And o’er the threshold with her passed, That she herself the door might view ;

No blood was there! her fears were true! The midnight hour was passing by,

And death’s stern messenger drew nigh.

“ ‘ Bring me the blood ! ’ the sick girl said, Her childish voice rang sharp with dread. They brought it at her quick command, She dipped in it her thin, white hand, And stroked the lintel and the door Just as the angel passed before.

“ A moment there in doubt he stood.

And looked upon the undried blood,

Then passed along his death-marked way, While safe , though weak, the maiden lay, Held closely to her father’s breast.

And smiled her thanks for peace and rest.

“ O, careless children of to-day!

How many of you all can say You know the saving blood is there ?

How many strive in anxious prayer,

Till doubt, and fear, and deep distress Give place to peace and blessedness.”

While we do not know that this legend is true, yet we do know it is true that all who were behind the blood that night were safe, and that all through the land of Egypt the next morning there was mourning and sadness because of the death of the first born.

As it was necessary that they in that time of judgment should have the blood of their Passover Lamb upon their houses; so in the day of judgment that is just before us, it will be necessary to have the blood of Christ, our Passover Lamb, upon our hearts that we fall not beneath the power of the destroyer.

“II m>\> %\t c for £bee,

6ave

Wbat

Ibast £bou

Oiven for flDe?”

Christ Our Passover is Sacrificed for Us.”—I. Cor.

“We have seen

His star in the east.”

*

Chapter II The Visit Of The Wise Men

HE next event in the life of Jesus, after the visit of the Bethlehem shepherds, was the circumci¬ sion, which occurred when He was eight days old. At this time He was given His name, JESUS; for an angel had said, “ Thou shalt call His name Jesus — meaning Saviour —for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matt. I : 21.)

And this is just what He does, for He takes us out of sin and sin out of us so completely that, as Paul puts it, “ If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5 : 17.)

This circumcision was a ceremony and token of a cove¬ nant, called by Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:8), “the covenant of circumcision,” which God made with His servant Abram, when he was ninety-nine years of age, and his name was changed from Abram, meaning Father of an eleva¬ tion , to Abraham, which means Father of a great multitude. The descendants of Abraham, the children of Israel, continued to practice this ceremony, and it was made a part of the law and covenant which God gave to them after their deliverance from Egypt, while they were on the way to Canaan, their Land of Promise.

The presentation to the Lord in the temple, when Jesus was forty days old, was also in accord with this law and cove¬ nant, which required the parents to bring a lamb, if able to do so; if not, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.

You will no¬ tice in the picture that Mary has brought the in¬ fant Saviour in her arms, while Joseph has the two little birds in a cage.

Simeon, the de¬ vout man to whom God, by the Holy Spirit, had re¬ vealed the fact that he should not die until he had seen the world’s Re¬ deemer, received presentation in the temple

the babe in his arms, and exclaimed with j’oy, “ Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.” The elderly lady at his side is Anna, the prophetess, who, like Simeon, waited for “ The Consolation of Israel.” She, too, praised the Lord for His gift to men, and spoke of “ Him to all that looked for re¬ demption in Israel.”

From their far-away eastern home wise men, called Magi, came seeking the long-promised Messiah. Led by His won¬ drous star — the Star of Bethlehem — they came asking, “ Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen

His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.” Natu¬ rally, they came to Jerusalem, the capital city of the Promised Land, and soon King Herod and his friends were greatly stirred over this matter.

“ What! a new king,” thought Herod ; “ what will become of me? I must find Him at once.”

Calling to him the teachers of the law of the nation, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

“At Bethlehem, in Judea,” was their answer.

Several hundred years before, the prophet wrote:

“And thou, Bethlehem, in Judah’s Land,

Art in no way least among the chief cities in Judah For, out of thee will come a Chieftain,

One who will shepherd My people Israel.”

Herod then said to the Magi, “ When you find Him bring me word, that I may come and worship Him.” Starting

toward Bethlehem, they soon saw the star, which led them on until it reached and stood over the place where the child was. Entering the house, they saw Him with Mary His mother, and fell at His feet and worshiped Him. They then opened their treasures and pre¬ sented to Him many costly gifts.

Many have thought that the visit of the wise men and of the shepherds were the same; but we have learned that it was a babe in the manger, that the shepherds came to see; while it was a child, and He was found in a house, when the wise men paid Him their visit. Jesus

ADORATION OF THE WISE MEN was several months old when the Magi came and found Him snuggled closely in His mother’s arms, as you see Him in the little picture. They did not return to Herod, because God had told them, in a dream, to go home by another road.

He knew that Herod had a bad purpose in his heart, and soon others found it out. Find¬ ing thatthe wise men had started home without returning to see him, he was so angry that he sent his soldiers to Bethle¬ hem, and killed all the little boys that were under two years of age. This was very wicked THE child jesus

and cruel. How sad the fathers and mothers were !

But God, who had sent His Son into the world, took good

care of Him. He sent an angel to Joseph that night, who said to him, “Awake, take the young child and His mother and go to Egypt, and remain there until I bid thee return.”

Joseph and Mary awoke at once and started with their precious treasure. The Bible does not tell us the name of the place in Egypt where they made their home, nor how long they lived there. They would feel the flight into egypt quite at home, however, for there

were many Jews dwelling in Egypt; many of them in the Nile Valley and of the quarters of Alexandria, with its 300,000 free citizens, two were occupied by the Jews. They would prob¬ ably reach the borderland, the river of Egypt, or, as Milton calls it:

“ The brook that parts Egypt from Syrian ground,”

in about three days. Once there they were beyond the cruel power of Herod. Ancient legends tell us that they lived at Matareeh, a few miles north of Cairo, and remained there about two years.

When Herod was dead their angel visit¬ or came again and brought them word to return to their own land. Many of the Old Testamentprophets wrote of the com¬ ing of Jesus into our world ; and of the three hundred and fifty prophecies that were accomplished resting safely in egypt

when He came in the long ago, as the Babe of Bethlehem, the Man of Sorrows and of Calvary, one is fulfilled at this time, for the prophet had said :

“ Out of Egypt have I called my Son.'

“ And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.”

Chapter III The Boy Of Galilee

ETURNING from Egypt, and finding that the son of Herod was reigning in Judea, Joseph and Mary pressed on into Galilee, and selected Nazareth, “ where He was brought up,” as their future home.

Of these early years we know but very little, but may think of Jesus, “the Boy of Galilee,” as playing with and like other boys; attending the village school and syna¬ gogue, and learning many lessons at His mother’s knee, as He is doing in the little picture.

Some have thought that Jesus never went to school, because the Jews said of Him, at one time, “ How knoweth this man letters, having never learned ? ” But

JESUS AND HIS MOTHER if we remember that the real question was not so much His ability to teach, as it was His authority; and that though attending the school of His boyhood home, He did not have, as we would say now-a-days, the college training to fit Himself for a public teacher, as He lived and was brought up a poor boy, we can the better understand their questions.

He claimed to be the Son of God, and to receive His authority from His Father, and this was really the point of their difference. That Jesus as a boy studied the Bible of His time — the Old Testament — we have abundant evidence, for during His entire ministry He was constantly quoting from it.

We find two very striking examples, at least; one, when He said to the people, “ Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.”

And again on the evening of the day on which He arose from the dead, walking with the two on the road to Emmaus, “ Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Later, that same evening, He said, “ That all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.”

My dear boys and girls, here is a good example for us. Let us all study the Bible and put it into our hearts, as David, the shepherd-king of Bethlehem, once said, “ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” The Revised Version translates this, “ Thy word have I laid up in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Remember also the words of the wise man, “ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Fill your heart and mind with good things, and it will keep the bad ones out. In His wonderful sermon on the mount, among the other beatitudes, Jesus said, “ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

A very important event in the life of Jesus occurred when He was twelve years old. A Jewish boy, when he was twelve

years of age, could go up to the temple at Jerusalem and take part in the celebration of the Passover feast.

The people went up to Jeru¬ salem every year to this feast, and usually traveled in large companies. The little picture at the head of this chapter shows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, and at that part of the journey where He can look across the hills and get His first view of the city.

After they were through with the celebration of the Passover, as the company went homeward, Jesus tarried behind. At the end of their day’s journey, in looking around, Joseph and Mary did not find Jesus among their fellow travelers as they had supposed He was.

Mary knew all the time that He was not with her, but sup¬ posed He was with the other young people in the company.

Many people in our churches to-day do not know Jesus is with them, but believe that He is with others with whom they associate, and hope to come out all right in the end. Let us all be sure that He is with us every day lest, by and by, we find ourselves in a company among whom He is not found, and to whom He will say, “ Depart, I know you not.”

It is a blessed thought that we may be His children now, may know Him. We read, “ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” If we have His Spirit we shall bear the fruits of the Spirit, among which are, “ Love, joy and peace ”

Returning to Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary searched all through the city very diligently, and at last, after three day s searching, they found Him in the temple, among the doctors and lawyers, hear¬ ing and asking them, ques¬ tions, and confounding them with the wisdom with which He spake.

His mother felt badly about the matter, and said to Him, “ Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us?” christ and the doctors

“What made you search for Me?” was the boy’s reply, “Did you not know that I must be at My Father’s House?”

They did not understand what He meant by this, but He went willingly with them to their humble home and did as they desired, His mother pondering over these things as she kept them in her heart.

The next eighteen years of this wonderful life among men is told in one short, but very terse sentence, “ And Jesus in¬ creased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” There is, however, a world of meaning in this short, but graphic description.

One text, Mark 6: 3, gives us some light upon the matter. He was teaching in His own home synagogue, and the people were astonished at His wonderful words, and asked:

“ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? ”

The natural scenery around Nazareth is said to be among the most beautiful to be found anywhere in the world The houses were of white limestone, prettily situated among fig and olive trees, while down below in the valley were gardens in the midst of which was the Fountain of the Virgin from which Nazareth derived its water, and whither doubtless “the boy of

Galilee,” like every boy should to help his mother, frequently went to obtain water for the household. Thus during these silent years He grew up very near the heart of nature.

There is a beautiful tradition that Joseph died while Jesus was yet a boy, and that He worked, not merely to earn His own living, but to help His mother keep the little home together, the family depending upon the fruit of His toil.

Our picture here tells the story of the carpen¬ ter’s humble life at Naza¬ reth : a life of obedience; of faithful and helpful ser¬ vices, as well as of patient waiting and preparation, until the time came for His manifestation unto the lost world that He had come to save.

Thus Jesus not only grew up near the heart of nature, but Nazareth was near the heart of the Land of Israel, and yet — separated from it only by a narrow boundary of hills and streams — Phoenicia, Syria, Arabia, Babylonia and Egypt lay close at hand. The Isles of the Gentiles, and regions of Europe, were almost visible over the shining waters of the Great Sea. No scene of deeper significance for the destinies of humanity could possibly have met the gaze of the youthful Saviour.

Chapter IV The Baptism And Temptation

E pause here, in our story of Jesus, to mention another very closely connected with Him; namely, John the Baptist, who came in ful¬ fillment of God’s promise. We learn that John was in the wilderness until his manifesta¬ tion unto Israel, and the artist in the picture opposite happily caught the thought, as he painted the child John leading a lamb, thus very beautifully representing him as the fore¬ runner of Christ, who was to prepare the way of the Lord.