Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as the unwearied
servant of man's necessity. He "took our infirmities, and
bare our sicknesses," that He might minister to every need
of humanity. The burden of disease and
wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission
to bring to men complete restoration; He came to give them
health and peace and perfection of character. Varied were the circum
stances and needs of those who
besought His aid, and none who came to Him went away
unhelped. From Him flowed a stream of healing power, and in
body and mind and soul men were made whole. The Saviour's work was not restricted to any time or
place. On so large a scale
did He conduct His work of healing and teaching that there
was no building in Palestine large enough to receive the
multitudes that thronged to Him. On the green hill slopes
of Galilee, in the thoroughfares of travel, by the
seashore, in the synagogues, and in every other place where
the sick could be brought to Him, was to be found His
hospital. In every city, every town, every village, through
which He passed, He laid His hands upon the afflicted ones
and healed them. Wherever there were hearts ready to
receive His message, He comforted them with the assurance
of their heavenly Father's love. All day He ministered to
those who came to Him; in the evening He gave attention to
such as through the day must toil to earn a pittance for
the support of their families. Jesus carried the awful weight of responsibility for the
salvation of men. He knew that unless there was a decided
change in the principles and purposes of the human race,
all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul, and
none could appreciate the weight that rested upon Him. Through childhood, youth, and manhood He walked alone. Yet
it was heaven to be in His presence. Day by day He met
trials and temptations; day by day He was brought into
contact with evil and witnessed its power upon those whom
He was seeking to bless and to save. Yet He did not fail or
become discouraged. In all things He brought His wishes into strict abeyance
to His mission. He glorified His life by making everything
in it subordinate to the will of His Father. When in His
youth His mother, finding Him in the school of the rabbis,
said, "Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us?" He
answered,--and His answer is the keynote of His lifework,-"How
is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be
about
My Father's business?" Luke 2:48, 49. His life was one of constant self-sacrifice. He had no
home in this world except as the kindness of friends
provided for Him as a wayfarer. He came to live in our
behalf the life of the poorest and to walk and work among
the needy and the suffering. Unrecognized and unhonored, He
walked in and out among the people for whom He had done so
much. He was always patient and cheerful, and the afflicted
hailed Him as a messenger of life and peace. He saw the
needs of men and women, children and youth, and to all He
gave the invitation, "Come unto Me." During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing
the sick than to preaching. His miracles testified to the
truth of His words, that He came not to destroy, but to
save. Wherever He went, the tidings of His mercy preceded
Him. Where He had passed, the objects of His compassion
were rejoicing in health and making trial of their newfound
powers. Crowds were collecting around them to hear
from their lips the works that the Lord had wrought. His
voice was the first sound that many had ever heard, His
name the first word they had ever spoken, His face the
first they had ever looked upon. Why should they not love
Jesus and sound His praise? As He passed through the towns
and cities He was like a vital current, diffusing life and
joy.
