THE COLBORNE EXPRESS, COLBORNE, ONT., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17th, 1938 & Sunday School ^ Lesson LESSON VIII ©HOOSING COMPANIONS IN SERVICE Mark 3:7-19, 31-35 Golde* Text -- "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother." -- Mark 3:35. THE LESSON IN ITS SETTING Time--The healing of thu multi-tudes and the choosing of the Twelve took place in the summer of AD.. 28; the incident regarding Jesus' being sought by his mother and brethren occurred in the autumn of that year. Place -- The healing of the multitudes occurred along the shore of the Sea of Galilee; the call of the Twelve took place somewhere near Capernaum; the teaching regarding our close relationship to Christ if we do the will of God was uttered in Galilee. Growing Reputation "And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea." Jesus retired from his work in order to escape his enemies, or to pray in solitude. "And a great multitude from Galilee followed." Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee are located in the province of Galilee, whore many Gentiles lived. "And from Judaea. And from Jerusalem. And from Idumaea, and beyond the Jordan." Idumaea is the Greek name for Edom. "And about Tyre and Sid-on." These were the two groat cities of Syrophoenicia, located on the Mediterranean Sea northwest of Galilee. These lines bear strong testimony to the growing reputation of Jesus, a recognition on the part of the common people of his great ability to teach and to perform miracles . "A great multitude, hearing what great things he d.id, came unto him." Only the Galileans followed him to the lake the others could hardly be said to follow him, bit they came to him after-Wards, for they had heard of the many things which he did. His Desire to be Near Men "And he spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait, on him because of the crowd, lest they should throng him." The reference here is probably to a light boat, in contrast to the larger fishing-smacks. The boat was to keep close to the shore, moving When he moved, so as to be ready at any moment to receive him. "For he had healed many; insomuch that as many as had plagues. Pressed Onto him that they might touch him." Actually the great mass of people that had come together were so intent on reaching the Lord Jesus, even if it meant only to touch his garments, thaJt tkey tbvew themselves on him in flieir eagerness. "And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou Art the Son of God." Evil spirits at this time seem to have known the true deity of the Lord Jesus Christ even better than his own disciples. "And he charged them much that they should not make him known." He charged them in order that they should not make hip known. There will come a time when all the hosts of evil will be compelled to bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all (Phil. 2:10, 11), but that time had not yet come, and Jesus did not want any word of confirmation from these beings whom he knew to be his determined, incessant enemies. The Twelve Apostles Called "And he goeth up into the mountain." The location of this mountain is not known, and speculation is a waste of time. "And calleth unto him whom he himself would; and they went unto him." It is not said how many he called up to the mountain, probably quite a group, certainly more than twelve. It was out of this group that he called up into the mountain that the Twelve were appointed. •'And he appointed twelve." Neither the word disciple nor apostle is found in our text, but every reader knows that these twelve are those who are called elsewhere the Twelve, or the twelve disciples, or the twelve apostles. "That they might now be with him:" it ever there were to be men to carry on the Lord's work after he was gone, then these men must be trained, they must live so close to the Lord that they would imbibe his very principles and spirit, and come to know Christ truly and i nshakably as the very Son of God. "And that he might ssnd them forth to preach." The word here translated to preach means to herald, and conveys the idc i of authority, a herald being an official who makes public proclamation of city affairs. The proclamation which they wore to make was the coming of the kingdom of God. "And to have authority to cast out demons." Jesus empowered the Twelve to work all the different kinds of miracles which he himself wrought omitting only those in the world of nature, like stilling the tempest, and walking on the sea. By authority is meant both the power ind the right to do a thing. A Man Regenerated Peter, the most prominent character among the Twelve, stands at tne head of all the lists, and Judas Iscar-iot at the foot, carefully designated as the traitor. "And Simon he surnamed Peter." Peter is the English form of a Greek word meaning a rock. Simon was anything else but a rock when Jesus had found him, but the Lord gave him a new name to indicate what he was going to make him, and that the Lord did make him before he finished his wonderful work of renewal and regeneration in this man's heart. "And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, the Sons of thunder." These two disciples together with Peter, form the inner company with whom Jesus had most intimate fellowship, and in whom, apparently, he most frequently confided. "And Andrew." "And Philip. And Bartholomew. And Matthew. And Thomas. And Thaddaeus. And Simon, the Cananaean. And James, the son of Alphaeus." The apostolic company included a tax-gatherer an the one hand and a member of a patriotic assassination league on the other. The Betrayer "And Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him. And he cometh into a house." The question naturally arises as to why Jesus ever chose Judas Is-variot, for he certainly knew his character. This is a mystery which will never be. fully solved. It may be that our Lord wanted one man in the company of the disciples to whom every gracious favour would be shown, and every opportunity be given for accepting the Lord, who would in the end not only reject him, but betray Jesus chose Peter, the fisherman, Mathew, the tax-gatherer, and Simon, the ex-rebel. Jesus called these humble, obscure peasant folk to be his apostles because they were the best that could be had. Those that thought themselves better than they were too proud to become apostles. It should be noted that these men were diverse in their capacities. And some of them were of outstanding ability and some of them had almost no ability at all; yet there was a place for them in the program of Jesus. Jesus' Family "And there come his mother and his brethren." Many believe that these brothers of Jesus, and sisters (Mark 6:3) were the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and thus literally half-brothers of Jesus. "And standing without, they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him and they say to him, Behold thy mother and brethren without seek for thee." The members of the family of Je.-us who appear in this scene are unable to reach the Lord himself, because of the great multitude that had gathered around him; so they sent word through the multitude., planning to take him away to some quiet place where he could rest. Their intentions were good, their purpose, however, was based upon a misapprehension of the Lord and his work; and they were planning to propose something to the Lord Jesus which would have been absolutely contrary to the will of God. Master of the Situation "And he answereth them, and saith Who is my mother and my brethren?" Here was a delicate and trying situation for Jesus; yet he meets it with perfect mastery. He shows no impatience with his relatives. His mother should have known better. He is absolutely truthful. He utilizes the untimely interruption for pressing home a momentous truth. "And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, ame is my brother, and sister and mother." Nothing could persuade the Lord Jesus to turn aside from the very great purpose of his life, which was i him of God when he came down to earth as our Saviour. Jesus does not repudiate earthly ties. What he does is to announce a relationship higher than that which results from ties of blood, higher than relationship that is strictly physical. Ha declares lat all may be inamately related to im, as close as a mother or brethren :>uld ever be, if the center of their fe is in the will of God. Obedience to ill of God was the fundamental end f the life of Jesus, and it ought al-ays to be the aim of the children of od (Matt. 6:10; 7:21). His Dog's Eyes As Rear Lights When an American patrolman re-ntly overtook a lorry, from, the ck of which shone two gleaming lights, he found that they were not lights, but a dog's eyes, and the dog was surrounded by a horde of grinning Negro children. The patrolman asked the Negro driver why the lorry had no rear ights. "Dem's not necessary, sah," eplied the Negro. "Ah jus' gets one »' ma kiddies to hold the oP dawg, in' his eyes shine as good as any lan-erns. sah." When weather is at its worst in Verkmoyanski, Siberia, the exhaled apor of one's breath ciystaihes in-o needles of ice, making breathing De Valera's Daughter Miss Jiairin de Valera, daughter of Eamonn de Valera, is seldom in the public eye. She visited her father in London during the latter's stay there for the Anglo-Eire talks at Downing Street, later returning to Sweden to ----- her university studies. IS THIS YOUR BIRTHDAY? By A. R. WEIR What the Stars Foretell For Those Born on February 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 If you were born on the 18th of February your Zodiac sign is Aquarius. If you were born on Feb. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 or 24 your Zodiac sign is Pisces. Aquarians are loyal, steadfast, dependable people. Their nature is kindly and sweet. They do not greatly desire wealth and success ocmes to them through their own enterprise and efforts. People born under the sign Pisces usually have a dual nature--on the one hand impressionable and receptive and on the other hand positive, determined and sometimes hard to understand. Their lucky number is 11, Thursday their most favorable day. For complete birthday horoscope for any day in the year, send 10c to A. R. Weir, 73 Adelaide St. W., To- Lack of Teachers Noted In Alberta CALGARY.--Alberta is faced with a shortage of school teachers, delegates to the Alberta School Trustees' Association annual convention were told here this week. Dr. G. Fred McNally, Deputy Minister of Education, said that the shortage was due to higher standards demanded by the Department of Education and reductions in salaries during recent years. The Truth ^fcbout Yourself AS YOUR HANDWRITING REVEALS IT (By Lawrence Hibbert) (Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of weekly articles by a psychologist and character analyst whose writings and radio broadcasts have earned for him wide fame throughout this continent as well as in Great Britain. He can tell your character from your handwriting; he can help YOU with your personal problems. Read this engrossing article and then tell your friends about it). For some years I have been analysing character from handwriting, and giving advice as a practical psychologist. Many thousands of letters have reached me as a result, of my newspaper articles and radio broadcasts. Famous movie stars, with their high earnings and fame, and girls in lonely villages who have merely their youth and soaring ambitions; busy business executives, and political leaders, and young people on the first few rungs of the ladder of progress; complacent wives and unhappy husbands; domineering husbands and lonely wives; sweethearts, girls and young men; the forlorn and the lovelorn; old and young, rich and poor --■ their letters have jostled one another in my post-bag. Your Editor has asked me to jot down a few of the highlights of my ex-=nce. My chief difficulty lies in selecting but a few items from among so many interesting cases, because a graphologist's mailbag teems with drama, tragedy, comedy. It is a mirror in which are reflected people's hopes and fears, worries and consolations; their problems, frustrations, ambition nd heartaches. All the varied facets of life are revealed. Truth in Love Affairs Affairs of the heart loom largely among the letters I receive. Girls ask about the characters of their boy friends; boys wish to know if they ; the Swe< problems with an intimacy that is An Ontario girl sent me the handwriting of a yctng man whom she loved. She had not known him long, as he had but recently arrived in her locality, but she was considering marriage to him. She really wrote to mo for confirmation of her views about him, to enable her to adjust herself, if necessary, when they were married, rather than because she had any of her own doubts. My reply must have been a terrific shock to her. The young man was devoid of moral scruples, I said, and cot to be trusted. Marriage between them would be a grave mistake. So infatuated was the girl that she discounted my advice, and, as she wrote to me later, neglected to make even the most elementary enquiries about the man. She was starting preparations for the wedding when, like a bolt from the blue, the young man's WIFE turned up! Help in Everyday Work When a Winnipeg girl wrote a very lengthy letter detailing her fruitless efforts to obtain work, she ended up by saying that she had no relatives and was so miserable she felt like 'ending; it all,' as her money had nearly all gone. I made definite suggestions along lines of work that she had never even considered, and outlined one or two mental exercises designed to counteract her morbid outlook. She replied shortly afterwards to inform me that she had followed my suggestions, that had been an eye-opener to her, and had actually obtained a position two days after she received my letter. There was nothing magical in this. Her writing showed me that she had talent in a direction that she had been ignoring. When I pointed it out to her, she made the most of it. All she needed was to be shown her own capabilities Tit do ! any people like her who faltering "merely because they it realise their own potentialities. Do YOU wish to know what your handwriting tells about yourself? And have you any friends you would like to know the truth about? Mr. Hibbert will analyse your writing for you, and that of your friends. Write to him as fully as possible, and if you have any problems tell him about them. For EACH specimen of handwriting you want analysed, send 10c coin or postal note (no stamps, please). Enclose WITH STAMPED ADDRESSED ENVELOPE, to: Lawrence Hibbert, Room 421, 73 Adelaide St., West, Toronto, Ont. Replies will be forwarded as quickly as possible, but a slight delay is unavoidable. Sonja Heme is the most honored young woman in motion pictures these days. Recently she went to Washington to receive the cross of Knighthood of the Order of St. Olav, conferred by the Norwegian government through their minister to Washington. A few days later her ice ballet, the samij ono you will see in her film "Happy Landing," played a benefit at Madison Square Garden in New York C/ty sponsored by an impressive array of Carnegies, Astors, and Rockefellers. B&nefieiary of the occasion was the Children's Village which lends a helping hand to New York's problem chil- dren, and thanks to Sonja a staggering number of thousands of dollars was raised. Sonja expresses her gratitude for all these honors in neat little phrases, but she doesn't get the least bit cocky about it. She seems as completely unspoiled, as completely oblivious to her unique position in the entertainment world as Shirley Temple does. Gracie Allen, long radio's queen of nonsense, is at last to get the recognition she deserves from Paramount, pictures. They are having the author of Philo Vance murder mysteries write "The Gracie Allen Murder Mystery." She will be the star, and no less a celebrity than John Barrymore will portray Philo Vance. When Jack Benny first started talking about that rattletrap old car on his radio program, it was just the figment of a script writer's imagination. By the time radio audiences developed a hilarious attachment for his wheezy old motor, Jack began to wish that he Around The Dial RADIO HEADLINER5 OF "TOE WEEK By FRANK DENNIS really had one. so he and Mary Livingstone made tho rounds of used-car lots and found just th? rvv of their dreams., It is a 1921 model and cost thirty-five dollars. That long-promised return of Gloria indefinite'y again. Columbia pictures, wihch had planned to have h-r play the lead in "Holiday," have decided instead to give the leading role to Katherine Hepburn. Joan Bennett arid Cary Grant will be featured with her; so it promises to be one of those knockout pictures that Columbia turns out with unfailing regularity whenever they borrow ranking stars from other studios. Radio stars are much move thrifty. than the irly : Most of them invest their earnings in businesses that are not so dT-nde^.t the public. Jack Fulton, tenor of "Poetic Melodies," has bought a half-interest in a Fifth Avenue haberdashery. Ethel Owen of Edgar Guest's "It Can Be Done" program, owns a dog and cat hospital in Milwaukee and is president of a dog biscuit company. Truman Bradley, comment-tor on t' i Sunday evening hour, is president of a cosmetic firm. Three young men whose youthful ambitions were strictly serious have become radio's great comic trio. L-.n-ny Ross and Charles Butterworth studied law, and Walter O'Keefe started out as a newspaper man. It was Walter's adaptation and revival of "The Man on the Flying Trapeze" that flung him into night club entertainment and from there to radio. ODDS AND ENDS:--On his return from a concert tour of thirty cities, Igor Gorin will get his final American citizenship papers ... Of all his triumphs Ken Murray is most proud of being asked to be master of ceremcn-ies at the President's birthday bill in Washington . . . Warners have changed their minds again about who is to be the new Torchy Blane. Now it is Lola Lane who will play the role . . . Of all the stars in "Hollywood Hotel" it is Benny Goodman who gets the most riotous response from the audience . . . Alice Brady is headed for more big dramatic roles since "In Old Chicago," but first she will do another comedy, "Good Bye Broadway" for Universal. Tommy Riggs of tho Val-lee program will appear in a supporting role. Custodian of Abbey Canon Frank Russell Barry, D.S.O., has been appointed custodian of Westminster Abbey, in London. The noted cleric is Canon of the Abbey, as well as being rector of St. John's Church, in London. Coronation Costs Fixed at £150,615 LONDON.--The Comptroller General of civil appropriation accounts announced last week that the Coronation of King George and Queen Elizabeth cost £1,385 ($6,925) less than the Parliamentary grant. Expenditures totalled £150,615 as compared with the estimate of £152,-000 and included £149,224 for the Office of Works, £535 for the Earl Marshal's Office, and £856 miscellaneous. Government sale of seats realized £2,709. Eskimo's Chess Win An Eskimo has just won a chess tournament arranged by Soviet scientific workers in the Arctic. These scientists taught Eskimos how to play the game, and they quickly showed a remarkable grasp of the moves. When the tournament began, one Eskimo not only defeated his fellow tribesmen, but also the Russians who had taught him. The deficit of the Paris Exposition last year was officially announced to be $50,000,000. . Symbol of Uneasiness Tops German Edifice :, atop the German exhibit at the Paris fair, might irrent feeling of political and military unrest In