We see then that John did not set out to write a "history" of the life of Jesus nor a biography of Him. What a mercy he had too much practical sense! Take one of the best of our full-length modern biographies, the Life of Gladstone" by Lord Morley. It has a great name, but it is far too full of the events of the day. Parnell, Kitty O'Shea, Home Rule, the Turks, Lane Reform, and whatnot. We "cannot see wood for trees." gladstone is lost in the multitudi: ousness of the details of the timer in which he lived. 'Dies irae, D'zs ilia"; that would truly have ben an awful day, if John had sg. himself the task of writing the!.fe of Jesus in the style of thes' accurate but crowded and ove -full modern "Lives." Suppose he had filled a big book with full particulars of the history of the pharisees and Herodians and all the politics of Herod! It would not have been translated into 500 languages as it has been! Indeed not! But it has a world-wide circulation because John made a triumphant success of his job, He set out to make us "see Jesus" and we do. There is a most excellent book called The Syrian Christ," by a Syrian Christian, Mr. A. Rebhany. He dwells on this very point. He says: "A Syrian's chief purpose in conversation is to convey an impression, by whatsoever. means, not to deliver his message in scientific: ally accurate terms. He speaks in pictures and subordinates literal literal accuracy to the total impression. John's idea of writing this book could not be better put than that. I see some of you American sdldiers are present. The next time you are due for punishment, which f hope you never will be, I should advise the Colonel to make you read the lives of two of your great Awericans, the Rev. Henry Ward Becher, and the Rev. Phillips Broiks, They are fat books full of detail and matter, but, Oh, how lull! In fact the writers did a big thing in managing to be so dull with such interesting lives to write. Quite an achievement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.