The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

INTENSIVE PUNISHMENT 183
man from whom very much gratitude could be
expected.
2. His ignorance is the mark of a self-centred habit
of mind, and of a depraved moral toie.
He had little or no interest in any one besides
himself. A just sense of obligation to his healer
would have compelled him to pick up some little
information before leaving the porch in which he
had experienced such unhoped-for. fortune. The
man had, for the time being, that ethical blindness
which is incapable of recognising a benefactor. Those
who profit by the great historic charities generally
make it a point of honour to know something about
the founders. We trace with fond admiration the
early life and career of the painter who is a new
eye to us and makes us see things we have never
before seen in nature. We should be ashamed to
remain in ignorance of the man who has recreated
the past in the pages of his history, or given to
us a new sense of the delights of literature. The
reader of Shakespeare likes to follow the too scanty
outlines of his life, to see his birthplace and visit
his haunts : and
a bit of new information about the
great dramatist would be worth a thousand pounds
any day. We wish to know our benefactors, and
should despise ourselves if destitute of such feelings.
Thousands of people in Jerusalem knew a great
deal more about Jesus than the healed man by the
pool, and for certain reasons of his own, perhaps, he
did not set himself to get information.
3. His unwillingness to confess fesus Christ implied
an ugly void of all the better qualities of human
nature.