UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 229
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a which theyfounded, and see if thisbe the
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myth,
a strange,supernatural,
fact.
mystery,
inexplicable being, forever talking Napoleonsaid, "Alexander, Cresar, Charlemagne
parables, and sayingthingswhich they could
and myself, have ^founded empires; not understand.
but upon Avhat did we rest the creation of One thingonlythey held fastto : he was
our genius']Upon
a king,he would have a kingdom; and he
force. Jesus Christ
alone founded his empireupon love."
The desireto be above others in power,
rank and station, is one of the deepest in
human nature. If there isanythingwhich
distinguishes man from other creatures,it is
that he is par excellence an oppressive
animal. On this principle, as Napoleonthem,silent,
absfracted, speaking occasionally
observed,all empires have been founded; in broken sentences, of which theyfeared to
and the idea of founding a kingdom in "
any ask the meaning, they,behind, beguiled the
other way had not even been thoughtof time with the usual dispute of "who should
when Jesus of Nazareth appeared. be greatest."
When the serene Galilean came
up from The mother of James and John came to
the waters of Jordan,crowned and glorified him,and,breakingthe mournful train of
by the descending Spirit, and beganto preach,
very, desired a certain thing of him,"
saying,
" The kingdom of God isat hand," thather two sons mightsitat his righthand
what expectations did he excite? Men's and his left, as primeministers, in the new
heads were fullof armies to be marshalled, kingdom. With hissad,far-seeing eye still
of provinces to be conquered, of cabinets to fixed upon Gethsemane and Calvary, he said,
all these things for them,
miraculous power?
Therefore it was
was
very popular,
him.
that Jesus of Nazareth
and drew crowds after
eye on the officesand ranks which he was to
thismiraculous
thing was to be lookedfor ; that there was to
be no distinctionin his kingdom,except the
self-
assumed for the
distinctionof pain, and suffering, and
renunciation, voluntarily
good
of mankind.
confer,when,as theyexpected,
kingdomshould blaze forth.
to minister, and to givehis lifea ransom for
While his heart was struggling and laboring,
many."
and nerving itself by nights of prayer Let us now pass
on to another week in
to meet desertion, betrayal, denial,rejection, this history Ṭhe disciples have seen their
by his beloved people, and ignominious death, Lord enter triumphantly into Jerusalem,
they were forever wrangling about the officesamid the shouts of the multitude. An in-
in the new kingdom. Once and again, something his air and manner
the plainest way, he told them that no such convinces them that a great crisisisat hand.
His words seemed to them as idle tales.
In fact,theyconsideredhim as a kind of a
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had toldthem that theyshould siton twelve
thrones,judgingthe twelve tribesof Israel.
And so, when he was goingup to Jerusalem
to die, when that anguishlong wrestled
with in the distance had come almost
faceto face, and he was walking
in front of
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be formed,and offices to be distributed. Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able
There was no doubt at all that he could get to drink of the cup which I shall drink of,
for had he not and to be baptized with the baptismwherewith
I shallbe baptized?"
James and John were both quitecertain
that theywere able. They were willing to
figh throughanything for the kingdom's
Of these,he chose,from the very lowest sake. The ten were very indignantẈere
of life, twelve men of the best and most
walk
theynot as willing as James and John ?
honest heart which he could findțhat he And so there was a contention among them.
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mightmake them his inseparable companions, But Jesus calledthem to him and said,
and mould them,by his sj^mpathy and friendship,
Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles
into some capacity to receive and transmit
exercise dominion over them,and their great
his ideas to mankind.
ones exercise authority upon them ; but it
But theytoo,simple-hearted and honest shallnot be so
among you.
thoughtheywere, were bewildered and bewitched"
Whosoever will be greatamong you, let
bythe common viceofmankind;and, him be your minister ; and whosoever willbe
thoughtheyloved him full wellștillhad an
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chief among you, let him be your servant,
yea, the servant of all. For even the Son
of Man came not to be ministeredunto, but
He walks among men as a descended God.
and energetic.
Never were his words so thrilling
Never were w?ordsspoken
on earth
which so breatheand burn as these of the
last week of the lifeof Christ. All the
describab
fervor and imageryand fireof the old prophets
seemed to be raised from the dead,