MR. ALCOTT. And you think it was following Christ to tell her that story? Obedience. What must all your faculties obey when you follow Christ? ALL. Conscience. LEMUEL. What are the names of the faculties that should follow conscience. CHARLES. Understanding. LEMUEL. The affections. GEORGE. Passions. SUSAN. Appetites. ONE. Aspiration. MR. ALCOTT. What is that? LEMUEL. Wanting to go up. MR. ALCOTT. There is a better name for aspiration, the faculty that goes up. SEVERAL. Fith. Subject. MR. ALCOTT. What has been the subject to-day? LEMUEL and OTHERS. Following Christ. NATHAN and OTHERS. Faith in Christ. CHARLES. Imitating Christ every day. Close. MR. ALCOTT. Have all been interested today? MANY. Very much interested. JOSIAH. I have been interested, because I have had a chance to talk so much. MR. ALCOTT. Do you think some others were not interested, because they had no chance to talk? JOSIAH. The next time I will not speak till recess. MR. ALCOTT. We wish to have you talk, Josiah, and all others, when you have thoughts of your own to give. We want your own thoughts and feelings. We want you to tell what goes on in your mind while we are reading, and while you are conversing one with the other. That is one way by which we can understand what good the conversations do you. Put your thoughts into words, and then we know what you are, and what you intend. By words and actions we judge of all intentions. Review. Healing of the Impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda, from the Sacred Text. Ideas and Pictures of the Scene. Medicinal Springs.Superstition. Awe of the Invisible. - Imaginative Fears. - Ideas of the Miracle.-Formality. - Examples. - Faith. The Conversation. Review. Mr. Alcott began by inquiring about the last Conversation. They remembered Josiah's illustration of the withered flower, and Andrew's image of Jesus' looking at the beautiful fishes; also the discussion of the difference between material and spiritual miracles, and Josiah's long conversation thereon. Each recalled the thoughts of others. Then the lesson of the day was read. HEALING OF THE INFIRM MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA. Vulgar Era, 27. Julian Period, 4740. Jerusalem, * Levit. xxiii. 2. Deut. xvi. VOL. II. JOHN V. 1-13. 1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheep-market, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first, after 18 Vulgar Era, 27. the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Julian Period, 4740. Jerusalem. * Jer. xvii. 22. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath-day; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bod, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. The children asked Mr. Alcott the meaning of the words halt, wist, impotent. Ideas and Pictures of the Scene. GEORGE B. I don't see why the man could not step in, when the other men did. MR. ALCOTT. Can either of you explain that? LUCIA. It was the man who stept in first that was to be cured; because he would render the water impure. FRANKLIN. Only one had room to go in at once, and that one would impurify the water. GEORGE B. Perhaps it was a steep place, and only one could go down at once. SUSAN. They had different diseases, and when the water was stained with one disease, they had to wait till it had settled down to the bottom of the pool, and the clean water had come up. "For an CHARLES. I was interested in this verse, angel went down at a certain season." I thought of the angel as coming down and putting his hand in and moving it about to make it pure. I think it is all an emblem. The pool, you know, has stagnant water and is not very pure. It represents the mind of a sick person. And the angel represents goodness coming into the mind, and purifying it; and when the mind is perfectly pure, it purifies the body and makes it well. MR. ALCOTT. Can you describe the angel? JOSIAH. I can, Mr. Alcott. It was not visible to the people; and they only saw the water troubled and thought of an angel. ELLEN. I thought of an angel with a white robe, all unspotted, to represent purity. It was the angel of purity because it purified the water, and the angel had light hair, and a wreath of lilies round his head to represent purity. The wings were light blue. CHARLES. I thought of a white robe, but a red mantle to represent warm zeal - the zeal to do good. I thought the hair was black, so as to make a fine contrast; and he had a trumpet with which he blowed upon the waters to trouble them. He comes on the wind because that is high and strong and invisible. At first there was a very slight expression of doubt upon his countenance, whether he could do what he was going to do, but when he found that he had done it, he smiled and flew away. He had two wings on his head, two on his sides, and two on his feet. FRANKLIN. I think he had a long golden wand to touch the waters with, and not a trumpet; and a wreath of flowers on his head, and on his forehead, in golden letters, the words "Angel of Purity," and he had golden slippers. (The rest laughed.) |