Gettysburg Times - Apr 1, 1926
JESUS, MY FRIEND
By GEORGE MATTHEW ADAMS
I spent last night reading the book that my friend Bruce Barton wrote a little while ago which he called “The Man Nobody Knows.”
I liked this book because he brought Jesus into my room and I was very happy with Him. I felt that this Jesus knew and understood my problems and that He didn't drop in to find fault with my many faults.
I felt it like Zacchaeus must have felt when he heard that Jesus was to pass through his town, and because he was so small in stature, he climbed a tree and waited till the famous man came along. And when He did come along, He looked up into the tree and said something in the spirit of these words: “What are you doing up there, Zacchaeus? Come on down. I have heard a great deal about you and I want to take dinner with you at your house tonight.”
How thrilled this business man must have been. You see the thing that made him get up into that tree was that he believed that there was something very great about Jesus and he was determined to find out what it was.
Immediately the folks about Jesus ran up to Him and whispered to Him that that fellow was not the kind for Him to see or to talk to and that it would hurt His reputation to go to his house. But Jesus went.
That's why I have always liked Jesus. I am sure that, had I lived when he did, I would have wanted to see Him and talk with Him. And I know that He would have been glad to see me. I wouldn't have been embarrassed in talking to Him either, I am sure.
Bruce Barton and I have often talked about this Jesus over a luncheon table. I can't understand why He isn't talked about more. A character so sweet, so strong, so magnetic, so real and human. I wish more people would write books about Jesus as Bruce Barton has. All of our problems, personal, national and worldwide, would be better solved if we knew Jesus better and loved Him more.
The most puzzling problem clears itself, standardized by the love, common sense and vision of this Jesus, whom nearly everybody has heard about, but whom so few really know.
