Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-10-06
Essays Read at johnson City
$. >. Pic Mic.
THE LOVE OF JESUS"
BY MISS HAsSIE SMITH, aged Is.

Such love, such wOndrous love, is
the love of jesus the sinners friend.-
He came down into this sin benig hted
world. and left Heavens bright shore
where angels robed in spoIless purity
and bearing starry crowns and harps
Of gold continually give praise to God.
What love could have been purcr or
hOlier than this, and he did it all to
save fallen and degraded man and eS-
tablisii way whereby sinners might
Toe saved.
BY the eye of Imagination we are
carried to a manger, locking around
we behold a beautiful little babe as it
lies in all it's Innocence and lovelinesS
upon the lap of its mother. See with
what pride the fond mother bends DER
the little form and imprints kiss OH
its delicate cheek.
But who is this ? All, that is a
question that can be easily answered,
tor it is Jesus the babe of Bethlehem.
We withdraw our gaze impressed " it'll
the l0veliness of the scene.
We again lift the heavy curtain of
the past, and garden called Get!i-
semane is presented t0 our view. Ga
LiLS OlOullu " Ci IIliS lldllO"Ou
our eyes rest on all object. Oh, do not
our hearts melt within us, as we be-
hold Jesus? Yes, lis he, there bowed
down in grief with the sins of the
world resting upon him. We sea great
drops of sweat mingled with blood
drop from his forehead ami fall to The
ground, and it seeliis as If we hear a
faint voice. full of sorrow &id pity
dropping aS it We're from one of II Ca
ven's angelic thrOng, saying, is not
this love?
Again we see our loving Saviour
nailed to the rugged tree of the cross,
see large spikes through his tender
flesh, and behold Him bleeding, grUan-
ing and dying.
Was not this enough to make An
gels weep? Jesus who once had been
an inhabitanL of the Holy Land
now expiring on the cross.
The sun could not look on this dis
trc>sIng scene, but hid his face, aud
darkness enveloPed the earth.
But not many days after this, the
joytuI news came to the disciples that
Christ had arisen from the dead.
Some may he p0ndering their minds,
ought We not 10 love Jesus after lie
has sacrificed 50 much, endured so
much for us?
Yes, we should love him beside get
ting others 20 love and serve his holy
name.
Yet Others may ask why should we
love him? That can be answered by
saying "Because he first loved us, ,
and this love for us led him to ecOme
80 poor, that he had not where to lay
lay his head. o! who can think
lightly of such love as this.
But there are some That are too
proud, too al istocratIc. to>tOOp TO such
Il mean and degrading thing as they
term the religion of Jesus Chiist.
But AT the day of judgment, they
will hear that awful sentence, ''de-
part from me. ye that work iniquity."
Yet there are others that do het d the
undying love of Jesus. al q as they
think of the trials he went through,
the sufferings he endured for them
they shed penitential tears, and SO
great is their love for Jesus that they
do all they can to get others 10 love
him.
And they too will receive their re-
ward in the world to come and hear
their SakiOur's loving voice saying
unto them. "well done good and faith
full servants"
But while We are viewing these two
different classes of people to which
may / ak shall our little band of Sab
bath School scholars belong.
VIII they accept Jesus, and receive
the welcome sentence Come ye bles-
sed OF my father, Inherit the kingdom
prepared from the foundation world" ;"
or will they hear that awful sentence.
depart from me / never knew you"
God forbid that any of the members of
our Sabbath School, or any others
should fail in obtaining rich and glori-
Gus rewards at the right hand of God.
If we love Jesus, we should work
for him, and where can we find bet
ter place than IN the Sabbath School.
Aud now dear Sabbath School schol
ars, let us all for the sake of Jesus
who died fuI u.s. 60 10 work, and per-
suade others to come to our Sabbath
School, until ere long every pew il the
dear old church may be filled with
children, eager for instruction.
And may 1.-The love of Jesus" ever
bear US up as we ponder along life's
rugged pathway, and at last when our
trials OH earth are ended. may we meet
each other In Heaven where we will
give praises 10 him. "whO first loved
u.s." throughout the eeaseIess ages of
eternity.