The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-17
SUNDAY SERVICES.
CONGREGATIONAL Church


The bright morning of yesterday called
out larger audience than usual at the
Congregational church. Rev. j. G. John
son preached the fourth of series Of Scr
mons on the life of Chrst--"The begin
ming of his ministry"-of which the follow
ing is an abstract
Text: For the law was given to Moses but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.-GJohn
LII.
Nothing could be more uppromising to q
nation who looked for signs and wonders
than the beginning of Cbrist's ministry.
unless it may have been the beginning of
his life. Having fought out the battle of
temptation in the Wilderness he came I'M
attended, unannounced back to the fords
of the Jordan where John was still preach
ing repentance and baptising. He came
with nothing to distinguish him. He had
shown none of the miraculous power which
afterward set him apart from men. He
was Just thirty years of age. Our Savior's
ministry had now begun, and it is
fact characteristic Of his spirit that his first
step was to return to his home, so with
his three disciples-John, Andrew and
Peter-he turned his steps toward Gallilee.
On the Journey he fell in with Philip, who
complied with the request to 'fOllow me"
Philip could not rest until he brought his
friend Nathaniel, and so the fifth disciple,
whom we now know under the name of
Bartholomew, was>added to the group. He
arrived in Nazareth orly to find the house
empty, for doubtless Joseph, his father,
had died, since his name is not afterwards
mentioned nor is it after eighteen years
before. when be had attended the feast at
Jerusalem. Mary, his mother, was at
Canaan, attending a marriage festival,
whittier went Jesus with his five disciples
1t was here he performed his first miracle
With his mother and five disciples Jesus
now went to Capernanm, on the shore of
the sea Of Gallitee, thence more than any
other place his home, and the house of
Peter his abiding place. 1t has been shown
how plainly Christs ministry was in
entire sympathy with humanity, and the
aim was to establish the kingdom Of God.
1t was the Interpretation of the Jewish idea
of virtue and faith, from Abraham when
he left home and kindred, to Simon who
recognized in the infant in the tsmple--the
funllment of prophesy long delayed.
Phropbet and poet had kept alive the
warning faith of the nation, by their vision
and glowing promises, the day when the
scripture should be returned to David's
line. 1t was not as sometimes said that
they expected q king and that Christ re-
fused to assume the authority. He never
refused the title, on the contrary he
always accepted it. He declared his
royalty before Plate. But his mission was
to the private life of the Jews Says a re-
cent writer at was the private life of the
world TO which he came. His own personal
life his home life his familiar association
with men, his social intercourse, formed
his true public career. We lose the essen
tial part of his character if we accustom
ourselves to think of Jesus as a public man
in the sense Of official prominence. He
was king Of the Jews by ascent and by
assumption, yet he came not to be minis
tered unto, but to minister TO. His exam
pie is what is possible to all humanity.
None can be so miserable, none fallen so
low, none so full of grief. But she that
would save his life shall lose 1t and he that
shall lose his life for my sake shall save it.
Him that cometh to me will in wise cast
ont