The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-09-30

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poor OF his parish. The poorest of the
poor should have, not merely his pulpit
prayers, but his pastoral visitations and
tenderest sympathies. The Master was
ever in sympathy with the poor, the
suffering, the sorrowing. The homes OF
such He sought out, mingling His
tears with their, and comforting them
with His loving and cheering words.
Those who were the most afflicted had
His tenderest sympathies. Trampling
upon the miserable conventionalities of
society, which forbade Him mingling with
the lowly and unworthy, He visited, and
ate with the publ cans and sinners, thus
giving an example which all who are the
ambassadors of Christ should follow.
Another prominent characteristic OF
Christ, as teacher, was that of autbority.
In this respect He had special endow-
ment, peculiar and distinctive prerog-
ative. Hence He said of himself. "All
power Is given unto me in Heaven and in
EARTH" He claimed to speak and act on
The direct authority of the Eternal God I;
to have an authority above and beyond
all other teachers--an authority before
which all lettered accomplishments are
worthless, before which all human wis
dom bows In Difference, and all merely
human authority stands abashed.
Other teachers may be very wise, skilled
in all the arts and methods Of instruc-
tlon, and powerful to persuade; but,
strictly speaking, they possess no
authority. Their judgement may
be invaluable, their counsels Judi
cious, and their words shafts of burning
truth, but they will have authority in so
lar only as they may have personal or in
herent force. But Jesus possessed pow
er, an authority, infinitely above that
which earthly courts and councils can con-
fer. And 1t was His consciousness of this
Divine authority that made him so inde-
pendent as teacher. He did not pander
to their corrupt tastes, nor accommodate
Himself to their errors and prejudices. He
taught with all simplicity and kindness,
but His words were clothed with power
not of earth. In His parallels there PLAYED
hidden lightning, which, in a little while,
snooK every palace,s tower, temple and al
tar in Jesusalem. He reproved the scribe
and the priest, exposed the hypoc-
rlsy of the Pharisee, rebuked the inf
deity of the Sadducee and breathed
death on the idols of the Gentiles.
Philosophers sneered, orators argued,
the heather ragged, scribes and elders in
conclave resolved upon His death, and
combined to nail Him to the cross. But.
in the midst of all, He fearlessly, and with
God-like authority, pursued His high, un-
bending purpose, sealing at last with His
blood both the sincerity and the divinity
of His mission.
Another important qualification for
teaching, which Christ possessed, was
naturalReSS. There was nothing strained
artificial, or formal about His methods.
We find that it was in the most inciden al
and easy way that He taught some of His
grandest lessons, and did His greatest
works. He did not need great occasions
to impart His Heavenly lessons. The
smallest occasion was improved, and
sometimes forever consecrated by some
stupendous work performed, or all-import-
ant lesson taught. There never was a
teacher SO little dependent'upon times and
places. He did not wait for the Sabbath
to come, nor until He could enter some
synagogue, or stand in some temple. He
was able within Himself to make all
times and places consecrated and effective,
whether on the seashore, on the noun
tain's brow, at the marriage feast, or by
the wayside.
The religion of Jesus (if
we may apply the term to Him) was real
matter, while with some persons it is the
most unreal thing in the world. There are
those who, when they talk about religion,
or on any religious subject, put on face,
and assume a voice, which they do not
when talking about anything else. And
men, even some ministers, when they offer
prayer, speak in a voice so unlike their
own that their nearest friends scarcely
recognize their tones. Hear one Of those
men when conversing upon the subject of
religion, then hear him talk about busi-
ness, and mark the difference in his tone
and manner. Why is thisY Because
business is a great fact in a mans
life, while religion with him is
such an unreal, unnatural and |
strange thing that he thinks he must
talk about it in some strange and unnat- |
ural way. There was nothing like this in |
Christ's free and easy conversation with |
the woman whom He CHANGED to meet at
the we'll.
Now, If we would have the religion of |
Christ transform this wicked world--if we
would have it enlist the affections of the |
worldly-of the aged, whose steps are
trembling on the grave, Of the young in |
the whirling tide of pleasure, of the chill |
dren around our home altars, and in our
schools, we must present it to |
them in the same natural and attractive
way that Jesus did-teach it as He taught |
It, live it as He lived it, and talk about it |
in the same familiar way that He talked |
about it. With Him it was light and love,
and joy and peace. 1t was in His heart,
1t was the great reality Of His whole |
being; and, consequently, where yer He
was, among the rich or the poor, in the |
temple, or at Pilates bar, that reality
the scene, or the occasion
into one of joy and glory, The everyday
life Of this great Teacher-a life so simple, |
so unostentatious and so natural in its ex- |
pression-was a perpetual lesson, a con-
stantly unfolding picture of beauty, which
filed all who beheld it with admiration
and delight.
Consider another important quality |
which the Master possessed; that was,
ability to inspire men-to kindle within |
their hearts holy enthusiasm like unto |
that which glowed in His own bosom. His
power in this respect was wonderful, There
was about Him, or rather within Him,
spiritual magnetism, warmth of heart,
wealth of affection, which enabled him to |
penetrate the hearts of his pupils and find |
access to their deepest feelings.
Xenophon tells us that the disciples of