Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-03-18
8eligiuns department,
The Astonished Audience.

been a continuous discourse, withou
interruption questions and answers
The place of its delivery was a noun
tain in Galilee, near to the village o
Capernaum. 1t was specially adj
dressed to the twelve disciples, whom
Jesus had just selected and ordained
as apostles and yet it was spoken
in the hearing of a large multitude o
people. Matthew says: "And seeing
the multitudes, he went up into :
mountain and when he was set, hi
disciples came unto him. And h'
opened his mouth and taught then
saying" Then follows a record Of
what he said. The time was in the
early part of the second year of hi:
ministry, when by his previous preach
ing and miracles he had already at
tracted the attention and excited the
thoughts of the people, and was fol
lowed by crowds wherever he went
The sermon itself is the longest of his
continuous discourses, and covers 8
wide field of spiritual and religious
ethics. Millions have read it to be
instructed and charmed by it, and
| other millions will read it with like
effect in ages yet to come. That was
sublime scene when Jesus, the great
Preacher, speaking directly to his dis
ciples and to the "multitudes," also
spoke to the world. Matthew, who
was one of the hearers, by the steno-
graphy of inspiration has gathered UP
the contents of this wonderful dis
course and reported them to man
kind.
What was the direct and immedi-
ate effect upon the people who heard
the sermon? Matthew answers this
question as follows:
"And it came to pass when Jesus
had ended these sayings, the people
were astonised at his doctrine for
he taught them as one having author
lty, and not as the scribes."
This was the whole effect, so far
as stated by the evangelist. The
people particularly noticed that Jesus
spake tas one having authority" and
in this respect saw a marked contrast
between him and "the scribes,' who,
in their teaching were accustomed to
quote largely from the traditions of
the fathers. The phrase, "But / say
unto you,'' used by the way of en-
phasis, often occurs in this discourse.
1t was no uncommon thing for Jesus
to use this phrase as a preface to
what he was about to say. The re-
suit of the teaching, in respect alike
to manner and matter, was that the
people were 'astonished." 1t is not
said of them that they repented of
sins, turned to God, and became dis
ciples of Jesus as the true Messiah,
but simply that they were "astonish-
ed" and perhaps broke forth into ex-
pressions of wonder and amazement
at what they had heard. Having lis
tened to the greatest preacher that
ever spoke to man, and having heard
words of the highest and purest wis
dom ever uttered, they did not, so
far as the record goes, pass beyond
the point of establishment. 1t is quite
possible that the establishment of
some of them was that of displeas-
ure.
These Galilean Jews are not the
only persons who have been CASTOR
ished'' after listening to great preach
ers. Tho no one has ever equaled
Jesus Of Nazareth, the Church has
had at least some preachers gifted
with the power of making an impress
sion, and even astonishing their hear
ers. Indeed, great many hearers
are rather fond of being astonished
with what the preacher says, and es-
pecially his way of saying things.
They like startling things-things
out of the common routine of utter
ance-and then 60 away to have a
free and easy talk about the preacher
himself, just as if they had paid their
money to witness a theatrical per-
Torrance, or to be amused by the
wit and oddities of popular lecture.
Going to church with them is not a
serious business. The worship of
God itself has no attraction for their
hearts. They like brilliant preachers
and splendid singing, indeed almost
anything, whether orderly or disor-
derby, that will stir their minds with
novelty and surprise. They really
prefer to be Eastonished," and then
to talk about it.
All such persons, and indeed all
persons who hear the Gospel preach
ed, whether by great peachers or not,
would do we'll to ponder the closing
words of the Saviour's Sermon on the
Mount:
Therefore, whatsoever heareth
these sayings of mine, and doeth
them, l will iken him unto a wise
man, which built his house upon a
rock; and the rain descended and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and
beat upon that house and it fell not,
for it was founded upon a rock. And
every one that heareth these sayings
of mine and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which
built his house upon the sand; and
the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew and beat
upon that house; and it fell, and
great was the fall of it.