The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-30

Rev. Robert whitaker ~ sfe FIRST Bar
fsst Chafeh.

Rev. Robert " Whitaker preached his ftFe-
wei sermon at che First Baptist chAFeh
Yesterday morning 70 good congregation.
He took for his text:
yohn. xyss .aa--AI grey rot that thou shoiiid.
est take them cut OF tie world, baE thai uiou
shoul1sas keep tlam ffeEa the evil
Rev Whitaker said There IS IN these
farewell words Of tire Master suggestion
af the spirit IN which every ministry sho aia
close. OveFshadowed as lie vas BY the
swiftly approaching darkness Of his Tear
fuI death lie yet suffered no selfish or
senseless words to escape His lips. 10 The
men who stood around Him he was 70 the
last tue faithful and confederate irlead-
He restrained himself alike from harsh
censure and fulsoEae praise. lie did not
dwell III those parting hours on tae eager
ness with which they had striven 50 often
for the FIRST rank In His kingdom, blind to
its true character because OF their seiasn
ambition 20 attain some high place. lie
did not remind them how they themselves
like the sensual multitude had followed
Him often for the leaves and fishes. nor
did he call to mind their unbrosheriy stii-
fude toward each other At times Over
tbnir failings toward Him and toward each
other He spread the broad mantle OF HIS
wonderful love. Nor did lie stay 70 pFlitse
them. What they had done was It's own
reward. lie needed not. like an Alexander
or q Caesar. TO remind Ills followers Ut the
great deeds they done together, OF OF the
trophies they had won. There il manifest
through all His words aud especially in
His prayer, q tender solicitude on their be-
half infinitely kinder and better than either
eensnre or praise. The departing pastor
finds his model here.
II will be strange indeed II he does not
have the temptation TO indulge In cutting
censure or fawning praise
He may find IN every church more or
less OF that spirit OF selfish place-seeltng
which prevailed among the disciples OF
Christ His heart will be grieved. as was
the heart of the Master, by perceiying how
unbrotherly Christian brethren may be
and the unspirituAi character OF the mo-
tives which actuase so many will give him
many bitter hour. but II he Is controlled
by the spirit of cur blessed Lord. his last
hours viii be filled with unseltsh solicstude
for those whom he is about TO leave. There
is something eowardiy in criticism at such
a time. something insincere in praise, as If
be were trying thus 10 court the favor
which his lie among them had not won.
heart will respond 10 the prayer OF the
Savior OF men when he said; Il pray not
that Thou shouldst take them out of the
world. but that Thou shouldst keep tsem
from evil" such Is my prayer for you to-
day.
And yet there Is an appearance of irldit-
ference. not Ia say selhshness. in this
PRAYER. which the careful reader or nearer
g.4sE A.. 4 - .kwA
had said, IL have had enough OF the world.
Sly life has been full Of trial and sorrow
ard suffering. l am going away now and
shall soon be beyond all its vexationS.
These feet shall weary themselves no raore
ON the hillside Of Judea; this head, SO oft
without resting place, shall soon tlaye
rest unbroken; these hands, so soon TO be
nailed 20 the cross. shall soon be hey ond
all human hats; all my trials shall cease
ard shall sit down at the right hand of
the Father. the center Of the angelic host.
brightest Of all the bright. most favored of
the favored threng Aud these men who
have shared my trials, suffering less bur
less consoled. these shall so on ia the weary
path, their lot 70 suffer daily more and
more, 20 he scoFnad ard hated OF men, the
unreslsting victims OF wanton power and
nisdlrected zeal. Yet knowing their future
as do. will not even pray the Father 20
release them trom this fate The Same
prayer from the departing pastor has the
Same appearance OF earelessness to the saf-
ferings OF others "Ah," saws SOMEONE.
III is easy indeed for ycu TO be resigned 60
our continuance here among the trials
from which you are thankfully released.
Youleave as 10 endure that frem which
you are happy 80 he released. True un.
seaashnesx would lead VISA To desiri our
removsi too" This indifference or selfish
ness exists in either ease only In appear.
ance. The Master was not Eoreetiul 81 the
trials which awaited his disciples: indeed
his thoughts seem "a have dweiied apon
thsse coming tgIbuiatlons more than upon
his own great SORROWS. and be did ali that
was ia hls power 10 eFerAre them fot ihs
future, To have prayed for their removal
would have been ~ Aase set sc defiance hl.
convictions and hsiic3 hts confidence. Tn
DERIVING this PRAYER was threeFold c9n
yietsan. without the knoWie<iEe Il whieh
the pgaynF eaa nes 10 rightly Understood
This eeavictlon wass
That The Disciples ueesled The world
Much as she world va hostile 10 thssna 4
was in reality. thoanh Wos ia intent. theii
friend. Iae very trials which they suos
cFtstsed we're The oaepiags q the ehtse
that shaped them seeorGl0g % sae divsNs
purpose The resty trials sad the thou
sSna forms Uf opposition which they' sn.
eauaseevd we're .lke tic EueSy sl.les anal bot
torn 0f tas fashlaE saeu0satn torrent, kae5
hin8esea N4& spksKasued lh1eed hus onsl
added u the goEea with whieh sAey sgig.h
ne 50 ard multiplied nseaawhs.s sAel
pfascuS sasss 90 tAe soaFaUy They ihseA
NsarmnT ans Fret ~ shesr Limitation, Ia
tAx walls thai wesIa nes Yield kept tls.
streksa ii sste srom spreading oag ans. lss
taa ltselk "a Thousand gradually ass'sxas
iag rsyaseas. And WAas ire wush was !,
the sAsseseiSs IA sas esEig dsss * tal4s il 3
ga ggeetes sr lessss aeEre< tsAtaY. IN,
Christian IS ia ghs wasa& because b. IA
nss3 e shs world, The pfsseenne OK q.
worid S s coastamt Restraint upon hisA AK
a. the sazae slgs1 = oonstEnk tneEasfve
Mhas thn psxsvuee * the easzay = ~ tas
sal ssg lAe wessd i 81 the GhYlsti&a Ia,
sos ssFs arats Afe ksp4 hgieAt ard we,s
psvssrss8 hss eYsk and ears alert saa al
whese axlHg ssiYe ey The conss8casnes
taat ihs eNsssg h rear. Tie true Ssha
ssues rat srsve ese4ase BE fears tie eeaxn1
es,s sweazse Re aFes hts e4nss. set Re +
ssssts snesw aasseas ts re presence eS IA
tcS sssF tNNs sas tfEs ChgaSzs&n serve -
e@stss - ssars ssss weru ksss hrtaase /,
tcvVs - sAess. sNt - hiua tlse prxsaaes {.
TIE a*esY = sssm alas assa FesssAsas. i
= kaHssz sFse sSas tAe pgxsnos at IL,
tes As tAFsNRg fAx w4ak ard ha...s.saFse1
ss1ssssF. 81 Es Is elm III svsssx "a .lsae,s a.
ssg - tee word egsen esggaFts tsae AAag