The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-16
WAY OF JESUS.
How + Differed From the Way
Of Elijah.
70 SAVE AND NOT TO DESTROY.


Qhr1scs 6ethod with tho Prophets
Summary 1lcsns Sermon.
Rev. Ro1crick Stebbins preached yester-
DAY morning to . large audience in the
Unitarian church on the sway of Elijah
and the Way Of Jesus" His discourse
Was as follows:
Luke X: A-And when His disciples, James
Thou that We command ire to come down from
neaven and consume them, even 40 Elias did?
Iheee words were spoken when Jesus was on
III way 70 Jerusalem. He had sent His disciples
s. one d The samaritan yilIases. The Jews aud
Inc 8amaritAn1 were not on friendly terms, as
We know from the conversation between Jesus
aleo from the parable Of the Good Samaritan
the Jews looked down upon the people OF sa
maria . belonging to an inferior class, and the
refused % have any but the necessary inter-
couf1e with tho Jews. This was what happened
when Jesus with his Disciples arrived at the sa-
Although Jesus Was above all the Jewish preiu-
dtco q The times, the Eamaritans did not appre-
ciate Il, nor did they understand what manner
cred that ne was { Jew, in the Bible phase sbe-
cause his face was. 8 though he would 60 to
Jerusalem" they refused to receive Him. This
q TIE discpiss, and and they esciaimed. aiord.
wit Thou that We command fire to come down
from heaven and consume them, even
% sos sas Wish aosy the 0 story ,h 81 Elijah a
In the Old Testament Of how, when he wished
70 convince the king that he was . man of God
and able 70 resist the prosecutions Of the king,
he called hre down from heaven, which con-
stunned the captain OF the gurd and his fifty men.
I'll Be man Of God" answered Elijah, "then
Yet fre-come down from heaven and consume
from heaven and consumed him and his fifty"
a seemed TO the disciples that here was case
which 5usttfed the same measures that they had
Of Gcd, was persecute6 Just As Elijan was by
people who did not believe In him, and who
would not let him remain In tho town over
70 justify Himself a. Elijah did, and prove him
sell 70 be ssman of Co. by calling fire down
from heaven 70 consume His enemies. Notice
The story Of Elijah is an allegory, but 1t illus
fratee the spirit OF the age, which, had II been
possible, would have destroyed its enemies by
derived missisn by terrible sacrifice OF human
lie. But Jesus declared Himself in no such way.
Even If It had been possible to Him He would
methods methods that would take years and
centuries to convince people OF what His claim
upon humanity u. His answer to His disciples
sd aid know not what Sn manner e Il I apr;
~ are Of For the Son OF Man is not come to
destroy mems lives, but to save them" And they
he Impotence 81 the disciples, which ex-
pressed issclf In the wish to call fire from heaven
g consume His enemies and to prove that Jesus
was man q God !; no. an unnatural nor an
nIent desire to reach our object without work
ing Tor Il, the wish for quick methods. some
sniIg Ike : miracle, to help Us. The disciples
sonvisce psopls q lie truth q His mission No.
than by the slower way Of teaching and living
much more conclusive than words This is
distinctly the Old Testament idea. not
the Christian idea. Men did not
70 kill men II the object was to prove the power
81 God. The end justified the means. Those
words do not sound entirely unfamiliar at the
dnctly pagan way Of looking at life, the end at
any cost, and the sooner the better. When Jesus
discovered this temper in His disciples He re-
70 destroy mems lives, but to save them. And
that WAS long and wearisome task made posi-.
BILE only BY His love OF men and His confidence
pies and sec what they stand for. For they do
stand Tor something. There never were words
that represent more truly dispo-
disposition to disregard the means a aud to to
avoid the difficulties Of our existence; to win
without conflict. Tor what Is the conflict Of call
conflict of lighting our own fire within the soul
and watching and waiting for it to burn? The
latter e . very slow process and men have not
not the Christian way, but the pagan way; not
the way Of Jesus, but the way OF Elijah. II takes
lOngmlnded men to walt patiently for the slow
processes by which truth Is established. And
truth is very slow In making its way among men.
IL does not come like mighty torrent, sweeping
all before it and making men admit its power,
then to another, until some day the '-' world t
awakes to believe IN new truth. Christianity
came in that way; scienttfic truths come in that
way, by being accepted, first by very few and
gradually finding way to larger numbers.
1t is not difficult to sympathize with a man in
the impatience he feels with the naturally slow
methods Of right and truth, when he believes
that he has some great truth which, if the world
would only accept, wonld give it greater power
he IL right, must be impatient to have the world
agree with him. Enthusiasm IL characteristic
OF all earnest minda. Jesus must have felt the
eame Impotence that James and John did to have
himself and His teaching accepted by the
people, but He knew that the way they proposed
was not the right way; although he was in haste
no had regard also for the means. and he knew
end; In fact, do not accomplish ii. How far
Christianity has fallen from the example set by
tions, the religious wars, the private hate and
bitter controversy that have been waged in His
name, who said He came not to destroy mems
spirit OF Christianity had been entirely forgot
ten. But when ones enthusiasm is enlisted for
what seems true, II is very easy to justify one
pef In using almost any means to accomplish
the end. 1t needs calmness, self-control aud
even greater confidence in the final victory of
truth to be content with simpler, less scnsa-
tionsl methods of winning Its acceptance The
sensational method, the fire from heaven, the
means that Elijah used, may be quicker: but the
way Of Jesus, the quieter way of personal in
6uence, 10 the more lasting. Elijah is almost
forgotten, while Jesus remains the example for
human nature. And yet, when mans heart is
thoroughly enlisted, 1t Is very difficult to keen
the moral sense 30 pure that 1t will detect any
sophistry in the argument which presents easy
aud quick methods of reaching our end Look
Mt the politics Of our country-men honestly
differing in the principles which they believe
should govern the nation, and yet often so intent
upon the success of these principles that they
are either quite blind or Indifferent to the WAYS
that are used to attain il. One man de-
elares that morality has nothing to do with poli-
tics, but that they are entirely distinct issues
and there are many who follow him He NAV
mot mean to sanction bribery. falsehood and I'M.
Justice, but the separation of morality aud poll
tics has only that logical conclusion Grantthat
the welfare of the country would be better At
tanned by the success OF one of the great politi-
cal parties rather than the other, can any honest
man doubt that, if that welfare can be obtained
only by dragging the nation through ali the
moral corruption that menaces il on every hand.
tho price il too great to pay? A man may have
no coat. He knows that he would be more com
Portable with one; that his health would he prr
served. and he would live lousar ana 49,