The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-12-10

w
public whipper.
What LeSas D:d ana said.
Here are some facts that it may be
well for those clergymen and laymen
to ponder, who are at this season of
of the year wrestling with the Old
yet ever fresh problems presented by
non-attendance upon church services,
by the gradual extinction of down
town congregations, and by the
steady lapse of vast portions of the
population into practical heathenism:
Jesus Christ did not organize any
church or denomination. He did not
elaborate any creed. The only ritual
that lie authorized was a prayer be-
ginning, Our Father which art in
heaven" He built, or caused his
disciples to build, no synagogue or
temple. lie never preached from a
pulpit to occupants of rented pews.
lie made no other condition of en-
trance into his spiritual family than
personal faith In himself as the ex-
ponent of his Fathers will and love.
He said, "IIe that comcth unto me |
will In no wise cast out" lie made
no special effort, to enlist under his
banner the first families" lie neither
sought nor stunned the patronage of
JSrusalem's FOnr Hundred. lie gave
an equal welcome to blind BartimCus
the beggar, 10 Simon the leper, TO
Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had
cast seven devils; TO Nicodemus, q
ruler of the Jews. and to Zaccheus
the Publican. lie loved the young
man who had great possessions. and
rcbuked those who wished him TO
reject the %repentant love of the wo-
man who had been a sinner. When
his deciples disputed among them
selves who should be the greatest, he
set a little child III the midst of them
and said that whatsoever did not re-
ceive the kingdom Of heaven as a
little child should by no means enter
therein
lie spent but a limited portion Of
his time in formal preaching. His
longest recorded diScourses were
shorter than an average prayer meet
ing lecture, and the whole body of
them as contained in the four Gospels.
representing a ministry of three years.
do not equal in number of words the
pulpit productions of an ordinary
pastorate for three weeks. How, then.
did he spend his time? We are no
LETT in ignorance on this head. lie
walked and talked with men, talking
rs he walked. teaching il the fields.
the market places, the mountain side.
the seashorc, in boats on the sea: he
sat at meat in their homes and con-
yersed on divine and human themes:
he visited the afflicted, wcpt over the
graves Of the dead, told his disciples
how to pray and set them the example.
lie devoted a large portion Of his
time 10 caring for the bodily wants
of the people. lie healed their dis
cases. lie restored sight to the blind.
hearing to the deaf and speech to the
dun. lie fed the hungry. lie gave
drink to the thirsty. lie shared in
lin their festivities as in their griefs.
ills first miracle vas wrought to grace
a wedding feast, and his last to restore
a beloved brother to his sorrowing
sisters. He took infants in his arms I,
and blessed them. ,
Suppose the foregoing outline of t
Christ's earthly ministry be compared. a
point by point, with the average work t
of Christian pastors and their churches r
to-day. Can anybody truthfullv !.
affirm that the comparison leaves :,
nothing to be desired? Can anybody r
deny that the model has been depart t
ell from in vast and vital particulars q
Granted that changed conditions
exact conformity impossible,
the founder of Christianity pos >,
scsscd an authority, a power and Il o.
commission that are bestowed upon t.
none of his followers, yet will il Il
be soberly asserted that these facts a
constitute a sufficient excuse, that the o
departure is 10 greater than necessity
;ompels? Surely, if we are to believe -
that Jesus intended TO illustrate in
rand scope and as TO essentials the re
work that his gospel was set to ac- p'
upon earth, We must seek in u
he study of his ministry the secret =,
# his success. We cannot copy the &c
but it is absurd, it is false, is mr.
title less than blasphemous to pre- ca
end that the leading principles that 81
hould guide the church to-day are ,
ot 10 be learned from his perfect OK Il,
Inp!c. On
Ii is instructive TO note that even er.
.epticism bows in reverence before coz
II sublime career. John Stuart eve
to