The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-19
WESTMINSTER CHURCH.
Palm Sunday Appropriately Observed
Yesterday-Delightful Music.

Observation-Disclosures Music.
Palm Sunday was appropriately cele-
brated at the Westminster Unitarian
church by the musical services which in
cluded one of Mr.. Jordan's solos for the
contralto voice, which was feelingly rem
dered by Miss Dean, and the "Palms" by
Faure.
Mr.. Mott the pastor, preached from the
text of John iv. H., "Thou hast nothing to
draw with and the well is Deep" After
speaking OF the well as the usual place of
meeting In the East, he turned to the in
depreciation Of the text, which contains the
words of the Samaritan woman spoken to
Christ at the well of Jacob, as follows:
at Is the hour for drawing the household
water and up the path winding between
olive groves and vineyards comes the wo-
man of Samaria with her eartben jar upon
her head. AS she draws near she notices
man seated in the shadow of the trees.
He leaned his head upon the cool stone
work of the well. He seems absorbed in
thought. Silently the woman let's down
her jar, noticing the meanwhile by his
dress that the stranger is a Jew. Suddenly
Christ asks her for drink of water. Her
reply is an expression of surprise.
"'How is it that thou, being Jew ,asketh
drink of me, which am woman OF Sam
aria, for the Jews have no dealings with
the SamaritGns?' Jesus answered, If thou
knewest the gift OF Cod and who it is
saith to thee 'Give me to drink" til
wouldst have asked of him and he would
have given thee living water The
woman saith unto him, 'S'r, thou hast
nothing to draw with and the well is
Deep
"These words seem to me to reveal what
is perhaps the central teaching OF the
story. They connect its local interests
with the interests that are universal. The
deepest lesson for us lies in the fact that
this woman represents an ordinary type
OF mind-a kind Of character which is
very common, some might say almost
universal. The character that sees only
with the eyes and hears only with the
ears. This woman stood in personal
contact with the divinest soul on earth
and was totally unaware Of it, and she
went away at last convinced that she had
been talking to q wizard and necro-
mancer. She failed to understand Jesus
because she did not understand herself.
She went back to her petty occupations
ignorant of what she had missed. IL was
not Christ who had nothing TO draw with,
but this poor, selfish, worldly minded
woman.
"The living water was there but Christ
could not give it TO her, for there was no
channel OF communication between them.
There was no side OF her character, no
faculty of her soul that was in harmony
with spiritual things. She could not
receive the promise OF eternal life, the in
spiration OF the living water from Christ's
well, for she had nothing TO draw with,
and she did not realize her need. She saw
the well OF Jacob--that was oil.
eve can all see the we'll OF Jacob. IL is
the world and the rewards of the world.
We are ready and quick to secure these
rewards. We are never backward I'm TAX
ing measures to secure the solid and tan
gible results which the world can give.
Worldly wisdom prompts US to provide
a strongly linked chain with which to
draw up the water from Jacobs we'll
But are we equally well equipped to draw
up the water from the we'll OF Christ? The
draught is offered us, but like the woman
of Samaria we turn our backs upon it,
ignorant Of the treasure wo have missed.
ain the lives of all there Is point where
the balance hangs n moment when the
flowing tide of life turns where IL rests
with man to take il or leave IL. No man
can say il is Just here or there. The line
which marks the seas rcceding move
mert is irregular. There pushed far
upin the cove or creek here stopped by the
unyielding cliff. SO II is with the tide
line OF our experiences. The point OF ebb
occurs at far varying stages in the lives OF
each; but for each the point exists. The
moment comes sooner or later when
the decision must be made.
VIII you launch forth your
barquc on this wide free
ocean OF advance, or will you LET II re-
main unbuffetcd, perhaps, by the tempests
of the sea, but doomed in little while to
rot among the dry, hot sandf Of selfishness
and vice7 I'm which OF these directions
shall our destinies lief The struggle may
be silent and unperceived by our closest
fxfr huf wvtIl A.. xnpo ~ L.. .s.-