The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-11
RELIGIOUS READING.
JESUS THE REvEALER OF HUMANITY.


Jesus was a man. He was, to be sure,
more than man but the church has some
lines forgotten that He was as
humanity is as indispensable as the divi-
nifty Of our lord. Jesus was involved in the
immense network of human relations; His
name figures in the genealogies; and He
traces the stream Of human blood back to
David the king. to Abraham the faithful and
TO Adam and Eve the primitive. Perhaps
no other name has such record of connec-
ton back to the root Of the race. Jesus was
manifold man. His life was built out on
many sides, His activities proceeded
In different directions His offices
were various. He was ever attentive to
the claims of the divine Father, but He was
no rapt devotee, gazing into the heavens and
oblivious Of what was passing on the earth.
His home was among men, where He was
attentive to whatever was passing and re-
sponsive to even the smallest duty. In every
relation he was true man; no one matter
was neglected because other matters were
pressed upon His attention. BY multi
plicity of claims he was never confused: DE
could do many things and DO them wisely
and well.
Jesus is recognized as the Savior OF the
world, but in being the Savior Of the world
He is, OF necessity, much else. NO one
could be our Savior whose power did not
extend to the whole race and to the ages OF
mankind. Besides performing the great Of
fee OF redemption, He is the teacher OF the
world, the guide of His flock, the consoier
Of those in darkness and trial, and the In
spiration and courage of those SET
forth to lead in the sacramental host.
Jesus, in addition to other offices, is the
reyealer of man and society. ne Is
prophet as well as a king He brings to
light the hidden things Of darkness or OF OBJ
scurity as well as rules over realms already
known. We have long been accustomed TO
think Of Him as the revealer OF GOD, OF
heaven, of the future OF what lies back OF
the inscrutable vail Of providence, but less
as the revealer of the human heart and
Of human brotherhood. But here was the
scene of His greatest revelation. Men 90
not know much about heaven and the
future they know less about themselves;
and by searching have never been abb" to
find out They are dependent on 'ome
crisis or rift in the order Of Providence to
become acquainted with themselves. They
are able to see hot by searching out merely;
the searching seems only to put the MIND IN
readiness to profit by greet teacher or an
important crisis. The revealing OF human
ity to itself was more marvellous than the
revelation of heaven to it.
Jesus begins by revealing the Individual
to himself and to the world. The one man
Is singled out from the crowd, and the very
Isolation enables him to see himself in a new
light There is nothing men fear more
than to be singled out and to stand up
alone. The light is all around them and
their supports are taken away. Their own
weaknesses and meannesses are revealed.
The individual thus sees himself, and the
world sees him in a new and important
light. Herod looked very fairly until John
mission Uncovered his iniquity the King
could not endure to have the public eye
turned on his faulty life. The Pharlsee ap-
neared as one of the chief saints until Jesus
singled him out. The ministry OF Jesus was
eminently ministry of dissemination,
searchlight. spirit Of judgment, a sword
penetrating the very life. The spirit OF the
great Master is given to show every man
what he is and what he must do to inherit
the kingdom Of God.
Jesus is the revealer Of the race. II He
begins with one man, He does not end there.
The Gospel that ends with the individual ls
doomed to defeat Alone man can ATTAIN
no high end all his great qualities are de-
yeloped in the evolutions OF society.
Society is mans gymnasium, his school,
the golden ladder by which he is to cllmp
up to whatever is good and noble and true.
Out OF society man would not be developed
at ali /: in its processes lie is to be nodded and
fashioned into diviner type fitted for haD-
itation in the heavens above. The lndlvld-
ual is to be factor in the work OF redemp-
ton, but the combination of individuals is
10 be grand means by which the world Is
10 be saved. The kingdom OF heaven, the
aggregation into one massive organism OF
His individual disciples, was Christs way
to capture the world
But Jesus is revealer OF soclety-of lts
normal conditions. true ain and regulatiVe
principles. He is q reyealer, also. OF its de-
tects and decay. What new light blazed
ont from the pulpit of Jesus on the degen-
eracy of Judaism He revealed the true
purpose of God in raising up and preserv-
ing the nation He showed how far the ma.
tion had departed from the straight line OF
the divine purpose. As one SAYS: The per-
son of Jesus is Gods eternal judgment upon
our humanity He is the prophet and the
prophecy of the race as it is yet to dwell on
the earth in perfect communion with the
saints in heaven. We are called upon to be
sons of God as He was the Son OF God.
There was not an element in Jesus life that
Is not in ours. jesus was the model GOD
had before Him in making man." He thus
knows man. individual and social. and IS
able by fash OF the true light to reveal
him to the gaze Of the universe.