Omaha daily bee., 1897-09-27

Rsv. v. e. Rocho Draws II Lesson
from the Widows Mite.

from the Widows Mite.
The Spirit OF Giving was the theme of
the morning sermon of Rev. " c. Rocho of
the First Baptist church yesterday. His
text was taken from Mark XIII AZ: "And
there came certain widow, and she threw
in two mites, which make farthing."
The occasion on which Christ taught His
disciples this impressive lesson of the king
dom, from the mites of widow, was one
oF the most exciting days or His life" said
the speaker He and His disciples had
spent the day in the temple at Jerusalem.
1t was Christs last visit to the temple
He was in the midst of hostile elements
His enemies, the Scrbes and the Pharlsees
had pressed upon him with questions and
provocauions that they might entangle him
with talk. He had answered all their
crafty and cunning questions and batfied
the enraged conspira tors. He had uttered
the most terribly vehement words his enc
mics had ever heard uttered. Fearful de-
nunciations and the predictions of solemn
woes 10 come fell from His lips like live
thunders peal on peal, startling His hearers
like premonitions of the judgment day. 1t
was day that marked a crisis in the life
of Christ. He had spoken words that His
enemies could never forgive or forget. He
had met them on their chosen field pene-
trated their malicious schemes. foiled, de-
feated and humiliated them before all the
man, with the fiery circle of deadly hate
closing around him like the contracting
coils Of a maddened anaconda.
1T was wearisome, eXhaustlng day, and
no sooner had the fearful storm passed and
the thunders of His denunciation died away,
when the Master sat down with that mar
velous composure His disciples had so often
noticed to rest for a moment in the sacred
courts He was to tread no more. He sits
! quietly beholding how the people are casting
their contributions into the money chests,
! and with keen interest studies their actions
and character. The rich men are bringing
large gifts out of their abundance and super
fluffy, and now comes also certain poor
widow casting in thither two mites The
sight touches the Masters loving heart and
opens again the silent lips. He calls to
His disciples, and, pointing to the poor
woman passing slyly out OF the great temple,
He utters the beautiful words. whose music
sounds like a sweet vesper song after a
day of wrath and storm: Verify, say unto
| you that this poor widow hath cast more in
than all they which have cast into the
| treasury; for all they did cast in of their
abundance but she of her want, did cast in
| all that she had; even all her living
| From this beautiful scene let us draw
some lessons that are applicable for all time.
First, we may learn a lesson of love for God.
! To the widow the temple was Gods house,
the holy place of worship. The treasury was
| Gods and all that pertained thereto was to
| her devout and simple soul most holy. She
| loved God His house, His servants, His serv-
ice. The mites that she brought were an
offering and an expression of her love for
God and His house. They expressed love at
! its highest range, for 1t constituted all her
| living Love always seeks expression in
word or deed, in sacrifice or service. Self
sacrifice Is the measure thereof. Love must
! dc, or give. suffer something for it's oh
| ject; love is the strongest force in the uni
verse, for God, the Almighty, Is love; and
| he whose heart is filled with the love OF
God is partaker of the divine nature.
Second, We may learn a lesson of trust
| in God. The poor widow gave to the Lord
all her living as an expression of her love
and trust She trusted the God OF Israel for
| her living Perhaps she had pondered the
words of the scriptures: Trust in the Lord
and do good so shall thou dwell in the land
and verify thou shall be fed Perhaps she
had heard the sweet words of Jesus Take
no thought of what you shall eat or wha
ye shall drink, or whittier ye shall be clothed
! your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need OF ~ these things In the impulse Of
that love which prompted the sacrifice o.
her litle all, there was also the self-surren
dering trust that committed all her need!
into the hands of the Lord. 1t will be
happy day for the church OF Christ and tn,
world when all who stand around her altar
shall trustfully invest their means and the
loving efforts in the work of His kingdom
as II they really believed 1t to be the bes
investment for time and eternity.
Third, we learn a lesson of Gods esti
mate of gifts and works. Surely the God o
Israel did not need those pitiful little mite
| of the poor widow, In value less than a hal
penny, what could they be to Him, Who's,
are the silver and the gold and the cattl,
upon thousand hills? God can get alOni
| without our giving, but can we? 1t IL
not so much that other people and interest.
must suffer, II we fail to give of our means
for their benefit; but as that we ourseve!
must suffer, II we fail to do the duty tha
lies upon up. Gods rule OF valuation dif
fers from the standard of the world II,
does not estimate gifts or service ac
cording to their amount, or greatness, bu
| according to the faith. the loye. the self
denial or the devotion they represent.
Shall we profit by this exhibition o
love and worship on the part OF the poe
widow and learn ahat our gifts should b,
| given because OF the true love for God ane
Christ? Let us put our whole trust in Coo
and remember the lesson OF Gods es imat,
of gifts and works. BY learning and prac
tlcing these truths we shall be lifted npo.
a higher plane OF Christian living and o
| true Christian giving. Then shall our live
| develop into symmetrical Christians. eve
| active and about the Masters service"