The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-05
CHRIsT's CONVERSATIONS.
Lessons Drawn From His Talk With the
Samaritan Woman at the Well.

Rev. Archibald McCuuagh, D. D.,
pastor of Plymouth Church, gave tile
second of a series of short sermons at
the evening service Yesterday, on the
topic, Conversations of Jesus with
representative characters.
DIR. McCulagh took as his text st.
John iv:19 "Sir, I perceive that thou
art a prophet" He said in part The
conversation of Jesus with the woman
of Samaria took place at Jacobs well.
1t was high noon when Jesus on his
journey from India to C4alilee. reached
this well. Wearied by travel, he sat
down on it's stone curbing. AS he sat
there, this Samaritan woman came to
draw water, filling her pitcher and
about to depart without opening her
lips. He broke the silence with the
request, Give me to drink This re-
quest led to a conversation with this
woman, in which Jesus with ease and
naturalness, taught her some of the
sublimest truths, unveiled to her her
own character and career, and an
nounced himself as the messiah.
Christs interest in men and women
was not regulated according to mans
ideas of moral desert Unquestionably
the morality of the Pharisees was
purer than any other class among the
Jews and yet he did not find his asso-
ciates among them or draw his disci-
pies from their ranks. TIe always
treated honest doubters and those who
We're regarded as notorious sinners
with greater tenderness than those
who satisfied their consciences with
outward ceremony.
Indeed all the circumstances connect
ed with our Lords method of founding
and promulgating His kingdom among
men were far from being in accordance
with mans preconceived notions. The
tidings Of his birth was revealed by
angels. not to the sanhedrin. but to a
few obscure and unknown Shepherds;
and the first clear and explicit an
nouncement by himself that he was the
Messiah was made, not in the temple
at Jerusalem, but While Sitting on the
cuIbStone of a well to a single ignorant,
fallen Samaritan woman. How far our
Lord was above the pFejudices Of his
age and nation and the way in which
he brushed aside customs no matter by
whom defended or what obliquy it in
Cured which placed d barrier between
his and needy souls is seen in his treat
ment of this woman.
Observe the deep interest that our
Lord took in individuals. When we re-
member the moral condition of the
world at the period Of his advent and
the limited time in which he had to ac-
compish his mission, we would suppose
that his method would be on all occas-
ions to address masses OF men SO that
the knowledge of the truth which he re-
Nealed in his own words and works
might be most widely diffused. Yet
some of his subimest diseourses were
addressed TO individuals or to a few
persons. There is no preaching so thor
oughiy effective. none that so COMPLETELY
searches the conscience and storms the
citadal of the heart as when one man is
the preacher and one man is the con-
gregation
When the truth that falls from the
preachers lips grapples with your sins,
pierces your conscience and creates ap-
pre4ensions and new desires in your
soul, remember that it is Christ.
through his word and by the agency of
the holy spirit, speaking to your heart
as truly as when he talked with this
woman at Jacobs well.
When Jesus brought upon the can
vas this Womans past life of crime and
shame and then held up before her the
picture, she said: Sir, ] perceive that
thou art prophet. Wondraus
thought! Every secret purpose, motive
intention and action of the Individual
lie open and revealed to the eye of
God.
Perhaps there are some here who
down deep in their hearts have a
conscious thirst which they find it inn
possible to satisfy with the things of
this world Perhaps O thirsty one, you
feel prompted by an internal monitor
to come now and drink of this soul
satisfying water Why, as the desire
to come rises in your heart you are
held back as by invisible chains? is it
a secret sin that whispers it must be
given up if you come? Is there some
thing wrong in your life, in your bust
ness, in your plans which restraints you
As soon as this Samaritan became
convinced of the true character of Je-
sus and felt the springs of spiritual life
touched in her own soul, she sought
to bring others to him. Spiritual
things, like light and air, possess the
qualities Of universally and mex
hanstibleness SO that no ones part is
diminished by the increase of the num-
Der Of the participants. The love of
Christ which CLOVIS in one Christians
heart loses none of its ardor and in
tensity by communicating its flame to
others. How many souls are today