The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-27
!j:.D
A POWERFUL
Discourse.
Rev. Jacob Brittingham breaches on
the Topic, S"They Watched Him."
at st. Luke's. "
SERMON OF GOOD ADVICE.
Founded Upon an Incident in the Life
on Earth Of the savior-A
Large Congregation.

III Yesterday morning. at st. Luke's T. ]
q. church. in the presence 3of q large
congregation, the rector, Rev. Jacob
Z Birmingham, preached a powerful SER,
mon, taking us his text, They. Watched
Him." from St. Luke. II, /. He said:
n In the scene presented to oar minds
!; BY. the passage of scripture from which
the text is taken. our blessed Lord Is
the central figure. as He, is always In
every incident oe the sacred story. He,
Is here surrounded by representatives
Z Of two very distinct classes Of people,
both OF whom seem to belwatching Him
and for two very different reasons. The
one, represented by the proud, Jealous,
narrow-mlnded Pharlsee. who was ever
4 on the alert to trip Him In His work, II
possible, spied closely every word and
act. They followed Him almost every
: where. and were constantly trying to
thwart Him in His efforts. On this spe-
sial occasion. they watched to see II
He would break the Sabbath, but He
showed by the logic OF mercy that "the
Sabbath was made for man, and not
man for the Sabbath" and that He
came not to neglect or destroy life, but
to save it. He. therefore, toolsthe poor
sick man lying before Him weak and
helpless, and healed him of his infirm-.
tiles to the great confusion OF these
carping, miserable spies.
This class of watchers, who are still
In the world. seem to. rejoice when o
character is overthrow, They, are ca
ger to find proof that evil holds sway,
where truth ought to rule. They are
] ever ready to brand a life for the
slightest indiscretlon Of deed or word,
or look. They seem glad to put the
worst meaning OF what will bear many
meanings, and among many possible
motives impute the lowest. They evince
hateful satisfaction when others fall
as If the sin OF the fallen were a benefit
: to those who discover It. Pure. gener-
Gus Joy they seem not to understand
: when others do noble or prove true.
They rejoice in inlquity, because their
deeds are evil, or because they love
darkness rather than light. They watch
the Christian as the Pharlsees watched
the Master, In order that they may, If
possible, overthrow Film in his work.
And, oh, what IL sad picture It is Of
human nature! How unlike the an
gels, who rejoice over the sinner that
repcnteth. How unlike God Himself
who would not that any should perish.
but that oil should come to the knowl-
edge OF the truth and be saved. even II
he does fall. How unlike the truly
deserving who watch that they may be
helped. -,.rty,,
And this brings us to consider the
y second class represented by the poor,
unfortunate paralytics, who are still
alive and are watching US as they did
the Master and for the very same rea-
son.. They are SO weak that it may be
they can do nothing but watch and de-
sire some help. They may be sick aud
need physician: they may be chill
Z dren and need the honest and tender
care OF their parents; they may be the
servants. who have Alright TO look to
the employer for encouragement in
their work. II honest and Industrious.
They may be the criminal class upon
whom society places Its brand. In ev-
cry case, however we that are strong
ought to bear the inflrmities Of the
weak and not please ourselves. We who
are Christians ought never to forget
that the weak have right to look up,
to US for help and encouragement, both
Temporarily and spiritually. and that
even our enemies. who would rejoice In
our downfall ought not to be repealed
and lost 1t may be because Of the
lack OF Christian charity.
We who profess and call ourselves
Christians are under bounden obliga-
lions to be a help and not hindrance
to those who are watching us every
day. some for one purpose. some for
another. and am sure the obligation
will not be neglected or ignored, II we
Will only think less OF the quantity and
6 more OF the quality OF our Influence.
The first will take care OF Itself II we
Will only pay due regard TO the Inter.
z How insignificant was the quantity Of
Chrlst's influence as compared with
that OF the Pharlsess. who were watch
ing Him to see II He would break the
& Sabbath, and yet how UNNECESSARILY
greater was tho quality OF It! AS dlf-
ferent rs that OF the sunlight and
.
itself, and yet one soon burns out into
darkness. while the other shines on as
4 brightly az It did when Its beams first
broke through the clouds and mists
& that enveloped the earth. The one has
the lIie-giving principle: the other has
not, .and such Is the difference In the
quality OF lis Influence and thattof the
Pharlsees. THAT was the true light
which lighted every. man that cometh
into the world. He was in the world
and the world was made by Him and
the world knew Him not. He came i'm
to His own and His own received Him.
not. Butasmany as received Him to than
4 gave He power TO became the sons 1. OF
God-cven to them that believe on His
name: who were born not OF blood. not
of the Will OF the flesh, nor OF the VIII
OF man, but OF God"
Z II we. are OF these. who
are born OF God and hence.
are the SONS OF God. we ihnvo mn In