Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-06-13
CahtsfiAN ENDEAVOR.
GOpic For the Week BEGINNING June
17-COmment by Rev. $. II. Doyle.

So"meht ~ hes. >. H. Doyle.
Torrc-Abiding in Christ.-John XIV, Ito.
In all probability it was while walk
Ing up the Mount of Olives to the gar
den of Gethsemane that Jesus spoke
this discourse on the vine and the
branches. The vineyards on the slope
of Olfvet would naturally suggest the
beautiful figure that he uses to illus
trate the necessary and vital union be-
tween Himself and His disciples.
Christ is the vine. the Father the hus-
bandman, Christian people the branch
es and Christian life and works the
fruit to be born. And all depends upon
union between Christ and the Chris
tan. We must abide in Him and He
In us, as the branch abides In the vine.
Union with Christ is a real union
The branch actually abitles in the vine
1t has vital living union with It.
The union between Christ and His
disciple is no less real We abide in
Him and He abides in us. We abide
In Him by faith. He abids in us by
His Holy Spirit, but the union is no
less vital and real. We actually abide
in Him and receive our life from Him.
as the branch abides in the vine and
receives its life from it. ut is no Ion
ger that live" says the great apostle,
but Christ liyeth in me-" This Is the
ideal relation between Christ and His
disciples, and it is no imaginary, myth
ical relation, but real, vital union.
CurSn With Christ is necessity. 1t
IL necessary ii we are to bear fruit,
the object of Christianity, abide in
Me and in you. As the branch can |
not bear fruit of itself except 1t abide :
in the vine, no more can We except We
abide In me-" The life and fruitful |
ness of the branch DEM
~ =uu nrnp us |
Union with the vine, so it is With the
Christian Apart from Christ he can
do nothing. He depends absolutely
upon Christ for power to live Alright
and to do what Christ would have him
do. AS Christians we want to live
Christian lives and to bring forth
Christian fruit. Let US therefore re-
member that these results can only be
accomplished by abiding in Christ.
Disunion with Christ means spiritual
death and destruction. The branch
that has no living connection with the
vine and hence bears no fri,..iitt Is cns-
Iorts and Ia burned. This, Ia the spir.
itual world. is the penalty of disunion
With Christ Spiritual death awaits
the man who abides not in Christ. He
is cast forth-forth into outer dark
ness, away from God, away from heav-
en-. Let us earnestly strive TO avoid
such fate. Let US abide In Christ by
faith. Let us be united to Him by an
imperishabie love. Let US be bound
to Him by good works. Let US ear
nestly pray that He in the person of the
Spirit, may make our hearts His abld>
ing place, and then all shall be well
with us. in you; you in Me
THE PRAYER MEETING.
This is very important topic, con-
tanning as it does a most precious and
yet often uureallzed and unappreciat-
ed Christian truth. If possible. get
the pastor to open the discussion of the
topic by a short explanatory address.
BIBLE READINGS.
Hos. xiv: 5; Math. XIV. 13: II Cor. xii,
Ito; Gal. ii, 20; Phil. i, oil: iv, IS;
Col. i, 21-23; iii, Is; Titus II. lila;
John Ii, l6.