Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-01-24
4. s,sItaN f. ~ AN,It.

Topt~ For the Week beginning Jan.
2~-Co 1.siaent by rev. $. Il. Boyle.
ToFio.-Lesr5rs tor Simon and US. Like vii,
$3.50
This is a very toueAiug-auI instruct
i've Incident in the life OF Christ. Ine
manifesiaJun Of TIE pu0r wou!an's
love is touching ia tGees; !. ne. aud the
happy N;-s Ii winch Onlist used her
act to teach the Pharisees an impor-
tant lesson displays His wonderful abil-
ity as teacher Christ is being en-
tertained in the home Of a Pharisee. a
poor woman whose sins He had par
doned comes with a box OF ointment
and touCu Ely auoints HIS feet. wash
es them VIA tears. wipes taem with
her hair AMI kisses them. The rAari-
see complained. and in answer Jesus
spoke to him Il parable in which He
showed Fat ore loved In n7 aufti0n as
he had been forgiven. lie thtn pointed
10 the great love Of tie woman as
procf OF TIE great debt for which she
had been forgiven. We may learn,
with Simon:
|. A lesson on forgiveness. This wo-
men had si~Gea mCch. an1 vet she was
forgiven. II is thuS f7r=dt that the
forgiveness e Gel can e- manifested
toward TIE vear lowest ~ sinners 1t
was difficult for the Jews to compre-
bend this fact with all Christ's teach
irg. yet after Fhrist's ascension they
did not cOnipreheud the fact that the
love of God and the forgiveness of God
extended to the publicauS and sinners.
And do we fully realize il today? Do
we not speak of men and women as
hopeless TINS abridging the pardoning
power of God? Do we not look askance
at poor wandering sinner who may
by chance have dropped into the house
of God. as much as to say. This Is no
place for you?" And. If one does re-
pent with tears and sorrow. are we not
slow to recognize him as the child Of
God? The Simons are not all dead.
Let us learn Christ's lesson to them.
2 A lesson on love. This poor wom-
an loved much because she was much
forgiven She was not forgiven be-
cause she loved. but loved because she
was forgiven. Do we love much? II
not, may II not be that we do not real
lie how much we have been forgiven?
Simon would probably think that
Christ put His debt at high figure,
and often we CO not realize the great
ness Of Gods forgiveness in forgiving
US. Is II not true that the best Of us
, have been much forgiven? II we think
not let US try to see sin as God sees It.
let US try to realize the enormity Of
that which separates a soul eternally
from God, and we can't help but see
that we have been much forgiven.
And. being mych forgiven. we should
love much and should confess and
manifest our love before men.
Sweet the moments rich in blessing
Which before the cross l spend.
Life and health and peace possessing
From the sinners dying friend.
Here it is / find my heaven
While upon the Lamb gaze.
Love much? I'm much forgiven.
I'm a miracle Of grace.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Have a bible reference memory
meeting" Let each one recite from
memory Bible reference on forgive
ness or love. These can be interspersed
with appropriate hymns, prayers or re-
marks.
Bible Readings.-Ps. xviii. l, 2; cxvi,
Is: cxlv. 20; lisa. |. is; lv. II; Song
viii. Z; Math. x. 81; Luke XIV, lilo; xvii.
Ills; John Ill, 1G; xiv. %; xxi. 15-11;
Acts K, $40; Tim. l, IA, 10; John
~, 10.