The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-25

Christ's Humility an Evidence of Sell
Respect-His Unceasing sympathy and
Reverent Tenderness He is the Com
quering Power.
Rev. DR.. w. L. Phillips delivered a
morning at the Church of the Redeem
er, which is given in full below. An
attractive feature of the service, both
morning and evening was the Christ
mas music rendered by the choir under
the direction of Professor Shepard. 1t
was a matter of pleasing comment af-
ter the morning service that the music
was tastefully arranged and carried
out. In the evening, by special request,
the choir repeated Professor Shepard S
cantata, "The Word Made Flesh" DR..
Phillips sermon was preached from the
following texts:
I. Peter, 2:22, 23-"Who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth;
who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, threatened
not; but committed himself to Him who
judgeth righteously.'
Romans S:9-'If any man hath not
the spirit of Christ he is none of His. +"
The contemplation of the cradle of
Jesus and the scenes attendant upon
His birth yearly remind us Of those
traits in His character which shine pre-
eminent. He was of peasant parentage;
there was no room for Him at the inn;
His first cry smote the odorous air of
stable; He had only a handful of name
less Shepherds to welcome Him. Until
the eastern Sages agitated the jealous
mind of Herod His birth did not create
a ripple in Jewish society. Throughout
His life the same quality Of lowliness
was emphasized by His career and
teachings. He and not where to lay
His head; he was dependent upon His
friends for daily bread and common
ministries. He taught non-resistance
and submission to ill-treatment; He
called Ills service yoke; He rebuked
the impetuous temper of His disciples,
and described Himself as meek and
1owly in heart.
Is there any significance in all this
to conceited and contentious world?
Put aside the mystery of His birth,
death and resurrection; put aside His
miracles; put aside His claims; let Him
stand forth as real and essential man,
focused in the white light of the CEN
turies-Is Jesus of Nazareth the model
Man? Are the precents He taught and
practiced workable by other men?
What was His first prominent charac
terstic? His humility,
that low, sweet root
From which all heavenly virtues
shoot"
He taught men to be adorned with the
Tournament of a meek and quiet spirit"
He said: Do not contend; do not give
railing for railing; do not resist the in
suits and encroachments of evil men;
give more than is demanded; if you are
prosecuted in one place, neither strive
nor linger to invite martyrdom-fee to
another city; do not make a show of
your tearing or your piety or your be-
nevolence; do not bind yourselves by |
oaths, but let your yea be yea and your |
nay be nay, for whatsoever is more |
than these cometh of evil And He |
practiced these precepts. Two of His |
disciples would have fire from heaven !
fall upon Ills opposers, but He chides
the thought. Peter sewers the ear of |
an enemy, but He Himself heals the I
wound. He meekly submits to insults |
and injuries when brought before PLATE.
When those He was dying to save sub |
jected Him to the torturing instrument |
of death He prayed: Father forgive |
them, for they know not what they do."
His apostles, ordinary men of rude tenn
per, perceived this spirit and were irri-
tated by 1t; one of them rebuked Him
for it, and sought to turn Him from His
purposes but afterWard they saw it's
heavenly beauty and commended to
Others the "meekness and gentleness of
Christ"
There is a humility that is spurious,
the assumed lowliness of temper which
CoIeridge has satirized:
''And the devil did grin, for his darling
sin
Is pride that apes humility"
One need not dishonor his own
thought of Jesus by even suggesting
that such pretense is inconceivable in
with Him. But we are so
accustomed to discount what is above
us that men have sometimes said: eff
He was not posing for effect He was at
least teaching doctrines utterly imprac-
ticable in a world like this"
L |
despicable without courage or self-re-
spect, that endures buffeting and insult
for selfish ends the humility of the serf
and the sycophant. This is the temper
to which Shylock refers when he asks:
'Shall I bend low, and in a bondmans
key, :
With bated breath and whispering
humbleness
Say this:
Fair Sir, you spit on me on Wednesday
last:
You spurned me such a day; another ;
time
You called me dog; and for these cour- :
tesies
III lend you thus much monies?" :
No man who has read the gospels can
lttribute such a spirit to our Lord He
vas free as the air; His speech was :
lever pitched to the bondman's key; He
cared no wrath and sought no favors.
Peter makes clear to us the peculiar ~
Iuality in his humility. L was some :
hing more than non-resistance and dis {
aste for brawling; it was the product a
f faith, the result of acquiescence in /
he divine order. What does Peter saw V