Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-06-06
CHRISTIAN NDtAVOK.
Topic For the Week Beginning June
1O-Comment by Rev. $. IL. Doyle.
ToRR-Liyes that lift.-Luke xiii, 20, 81.

1O-Comment by Rev. $. IL. Doyle.
TosR-Lives that lift.-Luke xiii, 20, 81.
THE PARABLE.
This topic is illustrated by the par
able of the leaven and the meal. 1t is
associated by the evangelists with that
of the mustard seed-the one represent
ing the external growth and spread of
Christs church and the other the inter-
nal growth of Christian principles and
their universal extension. After the
parable of the mustard seed. Jesus
said: "Whereunto shall | liken the
kingdom of God? 1t is like heaven
which a woman took and hid in three
measures Of meal TIL the whole was
leayened.'
THE INTERPRETATION.
The kingdom of God represents the
church which is to spread over the
world as the heaven throughout the
mtal. The leaven represents the word
OF God or the new living principle
brought into the word by Christ,
whiehis to be implanted in the hearts of
n.en and which will lift them as leav-
en- lifts or raises the meal. There is no
significance in the fact that there We're
three measures of meal or that ii was
a woman who hid the leaven in the
meal This was the usual amount. and
the work was such as woman usual
~ performs.
THE APPLICATION.
This parable very naturally suggests
the lifting force of Christianity upon
the lives of men. 1t not only suggests
lifting lives, but sets before us some
facts in reference to lives that lift.
|. Lives that lift must themselves
first be lifted. All men in their natural
estate are like the meal They need
leaven to raise them from coIsdi-
ton of sinfulness before God to po-
sition that is acceptable to God. 1t is
easy to see that this is necessary be-
fore our lives can influence the lives
of others for good. The blind cannot
lead the blind. The unreformed cannot
reform Before a portion of meal could
leaven that adjoining 1t it must Itself
be leavened. No man can lift the
lives of others by this new force which
Christ has brought into the world un-
til we ourselves are ChriStianiZed and
lifted.
- Lives that lift must come in actual
contact with the lives that need to be
lifted The heaven had to touch the
meal before it would be leavened. So.
by the touch of our lives in some way,
the principle of new life which we pos
sess must be implanted in the hearts
and lives of others if they are to be
lifted Christward and heavenward.
BY personal example, by personal at
tentions. by personal persuasions, we
must make our lives touch the lives
of others If we are to win them for
Christ.
3. The greatest litter of lives is
Christ Himself He is the life. The
leaven is really not so much the word
of Christ as it is Christ Himself. Christ
In the heart lifts the life. Christ in
the world is lifting the whole world
Christ lived and died that He might
raise men from the lowest depths of
sin and misery to the highest heights
Vi Slpls anu AapfiuSSS' but iac hoA
only lifts the lives of those who &c
cept Him, but He places within them
the power of drawing others to Him,
that they may be lifted up. He is not
only the great moral and spiritual mag
net who draws all men unto Him. but
He magnetizes those who are drawn,
and they possess the power 10 draw
men up unto Him. Have we been lift
ed TO Christ? Are we lifting others to
Him?
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Have biographical meeting. Ar
range a special programme, with five
minute papers or addresses on the
lives of men which have been con
spicuous for their lifting powers-Pe-
ter. Paul, Barnabas, Luther, Wesley.
Sturgeon, Murphy. Moody.
BIBLE READINGS.
Math. V, 43-4S; John Ill, 14-1G; xii,
80; Gal. vi, lilo; Phil. Iii. 12-14; Col.
iii, 1-3; Tim. ", 1916; ii Tim. iv. Is;
Heb. xii, l. =; Jas. V. 10, 20; l Pet.
ii. 1925.
In Honorable Ways.