The Newtown bee., 1900-04-27


 worthiest degree is termed joy. He whom we call the man of Sorrow, ac- quainted with grief, misunderstood, for saken, betrayed, erucified. has revealed the true reality of his inner life in word of glory, "my joy!"
 Do we desire supremely character like God? Behold him who could say. ''the Father and are one" ''he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." Jesus who walked from Bethlehem's arger to Go'gotha's cross with the glory of the ! eternal upon his brow.
 Such was Jesus, the one transcendent put the one practical man; the one per- feet but the one complete life: heavenly cnarscter whose fruits are striven for by every man. Him hold up as the ideal for you this morning. Behold him!
 We are now to consider very briefly the question;
 IS THE IDEAL OF THE MAN JESUS PRAcr1. for us, for you and me here and now :? You tell me that he is far above us, ths t his sinlessness and peculiar harmony with -iod make him unique; let us hasten to
 snt it. He is trarscendent in his good nsss; let US bow before him ih the thought. But in taking him ss an ideal, the thought assumed that he is beyond us; farther above us than we can think, else he ceases to be ideal. Let us also cling to the truth that he who Is Son of God is also Son of Man; that if he was at one with the Father, he was also at one with humanity that he who rose into eternal glory, may ever abide for us the Way, the Truth, the Life.
 We make two suggestions:
 l. His character was growth, pas sing through human stages, and was perfected by means common among men. His youth is that ot the common boy, though untainted; in manhood, he hungere, sleeps, struggles, weeps,-a man.
 He gradually worked out his plan o1 life, in process of It fl ,ction carried on ir the presence of the Father. Though he looked upon his truths, as revelations from above, yet his mind went through the mental processes of other men, he meditates, weighs, considers. It is his prayer life that is transcendent, for he knew how to pray. The harmony oi Jesus with God was never broken; but through him we too can learn to pray,
 Again, though sinless, yet he was tempted as we are, and maintained his integrity by means that lie at our hand. His struggle was not less real than ours though different because of 8 stainless past. He gained the victory as we are called to do, through fidelity to every command of God, and by an absorption in the Father and his work which gave Satan no opportunity to leave anything in him.
 Finally, he passed through the diff culties of his mission to the final Triumph by that same exercise of obedience and trust which ara the strength of every life.
 Thus Jesus, the man, triumphed and attained unto perfection. Therein, he marked goal of man. He has trod tht way before. Since one man has attained success is possible to every man. In hi human life, he lifts up an ideal for al the children of humanity.
 3. The struggle not alone, but
 IN THE STRENGTH OF THE RISEN CHRIST On the one hand the thrill of discipleshiI to Jesus carries us on. Who canno struggle for that wondrous Savior! We are lifted higher than conscious thought of striving for as ideal. We are en grossed in the thought of God, to know his mind, love with Him, do his will When such COT secration in his life ant devotion to his service become complete temptation loses it power. More glori ous far than mere striving for al abstract perfect is this life with tn, living Christ. Salvation comes not by seeking truth but by fellowship with hin who is ) good that there can be no evil Living with him we become like him Beholding as in mirror the glory of thu Lord, we ara transformed into the samt image from glory to glory.
 From the opposite point of view V, have the power of his presence. We can not understand the influence of the Di vine Spirit on ours in its work of purifi cation, in its power of suggestion, in it quickening of powers mental and emo tional, in it's teaching us how to pray But we know it leads us on sso'er moo and fen, OCT rock and hill''in the path O dasy and righteousness. What encour agement to those disciples came through - the presence of the Risen Lord! If thu professor stimulates the student to great CT tasks, if the presence of Napoleon in f | spired whole armies to enter the charge l. that meant death how beyond compare a when once fully realized, does this Lort D Jesus who is always with us keep ul true In service and faithful to our God l. Thus without knowing it, being lost il c him, we find ourselves being perfected ii D the process of attainment to the divin, ideal.
 nj Such Is the idesl-the man Jesus < Young men, young women, grasp it. E be worthy of the best. As the boy en E unused with the master sculptor't F achievements, was born unto the ideal and exclaimed: "I too can be e sculp P tor ' so I say to you, strive on toward B the Christ. Parents, lift Him up before f your children. No one here is pure enough, true, perfect enough for theil , ideal through the ages. Picture to then , Jesus. Thst ideal is sublime, it is oi | heaven, 1t IS eternal, it is divine! We shall not attain it in a day; it is toe