The Tupelo journal., 1902-10-31


work not for the perishable food, which
they could only get by work, but for
the Heavenly food, which they could
only get by faith.
The Textile words of our text are
fairly saturated with Gospel truth.
The figure of the Living Bread clearly
illustrates the relation which Christ
sustains to the soul. His origin is posi-
lively stated as from Heaven. His mis-
sion is indicated in the declaration that
"if any man eat of this Bread, he shall
live forever" And the method of &C.
complishing hat mission by suffering
and death is implied when He declares
that He will give His flesh for the life
of the world. His life for the life of the
world is a worldwide fact and brings
Eternal Life within the reach of all,
but the realization of that factis an in
dividual matter. He holds out His
gift of Eternal Life to the whole
world, but the appropriation of that
gift is left to the "any man" who will
eat of this Bread. Let us turn our
consideration to the statement of
Christ that He is the Living Bread come
down from Heaven.
Our first proposition in regard to
this is that there can be no life with
out bread. While the Israelites sat
by the flesh pots of Egypt they did
not realize how vital a connection the
food sustained to the life of the body,
but when God got them off in the will
derness they began to cry to Him for
bread. With plenty at hand they had
no sense of need, but fed from the
hand of God day by day they under
stood how their life depended upon
the daily supply of mamma. And as
physical life cannot be sustained with
out partaking of food, so the soul
cannot live without feeding upon the
Living Bread. And further, as the
proper food for the body must be that
which can be assimilated by the
body, so the food for the soul must be
that which can give life and satisfy.
The plant feeds upon the black, damp
earth pressed close about it's roots,
but nan would fill his stomach in vain
with that which the plant thrives upon.
The OK contentedly chews his cud of
hay and supplies the needs of its body,
but man would starve upon such a
diet. So it is with the soul There is
but one food upon which it can live
and thrive, that is the Living Bread,
Jesus Christ. Man tries to feed it
upon other things, and the soul is
starved to death as a consequence,
Away back in Isaiah's time we hear
him crying out against such folly,
when he says: Wherefore do ye
spend money for that which is not
bread? and your labor for that which
satisfieth not? Hearken diligently
unto me, and eat We that which is
good, and let your soul delight itself in
fatness."
Two important facts in regard to
the relation of bread to the body re-
quire neutrality-suspicious. and
Assimilation. Our second proposition,
therefore, is that bread is of no use
unless it is partaken of and the stom-
ach performs its function of assimila-
ton. Of what good would all the
bread in the world be to me if l did not
appropriate some of it to the needs of
my body? l would starve with plenty
all around me unless | reached out and
took the loaves in my hand and con-
veyed them to my mouth. 1t is related
of a shipwrecked crew drifting upon
the eXpanseless ocean that their scant
supply of water gave out, and, as day
after day went by, they came nigh
unto death from thirst. But unbe-
known to them they finally drifted
into the mouth of a great river, with
it's abundant supply of fresh, sweet
water. But Notwithstanding there
was life-giving water all about them,
their throats continued parched and
dry, their tongues swollen and their
eyes wildly watching for the cloud
that might bring rain. And while they
drifted death drew carer and nearer
until one of the men in his delirium
threw himself from the boat. As the
refreshing waters touched his parched
asd bleeding lips and swollen tongue
he managed to gasp, "Water!" and
then sank from sight. But the word
which he had uttered caught the ears
of the other dying men in the boat,
and with eager haste they leaned over
the sides of the boat and sucked in the
cool, life-giving water, but it was not
until they began to appropriate it that
it could do them any good. So it is in
regard to the soul. Adrift on the sea
of life, it is furnishing and dying for
want of the Living Bread. Christ is
at hand ready to give, but if the SOU
does not reach cut and appropriate the
gift of Eternal Life it must perish in
it's blindness and with the cry ring.
ing in the ears of Bread, Living
Bread"
Do you remember the picture OF
those little children of the street
standing upon the snowy ground or
Christmas night and peering through
the brilliantly lighted window of the
mansion upon the scene of plenty anc
Joy within? The table groaned I'm
der it's weight of good things. The
family and friends were gathered
about the board, and, while they ate
the half-fed urchins on the stree
watched them with hungry and long
ing look. But wish as they nigh
they could not sit at that table mol
partake of that feast. 1t was only pre-
pared and intended for the few. But
oh, how different is the provision
which God has made for the world
No one is shut out who will come. NJ