The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-10-30

. th NN EllaN the Mht4A AAA Sex aIi lN fftN-
d sl-sm power THAI would rae HA Vltt1ns.
I ANY love or philanthropy that cou.d be
/ worked m would be al right, hut before
I al else Messiah mus. be the messenger q;
\ Gods wrath against the nations. Nis.i'hs
I them with de.tat and disaster. that the
\ jew might rae supreme.
Thus = VAS that 20 the qses,iouCvs oi
! HIS day Jesus proved 10 be q s;urlb ins
! block. Did they ind IN HIM Inory than
| human power: les. they conceded that
/ they did. As they saw Him restore the
emaciated body Of the leper, or lniuse new
| life into the palsied form or open the ewes
! of the blind Or raise the dead from the
! grave they were bound To recognize 4 more
than human power. The gross and nah
/ c.ous SAID ;h!s power j. OF the deyd. hut
/ the more intelligent; said as they saw the
unseihshness the love and tenderness ot
\ Ills acts, We have never seen t done on
/ this wise beiorel' NO man coI.d dl
| these works except God be with him.
Surely this mus, be the Christ The
| answer of Jesus 20 the questiouers Of HE
\ day given m the terms of love. an answer
\ which they would not or could not under
| stand. l. that which satisfies the heart and
. reason of the inquirer OF to-day. Ii j. As
/ the Christ OF God and in Him YOU look
! for divine power. Look at My works. are
| they not OF the highest type, Ave, more.
| they are fraught with the power ot Col
! and prove. not only that am the Christ,
/ but that the nature OF God Is better than
! the thought OF man.has made him. lie -
| Gcd OF tenderness, OF love. Blessed an
swer, for il teaches that character il 81.
/ prcme, and that the highe,t life j. one OF
/ simp,e ministry 10 the needs OF others
To the INQUIRER Of to-day the answer OF
/ Jesus should be convincing. Since ], IS
! ours TO look from the mountain peak ot
| many centuries We may, however. see stiii
| OF he sfI A
| 10 the all important question. WAS Jesus
! the Christ" History gives a twoioid an.
/ Swer. first as seen in the prcplrat on OF
the world for the coming OF tlc Messiah
! aud then in the development OF the world
! thought since the days OF Jesus. Paul de-
/ clares that when the fulncSS OF tlmc was
come God sent forth His Son" into the
word By the fulness' OF time he must
! have meant the period tnat to clapse.
according TO the wisdom ot God, before
! His Son, the Christ. should come. Now. II
| Jesus was the Christ We may expect 10
| find the circumstances OF the time IN
| which He lived peculiarly fitted 10: HIS
coming. What were these circumstances:
| The vast Roman empire afforded broad
and accessible field for the spread Ci a
new religion. The sceptre OF Roman pow
er ruled the world. Radlatng from Rome
| as n centre were splendid military roads
which extended 10 the remotest boundaries
| of the empire. Because OF these and the
| opening Of ocean routes travel was easy
| az compared with preceding centuries.
! People travelled more. Thus facilities Tor
| disseminating new truth were better
| than ever before in the worlds history.
| Again. the Greek language was at that
! time widely known. Its wonderful e,as-
| ticity made il the best possible medium
! for conveying 10 men the facts CT new
religion. IL was the official language OF
! Government aud was spoken by the higher
| social classes a well as bv many al the un-
| lettered and uucultured Thus in the Greek
| the world had the nearest approach 70 a
| universal language that 1t had had since
| the days OF the Tower of Babel. The
| transmission OF the gospel was no very
! difficult ;hing 20 lar as language was con-
! oerned.
But the most notable preparation was
| that OF the Jewish Dcopjc. They had long
! strivou with their desire 20 worship idols.
| At last their vision was clarified IN this re-
| gard and the way was open for further
! revelation. Moreover. the discerning
! among them. from reading the annals oi
| their fathers. had come 20 long tor the
promised Messiah until that longing was
| Rindled to a fervent heat. All these things
! peculiarly fitted the time in winch Jesus
| lived for the reception and spread OF great
| religious truths.
Nor is history since that time less re.
markable. lie died a death OF shame; none
| could according TO the common notion be
/ more ignominious or dsgraceiul. His
| friends apparently were few. hat lie
would soon be forgotten would seem nat
| ural But il was not so. His followers
1 multiplied with marvellous rapldIty. Ter
secutions began and thousands ct theni
were burned. roasted. speared and gwen
| over 20 wild beasts Notwithstand all
| this within 300 years one-twentleth part
| Of the empire were proiessed Christians,
! the Emperor himself among the number.
| From that time until the present Chris
| tlanity and civilization have gone hand IN
! hand. Nanv OF the great uphoavais OF
| the worlds life is the story oil Christianity
| asserting herself against the powers that
| would stay her triumphant march. u was
| so in the time Of Charlcmagne. Of Luther,
Of Cromwell and of Plymouth Rock. The
! lines Of history converge toward Jesus
| Christ. In all things truly He has pre-
eminence. Surely this must be :he Chnst.
| From the historic point OF view was tie
not more than many His works and the
voice of history declare Jesus 10 be the
! Goldman.
If there still be a lingering doabt in the
mind of any that Jesus j. the Christ. the
| Kings Son. let him study the human heart
| and It's deepest need, and his doubts will
! hv Sin like a sombrc cloud casts dark
! enea shadow across every life Man has
ever found himself grIpped IN the re.ent'
/
empt. All alike arc tarred with the ono
! black stick. Ii n man tells YOU he has not
| A sinful nature get a little c,oser and YOU
| will detect the odor OF the tar 50 familiar
! to Yourself Congratulate ourselves az we
may upon our goodness. 1t Is still a tact
! that we are by nature sinful. But whiie
! this Is true il j. also true that man feels
! stirring within him higher and holer ma
| ture He feels within a purpose to be
| other and better than he u. Before him
| he sees the ideal of = holy character. na'
] ture wholly free from sin. and that nature
! he feels to be akin 20 God
Now lool; at Jesus in the light OF these
| facts His DAYS arc one long sequence oil
! holy thoughts and perfect deedsA In u m
! YOU look for sinfulness IN vain. In HIM
| there j. no fault. not the shadow OF
| thought that man can brand ~ sinful.
| This az once differentiates Hir from all
others In Him man finds his IDEAL eX'
| pressed. Let the heart once come m touch
! with Jesus and it needs no other answer
! 10 It's questions. In Him II y satisfied.
| What IL would have. Jesus already has.
| In touch with Him the soul must Keep Il
| IL would have It's needs supnled. and It's
| higher lie realized. Surely He who a.one
| realizes life's ideal and satisfies the needs
| and aspirations OF the heart must be the
| Christ. Oh. soul. have YOU the assurance
| this morning from need supplied. IDEAS
sanctifed and heart satisfied that Jesus
| is the Christi Believe Him for His word
/ has been given. VI not Ter this believe
| Him for He works sake. II still YOU
! doubt consult the testimony OF history
| and Of the human heart, and your soul. re-
! spending ~ His divine touch. viii surely
| cry out Yes. jesus, j know Thou art the
| Christ OF Cod
What We Can 10.