The Penn's Grove record., 1903-10-30

QCtnOlStIdLt Ills QlblDc power EY TEE
might and conquest of arms. They had it
all cut and dried just what the Christ
should be and do. He was suddenly to ap-
pear out of the heavens or out of some Sc
questered way OF life, attended by great
wonders. With the sword He was quickly
to oyerrun the world and set up in Jeru-
salem a power that would rue all nations.
Any love or philanthropy that could be
worked IN would be all right, but before
all else Messiah must be the messenger of
Gods wrath against the nations, visiting
them with defeat and disaster, that the
jew might rule supreme.
Thus it was that to the questioncrs Of
His day. Jesus proved to &c d stumbling
block. Did they find in Him a more than
human power? Yes, they conceded that
they did. As they saw Him restore the
emaciated body of the leper, or infuse new
life into the palsied form or open the eyes
OF the blind, or raise the dead from the
grave, they were bound to recognize a more
than human power. The gross and mali
clous said this power is of the devil, but
the more intelligent said, as they saw the
nnselhshness. the love and tenderness OF
HIS acts, We have never seen il lone on
this wise b~eforei" mo man could do
these works except God be with himl"
Surely this must be the Christi" The
answer of Jesus to the q~uestioners Of His
day given in the terms Of love, an answer
which they would not or could not under
stand, is that which satisfies the heart and
reason of the inquirer Of to-day. It is as
though Jesus said. "You ask if 1 an really
the Christ of God and in Him you look
for divine power. Look at My works, are
they not of the highest typey Aye, more,
they are fraught with the power of God
and prove, not only that ! am the Christ,
but that the nature of God is better than
the thought of man has made him. He is
a God of tenderness, of love- Blessed an
swer, for it teaches that character is SUI
preme, and that the higheet life is one Of
simple ministry to the needs of others.
To the inquirer of to-day the answer OF
ours to look from the mountain peak of
many centuries We may, however, see still
other proofs and find still other answers
to the all important question, was Jesus
the Christi" History gives a twofoid an
swer, first as seen in the preparation OF
the world for the coming Of re Messiah
and then in the development of the worlds
thought since the days of Jesus. Paul de-
clares that "when the fulness of time was
come. God sent forth His Son" into the
world. By the fitness of time he must
have meant the period that V to elapse,
according to the wisdom of God, before
His Son, the Christ. should come. Now, if
Jesus was the Christ, We may expect to
find the circumstances of the time 10
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coming. What were these circumstancesy
The vast Roman empire afforded a broad
and accessible field for the spread of i
new religion. The sceptre of Roman pow
er ruled the world. Radiating from Rome
as a centre were splendid military roads
which extended to the remotest boundaries
of the empire. Because of these and the
opening of ocean routes travel was easy
as compared with preceding centuries.
People travelled more. Thus facilities for
disseminating a new truth were better
than ever before in the worlds history
Again, the Greek language was at that
time widely known. Its wonderful elas-
ITCHY made it the best possible medium
for conveying to men the facts OF a new
religion. It was the official language or
Government and was spoken by the higher
social classes as well as by many of the I'M
lettered and uncultured. Thus in the Greek
the world had the nearest approach to a
universal language that it had had since
the DAYS of the Tower of Babel. The
transmission of the gospel was no very
difficult thing so far as language was con-
cerned.
But the most notable preparation was
that Of the Jewish people. They had long
striven with their desire to worship idols.
At last their vision was clarified in this re
gard, and the way was open for a further
revelation. Moreover, the discerning
among them, from reading the annals OF
their fathers, had come to long for the
promised Messiah until that longing was
kindled to a fervent heat. All these things
l peculiarly fitted the time in which Jesus
lived for the reception and spread OF great
religious truths.
markabie. He died a death of shame; none
could according to the common notion be
more ignominious or disgraceful. His
friends apparently were few. That He
would soon be forgotten would seem nat
ural. But it was not so. His followers
multiplied With marvellous rapldlty. Ter
secutions 7egan and thousands Of them
were burned, II sted, speared and given
over to wild beasts. Notwithstanding all
this, within 300 years one-twentleth part
of the empire were professed Christians,
the Emperor himself among the number.
From that time until the present Chris
tianity and civilization have gone hand in
hand. Manv of the great upheavals OF
the worlds life is the story Of Christianity
asserting herself against the powers that
would stay her Triumphant march: 1t was
so in the time of Charlemagne, 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 the Christ.
From the historic point of view was de
not more than man. His works and the
voice of history declare Jesus to be the
Goldman.
If there still be a lingering doubt in the
mind of any that Jesus is the Christ, the
Kings Son" let him study the human heart
and its deepest needs and his doubts will
fly. Sin like a sombre cloud casts a dark
ened shadow across every life. Man has
ever found himself gripped in the relent-
less grasp Of an evil nature. None IS ex-
empt. All alike are tarred with the one
black stick. If a man tells you he has not
a sinful nature get a little closer and yoa
viii detect the odor of the tar so familiar
to yourself. Congratulate ourselves as we
NAV upon our goodness, 1t IS still a facs
that we are by nature sinful. But while
this is true, it is also true that man feefs
stirring within him a higher and hoiier ma
ture. He feels within a purpose TO De
other and better than he is. Before him
he sees the ideal OF a holy character. a ma
ture wholly free from sin. and that nature
he feels to be akin to God.
Now look at Jesus in the light of these
facts. His days are one long sequence OF
| holy thoughts and perfect deeds. In Him
you look for sinfulness IN VAIN In Him
there is nc fault, not the shadow OF a
| thought that man can brand as sinful.
This at once di~fferentiates Him from all
others. In Him man finds his ideal ex-
| pressed. Let the heart once come IN touch
with Jesus and it needs no other answer
to its questions. In Him 1T IS satisfied.
What it would have. Jesus already has:
| In touch with Him the soul must keep il
it would nave its needs supplied. and its
higher life realized. Surely He who alone
| realizes LIES 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, ideals
| sanctifed and heart satisfied, that Jesus
is the Christ? Believe Him for His word
has been given. If not for this believe
Him for His works sake. If still you
doubt. consult the testimony of history
and of the human heart, and your soul, re-
spending to His divine touch, will surely
cry out, Eyes, Jesus, | know Thou art the
Christ of Godi"
What we Can DO.
On every hand one hears specific RENE
l:oa k.S ax;ct;nn dneantS Ihara l. nothinn