Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-05-13
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.


Copac For the week Beginning May
I7-Comment by Rev. s. IL. Doyle.
Topic.-The lad with the loaves and
hshes.--John vi, 9-12 "a meeting with
the Juniors.)
at the close of long day Of service
Christ and His disciples were on the
eastern shore of the Galilean sea, sur
rounded by vast multitude of people,
who had made no provision for the
evening meal The disciples urged
Him to send them away to provide for
themselves, but the Master said, "Give
Re them to eat" This seemed to them
impossible because of their limited
store, which consisted of five loaves
and two fishes carried by boy. But
these Jesus miraculeusly multiplied,
giving to the disciples and they giving
TO the people. This was continued IN
I'll all were fed, and then it was found
that twelve basketfuls of fragments
remained.
In this incident lad with five bar
ley loaves and two fishes" played an
Important part and in doing so illus
trates the fact that even children can
have very important relationship to
the Lord Jesus Christ. In years gone
by the church accorded little place to
the child in the courts of our God. God
called Samuel to His service, accepted
the praises of children and the Master
took the children in His arms and
blessed them, yet the church was slow
30 recognize the fact that children can
have any place or part in religion or in
the life of the church. Its attitude
was rather that of the disciples of
Christ than that of the Master Him.
Beif But this attitude toward children
has undergone wonderful change.
Scores of them are received into the
church and lead sweet Christian lives.
Thousands of them as Junior En-
heavorers render faithful and loving
service to the Master, whom they love,
and are frequently the means of lead
Ing others to Him and into His service.
The possibility of such conditions is
foreshadowed in the incident of the
lad with the loaves and fishes. /. He
was personally attached TO Christ and
His disciples. Not only had the men
and women followed Jesus, but this
boy had also done so. Discipleship can
not be limited to age. Some of the
most sanity of Gods people have Civ
en- themselves to Him very early In
life and at the most advanced ages
with all our experience and knowledge
the most of us are spiritually but
sbabes in Christ" Children can love
and trust the Saviour, and we may re-
boice that this fact has such abundant
recognition today. 2. He served Christ.
ut is supposed and not without reason
that this lad carried the loaves and
fishes for Jesus and the apostles. They
may have had him with them for this
very purpose. Children can serve
Christ. Their little lives can be conse-
Grated to Him. and in praise. in prayer.
in study, in Christian living and in
christian deeds they can serve Him.
3. Christ used the boy with the fishes
In the services of others. Under the
blessing of Christ the boys limited
provisions were made capable of feed
ang thousands of people. So Christ to-
day can take the possessions and tall
ents even of the children and make
them rebound to the glory of God and
fhe benefit of mankind. How thor
oughly the Junior Endeavor society
mas demonstrated this fact! Therefore
dt should be our aim to increase its
numbers and to enlarge its usefulness.
BIBLE READINGS.
Sam. i, 10; II Kings xxi, 1. 2; Ps.
viii, 1, 2: Dan. l. s; Luke i, 80; H. 1852;
xviii, 1917; Acts ii, 37-39; xvi, 1898;
Epb. vi, 1-3.