The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-02

TO us face to face after the supper would
He say TO US: II wash thee not. II
thou dost not enter into this mystery
thou hast no part with me, although
thou hast tasted bread and wine?
No. I do not think He would say this
He would not speak. as He did to Peter.
Rather with breathless passion of speech
would he pour forth In burning words
In this day Of the church's lukewarmness
and Indifference and the worlds need our
individual duty and the church's duty TO
use the power that God has given US.
symbolized In the supper. as He symbol
lied it's use In the washing OF feet.
No better explanation could be given
Of the condition into which the church
Of Christ has fallen than to gather to-
gether the things which are said over the
symbols OF the divine power. II Is time
for definitions. for theories. for the ex-
PLANTATION OF the death of our Lord. subtle
sightless threads spun In tho imagina-
tions OF men. sitting quietly apart from
the world not feeling the hot breath Of
mems passion or hearing the rapid heart
beat as they push on with eager greed
Then place by the side OF that which
is said, that which Jesus said and which
we do not say and think, my friends,
that we shall not only have an explana
tion OF the condition OF the Christian
church. we'll nigh void today OF passion
for men. so Characteristic OF Jesus
Christ. and we shall have explanation
that will help us to understand much Of
our weakness.
The time Is limited In which a man
can stand with uncovered head in rev.
erence before superior power. II we
stand too long the graceful courtier Is
seized with the trembling OF self-con-
scious awkwardness. The time for such
w
shamefaced when power has inspired us
for duty and we do not go. The Office
OF Jesus at the last supper was to reveal
power. which when revealed would in
spire men 10 service.
GREAT sEARcHINGs OF HEART.
Today there are great searchings OF
heart In our midst We are all asking
questions. Some OF them do not seem
to ever get themselves answered. As
the Jews in the year preceding
the coming Of Jesus could not live
untouched by the spirit OF Greek
culture and civilization. so We. llv
ing In a day when doubts abound
and old things seem passing away and all
things are becoming new ask many
things OF ourselves. They are not the
duestionings one puts to another. but the
questionings we put to our own souls as
II they were upon Judgment seats.
One day the young man In business or
professional life drops Hfe's cares and
things on life's problems. He goes back
over the past and then he turns and con-
fronts the future and I'm terms Of that fu-
ture he tries 10 find explanation OF the
why and how OF the present. What
means this struggle after all? So TO the
reflective the commonplace task OF the
market place. the saying in the forum
must be woven into the plan OF life.
Into this mans thoughts came God and
the Christ life and In his serious inquiry
he asks, what do these things mean TO
me? Am the better or the stronger for
them? Do l mean anything more to
society than l would IL / had no such
faith?
want you man OF the church and at
tho same time man Of the world. en-
crossed as one must needs be, I'm the
stern facts and knotty problems Of daily
work, 10 measure yourself alongside OF
the man who Is not OF the church. who
has no faith In religion and who claims
no allegiance TO Christ. vet who Is honest.
upright. moral; a worthy citizen, and ask
yourself ins what respect does his life
differ from mine?
We shall be tempted to answer this
question in terms OF theory. All that the
Lords supper suggests will come to us
the death Of Jesus, the doctrine OF the
atonement, our faith In the forgiveness Of
sins through this death. and so on
through the whole OF our fundamental be-
lefs.
Yet we are tremendously serious nd this
does not quite satisfy VS.. We can't es-
cape the claim that the practical makes
on us. By their fruits ye shall know
them and by your fruits ye shall know
yourself. The final question will always
be with us. supposing | do believe In these
things which have been taught, is life
more profitable. is the world made better
because / do believer
OBLIGED TO ANSWER.
These are questions we are forced to
answer them finally. not In terms OF the
Lords supper. but in terms OF the master
washing the disciples feet. II is the
question that the world Is asking con-
cerning the church. Il the church after
all Of practical service 10 me7 II IL a
fact. we cannot deny II, that the men
who are most needy. who require service
most. answer this question In the mega
tive.
II the individual man finds the final test
OF the worth Of his decipleship in his ca
pacity 10 stoop and serve: II this Is the
test OF the value OF the church not only
In the eyes OF the world but in the eyes
OF It's own membership the question is at
once propounded. How can I server
What Is the source Of that power that
Will enable me to serve more and better
the highest interests OF humanity. The
doubt In mems minds today Is not n
doubt as 10 the value ~ service. II IL
not doubt "a to the value of Chrisrs
life as life OF service. IL is n doubt as
10 the virtue Of that life, the life OF God.
In being able to give US the power 10
serve.
We test men and give them their place
IN history not by the worst. hut hy the
best they can do Keats wrote much
poetry that IL little read. yet IN an occa-
sionsl stanzs In the ode 10 a Grecian nun