The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-25
Jesus the Living Bread.

IT'S the heavenly graciousness OF Jesus
that He did not despise the sordid souls,
as We perhaps should have done. who fo!.
lowed Him in throngs that day merely for
the loaves and fishes. He knew that they,
poor things, dwelt in bodies clamoring
daily for the wants that were in-supphed.
He saw their need. though but OF the ply.
sical. And He stopped to reach and save
them just as He has had to stoop to the
lowest and weakest in o and me in or.
der tn get us 10 come to Him.
thing as bread Jesus is able to manifest
Himself. Higher things do not appeal to
them. Bread they can understand. It is
neither too high nor too great for their
daily Use. Therefore about bread win
Jesus speak to them. He gave them bread
Yesterday in plenty and without price.
For that they are the more ready to listen
to Hin to-day. He says He 10 bread.
Does He mean He will be like that to
them, nourishing, refreshing. revivifying.
becoming q part OF their own selves as is
bread when taken uD by their physical
system. always with them. to be partaken
o.! Is that what He means? Dimly they
begin to perceive and feebly to feel after
the truth. Their minds go back to their
tradit ons-their fathers in the wilderness.
Van IL DC IuHL WOEG WdHUd IN u IuII IOE
them? All! that would be weli-to have
no more care for the morrow in things phv.
sical-unless, there was the trouble Of gath.
ering it M.
But quickly He shows them It is not
that. He reminds them that those fathers
are dead. The bread in the wilderness did
not keep them alive forever. Bat the true
bread that He will give-wonder OF Won
ders-if they shall eat it they sh1ll live for
ever! They are reached and understand at
last and cry put eagerly. Lord. evermore
give US this bread" all shame for the low
motive which brought them to Him lost in
thLir eagerness to accent the great gift.
JESUS Is willing to be TO MS the supply
of our commonest dsiIv need. This bread
must be taken az a gift, for it cannot be
bought. As bread may lie on our tables
freely and yet do us no good because we
have no desire 10 eat it, so this Bread Of
Heaven can not nourish US unless we take
it into our very being.
Marcus Dods saws: THE figure of cat.
ing reminds us that the acceptance Of
Chris ID an act which each man must do
for himself. No other man can eat for
me. Il also reminds US that as the food
we eat is distributed, without our own
will or supervision, to every part OF the
body. giving light to the eye and strength
w ~ EAttA viz VI thth rs yin
place. nerve or blood vessel in another, so,
If only we make Christ our own. the life
that Is in Him suffices for all the require
ments Of human nature and human duty.
A moor Indian. too proud to ask for food.
was found in q starving condition when aid
was almost too late. But the saddest part
of his suffering was that about his neck he
wore = coin. q testimonial OF brave serv.
ices rendered to n high in authority dur
ing a time Of war. which. had it been pre-
sented to the Government, would have en-
titled him to freely receive all supplies he
conld possibly need.
This figure Of eating has many lessons
for US. Above all. it reminds us of the
poor appetite we have for spiritual nour.
ishment. How thoroughly by this process
Of eating does the healthy body extract
from it's fools every particle OF real nntri.
ment. Bv this process the food is made TO
yield ali that IL contains Of nourishing sub
stance. But how fa- is this from represent
ing our treatment Of Christ. How much is
there in Him that it fitted tn yield comfort
and hope. and yet to us it yields none.
How much that should Gil US with assur.
ance 1t Gods love. vet how fearfnlly We
live. How much to make ms admire self
sacrifice and fill us with earnest purpose to
live for others. and vet how little OF this
becomes in very deed our life. God sees in
Him all that can make US complete. all
that can FIJI and gladden. and suffice the
sorl. and vet how bare and troubled and
defeated DO we live.-New York Mail and
Express.