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


Woman OF Samaria. John iv:1-26.
This picture OF Jesus talking with the
Samaritan woman is one OF the most
graphic and realistic scenes 10 be found
In the Gospels. Every needful detail Is
supplied: all is clear and natural Jesus.
weary with travel. sitting at midday by
the opening Of the we'll: the woman COM
ing with her water-jar In genuine Orien-
tai fashion, for a supply OF water; and
the natural request from the way-worn
traveller. Give me to drink" And then
the conversation. moving on from step
TO step. rising from the common TO the
sublime. from the natural to the spiritual.
from the Incidents OF a chance meeting
TO the loftiest universal truths.
IL is with these great truths OF God
and man and religion that we are now
concerned. The chief significance OF
Jesus discourse will be found. think In
four thoughts which are fundamental TO
all true religion and far-reaching I'm their
consequences for the life OF man.
The first OF these is found In the very
fact that he talked with the Samaritan
woman at all. and, especially, In the fact
that he showed the deepest interest In
her welfare. Jews had no dealings with
Samaritans. The woman was amazed that
jew should ask from her a drink OF wa
ter, and the disciples equally marveled
that he was speaking with her. II meant
ceremonial deflement: IL was contrary
n social custom: IL was a fragrant breach
OF the traditions Of the elders.
EXAMPLE OF INDEPENDENCE.
Here we see superb example OF the
independence OF Jesus. In general. he
was not a radical or a non -conformist He
observed the ancestral customs OF his
people. But there were times when this
could not be done without compromise
with moral error. When the interests OF
human life were at stake. the ears OF
grain must be plucked on the Sabbath
day. Jesus advised that IL a man had
wronged his brother. he should even leave
his gift TO God unofYered, and go and
right the wrong Mercy is greater than
sacrifice. The tithing OF herbs is nothing
when weighed over against justice and
the love OF God.
Such were the principles of Jesus. We
see them illustrated here. No social con-
vention should stand In the way OF his
ministry To a human soul. He dared TO
care for those for whom nobody else
cared-the social outcast, the publican,
the Roman soldier. the Samaritan. He
rejoiced To find elements Of goodness In
the despised and the degraded. Who can
ever forget that when wanted TO depict
the true nature OF neighbor-love, he
showed how a priest and a Levite. the
show IL, but passed by the wounded man
on the other side Of the road, And who
was the man who, coming along and find
ing him. had compassion on him and min
istered to him7 A Samaritan A man or
the nation which the Jews hated! And
yet these men. who would not have touch
ed one another in the street. were neigh
bors.
HUMANENEss OF JESUS
Here we see the humanoness OF Jesus.
A mans man, whether ne be Jew.
Greek, or Samaritan. What are the dis
tinctions of caste that they should sepa-
rate and stratify our humanity? What
are the accidents OF birth that they should
break down the brotherhood of man? For
Jesus, the brotherhood OF man was found
ed In the fatherhood OF God. To regard
a single race as the favorites Of heaven.
10 suppose that n special class has n mo-
nopoly Of the divine favor. Is TO make God
partial and partisan Since all men have
one Father. all men are brethren.
This was undoubtedly the deep ground
OF the universalism OF Jesus. Christ's
conception OF man was determined by
his conception OF God As the offspring
OF God, every man. however humble has
absolute worth. He is not a mere slave
or tool: he is an end In himself. In him
are capacities and powers which make his
life a possible epic. There is a spark OF
divinity in man. Even In the commonest
human life there Is something vast. mys-
terious. infnite-the capacity, for exam
pie. 10 frame ideals and TO cherish high
aspirations, however imperfectly-the fac
ulty which. at Jesus word awoke I'm the
Door Samaritan woman and caused her 10
exclaim "Sir. give me this water that
may thirst no more
ADVENT OF HUMANITY.
To Jesus Christ must he credited above |
all others. what has been called "the nd
vent of humanity" How slowly did the |
apostolic church how imperfectly has the !
church OF subsequent ages. entered into |
hs idea and estimate Of man. For the !
church OF the first age, there were stu |
jew and Greek: for that Of subsequent !
ages. there have been elect and non-elect. |
and for the same reason: because God is !
respecter OF persons. For Jesus God I
is The universal Father who so loves as 4
20 love the world. whose purpose OF grace .
would gather all the lost and erring sons .
of men Into the fold since Il Is not the \
VIII OF the Father that one OF these little /
ones should perish.
Jesus spoke 10 the human I'm men and /
women-to the human soul the human /
needs. and showed the way 10 their sat-
isfaction. In him first. In him only. do
we see the man. the teacher. the savio sr,
% whom nothing human ls alien"
A second great truth which emerges
IN this converse ton II found I'm the words !
God IL spirit" must venture TO make
two remarks on the forces Of the orig