Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-17

as they lift their bright faces up-
ward 10 receive the sunshine and the
ram. have been in their own sweet way
bringing TO man Gods message and helm
Ing 10 interpret His written word. What
picture our text brings before us Jesus
seated on the green-carpeted slopes of
'ne hlilside, the group of faithful dis
c'p!es NhCm He has but just formally
CHOSEN 20 follow Him in His ministry.
standing behind Him. while before Him
and on either side the eager. attentive.
expectant multitudes press to hear Him.
And Jesus, looking out upon that multi
tude, sees the anxious. careworn and
hungry looking faces behind which the
starving. unsatisfied souls were keeping
their vigil He feels the throb OF that
restless life: He knows the anxious
thought and trouble which follow re-
lertlessly al the heels OF those people
Ike al evil Nemesis: He understands
the work and struggle which 20 on
day after day-the anxiety for the neces
sites Of life and the fretting for the
pleasures ard luxuries. And that Jew
ish multitude gathered about the Saviour
In the Galilean hills was no different
from the multitudes OF to-day. There
are the same anxious and careworn
1aces, there are the same hungry. unsat-
lsheu looks breaking forth from the
Starving soui; there are the same worry.
the same discomfort. the same feyerish
pursuit for the perishable things of this
Iie-for food and raiment. for pleasures
and Tor worldly place and power. Jesus
as He looks out over the world TODAY
flrOna in oil
nature the same. He can point us back
70 that scene which our text brings be-
Tore us, and ask us to see there the faith
lui portrayal in miniature Of the condi-
uon OF human heart and life to-day
VI Jesus saw more than that fever
II lsh and anxious multitude. He
saw more than that human sea of
faces over which the furrowing marks
OF care and trouble and unwholesome
pleasures and indulgsnces had traced
their lndeiible lines Yea. if He had
not. / verify believe His heart would
nave broken. In that human need
ana oul-hunSer before Him there was
naught 10 cheer His heart or bring
Sladness TO the Divine eyes. But that
was not all He saw The grass and
the lilies Of the field were there. He
saw them, and they spoke their sweet
message Of Gods faithful care as the
Creator and of their glad and humble
faith and trust as the dependent crea-
ture. But the multitudesdid not see Ruth
lessly and thoughtlessly they crushed
the grass and the scarlet-robed lilies
under their restless feet. They were
pressing forward for they hardly knew
what Earthly care and materla-
wants made their hearts hard and
their souls insensible TO the whispered
message Of the fair. glad flowers at
their feet. And. on. how that is true
to-day How this materialistic age is
crowdiDC out all sense and thought Of
God, and yet how the lilies Of the
field, how the birds of the air how all
Astounding nature would bring their
messages 10 the heart Of man and have
him learn Of God through them. and
Ind IN them the clear Interpretation
Of His Word!
T HE fields bring their perennial mes
sage 1t is old and yet ever new.
Jesus says to you and me as We turn our
anxious, troubled unsatisfled hearts to-
wards Him: Consider the lilies of the
field Why? Not alone to drink in
their beauty and to fill the passing mo-
ment with fragrance and brightness.
Not just simply TO admire them and rap
turously gush over their graceful out-
lines and their exquisite colorings Not
TO examine them with the scientific eve
and regard them as 50 many mere speci-
mems Tor the collection Not TO regard
them as the beautiful model to be paint
Cd into the landscape and lend their
beautiful color TO brighten and glorify
the picture Not any OF these. Jesus
was not talking 10 the gushing and
sentimental and esthetic. not to the
botanist not TO the artist Jesus loved
oature for more than her superficial
self He saw deeper than the exqul-
site colorings and the picturesque and
beautifu combinations He heard the
spiritual message which nature whis-
pe-ed He saw underneath the beauty
and tEs fragrance the lessons which
could reveal God and God Word And
so Re said: Consider the lilies of tho
field Have you considered them?
On. yes. you say. How / love to wan
der through the fields. how I delight
10 search through the woods for the
moses and the ferns and the tender
violets which brighten the cool. shaded
hooks How / rejoice In the song OF
the BIRD in the ripple OF the stream.
In the muTmur OF the trees as the hurry
Ing breeze skips from leaf to leaf and
sets them all to whispering of his visit
and his hasty flight. in the buzz and
hum Of the insect world, Oh. love ma
ture. love TO be with her. love to com
mune with her. She brings rest and