Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15
Z practical Question.
Bratenah Episcopal
"Whnt seek John,

and hoped that this Jesus of Nazareth might
change the unhappy circumstances of the
Roman rule. Possibly they expected some
material advantages in the kingdom they
expected Jesus to establish. They had
heard John the Baptist point out this
| prophet of Gallilee, whom he knew person.
ely, as the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world" Probably they
did not understand exactly what this
meant but they followed the man thus
pointed out, and when Jesus saw them
following and asked them the question,
What seek yea" their answer showed
their earnestness and their desire to learn.
They wanted to como and be with Him.
Master, where dwellest thou?' He saith
unto them: Come and see." They came
and saw where He dwelt and abode with
Him that day. with the result that both OF
them became His enthusiastic disciples.
The response of these men to the question
and the resulting invitation given them by
Jesus were thoroughly practical. There
was desire on their part for better things,
a Willingness to seek these things in the
way pointed out by John the Baptist. nc
them therefore. came the reasonable and
comprehensive invitation. Come and see,'
and they accepted the invitation to their
lasting joy and happiness:
What seek ye? Perhaps the answer OF
many is made in the vague form of the
familiar colloquial expressons-'I try &c
do the best i know how" Il endeavor 10
GO what is right" The fact OF future
life is accepted and the reasonableness OF
making preparation for that life. but all
is vague and indefinite, and they do moth
ing practical. To such comes the question,
What seek We of Christi" An idealist
advocating in the sermon on the mount
life of impossible perfection = great
teacher of ethics and brotherly kindness,
but out of touch with the common, every
day business OF life? There have been dur
ing the past nineteen hundred years, and
are today. many John the Baptists point
ing out from personnel knowledge who Jesus
Christ is and what the advantages are OF
following Him.
The one PRACTICAL course Of acton for
those who have learned enough from others
about Jesus Christ to desire more is to &C
cept His invitation, Come and see," hear
ing and bordering His own words in the
light of the teaching concerning Himself
as recorded In the Scriptures OF the Old
and New Testaments, and by becoming
members of his household. This course OF
action involves a definite answer to two
final questions: First, What seek ye in the
Bible? We are face to face today with an
extraordinary misconception of the Bible
Some are seeking in the Bible a handbook
of archaeology, some a political history of
the Jewish people, some think they have
found in the Bible composite of unknown
and anonymous writers. Granting that it
is worth while to study the Bible, the right
and practical way to search the Scriptures
is by conforming ourselves 20 the principles
and conditions of the Bible. The book
claims to be record of Gods dealings with
man--of Gods promises TO and the con-
ditions under which We forfeit or obtain the
benefit of these promises. What seek We in
the Bible? If we are seeking the will Of
God in order TO do II, we will find what we
are in search of, and the testimony of
multitude which no man could number
bears witness to the benefit and rewards of
the search Lastly, what seek We in the
church? The church is looked upon by
some as a voluntary society or association
of those who think alike on certain doc
trines; by some body of perfectionists
who think themselves a little better than
other people-bigoted and narrow. Where
as, the church claims to be the society
founded by Jesus Christ to be a witness for
Him and for the resurrection from the
dead; composed of fallible and very imper
feet human beings, commanded to extend
to all who are to listen. the invitation to
come and learn with them the breadth and
length and depth and height of a love that
passeth knowledge.