Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-08-31
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
: SUNDAY SERMON :
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y A Scholarly Discourse BY q
the Rev. F. E. Taylor. !
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rOT t"O Nttlo JNcu' nav
gled with the people of Palestine. he
had visited their towns and villages,
had seen life in all its different phases,
and had been a source of blessing to all
who sought His favor. He had wit
messed the hollow mockery when
passed for religion among the Fharl-
! sees and had burned with indignation
as He saw the people receiving stones
instead of bread from those whose
duty it was to feed their souls. The
whole nation had been astonished by
His miracles, and after Il year OF COM
parative obscurity, He had entered
upon one of popular favor. His popu-
larity was now at its height and thou
sands were found eagerly listening to
the words of authority with which lie
spakp. Notwithstanding His great
popularity careful observer would
have noticed that instead of look OF
triumph, His face Indicated tender con-
Germ for the great multitudes when
were continually seeking Him. He
was beginning to realize more ana
more the awful need of the people, and
His spirit was stirred within Him as
He saw the possibilities for good
among those who hockcd to hear HIS
words of life and peace.
Living in great city, surrounded by
| thousands of men and women who are
careless and Indifferent about their
| earthly welfare, we are constantly FAC
| ing the problem of how to reach ana
help those for whom Christ died.
What was the attitude of Christ to-
ward those unsaved masses How did
| IN al "A ppn1llnrl lt IL
ing them? Is there any way of our
helping the people of our day nnd gen
era ton? These are some of the qEes-
tons which we shall attempt to an
swer. | believe that when the church
of God follows the example of the
Master in His treatment of the masses.
the masses will be reached aud saved.
In the first place. | notice that Jesus
was filled with compassion for them
"When He saw the multtudcs He was
moved with compassion for them be-
cause they were distressed and seat
tered as sheep not having shepherd
Compassion is the keyWord to the life
| of Jesus Christ. We find the cvangei-
lists reporting instances of His compass
sion again and again. When lcper
comes seeking health. Jesus. moved
with compassion. puts forth His mana
| and with touch tcSt0reS him TO ms
wonted strength and vigor. When the
great multitude, filled with curiosity
| followed Him away from their Soufc"
of supplies and We're without food. lie
is filled with compassion and creates
food enough TO supply their nccd, II
was the compassion of Jesus That leu
TO the healing of the two blind men
near Jericho, and it was this same feel
ing that prompted the resurrection OF
! the widows son at Main.
Not only in His acts of kindness. but
in all His teaching we find that the
spirit of compassion is dominant. Inc
best known parallels uttered by the
saviour are the parable of the Good
Samaritan and the parable of the ffou-
| igal Son. and compassion is lhe Key
word 10 both. The compassion of Il
Samaritan leads to the saving OF an
enemy and il was this same spirit on
| the part of the father which made inc
| home coming so sweet to the lrouISal,
This is the need of the dlSclpleS Oh
Christ to-day. The multitudes are an
about us. They are careless, lho'hei-
ont, sinful: but only because they 90
not know the love of CHRIST Deep
down in their lives there is munger
for something better, ana III many
cases men are cropping after llSht on
the pathway of life. The church can
| and should meet the need, but only Il
realization of the need and an mining
of the spirit Of Christ to meet 1t VIII
solve the problem.
If the great heart of the Master was
moved with compassion for the multi
tudeS Of His day, what would He think
nay what does He think-When lie
sees the vast multtudcs III our great
city who are going about as sheep
without Il shepherd? ! believe tEAt II
we are true disciples Of our Lord we
will feel as He felt. and instead of ig-
noring or condemnng those who KNOW
not Christ, we will leave no stone I'M
! turned until they come 10 know Him.
whom TO know is eternal life.
In the second place, notice that
Jesus saw a harvest ready for the
reaper. He said, The harvest truly Is
! plentcouS." He saw the possibilities
among those who tiocked around Him,
and knew that among them there We're
many who could easily be led into the
!
characteristic of Christ II is true that
much of His time was spent in sowing
the good seed of the Kingdom, but it is
also true that He was constantly find
ing opportunities 10 reap rich harvests
of souls wherever He went.
He goes to the seaside and finds a
harvest among the fishermen. He
stops at a we'll side and reaps the first
fruits of II splendid revival among the
deSpiSed Samaritans. At the seat of
custom He finds one who IS 10 be an
apostle and write down the good news
for the Hebrew people. Wherever He
went Jesus always found the fields
white and ready for the reaper. And
brethren, | believe that those who pos.
sess the spirit of the Master will al
ways find abundant opportunities for
rich harvests Of souls.
On one of these occasions Jesus said
to His disciples, Say not We there are
vet four months and then cometh har-
vest? Behold. / say unto you, lift up
your eyes and look on the fields for
they are white already to harvest
The trouble with us is unbelief in the
possibility of a harvest here and now.
Some time in the dim future we expect
to reap, but the years pass on and
the conditions grow less and less hope
1ui and golden opportunities are lost
forever.
But | notice in the third place that
Jesus not only saw a great need. but
He told His disciples how it could be
met. "The harvest truly is plenteous,"
said He, but the laborers are few"
Surely no one ever felt the need of
laborers more than Jesus Christ. Face
10 face with thousands who yearnc1
TO Know the way CT life, and limited
by His humanity, so that it was only
possible to deal with very few of
those who came to Him, lie felt the