Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-05-04
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DEAN +. K. SANDERS. OF
YALE UNIVERSITY.
Subject: The Most Beautiful Book.

Subject: The Most Beautiful Book.
Brooklyn. N. Yin the absence OF
rA.J. Lyman, the pastor, the pulpit
Of South Congregational Church was
occupied Sunday by Dean f. X. San
ders, D. D., the head of the Divinity
School of Yale University. He took
for his subject 'The Most Beautiful
Book in the World" and said:
Nv theme rests on the authority of
one renowned for his literary knowl-
edge, Renan, who is deservedly famous
as a student of literature and Of the
Bible. He declared that the gospel Of
Luke was the most beautiful book in
the world. No one can, Of course, test
this statement who is not familiar
with the gospel. To the superficial
reader it is only one of the stories of
the life of Jesus. The skill, the power,
the pathos and the sympathy of the
writer become clearer with every re-
reading of the book. An early tradi-
ton spoke of Luke the painter, and
said he had painted portrait of the
Virgin. That tradition, whether true
Or not was not very far from right.
1t may be said that he gave us, in a
fashion, the most beautiful picture of
Mary of Nazareth; it stands out before
US with lively distinctness. Everything
goes to show that Luke was q Greek.
familiar with the best literature Of his
day, keen observer and careful inves-
usator. He seems to have had unu-
sual opportunity for observing and de-
arlbing the life and personality of the
Lord Among other things he gives
evidence of possessing the true historic
spirit. You will notice how he is inter-
sled In tracing the Lords active min
Slfy from place to place. The story is
lola IN an orderly fashion that helps
@ uS 70 arrange the facts far better than
ne other gospels could. You will no.
uee also that Luke is fond of following
up t1e physical and moral growth Of
Jul Lord He is also careful to con-
aecI .c his story with the history Of the
muue-Wlth ml Roman and Syrian history
Il aae Is careful to place the life of Jesus
Ns larger environment and to show
y. "ndt Jesus was inrelation to the world
tpOut tst hlm, and we shall see why it was
mal that point Of view laid such hold
upon upon him. This was natural to a cul
Sil haleu creek, and it was necessary ii
t,s ts purpose was to influence his cul
'reu M countrymen.
+r.' nnal IS 1t, we may ask, that consti
thiss es beautiful book, and does this
s1nu a. sospei possess those attributes il
ms supreme 4 degree? It would seem tt
IN n' lnat beautiful book ought to have
rhiah tne hfst place a noble conception
inaton ia,sn III some way awakens and dom
stiuss',t iTes the soul, and it ought to have I
mont out Simple plan of develop
Thano Tho. rightly grasped and enjoyed
indae. ire must be good taste and righ
whisa hsnleht IN the choice of the materia
to husen as enables US to grasp details an,
w,ita. fee tne gradual unfolding which til
ves sbou,s would set forth. And ther
avoul voula be felicitous expression O
at fo.ll ,nlhs which the writer seeks t
Of rlh. ha These are the fundamental
a. a beautiful book.
Tha ~ ID its beautiful conceptior
and ~ tnene IS the active life of Jesus
broad 4 ,s is Lar more than that; it is tn
Iuko ~ Ile which He lived with other.
ajdar. ae roses no chance to show how ou
contaot .s sought opportunities to come i
aresnaulth ~o. with Jesus and always evoke
Dies les'ponse esi We see His parents. disc
with trends Ire and casual acquaintance
hot 1ale tnure directness, and yet it wa
aboutt tesus h the man that Luke tel
torsets' ~ ~ tne Lord Jesus. Luke nevt
are sr,S nus that those to whom he refe1
ties NJ" ~ the risen Lord and the apo
said. =. q, tne M church. A famous crit
peeis,,lL Luke ever spares the twelve e
details reter." He omits many litt
as As tho a even regarding our Lord. sue
about agony az in the garden, and mar
which oro ,ne apostles, especially Pete
Why? are given in Matthew and Mar
think i apparently because he did n
studyinaoa " Vas worth while. He ",
erent fas1i the work of the Lord in re
to simn'SSh maa'Shlon. 1t was not his purpo
those G,s ~ J. put down facts. but to sho
esplsnsate;ts raets which would bring out Il
the eiuauon risa of the fact that Jesus W.
the twe1r eh Lord of humanity. and th
Of the theerse ane We're the glorious corapa1
that ha1p apostles" 1t was not even il
WI 10 show Jesus in ali His no,