The Penn's Grove record., 1906-07-13
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they are likely to wander oway from
the Master. There comes some new
teacher with great %pretensions of vis.
dom who says, Come, will lead you
into higher regions than your master
has been able to show you" Any
church that follows such NAV make
up their mind that they will o lose
he Master. Or, again, it may be
some high church official who says he
Will lead you to regions of religious
assurance that you have not found in
following your Master. In the old
days it would have been the High
Priest; in our day It might be the
ancient and splendid hierarchy of the
army Of Rome, but you and I are per-
suaded that it is more blessed to fol-
low the Master "who net having seen
we love-" Christ has never consent
ed that we should follow any human
priest. Then, again, the church
might consent to follow Caesar or
some representative of political power
in the world. In following Caesar
we run the risk of losing the more
important guidance of Jesus. No po-
litical power. 10 human prestige, no
wisdom Of the human understanding
IS a safe guide for any church of
Christ.
Then a You conceive of any hui
man leadership that it would be safe
for the church or disciples to follow?
Yes. Here is this man, Jairus, who
comes from outside with this pitifuI
story, and Jesus rises and follows
him, and so do His disciples. Sly
man who knowns the way to any kind
OF human sorrow or need CT wrong
may claim a hearing from any church
of Jesus Christ, and if in the hearing
they find he knows the way better
than we, he may claim not only a
hearing, but the following from the
church Of Jesus Christ. 1t is direct
imitation of His example. The church
has often been too slow; sometimes
because We did not like the man who
called. The personal character of the
leader does not come into the ques-
ton at all. We want all those in
sorrow to know that the best place
to come is always the church Of Jesus
Christ. That the message will re.
cieve the promptest attention, and no
poor Jairus need ever go home along.
INV Las oLOly was AllEAShs JESUS
got up and followed him, and so did
His disciples. If We are disciples.
it is Il business to be following
Christ. But how to follow Him? Who
will lead us? I have no doubt that
sometimes u Lord shows us the way
by those older and wiser in the church
and sometimes He exercises His Lead
ership through those without the
church, messengers telling us Of some
one who needs help, and our business
as Christians, not only as churches,
but as individuals, is to be listening
always for that appeal, looking only
to the path that leads to the house
where they need US. We cannot see
the face of Jesus, we cannot hear His
voice; it may even seem to some OF
us that we have lost the comforting
sense of Jesus in our hearts. We
ask why He did not leave some guide
whom we could see and follow and
who would lead US back to Him and
before the words are out Of our lips
here stands this Jairus. Come" he
says, and you listen and you rise up
and follow him, and as soon as you do
something tells you that you are not
any longer walking alone. That LOST
companionship you were mourning Tor
has been restored to you. This was
His guide, and you have done well
to follow him.
This is not my fancy. Let me read
you the plain words Of the history:
while he spake, behold! there came
a certain ruler, and when he saw
Jesus he fell at his fest and besought
him, saying, My little daughter lieth
at the point of death. 1 pray thee
come and lay thy hand upon her and
she shall live, and Jesus arose and
followed him, and so did his dis.
ciples." rgls"F