Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-19
JESUS FEAST FOR ALL
WHO WOULD PARTAKE
REV. A. C. SMITHER EXPLAINS
WHAT 1T MEANS
"God's Mercy Embraces All condi-
tions-How Unlike the Selfish
Heart of Man, Who Seeks the Fell
Iowship of Equals"

"Jesus' Feast was the topic taken
by Rev. A. c. Smither, pastor of the
First Christian church, yesterday
morning. He said in part:
"The representation of the gospel
dispensation as a feast is unique and
forcible. 1t is suggestive of the
thought of abundance There is no
Limitation to the divine plenty. Like
the atmosphere and light is the super
abundance of good things God has pre-
pared for them that love. Out of his
own unwasting fulness he makes pro-
visions for all our needs. only the
divine supply of grace is unfailing.
"Only the most excellent things have
been prepared for those that love God.
Faith, hope, love, mercy, forgiveness,
eternal life sparkle upon the table at
the feast of divine love. Even sorrow,
suffering, misfortune and death under
the touch of divine love become as
lninistering servants to those who are
lives of salvation. All things are made
to work together for them that love
God.
Prepared Feast
This is a prepared feast. 1t was
wrought out after an eternal plan
All previous ages have wrought in pre-
.Daration for it. The universe has been
ransacked to bring it's riches to the
castle offering their feast to the hu-
man soul Prophecy fortold it. History
wove its pattern in the loom of time.
Martyrs and apostles have made pos
sible it's benefactions. 1t is spread in
the middle of all the ages after CEN
turtles of preparations.
"It secures the richest earthly fell
lowship. Before the Christ all caste
and distinction before God except that
of characters is destroyed Men meet
Ipon the broad bodies of fraternity. In
Christ they come into sonship to God
and brotherhood each with the other,
The golden rule becomes the binding
law of their fellowship. Its ministry
is unselfish. It's motive is altruistic.
Christianity is not self-centered. 1t is
Christ-centered. Every true follow
er of this Christ ministers to the needs
of his fellow men.
Feast for Spiritual Hunger
"This feast is spread for the salts
faction Of the spiritual hunger of men.
God has set in every soul an eternal
hunger. It finds its satisfaction only
I'm him. Mans whole religious history
has been in an effort to crafty this
hunger. All the worlds great religious
systems have been the efforts men
have made to satisfy this soul hunger
They have all been towers of Babel on
which men have striven to climb tC
heaven. These systems of religion arc
vast castles, dreary and desolate with
out the life of God within them
Christianity sparlles with his beauty
and glows with his truth and salts
fies the eternal needs of man.
ITO this feast has been invited the
weak the erring, the halt and the lain
of earth. 1t has not been spread fol
the delight of celestial creatures but
for the weak of earth. Gods love has
reached to the lowest need of the race
His mercy embraces all conditions
How unlike the selfish heart of mar
that seeks the fellowship of ones
equals, that yearns for the companion
ship of ones associates. Jesus brings
his offer of blessings to those who car
not recoInr lnse him.
"Such are the characteristics Of thu
feast which he offers to the hungerinf
sons of mortality. Such is the wisdom
and goodness of God for the blessings
and help of man."