Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-09-12
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
s'rny,-r Meeting Topic For the week
Beginning Sept. I6.

10y KY D IL AZ ! tsta-
Topic.-Christ's Liz ~ How Chris,
met tIls enemies and how we should
meet ours.-Luke ", $50; xi, s7-H; xiii.
a.. "a,
One OF the glorles of Christianity Is
its teachings upon the subject of en-.
mtty The natural disposition Of man
Is TO ha e his enemies and to do all pos
sible to their hurt and detriment IN
life-at least to exact from them the.
payment for the Injury done TO US.
The natural heart. as the old law. de
mands ian eye for an eye and tooth
for a tooth" And this feeling is 50
strong that on many occasions men
VIII not even wait for the human law
TO exa Z reeompense, but take the law
into their GEu hands. But Christ tool
much higher ground than this, teach
ing tht We should love our enemies
bless EN- that curse us, do good to
them sat hate US and pray for them
that c spitefuily use US and prosecute
us--hi a ground indeed. and yet the
comm. I'd OF Christ to all who are
Chris ms
Not only IN His teaching. but also
in His life, Christ set forth the proper
attitude of Christians toward their en-
emies
l. Christ passed by His enemies.
When He had preached at Nazareth.
His former home, the people were
filed with wrath and rose up AMI
thrust Him ont of the city and would
have cast Him from the brow OF a hill
but lie. passing through the midst OF
than, went His way" On this occa-
sion He simply ignored His enemies
and, leaving them TO their own de-
vices. went about the performance Of
His own HES work. There was no
hatred in His heart for them. Had the
opportunity arisen He would undoubt-
eddy have befriended them, but the sit
uation demanded that He go on re
CARELESS of them. Christians Outlines
have enemies who must be treated Ia
exactly the same way. They will &c
cept no offers Of friendship. 1t is i'm
possible to live in peace with them.
and the only thing TO do Is TO let them
alone and to go about our work as ii
they did not exist Our lives should
be peaceable, and when we cannot
live together with men peaceably We
should live peaceably apart from them.
Christian people must often dwel!
apart In unity. For them to dwell to-
gether in unity is much more beauti-
full and preferable. but when they can
not they should dwell apart Better
apart in peace than together In enmity
and strife and bitterness.
2. Christ denounced His enemies
His enemies on this occasion were the
Pharisees. He was Invited by q Ger
tain Pharisee to dinner and sat down
10 eat without observing the formal
custom of washing. The Pharisees
nSaryeled. whereupon Jesus denounced
their inward uncleanness, although
they were so particular about outward
cleanliness. In this instance we should
be careful about following the example
of Christ. Religious teachers must de-
nounce the sins of the enemies OF
God. but the individual must be ex-
eeedingly careful even about denounc-
ing tie sins of his enemies, who may
also be the enemies of God. There is
righteous indignation" and perhaps
righteous denunciation." but both
must be exercised with the greatest
care lest they become unrighteous in
stead Of righteous, personal instead of
representative.
3. Christ forgave His enemies. On
the cross He prayed. Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they
DO" This is the most sublime illus
tratioa Of forgiveness that the world
has ever seen. We should forgive our
enemies. There is no question here as
to the duty of our following Christ's
example. and in forgiving our enemies
we come nearest to Christlikeness. "To
srr Is human; to forgive is divine"
BIBLE READINGS.
Matt. V. 43-4s; Luke vi, 27-35; Acts
VII. 60; Rom. xii, 1920; l. Cor. iv. I2-14:
L Pet. ii, 1925; iii. s-11.