Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-01-17
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.


by REV, S II. DOYLE.
Topic.-Christs Life I. Lessons from
His boz hooe.-Luke ii. 40-52. Union meet
ing with the Junior society,"
The reason why the Christianity of
so many protested Christians is of such
al inferior character is because they
are ignorant concerning the life of our
Lord Jesus Christ. There are many
Christian people who are thoroughly
familiar with the lives of Washington
and Lincoln, but who at the same time
have no intelligent knowledge of the
life of Christ. The reason of this ig
norance is not hard to find. We study
the lives of Washington and Lincoln
inteligently and Systematically. but
VIXEN we come to the reading or the
study of the life of Christ it is done in
a most III SYSTEMATIC manner. We read
a chapter here and there in the gospels,
but have H. intelligent idea of the life
of Christ from childhood to His death
AMI resurrection. Few Christian peo-
pie perhaps could name the first ten
events in regular order in Christ's life,
and yet If we are to be like Him we
can all see the great Importance of
knowing what He was. 1t is crafty
ing, therefore, that in connection with
the Christian Endeavor prayer meet
ings we are to study the life of Christ.
and it should be thoroughly and faith
fully done.
Christ's boyhood was spent like the
boyhood of other Jewish boys in His
day. The incidents surrounding His
birth are familiar to us as well as His
flight with His parents to Egypt and
His return after the death of Herod to
Galilee, which from that time on be-
came His home until He. entered upon
His public ministry at thirty years of
age. Between the events Of His child
hood and the entering upon His pub
lie ministry, nearly thirty years later,
but one incident in connection with the
life of Christ is given-namely. His Wis
it to Jerusalem when He was twelve
years old with His parents at the time
of the feast of the Passover. But this
event in connection with other indirect
references to His life during this period
may teach us some lessons from the
boyhood of Christ.
/. The boyhood of Christ teaches Us
the dignity of labor. Every Jewish
boy was required by the law to learn
an industrial trade. Christ became a
carpenter, and during these silent years
he undoubtedly spent much of his time
working in the carpenter shop at the
manual labor of His trade Nothing
in all human history has SO dignified
manual labor as this period in the life
of our Lord and Saviour. 1t also
teaches us the Importance of youth be-
ing trained in way that Will result in
their physical development, no matte.
what may be the professional or po-
litical career that seems to be before
them.
2. Christ's boyhood teaches the i'm
portance of education. Every jew
ish boy was well educated. 1t is true
that his education consisted largely IN
studying the books that pertained to
his religion, but in this study his mind
would be as certainly developed rs If
the time had been given to the study
of foreign languages or mathematics
The Jewish boy at three years of age
began the study of a certain phase of
Jewish religion. AT six years of age
he entered more difficult study, and
at thirteen years of age having thor
oughly studied the Jewish law. with its
traditions, he became "a child of the
law" and occupied the same position
in relation to the nation and to the
church as all the men of Israel.
8. The boyhood of Christ teaches the
Importance of religion. This fact is
most evident. His whole life center
ed In His relations to God and His mis-
sion as the Saviour of the world. Boy
hood without religion should be made
an absolute impossibility. In the days
of our youth we should be taught to
remember our Creator.