The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-01

they are likely to wander away from
the Master. There comes some ne"
teacher with great pretensions OF vis'
dom who says, Come, l will lead you
into higher regions than your master
has been able to show you." ANY
church that follows such may make
up their mind that they will soon lose
the Master. Or, again, 1t may be
some high church official who says he
will lead you to regions of religious
assurance that you have not found III
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 are per-
suaded that it Is more blessed to fol-
low the Master who not having seen
we love-" Christ has never consent
ed that we should follow any human
priest. Then, again, the charcn
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, no human prestige, no
wisdom of the human understanding
Is a safe guide for any church OF
Christ
Then can you conceive of any hu-
man leadership that it would be safe
for the church or disciples to follow?
Yes. Here Is this man, Jairus, VINO
comes from outside with this pltlful
story, and Jesus rises and follows
him, and 80 do His disciples. my
man who knowns the. way to any kind
Of human sorrow or need or 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'
tion 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 20 home along.
Once his story was finished, Jesus
got up and followed him, and so dld
His disciples. If we are dlsclpies,
it Is our business to be following
Christ. But how to follow Him? VINO
will lead us? I have no doubt that
sometimes our Lord shows US the way
by those older ands wiser In the chufcn
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 cnurcnes,
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 ano
who would lead us back to, Him anu
before the words are oIt OF our lips
| here stands this Jairus. come ne
says. and you listen and you rise up
and follow him, and as soon as you do
something tells you that you are nov
any longer walking alone. That los'
companionship you were mourning for
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 feet and besousnt
him, saying, MY little daughter netn
at the point of death. pray theo
come and lay thy hand upon her and
she shall live, and Jesus arose ana
followed him, and so did his ols'
ciples"