Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-15
MINISTER TALKS
OF HOLY MOTHER.
SERMON CONSIDERS WOMAN'S
PURE HEART
Wonderful Character of Virgin Mary
Is Depicted in Powerful Ad-
dress by Protestant
Minister

THE Mother of Our Lord was the
subject of Rev. w. D. Landis, pastor
of the Westlake Presbyterian church.
last evening. He said in part:
THE name of the Virgin Mary is
rot often mentioned in a Protestant
pulpit. This is not to be wondered at
when we consider how some have ex-
allied her to position above her di-
vine son. Let us not neglect the true
Mary because there is a false We
need not hesitate to call her the
blessed virgin for it is truly scrip
tural that she was blessed among
women The character of Mary is
seen to be unique She was pure, hum
bic, lowly and consecrated woman
yet she needed, as all others, to be
saved by her son.
Her purity of heart is revealed
very beautifully and distinctly by her
action at the announcement of the
angel, and in her song on the thought
of the birth of Jesus. Mary's Mag
nificat, as her song is now known in
hymnology, shows no trace of confess
sion or .consecra ton, which is very re-
markable for one in so close proximity
to God. When bad men see God, they
tremble; when good men get vision,
it produces awe.
But Mary was so pure in heart as
to see God and rejoice with a song on
her lips. Only a pure-hearted person
could have felt such joy under the
circumstances. Do we know nothing
of it at all? Is Christ something glad
dening to us all? We would feel this
true all the more if we lived in such
vital and familiar communion with
God as Mary did, and consequently
our hearts and hers would be equally
pure. Gods presence is rebuke to the
most of us. His holiness alarms u.s.
The pure heart can be glad in him and
so can the penitent or forgiven soul.
Perfect in Humility
Her next beautiful characteristic is
seen close upon the first-her humility.
She. seems not to think of herself even
In f-deprecation. Self-abasement is
form of self-consciousness. But the
even joy of song is not interrupted by
this note of a minor key. Her soul
was lifted out of herself and she
thought of God My soul doth magnify
the Lord. Perfect humility Is not to
think of self at all. If one object. say
ing that the verse following reveals
some thought of herself, yes, but it
shows absolute unseltshness, for she
rejoices that she can be used as a
channel of blessing to the world She
was not exalted because all people and
generations would speak her name and
immortalize her character, but that she
bless all nations. Her happiness came
in that an endless good was to come to
man. None of us are able to have her
Immortality. All generations Will not
call any of us blessed, but through
us each, the Christ and the good in
Christ is to be revealed and known to
some. Are we rejoicing in this? Or is
l..
rich or clever? How low and selfish
is love of fame. How noble is the
ambition to be useful and a blessing
while you live and to be called blessed
after you are gone.
There are singularly but few ref
erences to Mary in the gaspels after
the son became man and went TO
minister to others. At the wedding at
Cana she was able to relieve the en-
barrassment of the host by an appeal
to her son. He replied to her. however
in words that showed that she nor any
other individual had control over his
works. Woman what have 1 to do
with thee?' he said, but there was no
harshness in his voice. for he used the
same general term in speaking to her
at the last.
FINALLY, see her at the cross. 1t
would be hard for any mother to see
her son cruelty treated, but this mother
had a secret of his divine birth that
few knew. How bitter her anguish
as the prophesied sword pierced her
heart! God was leading her into a
blessedness which she had not known
before. 1t was the blessedness of sac
rifice She above all others at the
cross must have known Gods saerl-
fee for men. Mary's character began
with purity and ended with sacrifice"