Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-02-07
The PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY DR.,
TORRE I. THE GREAT REyiVALlST,
Subject: One Mrser Worse Than Twelve
WHISKY Eiends.

DIoOhlyUs ~. 4.-FTSdcn1uS aC CHo
Irving Square Presbyterian Church
on the theme "The PARALLELS of
Jesus" the Rev. Ira Wemmell Hen
derson, pastor, took as his text Mark
AZ. And He taught them many
things by parallels" He said:
The parallels of Jesus are as won
derful to-day as they were in Jeru-
salem. Time has not spoiled their
en- to the citizens of Palestine nearly
two thousand years ago, their truth
strikes deep and convictingly into
every heart now and here. Fraught
with eternal verities they still ring
fresh upon the ears Of men. Laden
with the ripest and finest fruit of
human experience and of divine reve-
1at1on they can never fail. to COM
mand and secure the attention of
humanity. Be they illustrative, COM
parative or similative, as the COM
mentators have it, they are to US the
means and the medium to convey
truth to our minds, comfort to our
hearts, power to our souls. Little
care we that the parallels OF the
sower and the mustard seed may be
| parallel in the philosophy of Bud
dha. The mind and the voice of
| Christ have consecrated them in a
peculiar and impressive manner to
His church.
The source Of the worldwide ap-
peal Of Christianity lies, in large
measure. in its adaptability to the
needs of all men and in the fact that
| in it all the most exalted truths of
ancient and modern philosophers are
crystalized and eliminated. And no.
where is this more markedly demon
strated than in the parallels. No
man can light candle but the words
of Jesus blaze up in the fame. Think
for a moment how out Of place and
incongruous new patches are on old
garments. The parable of the good
Samaritan has led us often con-
sciously, more often unconsciously,
to lend the weak and the fallen the
helping hand
The parallels reach all men be-
cause they depict and portray and
depend for force upon the world.
its activities and its people. They
are the product not of speculation
but Of vital objective and subjective
human experience. They are the
epitome of all that we see and hear
and feel within us.
Add to this that the parallels are
pungent, cogent, profound, positive
and pointed; and you have the keys
to their influence.
The parallels Of Christ are pun.
gent. That is to say they cut deep.
When Jesus started to fay sin or to
declare truth He went beneath the
surface of things apparent. The
parable pricks the surface and draws
blood. The steel of Toledo or Shef-
field or Damascus never made
deeper or a cleaner cut than the
stinging language and the caustic
truths Of the parallels made, and yet
do make, into the vitals of sin. Let
Ithe self-righteous man testify to the
writings of his soul under the lash
of the scorn Of Christ. Let him who
is wasting his talents tell OF the
piercing words of Christ to him
& Truth cuts. The parallels of Christ
declare the truth and thus our sins
are slashed.
4 The parallels OF Christ are cogen1
and for two reasons. Words, care
lnot what may be their language
For their grammar, are potent just II
the proportion that they bear .
freight of truth, mirror for us il
language the many facts Of life, an6
comrellingly. No man is there 81
hard but be yields Difference to truth
Sin shrinks from the light and sin
ners see in sinlessness their hearts
best desires. The touch of trutl
I transforms illiteracy and lends i
charm and cogency. Language i
! never so magnificent, SO moving, 81
a---s-s-~ when n1adiat1ng trutl
81