Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-03-08
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
beginning Dec. %.
BY REV. S. II. DOYLE.


John xix, $780, Luke xiii, 94-46; Mark
XIV, a.
The dying words of our loved ones
are always remembered and fondly
cherished. We listen for the last
words as death approaches. keep these
words in our memories. and very often
they exert Il powerful influence in our
lives. Thousands Of lives have been
made better and souls have been saved
through the Influence of treasured last
words. 1t is not to he wondered at
therefore that the disciples of Christ
would remember the dying words of
their Master and hand them down as
a priceless heritage to the church. Nor
are we surprised that these words have
had a wide and lasting influence and
that they may teach us useful lessons
Christ spoke seven times during the
six hours He was on the cross. Mat
thew and Mark each record one of
these utterances, Luke three and John
three. Three of these words concerned
those who were about Him. and the
other four concerned Himself-TIs suf-
ferings His finished work and His
death More sacred words were never
uttered, and we should approach their
study with the deepest reverence and
humility and give them the widest pos
sible influence in our lives.
The first word teaches us Christs at
titude toward His enemies FEATHER.
forgive them for they know not what
they do These words were spoken
to the enemies of Christ, the Pharisees
who had falsely accused Him; the mob
about the cross who reviled Him, and
the Roman soldiers, who were putting
Him to death. a. They teach that
Christ did not return enmity with en-
nifty. He hated not those who hated
Him. Nor should we There is no
place in the Christian religion for re-
taliatlon. Vengeance belongs to God.
We should leave those who in1ure us
to Him. (2) Christ forgave His enc
mics. His prayer for them proves that.
Christians should forgive their enc
mics. They should love them.
The second word teaches Chrlst's at
titude toward repentant sinners. "Ver-
lily, verify, l say unto thee. today shalt
thou be with Me In paradise" These
words were spoken in answer to the
prayer of the dying repentant thief.
They gave to him an assured entrance
into heaven. This Is the attitude Of
Christ toward all sinners who repent
of their sins and ask His forgiveness.
No matter how far we may have wan
dered into sin, there is forgiveness for
us at the foot of the cross and assur-
ance of an entrance into heaven.
The third word teaches us the attitude
of Christ toward His mother. In his
dying hour He did not forget His moth
er, but made provision for her future
by leaving her in the care of John In
these words: woman. behold thy son !;
behold thy mother" This lesson needs
to be deeply impressed upon the minds
of the young people of today. Many
young people in our age are Indifferent
to the needs of aged fathers and moth
ers. They give them little of their
companionship, are disobedient and
dsrespectful and put forth no effort to
make their declining days full of peace
and happiness. Christ did not so treat
His mother nor should we so treat our
parents.
The fourth and fifth words of the
cross teach us a lesson on the suffer
ings of Christ. In the fourth, my
God, My God, why hast Thou forsak en-
Me?" we see the full extent Of His
soul suffering For time God Him
self. as needed to be, was hidden from
Him. This was the darkest hour on
the cross, the greatest soul suffering
possible The fifth. II thirst" illus
trates Christ's greatest physical suf-
fering. He had refused the vinegar
mingled with myrrh because 1t was in
tended TO deaden His pain, but now IN
His great pain He did not refuse the
vinegar alone offered by the Roman
soldiers. This, however. would not al
leviate His sufferings. He suffered the
EXTREMIST agonies on the cross and all
for us Therefore we should love Him
and be willing to suffer for Him.
The sixth and seventh words concern
Christ's death The siXth-"It is fin
ished' declares the completion of His
life work. Are we doing, as He did,
the work which God has for us to dof
The seventh. Father, into Thy hands
l commend My spirit" gives us a
glance at. Christs faith and assurance
for the future Are we so assured
concerning our future? We ought to
be, for we know neither the day nor
the hour when we must face death.
BIBLE REFERENCES.
lisa. i, Is; Ex Xxx, -; Ps. xiii 1-6;
Matt V, 444S; vi. 1915; XVI, 1929;
Luke XIV, 10: Acts vii, $3.50; Rom. v,
Ill; Eph. lv, 81. 80; vi. l-3