The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-05-14

$50 @b%A@ %%A&
the need Jesus Ca-.-t wnx willing -
administer - X lie tarrs4 roas
away. but responded 10 al sh9 needs
81 human life whether physical. 17e1~
tai. or spiritual
To- Jesus Christ wsz also. liberal
r1inde. II. sought not - arpose
established custom whether n rel&e-
lon or othcr matters. ia4ner. lie
gladly engage! III whatever ras tr-
fere-e - those arcans Hin. provided
u moral principle lie came aot
Into the world % change the establish
Cd order II things. He never sought
% a-1al either Jewish }aw or Jewish
custom. In His own words lie came
not &C destroy the Law. hut % fulfill
He found pleasure IN the IN q which
Interested or concerned Hts people
whether IL religion or social ara3-s
He wrs a joyous guest 81 the u4arriaGe
az Cana IF GsIiile, where He mingled
With His friends and where the wa
tor was made wine.
While true 10 MS own people and
His own country. II. vas free from
the racial hiFotry and exci4s4v@aess
peculiar 10 he people q THAI day.
Jesus Christ was never narrow. aE
wore most Of me religious .eAcher- OF
HIS day. He stopped % the v4ys26e
To converse with the desptsed SA-aart-
tan women just as lie talked with
the learned doctors and lawyers
Christ's view of humanity was broad
minded and un~pretuGfce9 He ate
with Publicans and sinners when by
50 doing He could uplift them 70 q
higher life. Unlike many CT the So
called leaders OF the people He was
not too proud to minsle with then
In HIS work He became IN close
touch with the people. yet always
maintained the dignity necessary 10
His position.
(c) Christ was. also. humanity speak
ing, a great hearted patriot lie care
fully obeyed the Jewish Law. 10Th
that His disciples, as Himself, should
respect and OBEY the powers hat be"
He paid tribute money To the govern
ment and required His disciples to do
so. He avoided every act which
might be construed az opposition 10
He knew His work and never inter
meddled in political affairs. He was
no disturber Of His nation as Is Of
ten true Of misguided religious Lead
ers. IN short. His life was the life
Of the ideal citizen.
Cd Perhaps the characteristic most
predominant n the life of Jesus was
His humility. Not to speak IF the
lowliness Of his birth. His life WIS
meek and gentle. and free from
egotism. But while modest II
demeanor, He was never seryiIe and
feared not the a. Of man. He made
no unnecessary display Of His power.
He walked among men just as a man.
He employed no, special method T.
lead men. His power to lead men
was simply the influence Of a sub
lime character and exalted life.
While truly humble Jesus Christ
possessed a dignity which fawned
on no man. He employed no fulsome
flattery to win the people, nor did
He respond to the praise Of men. His
1ifa x~aS too sincere IN WELD tn these
shallow devices Of men.
(e) But the crowning virtue Of
Christ's life was His strict adherence
to moral principle. His condemnation
Of wrong doing was without fear, ana
was always plainly spoken; yet His
most solemn Remuneration Of the
Pharises was not spoken in anger, but
was just such needed rebuke as He
saw would expose their hypOcracy to
the people. Jesus Christ never con
doned sin in any form. and never
failed, at the oppOrtune time, to re
buke sinners. He never, however, de-
nounced men except where q moral
principle was involved. He made no
compromises with evil and spoke out
plainly on every moral question with
which he had to do. His serious
words went straight to the mark with.
out p~retense Of hypocrisy.
?. (a). In considering the influence
of Christ's life and teachings upon the
world, | would notice, first, the
changes wrought on the religion and
morals of the world by His teachings.
Christ's teachings have made more
practical the subject of religion,
which, before His time. had been so
much mystified. Morality, by the
ivino touch of His wards, has been
construed to mean more Of duty to
the world. Before Christ lived upon
the earth, mankind, under q false con-
ception of What GOd was. vaguely and
inperfectly worshipped Him in the
letter of the law. In their blind adj
herence to rites and ceremonies and
dogma. they forgot the Spirit of God
and the love for Him and His crea-
lures. His teaching rid the world of
so much Of the superstition, which
under the guise Of religion had 50 long
long beclouded and oppressed men.
RELIGION under Christ's teachings be
came real and practical-l0ye for God
and love for man. Thus His teach
ings destroyed the false and estab-
lished the true idea in religion.
(b) The religion of Christ has. also,
put in motion those Influences Which
have done more thar anything else to
make better the government of the
world. Without interfering in poIical
affairs and attempting to do the i'm
possible in forcing His religion upon
men, He promoted better government
by reaching its source, h individual.
ne onr1SI10n retlglO0 mas dfne1lOrateQ
the pa ssions and ~prejudices Of man
kind, and the nations are adjusting
their differences on the basis Of jus
tice and love. The world is beginning
to learn that charity is better than
war.
The religion Of Christ has, also, done
much to lessen the severity Of the law.
The spirit of the Law is becoming more
humane and the criminal receives
more consideration. The rigors OF the
law 50 far as is consistent with the
safety Of human society. have given
wa to the spirit of love.
(c) Another beneficial influence OF
Christ's religion upon the world IS the
change it has wrought socially. It has
given man more faith in his fellow.
1t has ~broadened mankind and given
the world a clearer vision and a larger
view. The religion Of Christ empha-
cises the individual. 1t teaches men Of
their responsibility to each other and
inculcates in them the truth most per-
tinent to life-the FatherhOod of God
and the brotherhood Of man.
Christ'S teaching has done more for
human liberty than all other agencies
combined. Tt has extended the liber-
of the individual in freedom of
thought, in freedom OF the press and
in freedom Of conscience. His teach