The Washington herald., 1907-10-06
A SUNDAY TALK.

But He answered and said, II am not sent but
unto the lost sheep Of the house q Israel st
Matthew xy2L
1t was while Jesus was making a tour
Of Tyre and His fame had been spread
abroad in the land so that wherever He
went He was followed by enthusiastic
crowds that there came to Him. poor
woman Of Canaan, crying that her daugh-
ter was possessed Of the devil and beg
ging Him 20 cast il out. Always he was
surrounded by sateilites-just as our prom
inent men are to-day-who tried 10 keep
the plain people from Him. and His dis
ciples who surrounded Him. tired OF her
Importantly. cried, send her away; for
she crieth after us" It was then that
Jesus Christ uttered the remark which
has come ringing down to rs through
the ages, Il am not sent bA unto the
lost sheep OF the house Of Israel"
The message that Christ uttered then is
a message which every one of US may
other phrase, that 1.-THE love Of God pass
eth all understanding"
Into the lives Of all Of us there come
times when after sin or sorrow or humili-
alton we need with all our souls some
one, some spirit, some belief, on which
we can rely. There are none Of us so
poor but that in the times Of our pros
perity we can find multitudes OF friends.
Always while we are strong we may find
men and women who glory in our
strength. admire US. are proud of US,
respect us. There is not one Of Us 50
secure IN his position but that the time
VIII come when he viii be overwhelmed
by sorrow. by grief. by sin. and it is at
such times, and only at such times, that
one can really appreciate the fact that
the gospel OF Jesus Christ, the gospel
which has made the world IN which we
live sane, healthful, and beautiful. has a
personal and intimate appeal to us.
For above an things else the gospel Of
Jesus Christ was not made for the pros
porous, the happy, Or the rich. Always
and for ever il is q gospel of uplift, a
gospel designed not for those safely
housed and with a fair outlook on life
but for the poor soul who needs, those
weighted down by the burden of their
sins oppressed by failure: lacking hope;
il''Ail-b lllNLlt4nf itlitlFr anu 4tel' iiti f+~
In vain for the handclasp Of sympathy.
II is to such souls as these that this
message Of Christ in Tyre appeals. Il am
not sent but unto the lost sheep"
And IN that message which has come
ringing down 20 us across the gulf Of
two thousand years OF toll there is not
one OF us that may not find help, couso-
latiOn, and inspiration. We may know
always. with Browning. that
Gods in His heavens; ais right with the world
and that it always viii be all right so
long as we do our part.
Continually and earnestly we may strive
for the highest, knowing that If in the
battle of life we lose, we cannot lose
everything. Behind us stands the promise
that Christ altered 90 the poor. down
cast woman of TyTe-that his gospel;
that all that religion means all that Is
highest and best and most idealistlc, is
not offered necessarily 20 those who sue
ceed-it belongs by right and by Christ =
promise-t0 the "iost sheep Of Israeli
Realizing this. We may realize. too, that
dependency has no part In our lives Il
we be true men. DAYS may be dark and
dre8r, but always this message Of hope
is waiting for us 20 accept IL we viii. No
matter how Ear We may fail, always that
hand IS reaching out 20 help us rise
again. As quaint old Fuller says:
I am not lost while He wiz reach His hand
ont n tlF darkness aud sv "My son. come here. "
For the worlds bitterness ] have u1 fear.
Men mag not know me- bIf Gad can understand.