Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-04-23
Jesus Teaches
Humility

Specially Prepared for This Paper


ment I give unto you. that we love one
another as I have loved you."-John
1894.
TIME.-Thursday evening. April q. A..
D. 30. Nissan 10. the day before the
Passover meal. The evening before his
crucifxion. His last meeting with his
disciples. Institution Of the Lords
supper.
PLACE.-An upper room in Jerusalem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
ARNOLD Of Rugby" called Christ's
washing Of his disciples feet the most
remarkable OF his deeds. This 10 .
lesson Of the strongest possible con.
trasts. We are to see Christ's males.
ty at its highest point Of earthly glory,
and his humility at its lowliest. The
first picture gives the church . proud
sense Of its coming triumph in the
world: the second reminds the church
that 1t triumphs only through Its Low.
Ing, tender ministries to men. The
first picture teaches us personally
that II We serve Christ we have at our
disposal infinite our Of power
and authority; the second, that w
must use those u meekly, in
serving others.
Christ fulfilled promptly his prom
ise to Peter Of al explanation. This
explanation Is in two parts. The first
Is a statement OF his W supremacy,
that he was Master and Lord. lone
Of you calls me the Teacher: another,
the Lord."-Bishop Middleton. "Cor.
responding to which the followers were
disciples or servants. Professor Vim.
cent. There was no title so lofty,
no honor s 70 exalted, no devotion so
absolute, that Christ rejected It at the
hands of men."-Rev. j. Richie Smith.
The second part Of the explanation
vas that Christ's deed was given as an
example. 1t was saying in the Ian.
guago Of action that the Son Of man
came not to be ministered unto but
to minister, and that the law of his
kingdom vas the law of helpfnlness
Mark 10:i3-45) Professor Gilbert.
Certainly NJ one of them would claim
to be greater than Christ. They were
servants, he was their confessed Lord.
They were apostles, men sent" ".
l6); he was the sovereign that sent
them forth. Surely, therefore, II he
Lad washed their feet, they also ought
to wash one %another's feet. by this
great object lesson Christ taught the
apostles, and his disciples throughout
all time. that the noblcst end
OF mans end. avor is loving
service."-PrOf. Noah X. Davis,
Phi. ID. Now let man blush to be
proud, for whom Gcd is become hum.
ble."-St. Augustine.
Christ intended lis commandment
to be taken literally when necessary.
But, TO- that shoes have taken the
place OF sandals, 1t is to be observed
in the spirit rather than the letter.
Christ did not institute a rite, such
as that celebrated In Rome on Thurs.
day In Holy Week, when the pope
washes the feet of a few aged pau.
pers, after due private preparation, in
the presence OF the proudest rank"
ut used to be practiced by English
sovereigns on Maundy Thursday,
James II. being the last who did So"
Century Bible.
The spirit of the commandment Is
to be observed. 1. BY the performance
of lowly and disagreeable physical ser.
vic for others, when necessary. Those
that nurse the sick, care for the aged
and helpless. or work among the de-
graded tyr the very poor, are often
called to deeds like feet-washing.
THE noblest form OF help is to
help men to get rid Of their SIM
Alexander Maclaren. That is the
cleansing we all need most. ITO wash
n another's feet Is. in the deeper
meaning OF the thing. to help one an
other out Of the evil that is in the
world. to aid one ar.other in the keep
ing Of a pure conscience and OF a
wholesome and holy life."--I. Marshall
Lang, ID. ID. I'VE sometimes talk Of
the language of the hands. And
sometimes Of the language of the
guage OF the feet. and I could trans
late the whole Gospel into it. For
first m Jesus when we are bowed
with SIM, and he says: Son of man.
stand upon thy feet And then comes
Jesus when we wish to serve him),
and he says: Wash one another's
feet And then In the morning. when
we are his forever. 1t Is at his feet
we shall cast our crowns."-Rev. G.
II. Morrison.
Those that are superior In one way
should remember that every one moy
be superior in some way. ARNOLD Of
Rugby" called attention to the pro.
noun in wash one another's feet"
Rich and poor, high and low, learned
and ipnoranf are he decla rod Imam.