Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-01-17


/ see them approach one of the treach.
erous spies OF the high priest. The spy
is hungry aud reaches out his hand
for fOod. "Shall we give il to him?"
they ask. Yes" says Christ but
the man is here simply" they urge.
FOR the purpose of getting evidence
against thee. Shall we feed our enc.
miesT Yes" says Christ. "If We
love them that love you, what reward
have ye? Do not even the publicans
til same? And IL We salute your
brethren only, what do We more than
othegi Do not even the gentiles the
samer My brother, In your Christian
work are you ready to extend the
hand OF love to those who have smitten
your cheek and are ready to smite you
again aud again? Remember, Christ
today bids you to love your enemies
and do good TO those that despltefuny
use you.
Forgiveness For Enemies.
"Oh'' says some one, Il am willing
to help my friends. 1 am willing to
help strangers. But do not put my re-
ligionto such an awful test that must
help my enemies" Yes, my friend.
that is what l am going TO do. Yet not
|, but the Christ who fed the multi
tudes Tell me this: Could you love
Christ as the forgiven of all sins if at
that feast he had fed only his friends
and let his enemies starve? And how
can you expect Christ to forgive you
your ms unless at the same time YOU
are willing TO forgive those who have
trespaSsed against you? 1t is told that
when the dauphin OF France assembled
the French throne as Louis MI. he
had any enemies. He made a list of
his enemies and placed a black cross
by the side of each name. When the
enemies heard what the king had done
they fed out of the country. But the
king sent word to them, saying: 81 did
not lace the black cross alongside OF
your name to seal your doom. but only
to remind me of the cross OF Christ.
When I looked at this cross I could
say: Christ has forgiven me my sins.
Then must be willing to forgive the
sins Of my enemies" Oh, my broth
er. by the feast of the loaves and fishes
can you not learn the lesson of helping
your enemies as we'll as your friends?
Do 1t not only for your own sake. but
alsOdo it for Christs sake.
The Weak Things of the World.
But there is another fact which IL Is
well for YOU to notice about this feast.
Jesus Christ. when he performs his
material aud spiritual miracles. often
uses the most insignificant means. He
does not always seek the great men of
the world to achieve his mightiest re-
suits, but by the weak things of the
world God often confounds the mighty
When the millennium comes the wolf
shall dwell with the lamb and the leon
ard shall lie down With the kid and
the calf and the young lion and the
failing together. and little child shall
lead them" Thus IL is today. Some
times by the weak hand OF a little
child God is leading US TO the cross.
And sometimes il is by the little work
Ola child or the humble act OF one Of
the most insignificant people that God
Is bile TO get his Greatest results
Have you never heard the story of the
little orphan child who one cold winter
nigh was standing upon the street cor
ner of an eastern city? He was look.
Ing for some one 10 come after him
y gentleman saw this poor little rag
gel urchin standing there. Then, out
ofpity. he crossed the street and said
to the little boy; Are you lost? Are
You expecting some one?" yes" an
swered the shivering child. II am ex-
pecting God TO send some one to look
after me. Last week my mamma died.
and just before she died she said.
Charlie. God will send some one TO
take care OF you,' and my mamma
never lied. l know God will soon send
some one along" Then the boy raised
his eyes as he said: Mister, be you
the man God has sentf Why have
you been so long coming9" Then the
gentleman said. Eyes. Charlie. God has
sent me to take you home" As he led
the little fellow to his home that lit
tls Fellows faith led the man 70 Christ.
Has Il not been thus In your llfei Has
tnot been some weak. humble Chris
tan who has led you first 10 Christi
AND tell me. brother. II some weak
Christian has been able to do all this
Tor you. can you not. even In your
weakness, lead some one else to the
croSsl
But there IS still one thought l want
You 70 notice about this Feast. The
very disciples. the very apostles who
were 10 distribute the food. had no re.
aization OF what Christ was 10 do.
They did not dream that he would or
cOu Id feed that great multitude out or
sutue lunch basket. But when Jesus
t0G them 70 make the multitudes sit
down they obeyed his command. And
when Christ broke the bread and the
fishes they distributed them 10 the
hungry mouths. Is not this a lesson
'oi us1 Let US obey Christ and he
VII give the blessing. We cannot uu.
deI-stand how he will do 1t. That is
not our affair. 1t is for US to obey, and
be Will send the increase. Shall we,
Ike the multitudeS upon the Galileau
bill side. carry the twelve basketfuls OF
fra gments OF our spiritual blessings
leie over from this spiritual feast to
our friends? Shall we carry the bread
OF life to our brothers and sisters. our
CHI idren and parentsi Are we ready
ncW TO become gospel evangelists, TO
90 forth and spread the news that
Christ Is our Saviour and that he Is
The Saviour OF all who will come to
liWi
Life on ST. kiida.
Ihe medical inspector who recently |
Visited the lonely island Of ST. Kilda |
'ehds to the Scotsman some particu-
ars or the life led by the residents |
llarn WINK, MI L..