Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-01-25
Caln,a9e
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.

sermon, q fitting close To the annual
season of hospitality and good cheer.
the preacher reminds us OF the lesson
taught us by the Master of the Gall
lean hillside feast The text Is John
Vi. II. Gather up the fragments that
remain that nothing be lost"
Most instructive and suggestive Is
this miracle of the feeding OF the 5000.
A great throng has followed Jesus in
to the desert. They have seen the
blind eyes opened. the leper cured. the
maniac restored. and they wonder what
he will do next They are so absorbed
watching him and listening to him
that they forget their food. forget how
far they are away from any place
where IT Is sold. Jesus looks around
on the eager faces and thinks OF their
need Send them away 10 get food"
say his disciples when he mentions
their hunger. But Jesus says they
are faint and many OF them came from
long distance. lie is concerned about
them. He Is not like some OF his fol-
lowers In the present day, who think
the church Ias done its whole duty
when II has looked TO the spiritual
wants OF the people. give We them to
eat" he says, and out OF the meager
supply of FIVE loaves and two fishes he
makes a bountiful repast sufficient for
the whole company. and there are
twelve basketsful remaining when all
have been satisfied. He never does
anything by halves. He gives abun-
Dance and he gives II freely. As he
said about the spiritual life. II am
come that they might have life and
that they might have It more abun-
dainty"
dreds OF poor people In yonder towns
OF Capcrnaum and Magdala and II
berias. Let us not waste this food.
Let us gather up all and give II TO
those who would be glad 10 eat It."
So the disciples went among the people
and gathered up the wholesome bread
and fish. When all was In. there were
twelve basketfuls. Then methinks
Jesus arose and said: III there are any
here who know OF poor people in yon-
der towns who need this food. wish
they would come forward and take
some OF this fish and bread to them.
God never wants us To waste that
which can sustain life and be OF use to
our fellow men"
Christ feeding the multitude upon the
hillsides fringing the sea OF Galilee IL
symbolical In the 1rst place of the In.
fnity Of Gods pardon and love. 1t Is
symbolical OF that Offering which
Christ made when he gave AS body
and shed his blood TO redeem all who
will come to his mercy seat. When
the Jews were looking for their Mes
stab they were looking for Hebrew
Christ. They were not looking for q
Christ TO save the barbarian and the
Greek. People still make that mistake
they are looking for sectarian
Christ They are looking for a Christ
who will come holding I'm his hand
Westminster confession OF faith or an
Eplscopalian prayer book. But Jesus,
by breaking the bread and the fishes
for all who were ahungered proved
that he had come as a worlds Christ
and worlds Saviour.
The People Did Not Come.
once read ofsa family In the east
who had suddenly come into great
wealth. With their money they were
able TO purchase palace and have
scores OF servants TO run Mt their bid
ding. They were able to have horses
and carriages and liveried coachmen
and footmen But there was one thing
they craved from their new neighbors.
and that was social recognition. So
they prepared great banquet. They
sent their invitations broadcast. They
did not know that the people among
whom they had come to live were
proud and despised them. And when
the night OF the reception arrived hard
~ one of tie guests came. There was
the great mansion all lighted up.
There were the orchestra and the wait
Ing servants. There was the stately
dining room with its polished silver
Huu TlcU NIhuuS. nut tLE ToOutb IOE
the most part were empty. and the
banquet was without any merry guests.
That is a symbol of the banquet which
Christ has prepared for the world. He
not only prepared a spiritual banquet
for the mutitudes which sat at his
feet. but for nil those In the cities
about the sea OF Galilee. and for all In
Palestine. and for all who were living
In other lands. and for generations yel
TO be born. oh. the provision which
Jesus has made for the redemption OF
the human race! Could II be more uni.
versal In its scope!
Christ has made provision for the re-
demption OF the world TO the utter
most His body has been broken. The
virtue OF his sacrifice Is enough to
cover all the world. Could present
to you better symbol than the loayes
and the fishes which satisfied the mul.
titudes. and there was surplus of
fmaIxa ha1taf0ful9 Dnn dark NIGHT n