Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-01-18

were twelve basketfuls- left over
Then he said. Gather up the frag-
ments that nothing be lost"
Helping Our Enemies.
But there Is another fact you must
bear we'll in mind. Jesus gave food to
enemies and scoffers as we'll as TO dis
ciples and friends. He did not break
a loaf Of bread In half and say: Here.
Peter, this is for you and your wife
and her mother. and here, John, this Is
for you and your brother. and here,
Matthew, this is for you and the chill
dren. We must look after our own
and let others look after themselves
No. no; that was not Christ's way. He
looked of and saw lot Of hungry peo-
pie. He said: Feed all. Some may
be my enemies. some may be bitter
against me- but that does not matter.
Here are people In trouble, and must
care for all alike" My brother. Is
that the way you and | preach the gos-
pel? II we see any one In trouble.
are we willing to extend the helping
hand. no matter whether he likes or
dlslIkes US? Remember, 1t is the Chris
tian's duty to help all, no matter who
they may be. as long as they are In
trouble and we can help them.
But. though we should help all alike,
how hard 1t is for some OF us to ex-
tend the helping hand to those who we
know hate US and are trying to under
mine our influence. AS these disciples
are carrying the bread and the fishes
I see them approach one Of the treach-
erous spies OF the high priest. The spy
Is hungry and reaches out his hand
for food. "Shall we give 1t 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 ene-
mles!" Yes" says Christ. "If ye
love them that love you, what reward
have ye? DO not even the publicans
the same? And II ye salute your
brethren only, what do ye more than
others? Do not even the gentiles the
sameY 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 and again? Remember, Christ
today bids you to love your enemies
and do good to those that despitefully
use you.
Forgiveness For Enemies.
"Oh," says some one, Il am willing
to help my friends. l am willing to
help strangers. But do not put my re-
llglon to such an awful test that l must
help my enemies" Yes, my friend,
that Is what am going to do. Yet not
I. but the Christ who fed the multi
tudes. Tell me this: Could you love
Christ as the forgiven of all sins II at
that feast he had fed only his friends
and let his enemies starve? And how
can you expect Christ to forgive you
your sins 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 ascended
the French throne as Louis XII. he
had many enemies. He made list OF
his enemies and placed 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: Il did
not place the black cross alongside OF
your name to seal your doom, but only
| to remind me of the cross Of Christ
When l looked at this cross I could
say: Christ has forgiven me my sins
| Then I must be willing to forgive the
sins Of my enemies" Oh, my broth
er, by the feast of the loaves and nshes
| can you not learn the lesson Of helping
| your enemies as well as your friends
| Do 1t not only for your own sake, but
also do 1t for Christ's sake.
The Weak Things Of the World.
But there Is another fact which It Ia
we'll for you to notice about this feast
| Jesus Christ, when he performs bis
| material and spiritual miracles, often
uses the most Insignificant means. Ht
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 leop
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 1t Is today. Some
times by the weak hand Of a little
| child God is leading US to the cross
And sometimes 1t Is by the little worl
OF a child or the humble act Of one Of
the most insignificant people that Goo
is able to get his greatest results
Have you never heard the story OF th'
little orphan child who one cold wintel
hight was standing upon the street cor
ner of an eastern city? he was look
ing for some one to come after him
A gentleman saw this poor little rag
ged urchln standing there. Then, ou
Of pity, he crossed the street and salt
to the little boy: Are you lost! Ar
you expecting some one? YES" an
,wered the shivering child. Il am ex
pecting God to send some one to lool
after me. Last week my mamma died
and Just before she died she said
Charlie, God will send some one t
take care Of you and nay mammi
never lied. know God will soon sent
some one along" Then the boy raised
his eyes as he said: mister, be yo'
the man God has sent? Why hav'
you been 80 long coming?" Then th'
gentleman said, "Yes, Charlie. God ha
sent me to take you home" AS he LEI
the little fellow to his home that III
tie fellows faith led the man to Christ
Has 1t not been thus In your life? Ha
II not been some weak, humble Chris
tian who has led you irst to Christ
IA toIt mn Lrothar II aornp wea]