The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-06-18
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
The REV. JASON NOBLE PIERCE.
Theme: Christ's Example.

preached sunday morning on "Ihe
Examples of Christ" He said: My
subject this morning is found In John
1915; For I have given you an ex-
ample that We should do as | have
done to YOU" II you put that right
in its setting It would be natural to
wonder whether the example Jesus
gave involves the girding of the towel
and the taking of the basin and per-
forming the service of love that He
performed for His disciples whether
His example is literal in its setting.
II Is not strange that certain branches
Of the church have in different times
held that His example was TO be taken
literally; that He instituted an ordi-
nance as truly as the ordinance of
baptism or the Lords supper. And
so. even down to the present day,
there are some churches that literally
believe in the washing of the feet as
a religious act From 1880 to 1890
the sovereigns of England were ac-
customed to literally carry out this
example of the Lord, and indeed down
10 the present day it is not unusual
for the imperial ruler of Russia to
have the aristocracv seek outgoers
who are aged and iufirm and helpless
and wash their feet as Jesus washed
the feet of His disciples. On every
Thursday in Holy Week the Pope, not
in the simplicity that Jesus had, but
with great pomp and splendOr, and in
the eyes of the multitudes on a high
platform where he can be seen by all,
washes the feet of twelve of the old
est men that can be found. But the
natural query is. why do it once
year. If II is really an example to be
followed, and why does only one per
son follow it instead of everybody
you and me? And If you turn back
to your original testament you find
the words like as'-"that We should
do like as I have done for YOU" and
you realize that Jesus is not institut-
ing an ordinance. but He is. by low
ing and kind act of ministry, teach
ing an ideal and teaching II by exam
pie. He might have talked about il
and the words would have gone in one
ear and out of the other. but no one
of those present could ever forget His
example. and I venture to say that
though John lived as long as he did
in his last day he still felt the influ-
ence of the Masters teaching as
strongly as he did on the day when
the Master washed his feet.
Jesus whole life is an example. is
it not? We find other people that are
examples. I can turn to the Old Tes-
lament and study Job, and say that
he was an example of patience. or to
the life of Abraham, and say that he
is a perfect example of faith. I turn
to impetuous Peter. and I say there
is a man of fervor; or to John, and
see the perfect example of John, the
i = Nrra
shall ever grow into the love of John.
These men are examples in part, in
some things. in one or a few charac-
teristics. but Jesus was a perfect eX.
ample-complete If you are speak.
ing of faith. He is perfect; if of pa
thence. He is perfect; if you sneak OF
fervor, or of love. or of humility, of
dignity. or of power, or of any quail
ity of the heart, you find that Jesus is
perfect, the one supreme, perfect ex-
ample. You and / know 1t is one oil
our human failings to look at people
and initiate them. How quick the
child is to discern. Did you never see
a little girl who spoke not only the
same words that her mother did, but
with Just the same intonation? II
the mother says thing with a little
sharpness, so does the daughter.
think nothing in all this world is sc
quick to discern the things they see as
a little child, and not only to discern
them, but to initiate them. If Jesus
had handed down His Sermon on the
Mount Just as a document given by
an unseen hand, it never would have
had the resonance. the clearness anc
the power that It has when we see il
coming from the lips of the Maj
whom we almost can see because Hi'
followers really did see Him. You de-
not take any reasoning of Jesus apar
from Himself You and | need to un
derstand Jesus, and need to follow
His example, because other people arr
following our example. Here is lit
tie boy in the Sunday-school, and tn
teacher says, John, you ought Il
grow up into a true, noble manhood
and be an example for others" Johl
cannot help being an example. | can
not stand here this morning and sa,
you ought to be examples; you are
and you cannot get away from 1t
You may not want people to look a
you, but you cannot shut their eyes
There is not a person here this morn
ing who is not, unconsciously as wei
as consciously leading the thought
are examples What kind Of exam
pies are you?
What kind of an example are "
Christian people? In think one of tn
most wonderful men was Paul. II
wrote to the Galatians, and he said
Brethren, l beseech you be as | am.
Now a good many of you are lookin
at me and saying: Here Is our ne
pastor. / wonder what kind of a ma
he is really going to prove to be.
What kind of a man would you thin
] am If / should say in utter serious
ness. Members Of Puritan Churcl
/ beseech you be as l am. Look 2
me, behold me. Be as / am VIII,
that Is what the apostle wrote to h
congregation. He sent another lettt
TO the Philippians, in which he said
Those things which ye have bot
learned and received and heard an
seen in me, do; and the God Of peaC
shall be with you" Is there schol
teacher here that would dare to sa,
Sif you only do what your teach'
does; II you only look at my life an
follow my example, the God OF pea'
will be with you" In thee of h
epistles Paul wrote: BE followe
of me-" What presumptuous mai
Is there a father in this audience tn
wishes his son to be just like hin
Or is there a mother that wishes h
little child that God has given her,
be Just like her? God knows tn
every parent says; "Oh, that my chi
may be better than | am" Wha
l.. a ..Ft "A m -.