The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-06-26
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON sv
The REV. JASON NOBLE PIERCE.
Theme: Christ's Example.


congregational Church the new pas
tor, the Rev. Jason Noble Pierce.
preached Sunday morning on THE
Examples of Christ" He said: My
subject this morning is found in John
1875: For have given you an ex-
ample that We should do as / have
done TO YOU" II you put that right
in fits setting IL would be natural 10
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 10 the present dav,
there are some churches that literally
believe in the washing of the feet as
a religious act. From 1890 TO 1880
the sovereigns Of England were ac-
customed 10 literally carry out this
example OF the Lord, and inde down
10 the present day IL is not unusual
for the imperial ruler of Russia TO
have the aristocracv seek outgoers
who are aged and infirm 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
eyes of the multitudes on 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 IL once a
year, IL IL is really an example TO be
followed. and why does only one per-
son follow II instead Of everybody
YOU and me? And II you turn back
to your original testament you find
the words like as"-"that We should
do like as have done for YOU" and
YOU realize that Jesus is not institut-
ing an ordinance. but He is. by a low
ing and kind act of ministry, teach
ing an ideal and teaching IL bv exam
pie. He might have talked about it
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 saw that
thouoh 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
II not? We find other people that are
examples. can turn to the Old Tes-
lament and study Lob, and say that
he was an example of patience. or TO
the life Of Abraham, and say that he
is q perfect example of faith. / turn
TO impetuous Peter, and l say there
IS a man OF fervor: or to John, and
see the perfect example of John. the
loving disciple, and wonder if we
sh all ever grow into the love of John.
These men are examples in part, in
some things, in one or few charac-
teristics, but Jesus was a perfect eX-
ample-complete. If you are speak
ing Of faith. Re is perfect; If of pa
+ience. He ig perfect; if you sneak Of
'ervor, or OF love, or OF humility. OF
dignity. or OF power, or Of anv quail
ity of the heart, you find that Jesus is
perfect, the one supreme, perfect eX-
ample. You and I know it is one Of
our human failings to look at DeoDle
and initiate them. Eow quick the
child is TO discern. Did You never see
n little girl who spoke not only the
same words that her mother did. but
with Just the same intonation? If
the mother says a thing with a little
sharpness. so does the daughter. |
think nothing in all this world is so
quick to discern the things they see as
q little child, and not only to discern
them, but TO initiate them. If Jesus
had handed down His Sermon on the
Mount just as document given by
an unseen hand, IL never would have
had the resonance, the clearness and
the power that il has when we see il
coming from the lips of the Man
whom we almost can see because His
followers really did see Him. You DO
not take any reasoning Of Jesus apart
from Himself. You and / need TO un-
derstand Jesus, and need TO follow
His example, because other people are
following our example. Here is lit
tie boy in the Sunday-school, and the
teacher says, John, you ought TO
grow up into a true, noble manhood,
and be an example for others" John
cannot help being an example. ! can
not stand here this morning and say
you ought to be examples; you are,
and you cannot get away from it.
You may not want people to look at
YOU, DQt you Cannot smut lutlI eyes.
There is not a person here this morn
ing who is not, unconsciously as well
as consciously, leading the thoughts
and impulses of other people. You
are examples. What kind of exam
pies are you?
What kind OF an example are we
Christian people? In think one of the
most wondeful men was Paul. He
wrote 20 the Galatians, and he said:
Brethren, | beseech you be as I am.
Now a good many Of you are looking
ar me and saying: "Here is our new
pastor. / wonder what kind OF a man
ne is really going 10 prove 10 be. -
What kind Of a man would you think
I am II 7 should say in utter serious
ness: Members OF Puritan Church.
! beseech you be as / am. Look n
me. benold me. BE as / am" Why.
that is wnat the apostle wrote 20 his
congregation. ne sent another letter
20 tne Philippians. an which ne said