The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-04-30
wicked. and He was . splendid reli-

tlNus NS WV W
Him pre-eminent in S!s sphere." VIII
IL do? We will adn:.s that the cir
cumstances and timgf I'D for Jesus
about all that could e. done 10 make
Him pre-eminent as = moral teacher.
but why did not otssr people-the
martyrs. the disciple s-why didn't
Paul rise 10 the same ore-eminence?
No man could lay a fI ger on Paul's
life and say, Here Is l. moral weak
ness that accounts for it," IL Jesus
was no more than peasants son He
never could, then or since, have COM
manded the respect OF single man
such as He has now. Suppose man
came from England and wanted us
20 start Spurgeon clubs in every town
in America and worship Spurgeon;
or suppose some one wanted us 10
start Phillips Brooks clubs and be-
come Brooksites, we would say.
There is sauitarium over there;
you had better so there You see
that IL Jesus were nothing more than
a prv-eminent son OF David He would
be on the same plane with Spurgeon
and Brooks. We will honor such
men and take counsel from their wis
dom, but never bow down 10 them.
And men would never bow down 20
and worship Jesus Christ il He were
not something more than son or
David. But" you say, that hy-
pothesis does not account for the fact.
I'VE admit the mystery, but there
is a certain unlisted element that we
cannot see yet" Let us see what His
apostles say. Paul had his own the
ory when he said that He was lin the
form of God. yet He made Himself
of no reputation and took upon Him
the form OF a servant. and was found
I'm the likeness of the flesh and suf-
fered death, even the death of the
cross" There is notion OF pre-eN-
istence. That is Paul's conception OF
the unlisted asset. that pre-eXisting
glory with God. That does not an
swer the question, but IL answers
something He did what David never
did. He took on Him our form and
went back TO accomplish the finish OF
the work. In the Hebrews We read
that He was the express image" OF
God and by Him all things consisted
and held together" So YOU have the
hypothesis Of His being larger than
Dayid's son, who took on Him the
form OF Davids son. Then we find
Jesus speaking with authority. 1T
hath been said by men OF old time,
do SO and so, but say unto You do so
and So" Again, Il came down from
My Father, and all authority is given
unto Me and all Judgment is given
unto Me that men may honor the Son
as they honor the Father" and "he
that hath the Father hath the Son;
he that hath not the Son hath not
God" IL does not solve all the mys-
| terry, but IL tells us OF certain ele-
ment Of divinity about Him which no
son of David ever had.
Then again He says that whosoever
believes and follows Jesus will be
with God. That does not solve the
mystery, but it tells us that so far as
God can teach mankind He teaches
us by His Son Jesus Christ.
You say: Il am handicapped, be-
cause people calling themselves
| Christians have not Christianity
enough TO distinguish thCm from the
rest of the world" Conhne yourself
| TO those whom you will recognize as
| genuine Christians, those whom you
would like 10 have praE with you
| when you are sick. Ask these people,
| How is IL you have managed TO over
come where others have failed? How
is II that you have kept straight for
ward with a cheerful spirit where 9TH
ers were discouraged? And they
will tell you this Since | believed
in Jesus. a strange inside power has
come to me that has changed my af-
! fections. that has opened my eyes,
! strengthened my courage nursed my
virtues, nerved my Will and has kept
me steadfastly going toward the ideal
! that | regret | have followed so far
away" / say that such testimony is
! the strongest testimony that this Son
! Of David has an asset OF power that
| He imparts TO His people 10 give them
victory.
This is the New Testament eTpla-
nation: He was the Son OF Cod and
! had in Himself certain immeasurable
assets OF divineness that belonged 20
! Him, not because lie was the Son Of
! David, but because He came TO be
the Son OF David from on high. and
! because OF that he has a claim 10 our
obedience and worship and conf
! dence.
What sort Of a Christ do you want?
! You need a saviour. What do you
want Him to do? First, TO forgive
! you. Second, 20 purify your heart.
! Third, 20 give you grace. Can any
body do II except It be the Son OF
! David to come in touch with you, and
the Son OF God 10 have power?
| have spoken these words 90 you this
| morning that you might believe, not
! only that Jesus IS the Christ, but that
! Christ IL the Son OF the Living God =.
and that believing In Him ye also
might have life.