The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-02
We herewith print the sermon
which was listened to with 50
much profit and pleasure:

|
GREATNESS.
Mark l0:;3-4S WnoSoever would become
great among you shall be your minister; anc
whoSoever would be first among you. shall be
servant OF ali For the Son OF Man came not to
! be r,iniStered unto but to minister, and give
! his lie Il ransom for many
For the last time Jesus and his dis
ciples were making their way up to
Jerusalem. and as they journeyed
along the way the Master had many
things to say of the approaching
tragedy which was soon to be enact.
ed on Calvary. The disciples, little
comprehending the words of Jesus
and still laboring under the miscon-
ception that He was about to set a
temporal Kingdom and that they
were to occupy positions of preml-
nence in it.thought only Of the great
ness of their own position. 1t was in
such connection that the words of
our text were spoken. James and
John, the sons of Zebedee, possibly
thinking that they might get in a
prior claim, drew apart from the 9TH
er apostles and coming up to Jesus
said: Teacher, Grant unto US that
we may sit, one on thy right hand
and one on thy left hand, in thy
glory But Jesus said unto them,
''Ye know not what ye ask" Are
We able to drink the cup that drink?
or to be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptised with!o AS still
further evidence of their ignorance
and presumption in this self-seekiug
request they answered. I'VE are
able,n Yes, these men were as yet lg-
norant and like most ignorant men
they were conceited and stood IN need
of teaching. And so, the great Teach
er, with that tenderness and patience,
which ever characterized him in his
dealings with the weak and errlng.
began.to unfold to them a new STAN
dard Of excellence and set up the true
measure of greatness. Hencetorth the
great should be those who have bless
ed their fellow man by useful minis
trations and the princes OF earth shall
be those who have given out their
lives in sacriEcial services, for, says
Christ, "Whosoever would become
great among you, let him be your
minister; and whosoeyer would be
first among you, let him be servant OF
ALL"
Now this ideal of greatness in the
Kingdom of the Lord Jesus was just
the opposite to the worlds standard.
To the oriental mind positions Of pr5-
macy suggested luxurious ease, rich
palaces, the harem, feasting and un
limited power and tyrannlcal auth
ority only to be exerted in exacting
revenues from their subjects. These
apostles undoubtedly had this idea
of glory and greatness. They thought
only of the crown Of glory and the
positions Of honor they were TO occu-
py. little dreaming of the severe tests
which were soon to be applied to
them, revealing their utter INSULT
cheney. Yes, they were to be great
but in way far different from what
they now think.
Failure and shame must crown their
brow before their untamed nature is
subdued or ever. they can render &C
ceptable service to God. To be near
the Master in his glory they must De
like Him in suffering and service. 10
him who would sit on the right hand
of the Son of God must learn his splr-
it and travel the same road which he
travels. Saint Mark tells US that
when the ten heard OF this presump-
tuous request of James and john to
occupy the chief seats in Chrlst's
Kingdom, they were moved with in
dignation against them, Now let us
not think that it was because they