The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-25

here displayed? Weakness, unques-
tionably. But 1t was the meekness OF
love. not the meekness of weakness
This Is distinction which we have
been TO slow to make. The spirit
which Jesus comm ends both by pre-
cept and example is not the lack OF
spirit. He does not tell US to mortify
our backhones and let out all our
blood, and become pinks of indiGer~
eaoe so that II viii be easy to let the
world run over us. 1t is rather the
spirit of strengthen strength born
of an undying love. Here is the
Just one standing in the presence OF
injustioe---the Holy One surrounded
by the uni1ely-his whole nature as
sensitive to evil as the apple OF the
eye To a cinder--feeling with an In
tcnsity which we could not feel every
act Of injustice, every indignity which
IL heaped upon him. and yet such
is~ his compassion for the men that
spit upon him that it is easy to bear
all things, to endure all things.
There are some things in life which
we md very hard to do. but there
are things which are harder than
mere doing. 1t is harder to bear
and to forbear. 1t is So much easier
to strike back than to hold oneself
back. What viii give me the power
to rise superior 70 the proEocations
of life2 What will make me supe-
rIor to the insults OF men with which
Satan often tempts me to speak the
word which ] shall regret? What
but .the spirit of meekness that pos
sessed jesus? And to whom shall /
go for this spirit but to him?
The Lesson Illustrated.
1. Peters courage had failed him
In Gethsemane and he had fed with
the rest Of the disciples, but he was
unable to forsake his Master utterly
and so he presently turned back and
followed him afar of" How many
protesting Christians to-day are in
poor Peters plight? They utterly fail
in every test OF their loyalty TO
Christ; they never have the courage
to stand up for him, to take sides
with him, to show their colors when
1t Is dangerous to show their colors,
they always go down at the first fire
In every battle with the enemy; yet
they cannot bring themselves to the
point of giving him up entirely. and
SO they follow him from afar off.
What does one gain by this sort OF
thing? What did Peter galn2
2. X Is easy to condemn Peter for
denying his Master in crowd" of
the first stone? How many men
thrown with sinful companions espe-
cially at night have the courage to
show their cplors? How many men
live uprightly at home surrounded by
Christian influences, and when they
go forth into the world seek to cover
up their profession How many of
us when surrounded by seeffers. are
ashamed to let 1t be known that We
ever knew Jesus How many pro
Tossing Christians when asked by men
Of the world IL they are Christians
blush and hesitate, and then stammer
out that they Joined the church
when very young" and they suppose
that their names airs still on the
| church register. Poor Peter denied
| him, but the reproaehful look OF the
Master pierced his heart and he shed
many bitter tears Of repentance. How
many of us deny our Lord daily with
out shedding n single tear
3. LAS sheep before his shearcrs
is dumb so he upeDeth not his mouth
A most unnatural son. by sile SIAN
der. causes the arrest OF his father.
The father can speak a word that
will explain all and save himself from
prison. but that word would bring
the son to shame. And So he opens
not his mouth He loves his son SO
we'll that he is willing to suffer dis
grace and Imprisonment rather than
! that his son should suffer. Jesus had
the power to escape the cross, but he
! could not save himself from death
and then save his people, ana SO out
| of love for the very men who were
| seeking to cruelty him he submitted
TO every indignity and Islander. and
, opened not his mouth.
rFhe tul1y can nothing tut
| weakness In this picture of the silent
Jesus. But when you have given away
+ under provocation and struck back
do you feet that you have shown
/ strength Are you not Inundated
/ by the consciousness that You have
1 shown weakness? Is il not infinite
ly harder to bear and forbear than
il is to give away to the impulse to
strike back? suppose Jesus had
struck baek-~would the world have
seen any courage in it? Would 1t
not have seen only weakness In 1t?
Would not the world say that after
all he Was only like the rest OF us.
and, therefore. in no sense divine?
s. There Is little difference be-
tween this trial Of Jesus before Gaia
| phas and the mock trials of the Mas
! ter that are SO common. in our own
! times A little intidel undertakes to
| try Jesus and to see If he is really
| the Christ. He sets himself up AS
/ the court, and not content with be-
! ing the judge, he makes himself pros
| eeuting attorney also. and knowing
! his own weakness he Is unwilling to
/ allow an attorney or even Witnesses
| for the defense. Millions of witnesses
! for Jesus can be had at any moment,
| but not one OF them is admitted. In
| stead he turns to two or three pro-
! fessionaI witnesses--these men who
! go around on the lecture platform and
! testify falsely against Christ fer two
! hundred dollars a highland al
! though their testimony is absurdiy
| conflicting. the case goes against the
| Christ-~becauae il was agreed upon
| beforehand.