The Penn's Grove record., 1911-09-29

AEfA,S tnou me! lJohn Zl:lo.J
WA No word here of the err
&I ring disciples past faith
Ng lessness; = his guilty
" cowardice = unmentioned;
his base denial, his oaths and curses.
and ~treacherous desertion all
unmentioned! The memory of a
threefold denial is suggested. and
no more, by the threefold ques-
ton Of u%nutterable tenderness, Simon,
son Of Jonas. lowest thou me?"
When Jesus finds his disciples sleep
ing at the gate of Gethsemane, he re-
Dukes them; but how is the rebuke
disarmed of its poignancy by the fher-
ciful apology which is added-"The
spirit indeed Is willing. but the flesh
Is weak!" How different from their
unkind insinuation regarding him,
in the vessel on Tiberias. He was
asleep-Master. carest thou not that
we perish!"
The woman of Samaria is full of
earthliness, carnality, sectarianism,
guilt. Yet how gently the Saviop-
bPCdho ~ AOl-AOW lOl DCdll u6iyB ~
faithfully. He directs the arrow OF
conviction to that scared and harden
ed conscience, till he lays it bleeding
at his feet! Truly. He will net break
the bruised reed-he will not quench
the smoking fax" By "the goodness
of God" he would lead to repentance.
When others are speaking of merci-
less violence, he can dismiss the most
guilty of prof1igates with the words.
Neither do condemn thee; go. and
sin no more"
Comparison Of Jesus.
Flow many have a unholy pleas
ure in finding a brother in the wrong
blazing abroad his failings; admin
istering rebuke, but with harsh and
impatient severity How beautifully
did Jesus unite Intense sensibility to
sin, along with tenderest compassion
for the sinner. showing in this that he
knoweth Dur frape!
Many a scholar needs g%entleness in
chastisement- The reverse would
crush a sensitive spirit, or drive it to
despair, Jesus tenderly considers"
the case of those he disciplines. TEN
pering the wind to the shorn lamb"
In the picture of the good shepherd
bearing home the wandering sheep, he
illustrated by parable what he had
often and again taught by his W ex-
ample. No word of needless harsh
ness or upbraiding uttered to the err
ring wanderer! Ingratitude is too
deeply felt to need rebuke! In silent
love, "he lays it on his shoulders re-
joicing."
GentIeness in Rebuke.
Reader! seek to mingle g~entleness
In all your rebukes; bear with the in
frmities of others; make allowances
for constitutional frailties; never say
harsh things, if kind things will do as
we'll; do not unnecessarily lacerate
with recalling former deliquencies.
In reproving another, let us rather
feel how much we need reproof our
selves. Consider myself" is a searehf
ing Scripture motto for dealing with
an erring brother. Remember thy
Lords method Of %silencing fierce &C
cusation-"Let him that is without sin
cast the first stone"
Moreover, anger and severity are
not the successful means Of reclaim
ing the backslider, or of melting the
obdurate. Like the smooth stones
with which David smote Goliath, gen.
tie rebukes are generally the most
powerful. The old fable of the trav-
eler and his cloak has a moral here
as In other things. The genial sun
shine will effect Its removal sooner
than the rough tempest. It was said
of Leighton that "he rebuked faults
so mildly. that they were never re-
peated. not because the admonished
were afraid, but ashamed to do So"