The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-07-13
COSISIONER'S LECTURE.
Continued from page 81

and man, conscious of his own i'm
perfections and grieved over his
shortcomings, finds inspiration in
the fact that He was tempted in
all points like as we are, and yet
without sin. l am not sure but
termining for himself whether h.
possesses the true spirit of a
Christion. If the sinlessness of
Christ inspires withing him an
earnest desire to conform his life
more nearly to the perfect example,
he is indeed a follower; if, on the
other hand, he resents the reproof
which the purity of Christ offers,
and refuses to mend his ways, he
has yet to be born again.
The most difficult of all the
virtues to cultivate is the forgiv-
ing spirit. Revenge seems to be
natural with man; it is human to
want to get even with an enemy. 1t
has ever been popular to boast of
vindictiveness; it was once inscrib-
ed on mans monument that he
had repaid both friends and ene-
mics more than he had received.
This was not the spirit of Christ.
He taught forgiveness and in that
fncomparab BILE prayer which He left
as a model for petitions. He made
our willingness to forgive measure
by which we may claim forgiveness
but he exemplified His teachings in
His life. When those who perse-
cuted Him brought Him to the
most disgraceful of all deaths, His
spirit Of forgiveness rose above
His sufferings and He prayed,
Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do!"
Ruf iS
Christ's creed. The world had
known love before; parents had
loved their children and children
their parents; husbands had loved
their wives, and wives their hus-
bands; and friends had loved
friends; but Jesus gave a new defi-
milton of love. His love was as
wide as the sea; its limits were so
far-flung that even an enemy could
not travel beyond it's bounds. 9th
er teachings sought to regulate the
lives of their followers by rule and
formula, but Christ's plan was to
purify the heart and then to leave
love to direct the footsteps.
What conclusion is to be drawn
from the life, the teachings and
the death of this historic figure?
Reared in a Carpenter shop; with
no knowledge of literature. save
FlDle literature; with no acquaint-
ance with philosophers living or
with the writings of sages dead,
when only about thirty years old
He gathered disciples about Him,
promulgated a higher code of NOR
ais than the world had ever known
pefore, and proclaimed Himself the
Messiah. He taught and perforn>IISS7-
miracles for few brief months nd
cd l. 49,
were scattered and ma.,t,,Fos ~,
put to death; His cLsonI,N r,aro ", aisi
puted, His resurrees samiaS mele ond us
HIS followers persl .nnted. % and " VET
from this be<Sin I;., anu ie.
spread unH SmnGSeds | 1ns miiiions sUn
enc zen his name with rever-
%Ah SGpon their lips and millions
re been willing to die rather
An surrender the faith which He
puts into their hearts. How shall
we account for Him? Here is the
greatest fact of history; here is
One who has with increasing pow
er, for nineteen hundred years,
moulded the hearts, the thoughts
and the lives of men, and He ex-
erts more influence to-day than ev-
er before. What think we of
Christi" 1t is easier to believe
other way what he said and did and
was. And | have greater faith.
even than before, since / have Wis
tied the Orient and witnessed the
successful contest which Christian
lty is waging against the religions
and philosophers of the East"
l was thinking a few years ago
OF the Christmas which was then
approaching and of him in whose
honor the day is celebrated l re-
called the message, Peace on
earth, good will to men," and then
my thoughts ran back to the proph-
ecy uttered centuries before His
olrth, in which he was described as
the Prince of Peace. To reinforce
my memory l re-read the prophecy
and l found Immediately following
verse which 1 had forgotten-a
verse which declares that of the
increase of His peace and govern
men there shall be no end. And,
Isaiah adds, that He shall judge
his people with justice and with
judgment. 1 had been reading of
the rise and fall of nations, and oc-
castonally / had met a gloomy phil
osopher who preached the doc
trine that nations, like individuals,
must of necessity have their birth,
their infancy, their maturity and
finally their decay and death. But
here read of a government that
Is to be perpetual - a government
OF increasing peace and blessedness
the government of the Prince of
Peace = and it is to rest on JUS
tice. / have thought of this pro-
phecy many times during the last
few years, and / have selected this
theme that 1 might present some
OF the reasons which lead me to
believe that Christ has fully earn
ed the right to be called the Prince
OF Peace title that will in the
years TO come be more and more
applied to him. If he can bring
peace to each individual heart and