The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-09-20
A Great Task.

ST. John tells us In this connection
of the conversation with Philip. Phil.
! ip lived in Bethsaida near by, yet to
feed this multitude was for him too
| great a task, even with his knowledge
of the resources al hand, John G:5-7.
Yet we need not be surprised at Phil
lp's sloWness Of faith. Moses in like
manner was once nonplussed how to
feed six thousand in the wilderness,
see Mum. 11:21-23. 1t is not SO much
as 10 how great the need nor how lit.
tie we possess, but rather is the little
given to God.
Another disciple, Andrew, who had
discovered the Saviour unto Peter, dis.
covers as though in desperation a boy
whose mother had thoughtfully pro-
.yidad him With q laneh eogs snsg ee
i've Marley biNnits and Two small
dried herring John $50, at least that
much remained. 1t is a great CON-
mentary upon the tide of interest at
this time that this boy should not
have eaten his lunch, for boys hun
ger is proverbial. It seems as though
Jesus emphasizes the helplessness Of
the diciples in order that he may show
his power His command, give ye
them" ". 80 teaches us that we are
to give such as we have not look to
others, nor do our charity by proxy.
Prov. 11:24, 25.
Again the Saviour asks his disciples
to see ". $50 as though he would
teach them the boundless resources Of
his kingdom. Give what you have and
he will bless and increase it to the
| supplying of the needs of the multi
tude. The secret Of success was when
he took the loaves and looking up
for God also saw on that day, and
blessed 1t.
We need to observe the systematic
procedure. The people seated or re-
clining upon the ground in ranks or
by companies. The Master blessing
and breaking the boys cakes and Civ.
ing first to the disciples, for God only
works such miracles through human
agencies, and then giving to the peo-
pie. The result of this systematic pro-
cedure was that AL did eat" and
further, they were satisfied, V. AZ. Not
alone, however, was there Divine Or.
der and ,layishness, but there was
economy and thrift as well, for Jesus
gave careful directions as to the frag.
ments. The lavishness is shown by
the fact that the baskets into which
the fragments We're gathered were
each large enough in which to sleep.
Living Bread.
The conversation process was a
singing rebuke to the improvident
orientals, and to the present day prodi.
gals of that wonderful bounty with
which God has blessed our land.
| God gives to us that We may use.
Joy dies unless it is shared. Jesus
the living bread John 6:4S) will salts.
fly hunger, and life, as bread, gener.
ates in the human body heat, energy
vitality. power, etc., so he would feed
the hungry souls Of mankind. We
have at hand the Word; it is for lack
of it that men die in the deepest sense
| Of that word
! The poverty and perplexity of the
disciples in his presence and the pres
ence of this great need is being re
peated over and over today and yet i,
| is absurd. We have not enough to
feed the multitude. Our few loaves Of
amusements, mental activities. etc.
will not feed them, but when we break
unto them the Living Bread they have
enough and to,spare. The words oi
the late Maltbie Babcock are appro
pirate in this connections:
Back of the loaf is the snowy flour.
| And back of the -four the MILL
And back of the mil! Is the wheat anf
the shower
And the sun, and the Fathers will