Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-05-18
Pastor RusseII's Sermon

LeaNuEeo OF elOLuluE OF MOuuu1- lucy
recognized that none other than BE
could have performed such a miracle.
They did NOT ask who he was; they
felt a restraiat; as we read. None OF
them burst ask who He was" but all
knew that He was the Lord.
aLoVest Thou Ne Mors7"
The stranger addressed St Peter
particularly saying. -LOvest thou Ne
more than these"-these boats and
nets. etc, pertaining to the hshing
business? st. Peter answered, Lord,
Thou knowest that l aRectionAtely
love Thee" He used a word eK-
pressing fondness Of love. Jesus re-
piled, Feed Ny lambs"
Then came the question 4 second
time, "sImOn. son Of Jonas, lowest
thou MeT A great pressure Was felt
by St. Peter. Why did the Master 80
particularly question his love? Why
should He put this question more to
blm than to the others1 Was 1t be-
cause he had been the first Of the
disciples to suggest the resumption OF
the fishing business? Was he to blame
for thIsi But he answered. Lord.
Thou knOwest that / afectionately
love Thee" Jesus this time replied.
Tend My sheep" For the third time
Jesus aald to st. Peter. "slmon. son Of
Jonas. dOsf thou anectionateIy love
MeT Here Jesus used the same word
that St. Peter had used. as though he
questioned the affection and depth Of
st. Peters love. All! the third time
must have sent the memory OF st. Peter
back to the scent inCaiaphas' Judgment
Hall, when be denied his Master the
third time. even with curslng. And
now Jesus for the third time had ask
ed him respecting his love and wheth.
er ii was really a love Of afbectionl
81. Peters choking reply was. lord,
Thou knOwest all thlngsl Thou kaoto-
est that afiectionately love Thee~
The Lords reply was. Feed Ny
sheep"
In harmony with these words Of the
Master to st. Peter the chief work Of
Bis followers has been to minister to
the needs Of the spirit -begotten sheep.
It is In full harmony with this that St.
Paul. addressing the Elders OF Ephe-
sus. eounseled that they feed the
fOct Of God. which He had purchased
with the blood OF His own Son"
There Is a point here that perhaps Is
too frequently overlooked. II all Of
the Lords followers could realize that
the message to st. Peter Is the same
as comes to all Of us. perhaps it would
make a change In most OF our preach
ing.
Our Mistaken Methods.
Have not Christians in general over.
looked this important lesson, namely.
that the chief work OF the ministers
and under-shepherlls Of the Lords aock
during this Age Is to ''teed ne fOckr'
Is 1t not true that comparatively little
feeding Is being done? On the contra
~, the .thought usually received by
new converts IS. Now you are saved;
90. evangellze. and bring others TO
Christ-especlally bring money, for
with plenty OF II We can convert the
world. Work for Jesus by soliciting
funds for church expenses. extension.
etc. etc.
IL the inquirer has thoughts or feel
ings Is Il not too often the case that his
Instructors know not how to answer
them. but merely say. stop thinking.
and 30 to work" Alas. that this is so
true! The "iambF' should be fed until
they become sheep" The sheep should
be tended. cared for. guided. instructed,
and the sheep should also be fed with
the stronger meat than that which the
lambs could appropriate. St Paul
gives this thought when on one occa-
sion be urges his hearers to desire "the
sincere milk Of the Word that they
may grow thereby"
But few seem 10 copy the great ST.
Paul In respect 20 their methods Few
seem to realize and apply to themselves
the Masters words 20 St Peter,
Feed Ny lambs" and NY sheep" As
a consequence the Church OF Christ is
In lauguishiug condition. Many. sin.
cere at heart. know not what they be
lieve. Many would hnd It impossible
10 follow 81, Peters admuniilon, BE
ready TO give q reason for the hope that
Is within you. with meekness and rev
erence"--I Peter iii. l5.
Reasons For the Neglect Of the Doc.
trinss Of Christ
There are two reasons which have
led up to the neglect Of THE doctrines
OF Christ"-the teachings Of the Bible.
These two reasons fully explain why
50 many are telling new believers.
Never mind the doctrines Of Christ,
but 80 out and convert somebody
The frst Of these reasons is the er.
rOneous thought which gained ascend.
ency during the Dark Ages. namely.
that from Pentecost until the second
coming Of Jesus Is the time allotted by
the Heavenly Father for the worlds
conversion. aud that this is the com-
mission which HE glTes TO His peO-
pie, and II the world be not converted
the responsibility Tor their eternal tor
ture will fall upon Ills people
All Of this Is a mistake Not a word
Of Scripture tells that the Church was
commissioned to conver, the world be
fore the second coming Of the Lord
Quite to the contrary the Scriptures
show that al the IoiNls second com.