Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-19
His mission; and that they might be
the means of instruction for His dis

his MISSION, anu LidI lIey HiS"I oe
the means of instruction for His dis
ciples.
The thirty-three recorded miracles
might be divided into three general
heads: On nature, on man, on the
Spirit world, the greater number De-
ing performed on man and in every
case to relieve suffering. He per-
formed hundreds, but thousands ne
did not heal, His object being to
draw people to Him.
Christ was the great teacher OF
humanity for three reasons: Teach
er CT all men everywhere; teacher
for all time; and the teacher of all
truth. He gave no rule but what was
universal in its application. Three
things in regard to His teaching are
worth notice: His method, His man.
ner, His message.
His method was plain, practical,
pictorial and positive. His manner
was that He spoke with authority,
and we should teach with the same
authority-the Virgin birth, the
virtuous life, the vicarious sacrifice,
and the victorious resurrection. He
spoke with graciousness, and with
power.
His message was to proclaim: The
Kingdom of God, the Father IN
Heaven; His own wonderful mission;
the Holy Spirit. His teaching was
public, private, parabolic, with His
disciples and after His resurrection.
In the sermon on the Mount He laid
down the principles of the Kingdom,
the secret of happiness. At that
time the Roman idea of happiness
was possession; the Greek idea, to
know things; but the Christian idea
is not having nor knowing, but be-
ing. Man has three-fold relation:
To his fellow men; to himself; to
God; kindness, sef-denial and pray
err.
His parabolic teaching is a promin-
ent feature of His message. He used
this form to reveal, and to conceal
truth; to reveal it to His friends;
to conceal it from others. Three
stages are: The progress Of the
Kingdom in Galilee; the teachings
of the personal life, and the prin-
ciples of the kingdom as told by St.
Luke and the plan of work recorded
by st. Matthew.
He never used parallels to teach
doctrine, but always to lay empha-
sis on practical truths. His lesson
was for the individual soul, as in
the parable of the lost sheep and
the last coin; of mans inhumanity
for man, as in the parable of Dives
and Lazarus. Dives was in the place
of torment not because he was i bad
man, but because he was absolutely
selfish. Prayer is the Christians
vital breath, illustrated by Christ
in the parable of tine Pharisee and
the sinner.
His plan was for each disciple to
live Christian life and for each
one to engage in Christian service,
and the necessity for this service.
He taught of the presence, the
person and the power of the Holy
Spirit in His last discourse in the
upper room.
After His resurrection He told OF
the great work He had for His dis
ciples to do, and for His church to
carry on-the work which He had
commenced. He revealed the char
acter of the Father and also pro-
claimed the message of salvation. He
founded the church that it might be
the means of extending the king
dom.
We must be disciples before we can
be apostles; we must learn before
we can become missionaries. Christ
calls each one to come to Himself
that He may teach US that we may
on forth to teach others. We are
the only ones Christ can use; only
those who have been redeemed by
Christ can go, and He will continue
the performance of His miracles as
we 60 forth in His name.