The Penn's Grove record., 1916-07-07
He CAME TO SAVE
All Should Remember That
ChriSt'S Mission Was Not
to Destroy.

who had ever see his face forgot it.
Surely, people who looked into his
countenance while he did some miracle,
never forgot it. And people who had
been the objects of his miraculous
touch never forgot his look of love
and pity and power. Simon, who
walked by Jesus side within the cor
don of Roman soldiery, and bore his
cross for him on the way to Calvary,
never forgot the look of his face.
Caiaphas, the high priest, who had
plotted against Christ, and at last suc-
ceeded in having him brought in one
night for trial, lever forgot it. Plate,
who had sent many to the cross with
out conjunction, but never one like
Jesus, and who in his cowardly way
tried to set him free, never forgot it.
The centurion who sat immovable on
his horse and looked up at Jesus
through the hours of the crucifixion,
never forgot it.
\ mar cannot keep out of his coun-
tenance the dominant spirit of his life.
The sin of life is stamped upon the
face; the purity of the heart is
stamped upon the face. The finer
the nature, the more easily it is read
in the c~ountenance. Perhaps that is
the reason why woman's faces reveal
the inner spirit more readily than
mems faces.
If the face is the dial of the soul,
then what of the face of Christ? The
inner spirit of Jesus must have made
his face beautiful. 1t was a face that
drew people with the wonder of it. 1t
was a face that defied description, for
no authentic record describes it, and
one feels that no artists brush has
done it justice. AS his was the purest
soul, so his was the perfect face.
Rebuffs Frequently Met.
On his journey south Jesus passed
through Samaria, and at a certain Sa-
marian village he was denied hospital
ity, because his face was as though
he would go to Jerusalem" The true
follower of Christ often meets with the
same rebuff. The world extends few
courtesies to the man who turns his
back on its follies, and sets his face
steadfastly toward the city of God.
There is no need to suppose that
James and John were themselves the
messengers who net with this repulse.
probably with their Lord at the time
when others brought back the news
that the village refused to receive
him. Upon this p%rovocation all their
suppressed and smoldering indignation
against the heretics through whose ter
forth. At this instance of contempt
shown to their Lord, and to themselves,
for there is nc doubt that personal
feeling mingled with their Indignation,
the sons of thunder forgot their Cos
pei teaching and would apply Old Tes-
lament methods: "Shall we call down
fire from heaven to destroy them, as
did Elias?"
Jesus rebuked them. 1t is well for
us to recall the love and generosity
of Jesus toward those who were alien
or hostile to him, for the spirit of re-
lllDullOu, anu eNcu VI udlIeu, Is So APT
to creep in among us Christians. Hos
tility between his nation and the Sa-
maritans was both ancient and bitter.
Among the later proverbs of the Jews
was one which said, "To eat the bread
of a Samaritan is as eating swine's
flesh" The Jews despised those who
worshiped at the rival temple on
Mount GeriZim. The hostility endures
to this day. Yet all Christ's conduct
toward the Samaritans was marked by
special kindness. He chose a Samari-
tan to typify the spirit of Christian
charity, and made the name of the
Good Samaritan" a title of honor for
ever.
Jesus Always Loving.
Consistency and truth often COM
PEELED Jesus to say things which I'M
avoidably gave offense. And let us
note that he never pared down the
truth, nor minimiZed it, nor adjusted
it in such q way that it might be more
palatable. Truth and right met false
hood and wrong wherever Jesus hap
pened to be. Between them there is
eternal war. This conflict Jesus never
tried to avoid, but in it one never
hears in his voice the threatening
note of wrath, but always the persuad-
ing note of love.
Jesus had come, not to destroy mems
lives, but to save them. He might
have said to James and John as he
said to Philip on another occasion:
Have l been so long time with you
and have We not known me?" Though
they loved him and were Jealous for his
honor, they still lacked his spirit. The
final prayer of st. Peter for the peo-
pie OF the churches was that they
might 'grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ" The grace of God in
the heart of man soon betrays it's pres
ence. 1t is the imparting to the soul
of the mind of Christ, which desires
to save life, not to destroy it. More
~ ~ 1-4 ~ T-... " - 49,