Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-03
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
I3y j. A. I;ubnnk,

prayed, saying. Father, il Thou be willing.
remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My
will. but Thine. be done."-Luke xii 4l-4o
The instructive dread or death when It's
presence is realized to be near stirs human
nature to its profoundest depths. and in the
weakness OF the flesh it shrinks from IL in
horror.
In this respect Jesus was not different from
other men. but in His conception of the duty
OF one who has apprchcnded truth, to live and
IL need lie. die that it might be established
IN the world He went to His mart rdom as
ieariessiy as others who preceded Him, who
ike Him. had found the inward Kingdom
That essential life in which Marcus Aurelius
ahrms, Things themselves touch not the soul
not in the least degree" all outward circum.
stance being but a passing thing.
Jesus had reached His fixed point of right
ness. ana holding to ii with the clutch of inn
movable resolve. He progressed in the knowl-
eGge of the infinite law Of life and His SOM
held sweet continuation with tho rather ~
Lie and gathered strength for the ordeal
that in his prcscicnce lie foresaw He had to
undergo.
In acceptance of these teachings by which
tie had FOUND The means OF reaching the di-
vine contcmplativc or correlation with tho
Father lie realized duty demandc tina, do,.h
should be suffered without ninchiny that in
his marFrom tho truths revealed to Him
might become the common heritage of man
kind
socrates had stood before his accusers and
heard undauntcd. their verdict of death To-
cause. like Jesus. in the eternal urge to right
ness he had attained to the inward kingdom
from whose JOY not death can force
abandonment
Hear him, as just before drinking tho fata,
hemlock he turned to his accuscrs and spoke
these words which will live always: II am
who have condemned me TO die.
have one request TO make OF them When
NY sons grow up. visit them with punishment,
ny friends and vcN them in the same way
'hat have veNcd you. IL they seem to care
TO rrchcs. or for any other thing. before
virtue: and II they think that they are some
thing when they arc nothing at all, rcproa ch
them. as have rcproached YOU. for not caring
for what they should, and for thinking that
they are great men when in fact they are
worthless. And If you will do this. myself
and my sons will have received our deserts at
YOU hands But now the time has come and
we must go hence to die. and you to live.
Whether life or death is better is known TO
God. dto God only
Jesus taught truth. lived for the truth and
died for it. as others before Him had done.
but He impressed it more lastinrly than any
great teacher who had preceded Him.
From Katrina Trask's inspiring little vol
umc, The Mighty an the Lowry" rcscntly is
sued from the press, the force OF Jesus per
sonaity in its growing influence to bring hu-
manity into contemplation of the essential
truths that it needs to learn. appropriate"
and condcnse the following thoughts az ap-
plicablc to iodays lesson
The contemplation of that life is arousinG
10 those who consider 1t historically. Quite
apart from the spiritual side. when
templates the altitude in which Jesus moved
on earth. one is taken psychically 10 an high
mountain top.
SO lore Jesus had Teen looked upon through
the eyes OF interpreters and commentators
that the world fails realize the thrilling
dramatic beauty and dynamic power OF His
mere personality. The record of the life OF
Jesus read simply, the story of any other
man is read. without prejudice or precon-
ception. without theological bent bias.
shows glorious being of the heroic type.
To many, Jesus is the very God OF very
God. hcG"t;en. not made: to many. He is the
Son of cod only every reborn soul may
be tho son Of God; hut in either cas-. He is.
the human side. and historic person. Yet
there muititudcs of men who. not accept
ing Jesus thcoiogicaly. Will not consider His
iii" historically because they think OF Him
only a helm gcnshrncd in ccclcsiastic Sc
cIusion obsolete superstition.
Ii these minimizing men and women would
once consider Jesus living character.
would rea His life and His words as the,
in history, they could not fail TO give Him
their utmost enthusiasm.
II those who have neglected TO consider
Jesus. because they have thought He was "A
"hurchly possession only and those who have
turned away from Him in reaction from the
traditional picture forced upon their youth.
will once turn and look upon Him man
walking on the earth. they Will find captivHt-
ing. compelling qualities that viii cnthral
them: they will find shining personality that
will fascinatc them. that will win their wor-
shipful love--and then they will listen to the
words OF any philosopher prophet. sage OF
seer.
TO those who have considered Him. His
presence still fingers on the earth. His per-
sona!i,y is as living. vivid as il was twenty
centuries ago.
Hence. IL hardly he successfully CON
tested that in His life. death and teachings.
lie is IN" outstanding personality Of all tho
ages IN tho influence these have cxertch upon
civilization that must be increasingly pro-
.rcssivc toward higher ideals. or else revert
TO da rknoSS and chaos.
and L. IL he lifted M from the earth,
will draw all men unto Me"