Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-30
.CHR|ST'S LOVE FOR
PEOPLE HIS THEME
DIR. Russell Cecil Tells of
Compassion on Multitude
When Hungry.
MANY SICK HEALED
Feeding of Five Thousand
Graphically Related at Sec
ond Presbyterian Church.

ond Presbyterian Church.
Taking his text from Matthew xiv.
1915 But Jesus said unto them.
Ihey need not depart. give yc them
10 eat And they said unto him. We
have but 1--WE lnavcs and two fishes
He said. Bring them hithcr to me-"
Rev. Russell Cecil. -. D.. the pastor.
preached on The Unconscious Re
sources OF the Christian" lie said.
in part:
Jesus bad compassion on the null
,itudc. This was the impclling mo-
tive of His mission into the world.
When there was mo eye to pity, nor
arm TO save He looked upon the
masses OF suffering men with COM
passion. and His arm was stretched
out to save them. Many times dur
ing His earthly career. His sym
paihy with the multitude manifest
cd itself. In tho connection from
which our text Is taken, we arc told
that lie saw Il great multitude. and
was moved with compassion toward
them. and lie healed their sick" He
entered into sympathy with the sur
icring in very remarkable way. and
used His power to help them. There
IL no estimating how many sick peo-
pie lie healed during His brief Garth
ly ministry
But He had COMMISSION not only
upon the multitude in their diseases.
hut also in their hunger. AT the
time "f the working OF this great
linn
lowed by vast throngs OF people. AZ
Ter teaching them all day long, as
The evening hours drew on the dis
c'ples became concerned about them.
and said: This is desert place. and
the time Is now past: send tho null
u'ndH away. that they may go into
IN" villages and buy themselves vic
tuals."
Disciples Wondered
The disciples began TO wonder
what would become OF all Of these
people during the night, without any
thing to eat, and with no place to
lodge. They could not remain in the
desert without much suffering. un-
less some help was given them, or
they were sent away to seek food
y. I
Just at this point that the COMPASS
sion OF Jesus manifcsts itself again.
Jesus answers the suggestion Of the
disciples that He send away the null
titude by saying: They need not de-
part; give ye them 10 eat" Jesus
was never willing TO send the needy
multitude away without helping
them.
They need not depart" What a
wonderful blessing for the multi
tude finds expression in these words
II mattered not how many there
were. either OF the sick or of tb,.
hungry. 1t was not necessary for
them 10 depart withou, being helped.
This Is a truth which should auneal
TO all of us. Whatever YOU may
need, do not he afraid that Jesus will
send you away. you need not de-
part"
Hnt when Jesus has compa ssion on
the multitude. He uses His disciples to
assist them. The great lesson TO he
learned is that the multitude need
not depart, either from Him or from
fiis church. He came to seek and
10 save tie lost: TO help the needy.
TO feed the hungry; and He sends His
people forth into the world to per
form the same kind OF service that
He Himself performed. 1t is Just at
this point that we. as His people.
come in; and often times are per-
picked TO meet the situation which
faces us.
The first point for us to observe
is the demands that Jesus makes
romance of His great work in the
"orlu. They need not depart: Give
yc them to cat"
observe the larseness OF these de-
mahds upon us. To the poor dis
ciples who followed Jesus His com
mand to feed this vast multitude
must nave been astounding. IL was
no more so. however. than when. inst
before His ascension to heaven. He
gave them His last great commits
sion, Saying Go yc tboro
tore. and teach all nations. bap,izipr
them in the name OF the Father. and
or tho Son and of the HOLY Ghost.
teaching them TO observe all things
whatsoever l have commanded Won"
me command to feed the hungry
multitude was kind OF symbol or
prophecy OF Ills command to them
To disciple all nations.
Task Looks ImpossibIc.
Apparently. when Jesus mas ANY,
'h'hs Tor His disciples To do lie does
not stop to consider how great the
demands are which lie is making
upon them. Not infrequentIy we are
disposed to think that lie asks ,oo
m"ch OF US. 1t certainly looks a. If
the evangclization of the world was
100 great task for the little hand
iul or disciples which He left he
NINA Him when He assembled into
heaven. His people now sometimes
reel That the church has too much 10
40. when we stop TO look out upon tho
world or needy souls. so MANY suf-
iering for the ordinary necessities ~
me- as well as in spiritual hunger
ana thirst. we arc appalled, at tho
task before us.
How can the starving multi,ud.,
IN emma. In Russia. In Armenia. in
'h"ia' and elsewhere he rclicvcdo
.Nnu where liz he