October 1929
466
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go. The answer is “Jesus.” His uplifting influence is felt around the world. We see it in the jails, alms houses, asylums, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the feeble-minded, schools for the blind, the deaf and the dumb, in the homes for old people who have climbed the hills of life and come to the evening sunset with no place to lay their heads. Millions of throbbing lives have climbed the hills of life and gone to rest on the other side, and yet He is preached and loved more than ever. He possessed nothing calculated to give Him prestige and power, yet His name has lived through more than nine teen hundred years, and is more alive today than ever before. He has given us our immortal paintings. He has been the inspiration of our very best literature. He is the sculptor who has chiseled out our greatest art. He has been the advance agent of schools of learning the world around. He is the spirit of justice in every court in every Christian land. He is the moving spirit in every peace conference. He is the Architect of every true and beautiful home. He has inspired all of our great ora torios, these hymns that have touched and moved the hearts of men in all ages since His day. And He is the source of the finest characters and the greatest men and women the world has ever known. What think ye of Christ’s monuments? Ever since Jesus Christ burst the bands of death and came forth on that never-to-be-forgotten first day of the week, His fol lowers, without any command from Him, have been keep ing the Lord’s Day sacred to His memory.- No matter what the rush of business or the desire for pleasure, when this day dawns, His true followers everywhere refrain from work and keep the day in honor of Him and His mighty victory over death. Why is it that we date time both ways from His birth? It is the magic wand that changed the calendar of the world. It settles everything that the question of time enters into. We remember Jesus’ birth every time we write a date. We go into the house of God on the Lord’s Day and see loving souls partaking of the communion: why are they doing it? The answer is, “This do in remembrance of me.” They are remembering the death and suffering of their Lord and Saviour. Has any other man ever been able to set apart a world-feast of remembrance for himself? Down there in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus said to His disciples: “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.” And since Pentecost it stands as the glorious fruit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the greatest institution among men. Where- ever a church of Christ is, there is love, purity, humility, justice, goodness, kindness, sympathy, and helpfulness. It is His monument, and it will stand until He comes again. What think ye of Christ’s wonderful works? Nothing was impossible with Him. The Christ of the Gospels is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. “Without Him was not anything made that was made.” While He was here among men, He did the works of God. He left the foot prints of His mighty power all over the pages of the Gospels. This gives us assurance of His deity and His unquestioned ability to do all that He has promised us. See Him as He rises in His majesty, looks out over the angry waves of the Sea of Galilee, and speaks, “Peace, be still.” In a moment the sea is quiet, and the boat is serenely gliding over the smooth waters. Witness with what compassion He views the hungry multitude, as He says to His disciples, “Give ye them to eat,” and five thou sand are fed, with plenty to spare, from five loaves and two fishes. See His tender sympathy, as He heals the
Daily Devotion B y W alter H arry H oliday I f I arise each morning, every day, And kneel me down and offer up a prayer; I f earnestly and honestly I pray, A peace ineffable pervades the very air. I t matters not, though storms shut out the sky; I t matters not, though friends desert my side; I go my way, with happy heart and blest — I feel with Truth and Love I must abide. I f I arise, though, as I sometimes do, My thought embittered by the worldly strife — Forget that God holds me and mine in view, The peace, the calm, at once departs my life. And this I know, humanity’s the same, Though far you go; though near you chance to be — A soul submerged in guilt or shame or woe, Can turn to God and enter — Ecstasy. teen hundred years. He was marvelously simple as a Teacher. The common people heard Him gladly, because they could understand Him. He was wonderful in the enduring quality of His teachings; they are clothed with immortal youth. He said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” The whole world crowns Him the Prince of teachers. His doctrine is perfectly suited to all mankind. It is accurate and complete. When He had spoken, nothing more remained to be said. Who can improve what He taught? Who can improve the Lord’s Prayer? Or, who can paint a more touching story than the Prodigal Son ? Or, who can measure the beneficence inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan? When He had finished His discourses, the people said, “He taught as one having authority.” What think ye of Christ’s matchless character ? He is the loftiest specimen of manhood the world has ever pro duced. To view His life is like standing in the valley and scanning the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. He has no parallel. He was “holy, harmless, undefiled and sep arate from sinners.” His whole life was as pure as the air that floats over the sun-kissed peaks of the Himalayas. He is “The Crystal Christ.” He is the one spotless Man that ever trod this earth. He is white in His spotless innocence. No point in His beautiful life can be im proved. Who can improve the beauty of the rose by painting it? Try to tint the lily, and you mar its white ness. So each virtue is absolutely perfect in Him, and cannot be improved. What is it you like to behold in a life? You will find it in the life of Jesus every time. “Christ is the flower in which all the beauty in the garden of perfection is found.” Each gem has its peculiar radi ance, but Jesus has the radiance of them all. He is the world’s ideal Man. He is the peak of all humanity. He is our divine rule for the measurement of character. He is our inspiration to noble living, and we shall be sat isfied when we awake in His likeness. What think ye of Christ’s wonderful influence? We see church spires pointing to the heavens everywhere we
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