SUNDAY HEADING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY HEADING.

THE WORDS OF JESUS. [by ihb kev. f. b. meyer, b.a., christ ckcrch, westminster. Lord, to whom shall we go 1 Thou hast the words of eternal life.-John vi., 68. It was a touching question which elicited this reply, Only the night before it had been proposed by some enthusiastic followers that they should take him by force and make him a king. Aud if our Lord had been the mere enthusiast that some men dare to term him, and had vacillated for only a moment, the standard of revolt had been erected, and a movement had been started before which the Government of Rome must have trembled.

But our Lord had no ambition to he a literal successor of David and the kings. His kingdom was not of this world. He had said this at the beginning of His ministry, and now he hold steadfastly to his plan. In a few moments the revolt was quelled. His disciples were.forcing their little boat towards the other side, beneath frowning skies and in the teetli of a rising storm. And the crowds snddenly missed Him, as he sped away towards the mountain heights, for a night of fellowship with His Father. On those lonely heights He perceived the J POSITION IK WHICH HE WAS PLACED. He was becoming Surrounded by'"a motley crowd, who came to Him for what they could set, and hoped that He would serve the fierce passions of their reveuge. It was needful clearly to undeceive them, and reveal the real character of His mission, and this must J)Q done at once—to-morrow, though at the cost of His popularity. Henceforth His way would be as difficult as that of the tiny craft, which, when the mooulight broke out now and again, He could see as a black speck on the turbulent waters beneath. The following morning, on the further shore, saw a renewal of the excitement of the preceding evening. So our Lord withdrew into the friendly shelter of a synagogue, and spoke the discourse of this chapter, and it changed the whole aspect of His career. We know the interest given to His speech by the parentheses, which tell us how it was received. Aud we are not left without symptoms of the effect of these searching words on the crowds around Him. In the 41at verse the men who, a few hours before, wished to crown Him, murmured at Him. Iu the s:iud verse they strove among themselves. In the BOth verse many of His disciples, as they listened, said, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it ?" In the 66th verse many of them went back and walked no more with Him. And now, as the shades of evening were beginning to fall, the synagogue was almost empty, and the Lord was left alone with the little company of the twelve, who had been the sorrowful witnesses of the shattering of their Master's popularity, and of the fabric of their own ambitions. He looked round on them, and put tho infinitely Bathetic question, "will ye also go away?" And it elicited from , Peter, the spokesman of the rest, a reply which showed that in those very words, which others had felt so startling and terrible, he at least had found fuel for that inner fire which the Master had kindled. Yes; the words of Jesus are enough to prove that He is the Son of the living God. In their cool depths weary souls bathe: throueh their pure glow, the dark passages of life are irradiated with heavenly lustre; and by their fascination our wayWard hearts are closely bound to Him who spake as man never spake. As He speaks down the long corridors of the ages, His words float towards us with undiminished beauty aud force, thrilling, soothing, teaching us, mid shedding light on Uod, and life, and death, aud the world to come. HIS WORDS ARE GRACIODS. So the crowds found them, aud they listened in breathless silence to His first sermon in His highland home (Luke iv.,22) And that tender erace has not passed away from them, as the fragrance exhales from flowers after they have been gathered long, lhey still distil as dew on tender grass, and drop as rain ou mown lawns. Disciple as He was in the school of sorrow, He perfectly acquired the art of speaking words in season to them that are weary, words that heal the broken-hearted, and comfort the mourner and bid the accused go to sin no more. Well may we look up from His words, which are as music issuing from au .dorian harp, into His face and say, " Thou art fairer than tho children of mou, grace is poured into Thv lips, therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever."

MS WORDS ARE AUTHORITATIVE. So the people said as they broke up into little groups, and weut wandering away from the mountain of the Beatitudes, when the spell of the Speaker's voice was still fresh upon their memories (Matt. vii. 29) He did not stay to prove the truth of what He said. Ihat was entirely needless, for His words were self-evidencing. They were as incapable of demonstration as the axioms of fcrnclid; but they were as obviously true Ihe mind of the man might not have been able to elaborate them for itself, but it instantly perceived their truthfulness when presented. Do you try to prove that a coin is genuine gold, when it rings? Do you need to prove that the strain of music which sojtly steals through Gothic arches is beautiful, when it entrances the listening soul? Do you need to prove that the friend is sini cere, when you can detect the rhythm of his heart throbs? And there is less need to prove the words of Jesus; the soul knows that what He says is true; it has within itsell that which assents to every syllable • from its very base there rises a deep Amen! like the boom of the sea waves in «. hollow cavern far below tho brink of the cliffs And this constitutes their authority. Their authority is not in the reason, but in th P soul.

ONLY MAKE IUE DEEPEST TRUTHS CORRECT COIN. The world's teachers have hedged themselves about with a narrow circle of discinles leaving their masses to take their chance! Ihe Pharisee says that the people which do not know the law are cursed (vii. 49) Pl a t o says that it is not easy to find the Father of all existence, but when He is found it is impossible to make Him known to all Celsus charges this against Christianity, that woollen manufacturers, shoemakers, and curriers had become its zealous supporters But it is the glory of Jesus that He revealed truths deepest mines-of golden ore, and minted it into common coin, which He threw m lavish handfuls among men. Yea, He set Himself to enwrap His teachings in the fasemating story, the pithy proverb, the sharp antithesis, the methods of speech dear to the crowds of every age, never lowering the truth by its dress, but hallowing the dress just as common articles are counted heirlooms because once used by the hands of a prince.

th/ouKh Hw ministry, the common people heard Him gladly. The publicans and sinuers drew near to Him. The officers of the Sanhedrim beneath the power Of His words were unable to arrest ; Him. Thousands would gather in the desert or on the hills, forgetful of all beside, and willing to stand the liyeJoDg day to listen to lips which

dropped with honey. His wordsW^l multitudes as vines swing in the aJ2, ye * ft( HIS WORDS ARE U^^.iit.''. Those who most ponder Christ" :, *■' •' most conscious of the life that ;. - orde «» They aw the best witness to Vrtft?*& peated references of this chapt^^. bread, given for the life of Hi, J* '%- which, if a man eats, he shall li. Otl U '■ Oh that each reader would acqZ f £ M cum. habit of feed™ on ugj*£f £ they become ill actual enjoyment $ and life. M w ipj^ Th» Master said so Himself . L' : --' His apostle (63-6S). They *'* were spoken in the ear of death -R * H were in the graves of sensual and X l ,*!* diligence heard Him and came f n ,n & those who are in the literal grav« n , )Os * «i earth shall do one day. As Z f "**• of life burns in every seed, so do« H? y N God Himself tremble in each w™3 .S« of Cast forth thy word," says Calufe* the ever-living, ever-moving nnivm ■•■■.""« a seed-germ that can never die. e!ll 1 " to-day, it will be found as a banyan grove, perha as an oil /™ after a thousand years." How t™ I'% of the words of Jesus! Cth T seamiest, poorest soil, and leave tk> W wi! be surprised to see the r^U^f 1 multiform manifestations of holy and 5Jj THEY ARE THE WORDS OF THE *.»' ' It is very beautiful to notice h>' stantlyour Lord .refused to take credit His words. He insisted that His do & was not His own, but His by whom T? ? ! ; been sent. What a condemnatl lesson are here; the one, that ? 1 V"' spoken so many of our own woH,. ,? other that we should henceforth S.> humbly and resolutely on Him, not S J s* enticing words of man's wisdom bat 2$ for the word from His lips. . waUi »J To whom then shall we go if wel We Him, To Agnosticism, with its nega& ! Kitualism with its outward pomn•»«'.£ religions of the world, which are v'J? •' the lands of their birth, because not 811 able to satisfy the cravings of men iff*' to these would be to leave the fouuhi < living crystal for the broken cistern, w c ? at the best,.cau hold but a fewd t o Da l brackish rain-water. No; we will m : away but only ask that He would «M ' speak to us the words of eternal life. 1:,,™,

PRECIOUS THOUGHTS WORTH ■> MEiIBERIMG. e'jS Every event, rightly viewed, will fursM 1 With matter for prayer or praise. 'JSk He that follows the Lord fully will fj.Y goodness and mercy following him. conftSJ ■ If God has chosen our way, depend mvii it that it is the best that could be C C It may be rough, but it is right; it'nuvt tedious, but it is safe. "^i Wherever you go, endeavour to carry will, you a sense of God's presence, His noljJ; and His love. It will preserve you inal : thousand snares. ■':"v~\: God's word is tho best possible security it is the unchangeable word of the unehaiih able God. • :-. : f,--The grand principle of our gospel ia'to separate the Church and the world •(ki : great principle of tho devil is to Wit, them, ■ •'.!!:""( The work of Christ is the only true rat. ; iriK-place for the conscience; His Person thi only true object for the heart ; His word the only true guide for the path. ;-, ' i Who can weigh the mines of treasurehidden in those words: "lam my Saviottlt aud the Saviour is mine!" ' '•Iγ™.: " Whosoever," makes salvation •■ " whatsoever," makes it full. These are tin precious words often used by our Lord Jesu when on earth. >-S>-; " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." • rs %§£i " Whatsoever ye shall ask in My natnt that will I do." .J!.* 'Ik'' IF MOTHER WOULD LISTEN. If mother would listen to me, dears, :i';o She would freshen that faded gown, : : .viv' She would sometimes take an hour's test, ' ' ' '; And sometimes a trip to town. '':>'> «.; Ami it shouldn't be all for the children, i'.-V'f The fun, and the cheer, and the play; ' VV: With the patient droop on the ti'red niiralh,':' •; : And the " Mother has had her day I" . ~■ t/ijTrue, mother has had her day, dears, •• \ '■■'■'■ ■ When you were her babies three, '': ■;■ i And she stepped about the farm and the how, . ; V As busy as ever a bee. *" -V'--.* l £ When she rocked you all to sleep, dears, '.' And sent you all to school, ';{■■i ttj And wore herself out, and did without. / And lived by the Golden Rule. "yfi'H And so, your turn has come, dears, '■ -iSi'/i '■'■ Her hair is Browing white; / )Wl And her eyes are gaining the far-away look ': I hat peers beyond the night. : •;'':•■.■ One of these days in the morning, ; (■:•;■ : 'i: Mother will not be here; /','-T '~ 1 She will fade away into silence, 4 ' ' '"■■■, ! The mother so true and dear. "'•'• i l'hen, what will you do in the daylight,! '■' • : . Ami what in the gloaming dim; ''■V.-f-S And father, tired and lonesome then, .n^ Pray, what will you do for him . ;•; '^ If you want to keep your mother, ''.'?Ji You must make her rest to-day, . tf.'V' Must give her a share in the frolic, I '^fi And draw her into tie play. ■.■■•■■[) And, ii mother would listen to me, dears. '.'.'■■"!.. She'd buy her a gown of silk, ,- ( <t3| With buttons of royal velvet, ' jgSi And ruffles as white as milk. *':" ffl And she'd let you do the trotting, (■;.'■■ While she sat still in her chair; - Y'l ■ That mother should have it bard all througb, It strikes ire isn't fair. " ■ ?&£ Margaret E.SAMSIEB,!,.