THE WORSHIP OF JESUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1374, 30 March 1878, Page 5

THE WORSHIP OF JESUS.

The Rev. J. C. Byng delivered a lecture on the 21st in St. Paul's School-room, Stuart street, the title being, "Why I Worship Jesus." There was a very full attendance, and the lecture was listened to throughout with great interest.

Mr Br.va said he did not make his appearance on the platform because he apprehended any danger to Christianity, and he wished it te be distinctly understood his lecture was in no way a controversial one. He merely wished to place before hit hearers his honest convictions of the truth as it was m Jesus, booing to lead the careless and sceptical to think for themselves and to strengthen the truth in the hearts of God's own poople. Tho worship of Je3us could never be laughed or ridiculed off the face of the earth, and the gates of hell would never prevail against it. But it was reasonable to expect, a man to show a rekson for his worship of Jesus, not to worship merely because his father did so before him. And first he worshipped Jesus because Christianity did not arise of a sudden. The immaculate Saviour was a subject of prophecy 4000 years before His coming. God's Word — and we are bound to hold it as God's Word until it was proved differently — foretold centuries beforehand the time, the place, the manner, of the Saviour's birth ; the work he had to do ; His sufferings ; His resurrection. In particular, the 35th chapter of Isaiah wai a programme ol Jesus's life. And the 53rd His photograph. Prophecy entitled him at least to our respect ; and Jesus claimed our respect, too, from the fact that even on the testimony of heathen writers His oxUtenoo and the principal circumstances of His career wero historical occurrences. Justin Martyr, TortuUion, and Eusebius frequently referred their heathen opponenti in controversy regarding the Christian Church to document! sent by Pontius Pilate to the Emperor Tiberius, containing accounts of Jesua's crucifixion, resurrection, Ac., and ta the existence of these documents w«s never once denied, it could be safely held thsut they bad an existence. Trajtn, in the teventh century, states as a historic*! fact that Jesus was put to death; the younger Pliny bore testimony to His Wing worshipped as God ; Celsus, the strongest opponent early Christianity had, said Christ was worshipped by his disciples ; Julian admitted the miracles of Jesus ; and the arch-impostor Mahomet bowed the knee to Him Josephuß called Jesus more than man, and the Talmud bore testimony to him. All these evidences commanded respect to Jesus, if not wonbip. Look at htg character also. He came amongst a peculiar people, having exalted notions about the Messiah. But contrary to all their expectations, He s*id His Kingdom was net of this world. It was sufficient reply to the argument that He was an impostor, that He did not fall In with their pre-eonceived notions. But the sublimity of his character, the morality He| taught, the aspirations He had, all contraaicted the idea of impoßture. As to His being an enthusiast, His calm, sober, dignified life gave no trace of enthusiasm. An enthusiast would have accepted tho offers of worldly grandeur so often forced upon Jesus ; and if any man ever could have turned the world inside out, that man waa Jesus. For a reason that he should worship Jesus, he could appeal to passages in God's Word to show that »ll God's attributes were ascribed to Him. God's attributes of eternity, of omniscience, of omnipotence, o( immutability, were also those of Jesus ; and the works of God— creation, preservation, redemption, forgiveness of sins, raising the dead, the judgment of the world— were all ascribed to Jeius on the authority of God's Word. These were never •scribed to any creature, and Jesus demands our worship because they ore ascribed to Him as to God Himself. He claims our worship, too, because the name of God and the incommunicable name of Jehovah are attributed to Him. And Jesus Himself claims an equality with God. Ha said, " All men honour me as they honour the Father." No creature could have Mid that. If He then, for instance, had done bo, He would have been struck dead on the spot for blasphemy. Worship was given to Jeaus personally. He allowed it, and claimed it. Peter did not allow it from Cornelius ; the angel did not allow it from John in Revelations. But Jesus allowed it from the Magi, the leper, the Cyro-Phaaaician woman, Peter, and the women after the resurrection. Paul worshipped Jenw as God, for be said, " God our Father and Jesus direct our my unto you." Ho was worshipped in the early Christian church, and Stephen, at the moment of his martyrdom, worshipped him. Jesun, therefore, was entitled to worship on the grounds of His attributes, His works, His claiming equality with God, and His allowing worship of Himself. And God accepted His claims, and acknowledged Hit equality and fellowship. For all these reasons, then, the lecturer said he had legitimate argument on his side when ho bowed his knee to Jesus. He warned young poople to beware how they renounced Jesus, and concludsd by expressing his certain belief that, from tho very philosophy of the thing, leaving on one side all question of proofs, Jesus was the Son of God, and the mediator for fallen mankind.

The jfev. lecturer quoted very largely from the writings of the Old and New Testaments, and the number of bis quotations was each as to show a very intimate acquaintance with the Biblical text. The lecturer was frequently applauded.