Fourth Sunday of Lent.
The Duties of Wealth.
"And Jesus, seeing the multitudes, had compassion on them, and said to His disciples: Give ye them to eat" — Matt. xiv. 14, 16.
SYNOPSIS.
Ex. : I. Argument for Divinity. II. Christ's magnetism.
I. Christ's goodness: 1. Hardships and disappointments. 2. Uncharitable rich. 3. Philip's protest.
II. Postprandial: 1. Why gather fragments? 2. Man insatiable. 3. Superfluous wealth.
III. Objections : 1. Vices of poor. 2. Miseries of poor. 3. Three Gospel millionaires.
Per. : 1. Kings Jesus and Herod. 2. Sequel. 3. True fame and reward.
SERMON.
Brethren, in the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes I see many lessons as beautiful as they are useful. I find there an answer to the modern infidel who impugns Christ's divinity. When the Greek painter Apelles visited the studio of the artist Protogenes during the latter's absence, he simply drew on the canvas a single line of such exquisite delicacy and proportions that on returning and seeing it, Protogenes immediately exclaimed: " Apelles hath been here, for by one hand alone could that have been executed." In the stupendous miracle to-day recorded, the people seeing unmistakably the hand of God, cried: " This is indeed the Promised One — the Messias" — and they hailed Him as their King.
