THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST
By Samuel Porter Jones
Famous 19th Century Methodist
Evangelist
He came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He
put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became man that we
might become the sons of God. He came from Heaven, where the rivers
never freeze, winds never blow, frosts never chill the air, flowers
never fade. They never phone for a doctor for there no one is ever
sick. No undertakers and no graveyards for no one ever dies – no one
is ever buried.
He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty,
reared in obscurity; only once crossed the boundary of the land of
his childhood. He had no wealth nor influence and had neither
training nor formal education. His relatives were inconspicuous and
un-influential.
In infancy He startled a king; in boyhood He puzzled the doctors;
in manhood He ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows
and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without
medicine and made no charge for His services. He never wrote a book,
yet not all the libraries of the country could hold the books that
could be written about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has
furnished the theme of more songs than all the song writers
combined. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together
cannot boast of as many students as He has. He never practiced
psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than the
doctors have broken bodies. He never marshaled any army, drafted a
soldier, nor fired a gun, yet no leader ever made more volunteers,
who have under His orders, made more rebels stack arms or surrender
without a shot being fired.
He is the Star of astronomy. The Rock of geology, the Lion and
the Lamb of zoology, the Harmonizer of all discords and the Healer
of all diseases. Great men have come and gone, yet He lives on.
Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not seduce Him, Death could
not destroy Him, the grave could not hold Him.
He laid aside His purple robe for a peasant’s gown. He was rich,
yet for our sake He became poor. How Poor? Ask Mary! Ask the Wise
Men! He slept in another’s manger. He cruised the lake in another’s
boat. He rode on another man’s ass. He was buried in another man’s
tomb. All failed but He never. The ever perfect One – He is the
Chief among ten thousand. He is altogether lovely. He is the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
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