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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
Jesus, the heavenly Teacher, did not hold Himself aloof from
the children of men; but in order to benefit them He came from
heaven to earth, where they were, that the purity and holiness of
His life might shine upon the pathway of all and light the way to
heaven. The Redeemer of the world sought to make His lessons
of instruction plain and simple, that all might comprehend them.
He generally chose the open air for His discourses. No walls could
enclose the multitude which followed Him; but He had special
reasons for resorting to the groves and the seaside to give His lessons
of instruction. He could there have a commanding view of the
landscape and make use of objects and scenes with which those
in humble life were familiar, to illustrate the important truths He
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made known to them. With His lessons of instruction He associated
the works of God in nature. The birds which were caroling forth
their songs without a care, the flowers of the valley glowing in their
beauty, the lily that reposed in its purity upon the bosom of the
lake, the lofty trees, the cultivated land, the waving grain, the barren
soil, the tree that bore no fruit, the everlasting hills, the bubbling
stream, the setting sun, tinting and gilding the heavens—all these
He employed to impress His hearers with divine truth. He connected
the works of God’s finger in the heavens and upon the earth with the
words of life He wished to impress upon their minds, that, as they
should look upon the wonderful works of God in nature, His lessons
might be fresh in their memories.
In all His efforts Christ sought to make His teachings interesting.
He knew that a tired, hungry throng could not receive spiritual
benefit, and He did not forget their bodily needs. Upon one occasion
He wrought a miracle to feed five thousand who had gathered to
listen to the words of life which fell from His lips. Jesus regarded His
surroundings when giving His precious truth to the multitude. The
scenery was such as would attract the eye and awaken admiration in
the breasts of the lovers of the beautiful. He could extol the wisdom
of God in His creative works, and could bind up His sacred lessons
by directing their minds through nature up to nature’s God.
Thus the landscape, the trees, the birds, the flowers of the valley,
the hills, the lake, and the beautiful heavens were associated in
their minds with sacred truths which would make them hallowed in