Editorial May 20, 1911 Issue

THE TRUE WORSHIP

Annie M. Knott

The fourth chapter of John's Gospel contains a remarkably full account of an incident in Jesus' ministry which deals with the vital facts of religious experience in a way that cannot be ignored or forgotten by the thoughtful reader. We are told that Jesus was on his way from Jerusalem, back to Galilee, and that he was "wearied with his journey."

It is possible that Jesus was, to human sense, discouraged with the almost unvarying opposition to Truth which he had encountered in Judea from those in authority, for we read that he said to Nicodemus, to whom he had presented the inspiring idea of the new birth, "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness." He had reminded Nicodemus that as "a master of Israel" he ought to have comprehended the spiritual realities which explained the "miracles" that Nicodemus had come to inquire after. The interview with the Samaritan woman began with the simple request on the part of Jesus for a drink of water, to which the woman responded by a tacit refusal, based on racial and religious prejudice, and it continued until all this was triumphantly swept aside by the great Teacher's declarations of the truth of being, and at the close the woman, who invited her fellowcitizens to come and listen to the wonderful teaching, said, "Is not this the Christ?"

Here it may be asked why the authorities should have rejected the words and works of Christ Jesus, and why Jews and Samaritans alike held so tenaciously to their own materialistic concepts of religion, although they were unable to offer any proof of the correctness of their views. The woman plunged at once into the question as to whether the worship offered in Jerusalem was more acceptable to God than that offered from mount Gerizim. To this Jesus responded by going with searching directness to the very heart of the question, and his reply is of no less vital significance to all mankind today than it was when he sat by Jacob's well, for his few words embody the essence of all true theology. He said, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." This was followed by the oft-quoted declaration: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

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