p. 87 | Christ First by F. J. Hartley

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 7, 1884

Christ First.

By F. J. Hartley

ABOVE all, let us take care that none of our teaching diverts the attention of our scholars from the Lord Jesus, and the way of salvation through him. There was a certain great painter who had spent a large amount of time in the preparation of a picture of the Last Supper. When the picture was completed he called some of the masters of the art together to ask their opinion of it. One and another expressed their views of the performance, till one came forward upon whose judgment he placed great reliance. After looking intently for some time, this friend said: "That which strikes me as the most beautiful thing in the picture is that chalice—the lines are so elaborate and the coloring so beautiful."

The painter, much disappointed, looked at the picture again, then went to his paint brushes, and, dipping one into the paint, he slowly but deliberately smeared out the chalice, saying, "I have made a great mistake if that is the most beautiful object in my picture. I wanted the countenance of my Master to be the most prominent thing. I must have nothing in my picture to divert attention from the face of my Master."

However excellent and beautiful our lessons may be, let there be nothing to divert the attention of our scholars from the Lord Jesus, but let all our illustrations be so presented as to lead their minds to him as the prominent object in every picture, the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.—F. J. Hartley, England.