Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-02-08
&eadiua fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY ,..-.
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

| CONDUCTED BY .......
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
,..,.r A CHRIsT.BEARER.ss
Among the many legends of the early Chris.
tian Church, there is scarcely one more beau-
tiful and useful than that of Christopher, sthe
giant saint. His form in the pictures, is that
Of man of huge proportions, with long pole
in his hands, and walking through, q, food,
bearing child on his shoulder.
The story of the ages is, that weary of the
world and sin, he went into the wilderness
and dwelt in cave near rapid stream, and
spent his life in ferrying travellers across it,
taking them on bis back, and steadying bis
step with the pole in his hand. By such a
life of self.denyinS labor, he hoped to win the
pardon of sin and that peace of mind which
he had never found in the world he forsook
for the solitude of the desert. Many and
weary was the burden he had borne, and hard
the struggle he had with the waves. But the
pillows were more peaceful around him than
within him, for he was soul that, like the
sea, was forever tossed and casting up mire
and dirt" The penance of fasting, or Of toll,
brought no relief to his burdened spirit. The
river washed no stains of guilt from his heart.
Whoever came to the bank of the raging
stream, found him willing to bear them over,
and the heavier the burden, the more swollen
the torrent, and the greater the danger, the
more willing was he to brave the perils of the
way, and land the traveller safe on the other
side. And when they came to the shore be-
vond where he had his shelter, he saw them
approaching or heard their call and went af-
ter them, 80 ready was he always to do the
work he had set himself to do.
1t was his own work, and it was good
work, but it did not help him in working out
his salvation. ''-' ) '.'''''
One night he was asleep in his lonely cave.
Itwas dark and stormy night, and the river
ragged within its banks, and not star lighted
the gloom of the desert Above the roar Of
the waters, and the bowling Of the winds, he
heard cry Of distress.
1t came from the other side. And it was
child's voice. He had never heard the
voice before, nor one like unto it.. He listen.
ed, and this was what be heard: "Come, and
take me across the river"
He was, for the first time in this desert-life.
unwilling to leave his bed, on the ground, and
90 out into the darkness and storm and rush
ing stream. But into his hardening heart
there came the child's small voice, soft as a
flute, but piercing to the dividing asunder of
the soul and spirit, and this is what entered
his ear: -. .., .. . :
"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me,
and you shall find rest to your SOUL"
Strange were the words to this giant saint,
who spurned every yoke and would not learn
of any, least of all of one who spake as child.
.Buta new power pulled at his heart.strings,
and be rose up with strong purpose to obey
the call. 1t was only child, he was sure Of
that, and the work would be nothing to the
loads he had often carried across. He would
be doing no great good to- bear little child,
and it would not be much of a loss if it re-
manned on the other side, or perished in the
stream But he would 60, and take it up.
and hear il, in prompt obedience Of the voice
that he heard continually:
"Come, for my locks are wet with the rain,
and the night winds are cold; come, come"
Out into the wild storm he went, and down
into the deep and dangerous river; and on
the other side, when he had gained the bank,
he found standing there child of wondrous
beauty, stretching out his hands and still call
ing to him: l.,y-.;.. lBltv
"Come, come, take me on your shoulder
my yoke is easy and my burden. light"
Around the brow of this speaking babe was
halo, as if his head we're crowned with shin
ing stars. The giant stood for moment fill.
ed with awe, and then kneeling at the child's
feet, and being yet too high for him to sit
upon his shoulders, he Frustrated himself be-
fore him, beseeching him to throw his little
arms about his neck, and cling fast while he
would bear him safely through the waves
The storm had risen yet more fercely, and
the night was darker, and the dangers of the
way more frightful. At times the strong man
staggered. -, His staff lost its hold in the stony
bed of the river. And now, and then the
struggling saint, just ready to be swept away,
would hear soft voice whispering in his ear ::
"Fear thou not, for am with thee, be not
dismayed: I will strengthen thee, yea, | will
help thee, yea, will uphold thee with the
right hand of my Righteousness.
And in the storm without and the tiercer
storm within his soul. these words, "My right
eousness," fell upon his spirit like calm when
the tempest is overpast Whose righteous
ness The saint had been going about to es'
tablsh his own, he would have given his life
blood to cleanse his soul; but he had found
no rest and now, just as he was plungingin'
to deeper food, and the current was too
strong for bis stalwart arm and staff, he heard
the same sweet child-voice from the lips that
touched his ear saying: ,..:. .
"When thou passest through the waters, l
will be with thee, and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee. For am the
Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy
Saviour"
And then he knew it was the Lord The
Aoly child Jesus He had taken him into
his arms, set him on his shoulders, bowed his
neck to his service, and with willing heart
and tender love had yielded to his yoke. This
child was now his Saviour. Cheerfully and
in triumph he trod his way over, for now he
had found the Lord. "The Lord my Right
eousness." Not my own good works, but the
Lord. took him and he proyed my saliva
ton. -
Into the saints cavesthe child went, and
there made himself and his salvation known
to the giant, who, in saving another, had
found a Saviour. And the child gave him a
new name, Christopher, which means Christ
Bearer. Like the parallels of the sweet gos-
pels, some of these old legends have precious
truths in them.
1t is ours to put on Christ. We may bear
about in our body even the dying of the Lord
Jesus; and so also his life will be manifest in
US. When we bear the burdens of others for