Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-11-14
8eIigipms department.
CRoss-BEARING.

Cross-bearipg is an indispensable
feature of the believers life, until at
the Jordan we lay down the cross and
receive the crown. Why, where IN all
the Bible can we find promise TO him
who floats heaycuward ION flowery beds
of case" who clings to a hope of saliva
tion through pure religious selishness,
loving to sing Nothing either great or
small remains for me to do ?" TO whom
is the promise of everlasting life? For
him who has left ''father and mother
and houses and lands. Who is to
reign with him? ''lf we suffer with
him. we shall also reign with him"
Who is to receive the crown of life
He that overcometh aud is faithful unto
death. But cross-bearing is not only
the distinct command of the Saviour to
each disciple; not only is the heavenly
crown conditioned upon it; but the be-
levers happiness in this life is in pro-
portion to his experience of the cross.
Sacrifice and joy, tears and joy, even
agony and joy are not contradictory
terms, but may be synonyms even. The
deepest joy springs up in the path of
the highest aim and from the soil of the
mightiest passion which strives to attain
that aim; and sacrifices only pillow up
the soil, making the joy purer and
grander. To illustrate. Here is a
young girl, merry, beautiful, surround
ed by all which can make life happy,
as the world defines that word. Now,
place in one scale all the joy which Is
gathered into those rainbow years. and
when you have estimated its weight put
into the other scale the joy of that same
girl now a mother. Her whole being is
absorbed in the infant entrusted to her
care. She lives, yet not she, but that
babe lives in and through her. Day by
day, night by night, she watches over
that cherished one. She sacrifices time
and strength and all social pleasures
yes, life, if need be-to this one mighty
passion, the perfect development of her
child up to its highest possibilities. Her
feet grow weary, anxiety and watchings
steal the bloom from her cheek, the
world, it may be, pities her. Well, put
this mothers joy in the other scale, with
all its burdens and tears and agonizing
prayers, and which is the heavier ?
Why, you know that the JOY of the
mother has depth and fullness which
the young girl never dreamed of, moi
only because of its unselfshness and the
grandeur of the life-aim, but because i
has been made perfect through suffering
Now, there is joy deeper, richer thar
a mothers. 1t is the JOY of the Chris
tian, who has counted all things as los
for the sake of Christ; whose glory fill
mind and heart, so that he can exclalm
al live, yet not [, but Christ liveth il
me-" On there is no JOY in all God
universe like this. The heavier tn
cross the richer the joy. When Dr.
Mason. one of our missionaries in India
asked his converted boatman whether h
was willing to go to the Bghais, neigh
boring tribe, to tell them of Saviour
love, he reminded him that, instead c
twelve rupees month, he would receiv
but four rupees. "Can you 60 to tn
Bghais for four rupees 2" asked tn
missionary. The heather convert wer
by himself and thought and prayed, an
came back to Dr. Mason. "Wel
Chapon, what is your decision % IN
father, | cannot 90 to the Bghais fC
four rupees month but | can 60 fc
Jesus" And for Jesus he went. Thin
you that in all Philippi there were tN
happier men than Paul and Silas, shou
ing praises, their feet fast in the stool
and their backs streaming with blood
They were suffering for Jesus and h
joy was theirs. Take up your eros
Christian. Do not pass by it. Do u
drag it behind you. Do not wish you
was as light as your neighbours seems
be. Take it up and rejoice that "
can carry it for Jesus. He will wa
by your side, putting his shoulder und
it and his arm about you, and the hea
Ter the cross the sweeter will be
'peace be unto you, and thus your j
shall be full.