The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-01
DR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE ORCHARD ON THE HILL.

THE ORCHAkD ON IHE HILL.
Text: "And when they were come to the
cruciied Him, and the malefactorS, oIe on
the right hand, and the other on the left."-
Luke xiii. 50.
Just outside Of Jerusalem is a swell Of
ground, toward which a crowd are ascend
ing; for it is the day Of execution. What q
mighty assemblage! Some for curiosity to
hear what the malefactors will say, and to
sec how they will act. The three persons to
be executed are already there. Some OF the
spectators are vile of lipaud bloated OF cheek.
Some look up with revenge, hardly able to
keep their hands off the sufferers. Some tear
their own hair in frenzy of grief. Some
stand in silent borrow. Some break out into
uncomfortable weeping. Some clap their
hands in delight that the offenders are to be
punished at last. The soldiers, with drawn
swords, drive back the mob, which press on
so hard. There is fear that the proceedings
may be interrupted. Let the German
horseback, dash along the line, and force
back the SUI ging multitude "Back with
you!" is the cry; "Have you nevor seen
man die beforer'
Three crosses in q row. An upright pie:e
and two transverse pieces-one on the top,
on which the hands are nailed, and one at the
middle, on which the victim sat. Three trees
Just planted, yet bearing fruit-the one at
the right bearing poison, and the one at the
left bitter aloes; the one III the middle. apples
of love- Norway pine, and tropical orange,
and Lebanon cedar, would not make
50 strange grove as this or
chard on the hill Stand, and give
o look at the three crosses. Just look at the
one on the right. Its victim dies soothing
More tremendous than his physical anguish
is his scorn and hatred of Him on the middle
cross. This one on the right twists half
around on the spikes to hiss at the One on the
middle. If the scotfer could get one hand
loose, and He were within reach, he would
,mite the middle sufferer in the face. He
hates Him with perfect hatred. I think he
wishes he were down on the ground, that he
might spear Him. He envies the mechanics
who, with tb sir nails, have nailed Him fast.
Amid the settling darkness. aud louder than
the crash Of the rocks, hear him Jeer out
these words: "Ah! ah! you poor wretch, !
knew you were an impostor! lou pretended
70 be- a God. and vet you let these armed
ieeions master you.n 1t was in some such
hate that Voltaiie, in his death hour, because
he thought he saw Christ in his bedroom, got
up on his elbow and cried out: "Ccush that
wretchl"
What had the middle cross done to arouse
up this risht-hand cross? Nothing. Oh, the
snmity Of the natural heart against Christ!
The world likes sentimental Christ or
oh lanthropic Christ but Christ who
comes to snatch men from their sins, away
with Him! On this right.hand cross, to-
night, I see typiiea the unbe!ief of the world.
Men say. Back with Him from the heart.
I will no. let Him take my sins. If He will
die, let Him die for Himself. not for me-"
There has always been q war between
this ,ight-hand cross and the mid
die cross, and wherever there is tan
heart, there the fight goes
on. o, if, when that dying malefactor per-
then that tree which yields poison would
have budded and bloSsomed with life for all
the world Look up into that disturbed
countenance of the sufferer, and see what q
gbastly thing it is to reject Christ. Behold
in that awful face, in that pitiful LOOK, IN
that unblessed death hour, the stings of the
sinners departure What q plunge into
darkness! Standing high upon the cross on
the top Of the hill, so that all the world may
Of a miserable life into wretched
eternity Onel Two! Three. Listen
to the crash OF the fall, all ye
ages! So Hobbies, dying after he had seventy
years in which to prepare for eternity, SAID:
"Were master Of all the world. would
give it all to live one day longer" Sir Fran
els Newport. lowering over the brink, cried
out: "Wretch that am, whittier shall t1y
from this breastg What will become Of me!
o, that were to lie upon the fire that never
is quenched, a thousand years, to purchase
again! o, eternity! o, eternity! Who can
discover the abyss Of eternity! Who can
upon these words: For ever and
for everl'
That right-hand cross, thousands have
perished on it, yea, in worse agonies.
For what is physical pain com
pared with remorse, at the last,
that life had been wasted, and only fieeting
moment stands between the soul and its ever
lasting overthrow! o God, let me die any
where rather than at the foot Of that right
hand cross Let not one drop of that blood
fall upon my cheek. Rend not my ear with
chat cry. see it now rs never before-the
loathsomeness and horror OF my unbellef.
That dying malefactor was not so much to
blame as L Christianity was not established,
and perhaps not until that day had that man
heard the Christ. But after Christ has stood
almost nineteen centuries, working the won
ders Of His grace, you reject Him. That
right-hand cross, with its long beam, over.
shadows all the earth. 1t is planted in the
heart of the race. When will the time come
that the Spirit Of God shall, with its axe,
hew down that right-hand cross, until it shall
fall at the foot Of that middle cross, and un-
belief, the railing malefactor OF the world,
shall perish from all our hearts. Away from
me! thou spirit Of unbelief! hate theel
With this sword Of God thrust thee back
and thrust thee through. Down to hell;
down, most accursed monster Of the earth,
and talk to the millions thou hast already
Damned. Talk no longer to these soEs Of Guo,
these heirs Of heaven.
If thou be the Son of God" Was there
any ''if'' about it, Tell me, thou star that
in robe of lightdid run to point out His birth.
Re bid thee be still. Tell me, ye
dead who got uo to see Him die. Tell me,
thou sun in mid heaven, VINO for him dust
pull down over thy face the veil Of darkness
Tell me, ye lerers who were cleansed, We
dead who were raisel, is He the Son of God?
Aye, aye! responds the universe. The flow
erS breathe It; the stars chime it.; the re-
deemed celebrate it; the angels rise up on
their thrones to announce it. And yet OH
shall be wrecked for all eternity. That little
III" is the insect which has enough venom in
its sting to cause the death of the soul No
'tif' about it. l know it Ecce Deus! Ifeel
it thoroughly-through every mus le Of the
body, and through every ia: ulty Of my mind;
and through every energy OF my soul Liv-
ing, will preach it: dying, will pillow my
bead upon iti cons ,lations. Jesus the God!
Away, then, from this right-hand cross.
The red berries of the forest are apt to be
poisonous, and around this tree of carnage
grow the red, poisonous berries Of which
many have tasted and died. can see mouse
for this rigbt-hau cross, except it be used as
a Javer with which to upturn the unbelef Of
the world Here from the r.gh.-hand cross
I 60 to the let. lass clear to the other sde
That victim ais, twists himself upon the
nails to look at the centre cross-yet not to
scotf. 1t is to worship. He, too, would like
70 get his hand Loose, not to smite, but to de-