The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-12-01

many nave tasted and died. can SEQ no
use for this right hand cross, except it be
used as a lever with which to upturn the
unbelief of the world.
Here, from the right hand cross, 90 TO
the left; pass clear to the other side. That
victim also twists himself up the nails to
look at the ceAter cross-yet, not 10 SCOT
1t 10 to worship. He too, would like to get
his hand loose not TO smite but to deliver
the sufferer on the middle cross. He cries
to the railer cursing on the other side:
"Silence! between us is innocence, Is
agony. We suffer for our crimes. Silence."
Gather around this left hand cross, oh, We
people; be not afraid. Bitter herbs arc
sometimes tonic for the body, and the bit
ter aloes that you grow on this tree shall
give strength and life to thy soul.
This left hand cross is a repenting crosse,
As men who have been nearly drowned tell
us that in one moment, while they were
under the water, their whole life passed
before them, so suppose in one moment
the dying malefactor thought over all his
past life. OF that night when no went in
10 an unguarded door and took all the sill
yer, the gold, the jewels, and as the sleeper
stirred he put knife through his heart;
Of that day when, in the lonely pass, no
met the wayfarer and, regardless of the
cries and prayers and tears and struggles
OF his victim, he flung the mangled corpse
into the dust Of the highway, or heaped
upon it stones. He says: "Oh, l am Q
guilty wretch; deserve this. There is no
need Of my cursing; that will not stop the
pain. There is no need of disappearing
Christ, for He has done me no wrong; and
yet can not die 80. The tortures OF my
body are outdone by the tortures Of my
soul. The past is scene Of misdoing; the
present crucitixion; the future an ever
lasting undoing. Come back, thou hiding
midday sun! Kiss my cheek with one
bright ray OF comfort What, no help from
above - no help from beneath! Then
must turn to my companion in sor-
row, the one on the middle cross.
have heard that Ho knows how to help
man when he is in trouble. l have
heard that He can cure the wounded.
have heard that He can pardon the sinner.
Surely in all His wanderings up and down
tho earth, He never saw one more in need
Of His forgiveness. Blessed One! turn
to Thee. wilt Thou look for the moment
away from Thy own pangs to pity met
Lord, it is not to have my hands relieved
or my feet taken from the torture l can
stand all this, but, oh my sins, my sins,
my sins, they pierce me through and
through. They tell me must die forever
They will push me out into the darkness,
unless Thou wilt help mo. confess it all
Hear the cry of the dying thief Lord, re-
member me when Thou CONTEST into Thy
king ION. ask no great things. l seek
for no throne in Heaven, no chariot to take
me to the skies; but just think of me
when this days horrors have passed.
Think of me little-of me, the one now
hanging at Thy side-when the shout Of
Heavenly welcome takes Thee back into
Thy glory, Thou wilt not forget me, wilt
Thoua Lord, remember me when Thou
contest into Thy kingdom. Only just re-
member mel''
Likewise must we repent. You say: ~
have stolen nothing" reply: 1--WE have
| all been guilty of the mightiest felony of
the universe, for we have robbed God
robbed Him Of our time, robbed Him Of our
talent, robbed Him Of our services. Sup
pose you send man West as an agent of
your firm, and every month you pay him his
salary, and at the end Of ten years you find
out he has been serving another firm, but
taking your salary, would you not at once
condemn him as dishonest God sent us
into this world to serve Him. He has given
US wages all the time. One half Of us have
been serving another master. When man
| is convicted of treason he Is brought out;
| q regiment surrounds him and the com.
mand is given attention, company
Take aim! Fire!" And the man falls with
| hundred bullets through his heart. There
comes a time in mans history when The
/ Lord calls up tho troop Of his iniquities,
and at Gods command they pour into him
o concentrated volley of torture.
! You say 81 do not feel myself to be
sinner" That may be. Walk along
| by the cliffs, and you SEQ sunlight and
flowers at the mouth Of the cave; but take
torch and 60 in, and before you have gone
far you see the flashing eye of wild beast,
or hear the hiss of serpent. 30 the world
seems in the sunlight of worldliness; but
as have the torch of Gods truth, and 60
down into the deep cavern of the heart
alas! for the bristliug horrors and the rat
| Ting fangs. Have you ever noticed the
climax in this passage Of Scripture: "The
heart is decetful." That seems enough.
But the passage goes on to say: 1.-THE heart
is deceitful above all things" Will you
not say that is enough2 But the passage
goes on further and says: 1.-THE heart is de.
ceitful above all things and desperately
wicked" If we could SEQ the true condi
ton of the unpardoned before God, what q
wringing Of hands there would be! What
a thousand-voiced shrek of supplication
and despair! But you are a sinner, sin.
ner l speak not to the person who sits
next to you, but to you. You are sinner
All the transgressions of lifetime have
been gathered up into an avalanche Al
any moment it may slip from the cliffs and
crush you forever May the Lord Almighty
by His grace, help us to repent Of our sins
while repentance is possible.
| This left hand cross was relieving cross
There was no guess work in that prayer
no ''if" in that supplication. The left hand
cross flung itself at the foot of the middle
cross, expecting mercy. Faith is only just
opening the hand to take what Christ Of
fers us. The work is all DONE the bridge l.
built strong enough for US all to walk over
Tap not at u 20" "r Gods mercy with the
tip OF your &. 1t as a warrior. with
gauntleted lists, teat, At the castle gates, 81
with all the aroused energies Of the soul le
US pound at the gate of Heaven. The gat,
is locked. You 60 to it with bunch o.
keys. You try philosophy. That will mo-
open it. A large door generally has a pom
derous key. l take the cross and place thu
foot of it in the lock, and by the two arm
of the cross turn the lock, and the doo
opens.
This left hand cross was pardonine
cross. The crosses were only two or thret
yards apart. 1t did not take long for Chris
to hear. Christ might have turned ava,
and said: "How darest you speak to Me!
am the Lord of Heaven and earth. hav,
seen your violence. When you struck dow
that man in the darkness l saw you. Yo,