The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-10-29

Men in military life have dcne their most
wonderful deeds before thirty-three years
Of age. There may be exceptions to it. but the
most wonderful exploits in military PROV
ess have occurred before thirty-three years
Of age. But as legislator-nO man be-
come legislator until he has had long
years Of experience. And yet the gray
bearded scribes were expected to bow
down in silence before this young legisla-
to-, who arraigned sanhedrims and accused
governments.
Aristotle was old; Lycurgus was old;
Seneca was old. The great legislators of
young. All this was against Him. If a
child. twelve years Of age, should get up in
your presence to discuss great questions Of
metaphysics, or ethics, or politics, or gov
ernment, you would not be more con-
tenptuous than these gray-bearded scribes
in the presence of this young Christ.
Popular opinion declared in those days:
blessed is the merchant who has a castle
down on the banks of Lake Tiberias." This
young man said: blessed are the poor.'
Popular opinion said in those days: blessed
are those who live amid sta;uary. and fount-
aims. and gardens. and congratulations, and
ell kinds of festivity." This young man re-
sponded: blessed are they that mourn"
Public opinion in those days said: blessed
is the Roman eagle. the flap of whose wings
startles nations. and the plunge of whose
iron beak infiicts cruelty upon its enemies
This young man responded: Blessed are
the merciful-" Popular opinion said: AN
eve for an eve, a tooth for a tooth In
other words, if a man knocks your eye out,
knock his out. If a man breaks your tooth.
break his. Retort for retort: sarcasm for
sarcasm: irony for irony; persecution for
persecution; wound for wound. Christ
said: pray for them that despitefully use
you"
They locked at His eye, it was Ike any
other mans eye. except perhaps more
speaking. They felt His hand. made of
bone and muscle and nerves and flesh. Just
like any other hand Yet what bold treat
ment of subjects, what supernatural de-
mands. what strange doctrine. They felt
the solid earth under them, and yet Christ
said: Il bear up the pillars of this world"
They looked at the moon. He said: Il will
turn it into blood They looked at the
sea, He said: Il will hush it." They looked
at the stars. He said: Il will shake them
down like untiElely figs" Did ever one SO
young say things SO bold! It was all
against Him.
After the battle Of Antietam. when a
General rode along the lines. although the
soldiers were lying down exhausted. they
rose with great enthusiasm and huZZaed.
AS Napoleon returned from his captivity,
his first step on the wharf shook all king
doms. and two hundred and fifty thousand
men flocked 10 his standard. 1t took three
thousand troops to watch him in his exile.
So there have been men of wonderful mag
netism of person. But hear me when I
tell you of poor young man who came up
from Nazareth to produce a thrill which
has never been excited by any other
Napoleon had around him the memories OF
Ma-engo, and Austerlitz. and Jena: but
here was a man who had fought no battles,
who wore no epaulets, who brandished no
sword. He he'd. probably. never seen a
prince. or shaken hands with a noblaman.
imagine Christ one day standing in the
streets of Jerusalem. 4 man descended
from high lineage is standing beside Him
and says: MY father was a merchant
prince. he had castle on the beach in Gal
lice. Who was your father." Christ an
swers: Joseph. the carpenter 4 man
from Athens is standing there unfolding
his parchment of graduation and says to
Christ: where did you go to schools"
Christ answers: II never graduated"
Aha, the idea of such an unheralded young
man attempting TO command the attention
of the world. As well some little fishing
village on Long Island shore attempt to
arraign New York. Yet no sooner does
He set HIS foot in the towns or cities OF
Judea than every thing is in commott0n.
The people go cut on picnic, taking
only food enough for dag, yet are so
g.. - IL. = e
starving, they follow Him into the wilder
ness. A nohlemau falls down fat before
Him ard says: My daughter is dead
4 beggar tries TO rub the dimness from his
eyes. and says: Lord, that my eyes may
be opened" 4 poor, sick. painting woIl-
an presses through the crowd and says:
. / must touch the hem of his garment
Children who love their mother better
than any one else struggle to get into
His arms. TO kiss His check. and to run
their fingers through His hair, and for
all time putting Jesus so in love with the
little ones that there is hardly nursery in
Christeudom from W hich He does not take
one, saving: 81 must have them. / Will
fill Heaven with these: for every cedar
that l plant in Heaven l will have fifty
white lilies. In the hour when l was
poor man in Judea they were not ashamed
of Me, and now have come to a throne
do not despise them. Hold it not back.
. weeping mother. Lay it on NY warm
heart OF such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
Again, remark, there was no organiza-
ton in His behalf, and that was against
Him When men propose any great work
they band together, they write letters Of
agreement, they take oaths of fealty: and
the more and complete the organization the
more and complete the success. Here was
one who went forth without any orsaniza-
ton and alone. Ii men had q mind to Join
in His company. all right; if they had a
mind not 20 join in His company, all well.
II they came they were greeted with no
loud salutaticn: if they went away they
were sent with no bitter anathema- Peter
departed. and Christ turned and looked at
him. That was all.
AL this was against Him. Did any one
ever undertake such an enterprise amidst
such infinite embarrdssments and by such
modes. And yet am here to say il ended
in a complete triumph. Notwithstanding
His worldly occupation, His poverty, His
plai-i face. His unpretending garb, the fact
that He was schoolless, the fact that He
had brief life, the fact that He was not
accompanied by any visible organization
notwithstanding all that, in an cxhilara-
ton which shall De prolonged in everlast-
ing chorals: Il have finished the work
Thou gavest me 70 do"
See Him victorious over the forces of
nature. The sea is a crystal sepulcher. 1t
swallowed the Central American. the Pres
ident, the Spanish armada as easily as any
hy that ever foated on it The inland lakes
are fully IS terrible in their wrath. Re-
cent travellers tell Us that Galilee when
aroused in a storm is overwhelming. and
yet that sea crouched in His presence, and
licked His feet. He knew all the waves
and the wind When He beclsoned. they
came. When He frowned. they fed. The
heel of His foot made no inGentGtion on the
solidifed water Medical science has