The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-11-04

most wonderful exploits in military PROV
ess have occurred before thirty-three years
Of age. But as a legislator-no man be
come a 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-
tor, who arraigned sanhedrims and accused
governments.
Aristotle was old; Lycurgus was odd;
Seneca was old, The great legislators Of
the world have been old. Christ was
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-
temptuous than these gray-bearded scribes
in the presence of this oung Christ.
Popular opinion declared in those days
"Blessed is the merchant who has 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 statuary, and fount-
aims, and gardens, and congratulations, and
all 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 inflicts cruelty upon its enemies.u
This young man responded: BLESSED are
the merciful." Popular opinion said: "An
eye for an eye, tooth for tooth.n 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 looked at His eye, it was like any
other mans eye, except perhaps moro
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: 81 bear up the pillars of this world"
They looked at the moon, He said II will
turn it into blood" They looked at the
sea, He said: 81 will hush it," They looked
at the stars, He said: Il will shake them
down like untimely figs" Did ever one SC
young say things SO boldl 1t was all
against Him.
After the battle of Antietam, when
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 Hooked to 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 thrill which
has never been excited by any other.
Napoleon had around him the memories of
Marengo, and Austerltz, and jena; but
here was man who had fought no battles,
who wore no epaulets, who brandished no
sword. He had, probably, never seen
prince, or shaken hands with a nobleman.
imagine Christ one day standing in the
streets of Jerusalem. A man descended
from high lineage is standing beside Him
and says: "My father was a merchant
prince, he had a castle on the beach in Gal
lice. Who was your fatherr' Christ an
swers: "Joseph, the carpenter" A man
from Athens is standing there unfolding
his parchment Of graduation and says tc
Christ: "Where did you go to school2n
Christ answers: az 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 commotion
The people go out on a picnic, taking
only food enough for a day, yet are so
fascinated with Christ that, at the risk of
starving, they follow Him into the wilder
ness A nobleman falls down fiat before
Him and says: "My daughter is dead"
A beggar tries to rub the dimness from his
eyes, and says: "Lord, that my eyes may
be opened" A poor, sick, painting wom-
an presses through the crowd and says
8 must touch the hem of his garment"
Children who love their mother better |
-han any one else struggle to get into |
His arms, to kiss His cheek and to run
heir fingers through His hair, and for |
al time putting Jesus so in love with the |
little ones that there is hardly nursery in
Christendom from which He does not take |
me, saying: ~ must have them, | will
i'll Heaven with these; for every cedar |
hat plant in Heaven l will have fifty
White lilies. In the hour when | was |
Door man in Judea they were not ashamed |
)f Me, and now | have come to throne |
do not despise them Hold it not back, |
weeping mother. Lay it on My warm |
leart OF such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
Again, remark, there was no organiza- |
ion in His behalf, and that was against |
linn When men propose any great work |
hey band together, they write letters of |
agreement, they take oaths Of fealty; and |
he more and complete the organization the |
more and complete the success Here was !
me who went forth without any organiza- |
ion and alone If men had a mind to Join |
n His company, all right; if they had
mind not to join in His company, all well. |
T they came they were greeted with no |
oud salutation; if they went away they
we're sent with no bitter anathema. Peter |
departed, and Christ turned and looked at |
lim That was all.
All this was against Him. Did any one
'ver undertake such an enterprise amidst |
uch infinite embarrassments and by such |
modest And yet am here to say it ended |
n a complete triumph. Notwithstanding
lis worldly occupation, His poverty, His
,lail face, His unpretending garb, the fact
hat He was schoolless, the fact that He
lad brief life, the fact that He was not
Wy any NiSiuIo OrS&ulLdUiOA
Notwithstanding all that, in an exhilara-
ion which shall be prolonged in everlast-
ng chorals: 81 have finished the work
Thou gavest me to do"
See Him victorious over the forces Of
lature. The sea is crystal sepulcher. 1t
wallowed the Central American, the Pres
dent, the Spanish armada as easily as any
~ that ever fioated on it. The inland lakes
fN1I1r II. IL A1xls-..
ent travellers tell us that Galilee when
Iroused in storm is overwhelming, and
ret that sea crouched in His presence, and
licked His feet. He knew all the waves
md the wind When He beckoned, they
ame When He frownSd, they fed. The
Ieel of His foot made no indentation on the
olidified water. Medical science has
wrought great changes in rheumatic limbs
nd 6icaaea1 h1Oo6 h11t rvhan tho f,ucc1aa