The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-11-18

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. 1 can see no
use for this right hand cross, except it be
used lever with which to upturn the I'M
belief of the world.
Here, from the right hand cross, go to
the left. Pass clear to the other side. That
victim also twists himself upon the nails to
look at the center cross-yet, not to scott.
1t is to worship. He, too, would like to get
his hand loose; not to smite, but to deliver
the sufferer Of the middle cross. He cries
to the railer cursing on the other side: ''Si-
lence. between US is innocence, is agony.
We suffer for our crimes. Silence," Gather
around this left hand cross, Oh, ye people
be not afraid. Bitter herbs are sometimes a
tonic for the body, and the bitter aloes that
you grow on this tree shall give strength
and life to thy soul
This left hand cross is a repenting cross.
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 male
factor thought over all his past life. OF that
night when he went into IN unguarded door
and took all the silver the gold, the jewels,
and the sleeper stirred he put knife
through his heart. OF that day when, in the
lonely pass, he met the wayfarer and regard
less 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 the stones. He says: tiOh, am
guilty wretch; 4 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 I cannot
die so. The fortunes of my body are outdone
by the fortunes of my soul. The past is
scene of misdoing; the present crucifixion;
the future an everlasting undoing. Come
back, thou hiding midday sun! Kiss my
cheek with one bright ray of comfort. What
no help from aboye-no help from above-no
help from beneath! Then l must turn to
my companion in sorrow, the one on the mid
die cross. L have heard that He knows how
to help a 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 the earth
he never saw more in need of
His forgiveness! Blessed one. l turn to
thee! Wilt Thou look for the moment away
from Thy own pangs to pity me? Lord, it is
not to have my hands relieved or my feet
taken from the torture. 1 can stand all this,
but OIL my sinsl my sins! my sins they
pierce me through and through. They tell
me l must die forever. They will push me
out into the darkness unless Thou wilt help
me. 1 confess it all. Hear the cry Of the
dying thief: Lord, remember me when Thou
contest into Thy kingdom. ask no great
things. 1 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
Thou! Lord, remember me when Thou
contest into Thy kingdom. Only just remem-
Der me-"
Likewise must we repent. You say: "I
have stolen nothing" 1 reply: ave 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. Suppose 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 that 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 a man is convicted
Of treason he is brought out; a regiment sur
rounds him and the command is given: 3At-
tention, company. Take aiml Fire!" And
the man falls with a hundred bullets
through his heart There comes a time
in a mans history when the Lord calls
up the troop of his iniquities, and at
Gods command they pour into him con-
concentrated volley of torture. You say: II
don't feel myself to be sinner" That NAV
be. Walk along by the cliffs, and you see
sunlight and flowers at the mouth of the
cave; but take torch and go in, and be-
fore you have gone far you see the flashing
eye of q wild beast hear the hiss of q SER
pent So the world seems in the sunlight of
worldiness; but as I wave the torch of Gods
truth, and go down into the deep cavern
of the heart-alas! for the bristling horrors
and the rafting fangs. Have you ever
noticed the climax in this passage of Scrip
ture: 1.-THE heart is deceitful" That seems
enough But the passage goes ON and says:
'The heart is deceitful above all things, :"
Will you not say that is enough9 But the
passage goes on further and says: "The
heart is deceitful above all things and des-
perately wicked" If we could see the true
condition Of the unpardoned before God,
what wringing of hands there would bel
What a thousand-voiced shrek of supplica-
ton and despair! But you are sinner q
sinner. 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 At any
moment it may slip from the cliffs and crush
you forever. May the Lord Almighty, by
His grace, help 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 offers U.s. The
work is all done, the bridge is built strong
enough for US all to walk over. Tap not at
the door of Gods mercy with tine tip of your
fingers, but as a warrior, with gauntleted
fists, beats at the castle gate, SO with all the
aroused energies of our souls let us pound
at the gate of heaven. That gate is locked
You go to it with bunch of keys. You try
philosophy. That will not open it. A large
door generally has ponderous key. 1 take
The cross and place the foot of it in the lock,
and by the two arms of the cross turn the
lock, and the door opens.