The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-10-29
A FINISHED WORK.
Sermon by Row. T. De Witt Tai
mage, D. D.
Christ's Earthly Mission-The Stupendoua
Difficulties Which He Had to Meet and
Overcome-His Triumph Over Nat
ure the Grave and Death.

Difficulties Which He Had to Meet and
Overcome-His Triumph Over Nat
ure, the Grave and Death.
BROOKLYN. Oct. 2-Rev. DR.. Talmage
preached this morning at the Tabernacle
from the text John 11:i): 81 have finished
the work which Thou gavest me to do.''
The eloquent divine said:
There is a profound satisfaction in the
completion of anything we have under
taken We lift the capstone with exulta.
ton, while, on the other hand. there is moth
ing mere disappointing than. after having
toiled in a certain direction. to find that our
time is wasted and our investment profit
less. Christ came to throw up highway
on which the whole world might, if 1t chose.
mount into Heaven. He did it. The foul
mouthed crew who attempted to tread on
Hum could not extinguish the sublime salts
faction which He expressed when He said
81 have finished the work which Thou
gavest me to do.'
Alexander the Great was wounded, and
the doctors could not me3icate his
wounds. and he seemed TO be dying, and in
his dream the sick man saw plan: with a
peculiar flower. and he dreamed that that
plant was put upon his wound and that i'm
mediately it was cured. And Alexander.
waking from his dream, told this to the
physician, and TIE physician wandered out
until he found just the kind of plant which
the sick man had described. brought it to
him. and the wound was healed.
Wen. the human race had been hurt with
the ghastlieSt of all wounds-that of sin. II
was the business of Christ to bring balm,
for that wound-the balm of Divine resto-
ration. In carrying this business to sue
cessful issue the difficulties We're stupen-
Cous.
In many of our plans we have our friends
to help US; some TO draw a Sketch of the
plan, others TO help US in the execute:
But Christ fought every inch of His way
against bitter hostility, and amid circum-
stances all calculated to depress and de-
feat In the first place, His worldly occu-
patton was against Him l find that He
earned His livelihood by the carpenters
trade-an occupation always to be highly
regarded and respected. But you know as
well as do. that in order TO succeed in any
employment, one must give his entire time
to it, and have to declare that the fatigues
of carpentry were unfavorable TO the exc
cution of a mission which required all men,
tai and physical faculties Through high.
hard. dry. husky. IrSenS2te Judaism. TO
hew a way for new and glorious dispen-
sation was stupendous undertaking that
was enough 10 demand all the concentrated
energies even of Christ. We have d great
many romantic stories about what men with
physical toll have accomplished III intel
lectual departments: but you know that
after man has been toiling all day with
adze and saw and hammer. plane and axe,
about ali he can do is TO rest. \ weary
body is an unfavorabe adjunct to toilin 2
mind. You whose upbuilding of king
dom. or the proclamation of a new code of
morals. or the starting of a revolution
which should uptUrn all nations, could get
some idea of the indifference of Christ's
worldly occupation with His Heavenly mis-
SION.
In His fathers shop no more intercourse
Was necessary than is ordinarily necessary
IL bargaining with men that have work to
60: vet Christ. with hands hard from touch
of tools Of trade. was called forth to become
d public speaker, 10 preach in the face of
HOBS, while some wept. and some shook
their fists. and Some CRASHED upon him with
their teeth, and many wanted HIM out IF
their way.
To address orderly and respectful assem-
blages is not so easy as it may seem. but it
requires more energy and more force. and
atei mob. The village of Nazareth heard
wide reaches of eternity Were TO hear the
Stroke Of His spiritual upbuilding.
So. also. LIS habits of dress and of diet
were against Him The mighty men OF
Crisis time did not appear in apparel with
out trInkets and adornments. None of the
Caesars would have appeared in citizens
apparel. Yet here was man, here was i
pretended King. who always wore the same
coat. Indeed it was far from shabby. for
after he had worn il a long while the gam
biers thought il worth rafting about but it
still was far from being an imperial robe
1t was a coat that any ordinary man might
have worn on any ordinary occasion
Neither was there any pretension in His
diet No cup-bearer with golden chaiice
brought Him wine to drink. On the sea
shore He ate fish, first having broiled il
Himself. No one fetched Him water 10
drink. but bending over the well in Sanaria
He begged drink. He sat at only one
banquet. and that not at all sumptuous, for.
to relieve the awkwardness of the host. one
OF the guests had to prepare wine for the
company.
Other Kings ride in chariot: He walked.
Other Kings as they advance have heralds
ahead, aud applauding subjects behind:
Christ's retinue was made up Of sunburued
fishermen Other Kings sleep under en-
Sroidered canopy; this one on shelterless
hill Riding but once, as far as l now re-
member-on a colt and that borrowed.
Again. His poverty was against Him. Il
requires money 10 build great enterprises.
Men of means are afraid of penniless
protector, lest a loan be demanded Ii re-
ouircs money 10 print BOOKS. build institu-
tons, to pay instructors. No wonder the
wise men of Christ,s time laughed at this
penniless Christ Why they said. VINO
is 70 pay for this new religion! Who is 10
charter the ships TO carry the missionaries.
" no is TO pay the salaries of the teachersi
Shall wealthy Judaism be discounted by
peuniless Christ.''
The consequence was that most of the
people that followed Christ had nothing 10
lose. Wealthy Joseph, of Arimathea, bur
led Christ, but ne risked no social position
IL doing that. 1t is always safe 10 bury
dead man. Zaecheus rislSei no wealth or
social position in following Christ, but took
q position in tree TO look down is He
passed Nicodeuus. wealthy Nieodcmus,
risked nothing Of social position in follow
ing Christ, for he shulked by night 10 lind
HIN
All Inls WAS against tnflsL 90 ihe TACT
that He was not regularly graduated was
against Him. If man comes with the di-
plorlas of colleges and schools and theolog-
ical serninaries, and he has been through
foreign travel, the world is disposed 70
listen. There was man who had sradu-
ated at no college. had not in any academy
by ordinary means learned the alphabet OF
the language he spoke, and vet be proposed
to talk. to instruct II subjects which had
confounded the mightiest intellects. john
says: The Jews rlarveled, saying, how
hath this man letters, having never
learned: -