The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-08-12
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.

iRELIGIoUs sELEcrIoss.)
Restoration is the essential work
of Christianity.
The cross of Christ, the spirit OF
that sacrifice, can alone be the regen-
Grafton of the world.
There is no prescription for the
sickness of the heart, but that which
is written in the Redeemer's blood.
To be son of God is one thing;
to know that you are, and call Him
Father, is another, and that is regen-
Grafton.
There is but One, He in whom hui
manity was completely restored to the
Divine image, Whose forgiveness and
condemnation are exactly commensu-
rate with Gods.
Says Robertson: Oh that I could
breathe the Spirit OF Him who, when
he was revived, reviled not again;
when he suffered, threatened not
For in His case all was undeserved;
but cannot tell how much, in my
case, rashness and pride have irri-
tated people.
In Christ God beholds humanity
in Christ He sees perfected every one
in whom Christ's spirit exists in germ.
He to whom the possible is actual, to,
whom what will be already is. sees
all things present, gazes on the i'm
perfect, and sees it in its perfection.
He was the representative of God
of God under the limitations Of
humanity.
1t is not the unjeweled finger, nor
the affectation of an almost Quakerish
simplicity of attire, nor the pedestrian
mode of travelling, nor the scanty
meal, that constitute humility. It is
that simple, inner life Of real great
ness, which is indifferent to magnif-
cence, and surrounded by it all, lives
far away in the distant country Of
fathers home, with the Cross borne
silently and self-sacrifcingly in the
heart of hearts.
The Eternal Word whispered in the
souls of men before it spoke articu-
lately aloud in the Incarnation. It
was the Divine Thought before it be-
came the Divine Expression. It was
the Light that lighteth every man
that cometh into the world, before it
blazed into the Day-spring from on
high which visited US. The mind of
Christ, the spirit of the years yet
future, blended itself with life before
He came; for His words were the
eternal verities of our humanity.
CHRIST. was here to restore
that which was broken down and
crumhling into decay. An enthusiastic
antiquarian, standing amidst the frag-
ments of an ancient temple surround
ed by dust and moss, broken pillar
and defaced architrave, with magni6-
cent projects in his mind of restoring
all this to former majesty, to draw
out to light from mere rubbish the
ruined glories, and therefore STOPPING
down among the dank ivy and the
rank nettles; such was Christ amidst
the wreck of human nature. He was
striving to lift it out Of its degrade
ton. He was searching out in re-
voting places that which had faIlen
down, that he might build it up again
in fair proportions, holy temple to
the Lord.
j If any one ever felt the beauty of
this world it was He. The beauty of
the lily nesting in the grass-He felt
it all; but the beauty which He ex-
hibited in life was the stern loneliness
of moral action. The King in His
beauty chad no form or comliness;"
it was the beauty of obedience, of
noble deeds, of unconquerable fdel-
ity, Of answering truth, Of Divine
se1f-devotion. The Cross /! the Cross!
We must have something Of iron and