The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-09-23
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.
RELIGIOUS SELECTIONS.

The right hand and left of Christ |
in His kingdom are given only to
those who drink of His cup.
Christ forgiving on earth is new
truth added to that of Gods forgiv-
ing in heaven. It is not the same
truth. The one is forgiveness by
Diety; the other is the declaration Of
forgiveness by humanity. He babe
the palsied man walk, that they might
know that s'the Son of Man hath
power on earth to forgive sins"
It is no matter of uncertainty to
any one of us whether he himself
shall die. He knows it. Every time
the funeral bell tolls, the thought in
some shape suggests itself, l am
mortal, dying man. That is knowing
it. Which of US has realized it p
Who can shut his eyes, and bring it
before him as a reality, that the day
will come when the hearse will stand
at the door for him, and that all this
bright world will be going on without
him; and that the very flesh which
now walks about so complacently will
have the coffin-lid shut down upon it,
and be left to darkness, and loneli-
ness, and silence and the worm.
Struggle to the Cross, even though
it be struggling as in chains. just
as on day of clouds, when you have
watched the distant hills, dark and
gray with mist, suddenly a CLEAN of
eunshine passing over reveals to you,
in that fiat surface, valleys and dells
and spots of sunny happiness, which
slept before unsupported in the fog,
so in the gloom of penitential life
there will be times when Gods deep
peace and love will be felt shining
into the soul with supernatural re-
freshment. Let the penitent be con-
tent with the servants lot at first
Liberty and peace, and the bounding
sensations of a Fathers arms around
you, come aftarward.
CHRIsT.-Christ was the Son of
God. But remember in what sense
he ever used this name-Son of God
because Son of Man. He claims
Sonship in virtue of His Humanity.
Now, in the whole previous revelation
through the prophets, etc., one thing
was implied-only through man can
God be known: only through perfect
man, perfectly revealed Hence He
came, "the brightness of His Fathers
glory, the express image of His per-
son" Christ, then, must be loved as
Son of man before He can be adored
as Son of God. In personal love and
alteration of Christ the Christian re-
ligion consists, not in correct morali-
ty, or in correct doctrines, but in a
homage to the King
Begin as the Bible begins with
Christ, the Son of Man. Begin with
Him as Gods character revealed I'M
der the limitations of humanity. Lay
the foundations of a higher faith
deeply in belief of his Humanity
See Him as He was. Breathe His
Spirit. After that, try to comprehend
His Life. Enter into His Childhood.
Feel with Him when He looked round
about Him in anger, when He vindi-
Gated the crushed woman from the
powerless venom of ferocious accu-
sers; when He stood alone in the sol
| itary Majesty of Truth in Pilates
judgment-hall; when the light of the
Roman soldiers torches flashed on
Kedron in the dark night, and He
knew that watching was too late; when
His heart-strings gave way upon the
Cross. Walk with Him through the
Marriage Feast. See how the sick
and weary came to Him instinctively;
how men, when they saw Him, felt
their sin, they knew not why, and fell
at His feet; how guilt unconsciously
revealed itself, and all that was good
in men was drawn out, and they be
came higher than themselves in His
presence. Realize this. Live with
Him till He becomes living thought,
ever present, and you will find a
reverence growing up which compares
with nothing else in human feeling.
You will feel that sighting word
spoken of Him wounds with dart
more sharp than personal insult
You will feel that to bow at the name
of Jesus is no form at will of others,
but relief and welcome. And il il
should ever chance that, finding your
self thrown upon your own self and
cut off from sects -suspected, in
quest ola truth which no'man gives
then that wondrous sense of strength
and friendship comes-the being
alone with Christ with the strength
of manlier independence. Slowly
then, this almost insensibly merges
into alteration. For what is it to adore
Christ ?-to call Him God: to SAY
, Lord, Lord? No. Alteration is the