Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-06-15

architect arose In one OF the galleries, ana
shouted until in the vast assembags all
heard him: 81 too, am ChriStianm and
they seized him in their lury and flung him
TO the wild beasts, until his body, bleeding
and dead, was tumbled over and over again
In the dust of the amphitheotre.
Could you have done that for Christ
Could you, in a vast assemblage, all of
whom hated Christ, have said: 81 am a
Christian or 81 want to be q Chrstianp'
Would you have had the ten thousandth
part of the enthusiasm and the courage of
the Greek architects Nay, ask you another
question: Would you in an assemblage where
they are nearly all Christians-in an assem-
blage, a vast multitude of whom love Christ
and are willing to live, and if need be to die,
for him-would you dare to say: 81 am
Christian or 81 want to be a Christiann
Would you say in the presence of the friends
of Christ as much as the Greek architect said
in the presence of the enemies of Christi Oh,
are there not multtudes here this morning
who are ready to say: "Let the world look
on, let all the galleries of earth and heaven
and hell look on, | take Christ this day.
Come applause or abuse, come sickness or
health, come life or death, Christ now, Christ
forever .
Are you for Christi Are you against Him.
The destinies of eternity tremble in the bal
ance. 1t seems as if the last day had come,
and we were gathered for the reckoning
"Beholdl he cometh with clouds, and every
eve shall see him. What | say to one / say
to all. What are you doing for Christi
What are you bearing for Christi
o! Christian man, OF Christian womanl
Have you any scars to show in this conflict
When war is over the heroes have scars to
show. One hero rolls back his sleeve and
shows gunshot fracture, or he pulls down
the collar and shows where he was wounded
in the neck Another man says: "lhave never
had the use of my limb since | was wounded
at that great battle" When the last day
comes, when all our battles are over will we
have any wounds for Christi Some have
wounds for sin, wounds for the devil, wounds
gotten in fighting on the wrong side. Have
we wounds that we can show-wounds gotten
in the battle for Christ, and for the truth'
On that resurrection day Christ will have
plenty of scars to show. Christ will stand
there and show the scars on his brow, the
scars on his hands, the scars on his feet, and
he will put aside the robe of his royalty
and show the scar on his side, and all heaven
will break down with emotion and gratitude
in one great sob, and then in one great no
sanna Will you and | have any scars to
show9
There will be Ignatius on that day showing
the mark of the paw and teeth of the lion
that struck him down in the coliseum. There
will be glorious John HuSs showing Just
where on his foot the flames began on that
day when his soul took wing of flame and
scared up from Constance There will be
Hugh McKail ready to point to the mark on
his neck where an ak struck him. There
will be Mcmillan and Campbell and Free
man, the American missionaries, who with
their wives and children were put to death in
the awful massacre of Cawnpore, showing
the place where the daggers of the Sepoys
struck them. There will be the Waldenses
showing where their limbs were broken on
the day when the Piedmodtese soldiery
pitched them over the rocks Will you and
have any wounds to show? Have we fought
any battles for Christi Oh, that we might
all be enlisted for Christ, that we might all
be willing to suffer for Christ, that we might
all bear cross for Christ
When the Scottish chieftaiD wanted to
raise an army they would make a wooden
cross, and then set it on fire and carry ii
with other crosses they had through the
mountains, through the highlands and among
the people, and as they waved the cross the
people would gather to the standard and fight
Tor Scotland. To-day l come out with the
cross of the Son of God 1t is a flaming cross
flaming with suffering, flaming with tri.
umph, flaming with glory. | carry it out
among all the people. Who will be on the
Lords side1 Who will gather to the standard
of Emmanuel A cross cross, cross
"Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and
come after Me, cannot be Ny disciple"