The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-06-14

coliseum were the Emperor and the Greek
architect. The emperor arose amid the
Ilaudits Of q vast assembly and said: 1--WE
have gathered here to-day to open this
coliseum and to honor the Greek architect.
1t is a great day for the Roman empire. Let
put upon the Greek architect. Oh, we must
have q festival today. Bring out those
Christians and let US have them put to death
at the mouthsof the lions" The Christians
were put alto the center Of the amphithea-
ter. II W to be q great celebration in
their dest6& stion. Then the lions, hungry
and three4aH arths starved, We're let out from
their dens M the side Of the amphltheatre,
and they came forth with mighty spring to
destroy n rend the Christians, and all the
galleries shouted: "Huzza Huzzal Long
live the emperor" Then the Greek archi.
tect arose in one of the galleries and shouted
until in the vast assemblage ali heard him:
him in their fury and flung him to the wild
beasts, until his body, bleeding aud dead,
was tumbled over and over again in the dust
Of the amphitheater.
Could you have done that for Christ?
Could you, in a vast assemblage, all Of whom
~tian,'", or, II want to be a Christian?'
Would you have had the ten thousandth
part of the enthusiasm and the courage Of
the Greek architect? Nay, 1 ask you another
question: would you in an assemblage
where they are nearly all Chr1stians-in an
assemblage a vast multitude Of whom love
Christ and are willing to live, and if need
II am q Christian" OF, 81 want to be a
Christian" 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 Christ? Oh, are there not multitudes
here this morning who are ready to say:
kT nA TIM vyorl1 1rNk ~, Lot oil <to
OF earth and heaven and hell look on. l
take Christ this day. Come applause or
abuse, come sickness or health, come life or
death, Christ now, Christ forever"
Are you for Christ; 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.
eye shall see Him." What I say to one I
say to all. What are you doing for Christ?
What are you bearing for Christ?
Oh, Christian man! Oh, Christian woman !
Have you any scars to show in this conflict?
When a war IS over the heroes have scars to
shows a gunshot fracture, or he pulls down
the collar and shows where he was wounded
in the neck. Another man says: 81 have
never had the Use of my limb since I was
wounded at that great battle" When the
last day comes, when all our battles are over,
will we have any wounds for Christ? Some
have wounds for sin, wounds for the devil,
wounds gotten in fighting on the wrong side.
Have we wounds that we can show-wouuds
gotten in the battle for Christ and 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, and the scars OH His feet,
and He will put aside the robe Of His royal.
ty 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 hosapna. Will you and I have any
scars to show?
There will be Ignatius, Oh that day show
ing 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 loot the flames began on
that day when his soul took wing Of flame
and scared up from Constance. There will
be Hugh McKall ready 10 point to the mark
on his neck where the 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 at Cawnrore, 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 Piedmont soldiery pitched
them over the rocks. Will you and I have
any wounds to show? Have we fought any
bdtLACo SAAASL! Ous tLllU we 1ulSuG I'LL NC
enlightened for Christ, that we might all lie
willing to suffer for Christ, that we might all
bear a Ufoss tor Christ.
When the Scottish chieftains wanted to
raise an army, they would make a wooden
cross, and then set it ON fire, and carry il
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 stand
ard and fight for Scotland. So to-day, !
come out with the cross of the Son of God.
It is a flaming cross-faming with suffering,
flaming with triumph, flaming with glory. i
carry it out among all the people. Who will.
be on the Lords side? Who will gather 10
the standard of Emmanuel? A cross. u cross,
a cross! "Whosoever doth not bear bis cross,
and come after Me, can not, can not be My
d~iSciple."