Sharp County record., 1888-06-21

| only lew udgS OF u lew years VI TRIAL
The cross that Christ carried for us bad
compressed into it the agonies or eter-
nifty.
There has some one come here to-day
whom you have not observed. He did not
come through the front door; He did not
come down any of these alsles; yet
know He is here. He is from the East,
the far East He comes with blistered
foot, and with broken heart, and cheeks
red not with health but with blood from
the temples. take hold OF His coat and |
say:
at does not seem to fit Thee"
NO." He says, "it is not mine; it is bOr-
rowed; it does not belong to me now. For
my venture did they cast lots" And l say
unto Him:
"Thine eyes are red as though from loss
of sleep" He says:
eyes, the Son of man had not where to
Law His head" And touch the log on His
back and say:
"Why earliest thou this?"
"Ahw He says, "that is a cross carry
for thee and for the sins of the whole
world. That is a cross. Fall into line,
march on with me in this procession,
take your smaller crosses and your lighter
burdens, and join me in this march to
Heaven"
And we Join that procession with our
smaller crosses and our lighter burdens,
and Christ looks back and He sees some
are halting because they can not endure
the shame, or bear the burden, and with
a voice which has in it majesty and om-
impotence, He cries until all the earth
trembles:
Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come
after me, can not be my disciple.
A Roman Emperor said to q Greek
architect: "You build me coliseum, a
grand coliseum, and if it suits me will
crown you in the presence of all the
people, and I will make great day of
festival on your account"
The Greek architect did his work, did it
magnifcently, planned the building,
looked after its construction. The build
ing was done. The day for opening ar
rived. In the coliseum were the Emperor
and the Greek architect. The Emperor
rose amid the plaudits Of vast assembly
and said:
"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 this building be'prosperous,
let honor be put upon the Greek architect.
O, we must have a festival to-day. Bring
out those Christians and let us have them
put to death at the mouth of the lions"
The Christians were put into the center
Of the amphitheater. 1t was to be great
celebration in their destruction. Then
the lions, hungry and three-fourths
starved, were let out from their dens in
the side of the amphitheater, and they
came forth with mighty spring to destory
and rend the Christians, and all the gall
leries shouted: "Huzza! huzza! Long
live the Emperorw Then the Greek
architect arose in one of the galleries and
shouted until the vast assemblage all
heard him: 81, too, am a Christian"
And they seized him in their fury and
flung him to the wild beasts until his
body, bleeding and dead, was tumbled
over and over again III the dust of the
amphitheater.
Could you have done that for Christi
Could you, in a vast assemblage, all Of
| WHO'LL udl6u CuIlSl, nave Sulu' hlll q
| Christian,'' or 81 want to be Christian?"
Would you have had the ten thousandth
part of the enthusiasm and the courage Of
the Greek architect? Nay, l ask you
another question:: Would you, in an as
semblage where they are nearly all Chris
tians-ln an assemblage 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 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?
o! are there not multitudes here this
morning who are ready to say:
''Let the world look on, let all the gall
leries of earth and Heaven and hell look
on, / take Christ this day. Come APP
plause or abuse, come sickness or health,
come life or death, Christ now, Christfor-
ever"
O! Christian man, o! Christian woman!
Have you any scars to show in this con-
fict? When war is over the heroes have
scars to show. One hero rolls back his
sleeve and shows a gunshot fracture, or
he pulls down the'collar and shows where
he was woun ded in the neck. Another
man says:
II have never had the use of my limb
since was wounded at that great bat
tle.o
When the last day comes, when all our
battles are over, will we have auy 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-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, and 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 emo
ton and gratitude in one great sob, and
then in one great hosanna Will you and
have any scars to show?
There will be Ignatius on 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
| lust where on his foot the flames began on
that day when his soul took wing of fame
and scared up from Constance. There
will be Hugh McKail ready to point to the
mark on his neck where the axe struck
| l;,, Tbara will Mcmillan aud