Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-06-09

say, five wounds. No, they have missed
the worst and they have missed the
most. Did you ever see the brnmble out
Of which that crown Of thorns was
made? saw one on Brooklyn ferry
boat. In the hands of q gentleman who
had just returned from Palestine,
bramble just like that out Of which the
crown Of tl,orns was made. Oh! how
cruel and how stubborn were the thorns.
And when that cap Of thorns was put
upon Christ. and It was pressed down
upon him, not five wounds. but ten,
twenty, thirty--I cannot count them. n
There were three or four absences that
made the scene worse. First, there was
the absence Of water. The climate was
hot, the fever, the inflammation, the
nervous prostration. the gangrenc had
seized upon him. and he terribly wanted
water. His wounds were worse than
gunshot fractures, and yet no water. a
Turk In the Thirteenth century was cru
Gifted OH the banks OF n river 50 that the
sight OF the water might tantalizc him.
And oh! how the thirst of Christ must
have tantalizcd rs he thought Of the Eu-
pirates and the Jordan and the Amazon
and all the fountains Of earth and heaven
poured ont of his own hand. They Of
fered him an Intoxicating draught mado
ont Of wine and myrrh, but he declined
Il. lie wanted to die sober. No water.
Then. my friends. there was the alb
scnce of light. Darkness always cxas-
pcratcs trouble. never shall forget the
night in the summer Of 1878. in the
steamer Greece. mid-Atlantic, every
moment expecting the steamer TO go
down. All the lights y the. cabin were
blown out. Tho captat7 came crawling
in ON hands and knees, ar hc could not
stand upright, so violently was the }
sci pitching, and no cried out: s.snt
up. light up" Tho steward said< 1--WE
cant light up; the candles are gone and
tho holders are gone" The captain said:
II can't help that: light up" The storm
was awful when the lights were burning.
worse when the lights went out.
Then there was the absence OF faithful
nurscs. When you arc i'll, 1t is pleasant
to have the head bathcd and the hands
and feet rubbed. Look at the hands and
feet OF Christ. look at the face of Christ.
There were women there who had cared
for the sick. but none Of them might
como up near enough to help. There
was Christ's mother, but she might not
come mp near enough to help. They said:
''Stand back. stand back; this il no
place for you." Tho high priests and
the soldiers wanted 1t their own way;
they had it their own way.
The hours pass on and il Is 1o o'clock
Of the Savio,U's suffering, and it Is
O'Clock. and 1t is 2 O'Clock, and it is al
most o'clock. Take the last look at
that suffering face, wan and pinclied.
the purple lips drawn back against the
teeth. the eyes red with weeping and
sunkcn rs though grief had pushed them
back, blackness under the .owcr lid. the
whole body adroop and shivcring with
the last chill. the breath growing fcebler
and fccblcr and feebler and fecbler until
be gives one long. deep. last sigh. lie is
deadI -
o! my soul. he is dead. Can you tell
whyi Was he u fanatic dying for prin-
ciple that did not amount TO anythingi
Was lie n man infatuated? No; 10 save
your soul from sin. and mine. and make
eternal life possible. he dici. There had
to be a substitute for sin. Who shall it
bei "Iet it he me-" said Christ; ''let II
be me-" You understand the meaning
Of that word substitution. You were
drafted for the last war; some one took
your place. marched Your march, suf-
fcrcd your wounds and died at Gcttys-
burg. Christ comes TO us while we are
fighting our hattie with sin and death
and hell. and he Is our substitute. He
marches our march. fights our ta.tlc.
suffers our wounds. and dies our death.
Substitution! Substitution!
How do you feel in regard 10 that scene
described in the text. and in the region
round about the tcxtl Are your sympa-
thics arous,,li or are you So dead in sin.
and 50 abandoned by reason Of your
transgressions tha; you can look upon all
that fearless and unmovcd? No. no;
there are thousands Of people here this
morning who can say in the depths Of
their soul: mo. no. no; IL JESUS en-
durcd that. and all that for me. ought
TO love him. ! must love him. will
love him. do love him. Here. Lord, I
give myself to thee; 'tis all that
can do"
But how are YOU going TO test your
love. and test your earncstness? My text
gives test. II says that while Christ
carried cross for you. you must be will.
ing 90 carry a cross for Christ. "Wcll,"
you say. II never could understand
that. There are no crosses TO be carried
in This land; those prosecutions have
passed. and in all the land there il no one
Ia h. criiciicd. and yet in the pulpit and
in the prayer meetings you all keep talk
ing abOu, carrying cross. What do
at,.s n eI,s.. fri,us l..
cross which Christ calls you TO do. which
IL unpleasant and hard. "Oh. you say.
''aftcr hearing the story of this Christ
anil all that he has endured for me. am
ready tn ,ln anything for him. Just tell
mc what have to do and I'll do il.
Am ready 10 carry any cross"
Suppcrs., shonlh ask you nt the closc
IT u rrllgious service to rise up announc-
ing yourself on the Lords sitle-could
YOU do its 'oh. no." you say, II have
shrinking and sensitive nature. and
II would In impossible for me- to rise
before large Rssemblage. announcing
myself on the Lords side." just M !
feared. Ym cannot stand that cross.
The first one that II offered you, you re.
icct. Christ carried mountain. Chris,
carried IIimalaya. Christ carried
world for YOU. aiK: you cannot lift an
ounce for him.
But here il man whose cross will be
To announce among his business asso-
ciatcs tomorrow morning on exchange.
that he las begun new life. that while
he wants to hc faithful In his worldly
duties. he is living for another world.
and he ought.to advise all those who are
his associates. I'D far as he can influence
them. 10 begin with him the Christian
life. Could you do that, my brotheri
''Oh! no, You say, mot just that. |
think religion is religion. and business Is
business. and Il would bc impossible for
me to recommend the Christian religion
in places Of worldly business" just rs
feared. There Is a second cross offered
you, and you cannot carry IT, Christ
lifted a mountain for you; you cannot
lift an ounce for him.
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