The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-05

HSAter burdens. and Christ looks back and lie
sees some arc halting because they cannot en-
dure the shame, or bear the burden, and with
& voice which has in il majesty and oINhipo-
tence. He cries until all the earth trenbles:
whatsoever doth not bear Lis cross and como
after Me, cannot be My disciple"
Q! my brethren, my s;sters-for I do not
speak professionally, 1 speak rs brother
would sfeak to a brother or sster-my brother,
can you not bear cross if at last you can
wear crown? Come now, let us divide Off.
W no IS on the Lords side? Who is ready to
turn his back upon the lamb of God that
takeih away the sin of the world?
\ Roman emperor said to Il Greek architect;
"H on build me coliseum, grand coliseum,
and if it suits me will crown you in the pres
ence OF all the people, and L will make great
day OF festival ON your account The Greek
architect did his work, did it magnticently,
planned the building looked after its con-
struction. The building was done. The day
for opening arrived. In the coliseum were the
emperor and the Greek architect. The en-
peror rose amid the plaudits of vast assembly
and said: 1--WE have gathered here today to
open this coliseum and to honor the Greek
architect. 1t is great day for the Roman
Empire. Let this building be prosperous, and
let honor be put upon the Greek architect. OF
we must have q festival today. Bring out
those Christians and let us have
them put to death at the mouth
of the lions" The Christians were put into
the centre of the amphitheatre. 1t was to be
a great celebration in their destruction.
Then the lions hungry and three-fourths
starved, were let out of their dens in the side
OF the amphitheatre, and they came forth with
mighty spring to dsetroy and rend the Chris
tians, and all the galleries shouted: "Euzza,
huzZal Long live the emperorl' Then the
Greek architect arose in one of the galleries
and shouted until in the vast assemblage all
heard him. ~ 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 in the
dust of the amphitheatre.
Could you have done that for Christ? Could
you. in vast assemblage, all of whom hated
Christ, have said: II am Christian" or, ~
want to be Christian?" Would you have
had the ten thousandth part of the enthusiasm
and the courage of the Greek architect? Nay,
ask you another question: Would you in an
assemblage where they are nearly all Chris
tans--in 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, II 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? OF are there not multitudes 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, 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?
ance. 1t seems as if the last day had come,
and we were gathered for the reckoning. BE
hold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye
shall see Him." What I say to one say to
all. What are you doing for Christ? What
are you bearing for Christ?
9 Oh Christian imam, o. Christian woman?
Have you any scars to show in this conflict?
When war is over the heroes have sears to
show. One hero rolls back his sleeve and
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 limbs since l
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 SIM 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 emotion and
gratitude in one great sob, and then in one
great hosanna. Win you and have any scars
to show?
There viii BIO Ignatius, on that day showing
the mark of the paw and the 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
MS Soul COOk WHY Oh name ana scared up from
Constance. There will:be Hugh McKail ready
to point to the mark on his neck where the ak
struck him. There will be Mcmillan and
Campbell and Freeman, the American mission
aries who with their wives and children were
put to death in the awful massacre at Gavin
pore, 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 Piedmontese
soldiery pitched them over the rocks. Will
you and have any wounds to show! Have
we fought any battles for CHRISTI OF 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 chieftains wanted to raise
an army, they would make wooden cross, and
then set it on fire, and carry it 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 for Scotland.
So to-day, I come out with the cross of the Son
of God. 1t is flaming cross-faming with
suffering, flaming with triumph, flaming with
glory. l carry it out among all the people.
Who will be ON the Lords side? Who will
gather to the standard of Emanuel A cross, q
cross, crossl "Whosoever doth not bear his
cross, and come after Me, cannot be My dis
aiu