West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-07-19
DRINK AND LIVE.
REV. DIR. TALMAGE's SERMON AT
CHICAGO.
The Scene at the Crucifxion When
Christ Drank the Cup
OF Vinegar.


TEXT: When Jesus therefore had re-
ceiUed the rine0dr."-John xix, 80.
The brigands Of Jerusalem had done their
work. lt was almost shutdown, and Jesus
was dying. Persons in cruciflction often linz
gered ON from day to day-crying, begging
cursing; but Christ had been exhausted by
years OF maltreatment Pillowless, poorly fed
nogged-as bent over and tied TO n low post
bis bare back was fnfiamed with the scourges
intensified with pieces OF lead and bone
ara now for whole hours, the weight
tendons, and, according to custom.
a violent stroke under the armpits had been
given by the executioner. Dizzy. swooning,
nauseated, feverish-a world OF agony Il
compressed in the two words; II thirstln
skies of Judea, let drop OF rain strike on
hls burning tongue. q world, with rolling
rivers, and sparkling lakes, and spraying
FOUNTAINS, give Jesus something to drink: II
.nere DO any pity in earth, or heaven, or hell,
let IL now be demonstrated in behalf OF
this royal sufferer Tho wealthy women of
Jerusalem used TO have fund Of money with
which they provided wine for those people
who died in crucihxion--a powerful opiate
to deaden the pain; but Christ would not
take it. He wanted TO die sober, and so He
refused the wine. But afterward they go to
a cup or vinegar and soak q sponge in it, and
put IL on stick OF hyssop, and then press IL
against the hot lips OF Christ You say
the wine was an anaesthetic, and intended
20 relieve or deaden the pain. But the vine
gar was an insult. l arm disposed TO adopt
the theory Of the old English commentator,
who believed that instead of its being an
opiate to soothe, it was vinegar 10 insult
duchesses, and costly wines from roysl I y n'i
Tor bloated imperials; but singing acids for
dying Christ. He took the vinegar.
In some lives the saccharine seems to pre-
dominate Life Is sunshine on bank OF
flowers thousand hands to clap approval
In December or in january, looking across
their tables, they see all their family present
Health rubIcund. Skies fiamboyant Days
resilient But In a great many cases there
are not so many sugars acids.
The annoyances, and the vexations
and the disappointments Of life
overpower the successes There Is a
gravel In almost every shoe. An Arabian
legend says that there was a worm in Solo,
mons staff, gnawing its strength away; and
there is weak spot in every earthly support
that man leans on. King George, Of Eng
land, forgot all the grandeurs OF his throne
because, one day in an interview, Beau Bum
nell called him by his first name,
s sPd addrs ssdr0. him rn as Ssr Ss
Miss Langdon, honored all the world
over for her poetic genius, Is so worried over
the evil reports set ahoat regarding her,
that she is found dead, with an empty bottle
of prussic acid in her hand. Goldsmith said
that his life was wretched being, and that
al that want and contempt could bring to it
had been brought, and cries out: "What,
then, is there formidable in iailf' Correg-
gios fine painting is hung up for a tavern
sign. Hogarth cannot sell his best paintings
except through rattle. Andrew Delsart
makes the great frescoe in the Church OF the
Annunciata, at Florence, and gets for pay a
sack of corn; and there are annoyances and
vexations in high places as well as ia low
places, showing that in great many lives
the sours are greater than the sweets "When
Jesus therefore had received the vinegar
IL is absurd TO suppose that man who has
always been well can sympathize with those
who are sick; or that one who has always
Narla hon. NsnI.a
those who are despised; or that one who has
been born to goeat fortune can understand
the distress and the straits of those who are
destitute. The fact that Christ Himself.
took the vinegar, makes Him able to sym
pBthize to-day and forever with all those
whose cup is filled with sharp acids of this
life. He took the vinegar.
In the first place, there Is the sourness OF
betrayal. The treachery OF Judas hurt
Christ's feelings more than all the friendship
of His disciples did Him good. You have
had many friends; but there was one friend
upon whom you put especial stress You
Toasted him. You loaned him money. You
befriended him in the dark passes of life, when
he especially needed friend. After ward he
turned upon you, and he took advantage OF
your former iDtimncies. He wrote against
you. He talked against you. He microsco.
pied your faults. He flung contempt at you
when You ought to have received nothing but
gratitude AT first, you could not sleep at
nights Then you went about with q sense of
having been stung. That difficulty will
never be healed, for though mutual friends
may arbitrate in the matter until you shall
shake hands the cd cordially viii never
come back. Now, commend to all such the
sympathy Of betrayed Christ Why, they
sold Him Tor less than our twenty dollars
They all forsook Him, and fed. They cut
Him TO the quick. He drank that cup OF be-
trayal TO the dregs. He took the vinegar
There is also the sourness of pain. There
are some Of you who have not seen a well
day Tor many years By keeping out Of
hraughts, and by carefully studying diesetics
you continue TO this time; but %. the head,
aches, and the sideach0s and the backaches
and the heartaches which have been your
accompaniment all the way through You
have struggled under a heavy mort
gage. OF physical disabilities, and in
stead of the placidity that once char
acterized you, 1t is now only with great
effort that you keep away from frritablIitv
and sharp retort. Difficulties OF respiration.
or digestion, OF locomotion, make up the
great obstacle IN Your life, and you tug and
sweat along the pathway, and wonder
when the exhaustion will end Nv
friends, the brightest crowns In heaven wifi
5os be given To those who, in stirrups,
u ,re,,.o, 20 tne cavalry charge, while the
general apptaudei, and the sound OF clashing
saore rang through the land: but the
oiIShueSt crowns in heaven I believe
vii 10 given 20 those who trudged on
fbeir S Ct ailments which unnerved
hsf strength, yet all the time main
tanning their faith In God. IL h
comparatively easy to fight in a regiment OF
= thousand men, charging upon the parapets
70 the sound Of martial music: but II h NOT 90
easy % endure when no one but the nurse
an1 the doctor are the witnesses OF tho
CHRISTIAN forttude. Besides that you never
pad any pains worse than Christs The
sherpnesses that stung through His brain
through His hands, through His feet through
~ hearti we're az great as yours certainly.
ne was ~ sick and a. weary Not a nerve
or museie OF hgameDt escaped. All the
PahGs or oil the nations OF all the aees com
PIesseo into one sour cup He took the vine
There 3 also the sourness Of poverty. Your
income does not meet your outgoing and
knat always gives an honest man anxiety
There Is no sign Of destitution about youZ
pleasant appearance, and cheerful home
Tor you but God only knows what time
you have bad 20 manage your private
finances just Rs the bills run up
bne wages seem 70 run down. But
you are not the only one who has
not Teen paid for hard work The great
Wiikie sold his celebrated piece "The Blind
FIDDLER" for fifty guineas. although after
ward IL brought iis thousanda The world
hangs in admiration over the sketch on
oainsborough set that very sketch hung for
years in the shop window becauae
there was not any purchaser. Oliver
Goldsmith sold his "Vicar Of Wake
held for few pounds In order n