The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-01-12
Our Evening Sermon.
''And he took him by the right
hand, and lifted him up."-Acts 3-7.

Peter and John, going into the tenn
pie to pray, beheld near the door
lame man, who asked an aims. This
is picture quite familiar to persons
living in large centers Of population,
though not so frequently met with in
places Of less Importance. This sim
pie picture contains whole story of
Christian grace, and an exposition Of
the true sentiment that should prompt
and actuate the heart of the Christian.
In these times there is one great
evil to contend with = the fraud
that is almost constantly being
perpetrated in the name of
charity. The great difficulty in the
righteous bestowal of aims, is to de-
termine who are really the lame and
the needy. But for the present let us
consider the picture from the stand
point of the experience of Peter and
John. They saw a man lame from
his birth, and he asked for gifts Of
silver and gold, the material which
the world calls wealth. The Apostles
saw that it was not so much case re-
quiring silver and gold, as one requir-
ing physicical strength. Hence Peter
said: 'Silver and gold have I none,
yet such as [ have l give thee; in the
name Of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth, rise
up and walk" And he took the lame
man by the hand and lifted him up,
and the cripple was healed and made
happy beyond expression.
What would have been the picture
had some of our modern Christianity
been put to the test under like cir
cumstances? What is the result
when it is thus tried, though on a
plane far below the strength and
power of the Apostles? We see, in
our imagination-and pretty vivid
one it is, too-a modern Christian.
He approaches the church door with
an air Of serenity about him that
seems to say to an observant world:
"Here's where you find Christianity
in its purity and loveliness = here's
where you find heart filled to over
flowing with earnest, unselfish Chris
tian love- Suddenly there cries from
the earth beside the church door a
poor, weak brother, who, having
bravely battled against adverse cir
cumstances, has been forced at last
to lie down in despair, crippled, help
less, almost hopeless. The Christian
is on his way to prayers. What is to
be done? On the first impulse of the
moment the Christian (for he knows
that the world sees him now) gets
down, grasps the unfortunate by the
hand and lifts him to his feet. How
beautiful and inspiring is the picture!
Surely there must be some streak of
angelic love in the heart Of that man.
But, wait moment! The world has
passed by; the crowd has passed into
the church; there is no longer any
need for lifting up a fallen brother,
in so far as the outward world goes;
the Christian ostentation-to use such |
terr-has been used for all there is
in it, and the man Of the world asserts
himself; he looks this way and that
way, to make sure that none see him
who are likely to make his act sub
ject of unpleasant reference hereafter;
the look of calm trust suddenly drops
from his face, and he deliberately, alb
ruptly, and wickedly trips up the man
whom he has just lifted to his feet,
and leaves him in worse condition
than before Thus he goes on his way
seemingly oblivious to the certainty
that the injury visited upon a fallen
brother will appear against him at the
last and fateful hour when we shall
all be called to answer for the talents
entrusted to our keeping.
The same sad picture is often OBJ
served with the opposite sex. Let the
pampered daughter of wealth-or,
worse still-the shoddy firt-pass by
the crying and fallen sister-fallen
only in so far as worldly fortune goes,
and there may be a condescending
smirk to bid the poor sister hope;
there may be an affected interest in
her need; there may be an ostenta-
tious display Of sympathy; but no
sooner is the scene removed from the
prying eyes of popularity than there
is rustic Of silks, a piteous cry, and
the poor creature is tripped up. The
woman who never expects to see
Heaven except through the web of
costly lace, or by glaneing from
within a robe Of costly silks, will
never be able to get sight Of the
pearly gates, for the vast array Of an
gels in calico dresses You may style
this startling figure off speech, but,
sister, you will find it a startling truth
as we'll, if you attempt to drown the
rustic Of the angels wings by the
rustling of new silk dress.
What we want in this world is
more of the acts of Peter-lifting up
fallen humanity in the name Of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth; that places the
fallen brother and sister on their feet,
and points them upward, and Heaven
ward, and Godward.
We have sold Ely's Cream Balm
abOut three wears. and have RECON-