The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-03-28

parent smallness OF his success while
here in the flesh to the fact that He vas
human, like the rest of US; but then 1t
would neither be wise nor just to COM
pare Him with the prophets and apos-
Ties, and latter day ministers OF the
gospel, because He was the Son OF God,
and as such He was intensely olvlne,
stNever man spake like this man." "a
greater than Jonas is here. " ga greater
than Solomon is here. But 1t Is
source of strength and encouragement to
weary, toiing, faint-hearted, discouraged
ministers of Christ to s'consider HIM
that endured such contradiction of sin
ners against himself" ''The disciple is
not above his master, nor the servant
above his lord. It is enough for the
disciple that he be as master, and the
servant as his lord.
All! my brethren we see enough IN
single day, sometimes, to greatly dis
courage us. At such times we almost
lose all heart and hope in our work.
But We must remember that Christ, IN
certain place, did not do many mighty
works, because of the prevailing un-
belief. In other places He encountered
the most violent opposition, and the
most perverse contradiction OF sinners.
But all were equally snd alike efectusl
in impeding the progress of the gospel
IS preached by the Son of God. So we
see that there were multiplied phases OF
the opposition our Saviour met IN bis
public ministry. The same may be as
truly said of the opposition that the
APOSTLES met, and that ministers of
Christ have everywhere and ever since
met. We speak of this opposition In
general way, as affecting the progress Of
tie gospel in all times and in all places
not as existing primarily between men
anu men, simply considered, but as ex.
istine primarily between the Spirit OF
Christ and the Spirit of the Devil.
What is the history of mankind but a
running commentary upon the Holy
Scriptures, bearing on the desperate
wickedness of the human heart, the
dreadful nature OF sin and the fearful
effects of sin?
Notwithstanding all the excellencies Of
the character of Christ, and the ditfuslye
goodness that shone forth il all his life
and labors, proclaiming Him divine, and
the greatest benefactor of suffering
humanity, there-were yet found those SO
lost to sratitude-so implacably wicked
as to array themselves against Him.
Instead of the reception and honors he
Justly deserved the text records the fact
the. He ssendured the contradiction of
sinners against himself" Let us with
affectionate sympathy look on the IN
dignities that were heaped upon him
when He ssgave His back to the suiters,
Ein lheaks to thara tho. p1oosed OIL tho
hair; and hid not his face from shame
and spitting." lisa. 5O:6. Behold the Son
of Gods delight, thus vilely degraded,
thus infamously abused. But not only
so-the wonders of His power and good
ness were maiciously ascribed to Satan.
This was the highest pitch of iniquity.
At last as malefactor Of the worst sort,
He was nailed to the cross, and 10
torture hung and bled and died-thus
giving nis precious ':ife ransom for
many"
It is well therefore that his faithful
followers consider Him that endured so
much for them, lest they grow weary
and faint in their minds when real trials
and prosecutions come. The early fol-
lowers of Christ, though far inferior to
their divine Lord, expressed SO much OF
His temper and conduct in their lives
and teachings that they were accounted
worthy to suffer shame and reproach in
the next degree to Him. Paul, who
labored more zealously and more
abundantly than his brethren, expert
enced larger share of dishonor and i'll
treatment. Though educated at the feet
Of Gamaiel, and no stranger to Grecian
literature, when he showed himself de-
termined to live for Christ and die for
the truth, if necessary, and to glory only
in the Gross of Christ, he was ssmade as
the filth of the world and the ofscouring
of all things" 1st Cor, 4:l3. And what
was true in the lifetime and experience
of Paul will hold universally true-ln
proportion as the truths of divine revela-
ton are faithfully proclaimed to this
shining. sinful world. It is not possible
to believe that the carnal mind is better
reconciled to the truths of the gospel
to-day than in former times. And if
there is less persecution, and fewer
trials to ministers of Christ, now than
then, it may be because they live under
q better government and are protected
by purer and better Laws now than then,
but I would sooner guess that it is be-
cause their zeal, faith and activity are
not such as characterized the apostles,
and that their conduct is more conform
able to the prevailing tastes Of sinners
around them, if they have not in many
cases actually toned down the gospel to
suit the refined sensibilities of intuen-
tisl sinners in their midst. Only let
there be return to the apostolic sim.
plicity, plainness and directness of
preaching the gospel, and there will be q
greater 1pheaTal in the world, and q
greater turning of sinners in one direc-
ton or the other. The faithful preach
ing of the gospel has never yet failed to
hAr hoe