The Opelousas courier., 1892-10-29

Ghirlandaio's "Worship of the Magi, y Giot-
tos Baptism of Christ" Holman Hunts
''Christ in the Temple" TintoreG's "Agonv
in the Garden Angeles ''C~ruciaxion,"
and it has called out Handers Messiah" and
rung sweetest chimes in Young's might
Thoughts" and filled the psalmody of the
world with the penitential notes of sorrow
and the hosannas of Christian triumph.
Show me n other king who has so
many subjects. What is the most potent
name to-day in the United States, In France,
in England, in Scotland, in Irelanda Jesus.
Other kings have had many subjects, but
where is the king who has so many admir-
ing subjects as Christi Show me q regi-
mem of a thousand men in their army and
l will show you a battalion of ten thousand
mel in Christ's army.
gr Sa9 H Z sf prG ~ hs - sna f lis iae f fof any q 5Snhss
else, aud 1 will show you in history hum
dreds and thousands OF men who have cheer
fully died chat Christ might reign. Aye,
there are a hundred men in this house who,
If need were, would step out and die for
Jesus. Their faith may now seem to be
faint, and sometimes they may be inconsis-
tent, but let the fires of ~martyrdom be kim
died, throw them into the pit, cover them
with poisonous serpents, pound them, Hail
them, crush them, and [ will tell you b
their last cry would be, "Come, Lord Jesus,
come quickly"
Oh, yesl the Lord Jesus has won the aztec
ions of many of us. There are some OF us
who can say. this morning, Lord Jesus, my
light and my song; my hope for time. my
expectation for eternity" Altogether lovely
Thou art. My soul is ravished with the
vision. Thou art mine Come let me clasp
Thee, Come life, come death, coms scorn
and pain, come whirlwind and darkness.
Lord Jesus. l cannot give Thee up. l have
heard Thy voice. l nave seen Thy bleeding
side. Lord Jesus, if | had some garland
plucked from heavenly gardens I would
wreath it for Thy brow. It l had some
gem worthy of the place | would set it in
Thy crown. It | had seraphic harp would
strike it in Thy praise. But l come lost and
ruined and undone to throw myself at Thy
feet.
No price I bring:
Simply to Thy cross Telling.
Thou knowest all things. Thou ktowest
that I love Thee.
But | remark again, ut beloved Christ to
suffer-" that the world might learn how to
suffer. Sometimes people suffer because
they cannot help themselves, but Christ had
in His hands all the weapons to punish His
enemies, and yet in quiescence He endured
all outrage. He might have hurled the
rocks of Golgotha upon His uursuers: He
might have cleft the earth until He swal-
lowed up His assailants; He might nave
called in reinforcement or taken any thun-
derbolt from the armory of God Omnipotent
and hurled it seething and fiery among His
foes, but He answered not again.
Oh. my hearersi has there ever been in
the history OF the world such al example of
enduring patience as we find in the CROSSE
Some of you suffer physical distresses, some
of you have lifelong ailments and they make
Uo frofftTI Sometimes Won think that t41N
has given you a cup too deep and too brim
ming, Sometimes you see the world laugh
ing and romping on the highways OF life,
snd YOU look out of the window while seated
IN invalid's chair.
want to show you this morning one who
had worse pains in the head than you have
ever had, whose back was scourged, who
was wounded in the hands and wounded in
the feet, and suffered all over; and | want
that example to make you more enduring in
YOUR suffering. and to make you say,
stFather, not My will but Thine be DONE"
You never lave had any bodily pain, and
you will never have any bodily pain that
equaled Christ's torture. ut beloved Christ
to suffer-" that He might show you how
physically to suffer.
Some of you are prosecuted. There are
those wao hate you. They criticise you.
They would be glad to see you stumble and
fall. They have done unaccountabie mean
nesses toward you. Sometimes you feel
angry. You feel as if you would like to re
tort. Stopl Look at the closed lips, look at
the still hand, look at the beautiful demeanor
of your Lord. Struck, not striking back
again. Oh, if you could only appreciate
what He endured m the way OF persecution
Won never would complain of persecution.
The words of Christ would be your words.
stFather. if it be possible, let this cup pass
from Me: but if not, Thy will be done" "It
hehoyed Christ to suffer- persecution, that
He might show you how to endure persecu-
tion.
Some of you are bereft. 1t is no random
remark. because there is hardly a family
here that has not passed under the d
You nave been bereft. Your house Is q
different place from what it used to be. n
same furniture, the same books, the same
mixtures. but there has been a voice hushed
there. The face that used to Light up the
whole dwelling has vanished. The patter-
ing OF the other feet does not break up
tbe loneliness. The wave has gone over your
sonl. and YOU nave sometimes thought what
Won would tell him when he comes back;
but then the thought has flashed upon you,
he win never come back.
Ali my brother, my sister, Christ mas
sounded all that depth, Jesus OF the berefe
sonI is here today. Behold Himi he
knows what it is to weep at the Ii
seems to me as if all the storms OF the worlds
sorrow were compressed into one sob, and
| that sob were uttered in two words, Jesus
wept." -
| close my sermon with a doxology:
"BEessing and glory and honor ami pow or De
INTO Him that sitteth upon the throne, aud
unto the Lamb, forever. Amen and amene'