Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-08-26

tSi tuV VI Onulub SdlOTsE lCArlUu5 suffer-
ing on all sides But how Insignificant com
pared with this scene OF vicarious suffer
ing
was II FOR crimes that hat dOnl
lie groaned upon the tree:
Amazing pity, grace unkuown,
And love beyond degree.
Christ must suffer to pay the pric, OF our
re iemption.
But ! remark again, the sufferinZs OF
Christ were necessary in order thai the
worlds sympathies might be aroused Men
are won TO the right and good throu III their
ympathes. The world must feel Alright
oetore it can act Alright. SO the cross was
allowed TO be lifted that the worlds svmpl-
!hies might be arouslt Men who have
been obduratei by the crueItes they have
Enacted, the masSacres they have inflicted,
oy the horrors of which they have zen
guilty, have become little children in the
presence Of this dying Saviour.
What the swords could not DO, what jug.
Eernauts could not subdue, the wounded
hand OF Christ has accomplished. There
are this moment millions OF people held uu-
der the spell OF that one sacrifice. fhe ham
mers that struck the spikes into the cross
cave broken the rocky naart OF the world.
Nothing but the agonics OF Saviour death
throe could rouse the worlds SympathieS.
| remark again, 1t behovei Christ to
Mffer," that thu strength and persistence OF
the divine love might be demonstrated. Was
It the applause OF the world that inducsi
Christ on that crusade from Hahvenl Whv,
all the universe was at His feet. Could the
conquest of this insignificant plane: have
paid Him for His career OF pain il it had
been a mere matter OF applause All tue
donors OF heaven surgng at His feet.
Would your queen give up her throne thGt
ehp might I'll "a "a mi hla friha n AfTiCat
Would the Lord Jesus Christ on the throne
Of the universe come down to our planet il
it were a mere matter Of En) n).RuS, and ac-
clamation?
Nor was 1t an expedition undertaken for
the accumulation OF vast wealth. W hat
could all the harvests and the diamonds OF
our little world do for Him whose are the
glories of ininitu lie and eternity Nor was
IL an experiment-an attempt 10 show what
He could do With the hard hearted race. de
who wheels the stars in their courses and
holds the pillars OF the universe on the tips
OF His fingers needed to make no experiment
to find what He could do. Oh, | will tell
you, my friends, what it was. 1t was un.
disguised, unlimited, all conquering, all con-
suming, infinite, eternal, omnipotent love
that opened the gate, that started the
star in the east, with finger OF liSht
pointing down to the manager that arrayed
the Christmas choir above Bethlehem, that
opened the stable door where Christ was
born, that lifted Him on the cross. Love
thirsty at the we'll Love at the sick mans
couch. Love at the cripple's crutch. Love
sweating in the garden. Love dying on the
cross. Love wrapped in the grave. You
cannot mistake it. The blindest eye must
eco it. The hardest heart must feel it. The
deafest ear must hear it Parable ami
miracle, wayside talk and seaside interview,
all the scenes of His life, all the suferings OK
His death, proving beyond controversy that
for our migrate earth God has yearned with
stupendous and inextinguishabls love.
But | remark again. ut beloved Christ Ia
suffer-" that the nature Of human guilt
might be demonstrated. There is not a com.
mon sense man in the house to-day that will
not admit that the machinery OF society is
out Of gear, that the human mind AMI this
human heart are disorganizsi, that some
thing ought to be done right away for its re-
pair and readjustment. But the height an !
depth and length and breadth and hate and
recklessness and internal energy OF the
human heart for sin would not nave been
demonstrated il against the holy aud limo.
cent one of the cross 1t had not been hurlei
in one bolt of lire.
Christ was not the first man tiat ha l been
put to death. There had bsen many bsS1rs
I1lHl put W buL tloS Luu IuelT WnltlS
the folies, their sins, their inconsist IN cies
But wnen the mob outside OF jerusalem
howled at the son of God 1t was hats against
goodness, it was bias )hsmy against virtua,
it was earth against heaven. What was it
in that innocent AMI loving facs OF Christ
that eRcitei the vituperaton and the cor
tumely aud scorn OF men? IL He had ban
tered them to come on, il He had laughed
them into derision, il He hal denounced
them as the vagabonds that they were, we
could understand their ferocity, but it was
against inofensiveDess that they brandished
their spears, aud shook their fists, and ground
their teeth, and howled and scofred and
jeered and Knocked.
What evil had He done' Whose eyesight
had He put out' None; but He given vision
to the blind. Whose child hal He sltinp
None; but He restored th3 dea dlnSal to
her mother. What law had He broken,
None; but He had incuIcated ODE elience to
government. What foul plot had He en-.
acted against the happiness OF the racef
None; He had come to save world. The
only cruelty He ever enacted was TO heal the
sick. The only ostentation He ever dis
played was to sit with publicans an sinners
and wash the disciples feet.
The only selishness He ever exhibits1
was to give His life for His enemies. And
vet all the wrath OF the world surgel
against His hoy heart, Hear the redhot
scorn of the world kissing in the pools OF
q Ssyiour's bloo1l An standing there to.
day let Us sec what an unreasonable, loath-
some, hateful, blasting, damnng thing is
the iniquity OF the human heart. Unoose I,
what will not sin dor 1t will scale any
height it will fathom the very depth of hell,
1t will revel in all lasciyiousness. There Is
no blasphemy It will not UTTER there are no
eruelties on which 1t will not gorge itself. 1t