Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-08-19


Tor the drowning sailorsy Ncarious suffer
ing on all sides But how Insignificant COM
pared with this scene of vicarious suffer
ingl
Was it for crimes that had don3
He grOaned upon the tree7
Amazing pity. grace unknown,
And love beyond degree.
Christ must suffer 10 pay the price Of our
redemption.
But | remark again, the sutferings Of
Christ were necessary in order that the
worlds sympathies might be aroused. Men
are won 10 the right and good throu yh their
sympathies. The world must feel Alright
tefore it can act Alright. So the cross was
allowed to be lifted that the worlds sympa-
thies might be aroused. Men who have
been obdurated by the cruelties they have
enacted, the masSacres they have inflicted,
by the horrors of which they have been
guilty, have become little children in the
presence Of this dying Saviour.
What the swords could not do, what jug.
.ernauts could nos suodue the wounded
hand of Christ has accomplished. There
are this moment millions Of people held uu-
der the spell Of that one sacrifice. The ham
mers that struck the spikes into the cross
nave broken the ROCKY neart Of the world.
Nothing but the agones o. Saviours death
-
| remark again, TT beloved Christ to
suffer- that thu strength and persistence OF
the divine love might be demonstrated. Was
It the applause OF the world that induced
Christ on that crusade from Heaven Why,
all the universe was at His feet. Could the
conquest Of this Insignificant planet have
paid Him for His career OF pain II 1t had
been a mere matter OF applause: All tue
honors OF heaven surging at His feet.
Would your queen give up her throne that
she might rule a miserable tribe in Africa
Would the Lord Jesus Christ on the throne
of the universe come down to our planet It
it were a mere matter OF applause and ac-
clamation?
Nor was it an expedition undertaken for
the accumulation of vast wealth. Nnat
could all the harvests and the diamonds OF
our littleIvorld do for Him whose are the
glories Of inhnitu .e and eternity? Nor was
il an experiment-an attempt TO show what
He could do nth the hard hearted race. tie
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, [ viii tell
YOU. my friends, what it was. 1t was IN
disguised, unlimited, all conquering, all con-
suming. infinite eternal, omnlpotent love
that opened the gate. that startei the
star in the east, with finger OF light
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 crutcb. Love
sweating in the garden Love dying on the
cross. Love wrapped in the grave. fou
cannot mistake it. The blndest eye must
see il. The hardest heart must feel it, The
deafest ear must hear it. Parable and
miracle. wayside talk aud seaside interview,
all tive scenes OF His life, all the sutferings Of
His 6estb, proving beyond controversy that
for our migrate earth God has yearned with
stupendous and inextingu shable love.
But remark again, 1t beloved Christ Il
suffer-" tnaU tn rature 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 and tho
human heart are disorgauize5, that some
thing ought TO be done right away for its re-
pair and readjustment. But the height and
depth and length and breadth and hate and
recklesSness AMI Internal energy OF tho
human heart for sin would not have been
demonstrated il against the holy and limo.
cent ono of the cross it had not been hurled
in one bolt of fire
Christ was not the first man that had been
put to death. There had been many before
Him put to death, but they had their whims,
the r foliies. their sins, their Inconsistencies.
But wnen the mob outside o. Jerusalem
howled at the Son of God it was hate against
goodness, it was blasohemy against virtue
IL was earth against heaven. What was it
in that innocent and loving face Of Christ
that excited the vituperation and the con-
tumely and scorn Of mem II He had ban
tered them to come on, il He had laughed
them into derision, If He had denounced
them as the vagabonds that they were, we
could understand their ferocity but it was
against inofensiveDess that they brandished
their spears, and shook their fists and ground
their teeth, and howled and scoffed and
jeered and Knocked.
What evil had He dones Whose eYesight
had He put out2 None; but He given vision
10 the blind Whose child had He slain,
None; but He restored tho dead damsel to
her mother. What law had He brokenl
None: but He had inculcated Obedience to
government. What foul plot had He en-
acted against the happiness OF the racer
None; He had come TO save a world. The
only cruelty He ever enacted was TO heal the
sick. The only ostentation He ever dis
played was to sit with publicans a11 sinners
and wash the disciples feet.
The only selfshuess He ever exhibited
was to give His life for His enemies. And
vet all the wrath Of the world surged
against His holy heart, Hear the redhot
scorn Of the world Kissing in the pools OF
Saviours blood AMI standing there to-
day let us see what an unreasonable, loath-
soma hateful blasting, damning thing is
the iniquity of the human heart Unloosst,
what will not sin do? It will scale any
height, it will fathom the very depth Of hell,
it will revel in all lasciyiousness. There is
no blasphemy it will not utter, there are no
cruelties on which il will not gorge itself. 1t
will wallow in filth, it will breathe the air OF
chirnelhouses Of corruption aud call the
aroma, it will quaff the blood OF immortal
souls and call it nectar.
When sin murdered Christ on the cross IL
showed what It would do with the Lord God
Almighty if it could get at Him. The
prophet had declarei-I think IL was Jere-
miah-had declared CENTURIES before the
truth, but not until sin shot out IFS forxed
tongue at the crucfx ami fossil its sting
into the soul OF martyrsd Jesus was Il l.
Illustrated. that rite heart is deceitfu above
all things aud des )eratsly wicked"
Again, 1T beloved Christ to su FIR"
that our affections might be excited Christ
ward Why, sirs. the behavior of our Lord
has stirred the affections Of oil those who
have ever heard OF II. IL mas been tue arV
galleries OF the world with such pictures as
worship OF the Migi," Giot-
to's Baptism OF Christ Holman Hunts
Christ in the Temple" Tintorers Agony
in the Garden Angeles "Crucihxion,"
and it has called out Handsrs Messiah" aut
rung sweetest chimes in Youngs Night
Thoughts, and filed the psalmody OF the
world with the penitential notes Of sorrow
and the hosannas Of Christian triu npb.
Show me aaY other king who has 50
many subjects. What Is the most potent
name tc-iay in the United Sta.es In France,
in England, in Scotland, in lre'a1li Jesus
Other kings have had many subj cts, oue
where is the king who has 50 many admir-
ing subjects as Christi Show me req,
ment OF a thousand men in their army aug
I viii show Won battalion OF ten ,lousani
men in Chri.ts army.
Shogv ma IN history where one man mas