Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-08-18
USEFUL SUFFERING.
SUBJECT OF TALMACE'S LATEST
SERMON,
The American Divine's European Tour
Coming to a Close-A Text Taken
from Luke 24:46, 1T Behoovcd Christ
to Suffer-"

LONDON. Aug 1.-THE Rev. DR.. Talmage's
European preaching tour is drawing TO close.
During the week he has preached three or four
times in different cities, following out the pro-
gram already announced and everywhere meet
ing large and enthusiastic audiences. This
week he speaks at Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield
and Derby. The subject chosen for to-day is,
Useful Suffering" the text taken being Luke
2I:4G, 1T behooved Christ TO suffer-
There have been scholars who have
ventured the assertion that the pains
of our Lord were unnecessary. Indeed,
it was a shocking waste of tears and
blood and agony, unless some great
end were to be reached. If men can
prove that no good result comes of it,
then the character of God is impeached
and the universe must stand abhor-
rent and denunciatory at the fact
that the Father allowed the butchery of
His only-begotten Son. We all admire
the brave six hundred men described
by Tennyson as dashing into the con-
fiict, when they knew they must die,
and knew at the same time that .'some
one had blunder'd;" but we are abhor-
rent of the man who made the blunder
and who caused the sacrifice of those
brave men for no use. But shall show
you, if the Lord will help me, this
morning, that for good reasons Christ
went through, the torture. In other
words, sit behooved Christ to suffer-"
/. In the first place | remark, that
Christ's decorations were necessary
because mans rescue was an impoSsi-
bility except by the payment of some
great sacrifice. Outraged law had
Numbered against iniquity. Man must
die unless substitute can intercept
that death. Let Gabriel step forth.
He refuses. Let Michael, the arch
angel, step forth. He refuses. No
Roman citizen, no Athenian, no
Corinthian, no reformer, no an
gel volunteered. Christ then barred his
heart to the pang. He paid for our re-
demption in tears of blood, and
wounded feet, and scourged shoulders,
and torn brow. st is done" Heaven
and earth heard the snap of the prison
bar. Sinai ceased to quake with wrath
the moment that Calvary began to
rock in crucitiNion. Christ had suf-
fered. cor says some man, II
don't like that doctrine of substi-
tuition; let every man bear his own
burdens, and weep his own tears, and
fight his own battles" Why, my
brother, there is vicarious suffering
all over the world. Did not your par
ents suffer for you? Do you not suffer
sometimes for your children? Did not
Grace Darling suffer for the drowning
sailors? Vicarious suffering on all
sides! But how insignificant compared
with this scene of vicarious suffering!
Was it for crimes that had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree.
Christ must suffer to pay the price OF
our redemption.
But remark again: The sufferings
of Christ We're necessary in order that
the worlds sympathies might be
aroused. Men are won to the right
and good through their sympathies.
The world must feel Alright before il
can act Alright. SO the cross was al.
lowed to be lifted that the world S
sympathie might be aroused. Men
who have been obdurated by the cruel.
ties they have enacted, by the massacres
they have inflicted, by the horrors OF
which they have been guilty, have be,
come little children in the presence OF
this dying Savior. What the sword
could not do, what Juggernauts could
not subdue, the wounded hand of Christ
has accomplished. There are at this
moment millions of people held under
the spell of that one sacrifice. The
hammers that struck the spikes into
the cross have broken the rocky heart
of the world Nothing but the agonies
of Savior's death-throe could rouse
the worlds sympathies.
Iremark again: lit behooved Christ
to suffer-" that the strength and per
sistcnce of the divine love might be
demonstrated. Was it the applause Of
the world that induced Christ on thai
crusade from heaven? Why, all tn,
universe was at his feet. Could the
conquest of this insignificant planet
have paid him for his career of pain, i
it had been a mere matter of applause.
All the honOrs of heaven surging at hi,
feet. Would your Queen give up hel
| throne that she might rule a miserable
/ tribe in Africa? Would the Lord Jesu
| Christ, on the throne of the universe
come down to our planet if it We're ;
mere matter of applause and acclama
| ton? Nor was it an expedition under
taken for the accumulation of vas
wealth. What could all the harvest
and the diamonds Of our little world d,
for him whose are the glories of infini
tude and eternity? Nor was it an ex
pcrimcnt-au attempt to show what h
could do with the hard-hearted race
lie who wheels in their courses AM
holds the pillars of the universe on tn
tips of his fingers needed to make n
experiment to find what he coul,
do. Oh. will tell you, m
friends, what it was. 1t was undis
yuised, unlimited, all-conquering, all
consuming. infinite, eternal, omnipc
cent love. that opened the gate, tina
started the star in the East, with finge
# light pointing down to the manager
hat arrayed the Christmas choir abov
bethlehem, that opened the stabl
door where Christ was born, tina
lifted him on the cross. Low
thirsty at the well. Love at tn
sick mans couch. Love at the criT
pies crutch. Love sweating in tn
garden. Love dying on the cross
Love wrapped in the grave. You car
not mistake it. The blindcst eye mus
see it. The hardest heart must feel i
The deafest ear must hear it. Parabl
and miracle, wayside talk and seasid
interview, all the scenes of his life, a
the sufferings of his death, proving b,
yond controversy that for our ingrat
earth God has yearned with stupeI
dous and inextinguishable love.
But ! remark again: sit behoove
Christ to suffer- that the nature of h,
man guilt might be demonstrated
There is not common-sense man
the house to-day that will not adm
that the machinery of society is out