Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-08-26


only cruelty He ever enacted was TO heal the
SICK. The only oStentation he ever dis
plaved was to sit with puollcans AMI sinners
and wash the disciples feet.
The only selfishness 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 redhoe
seorn g. the world kissing in the pools or
q Saviour's blood And standing there to-
day let US see what an unreasonable, loath
soma hateful, blasting, damning thing Is
the iniduity of the human heart. Unloosed,
what will not sin do? 1t will scale any
height, it will fathom the very depth of hell,
it will revel in all lasciVlousness. there Is
no blasphemy it will not utter, there are no
crueIties on which it will not gorge itself. 1t
will wallow in filth it will breathe the air OF
charnelhouses Of corruption and call them
aroma, it will quaff the blood OF immortal
souls and call it nectar.
When sin murdered Christ on the cross it
showed what il would do with the Lord God
Almighty if it could get at Him The
prophet had declared-I think it was Jere-
miah-had declared centuries before the
truth, but not until sin shot out its forked
tongue at the crucifx and tossed its sting
into the soul Of a martyred Jesus was it il
Illustrated, that "the heart is deceitful above
all things and desperat ely wicked"
Again. ut beloved Christ 20 su fer"
that our affections might be excited Christ
ward. Why, sirs. the behavior of our Lord
has stirred the affections of all those who
have ever heard of it. 1t has been the art
galleries OF the world with such pictures as
Ghirlandaio's "Worship of the Magi." Giot-
to's Baptism of Christ" Holman Hunts
''Christ in the Temple" Tintore1s agony
in the Garden" Angeles 'tCrucifixion,"
and it has called out Handles Messiah" and
rung sweetest chimes in Youngs might
Thoughts" and filled the psalmody of the
world with the penitential notes of sorrow
and the hosannas Of Christian triumph.
Show the any 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 Ireland? Jesus
Other kings have had many subjects, but
where is the king who has so many admir-
ing subjects as Christ? Show me regi-
ment of thousand men in their army and
| will show you battalion of ten thousand
men in Christs army.
Show me in history where one man has
given his properly and his life Tor any one
else, aud will show you in history hun
dreds and thousands or men WAC have cheer
fully died that Christ might reign. Aye,
there are hundred men III 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, fail
them, crush them, and 1 will tell you what
their last cry would be, Come, Lord Jesus,
come quickly!'
Oh, yes! the Lord Jesus has won the affec-
tions 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, come scorn
and pain, come whirlwlnd and darkness
Lord Jesus. cannot give Thee up. I hav
heard Thy voice. l have seen Thy bleedin.
side. Lord Jesus, if had some garlan,
plucked from heavenly gardens I would
wreath it for Thy brow. If had some
gem worthy of the place I would set it il
Thy crown. II had seraphic harp Iwoule
strike it in Thy praise. But I come lost anc
ruined and undone to throw myself at Thy
feet.
No price bring:
Simply to Thy cross cling.
Thou knowest all things. Thou knowesl
that love Thee.
But remark again, sit 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 tbs weapons to punish His
enemies, and yet in quiescence He endured
all outrage. He might have hurled the
rocks of Golgotha upon His pursuers: He
might have cleft the earth until He swal-
lowed up His assailants; He might have
called IN reinforcement or taken any thun-
derbolt from the armory of God Omnipotent
and hurled it seething and fiery among His
foes, but De answered not again.
Oh, my hearers! has there ever been in
the history OF the world such an 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
you fretfuI. Sometimes you think that God
has given you cup too deep and too brim-
ming. Sometimes you see the world laugh
ing and romping on the highways of life.
and 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
wounded in the hands and wounded in
the feet, and suffered all over; and I want
that example to make you more enduring in
your suffering, and to make you say.
Father, not Ny will but Thine be done.'
You never have had any bodily pain. and
equaled Christ's torture. st beloved Christ
to suffer-" that He might show you how
physically to suffer.
Some of you are prosecuted. There are
those who hate you. They criticise you
They would be glad to see you stumble and
fall. They have done unaccountable mean
nesses toward you. Sometimes you feel
angry. Y on feel as if you would like to re-
tort. Stop! 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 In the way of persecution
you never would complain of persecution.
The words of Christ would be your words,
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from Me; but if not, Thy will be done" sit
beloved Christ to suffer- persecution, that
He might show you how to endure persecu-
ton.
Some of you are bereft. 1t is no random