The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-12
L SS0N FROM THE FIGHT.
Rev. David Mitchell breaches on the
Christian GIadi asOr.

AtCNs 0afhN NhItCASiI LrtachoS on the
Christian GIadi asor.
The Rev. David Mitchell preached last
evening in the Scotch Presbyterian
Church on the subject of 1.-THE Christian
ana the Gladiator" taking for his text
The words Unto HIM that smiteth thee
on the one cheek, offer also the other
The preacher spoke at the outset upon the
admiration for the Sermon on the Mount
t hat is felt even 10y worldly man. "This
Is II valuable concession" said he; ''but
we should not forget the d~iscourses of
Jesus, and, above all, his many parallels,
all of which are more than beautiful.
They are true. They are food for the
human soul. Then, in regard to such
sayings as the text, it should be remem-
beied that Que part of Christ's u%tterances
u be Interpreted in harmony with the
rest. We should not build doctrines on
The literal Interpretation of such pas
SageS. They are Stroug u~tterances. goiug
to show we should be ready TO sacrifice
much in order to draw men 10 the Cos
pei. We should even love our enemies
rather than insist upon every little privi-
lege."
The spirit of the passage, as a whole,
showed what it was to be a rood soldier
of Jesus Christ. The preacher said he
would point ont points of analogy be-
tween the Gladiator and the Christian
and first they each represented a calling.
There arr certain men whose coustitu-
tioBal qualities single them out as prize
lighters This is especially the case with
the soliier of the Cross. He's a calling
most worthy. There is nothing to be said
against this view. He is called by God
in His Providence and by grace to sery e
the Lord. The second point is the train
ing required. The fighter has a sOe cial
Course to go through; his trainers watch
his every move, they are jealous of any
departure from their instructions. These
men must go through a severe discipline.
What a training has the Christian from
his first CALL As IL child he is to be
trained upin the nurture and ~admonition
of the Lord During youth. he must be
learning the Scriptures, he must be put
ting into practice all he reads and studies.
What discipline when on our knees in
prayer! We are being taught OF GodTs
spirit.
Then thirdly there is the fight to be
fought. In the case OF The gladiator, how
earnestly are all looking forward to the
moment when the battle is to begin.
Think of the ten thousand outside of the
theatre waiting for the least intimation
of what is going on within. Remember
what we read in our pa: ers of the saloons
crowded TO the door, aud tic, tic, tic. goes
the wire telling the rounds. But the
Christians contest is quite a different
affair. Il is marked by qualities just the
opposite OF those of tue merely physical
warrior. The gladiator tries to punish
his man. He will make him bleed rather
tina help him-the question is TO paralyze
his opponent. II the logical issue of death
should take place l suppose the crowd
would have nothing TO say. But what u
different warfare is the Christians! He
thinks only of gaining his enemy at his
own cost. When he is struck on the one
cheek he will tura to the enemy his other.
His object is to help, to bless, to build up
the manhood of another. 1t may we'll be
called the goodnight of fadth.
LASTLY, we have to onsider the result
OF the warfare on be I sides. With
Glndiators possibly they m light both con-
quer by II drawn fight. But in general
only one can be the victor. 1t ia d miser-
able victory at best. 1t is a mean conten-
ton 1t rOuses the worst passions. In
the Christian fight all who ar e faithful
will be more than ~conquerors - the end.
They triumph on the sile of the truth
Every day it is a victory" The 81 eaker
referred to miuorities, but be would
rather be in the minority in a battle for
the trulh h, for victory was assured i'll the
end. He Won rather be one of the 300
of Gideon's heroes than of the 10, 900 ar
rayed against him. The Christian forces
might be in the minority, but there was
victory in the end for each ana
all. Think" he said, ''of your
death in the light of being a true
soldier of Christ. and remember how all
engaged on the Lords side will stand at
the Judgment and throughout eternity
clothed in their CARDS of victory and
crowned with the laurels of the King"