The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-09-23
Useful SUFFERING.
.,..us christs Lacerations Were Me-
essary.
miami and Tears Paid For Our Redemp-
Noncompliance aud Acclamatlon Did
Not Actuatc Him To Die n Mar
tyr-Talmage's Sermon.

70 suffer"
There have been scholars who have
vruturcd the assertion that the pains of
our Lord were unnecessary. Indeed. it
vas n shocking waste OF tears and blood
and agony, unless some great end were
"a be reached. II men can prove that
no good result come OF it then the char
scter of God is impcached, and the uni.
verse must stand abhorrent and dcnun-
eiatory ut the fact that the Father al
lowed the butchery of His only bcgot-
ten Son. We all admire the brave six
hundred men described by Tennyson as
dashing into the conflict when they
knew they must die, and knew at the
same time that "some one had blum
dcred," but we are abhorrcnt of the
man who made the blunder and who
caused ;hc sacrifice of those brave men
for no use. But | shall show you, il
the Lord will help me, this morning,
that for good reasons Christ went
through the torture. In other words,
ut behooved Christ to suffer"
/. In the first place l remark that
Christ's decorations were necessary, be-
cause mans rescue was an imposSibility
except by the payment OF some great
sacrifice. Outraged law had Numbered
against iniquity. Man must die unless
o substitute can intercept that death.
Let Gabriel step forth. He refuses
Let Michael the Archangel step forth.
He refuses, No Roman citizen, no Athc-
man, no Corinthian, no rcformcr, no
angel volunteered.
Christ then barred His heart TO the
pang. He paid for our redemption in
tears and blood, and wounded feet, and
secured shoulders and torn brow. ut
is done" Heaven and earth heard the
snap of the prison bar. Sinai ceased Ia
quake with wrath the moment that
Calvary began to rock In crucitixion.
Christ had suffered. oh" says some
man, II don't like that doctrine of sub
let every man bear his own
burdens and weep his own tears, and
fight his own battles" Why, my
brother, there is vicarious sufferings all
over the world. Did not your parents
suffer for you? Do You not suffer some
times for your children? Does not the
patriot suffer for his country? Did not
Grace Darling suffer for the drowning
sailors? Vicarious suffering onall Sides
But how insignificant compared with
this scene of viearious suffering?
Vast il for crimes that have done
He groancd upon the trecy
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree
Christ must suffer tn pay the price Of
our redemption
But remark again: The sufferings OF
worlds sympathicS might he 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 allowed To be
lifted that the worlds sympathleS
might he aroused. Men who have been
obdurated by the crueltins they have
enacted, by the massacres they have i'm
flcted, by the horrors of which they
have been guilty, have become little
children in the presence Of this dying
Saviour. What the sword could not do,
what Juggernauts could not suodue,
the wounded hand OF Christ has accom-
Ions of people held under the spell OF
that one sacrifice. The hammers that
struck the spikes into tho cross have
broken the rocky heart OF the world.
Nothing but the agonies OF Saviour's
death-throe could arouse the worlds
remark again: "It beloved Christ
10 suffer-" that the strength and per-
sistence of the divine love might be
demonstrated. Was il the applause OF
the world that induced Christ on that
crusade from Heaven? Could the con-
quest OF this Insignificant planet have
paid Him for Ills career Of pain, II 1t
had been n mere matter Of applause?
All the honors of Heaven surging at
His feet Would your queen give up
her throne that she might rule
miserable tribe in Africa? Would the
Lord Jesus Christ, on the throne OF the
universe, come down 10 our planet II II
were mere matter of applause and
exclamation? Nor was il an expedition
undertaken for the accumulation OF
vast wealth. What could all the
harvests and the diamonds OF our
little world do for him whose
are the glories of infnitudc and eter-
nifty? Nor was it an experlment--an
attempt to show what he could do with
The hard-heartcd race. lie who wheels
'ne stars in their course and holds the
pillars of the universe on the tips of his
myers needed TO make no experiment
70 ind what he could do. OH VIII
tell You, my friends, what 1t was. II
was nndisguised, unlimited, all-eonquer-
ing all-consuming, infinite, eternal, om-
nipotent love that opened the gate, that
started the star in the east with finger
VI light pointing down TO the manager;
mat arrayed the Christmas choir above
hethlehem; that opened the stable door