The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-08-19

buI remark again, III DenOVe(
/ Christ to suffer-" that the nature of hu
man guilt might be demonstrated. There
is not a common sense man in the house
today that will not admit that the ma
chinery of society is out of gear, thai
the human mind and the human heart
are disorganized, that something ought
to be done and done right away for its
repair and readjustment But the height
and depth and length and breadth and
hate and recklessness and Internal en-.
ergy of the human heart for sin would
not have been demonstrated if against
the holy and innocent one 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, their follies, their sins.
their inconsistencies. But when the
mob outside of Jerusalem howled at tie
Son Of God it was hate against good
ness, it was blasphemy against virtue, it
was earth against heaven What was
it in that innocent and loving face of
Christ that excited the vituperation and
the contumely and scorn of men? If he
had bantered them to come on, if he had
laughed them into derision, if he had de-
nounced them as the vagabonds that
they were, we could understand their
ferocity, but it was against inoffensive-
ness that they brandished their spears,
and shook their fists, and ground their
teeth, and howled and scoffed and ieered
and Knocked.
What evil had he done? Whose eve
sight had he put out? None; but he had
given vision to the blind. Whose child
had he slain? None; but he restored
the dead damsel to her mother. What
law had he broken? None; but he had
inculcated obedience to government.
What foul plot had he enacted against
the happiness of the race? None; he
had come to save world. The only
cruelty he ever enacted was to heal the
sick. The only ostentation he ever dis
played was to sit with publicans and
sinners and wash the disciples feet.
The only selfishness he ever exhibited
was to give his life for his enemies.
And yet all the wrath of the world
surged against his holy heart. Hear
the redhot scorn of the world kissing
in the pools of a Saviour's blood! And
standing there today let us see what an
loathsome, hateful, blast
ing, damning thing is the iniquity of
the human heart. Embossed, what will
not sin do? 1t will scale any height, it
will fathom the very depth of hell, it
will revel in all lasciviousness. There
is no blasphemy it will not utter, there
are no cruelties 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 it would do with
the Lord God Almighty if it could get at
him. The prophet had declared think
it was Jeremiah-had declared centuries
before the truth, but not until sin shot |
out its forked tongue at the crucifix and |
tossed its sting into the soul of mar
tyred Jesus was it illustrated, that "the
heart is deceitful above all things, and
wicked"
OUR LOVE TOWARD CHRIST.
Again, SIT beloved Christ to suffer-"
that our affections might be excited
Christward. Why, sirs, the behavior of
our Lord has stirred the affections of all
those who have ever heard of it. 1t has
hung the art galleries of the world with
such pictures as Ghirlandajos "Wor-
ship of the Magi," Giotto's Baptism of
Christ" Holman Hunts "Christ in the
Temple, Tintoret's agony in the Gar
len," Angeles ''Crucifixion," and it has
,alled out Handel's messiah" and rung
iweetest chimes in "Young's Might
Thoughts" and filled the psalmody of
he world with the penitential notes of
orrow and the hosannas of Christian
triumph.
Show me any other king who has so
many subjects. What is the most DO
ent name today in the United States, in
france, in England, in Scotland, in Ire
and? Jesus. OTHER kings have had ,
many subjects, but where is the king ,,
Who has so many admiring subjects as ;
jhrist? Show me regiment of a thou ,
and men in their army and will show ,
on battalion of ten thousand men in .
,hrist's army. !
Show me in history where one man !
as given his property and his life for !;
ny one else, and will show you in his q.
Dry hundreds and thousands of men
yho have cheerfully died that Christ
night reign. Aye, there are hundred
len in this house who, if need were,
yould step out and die for Jesus. Their /
aith may now seem to be faint, and S
ometimes they may be inconsistent, I
ut let the fires of martyrdom be kin i
led, throw them into the pit, cover '
hem with poisonous serpents, pound l
hem, fail them, crush them, and will t
I'll you what their last cry would be. i
Come, Lord Jesus, come quicklyr' t
Oh, yes! the Lord Jesus has won the I
Elections of many of us. There are o
,me of us who can say this morning. j
Lord Jesus, my light and my song; my c
ope for time, my expectation for eter- L
ity." Altogether lovely thou art. NY 6
,ul is ravished with the vision. Thou {