Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-08-25

when sin murdered Christ on the cross it
showed what 1t 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 crucifix and tossed its sting
into the soul OF a martyred Jesus was it il
lustrated. that 1.-THE heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked.n
Again, 1T beloved Christ to su ffer,n
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 1t. 1t has been the ART
galleries OF the world with such pictures ms
Gnriandaios NV orship Of the Magi," Giot-
to's Baptism of Christi Holman Hunts
christ in the Temple" Tintore6s "Agony
IN the Garden" Angeles ''Crucifixionn
and it has called out Handeps Messiah and
rung sweetest chimes in Young's 'iNight
thoughts" and filed the psalmoiy of the
world with the penitential notes of sorrow
and the hosannas of Christian triumph.
SHOW me 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 Christi Show me a regi.
ment of a thousand men in their army and
Will show you battalion OF ten thousand
uueu IN CDrlSGS army.
Show me in history where one man has
given his property and his life for any one
else, aud will show you In history hun.
dreds and thousands OF men who have cheer
fully died that Christ might reign. Ave.
there are a hundred men in this house who.
II 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 will tell you what
their last cry would be, "Come, Lord Jesus,
come quick1yp'
Oh, yesl the Lord Jesus has won the affsc-
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 whirlwind and darkness.
Lord Jesus l cannot give Thee up. I have
heard Thy voice. ! have seen Thy bleeding
side Lord Jesus. if / had some garland
plucked from heavenly gardens / would
wreath it for Thy brow. If l had some
gem worthy OF the place l would set it in
Thy crown. II had seraphic harp / would
strike it in Thy praise. But come lost and
ruined AMI uudone to throw myself at Thy
feet
No price bring;
Simply to Thy cross cling.
Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest
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 the weapons to punish His
enemies, and yet in quiescence He endured
all outrage. He might have hurled the
rocks of Golgotha upon His pursusrs; He
might have cleft the earth until He swaI-
lowed up His assaiants; He might have
called in reinforcement or taken any thun-
derbolt from the armory of God Omnipotent
and hurlei it seething and fiery among His
foes, but He answerel 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 cross?
Some OF you suffer physical distresses, some
of you have lifelong ailments and they make
you fretful. Sometimes you think that God
has given you a cup too deep and too brin
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 chair.
/ want to show you this morning one who
ha worse pains in the head than you have
ever had, whose back was scourged, who
was wounded in the hands and wounded in
that example to make you more enduring in
your suffering, and to make you say,
''Father. not My will but Thine be DONE"
You never have had any bodily pain, and
you will never have any bodily pain that
equaled Christ's torture. ut beloved Christ
to suffer-" that He might show you how
physically to suffer.
Some of you are persecuted 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. You feel ss If you would like to re
tort. Stopl 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 Ne; 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. Tt Is no random
remark, because there Is hardly family
here that has not passed under the shadow.
You have been bereft. Your house is
different place from what it used to be. The
same furniture, the same books, the same
pictures but there has been voice hushed
there. The face that used to light up the
whole dwelling has vanished. The patter-
ing Of the other feet does not break up
the loneliness. The wave has gone over your
soul, and you have sometimes Thought what
YOU would tell him when he comes back,
but then the thought has flashed upon you,
he will never come back.
All! my brother, my sister, Christ has
sounded all that depth, Jesus of the bereft
soul is here to-day. Behold Him! he
knows what it is to weep at the tomb. II
seems TO me as if all the storms of the world s
sorrow were compressed into one sob, and
that sob were uttered in two words, Jesus
wept."
/ close my sermon with doxology
"Blessing and glory aud honor and pow er b,
INTO Him that sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb forever. Amen and amen
Coffee-Tea the New Beverage.
A new beverage called coffee-tea il
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