Democratic messenger., 1892-08-20
TALMAGE IN EUROPE.
THE cRuciFIxIoN or CHRIST WAS
AN INFINITE NECESSITY.

| IT We Say Ihat ANY Lesser Sacrince
Would Have Served. We Charge God
with Foiiy-Iedccming Love Is Inn-
mite Love-Thc DeceitfuI Heart.
LONDON, Aug. 14.-Rev. DIR. Talmagc's
European preaching tour is drawing to
y close. During the week he has
preached three or four times in different
cities, following out The programme
already announced, and everywhere
meeting large and enthusiastic audi
ences. This week he speaks at Leeds.
Bradford. Sheffield and Derby. The
subject chosen for today is Useful
Suffering" the text taken being Luke
xiv, 46. 1T beloved Christ to suffer. ="
There have been scholars who have
ventured the assertion that the pains Of
our Lord were unnecessary. Indeed it
was n shocking waste of tears and blood
and agony, unless some great end were
to be reached. If men can prove that
no good result comes of it, then the
character of God is impeached. and the
universe must stand abhorrent and de-
nunciatory at the fact that the Father
allowed the butchery Of his only begot-
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 blunder'd:" but we
are abhorrent of the man who made the
blunder and who caused the sacrifice of
those brave men for no use. But shall
show you. If the Lord will help me. this
morning that for good reasons Christ
went through the torture. In other
words. 1T beloved Christ to suffer-
In the first place, | remark that
Christ's lacerations were necessary. be-
cause mans rescue was an impossibility
except by the payment of some great
sacrifice. Outraged law had thundered
against iniquity. Man must die unless
substitute can intercept that death.
Let Gabriel step forth. He refuses. Let
Michael the archangel step forth. He
refuses. No Roman citizen. no Athe-
nian, no Corinthian. no reforIner. no
angel volunteered. Christ then barred
his heart to the pang. He paid for our
redemption in tears and blood and
wounded feet and scourged shoulders
and torn brow. 1T is done" Heaven
and earth heard the snap of the prison
bar. Sinai ceased to quake with wrath
the moment that Calvary began to rock
in crucifxion. Christ had suffered.
"Oh." says some man. IL don't like
that doctrine of substitution: let every
man bear his own burdens. and weep
his own tears. and fight his own battles!"
Why. my brother. there is vicarious suf-
fering all over the world. Did not Your
parents suffer for You: Do you not
sometimes suffer for your children?
Does not the patriot suffer for his coun-
try? Did not Grace Darling suffer for
the drowning sailors: Vicarious suffer
ing on all sides. But how insignificant
compared with this scene of vicarious
suffering.
Was IL for crimes that had done
He groancd upon the tree!
| Amazing pity. grace unknown.
And love beyond degree.
Christ must suffer TO pay the price of
our redemption.
THE HEALING SYMPATHY.
But | remark again. the sufferings
of Christ We're necessary i'll order that
the worlds sympathies might be aroused.
Men are won To the right and good
through their sympathies. The world
must feel Alright before it can act Alright.
So the cross was allowed To he lifted
that the worlds sympathies might be
aroused. Men who have been obdurated
by the crucl,ies they have enacted. by
the massacreS they have inflicted, by the
horrors of which they have been guilty.
have become little children in the pres
ence of this dying Saviour.
What the swords could not do. what
Juggernauts could not subdue, the
wounded hand of Christ has accom-
plished. There are this moment millions
Of people held under the spell of that
one sacrifice. The hammers that struck
the spikes into the cross have broken the
rocky heart of the world. Nothing but
the agonies of a Saviour's death throe
could rouse the worlds sympathies.
remark again. 1T beloved Christ
to suffer-" that the strength and persist
ence of the divine love might be demon
strated. Was it the applause of the
world that induced Christ on that cru
SADIE from heaven? Why, all the uni
verse was at his feet Could the con-
quest of this insignificant planet have
paid him for his career of pain if il had
been a mere matter of applause: All
the honors of heaven surging ut 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
to our planet if it We're a mere matter Of
applause and acclamation:
Nor was it 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 infinitude and
eternity? Nor was it an experiment
an attempt to show what he could do
with the hard hearted race. He who
wheels the stars in their courses and
holds the pillars of the universe on the
tips of his fingers needed to make no
experiment To find what he could do.
Oh. will tell You. my friends, what it
was. II was undisguised. unlimited,
all conquering. all consuming, inf
mite, eternal, omnipotent love that
opened the gate. that started the
star in the east, with finger of light
pointing down to the manger, that ar
rayed the Christmas choir above Beth
lehem, that opened the stable door where
Christ was born, that lifted him ON the
cross Love thirsty at the well. Love
at the sick mans couch. Love at the
cripple's crutch. Love sweating in the
garden. Love dying on the cross. Love
wrapped in the grave. You cannot mis-
take it. The blindest eye must see it
The hardest heart must feel it. Th,
deafest ear must hear it. Parable and
miracle, wayside talk and seaside inter
view, all the scenes of his life, all tn,
sufferings Of his death. proving beyon'
controversy that for our migrate eartl