Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-11


Milton fner 10 the way Of Imagination
than I can ind In Paurs illustrations
drawn
FROM THE AAIPHITHEATRE
There was nothing In Robert Emmett
pleading for bis life, or in Edmund
Burke arraigning Warren Hastings in
Westminster Hall, that compared with
the scene 10 the courtroom, when be-
fore robed officials Paul bowed and be-
gan his speech, saying, II think myself
happy, KiRg Agrlppa, because 1 shall
answer for myself this day" l repeat
that a religion that can capture man
like that must have some power In 1t.
Ii Is time you stopped talking as though
all the brain Of the world we're opposed
to Christianity. Where Paul leads, we
can afford to follow. l am glad to
know that Christ has Ia the different
ages Of the world had in his disciple
ship a Mozart and q Handel in mule;
Raphael and a Reynolds in painting; an
Angelo and a CauoVa In sculpture;
Rush and a Harvey in medicine, Gro
titus and q Washington Ia statemeuship;
D Blackstone, a Marshall, and Kent 10
law; and the time will come when the
religion Of Christ will conquer all the
observatorles and universities, and
Philosophy will through her telescope
behold the morning star Of Jesus, and
ia her laboratory see "that all things
work together for good, and with her
geological hammer discover the "Rock
Of Ages" Oh, instead Of covering and
shivering when the sceptic stands be-
fore you and talks OF religion as though
it were a pusillauimOus thing-instead
Of that, take your New Testament from
your pocket and show him the pict-
ures of the intellectual giant OF all the
ages, Frustrated on the road to Damas-
Gus while his horse is flying wildly
away; then ask your sceptic what it
was that frightened the ore and threw
the other? Oh no, II is no weak Cos
pei. II is a glorious Gospel. II is an
all-conquering Gospel. 1t is an omni-
potent Gospel. 1t is the power Of God
and the wisdom Of
GOD UNTO SALVATION.
Again, 1 learn from the text a man
cannot become a Christian until he IS
endorsed. The trouble is, we want to
ride into the kingdom Of God, just as
the knight rode into castle gate on the
palfrey, beautifully caparisoned. We
want TO come into the kingdom Of God
10 fine style. No kneeling down at the
altar, no.sittlng on the anxious seat,
no crying over sin, no begging at the
door Of Gods mercy. Clear the road,
and let US come 10 all prancing in the
pride OF our soul. No, we will never
get into heaven that way. We must
dismount. There is 20 knight-errantry
In religion, no fringed traDpings OF re-
pentance, but an utter prostration be-
fore God, a going down in the dust,
with the cry, "Unclean, Unclean"-a
beWailing OF the soul, like David from
the belly Of hell-a going down 10 the
dust, until Christ shall by his grace
lift rs up.as no lifted Paul. Oh, proud
hearted hearsr, YOU must get off that
horse. May a light from the throne of
God brighter than the sun throw you!
Come down into the dust and cry for
pardon, and life, and heaven.
Again, / learn from this scene OF the
text that the grace OF God eau over
come the prosecutor. Christ and Paul
we're boys at the same time ia different
villages, and Pauls antipathy TO Christ
was increasing. He hated everything
about Christ He was going down then
with writs In his pockets TO have
Chrlst's disciples arrested. He was
not going as a sheriff goes, to arrest a
man against whom he had 90 spite, but
Paul was going down to arrest those
people because he was
GLAD TO ARREST THEM
The Bible says, 'He breathed out
Slaughter" He wanted them captured
and be wanted them butchered. / hear
the click, and clash, and clatter OF the
hOOfs OF the gallOping steeds on the
way TO Damascus. OH do you think
that proud man on horseback can ever
become a Christian? Yes! there is a
voice from heaven like thunderelap
utterinR two words, the second word
the same as the first, but uttered with
more emphasis, so that the proud
equestrian NAV have ano doubt as 90
who is meant, saul Saulm That man
was saved, and he was prosecutor;
and so God can by bis grace overcome
any prosecutor. The days of swords and
FIRE for Christians seem 20 have gone by.
The bayOnets of Napoleon L pried open
the "InQuiSItion" and let the rotten
wretches OUT The ancient dungeons
around Rome are to-day mere curios-
tiles for travellers. The Coliseum, where
wild beasts used TO suck up the life OF
the martyrs while the emperor watched
and Lola Pauliua sat with emerald
adornments worth sixty million SEES
terces, clapping her hands while the
Christians died under the claw and
tooth of the liOn-that Coliseum Is q
ruin now. The scene OF the Smithleld
fires is hay market The day OF fire
and swords for Christians seems to have
gone By; but mas the day OF persecution
ceased2 No. Are you not caricatured
for your religion? In proportion as you
try 20 serve God and be faithful TO Him
are you not sometimes maltreated?
That woman finds it hard to be a Chris
tian, as her husband talks aud jeerS
while she is trying TO say her prayers
or read the Bible. That daughter finds
nc hard 20 be q Christian with the whole
family arrayed against her-father,
mother, brother and sister making her
the target Of ridicnle. That young man
finds it hard to be a Christian in the
shop, or factory. or store when his com
rades jeer at him because he will not go
TO TIE GAMBLING-HELL
or other places Of iniQuity. Oh no, the
days OF persecution have not ceased,
and will not until the end Of the world.
But OH We prosecuted ones, is II not
time that you began to pray for your
They are no prOuder, no
fercer, no more set in their way than
was this prosecutor OF the text He
fell. They will fall II Christ from the
baavans grandlv and glorionSlv look