The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-31
REV. DIR. TAIMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE ny THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: can Heaven Looking On. :;

mon In Washington was. "All Heaven
Looking On. the text selected being the
famous passage from Hebrews Kill. 1: "See-
ing we also are compassed about with so
great cloud Of witnesses"
In this my opening sermon In the National
Capital give you heartest Christian saluta.
ton bethink myself OF the privilege OF
standing In this historic church. so long pre-
sided over by one OK the most remarkable
men Of the century. There are plenty OF
good ministers beside Or. Sunderland, but
do not know OF any man except himself with
enough brain to have stood successfully and
triumphantly forty-three years in this con-
spicuous pulpit. Long distant be the year
when that gospel chieftain shalt put down
The silver trumpet with which he
has marshaled the hosts Of Israel or
.heathc the sword with which he has
struck such mighty blows for God and
righteousness ] come to YOU with tho same
gospel that he has preached and to Join you
in all kinds OF work for making the world
better, and hope to see YOU all In your own
homes and have you nj come and see me.
bu. don't all comeat once And without any
preliminary dlscourses as TO what propose
90 do begin here aud now 10 cheer YOU with
the thought that all heaven H. sympathetic
cly looking on. Seeing we also are COM
passed about with so great n cloud OF wit
ncsses.
Crossing the Aims by tho Mont Gents pass.
or through the Mont Cents tunnel. YOU are
IN few hours scr down at Verona. Italy.
and in few minutes begin examining one
oi the grandest ruins in the world-thc
amphiiheatcr. The wnolc building sweeps
around YOU in a circle. You stand in
the arena where the combat was once
iought or the race run, and on all sides the
seats rise tier above tier until YOU count forty
elevations or GALLERIES. [ shall SEQ III
TO cHll ihem-n which sat the senators.
the kings and the 25,OOO excited spccta-
tor. At the sides Of the arena and under
The galleries are the cages in which the lions
and tigers are kept without food until.
irenzicd with hunger and thirst thoy are lot
out upon some poor victim, who, with his
sword and alone. is condemned 90 meet
them ! think that Paul himself once stood
10 such place. and that 1t was not only
| dguratively. but literally. that no had
"iought with beasts at Ephesus"
The gala day has come. From all the
world the people are pouring into
Verona, Men, women and children
orators and senators. great men and
snail, thousands upon thousands come.
until the first gallery Is full and the
second. the third. the fourth. the fifth
| al the way up 10 the twentieth. all the
| way up to the thirtieth all the way up
| TO the fOrtieth. Every place Is filled
| lnmen-ity Of audience sweeping the
srea. circle. Silence! The time for the
contest mas come. Roman official lends
his sword. with firm grip. into his right
hand. The $4,000 sit breathlessly watching
/ hear the door at the side of the arena
creak open. Out plunges the half starved
lion. his tongue athirst for blood, and with
roar that brings all the galleries TO their
ieet he rushes against the sword of the COM
batant Do you know how strong a stroke
man will strike when his life depends
upon the first thrust OF his blade? The
wild beast, lame and bleeding. sinks back
toward the side OF the arena. Then, rally
Ing his wasting strength. he comes UP with
tercer eye and more terrible roar than ever,
only to be driven back with u fatal wound
while the combatant comes in with stroke
after stroke. until the monster Is dead Mt his
|eet and the 200 people clap their hands
MD utter shout that makes the city trem-
Sometimes the audience came to see n
raee. sometimes to see gl1diators fight each
dher until the people compassionate for
The iaueu. turned their thumbs up us an ap-
peal that the vanquished be spared, and
sometimes the combat was with wild beasts. |
10 an amphitheatrical audience Paul re-
iets when he says, eve are compassed about |
with so great cloud of witnesses"
The TACT is. that every Christian man has !
Hon to fight. Yours is "A bad temper. !
ihe gates OF the arena have been opened, |
ana this tiger has come out to destroy your |
on'. II has lacerated you with many n |
wound. You have been thrown by IL time |
and again, but in the strength OF God you !
laye arisen to drive IL back. . verify be- |
le'e you will conquer. [ think that the |
mptatian Is getting weaker and weaker.
''u nave given II so many wounds that the |
Io'pe't IS that IL will die. and you shall be |
N'Ior through Christ. Courage. brother!
not let the sands Of the arena drink the
hood Of your soul!
,our lion is the passion FOR strong drink.
gnniRnlnI
'"f'' 0ut 1t Is strong OF body and thirsty OF |
lngue. Hou have tried 10 fight il back
Nn broken bottle or empty wine flask.
Nsy, that is not the weapon! With one hor-
Oe roar he will seize thee by the throat
10 rend thee limb from limb. Take this
eipOn. sharp and keen-reach up and get
lron Gods armory. The sword OF the
grt' With that thou mayest drive him
A'i and conquerl
'l. why specify when every man and wo-
20 mas lion to fight? II there be one
~ VINO has no besettinS sin, let him speak
~ ior MIN have l offended. If you have
lousht the lion, ii is because YOU have
'ue non eat you up. This very moment
contest goes on. Tho Trajan celebration.
1,e lO,OOO gladiatOrs fought and IL 900
~ o'asIs were slain, was not so terrific a
1SSir as that which at this moment goes
many soul. THAT combat was for the
oi lhe body; this is for the life of the
lL That was with wild beasts from the
SSe' this Is with the roaring lion OF hell.
aen mink, when they contend against
e'h haoit. that they nave 10 fight ii all
ue' NO! They stand in the center of an
%enst circle OF sympathy. Paul had been
Jung the names of Abel. Enoch. Noah. |,
ssiham, Sarah, Isaac, Joseph. Gideon and
4 A and then says, Being compassed
9lI with so great a cloud of witnesses"
elote get through will show you that
ughtln IN arena around which circle. in
lierles above each other, all the kindling
ahu all the sympathetic hearts of the
anu at every victory gained there
down the laundering applause OF a
~ MI ltitude no man can number "Be- !
q 1o @n issed about with SO great cloud of
', ulue elevation OF tho ancient amphi-
% W.T. - the day of celebration, sat |
nus, o, Augustus. or the reigning king. |
" 'he great arena Of spectators that |
a our struggles, and in tho first divine
q y as shall call IL, sits our King, ono
y ~ On His head are many crowns. The
q oaa Ian emperor got his place by cold blooded
q uesIs, but our King hath come to His
nFgI. 4