Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-04
Continued

Wullt MS SEillCt SccllNu W SiNStC Pu'
some individual from the throng aud
to pierce to his very marrow you,
who sold Your wifcS happiness and
your childrcu'S bread for pot of
beer? or you?" and here the penetrat'
ing gaze seemed IL single out another,
while the preacher launched ut him
another sharp denunciation Of some
homely, every day vice, using the most
direct and forCible words the language
contains to give vigor tO his CcnSureS,
till the cold sweat stood upon rugged
hrowS, some women wcpt furtively,
and the deans keen glance perceived
the inward tremhlingS of many 4 self
convicted sinner
yet they were not only friends. but
they actually took sweet counsel to
gether. Picture that 10 yourselves,
dear brothers. Christ had pleasant
conversation with Judas, asked his
opinion on high and holy subjects,
listened to his words. as YOU and |
listen to the words of those dear
and near To us. Was there ever n
more strangely assorted pair? And
yet he dean paused and sent the
penctrat ting radiance of his gaze sweep
ing over the mass of upturucd faces
before him ct may he that oven now.
tonight, with these eyes of mine, |
see among you. my brothers, In this
very house of God. another pair
strangely like that mentioned hy David
In his prophecy some loyal follower
of Christ taking sweet couScl and
walking as friend with such an
one as Judas. moncy-loving, ambitious.
false: musing even now with the
echoes Of psalms and holy words in
his ears, how he may bctray the friend
who trusts and loves him Alas, my
brothers. how often is such a com
panionship seen; and how often. how
sadly often, is the guilClcSS friend
whose trust and love is betrayed. n
woman. Nay, I hear YOU say, we
have our faults. we don't pretend 10
be saints. but we are not JudaScS.'
Dare you say that You are no 1udaS?'
The preacher then observed that the
popular conception Of Judas MS n tr,l-
culent thief whose ruilianly character
was ill-concealed by his thorough
paced hypocrisy was probably false,
and pointed out that Judas must have
appeared to the world In which he
lived highly respectable and we'll
conducted person. If not very saint.
Nay, it was his opinion that Judas was
actually very superior being, n man
Of lofty aspirations and pure life, n
patriot one who looked ardcntly for
the promised Messiah and had sufli.
cient faith to recognize him In the son
of the Nazarcne carpenter. Why, he
asked his auditors IL he had not been
all this, should he have joined that
little band Of obscure men, those peas
ants and fishers. those men of nuStcrc
morality and lofty converse, who had
left all to follow the young peasant
prophet who had not even n roof to
shelter him?
He drew beautiful sketch Of the
sweet and simple brotherhood Of dis
ciplcs clustering about the Master, who
seemed to have inspired them up to
the moment of the crucifiXion more
with tender and passionate human dc
votion than with awe and worship. and
with whom they lived in such close
and intimate communion, taking sweet
counsel together on the l0ftiest sub.
icctS, and yet sharing the most trivial
events of everyday life; and asked
his hearers If they thought n mere
dured such n fellowship. or been on.
durnd by IT, But If Judas were indeed
worthy to be chosen rs one Of that
small and select band (and 1t was an
undOubted fact that he was thought
worthy and tenderly loved up to the
list by his Divine MASTER, how was
It that he fell into so black sin
and stamped his name upon all time
as n symbol Of the utmost degradation
Of which man Is capable?
"Ah, my brothers" said the dean
"he was n hypocrite, but so consum
mate a hypocrite that he deceived him
] StIi. ne hltW lilhl llt lONtu 'Ob
his Master and Friend, but he did
not know. or would not know, that he
loved Mammon--the riches Of this
world and its pomps and vanitles, It's
fee4ing honors and transient foam
fake Of fame-better. The bag nat
urally fell to him because It had NJ
attractions for the disciples whose
hearts were set upon heavenly treasure
only. The renown Of the miracles ht
witnessed spread so that idlers hockct
as To a show to see them, aud thii
and the hope Of the revival Of the
Jewish monarchy which filed thu
minds Of all the disciples till aftcl
Calvary. stimulated the mans ambi
ton. which he probably mistook fol
deyout zeal till that terrible hour, wher
the contempt and hatred which fel
upon his Teacher and Friend made
him dfsert the falling King In hlt
disappointed ambition, and finally be
tray Him.
Il charge you. my brothers" con
tinucd the dean. with passion tina
shook his audience that YOU bpWart