Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-07-17

his head. After awhile, by an almost
superhuman effort, he kneels down to
pray. After awhile, when he has seen
God and seen himself, he throws him
self fiat on his face at the feet Of the
king. just like Mephibosheth. The fact
is. if we could see ourselves as God sees
Us, we would perish at the spectacle.
You would have no time to overhaul
other people. Your cry would be, God
BE- merciful to me, sinner. "
And again, Mephibosheth in my text
stands for the disabled human soul
saved for the sake Of another. Mephib-
osheth would never have got into the
palace ON his own account. Why did
David ransack the realm 70 find that
poor man and then bestow upon him
great fortune and command a farmer
Of the name of Ziba to culture the estate
and give to this invalid Mephibosheth
half the proceeds every year? Why did
King David make such a mighty stir
about poor fellow who would never be
of any use TO the throne Of Israel: 1t
was for Jonathan's sake. Ii was whac
Robert Burns calls for ''auld lang sync "
David could not forget what Jonai lan
had done for him in other days. Three
times this chapter has it that all this
kindness on the part Of David to Mephib-
osheth was for his father JonathaI 8
sake. The daughter of Peter Martyr
through the vice Of her husband, came
down to penury, and the senate Of Zu-
rich took care Of her for her fathers
sake. Sometimes person has applied
to you for help and you have refused
him, but when you found he was the
son or brother of some one who had
been your benefactor in former days
and by a glance you saw the resem-
blanoe Of your old friend in the face Of
the applicant, you relented, and yoI
said, "Oh, will do this for your ia
theirs sake" You know by your expert
ence what my text means. Now, M
friends, it is on that principle tlat you
and are to get into the King palace
For Christs Sake.
The most important part OF every
prayer is the last three or four words Of
it, For Christ's sake. Do not rattle
off those words as though they were
merely the finishing stroke Of the prayer
They are the most important part Of The
prayer. When in earnestness you 60 be-
fore God and say, For Christ's sake, '
it rolls in, as it were, upon Gods mind
all the memories of Bethlehem and
Gennesaret and Golgotha. When you say
before God, "For Christ's sake " you
hold before Gods mind every groan, ev-
cry tear, every crimson drop of his only
begotten Son. If there is anything in
all the universe that will move God TO
an act Of royal benefaction, it is 10 say,
"For Christ's sake" God is omnipO-
tent, but he is not strong enough 10 re-
sist that cry, For Christ's sake. II a
little child should kneel behind God s
throne and should say, For Christ S
sake" the great Jehovah would turn
around on his throne to look at her and
listen. No prayer ever gets 10 heaven
but for Christ's sake. No soul IS ever
comforted but for Christ's sake. The
world will never be redeemed but for
Christ's sake. Our name, however IL
lustrious it may be among men, before
God stands only for inconsistency and
sin, but there is name, potent name
q blessed name, a glorious name, an
everlasting name, that we may put up
on our lips as a sacrament and upon our
forehead as a crown, and that is the
name Of Jesus, our divine Jonathan,
who stripped himself of his robe and pat
on our rags and gave US his sword and
took our broken reed, so that now,
whether we are well or sick, whether
we are living or dying, if we speak that
name it moves heaven TO the center
and God says: LET the poor soul come
in. Garry him up into the throneroom
Of the palace. Though he may have
been in exile, though sin may have Grip
pied him on this side, and sorrow may
have crippled him on the other side,
and he is lame in both his feet, bring
him up into the palace, for | want 70
show him everlasting kindness, for
Jonathan's sake. "
Again, Mephibosheth in my text
stands for the disabled human soul lifted
to the Kings table. 1t was more diff
cult in those times even than it Is now
for common men to get into a royal din
ing room. The subjects might have
come around the rail Of the palace, and
might have seen the lights kindled, ana
might have heard the clash Of the knives
and the rattle of the golden goblets, but
not get in. Stout men with stout feet
could not get in once il all their lives
to one banquet, yet poor MephiboSheth
goes in. lives there, and is every day at
the table. Oh, what a getting up IN the
world il was for poor Mephibosheth.
Well, though you and 1 may be woetully
lamed with sin, for our divine Jona-
than's sake l hope we viii all get III 10
dine with the King.
Before dining we must be intrcduceu.
II YOU are invited to a company OF per
sons where there are distinguished peo-
ple present, you are introduced: This
is the Senator. D" "This is the Gov
ernor." 'This is the President. " Be
fore we sit down at the Kings table IN
heaven / think we will want to be III
troduced. Oh, what a time that will be-
when YOU and l, by the grace OF God,
get into heaven and are INTRODUCED I'D
the mighty spirits there, and soinc one
will say: "This is Joshua This Is
Paul. " This is Moses This is John
Knox" "This is John Milton. This
is Martin Luther. This is George
Whitefeld." Oh, shall we have any
strength left after such round of celes-
tial introduction? Yea, we shall be
potentates ourselves Then we shall SIT
down at the Kings table with the sons
and daughters of God, and one VIII
whisper across the table to us and say
behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon US that we should
be called the sons Of GodP' And some
one at the table will say: How long
will it last? All other banquets at which
sat ended. How long will this lastE
and Paul will answer, "ForeverV' and
Joshua will say, Forever" and John
Knox will say. "Foreverw and George