The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-08-21
THEGREAT Tx INSULT.
A SERMON DRAWN FROM SCENES IN
THE COURTROOM.

n
Preacher.
WASHINGTON, Aug. l6.-The lllustra-
tions of this sermon are drawn from the
scenes in courtroom, with which Dr.
Talrnage became familiar when he was
studying law. before he studied for the
ministry. The text is John II, l.
1--WE have an advocate with the Father
Jesus Christ, the righteous.
Standing in courtroom, you say TO
yourself. "At this bar crime has often
been arraigncd; at this witness stand
the oath has often been taken; at this
iurors' bench the verdict has been rem
dered at this judges desk sentence has
been pronounced But l have to tell
You today of trial higher than any
over and te1miner or circuit or supreme
or chancery. 1t is the trial OF every
Christian man for the life Of his soul.
This trial is different from any other IN
the fact that it is both civil and crin1-
nal.
The issues at stake are tremendous,
and l shall in my sermon snow you
first what are the grounds OF complaint,
then who arc the witnesses in the cause
and lastly who are the advocates.
When a trial is called on, the first
thing is to have the indictment read.
Stand up then, o Christian man, and
hear the Indictment of the court OF high
heaven against thy soul. 1t is an lndlct-
ment of ten counts, for thou hast d.
rectly or indirectly broken all the Ten
Commandments. You know how 1t
Numbered on Sinai. and when God came
down how the mountain rocked, and the
smoke assembled as from smolderlng
furnace, and the darkness gathered thick,
and the loud, deep trumpet uttered the
words, ''The soul that Rnneth, it shall
die!" Are you guilty or not guilty? Do
not put in a negative plea too quick, for
have to announce that "all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God.
There is none that doeth good; no, not
one. Whosoever shall keep the whole
law, yet offend in one point, he is guilty
of all" Do not, therefore, be too hasty
In pronouncing yourself not guilty.
A Broken Contract.
In1S ldWSulb DtlOIS uo alSO OAoA 6Oo
you with the breaking of a solemn con-
tract. Many time did we promise to
be the Lords. We got down Oh our
knees and said. 80 Lord, l am thine
now and forever" Did you keep the
promise? Have you stood up to the con-
tract? | go back to your first commu-
Mon. You rem ember it as well as If 1t
were yesterday. You know how the
vision of the cross rose before you. You
remember how from the head, and the
hands, and the side, and the feet there
came bleeding forth these two words,
Remember me-" You recall how the
cup of communion trembled i'll your
hand when you first took it, and as in a
seashell you may hear, or think you
hear, the roaring Of the surf even after
the shell has been taken from the beach,
SO you lifted the cup of communion, and
You heard in it the surging OF the great
ocean Of Saviour's agony, and you
came forth from that communion serv-
ice with face shining as though you had
been on the mount of TRANSPORTATION,
and the very air seems tremulous with
I06 love Vi sDtSus, ulItl thO Woo'tSt oiNA
the leaves, and the grass, and the birds
were brighter and sweeter voiced than
ever before, and you said down III the
very depths of your soul, Lord, thou
knowest all things thou knowest that
1 love thee Have you kept the bar
gain, O Christian man? Have you not
sometimes faltered when you ought to
x-ny1
proud when you ought to have been
humble? Have you not played the COW
ard when you ought to have been the
hero? charge it upon you, and l charge
it upon myself-we have broken the
contract
Still further, this lawsuit claims
damages at your hands. The greatest
Islander on the Christian religion is an
inconsistent professor. The Bible says
religion is one thing; we, by our incon-
sistency, say religion is some Other
thing, and what is more deplorable
about it is that people can see faults IL
others while they cannot see any IL
themselves. If you shall at any time
find some miserable old gossip, with
fmperfect1OnS from tne CfONu VI nei
head to the sole # her foot, a perfect
blotch Of sin herself, she will go tat
Ting, tattling. tattling all the years o.
her life about the Inconsistencies OF
others, having no idea that she is incon
sistent herself God save the world from
the gossip, female ard malel | thini
the males are the wcrsti Now the char
lot of Christ salvation gees on through
the world; but it Is our inconsistencies
my brethren, that block up the wheels
while all along the line there ought t'
have been cast nothing but palm
branches, ard the shout should have
been lifted, "ECsauna TO the Son O
Davidr
Now you have heard the indictmen
read. Are you ready 10 plead guilty o.
not guilty? Perhaps you are not read,
yet to plead Then the trial will go on
The witnesses will be called, snd w
shall have the matter decided. liz thu
name of God now make proclamation
Oyer Oyezi Oyez! whatsoever hath any
thing TO offer in this trial in which Coz
is the plaintiff and the Christian sou
the defendant. let him now step fortl
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