Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-04-27
4. 49, - snacimen of De Mexican cactus

hest specimen OF the Mexican cactus
ever saw.
There arc others planted in Christ5
garden who are always radiant, always
imDres -ive-more like the roses OF deep
hue Tint we occasionally find, called
Giants o. Battle" the Martin Luthers,
ST. Pauls, Chrysostoms, Wickliffes,
Latimers. and Samuel Rutheriords.
What in C.her men is,a spark, in them
is a confagration. When they sweat,
they sweat great drops of blood. When
they pray. their prayer takes fire.
When they preach. it is Penteccst.
When they fight it is ThermoDy!ae.
When they die. is is a martyrdCm.
You find q great many roses in the gar
dens. but only a few Giants Of Battle.
Men say, why don't YOU have more OF
them in the Church," l say, Why
don't YOU have in The world more Hum
bolSts and WellinsoonS?' God gives
10 some ten talents; to another, one.
In this
GARDEN OF THE CHURCH
which Christ has planted l also find the
sncw-Grcrs. beautiful, but cookbook
ing. seemingly another phase OF winter.
I mean those Christians who are pre-
else in their tastes, unimpasSioned,
pure as snowdrCQs and as cold They
never shed any tears, they never get
excited. they rever 60 anything precip-
itately. Their pulses never 1utter,
their nerves never twitch, their indig-
nation never boils over They live
hut
is in minor key. They never run up
TO &C" above the staff. In their music
of life they have 70 staccato passages.
Christ planted than in the Church, and
. they must be Of some service or they
would not be there; snOwdropS-always
snOwdrOps.
But l have not told you of the most
beautiful flower of all this garden
spoken of in the text. If You see a cen
fury plant your emotions are started.
You say. why. this flower has been
hundred years gathering up for one
bloom. and it will be a hundred years
more tesore other petals will come
out. But I have to tell YOU of plant
that was gathering up from all eterni-
". and that nineteen hundred years
ago put forth its bloom never to with
er. 1t is
THE PASSION PLANT
Of the Cross, Prophets foretold it;
Bethlehem shepherds looked upon it in
the bud; the rocks shook at its burst
ing; and the dead got up in their wind
ing sheets TO see its full bloom. 1t is a
crimson flOwer-blOOd at the roots,
blood on the branches, blood on all the
leaves. It's perfume is to fill all the
nations. Its breath is heaven. Come,
o winds from the north and winds from
the south and winds from the east and
winds from the west and bear to all
the earth the understanding SAVIOR Of
Christ. my Lord
His worth if all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love him,
too
Again, the Church may be apprOpri-
ately compared to a garden, because il
is a place of fruits. That would be d
strange garden which had in it no ber-
ries. no plums. or peaches. or apriCCts.
The cOarser fruits are planted in ;he
orchard, or they are set out on the
sunny hillside; but the choicest fruits
are kept in the garden. So in the
world outside the Church, Christ has
planted a great many beautiful things
patience, charity, generosity, integ-
rity; but he intends the choicest fruits
to be in the garden. and il they are not
there, then shame on the church.
Religion is not
a MERE SENTIMENTALITY.
1t is a practical, life-giving, healthful
fruit-not pOsies, but apples. oh"
says somebody, Il don't see what your
garden of the Church has yielded" In
reply. I ask where did your asylums
come from? and your hospitals? and
your institutions Of mercy? Christ
planted every one of them; he planted
them in his garden. When Christ gave
sight TO BartimeuS he laid the corner
stone to every blind asylum that has
ever been built When Christ soothed
the demOnias of Galilee he laid the cor
ner stone Of every lunatic asylum that
has ever been established. When Christ
said TO the sick man, Take up thy
bed and walk" he laid the corner stone
OF every hospital the world ever seen.
When Christ said, Il was in prison and
We visited me- he laid the corner stone
OF every prison reform association that
has ever been organized. The Church
Of Christ is