Milford chronicle., 1896-04-24

4
port did he sailP Why was this the place
of his destination? 1 question the shop
herds. I question the camel drivers.
question the angels have found out
He was an exile But the world had
plenty of exiles. Abraham, an exile from
Haran; John, an exile from Ephesus; Kos
ciusko, an exile from Poland; Mazzini an
exile from Rome; Emmett an exile from
Ireland; Victor Hugo, an exile from
France; Kossuth, an exile from Hungary.
But this one of whom l speak today had
such resembling farewell and came into
such chilling reception-for not even o
hostler went out with his lantern to light
him in-that he is more. to be celebrated
than any other expatriated exile of earth
or heaven.
An Imperial Exile.
First, remark that Christ was an i'm
perial exile. He got down off throne.
He took off tiara. He closed a palace
gate behind him. His family were princes
and princossos. Vashti was turned out of
the throneroom by Ahasuerus. David was
dethroned by Absalom's infamy. The FIVE
kings were hurled into a cavern by
Joshua's courage Some of the Honrys Of
| England and some of the Louis Of
/ France were jostled on their thrones by
discontinued subjects But Christ was
never more honored, or more popular, OF
more loved than the day he left heaven.
ExileS have suffered severely, but Christ
turned himself out from throper0om into
sheep pen and down from the top 20 the
bottom. He WAS not pushed OF He was
not manaoed for foreign transportation.
He was not put out because they no moro
wanted him in celestial domain, but by
choice departing and descending into an
exile five times as long as that of Napoleon
at St. Helena and 1000 times worse; the
ono exile suffering for that he had de-
strOyGd nations, the other exile suffering
because he came to save a world. An i'm
perial exile. King eternal. Blessing and
honor and glory and power be unto him
that sitteth upon tho throne,
But go 1arther and tell ynu he was Ra
exile ON a barren island This world is
one of the smallest islands Of light in tho
ocean of immensity. Other stellar king
doms are many thousand times larger than
this. Christ came to this small Patmos of
q world. When exiles are sent out they
are generally sept to regions that are sandy
or cold or hCt-some Dry Tortugas of dis
agreeableness. Christ came as an exile 70
a world scorched with heat and bitten
with cold to deserts simeon swept, to a
bowling wilderness 1t was tho back door
yard, seemingly, Of the universe Yea,
Christ came to the poorest part of this
barren island of worldz-Asia Minor,
with its intense summers, unfit foF the
residences of foreigner and in the rainy
season unfit for the residence Of native,
Christ camo not to such u land as Amer
lea, or England, or France, or Germany
but to q land one-third of the year drowned
another third of the year burned up and
only oDe-third of tho year just tolerable
Oil it was tho barren island Of world,
Barren enough for Christ, for it gave such
small worship and such inadequate affeo-
ton and such little gratitude. Imperial
exile on the barren island of world.
In a Hostile Country.
90 farther and toll you that he was an
exile in a hostile country. Turkey was |
never so much against Russia, France was |
meyer so much against Germany, as this |
earth was against Christ II took him in |
through the door Of a STABLE IL thHnst /
him out at the point of spear. The Ro' |
man government against him, with every |
weapon of its army, and every decision OF |
it's courts, and every beak Of its war eagles. |
For years after his arrival the only ques-
ton was how best to put him out Herod
hated him; the high priests hated him; the
Pharisees hated him; Judas Iscariot hated
himi Gestas, the dying thief, hated him.
The whole earth seemingly turned into a
detective to watch his steps. And yet he
faced this ferocity. Notice that most Of
ghrists wounds wero in front SONG
on tho shoulder, but most of
Christs wounds in front. He was not on
retreat when ho expired. Face to face
with the worlds sin Face to face with
the worlds woe His eye on the raging
Of his foaming antagonists
whom he expired. When the cavalry officer
rowelod his steed so that he might come
nearer mp and SEQ the tortured visage of
the suffering cxilo, Christ SAW it. When
the spear was thrust at his side, and when
The hammer was iiltgd for his feet, and
when the reed was raised to strike deeper
down tho spikes of thorn. Christ watched
the whole procedure When his hands
were iastoLed to the GROSS, they were wide
Dpen still with benodiotion. Mind yOn,
his head was not fastened He could look
to tho right, and no could look to the left,
and he could look up, and hO could look
down. He saw when tho spikes had been
driven home, and the hard, round iron
heads were in the palms Of his hands. He
SAW them as plainly as you ever saw any
hing in the palms Of your hands. No
8ther no chloroform, no meruiful an1s-
Hhetio to duh or Supply but, wide awake,
he saw the observation of the heavens, the
lpbalanoing of the rocks, the counte-
nanoes quivering with rage and tho each
nnation diabolia. Oh, It was the hostile
Is well as the barron island of world
go farther and tell you that this exile
was far from home. 1t is 80, 100000 miles
rom here to the sun and all astronomers
lgree in saying that our solar system is
Dnly one of the smaller wheels Of the great
of the universe turning around
ome one great center, the center SO far
Instant It Is beyond all Imagination and
calculation and If, as some think, that
treat center in the distance is heaven,
Christ came far from homo when he came
ieFe. Have you ever thought Of the home
ickness of Christi Some OF you know
What homesickncss is when you have been
My few weeks absent from the domestic
irclo. Christ was SO years away from
oIne. Some Of you feel Inconsistencies