The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-09-16
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
A Discourse on the Personal Mag
netism Of Christ.
The Wonders Of His Character Op
posites and Seeming Antag onism OF
His Nature, His Sorrows
and HiD Victories.


from an unusual standpoint. The text
is:
His name shall be called wonderfuL-Isaiah
TX, g.
The prophet lived in dark time.
For some 5000 years the world has
been getting worse. Kingdoms had
arisen and perished. AS the captain of
a vessel in distress sees relief coming
across the water, SO the prophet, amid
the stormy time in which he lived,
put the telescope of prophecy to his
eye and saw, 750 years ahead, one Jesus
advancing to the rescue. l want
to show that when Isaiah called Christ
the Wonderful he spoke wisely.
In most houses there is picture of
Christ. Sometimes it represents Him
with face effeminate; sometimes with
face despotic. l have seen Vests
grand sketch of the rejection of Christ;
l have seen the face of Christ as cut on
an emerald, said to be by the command
of Tiberius Caesar; and yet l am con-
vinced that l shall never know how
Jesus looked until, on that sweet Sab
bath morning, l shall wash the last
sleep from my eyes in the cool river of
Heaven. l take up this book of Divine
photographs and l look at Luke's
sketch, at Marks sketch, at Johns
sketch and at Paul's sketch, and l say,
with Isaiah: "Wonderfulr'
think that you are all interested in
the story of Christ. You feel that He
is the only one who can help you. You
have unbounded admiration for the
commander who helped his passengers
ashore while he himself perished, but
have you no admiration for Him who
| rescued our souls, Himself falling
back into the waters from which He
had saved US?
Christ was wonderful in the magnet
ism of His person.
After the battle of Antietam, when
q general rode along the lines, al
| though the soldiers were lying down
exhausted, they rose with great enthu-
siasm and huzzaed. AS Napoleon re-
turned from his captivity his first step
on the wharf shook all the kingdoms,
and 900 men joined his standard.
|
his exile. So there have been men of
wonderful magnetism of person. But
hear me while l tell you of poor
young man who came up from Naza-
reth to produce a thrill such as has
never been excited by any other.
Nopolcon had around him the mem
| ories of Austerlitz and Jena and Bada-
| 1T
fought no battles; who wore no epau-
lettes; who brandishcd no sword. He
is no titled man of the schools, for He
never went to school. He had proba-
bly, never seen a prince, or shaken
hands with nobleman. The only ex-
traordinary person we know of as be-
ing in His company was His own
mother, and she was so poor that in
the most delicate and solemn hour that
ever comes to woman's soul she was
obliged to lie down amid camel drivers
grooming the beasts of burden.
imagine Christ one day standing in
The streets of Jerusalem. A man de-
rcended from high lineage is standing
beside him, and says: My father was
q merchant prince; he had castle on
the beach at Galilee. Who was your
father" Christ answered, Joseph,
the carpenter" A man from Athens is
standing there unrolling his parchment
Of graduation, and says to Christ,
"Where did you 60 to school?" Christ
answers, Il never graduated" Aha
the idea of such an unheralded young
man attempting to command the atten-
ton of the world! AS we'll some little
fishing village on Long Island shore
attempt to arraign New York. Yet
no sooner does he set foot in the
towns or cities of Judca than
every thing is in commotion. The peo
pie go out on picnic, taking only food
enough for the day, yet are so fasci
mated with Christ that, at the risk ol
starving, they follow Him out into the
fat before Him, and says; my daugh
ter is dead" A beggar tries to rub the
dimness from his eyes, and says: Lord
that my eyes may be opened" A poor
sick, painting woman pressing through
the crowd, says. # must touch the
hem of His garment" Child
rem, who love their mothe!
better than any one else
struggle to get into His arms, and t.
kiss His cheek, and to run their finger
through His hair, and for all time put
ting Jesus SO in love with the littl
ones that there is hardly nursery il
Christendom from which He does no
take one, saying: II must have them
l will fill Heaven with these; for ever
; cedar that plant in Heaven l will
have so white lilies. In the hour whel
} was a poor man in Judea they wer
: not ashamed of Ne, and now that
. have come to throne do not despis
them. Hold it not back, oh weepin
i. mother; lay it on My warm heart. c
such is the kingdom of Heaven"
: What is this coming down the road
A triumphal procession. He is seatet
pot in a chariot, but on All ass; and ye
the people take af their coats an
throw them in the way. Oh. wha:
time Jesus made among the childssr
among the beggaFs, among .ae asael