The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-25

ceased when, by the power of God, a high
church ascetic, a fellow Of oxford college.
John Wesley, felt his heart strangely
warmed and became a witness to the living
truth, starting an era Of evangelistic and
missionary power, which has waxed more
than it has waned till now.
There is one epoch which is a complete OBJ
JecL lesson on the this theme and which
gave to the inspired writer his figures for this
passage The darkest period in the worlds
history preceded the coming of Jesus ART
language, splend0T, aristocracy rigidity in
IaW, journalism, sensualsm, philosophy all
had tried their power for the reformation Of
tne world and failed The fulIness Of Tina
had come when Jesus appeared. was accred-
tied of God at Jordan, and began His work.
Power was in the word Of His mouth the
glance Of His eye, the assertion of His will
the touch OF His hand, and the hem OF His
garment. Forgiveness, mercy and love wera
IN His heart, and golden truth dropped from
ms MS ups. Men were awakening as at dawn,
when suddenly the tide Of His power seemed
70 eDb. lie was betrayed by traitors kiss
tr!ed by a towards tribunal traduced BY
lying witnesses, scorned by former friends,
forsaken by those who loved Him, delivered
UP 10 death, being innocent, by designing
priests, made the object of the rabble's rass
ana hate, and cruciffed and at last entombed.
inen came darkness. The plague of darkness
in Egypt was the most tragic of all tbe
scourges they suffered. It could be felt: il
was midnight intensified, horror unparalleled
The insane search for any agent to CONQUER
the depressing and ever increasing
power of the gloom was a battle against
rate; the midnight still ruled and terroriZed
ana would not yield to torch nor confagra-
ton. They, the people. moved in an ocean of
midnight, whose spectral waves flowed but
ebbed not. But this time of horror, with all
Its material accessories was not to be COM
pared to the period Of spiritual midnight
which followed the cructfxion Of Christ He
was the worlds hope, light, revelation Of
GOD, friend and loving champion against all
the enemies of the good, and He was dead.
The night that settled on the followers Of
Christ was Tayless, starless; 1t did not
seem possible that there could be a morning.
The best cry Of faith was 1--WE trusted that
1t had been He which should have redeemed
israel" and the most hopeful act was the
attempt to embalm His dead body for some
far-aWay resurrection. The very earth rolled
on its unmarked way, wrapped in the dark
ness of its own hopelessness, bearing as its
most priceless treasure the murdered Sa-
YiOr of mankind. The greatest witness for Cod
and the truth was dead, and the palaces of
His enemies were filled with rejoicing and
His executioners loaded with gifts. But
every such death is followed by resurrection,
every such midnight by dawn. From the sep
ulcher rises the Son Of God in the most SPLEEN
did triumph Of all the years. The wave Of Gods
almighty power, that seemed to have ebbed
never to return, but gathering force for
its ind0wing, and by its return reached
higher than ever before in the history of the
race.
We are today in an interesting era. 1t Is
q time Of mighty energy, of vast demands on
the witnesses Of God. Our faithlessness or
weakness or sinful silence may retard the
action of Gods eternal processes by which
He purposes the salvation of men, and the
exalting in Righteousness Of all who will to
enter the kingdom of God.