Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-19
"THE SIGN OF TIE CROSS"

enth century that western and central
Europe was nightly moved by the elo-
quence of Gregory VII, Peter the Hermit
and Urban II, in behalf of the purpose of
a crusade against the Turks that the tomb
of our Saviour might be wrested from
their grasp. Two councils were held in
1895. The second was held at Clerment,
France, at which time and place a crusade
against the infdel Turks was definitely
decided upon. The pope, Urban Ii, deliv-
cred a most stirring address to a vast
assembly of clergy and laymen, and as he
proceeded, the pent up emotions of the
people found expression in the 'simultane-
Gus cry from the entire multitude, "God
wills it, God wills it," These words by the
of Urban were made the rallying
cry of the first crusade, and every one who
entered upon it wore emblazoned upon the
breast the sign of the cross as a badge or
symbol of their heavenly calling and the
divinity of their mission. From the dawn
of the Christian era the malefactor's cross
has moved many hearts to nobler living.
Upon the royal standa Constantine plac-
ed the sign of the cross, which in a vision
he believed had been given to him as the
sign under which he should conquer.
W I'll US IIO IN
of Sir LaunfaI, of the knights march for the
Holy Grail, the cup out of which Christ
drank at that last supper with his disci-
piles. Clad in his armor with the
sign of the cross emblazoned upon his sur
coat, Sir Launfal set out to march in all
lands for the Holy Grail.
They who wear the sign of the cross
must in all life be moved by purity of
purpose. Just as purpose that moves us is
pure or otherwise will all life be noble and
lovable or debased and selfish. Sir Laun-
fal possessed a purpose that was true and
noble but it took a lifetime of toll and
self sacrifice to learn the completed lesson
that there was something beyond purpose;
it took a lifetime to take the sign of the
cross from the coat of mail.
'But deep in his soul the sign he bore.
The badge of the suffering and the poor"
Purity of purpose directs the soul into
some definite sphere of life. The business
man, the politician makes plans and then
with a purpose that is born of these needs
sets about their fulfillment. A purpose
for Christ must mean something definite,
not a force directed against evil in the alb
stract, but full sized, with a grasp like iron
upon Tue I0IOdG u IL Sill LII bAdG CAHAOAO VI
the knights of the middle ages, courage
was a vital necessity. There were foes to
meet and conquer that stood sulienly be-
tween seeker and that sought, and as Sir
Launfal saw in his vision, so we learn by
experience, that though clothed with iron
or steel,
''He must be clad witt stronger mail,
That would seek and find the Holy Grail"
One of the first acts of true courage is
equipment. Foolhardiness is not courage,
and this is sometimes a fact now in the
Christian warfare. Christ spent thirty
years in equipment for a three years min
istry. Paul says, take with you the whole
armor of God that We may be able to stand.
He might have said get in such a place
that God can get hold of you and use you.
Something more is necessary that the fruit
tree may bear fruit thar sunshine, rain
and earth roots. Paul says without faith
it is impossible to please God. James de-
clares that faith without works is dead.
The sign of the cross signifies courage; not
a spasmodic energy that uses all its
strength and energy in the spasm; that ex-
ponds itself in conference and convention
and then goes home too utterly worn out
10 10 VI OO Iii Ii oASA VIZ AhPAAOo
but an energy that lifts the face more res
olutely toward God because the sign of
the cross has become more a representation
of a reaIthing in our personalities Speak
ing of the winning of the Victoria Cross,
Kipling says that there are some cases of
cold blooded courage hat are worked up
to only after years of training, courage of
mind, forcing the body through an un-
pleasant situation; and when all is said
and done, courage of the mind is the finest
thing that anyone can hope to attain to.
A weak undisciplined soul is apt to become
reckless under strain or to lact for it's own
immediate advantage. Men are taught
to volunteer for anything and everything;
they are instructed that it is cowardly, it
is childish and it is cheating to neglect the
plain work Immediately in front of them,
the duties they are trusted and paid to do,
for the sake of stepping aside to snatch at
what to an outsider would resemble fame
or distinction. The order itself is a per-
sonal decoration and the honor and glory
of it belongs to the wearer; but he can only
win it by forgetting himself, his own hon.
or and glory and by working for some
thing beyond, outside and apart. And
that is the only way that you can get any
thing in this world worth the keeping.
The Victoria cross IVES created by Queen
Victoria Jan. %, 1856, and to those
four hundred and eleven men who have
received it, it has an intense meaning. The
sign of that little bronze, maltese cross.
hanging upon the breast, arouses an al
most devout feeling in the heart, for it is
the symbol of courage.
1t is not necessary to go back into the
past for records of herolsm in the cause
of Christ. there are men and women today