The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-24

introducing something irrelevant. He
wants to take it out of a personality
Istno an abstraction Get our OVID sal
walton settled. and then We will dis
the salvation of other people.
But" says some one, what percent
age of h human race will be saved?
What viii be the comparative number
saved and lost? There satan thrusts
lin the mathematics OF redemption. He
suggests that you find out the mathe-
lmatical proportion of the redeemed
But be not deceived. / am 10Y dis
Icussing eternal welfare of only
two persons, yourself ana myself. 'iet
ourselves right before we bother our
Iselves about getting others right o
Christ. come hither and master u
case, Here are our sins-pardoa
them; our wounds-heal them: u
burdens-lift them; sorrows-com-
them We var the Christ OF
to open our blind eyes, the
Christ Of Martha TO help Is in u do
lmes.ic cares. n Christ of Olivet 70
help US preach our sermons. the Chrisl
of * Galilee TO still our tempests.
1.-THE Christ OF Lazarus to raise our
dead. Not too tired is he TO come.
Though he has on his whipped Shout
Iders so long carried the worlds woe
land on his lacerate fee walked this
way 10 accept our salvation
THE ROYAL BANQUET.
By the bloody throes of the noun
tain on which Jesus died, and by the
Isepulcher where his mutilated body
was inclosed in darkened crpyt, and by
1.-THE Olivet from which he arose while
Ias1onished disciples clutched for his
robes to detain him in their compan-
Iionsh:p, and by the radiant and omnip-
Iotent throne on which he Sits waiting
60
Idemption was settled in heaven. l i'm
lplore you bow your head in Immediate
and final submission. Once exercise
sorrow for what you have done and ex-
Iercise trust in him for whan he is will
ling TO do. and all is well for both
worlds. Then you can swing u de-
lfiance to all opposition, human and
ldiabolic. In conquering his foes he con-
jquered yours. And have you noticed
THAT passage in Colossians that repre-
SCENTS him having despoiled principali-
tiles and powers, he made a show of
them, openly triumphing," SO bringing
Ibefore us that overwhelming spectacle
lof a Roman triumph?
When Pompey landed at Brindisi,
Italy, returned from his VICTORIES, he
ldiSbanded the brave men who had
fought under him and sent them re-
Ijoicing TO their homes, and, entering
Rome, his emblaZoned chariot was fol-
flowed by princes in chains from king
ldoms he had conquered, and flowers
such as only grew under those Italian
skies strewed the way, and he came
under arches inscribed with the names
of battlefieldS on which he had tri-
lumphed and rode by columns which
told of THE 800 cities he had destroyed
and the $4,000, 900 people he had con-
Iquered or slain. Then the banquet was
ICr.roo6 or,d n1d+ Of Tho aho1iooe GlIoI -,
the brim they drank to the health of
the B~eliSarius, the great
Isoldfer, returned from his military
achievements and was robed in purple,
and in the proceS sion were brought
golden thrones and pillars of precious
stones and the furniture of royal
lfeasts land amid the ~sDlendors of
Kingdoms overcome he was hailed to
the hippodrome by shouts such as had
seldom rung through the capital. Then
Ialso came the convivialties.
In the year 274 Turelian made his
entrance to Rome in triumphant car,
in which he stood while a winged fig
lure of Victory held a wreath above his
head. Zenobia, captive queen of Pal
lmyra, walked behind his chariot, her
ipersOn encircled with fetters of gold.
under the weight of which she nearly
tainted, but still a captive. And there
were in the procession 200 lions and
tigers and beasts of many lands n
l 500 gladiatorS excused from the cruel
.amphi0heater that they might decorate
the day, and Persian and Arabian and
Ethiopian ambassador were in the
procession n the long line of cap
1tives, Egyptians, Syrians, Gauls, Goths
land Vandals.
1t was to such scene that the New
Testament refers when it speaks OF
Christ having despoiled principalities
and overs, he made a show of them,
IOpenly triumphing." But, oh, the diff
ference in those triumphs! The Ro-
man triumph represented arrogance,
icruelty, oppression and wrong, but
lChrist's triumph meant emancipation
land holiness and joy. The former was
la procession of groans, accompanied
by a clank Of chains, the other a pro-
Icession of hosannas by millions set
forever free. The only Shackled ones
of ChriSt's triumph will be satan and
his cohorts tied Ito our Lords chariot
wheel, with all the denominations of
lall h earth bound for an eternal cap
Itivity. Then will come a feast in
(which the challices will be filled with
THE new wine of the kingdom" Under
larcheS commemorative of all the bat
tiles in which the hammered armies Of
the church militant through thousands
LOT years Of struggle have ait last won
1.-THE day Jesus Will ride, Conquerer of
earth and hell and heaven. Those
larmies, disbanded, will AXE palaces
and Thrones. And they shall come
from the aSt and the west and the
north and the south and sit down in
the kingdom of Cod" And may you
and I, through the pardoning and sane
Itifying grace Of Christ, be guests at
THAT royal banquet!