Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-09-10

dred bullets through his neart. There
comes a time in a mans history when
the Lord calls up the troop of his in
EQUITIES and at Gods command they
pour into him concentrated volley Of
torture.
You say, 81 don't feel myself to be
sinner That may be. Walk along
by the cliffs, and you see sunlight and
flowers at the mouth of the cave, but
take a torch and go in, and before you
have gone far you see the flashing eye
Of a wild beast or hear the hiss of a
serpent So the heart seems in the
sunlight Of worldliness, but as I wave
the torch Of Gods truth and go down
into the deep cavern of the heart-alas,
for the bristling horrors and the rat
Ting fangs. Have you ever noticed
the climax in this passage Of Scrip
ture, ''The heart is deceitful'' That
seems enough. But the passage goes
on and says, ''The heart is deceitful
above all things" Will you not say
that is enough? But the passage goes
on furthar and says, '"The heart is de-
ceitful above all things and desperate
ly Wicked If we could see the true
condition Of the unpardoned before
God, what wringing of hands there
would be! What a thousand voiced
shrek Of supplication and depair! But
you are sinner, a sinner. I speak
not to the person who sits next to you,
but to you. You are sinner. All the
transgressions Of a lifetime have been
gathered up into an avalanche. At
any moment it may slip from the cliffs
n !, h. r
Almighty, by his grace, help US to re-
pent of our sins while repentance is
possible.
This left hand cross was a believing
cross. There was no guesswork in
that prayer, no ''if" in that supplica-
ton. The left hand cross flung itself
at the foot Of the middle cross, expect
ing mercy. Faith is only just opening
the hand to take what Christ offers us.
The work is all done; the bridge is
built strong enough for us all to walk
over. Tap not at the door of Gods
mercy with the tip of your fingers, but
as warrior with gauntleted fists beats
at the castle gate, so, with all the
aroused energies Of our souls, let us
pound at the gate of heaven. That
gate is locked. You go to it with
bunch of keys. You try philosophy.
That will not open it. A large door
generally has a ponderous key. take
the cross and place the foot of it in the
lock and by the two arms of the cross
turn the lock, and the door opens.
Words of Pardon.
This left hand cross was a pardoned
cross. The crosses were only two or
three yards apart. 1t did not take long
for Christ to hear. Christ might have
turned away and said: "How darest
thou speak to me? I am the Lord Of
heaven and earth. I have seen your
violence. When you struck down that
man in the darkness, saw you. You
are getting a just reward. Die in
darkness-die forever" But Jesus said
not so, but rather, "This day thou
shalt be with me in paradise" as much
as to say: II see you there; do not
worry I will not only bear my cross,
but help you with yours
Forthwith the left hand cross be-
comes the abode of contentment. The
pillow of the malefactor, soaked in
blood, becomes like the crimson uphol-
stery of a kings couch. When the body
became still, and the surgeons feeling
the pulse said one to another, HE is
dead the last mark of pain had gone
from his face. Peace had smoothed
his forehead. Peace closed his eyes.
Peace closed his lips. Now you see
why there were two transverse pieces |
on the cross, for it has become a lad
der into the skies. That dying head is
easy which has under it the promise,
'This day thou shalt be with me in
paradise" Ye whose lips have been
filed with blasphemy, ye whose hands
for many years have wrought I'M
righteousness, We who have companion
ed with the unclean, We who have seal
ed every height of transgression and
fathomed every depth and passed ev-
cry extreme of iniquity-mercy, mercy! |
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day,
And there may l. though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
This Cross Was For You.
I have shown you the right hand |
cross and the left hand cross; now /
come to the middle cross We stood at
the one and found it yielded poison.
We stood at the other and found it
yielded bitter aloes. Come, now, to the
middle cross and shake down apples
of love. Uncover your head. You new
err saw so tender a scene as this. You
may have seen father or mother or !
companion or child die, but never so
affecting a scene as this. The railing
thief looked from one way and saw
only the right side of Christ's face. The
penitent thief looked from the other
way and saw the left side of Christ's |
face But today, in the full blaze Of |
gospel light, you see Christ's full face.
It was suffering cross. If the weap- |