The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-09-14
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
DISCOURSES ON THE REDEM2-
TON OF THE RACE.
"A Topic Suggested by the Famous Paint
ings OF Munich-Types of Humanity
Represented by the Two Malefactors
A Plunge Into Darkness.

gested the topic of this discourse, which
DR.. Talmage sends from the quaint Ba-
varian town, but the theme which in
spired the painters awakens in the
great preacher thoughts of the redemp-
ton of the human race, which was the
supreme design OF that scene of suffer
ing and death. The text is Luke xiii,
33, There they crucified him and the
malefactors, one on the right hand and
the other on the left"
Just outside of Jerusalem is a swell
of ground, toward which a crowd are
ascending, for it is the day of excel
ton. What a mighty assemblage.
Some for curiosity to hear what the
malefactors will say and to see how
they will act. The three persons to be
executed are already there. Some of
the spectators are vile of lip and bloat-
ed of cheek. Some look up with re-
venge, hardly able to keep their hands
off the sufferers. Some tear their own
hair in frenzy of grief. Some stand
in silent horror. Some break out into
uncomfortable weeping. Some clap
their hands in delight that the Offend
.ers are to be punished at last. The
soldiers, with drawn swords, drive back
the mob which presses on so hard.
There is fear that the proceedings may
be interrupted. Let the legion, now
stationed at Jerusalem. on horseback
dash along the line and force back the
surging multitude. Back with you!"
is the cry. Have you never before
seen a man die?"
Three crosses in a rowan upright
piece and two transverse pieces, one on
the top, on which the hands are nailed
and one at the middle. on which the
victim sat. Three trees just planted
yet bearing fruit-the one at the right
bearing poison ard the one at the left
bitter aloes. the one in the middle ap-
pies of love. Norway pine and tropical
orange and Lebanon cedar would not
make so strange grove as this orch
ard of Calvary. Stand and give a look
at the three crosses.
Just look at the cross on the right.
Its victim dies soothing More awful
than his physical anguish is his scorn
and hatred of him on the middle cross.
This wretched man turns half around
on the spikes to hiss at the One in the
middle. II the scoffer could get one
hand loose and he were within reach,
he would smite the middle sufferer in
the face. He hates him with perfect
hatred. | think he wishes he were
down on the ground that he might
spear him. He envies the mechanics
who with their nails have nailed him
fast Amid the settling darkness ant
louder than the crash of the rocks
hear him jeer out these words ''Ah
you poor wretch | knew you were an
impostor! You pretended to be God
and yet you let these legions master
you!" 1t was in some such hate that
Voltaire in his death hour. because he
thought he saw Christ in his bedroom
got up on his elbow and c-ed out
Crush that wretch" What had the
middle cross done to arouse up this
right hand cross? Nothing. Oh, the
enmity of the natural heart against
Christ! The world likes a sentimental
Christ or a philanthropic Christ, but
a Christ who comes to snatch men
away from their sins-away with him!
On his right hand cross today | see
typified the unbelief of the world. Men
say, Back with him from the heart.
| will not let him take my sins. If
he will die. let him die for himself,
not for me-" There has always been a
war between this right hand cross and
the middle cross, and wherever there is
an unbelieving heart there the fight
goes on. Oh, if when that dying male
factor persisted the faithlessness of
man had persisted, then that tree which
yields poison would have budded and
blossomed with life for all the
world!
A Plunge Into Darkness.
Look I'D into that disturbed counte-
nance of the sufferer and see what a
CHASTITY thing it is to reject Christ. Be-
hold in that awful face, in that pitiful
look. in that unblessed death hour, the
stings of the sinners departure. What
a plunge into darkness, Standing high
upon the cross on the top of the hill,
so that all the world may look at him,
he says, Here l go out of a miserable
life into a wretched eternity" One!
Two, Three, Listen to the crash of
the fell, all We ages! So Hobbies, dying
after he had 10 years in which to pre-
pare for eternity, said, Were | master
of all the world, would give it all To
live il one day longer" Sir Frances
Newport, lowering over the brink, cried
out: Wretch that | am, whittier shall
| Nv from this breast? What will be-
come of me? Oh. that | were to lie
upon the fire that never is quenched a
thousand years TO purchase the favor
of God, and to be reconciled to him
again. Oh. eternity! Oh. eternity
who can discover the abyss of eter-
nifty? Who can paraphrase these
words. Forever and forever?'
That right hand cross-thousands
have persisted on it in worse agonies.
For what is physical pain compared to
remorse at the last that life has been
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