Willmar tribune., 1900-05-30
The ] cRUCIF|NON Of PHILIP STRONG
By2REv. CHARLES N. SHELDON.
Author of "In His Steps," Etc.
copyright, 1899, by the Advance Publishing Co.
[CONT1NUED. |

lCONI1N OED.
i Then the sexton Drought basin of
water, and as he kneeled down by the
side Of the bed Philip baptized him
with the words: II baptize thee,
Henry, my brother, disciple Of Jesus,
into the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Ghost!
Amen"
"Amen," murmured the man on the
bed.
And Philip, still standing as he was,
bowed his head, saying, BLESSED Lord
Jesus, accept these children of thine.
bless this new disciple. and unite our
hearts In love for thee and thy king
dom rs we remember thee now in this
service"
BE took the bread and said: "'Take,
eat. This Is my body, broken for you
In the name Of the Master, who said
these words, eat, remembering his love
for US"
The dying man could not lift his
hand to take the bread from the plate.
Philip gently placed crumb between
his lips. The sexton. still kneeling.
partook and. bowling his head between
his hands, sobbed. Philip poured out
the wine and said, I'm the name Of the
Lord Jesus, this cup is the new testa-
ment in his blood shed for all mankind
for the remission of SINS" He carried
the cup to the lips of the man and then
gave to the sexton. The smile on the
dying mans face died. The gray
shadow Of the last enemy was project.
ed into the room from the setting sun
Of deaths approaching twilight. The
son of the old slave master was going
to meet the mother of the man who
was born into the darkness Of slavery.
but born again into the light of God.
Perhaps. perhaps, he thought, who
knows but the first news he would
bring to her would be the news Of that
communion? Certain it Is that his
hand moved vaguely over the blanket.
1t slipped over the edge Of the bed
and fell upon the bowed head Of the
sexton and remained there as if in ben
ediction. And so the shadow deepcned.
and at last it was like unto nothing
else known to the sons of men on
earth, and the spirit leaped out of its
clay, tenement with the breath Of the
communion wine still on the lips Of
the frail, perishable body.
Philip reyerently raised the arm and
laid it on the bed. The sexton rose,
and, while the tears rolled over his
face, he gazed long into the counte-
nance of the son Of his old master. No
division Of race now; no false and self
ish prejudice here. Come, let the
the last sad Offices to the casket, for
the soul of this disciple is In the man.
sions of glory, and it shall hunger no
more, neither thirst any more, neither
shall the darkness of death ever again
smite it, for it shall live forever in the
light Of that Lamb of God who gave
himself for the remission Of sins and
the life everlasting.
Philip did what he could on such an
occasion. 1t was not an unusual event
altogether. He had prayed by many
a poor crea ture in the clutch Of the last
enemy, and he was familiar with his
face in the tenements. But this partic-
ular scene had meaning and left an
impression different from any he had
known before. When finally he was at
liberty to go home for little rest be-
fore the evening service, he found him
self more than usually tired and sor-
rowful. Mrs. Strong noticed it as he
~, III,
urged him to give up his evening serv-
ice.
mo, no, Sarah! l can't do that! l
am prepared. must preach! I'll get
a nap. and then I'll feel BETTER" he
said.
Mrs. Strong shook her head, but Phil
ip was determined. He slept little,
ate a little lunch. and when the time
of service came he went up to the
church again. AS his habit was, just
before the hour of beginning, he went
into the little room at the side Of the
platform to pray by himself. When
he came out and began the SERVICE
no one could have told from his man
ner that he was suffering physically
Even Mrs. Strong, who was watching
him anXiously, felt relieved to see how
quiet and composed he was.
He had commenced his sermon and
had been preaching with great elo-
Quence for ten minutes when he felt a
strange dizziness and pain in his side
that made him catch his breath and
clutch the side Of the pulpit to keep
from falling. 1t passed away, and he
went on. 1t was only a slight heslta-
ton, and no one remarked anything
out Of the way. For five minutes he
spoke with increasing power and feel
ing. The church was filed. 1t was
very quiet. Suddenly, without any
warning, he threw up his arms, uttered
a cry of half suppressed agony and
then fell over backward. A thrill of
excitement ran through the audience.
For a moment no one moved; then ey-
cry one rose. The men in the front
pews rushed up to the platform. Mrs.
Strong was already there. Philips
head was raised. Philips old friend,
the surgeon, was in the crowd, and be
at once examined him. He was not
dead, and the doctor at once directed
the proper movement for his removal
from the church. AS he was being car
rted out into the air he revived and
was able to speak.
take me home" he whispered to
his wife, who hung over him in a ter
ror as great as her love for him at that
moment. A carriage was called, and
he was taken home. The doctor re-