Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-11-02

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postpone the geutleness of Christ. Did
you ever know any difficulty to be
healed by acerbity and hypercriticism?
About As years ago the Presbyterian
church was split into the new school
and the old school. The chasm got
wider and wider. The most outrageous
personalities were INDUCED in. Good
men on one side mathematical good
men on the other side. Wider and
wider the chasm got, until after awhile
some good people tried another tack,
and they began to explain away the dif-
ficulties, and soon all tho differences
were healed, and at Pittsburgh they
shook hands and are one now to be
one forever.
Did you ever know a drunkard re-
claimed by mimicry Of his staggering
steps, his thick tongue or his hic-
cough? No. You only madden his
brain. But you go to him and let him
know you appreciate what an awful
struggle he has with the evil habit, and
you let him know that you have been
acquainted with people who were
down in the same depths who by the
grace of God have been rescued. He
hears your voice, he responds to that
sympathy and he is saved. You cannot
soold the world into anything better.
You may attract 1t into something bet
ter. The stormiest wind comes out
from its hiding place and says: twill
arouse this sea-" And It blows upon
the sea. Half Of the sea is aroused, or
fourth of the sea is aroused, yet not
the entire Atlantic. But after awhile
the moon comes out, calm and placid.
| 1t shines upon the sea, and the ocean
begins to lift. II embraces all the
highlands; the beach is all covered.
The heart throb of one world beating
against the heart throb of another
world. The storm would not rouse the
whole Atlantic; the moon lifted it.
"And l." said Christ, "if I be lifted up
will draw all men unto me-"
Christ's disposition was also one Of
self-sacrifice. No young man ever
started out with so bright prospect
as Christ started out with If he had
been willing to follow worldly ambi-
ton. In the time that He gave to the
sick He might have gathered the vast
est fortune Of His time. With His
power to popularize Himself and mag
netize the people He could have gained
official position. No orator ever won
such plaudits as He might have won
from sanhedrin and synagogue and
vast audiences by the seaside. No
physician ever got such a reputation
for healing power as He might have at
tained If He had performed His won
derful cures before the Roman aristoc-
racy. / say these things to let you
know what Paul meant when he said:
"He pleased not Himself" and to show
something of the wonders of His self
sacrifice. All human power together
could not have thrown Christ into the
manger II he had not chosen to go
there. All Satanic strength could not
have lifted Christ upon the cross II He
had not elected himself to the torture.
To save our race from sin and death
and hell he faced all the sorrows OF
this world and the sorrows Of eternity,
How much Of that self-sacrifice have
we?
What is self-sacrifice? 1t is my walk.
ing long journey to save you from
fatigue. 1t is my lifting a great mum
Der of pounds to save you from the
awful strain. 1t is subtraction from
my comfort and prosperity so thai
there may be an addition to your com
fort and prosperity. How much Of
that have we? Might not rather say
"How little have we." Two children
brother and sister-were passing dowr
the road. They were both very desti
tute. The lad had hardly any gar
ments at all. His sister had coat thai
she had outgrown. 1t was very colo
day. She said: "Johnny, come under
this coat" "Oh, no." he said; "th'
coat isn't large enough!" "Oh," sh,
said, at will stretch!" He comes undel
the coat, but the coat would no
stretch. So she took off the coat ant
put it on him. Self-sacrifice pure anc
simple. Christ taking off his robe t,
clothe our nakedness. Self-sacrifice
have not any OF it, nor have you com
pared with that. The sacrifice Of tn
Son OF God
Christ. walked to Emmaus, Chris
walked from Capernaum to Bethany
Christ walked from Jerusalem to Col
, gotha. How far have you and / wake,
: for Christ? His head ached, His hear
, ached, His back ached. How mucl
, have we ached for Christ?
, The disposition of Jesus was ais
a disposition of humility. The Lor
, of earth and Heaven in the garb c
I a rustic. He who poured all tn
waters of the earth out of his righ
hand-the Amazon and the Euphrate
!, and the Oregon and the Ohio and til
Mississippi-bendirg over well t
: ask Samaritan woman for drinl
1 He who spread the canopy of til
q heavens and set the earth for a foo
( stool, admitting that He had nc
e where to lay his head He who's
. charots the clouds are, walked wit
e sore feet. flushing the tempest o
e Gennesaret and wiping the spray
il the storm from His beard, then 81
$ ting down in the cabin beside H
). disciples, as though he had done II
h more than wipe the sweat from II
: brow in Joseph's carpenter shop. Tai
:. ing the foot of death off the heal
s of Lazarus and breaking the chai
d Of the grave against the ma
g BILE of the tomb and then wall
: ing out with Mary and Martha witt
8 out any more pretension than a plai
citizen going out in the suburban vi
}. lage to spend the evening. Jostled {
n though He wero nobody. Pu
I sued as though He were an OUTLAY
e Nicknamed. Seated with publican
and with sinners. King Of Heave