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


the king lived but the young Ian
died. Christ saw the race perishing.
He cried, "Pour my blood into their
veins, that they die not" My hand is
free now, because Christ's was crush
ed. My brow is painless now, because
Christ's was torn. My soul escapes,
because Christ's was bound. l gain
heaven, because Christ for me endured
the horrors of hell.
When the Swiss were many years
ago contending against their enemies,
they saw these enemies arrayed in
solid phalanX and knew not how to
break their ranks, but one of their
heroes, Arnold Won Winkelried, rushed
out in front of his regiment and shout
ed, Make way for libertyw The
weapons of the enemy were plunged
into his heart, but while they were
Staying him, of course their ranks were
broken, and through that gap in the
ranks the Swiss dashed to victory.
Christ saw all the powers of darkness
assailing men. lie cried out, 'Make
way for the redemption of the world
All the weapons Of internal wrath
struck him, but as they struck him our
race marched out free.
A Cross to Cling To.
To this middle cross look, that your
souls may live. 1 showed you the
right hand cross in order that you
might see what an awful thing it is to
be unbelieving. 1 showed you the left
hand cross that you might see what it
is to repent NowI show you the middle
cross that you may see what Christ
has done to save your soul. Poets have
sung it's praise, sculptors have attempt
ed to commemorate it in marble, mar
tyrs have chung to it in the fire and
Christians dying quietly in their beds
have leaned their heads against it.
This hour may all our souls embrace
it with an ecstasy of affection. Lay
hold of that cross! Everything else
will fail you. Without a strong grip on
that you perish. Put your hand on
that and you are safe, though a world
swing from beneath your feet.
Oh, that 1 might engrave on your
souls ineffaceably the three crosses, so
that if in your waking moments you
will not heed, then in your dreams at
night you may see on the hill back of
Jerusalem the three spectacles-the
right hand cross showing unbelief, dy-
ing without Christ; the left hand,
showing what it is to be pardoned,
while the central cross pours upon
your soul the sunburst of heaven as it
says: by all these wounds plead for
thy heart. I have loved thee with an
everlasting love. Rivers cannot quench
it. Floods cannot drown it." And
while you look, the right hand cross
will fade out of sight, and then the
left will be gone, and nothing will re-
main but the middle cross and even
that in your dream will begin to
change until it becomes q throne, and
the worn face of Calvary will become
radiant with gladness, and instead Of
the mad mob at the foot of the cross
will be a worshipful multitude, kneel-
ing. And you and l will be among
them.
But, no; we will not wait for such a
dream. In this our most aroused mood
we throw down at the foot of that mid
die cross sin, sorrow, life, death-every-
thing. We are slaves; Christ gives de-
liveranca to the captive. Weare thirsty;
Christ is the river of salvation to
Stake our thirst. We are hungry; Jesus
says, 81 am the bread of life" We are
condemned to die; Christ says, "Save
that man from going down to the pit;
I am the ransom" We are tossed on
the sea of trouble; Jesus comes over it,
saying, "It is L, be not afraid" We
are in darkness; Jesus says, Il am the
bright and morning star" We are
sick; Jesus is the "balm of Gilead."
The Resurrection and the Life.
We are dead; hear the shrouds rend
and the grave hillocks heave, as he
cries, 81 am the resurrection and the
life; he that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live" We
want justification; 'Being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ" We want to
exercise faith; "Believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"
I want to get from under condemna-
ton; ''There is now, therefore, no con-
demnation to them who are in Christ
Jesus" The cross-he carried it. The
flames of hell-he suffered them. The
shame-he endured it. The crown
he won it. Heights Of heaven sing it