The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-03


pacities and It's disappontments. is some
times a heavy load to carry-marred by
error and stained b sin-but what the
law cou.d lot a. in that 1t was weak
through the flesh, God sending His own
SON i'm ,he likeness of sinful flesh and Tor
sin condemned sin in the flesh that the
righteousness of the law might be tul-
filled in us who walk not after the ncSh,
but after the spirit" Death is dark
specter in every mans pathway. but lie,
Through DEATH" hath destroyed MIN
that had the power of death, that IS, the
devil" and delivered them VINO, through
fear of death, were all their lifetime sub
iect TO bondage" 1t is said that one who
first enters the magnificent pile of St
Peters at Rome sees no architectural plan
ar beauty-all is massive, grand, but con-
fusinr ONLY when he has proceeded TO
the center of the building ana STANDS
under the great dome, do the various
parts fall into harmony and the bui-d!hS
displav it's wonderful PROJECTIONS llu-
mainly is confused and confusing, Bl"fl-
Gus but with neXplainable grleiS' uhu.
from the standing ground OF calvary oiio
locks backward TO the paths men nave
trodden and forward to the paths they are
vet 10 tread. beginning in paradise and
ending with God: then we can burst
forth with tho lyric emotion of Paul.
20 the depth of the riches both of WIS
dom and knowledge Of God! how I'M
searchable are his judgments ana his
ways past finding OUT
. The cross of Christ is the power that
has translated as from darkness into his
marvellous light. Paul could remember
the time when he who commanded the
light TO shine out of darkness shin@d IN
his heart to give the light Of knowle'iSe
of the glory of God in The face OF Jesus
| Christi the change which is wrought
In a human soul by the power OF
faith is revolutionary at that which oc-
CURED when chaos was reduced To ORDER
and the power behind creation SAID. Let
there lie light. and there was light lie
who has felt the depth and woe of SIN
who has been lifted from the miry Cay.
had his feet set upon a rock, his SoinSs
established and a new song put into his
mouth. can never forget the transiorma-
ton. will be ready to sing with old-fash-
toned Christians.
Amazing grace. how sweet the sound
That saved Il wretch like me.
Glory in the cross? In what else should
be CORY?
/. The cross is the symbol of Worldwide
authority and mower. The influence of
and binds In one and al the ends Of the
earth. More and more the kingdoms of
the world are becoming His. How SiorI-
Gus q thought thar the POWER which
nakcs peace to them who altar off and
to them who are near. is of one who abci-
ishes in his flesh and by his blood enm.ty
between man and man as between man
and God. And Paul's vision goes far
beyond that. and makes him. the single
fh..Y-
together al things in himself, both which
are in heaven and which are on earth,
even in Him.
Dost thou, Paul, glory in the cross Of
Christ Infinite reason hast thou: and
we. too. Join in the s,orying, our feeble
lips echong the angelic $ Ii.
II.
The Cross as the Power of Christian
Life.-Pau declares that il is the cross
of Christ by which the word is crucified
unto Him and lie unto the world, for
the words. by whom III our tex are
moro properly rendered whereby" as in
the margin. These two expressions seem
10 me to refer not to two experiences, but
To one ana to be only strong way OF
stating His immeasurable devotion 10 the
cause Of Christ: as he SAYS in another
place. II ann crucihed with Christ, never
theleSs / live; yet not / but Christ iiv-
eth in me; and the lie that | now live
IN the flesh | live by the faith OF the son
OF God, VINO loved me and gave Himself
for me" We must understand that these
words real statement CT Pau's cX-
perience ana are misuScd when ordinar-
ily applied. The Biblical ideal has been
infinitely lowered by falsely applying
Scriptural phraseologv to an earthly and
selfish life. There are some VINO like TO
garnlsh their conversation with such
terms. feeling that there Is IN II pecu-
Lar h0ilness-but 50 far as their utter
ance of them Is false. we can De quite
sure that there is no strength in il. tie
VINO is indeed cruclned 10 the world. anu
lie alone. let HIM put on the armor Ut
LhIs mighty man. But We would 30 to
another extreme il We telt that THESE
words picture an unattaInabio nelSnI-
mat Goa mas cailed some men to peCu-
lar holiness and Is content Tor the rest
OF the word 10 i've seIi-cehiere1 lives.
lnc picture Of Sucn Devotion IS given Us
tnaJ We may ma an ldtdI ny winch 10
tone up ours. As we go through the
worlU measuring ourselves among our
SeIvts We are content. But an angel
wing sweeps across our vision ana is
gone. Tne mper.snabie hungering ana
tnirsting after righteousness IS stirred,
and We be gin TO climb the rugged path
way of the heights o. hoilness. Let
Pauls example move US today! Remem-
Der that as he which nath called us is
holy. are to De holy IN ali man
ncr OF conversat ton.
Nov. Pau tells US that the power of
this conservation in his own life was tho |
cross of Christ. This power of the cross |
is both q supernatural and a moral one.
Ii is a supernatural one because tie who
thus died for men has all power ia Hea-
ven and upon earth-poweT TO shape the |
soul committed to Him tnat it may be a
vessel for honor in His kingdom, power
to strengthen the life for service and lift !
to the heights of His own sacrifice. 1t IS
a moral influence. for one cannot re-
gard for moment the passion and death !
of Christ without having his heart
strangely stirred within him. defy any
one to mediate upon the agony of Geth-
semene. the cruel buffetngs OF the mob
the scourgings of the so!diery. tine crown
OF thorns pressed upon the pallid brow,
the weary form. fainting upon the do
lorous way" the gathering gloom of Cal
vary and the neXpacable grief of His
lonely death-no one can ponder upun
these things who will not exclam. "Afv
Lord and my God This crucifxion To
the world is the only basis of the new
life Of Christ. Let us then today find
through Him and His sacrifice a death
70 self and a new life unto God.