Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-06-22
body about them? All, what a silly


man you would be, AS we'll might a
commander in a fort send word to
the enemy which gate of the castle is
least barred as for you to go and tell
what all your frailties are and what
your temptations are. The world Will
only carfcature you, will only scott at
you. What, then, must man do?
When the wave strikes him with ter
rife dash, shall. he have nothing to
hold on to? In this contest with ''the
world. the flesh and the devil" shall
a man have no help, no counsel? Our
text intimtes something different. In
those eyes that wept with the Bethany
sisters | see shining nope. In that
voice which spake until the grave
broke and the widow of Main had
back her lost son and the sea slept
and sorrow stupendous woke up in the
arms of rapture-in that voice l hear
the command and the promise, Cast
thy burden on the Lord, and he will
sustain thee" Why should you carry
your burdens any longer? Oh, you
weary soul, Christ has been in this con-
f1ict. He says: My grace shall be
sufficient for you. You shall not be
tempted above that you are able to
bear" Therefore with all your tempta-
tions. go, as these disciples did. and
tell Jesus.
Again, | commend the behavior Of
the disciples to all those who are
abused and to the slandered and per-
secuted. When Herod put John to
death, the disciples knew that their
own heads were not safe. And do you
know that every John has a Herod?
There are persons in life who do not
wish you very well. Your misfortunes
are honeycombs to them Through
their teeth they hiss at you. misinter-
pref your motives and would be glad
to see you upset.
Suffering Persecution.
No man gets through life without
having a pommeling. Some SANDER
comes after you, horned and husked
and hOofed, to gore and trample you.
And what are you to DO? | tell you
plainly that all who serve Christ must
suffer persecution. 1t is the worst
sign in the world for you to be able
to say, Il have not an enemy in the
world" \ woe is pronounced in the
Bible against the one of whom every
body speaks well. If you are at peace
with all the world and everybody likes
you and approves your work, it is be-
cause You are an iGler in the Lords
vineyard and are not doing your duty
All those who have served Christ. how
ever eminent. all have been maltreated
at some stage OF their experience. You
know it was so in the time of George
Whiteteid. when he stood and invited
men into the kingdom Of God. What
did the learned Dr.. Johnson say OF
him? Re pronounced him miser-
able mountebank. How was it when
Robert Hall stood and spoke as scarce
y any uninspired man ever did speak
of the glories of heaven? And as he
stood Sabbath after sabbath preaching
"a these themes his face kiudled with
the glory. John Foster. a Christian
man. said of this man: Robert Hall is
only acting. ana the smile on his face
is 4 reflection of his own vanity"
John Wesley turned all England up
side down with Christian reform, and
yet the prnsters were after him, and
the meanest jokes in England were
perpetrated about John Wesley. What
is true Of the pulpit is true of the pew;
it is true OF the street; it is true of
the shop and the store Al who will
live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer
persecution. And | set it down as
the very worst sign in all your Chris
tian experience if you are. any of you,
at peace with all the world The re-
ligion of Christ IS war Il is a chal-
Ienge 70 the world, the flesh and the
devil" and if you will buckle on the
whole armor OF God you will find a
great host disputing your path between
this and heaven.
An Ever Present Friend.
an n in. IL