The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1900-09-21

When will the time come when the
spirit of God shall, with its AK, hew
down that right hand cross until it
shall fall at the feet of the middle
cross, and unbelief, the railing male
factor of the world, shall perish from
all our hearts? Away from me, thou
spirit of unbelief! 1 hate thee! With
this sword of God I thrust thee back
and thrust thee through. Down to
hell; down, most accursed monster
of the earth, and talk to those thou
hast already damned! Talk no longer
to these sons of God, these heirs OF
Heaven.
"If Thou be the Son of God" Was
there any "if" about it? Tell me,
thou star, that in robe of light did
run to point out His birthplace. Tell
me, thou sea, that didst put thy hand
over thy lip when He babe thee be
still. Tell me, we dead who got up
to see him die. Tell me, thou sun
in midheaven, who for Him didst pull
down over thy face the veil of dark
ness. Tell me, we lepers who were
cleansed, We dead who were raised,
is He the Son of God? Aye, aye, re-
spends the universe. The flowers
breathe it; the stars chime it; the
redeemed celebrate it; the angels rise
on their thrones to announce it. And
yet on that miserable malefactor's
''if'' how many shall be wrecked for
all eternity!
Away, then, from this right hand
cross. The red berries of the forest
are apt to be poisonous, and around
this tree of carnage grow the red, poi
sonous berries of which many have
tasted and died. I can see no use
for this right hand cross, except it be
used as lever with which to upturn
the unbelief of the world.
Here from the right-hand cross go
to the left-hand cross. Pass clear to
the other side. That victim also twists
himself upon the nails to look at the
center cross, yet not to scott.
He says: II am a guilty wretch. l
deserve this. There is no need of my
cursing. That will not stop the pain.
There is no need of disappearing
Christ, for He has done me no wrong.
And yet cannot die so. The fortunes
of my body are undone by the tor
lures of my soul. The past is scene
of misdoing, the present crucifixion,
the future an everlasting undoing.
Come back, thou hiding midday sun!
Kiss my cheek with one bright ray of
comfort. What, no help from above
no help from beneath? Then l must
turn to my companion in sorrow, the
One on the middle cross. l have heard
that He knows how to help a man
when he is in trouble. have heard
that He can cure the wounded. / have
heard that He can paruon the sinner.
Surely in all His wanderings up and
down the earth He never saw one
more in need of His forgiveness. Wilt
| thou turn for the moment away from
Thy own pangs to pity me? Lord, it
is not to have my hands relieved or
my feet taken from the torture-I can
stand all this-but, oh, my sins, my
sins, my sins They pierce me through
and through. They tell me must die
forever. They will push me out into
| the darkness unless Thou wilt help
me. l confess it all. Hear the cry
of the dying thief: Lord, remember
me when Thou contest into Thy king
DOM. I ask no great things. I seek
| for no throne in Heaven, no chariot
to take me to the skies, but just think
of me when this days horrors have
| passed. Think of me a little-of me,
| the one now hanging at Thy side
| when the shout of Heavenly welcome
takes Thee back into Thy glory. Thou
wilt not forget me, wilt thou? Lord,
remember me when Thou contest into
Thy kingdom Only just remember
me-"
This left hand cross was believing
cross. There was no guesswork in that
PRAYER, no eff" in that supplication.
The left hand cross flung itself at the
foot of the middle cross, expecting
mercy. Faith is only just opening the
hand to take what Christ offers us.
The work is all done; the bridge is
built strong enough for us all to walk
over. Tap not at the door of God
mercy with the tip of your fingers, but
as warrior with gauntleted fists at
the castle gate. So with all the aroused
energies of our souls let us pound at the
gate of Heaven. That gate is locked.
| You go to it with bunch of keys. You
| try philosophy. That will not open it.
A large door generally has a ponderous
key. 1 take the cross and place the
| foot of it in the lock, and by the two
arms of the cross turn the lock, and