The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-09-14
THE THREE CROSSES.
DR.. Talmage Discourses on Redemp-
ton of the Race.
Topic Suggested by Famous Paint
ings of Munich.-Types of Humnn-
ity Represented by the Two
MaIefnctors.
copyright, 1900. by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington. Sent. o.


tnre galleries of Munich seem to have
suggested the topic of this discourse,
which DR. Tamage sends from the
quaint Bavarian town. but the theme
which inspired the painters awalkens
In the great preacher thoughts of the
redemption of the human race. which
was the supreme design of that scene
of suffering and death. The text is
Luke xiii, 80: There they cruel
fed Him and the maefactors. one on
the right hand and the other on the
left"
just outside of Jerusalem is a swell
of ground, toward which a crowd are
ascending, for it is the day of execu-
tion. What a mighty assemblage!
Some for curiosity to hear what the
malefactors will say and how they
will act. The three persons to be ex-
ecuted are already there. Some of
the spectators are vile of lip and
bloated of cheek. Some look up with
revenge, hardly able to keep their
hands off the sufferers. Some tear
their own hair in a frenzy of grief
Some stand in silent horror. Some
break out into uncomfortable weep
ing. Some clap their hands in delight
that the offenders are to be punished
at last. The soldiers, with drawn
swords, drive back the mob which
presses on so hard. There is fear
that the proceedings may be inter
Tupted. Let the legion, now sta
toned at Jerusalem, on horseback
dash along the line and force back
the surging multitude. Back with
you'll" is the cry. Have you never
before seen man die?"
Three crosses i'm rowan upright
piece and two transverse pieces one
on the top, on which the hands are
nailed, and one at the middle. on
which the victim sat. Three trees
just planted, vet bearing fruit-the
one at the right bearing poison and
the one at the left bitter aloes. che
one in the middle apples of love Nor
way pine and tropical orange and
Lebanon cedar could not make so
strange grove as this orchard at
Calvary. Stand and give look at
the three crosses.
just look at the cross on the right.
than his physical anguish is his scorn
and hatred of Him on the middle
cross. This wretched man turns half
around on the spikes to hiss at the
One in the middle. If the scoffer
could get one hand loose and he were
within reach, he would smite the
middle sufferer in the face. He hates
Him with perfect hatred. | think he
wishes he were down on the ground
that he might spear Him. He envies
the mechanics who with their nails
have nailed him fast. Amid the set
thing darkness and louder than the
crash Of the rocks hear him ieer out
these words: "Ah, you poor wretch!
knew YOU were an imposter! You
pretended to be n God and vet YOU
let these legions master you!" II was
In some such hate that Voltaire in
his death hour, because ne thought
he saw Christ in his bedroom. rot
up on his elbow and cried out:
"Crush that wretch" What had the
middle cross done 10 arouse up this
right hand cross? Nothing. Oh. the
enmity of the natural heart against
Christ or philanthropic Christ but
Christ who comes to snatch men
away from their sins - away with
Him! On His right hand cross to-
day ] see typifed the unbelief of the
world. Men say; Back with Him
from the heart! | will not let Him
take my sins. If He will die. let Him
die for Himself, not for me" There
mas always been a war between this
right hand cross and the middle cross.
and wherever there is an unbeIiev-
Ing heart there the fight goes on. Oh.
II when that dying malefactor per.
ished the faithlessness of man had
persisted, then that tree which Yields
poison would have buGded and blos-
somed with life for all the world!
That right hand cross-thousands
have persisted on it in worse agonies.
For what is physical pain compared
ITO remorse at the last that life has
been wasted and only fleeing mo-
ment stands between the soul and
Its everlasting overthrow? O God.
let me die anywhere rather than at
the foot of that right hand cross!
Let not one drop Of that blood fall
upon my cheek. Rend not nv ear
with that cry. | see il now as never
before-the loathsomeness and hor-
ror of my unbelef. That dying male
factor was not so much to blame as
i. Christianity was not established
and perhaps not until that day had
that man heard the Christ. But after
Christ has stood almost 10 centuries
working the wonders of His grace
you reject Him.
That right hand cross, with its long
beam overshadows all the earth. II
is planted in the heart of the race
When will the time come when the
spirit of God shall, with its AK, hew
down that right hand cross until il