Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-05-09

ing press and the platform on the side
of Christianity, but We overlook tha
engravers knife and the painters
pencil. The antiquarian goes ana
looks at pictured ruins or examines
the chiseled pillars of Thebes and
Nineyeh and Pompeii and then comes
back to tell us of the beastliness OK
ancient art, and 1t Is fact now that
many OF the finest specimens-merely
artistically consldered-of sculpture
and painting that are to be found amid
those ruins are not fit to be looked
at, and they are locked up. How Paul
must have felt when, standing amid
those impurities that stared ON him
from the walls and pavements and ba--
zaars of Corinth, he preached Of the
pure and holy Jesus. The art OF the
world on the side OF obscenity and
crime and death.
Much OF the art OF the world has
been in the possession of the vi 3ious.
What to unclean Henry VIII. wan ~
beautiful picture of the Madonna3g
What to Lord Jeffreys, the unjust
Judge. the picture of the Last Judg
a picture of the baptism in the Jor-
dan? The art of the world on the
wrong side. But that is being changed
now. The Christian artist goes over
TO Rome, looks at the pictures and
brings back TO his American studio
much OF the power Of these old mas
tiers. The Christian minister goes over
to Venice, looks at the "Cruclfixion OF
Christ" and comes back to the Ameri-
can pulpit to talk as never before of
the sufferings of the Savior. The pri-
vate tourist goes to Rome and looks
at Raphae's picture Of the Last Judg-
ment." The tears start, and he goes
back to his room in the hotel and
prays God for preparation for that DAY
when
Shriveling like a parched scroll,
The flaming heavens together roll.
Christs Social Position.
So l remark it is with business
acumen and tact. When Christ was
upon earth, the people that followed
him for the most part had no social
position. There was but one man
naturally brilliant in all the apostle.
ship. Joseph of Arimathsa, the rich,
man, risked nothing when he offered
a hole in the rock for the dead Christ.
How many of the merchants in Asia,
Minor befriended Jesus2 think OF
only one-Lydia. How many, OF the
castles on the beach at Gatileeeenterl-
tanned Christ? Not one When Peterr
came to Joppa, he stopped with one
Simon, a tanner. What power haCs
or in the bazaars Of Corinth? None.
The prominent men Of the day did notr
want to risk their reputation for sanity
by pretending to be one of his follow
ers. Now that is all changed Among
the mightiest men in our great cities
today are the Christian merchants and
the Christian bankers, and if tomor-
row at the board of trade any man
should get up and malign the name of
Jesus he would be quickly silenced or
put out. In the front rank of all our
Christian workers today are the Chris
tian merchants. and the enterprises or
the world are coming on the right side
There was a farm willed away some
years ago, all the proceeds of that farm
to go for spreading infdel books
Somehow matters have changed, and
now all the proceeds of that farm go
toward the missionary cause. One of
the finest printing presses ever built
was built for the express purpose of
publishing infdel tracts and books.
Now 1t does nothing but print Holy
Bibles. l believe that the time viii
come when in commercial circles the
voice of Christ will be the mightiestt
of all voices and the ships of Tarshish
will bring presents and the queen OF
Sheba her glory and the wise men or
the east their myrrh and franl1incense.
| look off upon the business men or
this land and rejoice at the pros
pect that their tact and ingenuity and.
talent are being brought into the serv--
ice OF Christ. 1t is one of the mightiesrz
Of weapons. There is none like that
give it me-"