The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-08

tAcQ. 0ut you see II II U uedte0 YOUNG,
for l have found rest at last for body and
soul, the complete rest, the everlasting
rest, that remaineth for the people OF
God" Some one in heaven will say to
Martyr John Rogers, Where did you
get that scar on your foot?' and the an
swer will come. "Oh, that was a burn i
suffered when the flames Of martyrdom
were kindled beneath me-" ~"Ignatius,
what is that mark on your cheek?' -Oh,
that was made by the paw OF the lion TO
which l was thrown by the order OF
Trajan" Some one will say to Paul,
Great apostle, that must have been a
deep cut once, the mark which l see OF
your neck" And Paul says, That was
made by the sword which struck me at
my beheadment on the road to Ostia."
Blu we all nave scars OF some kind. and
those are some Of the things we will talk
over in the heavenly world while we cele-
brate the grace that made Us triumphant
over all ~antagonism.
Practical Application.
Now what is the practical use of this
subject? 1t is the cultivation of Chris
tan heroics. The most Of US want TO
say things and do things for God when
there is no danger of getting hurt. We
are all ready for easy work, for popular
work, for compromising work, but we all
greatly need more courage to brave the
world and brave satanic assault when
there is something aggressive and bold
and dangerous to be undertaken for God
and righteousness. And if we happen to
get bit what an d we make about it.
We all need more Of the stuff that mar
tyrs are made out Of. We want more
sanctiied grit, more Christian pluck,
more holy recklessness as to what the
world may say and do in any crisis Of
our life. Be right and do right, and all
earth and hell combined cannot put you
down.
The same little missionary who wrote
my text also uttered that piled up mag
nifcence to be found in those words
which ring like battle axes on splitting
helmets: I'm all these things We are more
than conquerors through him that loved
us, for l am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principali-
ties, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, mol
any other creature, shall be able to sepa-
rate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord"
How do you like that, you towards,
who shrink back from aggressive work
and if so much as a splinter pierce your
flesh cry out louder than many a one torn
in auto da fe? Many a soldier has gone
through a long war, been in 20 battles
led a regiment up a hill mounted by can
o and swept by musketry and yet came
home without having been once hit and
without a mark upon him.. But it will not
be so among those who pass in the grand
review of heaven. They have all in the
holy wars been wounded, Inc all bear
scars. And what would the newly arriv
ed in heaven do with nothing to show
that he had ever been struck by human
or diabolic w~eaponry? How embarrassed
and eccentric such an one in such a place
Surely he would want to be excused
awhile from the heavenly ranks and b.
permitted to descend to earth, crying
"Give me another chance to do something
worthy Of an immortal. Show me some
post of danger to be manned, some for
tress to be stormed, some difficult charge
to make. Like Leonidas at ThermopylR
like Miltiades at Marathon, like Marlbor
ough at Blenheim, like Godfrey at Jeru
salem, like Winkelried at Sampach gath
ering the spears Of the Austrian knight
into his bosom, giving his life for others
show me some place where I can do
brave tning Tor zoo. L cannon go Dack q
heaven until somewhere 1 bear in m!
body the marks of the Lord Jesus" NJ.
nearer, my reader, quit complaining abou
your misfortunes and disappointment
and troubles and through all time and al
eternity thank God for scars.
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer though they die;
. They see the triumph from afar
And seize it with their eye.
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thine armies shine,
In robes of victory through the skies
The glory shall be thine.
copyright, 1901, by Louis Klopsch.1