Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-03-23


OF the Lord Jesus"
We hear much about crowns.
thrones. victories. but I now tell the
more quiet story OF scars. honorable
snd dishonorable. There are la all
parts Of the world people bearing
dishonorable scars. They went into
the battle Of sin and were worsted.
and 70 their dying day they Will have
n scarifcstion OF body or mird or
soul. IL cannot be hidden. Their ase
tens OF thousands Of men and women
now consecrated 20 God and living
holy lives who were once corrupt:
bat they have been regenerated, and
they are no more what they once
were than rubcscence Is emsciation.
than balm IS vitriol. than MONDAY is
midnight. But in their depleted phys
ical health or mental twist or style
OF temptation they arc ever and anon
reminded OF the obnoxious past.
They have n memory that is deplor-
able. In some twinge OF pain or some
tendency TO surrender 10 the wrong
they have an unwhoiesome remin-
iscence- They carry sears. deep scars,
ignoble sears.
Bnt Paul in my text shows Ms a
scarifcation which l. q badge of hon
orable and sclf-sacrific;ng service.
He had in his weak ewes the result
Of too much study and in his body.
bent and worn. the signature OF
Scourgings and Shipwrecks and mail
treatment by mohs. In my text he
shows those scars as he declares. Il
bear in my body the marks OF the
Lord Jesus Notice that IL is not
wounds. but scars. and a scar Is a
healed wound. Before the scar is
well defined upon the fesh the in
fammatiou must have departed and
right circulation must have been
restored ard new tissue must have
been formed. IL is a permanent in
jcntation OF the fesh-a cieatriN.
Paul did well TO show those scars.
They were positive and undisputable
proofs that with al his body. mind
and soul he believed what he said.
They were his diploma. showing that
ne had graduated from the school OF
hardship for Christ. They were Gre
dentials proving his RICH; 20 lead in
the worlds evangelizati0n.
Men are not ashamed Of scars got
in battle for their country. No
American is emha IRA ssed when Won
ask him: Where did YOU get that
cash across your forehead2- and he
can answer. THAT was from a saber
ca, az san juan When you ask
some German: Where did You lose
your right arm2- he Is not ashamed
20 say. Il lost it az sedan When
lose your eye?~ he Is not annoyed
when he can answer: IT suffered that
in the last battle under our glorious
Gen. Garibaldi." But I remind YOU
OF the fact that there are scars not
got in war which are just "a HAS
trious. We haG in this country years
ago an eminent advocate who was
called into the presidential cabinet
As attorney general. In midlife he
was in a Philadelphia courtroom en-
gagged in an important trial. The at
tOrney on the opposite side Of the
case got irritated and angry and in
most brutal manner referred TO the
distinguished attorneys disigured
face. face more deeply Scared than
any face ! ever saw The legal hero
| ing argument said. Gentlemen OF
the jury. when I was a little child I
WAS playing with nv sister ia the
nursery. aud her clothes caught fire.
and / ran TO her ia put ont the fire.
] succeeded. but / myself took FIRE.
| and before IL was extinguished my
face was awfully burned and as black
as the heart OF the scoundreily coun-
SCI who on the other side of the ca Sc
has referred 10 my misfortune" The
< eminent attorney Of whom ] SPEAK
carried all his life the honora bic scar
/ Of his sisters rescue. Albert Barnes
the most distinguished OF all COM
mentators. unless Il be Matthew
Henry. for years az four O'Clock in
the morning might have been seen
| going from his house in Philadelphia
10 his study Ia the church and IN
those early hours and before break K.
| fast 10 give all those wonderful CON.
| mentaries. a theological library ir
themselves He said that a. he was
pastor he felt bound 10 give all the
rest Of each day 20 work connec. ed
with his pastOrate. Brt az what 4
ruinous draft upon his eyesight he
did tha. early morning work. frst by
candlelight and then by gasI;ghtl
When he got through fhore wonder
fui volumes of SeripturaI exposition
Albert Barnes was q blind man
Sears. ilinsirious sears, on his extin
guished eyesiRht.
People think they must look fol
martyrs on battiefelds or go through
a history 90 find burnings Al IA.
stake and tortursS on racks wher