The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-07

ness Of ancient art, and 1t is a fact now
that many Of the finest specimens-mere-
ly artistically considered-of sculpture
and painting that are to be found amid
those ruins are not fit to be looked ut, and
they are locked up. How Paul must
have felt when, standing amid those i'm
purities that stared on him from the
walls and pavements and bazaars Of Cor
NTH, 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
I'm the possession of the vicious. What to
unclean Henry VIII was q beautiful pic
Iture Of the Madonna? What to Lord JEFF
freys, the unjust Judge, the picture Of the
Last Judgment What to Nero, the
unwashed. a picture of the baptism in
the Jordan? 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 masters. The Chris
tian minister goes over to Venice, looks
at the "Cruci6xion of Christ" and comes
back to the American pulpit to talk as
never before of the sufferings Of the Saw
ieur. The private tourist goes to Rome
and looks at Raphael's picture of the
Last Judgment" 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.
Our Sunday school newspapers and
walls are adorned with pictures of Joseph
in the court, Daniel in the den, Shadrach
in the fire. Paul in the shipwreck, Christ
on the cross. Oh, that we might in our
families think more of the power of
Christian pictures! One little sketch Of
Samuel kneeling In prayer will mean
more to your children than 20 sermons on
devotion. One patient face of Christ By
the hand of the artist will be more to
your child than so sermon on forbear-
ance. The art of the world is to be taken
for Christ. What has become of Thor
waldsen's chisel and Ghirlandajo's cray
on? Captured for the truth. "There is
none like that; give it me-"
Christ's Social Position.
So L remark it is with business acu-
men 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 bril-
liant in all the apostleship. Joseph Of
Arimathea, the rich man, risked nothing
when he offered a hole in the rock for the
dead Christ. How many of the msr-
chants in Asia Minor befriended Jesus?
l think Of only one-Lydia. How many
of the castles on the beach at Galilee en-
|tertained Christ? Not one. When Peter
came to Joppa, he stopped with one 81
mon, a tanner. What power had Christ's
name on the Roman exchange or in the
bazaars of Corinth? None. The prom
linent men of the day did not want to risk
their reputation for sanity by pretending
to De one Of his followers. Now that is
all changed. Among the mightiest mel
lin our great cities today are the Christian
merchants and the Christian bankers,
and if tomorrow at the board of trade
any man should get up and malign the
name of Jesus he would be quickly 81
fenced or put out In the front rank of
Jail our Christian workers today are the
lChristian merchants. and the enterprises
Iof the world are coming on the right
side. There was a farm willed away
some years ago. all the proceeds Of that
farm to 60 for spreading infdel books.
Somehow matters have changed, and now
Jail the proceeds Of that farm 60 toward
the missionary cause. One Of the finest
lprinting presses ever built was built for
the express purpose of publishing infidel
tracts and books. Now it does nothing
but print Holy Bibles. I believe that
the time will come when in commercial
circles the voice of Christ will be the
~mightiest of all voices and the ships Of
Tarshish will bring presents and the
queen of Sheba her glory and the wise
men of the east their myrrh and franklin
cense. l look off upon the business men
of this land and rejoice at the prospect
that their tact and ingenuity and talent
are being brought into the service OF
Christ. 1t is one of the mightiest OF
weapons. There is none like that; give
it me-"
Now, If what I have said be true. away
with all downheartedness! If science is
to be on the right side and the travelling
disposition of the world on the right side
and the learning of the world on the right
side and the picture making on the right
side and the business acumen and tact of
the world on the right side. thine, O
Lord. is the kingdom! Oh. fall into line.
all We people, 1t is a grand thing to be
in such an army and led by such a com
Imander and on the way to such a victory.
If what have said is true. then Christ
lis going to gather up for himself out OF
this world everything that is worth any,
thing. and there will be nothing but the
scum left. We nave been rebels, but q
proclamation Of amnesty goes forth now
from the throne of God saying. "Whoso'
lever will. let him come" However long
you may have wandered, however great
your crimes may have been. "whosoever
will. let him come" Oh. that this hour
I could marshal all the world on the side
LOT Christ! He is the best friend a man
ever had. He is so kind. he so loving, SC
sympathetic, I cannot see how you car
stay away from him. Come now and &C
lcept his mercy. Behold him as he stretch
Ies out the arms of his salvation. saying
Look unto me. all We ends Of the earth
and be We saved. for | am God" Make
final choice now. You will either be vii
lows planted by the water courses or th'
lchaff which the wind driveth away.
copyright. 1901. by Louis Klopsch, N ~