Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-26

wasting my energies in foo1iShly at
lacking those people who are attacking
me. l cannot, as q general, be spending
most of my time in pursuing a few for
aging parties when | ought to be
marching on toward the great city of
Gospel Success Besides that, the
Christian traveller says to himself
perhaps l have not done my full
duty toward my enemies. Perhaps l
have not been kind and loving enough.
Perhaps l have not presented my
Jesus in clear, simple way If
l did. then 1 might change the foes
of Christ into his loving disciples. l
will forgive as well as forget After
mine enemy has smitten me on one
cheek l will turn to him the other also.
After he has compelled me to go with
him one mile 1 will go with him
twain"
This is not an absurd Interpretation
to make of the Christians feelings in
reference to his enemies when he is
trying to travel the twain mile of for
giveness. Almost without exception
the truly great men who have conse-
Grated their lives to temporal cause
have been able to drop the bitter per-
sonalities out of their existence They
were able to forgive as we'll as forget
the personal injustices which had been
practiced against them. When the
north German states were being weld
ed into the great confederacy of the
German empire by the master states
man of the last century, Prince Bis
marck said to a friend during the dark
est days of the struggle: 81 must not
think Of what mine enemies might say
or do. To attain this end l would
brave all dangers-eXile, indeed; the
scaffold itself. What matter if they
hang me provided the rope with which
1 am hanged binds this new Germany
firm to the Prussian throne?''
| During the last days of the Southern
| Confederacy the southern army was
fleeing toward Appomattox Court
house. On account of the awful bonn
bardment it had dwindled into a mere
handful. General Robert E. Lee one
summoned prominent general to his
side and asked him what he should do.
Anything, General Lee" answered
the subordinate, except surrender
We do not want your enemies to say
that you had to give up your sword
Bid the soldiers scatter, and we will
join the armies in the south. Do not
spoil your grand record. Do not sur.
render "No," answered General Lee
81 cannot think of myself The war is
hopeless. If the men dispense, they
must live off the country and cause
useless suffering. l must be true tt
what is right. l must not think OF
what people might say. / shall surren
der" If such men could drop the per
sonalities out of their lives, all true
Christian soldiers should be ready tt
travel the twain mile for Christs cause
We should forget as we'll as forgive
We should no longer have the enmitie.
which some of us bear our fellow men
Jesus has been given as an exampl,
for all his disciples to copy. What die
Christ do when he was scoffed at ant
spit upon? Why the enemies mad,
so many charges against Christ tina
|
something and refuta the charges
Hearst thou not how many thing
they witness against thee? And h.
answered him never a word insomucl
that the governor marveled greatly.
Christ came to save the world. Jesu
did not have time or inclination t
spend the last moments of his earthl,
20 fUh htC afO ho
should we
. Hates Worst Enemy.
. The twain mile is the place wher
the enemies of the true Christian ar
either mellowed or completely cor
quered by love. AS the willingness t
love ones enemies makes man stron
to go forth to the battle of life, so tina
Willingness to love an enemy dulls tn
: battleax of almost every foe. Love
! the most dangerous enemy hate has
! combat. Love is the duelist which wi
, disarm many a fatal adversary. Low
! is the shield which can blunt or sna
, every plunging spear Love is the da1
5 zling light which can WOO a smile fror
t many scornful lip and the tear of rt
, | morse from many flashing eye.
9 My brother, the difficulty with 70
' and myself is we have been fightin
: our enemies with the wrong kind c
;. weapon. We have been fighting fir
: with fire, hate with hate, bitterness
. with bitterness, SANDER with sande
Y death with death. But now Jesus ha
f given to us new way to conquer on
e enemies. We must disarm hate wit
f love; we must submerge SANDER wit
2 forgiveness; we must answer a ours
: with a prayer; we must offer to tI
e cinched fist an open palm; we mus
t extend to every enemy helping han'
q Surely this idea is the Interpretation
e the words, "Whosoever shall smite the
n upon thy right cheek, turn to him tt
o other also" 'Whosoever shall comp
v thee to go with him one mile. go wit
n him twain"