Connecticut western news., 1902-06-12

away LhC pk.illSAilsiN'AAl lNA SILL oO hC offered his own face to be laccrated. He offered his lips to become parched and bleeding. He offered his eyes to become glassy in death. Yet the scar red and disfgured face of Christ will be more beautiful to the redeemed spirits in the heavenly land than If those divine features were without spot or blemish. The scars upon his face will appeal to us in the same way that the wrinkles upon our mothers face touched our hearts when she lay asleep in the casket. We looked at the wrin- kles and said: That wrinkle came when she took care of me while was sick with diphtheria. This wrinkle came when my brother died. That other wrinkle came when she was pre- pairing my clothes for college. Wonder and left home" Therefore to us chill dren those wrinkles were beautiful be- cause they told the story of her vicari- ous love and suffering. Yes, in heaven we want to see our mothers wrinkles. that came as the battle scars of life while fighting for her children. In heaven we also want to see the scared face of Jesus, which scars were cut in to his fair skin while suffering for our redemption.
 When Alexander the Great had his portrait painted, he made the artist represent him with his head resting upon his hand. The emperor did this so that his forefnger might cover up a deep scar which was slashed into his right cheek by the sword of an enemy. But when the Bible paints for us Christ's face it does not cover up one of the divine scars. To the Christian the most beautiful parts of the divine face should be the places which reveal to us how Christ suffered and died that we might live.
 The scared face of Christ is an H. lumined face. Have you ever seen a sad countenance light up with a smile Have you ever heard little child burst forth into laugh in the midst of a fit glistening upon the wet cheek? Wen, Christ's face, though in one sense a sad face, a scared face, Is yet an illumined face. It has joy in the eye, joy on the lip, Joy in the cheek, joy everywhere, when one of his loved ones has been saved by the sacrifice of his blood. There Is more joy in that divine face over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.
 IIlumined by Love.
 If Christ's had not been an illumined face the little children would not have loved to run to him. Children are at, tracted by a smile. They are afraid of tears. Yet everywhere, as Jesus smil- ing face appears, we can hear the chil- dren calling to one another: Come, come! Here is Jesusi Come, comew If Jesus face was not an illumined face, he could never have spoken such trium- phant words as those which he spoke to him sick of the palsy, Son, be of good 'cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee" He could never have spoken such words of commendation as those be spoke in reference to the centurion, "Verily, say unto you, have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel" And, O my brother, if our sins are making the Say tours face such a sad face and If our repentance will make Christ's face such an illumined face, should we not be willing to brighten up our Saviour's face since 1t has suffered 90 much?
 But the sweetest thought to me of all is that Christ's is face that wants to be loved. Some portraits have an in- describable something about them which proves that those faces crave affection. If the closed lips could speak. they would say: T live for oth- CTS in order that others might live for me. love in order that can be loved. I suffer in order that others can be made happy. And, being happy, they can pour out their gratitude upon me. "
 I only awoke to the fact few years ago that Christ's face was a face that wanted to be loved. l used to think that I must love Christ because Christ could and would save me if I asked him. But now have learned to love him because he loves me and wants me to love him. He loves me with love that passeth all understanding. But that love Is incomplete unless l re spond to it and love as I am loved. MT. Moody told pathetic story how a short time after his fathers death his elder brother ran away from home. Then he described how his mother used to be continually watching for the return of the prodigal. how she would send the children every day down to the postofice to find out if there were a letter from her absent boy. They would hear her praying at night for the return of her son, that he might give her his love. We'll, today Christ's face Is a face craving affec, ton.
 Are you ready to satisfy the cravings for affection which are pictured upon Christ's face? Are you willing to have your face stamped upon Christ's heart If you would, you cannot have your face there alone. There are many faces imprinted upon his heart, and vel all these faces blend into one. These faces, which are stamped upon the tender, living, forgiving heart oi Christ, make composite picture
 w hCh JOu AAOLh NOAAC6Cp khS photographer made composite pic ture of your class. He took all the diff ferent photographs of the members and passed them rapidly before the cameras eye. Then the various photo graphs were combined in a single pic ture, and that was called the class DOT trait. So upon Christ's heart there Ii composite picture. That composite portrait is made up of your Christian mothers and fathers faces, you Christian wife's and child's faces; il is made from the faces of the Chris tian men and women who have diet in the past and of those who are living today. Will you have your face in thii composite picture, which is inefface ably stamped upon the great heart ol Christ .
 Divine Love Not Blind.
 But, sad to relate, after all Christ has suffered and done for us, his face may be a condemning face. The di