Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-17
l'ALMAGE'S SERMON.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL WHO
HAVE BATTLES TO FIGHT.
Contests in the Roman Ampliithcztcr
Iikoued to Those In which the Chris
tiau wlthstauds tho Assaults OF the
Temptor-N Word. OF Paul

OF Ut. lalmHge IS iU!l OF inspiring
,houghts for those who find life a
struggle ana shows that we have many
celestial sympathizers; texts Hebrews
Nii, 1.%Seeing we also are cOmp1ssed
about with 50 great a cloud of wit
uesscs;" | Corinthians XIV, 80, II have
fought with beasts at Ephesus."
Crossing the Alps by the Mont CeTis
pass or through the Mont Gents tun-
mel, you are in a few hours set down
at Verona, italy, and in few minutes
begin examining one of the grandest
ruins of the world. the Amphtheater
The whole building sweeps around you
in a circle. You stand in the arena
where the combat was once fought or
the race run. and on all sides the seats
rise. tier above tier until you count
forty elevations or galleries, as | shall
see tic to call them. in which sat the
senators. the kings and the $4,000 eX-
Cl,ed spectators. At the sides Of the
arena and under the galleries are the
cages where the lions and tigers are
kept without food until. frenzied with
hun ger and thirst, they are let out up
on some poor victim, who, with his
sword and alone, is condemned to meet
them. | think that Paul himself once
stood in such a place and that it was
rot only lguratively, but literally, that
he hal fought with beasts at Ephe-
sus"
The gala day has come From all the
world the people are pouring into Vero-
ma. Every place is filed. I'm
meusity of audience sweeping the great
circle. silence. The time for the contest
has come. A Roman official leads forth
the victim into the arena. Let him get
his sword with firm grip into his right
hand. The 25 600 sit breathlessly watch
ing | hear the door at the side of the
arena creak open. Out plunges the half
starved lion, his tongue athrst for
blood, and with a roar that brings all
me galleries to their feet he rushes
against the sword of his combatant
Do you know how long a stroke a man
viii strike when his life depends upon
the first thrust of his blade? The
wild beast lame and bleeding, sinks
back toward the side of the arena;
then railying his wasted strength he
comes up with fiercer eye and more
terrible roar than ever, only TO be
driven back with a fatal wound, while
the combatant comes in with stroke
after stroke until the monster is dead
at his feet, and the 250OO clap their
hands and utter a shout that makes
the city trembe.
To one of the Roman amphitheatri-
cal audiences of 100000 people Paul
refers when he says, I'VE are com
passed about with so great a cloud OF
witnesses" The direct reference in
the last passage is made to race; but
elsewhere having discussed that take
now Paul's s'iayorite idea of the Chris
tian life as a combat.
The fact is that every Christian
man has a lion to fight. Yours is a
bad temper You have been thrown
by it time and again, but in the
strength Of God YOU have arisen to
drive it back | verify believe you
will conquer l think that the tempta-
tion is getting weaker and weaker
You have given it so many wounds
that the prospect is that it will die
and you shall be the victor, through
Christ Courage, brother! Do not LET
the sands of the arena drink the blood
of your soul,
Your lion is the passion for strong
drink You may have contended
against it for twenty years; but 1t is
strong of body and thirsty Of tongue
Take this weapon sharp and keen
reach up and get it from Gods armory
the sword of the Spirit. With that
thou mayest drive him back and con
quer,
But why specify when every mar
and woman has a lion to fight? L
there be one here who has no besettins
sin. let him speak out, for him have
offended. If you have not fought tn,
lion. it is because you have let the lioI
eat you up This very moment thu
contest goes on. The Trajan ceiebra
ton. where 10000 gladiators tough
and / 900 wild beasts were slain. wal
for the life of the body; this is for tht
life of the soul. That was with wilC
beasts from the jungle; this is viii
the roaring lion of hell.
Men think. when they content
against an evil habit, that they hav,
10 fight it all alone. Mo- They stant
in the center of an immense circle 0
sympathy. Paul had been reciting tn,
names of Abel Enoch, Noah. Abraham
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