Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-13
BURLINGTON FREE PRESS THURSDAY. NOVEMBER

and hundreds Of thousa nds. What il
his battle shout? Why, II is the songs
or Zion being sung in all the little
meeting houses all over the land
Where is his blood Of cnrnage7 1t Is
the symbol Of the blood Of Christ being
lifted to the lips at the holy comnu.
Mon. My Lord and my Christ as the
conqucror whose name God hath ex.
allied above every name, that Mt the
name Of Jesus every knee should bow,
Of things in heaven and things under
the EARTH" can we net see thee? Can
we not touch thee? Can we not con
fess thee King Of kings and Lord Of
lords7
One night some years ago, after a
day spent among the ruined palaces of
Rome, had two visions which brought
before my imagination in vivid con-
trast the beginning and the consumma-
ton Of Christ's kingdom. In one I
saw the helplessness Of the few Chris
tians in that great city during tho period
following the crucifixion; in the other
l saw in imagination the time of the
millennium, when all peoples shall ac-
claim Christ Lord of all.
The Two Visions.
Scene the First.-I was standing In
dark Roman dungeon excayated un.
der another dungeon. 1t is called
Paurs dungeon. There Is a little hole
in the roof about two feet square.
Through this little aperture the prison.
ers used to be lowered by ropes Riv-
eted into the stone wall was an iron
ring, to which the helpless victim could
be chained. The walls Of that dun
eeon, even on that hot summer day.
were damp and cold. AS l stood there
l wanted to place myself as nearly as
possible in Paul's position. | babe my
guide leave me and take away the
light. l wanted to be alone. AS the
guide left the loneliness became appall
ing. Even the echoes of the departing
footsteps seemed to make those prison
walls the more awfully and hopclessly
grewsome. AS the light disappeared
the darkness rushed i'm and seemed to
press my eyeballs like living Goals of
fire into my throbbng brain. Then in
imagination l thought l could see
crouching by the iron ring riveted into
the wall little, old Jew. His shriv-
eled limbs were drawn up by rheuma-
tism, the result of his prison confne-
ments. His weak eyes were now
straining themselves to catch a glimpse
of the executioner, who came nearer
and nearer to the aperture above, as
my guide with the lantern approached
the hole. Then in Imagination as my
guide spoke | seemed to hear the exc
cutioner call out in harsh, cruel voice
Paul, Paul, come up, Cesar says
thou art to die. Come up: come up"
Then the little old Jew answered in Il
weak though firm voice. and now
am ready to be offered" INA vision
was one Of the conquest Of wrong over
right.
Scene the Second.-It is midnoon.
am standing upon the top of the great
Coliseum. Before Inc are crowded to-
Rcther 100000 men and women. a great
mass of humanity, rising tier above
tier, and height above height. Yondcr
sits the emperor. surrounded by his
chief military officers and by the mem
bers Of the famous senate. There Is
the place reserved for the veSlal viz
gins Here are the rooms of the peas
ants and the middle classes. All the
sightseers are flushed and excited. The
roses in the young girls cheeks blush
even to a deeper red than the drunken
flush on the faces of their intoxi cated
lords. AS the entertainment goes on
the bodies OF the slain begin to accu-
mulate. Attendants now rush in and
drag the bleeding corpses out Of the
arena Then the blood soaked sand is
sprlnkled with precious powders to al
lay the odcr. Now an ming is drawn
over the assembly to protect the nobil-
ity from the fiery rays of the eastern
sun. Now the air is redolcnt with
aromatic perfumes, This is national
holiday. Caesar is celebrating the vic
tories of the Roman armies. Now the
arena is flooded with water. The ships
float in. There is n naval battle. Now
the gladia tors cut and slash and wres-
tie and die.
The Scene In the Arena.
After awhile even this sport becomes
tame. For what are they waiting :?
They are saving the best until the
last. They are now going to let loose
the wild beasts upon the Christians
The twilight is coming on. Some OF
the Christians are bound and fastened
to poles and covered with pitch and set
atire to make human torches with
which to light the dusk While these
flaming torches leap and splitter and
play, in the center of the arena are
huddled together scores of men and
the mercless plultitudes look on. the
doomed Christians all kneel except one
old patriarch with long. white beard.
who stands in their midst to lead In
prayer. Now the iron gates are swung
back. With one mighty leap, huge
lion lauds upon the sands. At first
the flaming torches blind his eyes and
compel him to blink. Then he look
around upon the 100000 human eyes
watching him. Then the starving brute
suddenly sees the trembling Christians
in the center OF the arena. He squats
His claws begin TO work convulsivcly
He crawls nearer and nearer to his
prey. He makes one leap. There's a
wornan's scream. Then with savage
ferocity the African monster drags of
the body and begins to MUNICH the
bones.