Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-02-27
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL WHO
HAVE BATTLES TO FIGHT.
Contests In the Roman Amphith eaters
Likened to Those In Which the Chris
tiAn withstsnds the Assaults of the
Tempter-words of Paul.

WuSHluStOu, req. Zo.- his ulSCOuFS
Of DR.. Talmage is full OF inspirin,
thoughts for those who find life ,
struggle and shows that we have NAM
celestial sympathizers: texts, Hebrew!
xii. /. Seeing we also are comprised
about with SO great a cloud of wit.
nesses:" l Corinthians XIV, 32, Il have
fought with beasts at Ephesus."
Crossing the Alps by the Mont Gents
pass or through the Mont Gents tun-
mel, you are In few hours set down
at Verona. Italy. and in few minutes
begin examining one Of the grandest
ruins of the world. the Amphitheater.
The whole building sweeps around you
In 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 1T to call them, in which sat the
senators. the kings and the $4,000 ex-
cited 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
hunger and thirst. they are let out up
on some poor victim. who. with his
sword and alone, Is condemned to meet
them. l think that Paul himself once
stood in such a place and that It was
not only figuratively. but literally. that
he had fought with beasts at Ephe-
sus."
The gala day las come. From all the
world the people are pouring into Vero-
ma. Every place is filled. i'm
mensity 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 $4,000 sit breathlessly watch
ing. hear the door at the side OF the
arena creak open. Out plunges the half
starved lion. his tongue athirst for
blood. and with roar that brings all
the galleries to their feet he rushes
against the sword of his combatant.
Do you know how long stroke a man
will strike when his life depends upon
thc Vi hV
wild beast, lame and bleeding. sinks
back toward the side of the arena;
then rallying his wasted strength he
comes up with fiercer eye and more
terrible roar than ever. only to be
driven back with fatal wound, while
the combatant comes in with stroke
after stroke until the monster is dead
at his feet, and the $4,000 clap their
hands and utter a shout that makes
the city tremble.
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 Pauls fayorite idea Of the Chris
tian life as a combat.
The fact is that every Christian
man has a lion to fight. Yours is q
bad temper. You have been thrown
by 1t time and again. but in the
strength of God you have arisen to
drive 1t back. ] verify believe you
will conquer. thinkthat the tempta-
ton is getting weaker and weaker.
You have given 1t 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 1t for twenty years; but 1t is
strong of body and thirsty Of tongue.
Take this weapon. sharp and keen
reach up and get 1t from Gods armory
the sword Of the Spirit. With that
thou mayest drive him back and con-
quer!
But why specify when every man
and woman has lion to fight? II
there be one here who has no besett ng
sin, let him speak out, for him have !
offended. II you have not fought the
lion, 1t is because you have let the lion
eat you up. This very moment the
contest goes on. The Trajan celebra-
ton, where 10000 gladiators fought
and IL 900 wild beasts were slain. was
for the life OF the body; this is for the
life of the soul. That was with wild
beasts from the jungle; this is with
the roaring lion of hell.
Men think, when they contend
against an evil habit, that they have
to fight 1t all alone. No! They stand
in the center OF an immense circle OF
sympathy. Paul had been reciting the
names OF Abel Enoch, Noah. Abraham
Sarah. Isaac. Joseph. Gideon and Barak
and then says Being comprised about
with SO great cloud of witnesses"
On the first elevation OF the ancien
amphitheater. on the day Of a celebra
ton, sat Tiberius or Augustus or tn,
reigning king. So in the great aren:
Of spectators that watch our struggles
and In the first divine gallery, as
shall call 1t, sits our King. one Jesus
On his head are many crowns. Tn,
Roman emperor got his place by COLI
blooded conquests, but our King hatl
come to his place by the broken heart
healed and the tears wiped away ant
the souls redeemed. The Roman EN-
peror sat. with folded arms. indiffer
ent as to whether the swordsman O
the lion beat. but our Kings sympa
thies are all with us-nay, unheard o
condescension! see him come dow
from the gallery into the arena to hell
us in the fight. shouting until all VI
and down his voice is heard: "Fea
not! will help thee! will strength
en- thee by the right hand of my pow
err
look again, and see the angeli
gallery. There they are-the ange
that swung the sword at the gate O
Eden, the same that Ezekiel saw up
holding the throne Of God. and from