The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-27
q !. A I. N AGES SERMON.
I ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL WHO
HAVE BATTLES TO FIGHT.
Contests in the Roman Amphitheaters
Likened to Those in Which the Chris
tian Withstands the Assaults of the
yempter-words OF Paul

s copyright, 1902. Louis Klopsch. N. "
Washington, Feb 23.-This discourse
OF DR.. Talmage is full of inspiring
thoughts for those who find life a
struggle and shows that we have many
celestial sympathizers; texts, Hebrews
xii, 1, Seeing we also are comprised
about with so great a cloud of wit
nesses;;" Corinthians XIV, 80, 81 have
Fought with beasts at Ephesus."
Crossing the Alps by the Mont Gents
pass or through the Mont Gents tun-
nel, you are in few hours set down
ut 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 1 shall
see fit to call them, in which sat the
senator's, 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 has 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 a stroke man
will 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 rallying his wasted strength he
comes up with fercer 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 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 cloud of
witnesses" The direct reference in
the last passage is made to race; but
lsewhere having discussed that, take
he IL Paurs favorite idea OF the Chris
! SD ~ as combat.
IS The fact is that every Christian
w has lion to fight. Yours is
: =" temper. You have been thrown
it time and again. but in the
..srength of God you have arisen to
drive it back. verify believe you
will conquer. / think that the tempta-
ton is getting weaker and weaker
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 it 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 man
and woman has lion to fight? If
there be one here who has no besetting
sin, let him speak out, for him have 1
offended. If you have not fought the
lion, it 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 1900 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 it 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 ancient
amphitheater, on the day of celebra-
ton, sat Tiberius or Augustus or the
reigning king. So in the great arena
Of spectators that watch our struggles
and in the first divine gallery, as |
shall call it, sits our King, one Jesus.
On his head are many crowns. The