The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-16
TAKE UP THE CROSS.
Selected for The Times.)

Ne is not worthy OF Me- laId ne ttEtI
taketh not his cross and followeth after
Me is not worthy of Me. He that findeth
rs life shall lose it; and he that loseth
his life for My sake shall find it.'-St.
Matt *. 81, 50.
The Master hero lays down the rule of
service. He knows the way we must
take and the daily trials which will beset
our path. lie does not allure US by en-
icing words, of ease and joy and glory.
he states a fact which none can mistake.
We are to expect trouble in this world;
md we must make up our minds to re-
ccive it.
Whether we are ministers or hearers,
whether teach or are taught, 1t makes
20 difference. We must each carry
cross. None can escape. We either
an carry it patiently for His sake or sui
aniy-becaUse we must.
Poverty ill health, sorrow, alienation
IF friends, weary heart-scl1ness, buffet
ings of Satan; these and many other
,hases make up the cross we must carry.
We must submit to the loss of the favor
of men; we must endure ha1ilships; ".
must deny ourselves daily in many, many
vays. unseen Ey man and known only to
sod, If we would reach heaven at last.
f necessary, we must be content to love
ven life itself for Christ's sake. So
long as the world, the Devil and our own
hearts are what they are these things
must be SO.
1t is upon a preparedness for suffering
hat Christ takes Hts followers. lie told
hem from the first that they were moi
worthy of Him. if they were not willing
to part with all for His sake Men do
not hesitate at those difficulties which
necessarily attend their profession and
which they counted upon when they IN
iertook that profession. They will either
cheerfully submit to those fatigues and
troubles or disclaim the advantages and
privileges OF their profession.
Now, the foundation of Christs disci-
pleship is laid in such Il temper and dis
position as will make suffering light and
easy to them. In the Christians profess
sion they are recloned unworthy the dig
nity and felicity of it that put not such
a vlauc upon their interest in Christ as
to prefer Him before any other interests.
They cannot expect the gain OF a bar
gain who will not come up to the terms
of 1t. These terms are now settled; if
religion is worth anything it is worth
everything. Therefore. all who believe
the truth of it will come up to the price
of Il, and they who make it their bust
ness and bliss will make everything else
yield to it.
Those who like not Christ on these
terms may leave Him at their peril.
IL is encoura ging that whatever We leave
or ivse or suffer for Christ we are only
the gamers thereby. Tho terms are
simply only that we must prefer Christ.
First. Before our nearest and dearest
relations, father, mother, son or daugh
ter. These relations are used because
among them there is little room left for
discord and envy. There is commonly
more room for love. Children must love
their parents; parents must love their chill
dren. But if they love them better than
Christ they are unworthy Of Him. AS
we must not be deferred from following
Christ by the hatred Of our relations, so
we must not be drawn from Him by their
love.
Secondly. Before our case and safety.
Wcmust takeup our cross and follow Him,
else we are not worthy of Him. Here
observe that they who would follow Christ
must expect their cross. No person IS
excused. no day exempted; nay more
they must not wait for it to be laid upon
unwilling shoulders; they must so for
ward and take it up. In taking up the
cross we must follow the Masters ex-
ample, and bear it as Hie did. 1t is q
great encoura cement to us when we meet
with crosses, that in bearing them we
follow Christ, who Himself hath showed
MS The way. And If we follow Him faith
fully He will lead us through sufferings
like His, to glory with Him hereafter
thereby.
A man is at liberty to lose or destroy
himself But he that will part with life
rather than deny Christ shall find 1t TO
his unspeakable advantage eternal life
with Him forevermore.
IL we do not carry the cross we car
not wear the crown.
They are best prepared for the life to
come that sit most love to this present
life.
we have heard of the necessity of tax
ing up the cross and denying ourselves.
Have we taken it up? Are we CARRYING
if daily? We have heard Of the value OF
the soul. Do we live as If we believed
it?
In another column we print an account
Of the effort that is being made through
the generosity of Mr.. Thomas F. Ryan.
and the public spirit OF the committee to
whom this work has been entrusted, Of
marking the most noteworthy points OF
historic interest that We're made famous
during the late war. AS we understand
IT. it is not the intention to mark battle
fields, but If possible to define the exact
spot at which some striking event &C.