Newport weekly independent., 1902-10-24
IN CHR1ST'S STEAD.
Personal Service to the Master by
 Substitution.
How taae Most Humble Decd Done in ChristIy Love May He Exalted Sermon by the Highway and
 Byyvay" Preacher.
Copyright, 1902, by A. N. Kellogg News
 paper Col
Chicago, October 19, 1902.

u. as ye have done it unto one of the least Of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.-Matt. 2o:40.
 The Last Chapter.-Where is the per son who, when reading the interest ing story book, has not stolen glance into the last chapter to see how the plot was going to turn out, and when he has discovered the sequel and has learned how the author finally dis poses of the characters, he turns back contentedly and reads the interven- ing chapters to see how the story has been developed and the plot unfolded. In the section from which our text is taken, the latter part of the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew, Christ has given US a glimpse into the last chap ter in the story of human events which the years of time are now writing. As He stood with His disciples during the last few days of His earthly life God quickened His prophetic vision and He looked down through the cen turies that were to unroll to the time when all nations were to be gathered before Him, and the sheep of His own
 
 goats of the worlds pastures.
 During the 40 days in which the risen Lord appeared to His disciples. and they saw Him come and go un- hampered by human conditions or hu- man limitations, their understanding began to open and expand to the un- limited resources and power of God. And when they gathered on Olivet's brow and had had a last parting word with their Lord face to face, Heavens cords drew Him from their midst, up. up, until the fleecy. glowing cloud rolled beneath His feet and shut Him from their view. They could not see Heavens gates swing wide to admit Him, but they knew they did. They could not hear the rapturous song of the hosts of Heaven as they bid the King welcome, but the music of David's psalm swelled in their souls and they knew it echoed the Heavenly strains: Lift up your heads, o ye gates;
 And be ye lifted up. ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come In. Who is the King of glory?
 The Lord strong and mighty,
 The Lord mighty in battle.
 Lift up your heads, o ye gates:
 Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in.
 Who is this King of glory?
 The Lord of Hosts,
 He is the King of glory.'
 They could not see their Lord take His seat at the right hand of God on the throne in Heaven, but they knew He was there. Yea, in the marvellous days which were to follow, the vision of the saintly Stephen was to pene- trate the portals of Heaven and he was to see the risen Lord to whom his spirit was so soon to take it's flight. And with the knowledge of all this filling their souls with peace and joy and confidence, the words which Jesus spoke came to be full of reality and meaning. "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory" They knew this was to come to pass. They knew that when the world had run its course and God had exhausted every effort in mans behalf that the nations and the peoples of the earth would be ushered into the presence of the King and the final separation of the sheep from the goats would take place. The last chapter lies open be- fore us. We know what the sequel of the story the nations and peoples of the earth are writing is to be- We are helping to fill ill the intervening chapters. Are we in the love of Christ living out life of service to those in need so that we shall hear Him in that great day saying unto us: ''In- asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me-" or are we in the pride of the human heart, al- though. may be, in the name of church and religion, SO serving self as to be among those who will hear Him say: ''Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. Depart from Me"
 An Exalted Service.-The words of our text throw a new and beautiful light upon the earthly --fe and deeds of those to whom the King is talk ing. The cup of cold water which was given to the tired, dusty, thirsty traveller that day so long before stands revealed in the pure searching light of Heaven as having been given to Christ Himself That weary, Homeless stranger who knocked tim idly at the back door that dark and stormy night, and who was given hospitable shelter, is found in the final reckoning day to have been the substitute of Christ, and the service rendered him was done as unto Christ. The shivering, hungry little