The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-08-11
BISHOP RESTARICK.



. ure OF the cross--a failure? If We Judge
by natural standards. sometimes II is.
II may not ar1lass a pile OF gold. 1t
may lose comething in the struggle for
position In fact, what was the life OF
Jesus? He setting out to do His Faith
ler's viii, finds Himself without a place
to lay his head. He taught the Truth
land His relatives wished TO call him off
as madman. He spoke openly against
public sins, and the authorities
bounded Him To death. Was His life
failure? The cross marked it's every
step. 1t began at Bethlehem and cul-
minated at Calvary. Was II failure7
The Romans certainly thought so I'm
their contemptuous pity. Was IL a
failure? The Jews were sure of q and
exulted over It. The Greeks smiled al
! the folly OF il all. Was IL failure? The
crosses on the spires of the churches OF
lChristendOm proclaim that His life was
! the victorious life. The greatest, the
best, the wisest men in the world. past
or present. see in Him the Great Victor
and agnostics. reverent men vying with
Christians, proclaim with Revan.
Jesus viii never be surpassed, or
with Strauss. who says: THE sweet
ness. the gentleness. the all-embracinR
charity OF Jesus furnishes the germ ont
Of which has grown all that we call
humanity
Blu; we need not go 10 others. Your
hearts. In the moment when passion ~
calm and when the world is still. know
that Jesus is King OF men--the One who
wrought victory by the cross-the One
who showed that His life was the true.
eternal life by His rising from the dead.
Since he was on earth untold millions
have found in His example inspiration
and help. love and life and victory.
They have learned to glory not In self
seeking ambition or struggle for wealth
or place. but in gentleness, patience.
love and sacrifice
Now We understand in measure
what Ct. Paul means in the text He
had much in which he could glory. He
had a descent from a lire which reach
ed hack 70 the best o fthe noble race
from which ne sprung; his talents. his
education. his attainments- But while
he valued --4ese, was tempted to men
tion them. they were all hidden by the
consuming passion Of his life. love and
devotion to Jesus Christ. He pictures
himself as bound a captive TO the char
lot wheels OF Christ as captiyes were
bound 10 the wheels of the pretorian
Roman general. He knew what victory
by the cross meant IL meant the will
ing subjection, the sacrifice Of all he
was he who had written but a short
time before his death: II have fought
IL good fight; 1 have kept the faith.
Henceforth there is laid up for ue a
crown OF Righteousness. a crown he
says, mot for me only. but for all
those who love His appearing"
And we know, you and /. that the
only real victory Is this victory over
self. the world, sin and death. 1t is the
victorious life here and now. Men rec
bgnize it as never before II wins
them when nothing else will How
many men were won TO Jesus Christ by
arSUnlent2 Men try to show Jesus
Christ 10 others sometimes by means
# sledge hammer as IL were They
seek to pound it into them. II Is by
he life Of the cross in some one that
persuasion comes to US. What did that
nfideI say recently who came to be
Confirmed by The Bishop OF London
What argument had convinced him
hat Jesus Christ was the truth II
vas, he said. this: II could neEer *
]iain the gentleness, the love. the sacri-
ice OF nay mothers life upon any nat
iraI theory. I was led. by d"-ilinS
noon her life. to know the life nf jesus
'hrist" And if you 80 back you VII
ind that what influenced YOU Was some