Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-17


young alike. 1t brings its salutations
to the rich and the great men. There
were many great !men and women in
CGsaI's household who were without
doubt members Of the household Of
faith. Nero's household, intellectually
and financially. was the noted court Of
It's day. And some of the saints In
Caesars palace must have been num-
bered among the princes and prin-
cesses of the realm and among the
great commanders Of the Roman le-
gion. the cabinet officials and the men,
bers Of the privy council. So we find
today, among the great and the IA
nous Of the earth, there have been
saints in CGsar's palace. Witness Will
liam Mckinley, shot down by an as
sassln's bullet, calmly turning his face
toward his invalid wife, saying. Gods
will, not ours, be done" Witness
Stonewall Jackson, leaving his army
hat outside of his tent as a sign that he
did not wish to be interrupted because
he was then on his knees to God in
prayer. Witness Neal Dow and Fred
erick Robertson and William r. Glad
stone and Thomas Chalmers and John
Knox and whole army OF earthly
saints of whom the world was not
worthy. These are some of the famous
modern saints who have already won
immortal fame by laying down their
lives for Christ.
But l also find that in Nero's ancient
palace there were slaves as we'll as
rich mobiles. There were menials who
had to perform the most humble serv-
ices, as well as generals who command
ed Nero's armies or prime ministers
who decided the international policies
or financial ministers who levied the
taxes. There were the cooks and the
chambermaids. There were the porters
and the gardeners and the messengers,
the private guards and the negro serv-
ants, as well as the white servants.
There were the solutions, as we'll as
the ladies in waiting, who stood by the
empress SIDE and the saints in Caesars
palace were in all probability found in
the kitchen as we'll as in the parlor, IN
the servants livery as we'll as in the
courtier's uniform. All OF which proves
that God is ready to honor the man OF
one talent, II he is saint, just as
much as he honors the man Of ten tai
ents who makes spiritual use OF his
genius.
My hearers, no matter what our walk
Of life may be. will you today be a
saint Of God and throw yourself upon
the pardon and the mercy of Christ?
Will you here and now dedicate your
life to the Saviour even if that dedica-
ton means the shedding of your life's
blood? VIII you be willing to suffer
for Christ rs we'll as to have the pleas
ure and the joys that come from the
Christian life? Arc you ready to Shout
der for Christ the heavy burden. Are
you ready. for him, to have the feet
ache. the hands ache, the back ache,
the head ache and the heart ache?
would plead with you to be willing
to make these sacrifices for Christ, as
did the saints in Caesars palaces. be-
cause it is on account OF their sacri-
fees that Jesus Is going to reward
you in another place which he has
5uildcd for you. not in Rome, but upon
| 'hS SOAuN'i pOaiCNa it Vi iC''Ch. ~ 10
only step from the palace Of perse-
alton into the palace Of reward. 1t
is only a step from Caesars throne
When the. saint of God is condemned
70 earthly death by. the power Of sin
to the throne. Of God. where the re
deemed saint is given everlasting life.
1t is only a. step from the Roman arc
Ia, where,the ancient saints were torn
to pieces by the wild beasts, into thu
green pastures by the side of the still
waters, where the GloriGed saints shall
forever dwell with the Lamb. 1t Is
only a step-a short step. Are We
ready to I've for Christ in a place
where we may ultimately take tina
step. although to take 1t we shall pas
Trough the fires Of earthly perseru
ion? 1t Is such a short step for the
saints Of Goa from the palaces Of Nero
20 the PALACES which Christ has pre-
pared for his own that it does seem
as though the palaces OF. persecution
are but the vestibuaes OF the palaces OF
reward. May. God help each one OF
us to be true 10 his faith while we
dwell for little while on earth in one
Of Cmsar's earthly palaces.
[Copyrigf,'. 1902, by Louis Klopschl