The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-20

have been saints In Caesars palace.
Witness William Mckinley, shot down by
an assassin's bullet, calmly turning his
face toward his invalid wife, saying
Gods will, not our, be done' Witness
Stonewall Jackson leaving his army hat
outside of his tent as sign that he did
not wish to be interrupted because he
was then on his knees to God in prayer
Witness Neal Dow and Frederick Robert
son and William e. Gladstone and Thorn
as Chalmers and John Knox and the
whole army of earthly saints of whom the
world was not worthy. These are some of
the famous modern saints who have al
ready won immortal fame by laying
down their lives for Christ.
But | also find that in Nero's ancient
palace there were slaves as well as rich
mobiles. There were menials who had to
perform to most humble services as well
as generals who commanded Neros ar
mics or prime ministers who decided the
international policies or financial minis
tiers who leved 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 servants, as well as the white
servants. There were the scullions, as
well as the ladies in waiting, who stood
by the empress side, and the saints in
Caesars palace were in all probability
IOuIQ III lIle hilctleli as well DIS the par
lor in the servants livery as well as in
the courtier's uniform. All Of which
proves that God is ready to honor the
man of one talent If he is a saint, just as
much as he honors the man of ten tall
ents who makes spiritual use of his gen.
ius.
My hearers, no matter Whist our walk
of life may be, will you today be saint
of God and throw yourself upon the par
don and the mercy of Christ? Will you
here and now dedicate your life to the
Saviour even il that dedication means
the shedding of your life's blood? VIII
you be willing to suffer for Christ as well
as to have the pleasure and the joys that
come from the Christian life? Are you
ready to shoulder for Christ the heavy
burden? Are you ready, for him. to have
the feet ache. the hands acne, 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, because 1t
is on account of their sacrifices that Jesus
is going to reward you in another place
which he has builded for you, not m
Rome. but upon the golden boulevard in
heaven. 1t is only step from the palace
of persecution into the palace of reward.
1t is only a step from Caesars throne
when the saint of God Is condemned to
earthly death by the power of sin to the
throne of God, where thesredeemed saint
is given everlasting life. 1t is only step
from the Roman arena, where the ancient
saints were torn to pieces by the wild
beasts. into the green pastures by the
side of the still waters, where the glorf-
fed saints shall forever dwell with the
Lamb. 1t is only a step-a short step.
Are we ready to live for Christ in place
where we may ultimately take that step,
although to take it we shall pass through
the fires of earthly persecution? 1t is
such a short step for the saints of God
from the palaces of Nero to the palaces
which Christ has prepared for his own
that 1t does seem as though the palaces
of persecution are but the vestibules of
the palaces of reward. May God help
each one of us to be true to his faith
while we dwell for little while on earth
in one OF Caesars earthly palacesl