The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-06-18


endar OF experience when the earth trem-
bles beneath the feet. when the guiding
stars OF destiny are yelled with cloud,
when the altar fame of life burns into
ashes, when the eyes of faith are blinded
with mist OF tears, and when hope bows
her serene head and hides her radiant face.
Another element of heart failure is dan
GER, ihere was an element of personal
peril that night which we, must not forget
to introduce into our analysis of the I'M
pulses that drove the apostles away from
Christ. In all likelihood the thought of
danger llttle affected the comrades of
Jesus. With us it is apt to be the over
mastering consideration. The 'retreating
apostles were not SO much afraid of some
monarchy. We rehearse stories of Siberian
satrocity until the blood chills. There is
but one absolute monarch-the car of hui
man opinion. The ukase which he issues
drags us all into Siberia of meanness but
family tlpyfied by the degradation of
those gloomy mines that burrow into the
Aslatlc mountains. The opinion of the
truest manhood. It rivets chain and ball
on our loftlest aspirations. It vetoes indie
pendence: We dare. not be free and manly
and genuine. 1t makes our feet fast in the
stocks of its whims. We are all the while
asking which way the weather-coclz points
and we trim. We are diligent in inquir-
ing how the current sets, and we veer, in
stead of asking whittier the needle points
and setting our Prov to the pole star; in
stead OF reading the chart and laughing to
scorn the fret and roar Of the pillows We
serve Christ, by the worlds permission.
Why should we be so deferential to the
worlds oplnion2 If YOU slip, will the
world hep you up? If YOU have blotted
the fair page of your life, is the world
bp to VIII e he - ~
will the word play physician? If you are
struggling with all the energy that is in
your soul to scale some starry height Of
purity and of nobility will the world lend
you hard? When your path enters the
valley OF the shadow will the world walk
beside you on that lonely and mysterious
way? When your stay here is ended will
the world spend one thought upon you,
keep flowers growing on your grave or tear
the hchens from your tombstone? There
IS one who loves you, one who. whenever
you Sip, has an arm of love ready to catch
you: when YOU fall has messages of hope
ready to whisper in your ear. He will
whiten your soul He will grid your weak
ness. He will school your ignorance He
You as you cross the frontiers of time. He
will introduce, yon into an unclouded
eternity beyond. Why care very much for
the opinion of the world in which we are
but fraction now, and in which to-mor-
row we will be cipher? Why not very
keenly care for one whose love envelopes
our being as with an atmosphere?
Turn the page and read the later story of
apostolic loyalty. The sequel is different
from the preface. Call the roll of that
glorious company of the apostles and hear
every compass point ring with fidelity to
Jesus. Read how they sowed the earth
with martyr blood from Abyssinia to In
dla. Begin the chronicle with that tradi-
ton of Simon Peter, who was led out to
death in the Roman .amphitheatre while
his wife was crowned with martyrdom
before his eyes, to shake if possible the
stanch rock of his bedded faith. And
while she suffered he called her by name
and addressed her in terms of most endear-
ing affection and exhorted her to remem-
Der the love of the blessed Lord and to be
firm until the very end. His turn came
next. He had but single favor to ask
from God as he stood there in the Old
Roman circus face to face with death, and
that was that he might remain firm for
one more hour. He had but single favor
to ask from man, and that was that he
might be crucifed head downward, as it
was too great al honor for one who had
deserted Jesus to suffer in the same way
apostles went sweeping home to their
Master IN chariots of fire. They sealed
their allegiance to Him with their blood
Since the night of panic they had come to
see Jesus under new aspect They had
known Him as friend. He had place
at their table and voice IN the home talk
He had seat at their fresides and
together up and down the field paths
They had paced side by side through the
city streets. He had colored their SYM
pathles, nodded their character, enriched
their lives: but the bond of friendship
broke in the hour of trial. They had
known Him as a teacher. They had been
fascinated by the crystal-clear form Of His
searching and subtle touch of His noun
tain sermon. They had felt the subtle
charm of His parallels, but the spell of His
wisdom did not keep them true on the
night of His betrayal. They had seen Him
as miracle worker. They Ind beheld
the storm sleep like a child at His COM
mand:: They had witnessed leprosy con-
verified into purity at His touch. They had
seen the winter of the sepulcher bloom
into the spring when His sandals touched
the linte. of the tomb, but the power of
Jesus did not armor them to look upon
the face of fear. But since that hour Of
heart failure they had come to know Him
for them. They had felt the touch of love
that death could not quench. They had
been beneath the arms of the cross out
stretched to shelter them. They had caught
the accents of His parting prayer, Father,
forgive" They bad heard His triumph
shout, ut is finished As their Re-
deemer Jesus riveted them to Himself with
hooks of steel.
In this day of force worship it is timely
to uplift Christ as the vitalizing energy of
humanity. 1t is pertinent to emphasize
the deathless power that resides in Chris
tianity. 1t is interesting to watch it soar
ing like a phoenix from the ashes of Jeru-
salem, shifting like mailed giant the forces
of the Graeco- Roman civilization, sweeping
like white-winged angel of mercy beyond
the Alps and the Rhine, and scattering
I glorious benedictions upon Scandinavian,
Celt and Saxon: to watch it as it carries
the same benefcent potencies to the dark
continents and hermit nations of our own
time, and blessing with its exhaustless
bounty attic and cellar, avenue and alley
and parlor and schoolroom, and market
place of latter day civilization. In this hour
of culture craze it is timely to mark the
unique wisdom of the Christ and to note
that through all the ages train of gifted
minds has brought the treasures Of their
life and laid them at the feet of Him who
was Graded in the Bethlehem manager; to