The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-06

Sidon. they would have repented long ago
In sackcloth and ashes But say unto
and Sidon in the day OF judgment, than for
you" He said in part:
"Bethsaida was the city Of Peter and An
drew and Philip. 1t was located near the
mouth of the Jordan and looked out upon
the blue waters of Galilee. Jesus loved the
sea of Galilee: il had often mirrored his
face and had witnessed many OF his mar
velous works. In its presence he had been
lavish with miracles of healing. When
which was his pulpit for : the utterauce
of the words of eternal life. and when
dashed into fury, threatening the lives OF
the disciples, IL sank back to sleep again
at his word. like a fretful child in its
mothers arms.
The text manIfests a new phase in the
ministry Of Jesus. The days OF sowing had
been prolonged. He had withheld no Oppnr-
tunity. All that the patient love Of Jesus
the life OF God might be manifested in the
people. II was a repetition Of the incident
OF the barren fiS tree. Hence there comes
from his lips the expression OF the bittercst
anguish and disappointed hopes. He had
lavished the riches Of his divine life upon
Bethsalda, and nothing had come OF it.
When the disciples begged Jesus to send
the multitude away that they might buy
bread. he said: This is n desert place
Yes. Bethsaida was a desert place. in n far
more terrible sense than they knew. and
the state of death received its awful en-
phasis from the thought OF the richness Of
opportunity. We do not expect a harvest
N"N 'N-Ns HA -
pronounce upon them no severe Judgment.
But after streams of living water shall
shall be disappointed Il they do not answer
life with life. We may look upon the
desert with pity. that IL has never la 4
patient toll, a severe and just Judgment
OF condemnation will fall from the lips OF
man.
Savior'S cry. There is no sorrow in life 40
fun of despair as that which comes from
seeking fruit after 4 rich. fearful sowing
and finding none. The measure OF love and
expenditure Is the measure OF judgment
Hence the cross. which is the highest eN-
preston OF the suffering love OF ZOE is
also the SeyeTest ever pro-
nounced upon sin. II IS a terrible thing to
continue in sin under the light OF the cross
of Ch=iSt-
THE terrible words of ChrIst's Judgment
should cause rebellious men to tremhle. but
IL the message was appropriate for the
time. what will he say to u.s. From Tyre
10 Bethsaida was a long step in the meas
ure OF divine relation. but from Bethsqida
to st. Louis is an almost uncomfortable
heard words from the lips of a man whose
position was yet 10 be established: We
hear those words with the emphasis Of
nineteen centuries. from the lips OF him
who was dead. but lives again. To them IL
was the Christ of Galilee. the son OF Mary.
who spoke. To us. the words come from
the Christ of Calvary and Olivet. They wit
messed a few Of his marvellous works: we
stand amid the full glory of the Christian
centuries. anu see his works repeated IN
every hamlet OF ChriStendom.
In our case nothing Is lacking. Born in
a Christian land. Graded I'm an atmosphere
OF faith. we hear yet the heavenly voices Of
childhood: we have never had 10 mourn be-
cause opportunities for a Christlike life
were denied US. A thousand doors are open.
and from within may be heard the songs Of
those who are overcoming and who revel
In the companionship OF Christ As our
gifts have been greater more VIII be eX-
pected OF US. We have wealth which n
Croesus might envy. our time has been
enriched by the best In science, literature,
art and song. We have before US an open
door to the highest and best. The only
difficulty lies in the will. now controlled by
sin. The only limit is the limit We set for
ourselves.
Jesus teaches that we are to be Judged
by a standard which all men shall recog-
nize as just. The measure OF opportunity
will be the measure. of Judgment some
shall be beaten with few stripes. some with
many. II in the gray dawn Of revelation
men were held to account for God-given OPP
po-tunities. shall he not eynect n life or
Christian faith and service from US. whose
light? II they of the olden time suffered
for sin. of now much sorer punishment
shall he be deemed worthy who hath trod-
den under foot the Son OF God and nath
counted the blood of the Covenant an IN
holy thing
Jesus is now drawing near, looking for
fruit. Nay. ne has already come When
he stands before a barren life upon when
heavenly gifts have been freely bestowed:
Judgment cries. Destroy the tree out
mercy pleads. Wait a little longer, per
haps he may yet repent, Wait until the
end of the days
Judgment has not yet fallen. The voices
still plead. Let US hear them to-day ana
turn from sin unto God. Then shall We
know that he hare our sins in his own
body on the tree"