The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-12-12

DelnS cast 10 the llOns, or martyrs DelE&
burned at the stake. The torture cham
bers have disappeared, and no longer Is
It crime to worship the Lord according
to His word and the dictates Of ones
conscience But It Is still true as Jesus
said: III they have prosecuted Me, they
viii also prosecute you" The form Of
that persecution may have changed, ard.
save at the mission stations in heather
lands, or In this land when evil
is aroused and united because OF
aggressive Christian work. physi-
cal violence on death are un-
known, yet 1t is still true that '.all
that will live Cody in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution" The devil has not
ceased his opposition to the Gospel Of
Jesus Christ, but he has been forced to
alter his methods of attack. Ridlcule and
petty annoyances and inhumanities have
come to be favorite weapons. The fol-
lowing Of Jesus means the bearing OF Q
cross to-day as much as 1t ever did, and
"he that taketh not his cross and fol-
loweth after Me, Is not worthy Of Me-"
1t would almost seem that Jesus. looking
beyond the centuries of active and
bloody persecution of His followers to
the present day, uttered His woe unto
you when all men shall speak well Of
you" with special emphasis for His fol-
lowers to-day. The Christian all too
often walks arm in arm with the world.
and thereby wins its favor and COM
mendation, but the "woe" of Jesus
sounds out against these and His
blessed" is reserved for those who are
reviled and prosecuted and accused of
all manner of evil falsely for His sake.
h lot only is the suffering Of persecu-
l Y ton for Jesus sake the fulfillment
of prophecy, but 1t is q proof of Divine
favor. When the apostles of the early
church preached Jesus to the multi
tudes at Jerusalem they incurred the
deadly hostility of the Saphedrin, as
Jesus Himself had done. before His
crucifxion. They were dragged before
the council and cruelty beaten. But, in
stead of being crushed and disheartened
by the persecution. they departed from
the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for His name" Their suffering
and distress we're welcomed as a spe-
cial evidence of the Divine favor Think
OF 1t! Test the temper of Christians to-
day and the true ring of devotion to the
Lord Jesus fails to sound forth. We re-
Joice rather when the way is smooth and
easy. The line of the least resistance
Is sought out The truth Of the Gospel
Is often compromised In order to avoid
friction and antagonism. But the early
disciples welcomed persecution. when 1t
came as result of faithful living and
preaching Of Jesus Christ. as a sure tes-
timos,y OF their dear Saviour's love and
favor. Though Their backs ached and
the blood stained their garments, the
inward presence and peac, OF their
Lord made them rejoice They felt
nohored because they were permitted
TO suffer for His sake. Paul bore In
his body the marks of manifold perse-
cutions. but they were all made beau
tiful IN his eyes by seeing In them
the proofs of the Divine favor. They
were the marks Of the Lord Jesus
Himself. N.yer does there come
persecution to disciple of Jesus Christ
as result of faithful and obedient
service, but that 1t IS sure evidence
OF tle presence of the Lord with the
disciple and Of tle effectiveness OF
the work being done. Oh, we need
to-day to learn the Joy Of beii.g count
ed worthy to suffer shame for Jesus
sake. think sometimes the Christian
ought to pray for the persecution that
will send<the roots down deeper and
strengthen and solidify the life and
make fruit bearing more possible.
A ND persecution Is the evidence of
n Divine Observation-Disclosures in
His suffering. The only way you
really can know End understand the
pain Of your friend who has undergone
an operation Is to feel the cut of the
knife yourself There is
fellowship between your friend and
the one lying on the cot next to his at
the hospital that you and he cannot en-
Joy unless you, too, have suffered sim
ilarly. Here is mother bowed In
grief over the loss Of her little one.
Her friend comes In to speak the word
Of comfort. but she herself has never
known such sorrow. Something Is
lacking to make her sympathy COM
plete. But here comes mother whose
little one has gone and left the heart
and the home desolate. She sits In
silence by the side. OF the weeping
mother. The pressure of her hand Is
felt. No word is spoken. but they both
There Is q fellowship Of |
suffering and each Is comforted by the
thought that the other knows and I'M
derstands. We are entering the sacred
precincts of the innost heart when we |
speak of the fellowship Of suffering,
we are treading on sacred ground. and |
believe that every one of the marks |
IN Paul's body brought him nearer to |
his blessed Lord and his Lord nearer |
10 him. In his letter to. the Philip
plans he says: II count all things |
but loss. for the excellency Of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: |
,or whom have suffered the loss OF !
III things. and do count them but |
lung, that may win Christ. Il
49,