Democratic messenger., 1904-12-03

ton is absurd. The Christian disciples
who lived as contemporaries of Jesus
Christ would never have been willing
to come by night and steal his body
from the tomb and then be willing to
be martyred TO make good their false
claim that Christ had risen from the
dead These men were not fools any
more than you and | are fools. Before
you explain away the divinity of Jesus
Christ you must explain away the
writings of Paul. of Matthew. Mark
Luke and John. of Polycarp and Ig-
natius When we consider the evi-
dence of things not seen" let us not
omit the testimony of these contem
poraries Of Christ who proved the sin
cerity and truth of their record by dy-
ing rather than deny it,
"Footprints of the Man."
But not only do we find the foot
prints of the Man of Galilee" marked
side by side with the footprints of his
disciples who lived 1900 years ago.
but also with his disciples who are
living by our side at the present day
And. wonderful to state. Christ's foot
prints are best revealed when he has
been walking with the vilest of mod
ern sinners and outcasts. as they were
when he walked by the side of Mary
Magdalene and talked with the woman
at the well of Samaria and followed
ZaccheuS to despised publican's
house. built by the stolen moneys of Il
Roman tax collector.
Oh. Christ worked some wonderful
miracles when he was upon earth
among the publicans and the sinners.
But l do not believe n greater example
of his power over sin and disease was
ever more convincingly manifested
than when he alleviated the sufferings
of those unhappy maniacs whom the
writers of that time describe as being
possessed by devils That was vivid
picture that Christmas Evans drew of
the return TO his home of that man
whose home was among the tombs,
where he dwelt like wild beast n
misery to himself and terror to 9th
ers. No sooner was he delivered by
the mighty word of Christ than he
children. No sooner did the wife see
him coming than she was struck dumb
with fear Then she cried: Run chill
dren. Run to the house and bar the
doors, Your father is coming. Run
or he may kill u.s. The family hasten
ed into the house. while the older boy
started off to the neighbors for help.
dows and the doors of the house. The
smaller children began To cry with
fear. The older children knew if their
father. possessed of Il thousand dev-
lis. should ever be able to batter down
the door of the house he might slay
them. But. strange to say as the
trembling wife and children saw the
father and husband come nearer. in
stead of seeing him foaming at the
mouth and flashing his eyes and of
hearing him rave with his cursing lips.
they saw him with Il loving smile
upon his happy face. He kept calling
to his wife: MARY. open the door. DO
not be afraid. 1t is |, your husband.
freed from all my devils. Mary. open!
Jesus has saved me! Jesus has saved
mer'
That was wonderful description
Christmas Evans drew of the poor
maniac who had been possessed with
the thousand devils among the Ga
darene tombs. But is the scene of
any more wonderful than the scenes
many of us have witnessed when we
saw the drunkards who have been res
cued by Christ from the devils of
drink, and the outcasts who have been
rescued by Christ. and the seven devil
ed Marys of this age who have been
rescued by Christ. all returning to
their homes? Is the scene of the poor
Gadarene maniac. rescued by Christ,
any more marvellous than the scene of
a Cough. or Woolley, or n Jerry Nc
Auley. who have been exercised of
their thousand devils during our pres
ent generation! And If Christ today
Is going down among the lowest of the
low to rescue fallen men and women
have we not n right to include among
the evidence of things not seen"
these slaves Of sin among ourselves
who have been rescued by his power!
This studying Of the gospel evidence
as evidence has won the allegiance of
many of our greatest lawyers to Christ
as well as laymen. This fact was true
of the conversion of Salmon p Chase.
the great chief justice of the supreme
court of the United States. Many years
ago. after Senator Chase had been In
the active practice of the law for some
time. he one day internationally made
up his mind to this one action He
said to himself practically this: Now,
Chase. the Bible is the great religious
book of my country. Jesus Christ is
the incarnate God who Is here wor-
SHIPPED. AS an educated gentleman as
well as lawyer ] should know what
that Bible contains and whether or
not ] should give that Christ my allie
glance or contempt" Thus as lawyer
he went to work. With all the power
Of one of the most brilliant judicial
minds this country ever produced
Salmon +. Chase tried to find out
whether 1.-The statutes Of the Lord are
right" He weighed calmly and delib-