The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-03-25

more l try to imagine how Stephen
looked the deeper does the impression
become that he had many physical de-
fects, not the least of which was his
plain and ordinary, if not positively
homely, countenance. And if such was
the man Stephen. the illumination of
his face by the flooding light and pres
ence of the Holy Spirit would make it
all the more striking and noticeable.
1t does not need a pretty face to be-
come beautiful under the touch of the
Divine hand. Time and time again
have zen faces which in themselves
we itively homely and repugnant
tran med and made beautiful by the
light which shOne out from the soul
where the Christ had been enthroned.
1t was a beauty and charm which be-
longed not to the face, but to the life
and character, and shone out through
the face. You have seen it, too. You
can recall faces which lacked every
graceful line and curve, and yet faces
which glowed with radiance that
spoke eloquently of the Christ-life be-
hind the face.
Uh Ii THAT sat in the council, fas-
y tening their eyes on him, saw"
Stephen was the observed of all OBJ
servers. Upon him were focused the
multitude of eyes of that large and dig
nified and learned company. They were
searching for the sign CT fear, confu-
sion, trouble, doubt retreat, but in
stead, they saw the lights of Heaven
playing over his features and making
it glow with a supernatural radiance.
And as that council searched the face
of Stephen, so is the world searching
the countenances of the followers OF
Christ. What does it see there? Does
it see the light which reminds of Christ
and Heaven? or does it behold the
shadow cross the countenance, does it
see the froWn knit the brow, does it
witness the angry flash, or the disa-
Sreeable, unkindly sneer; what is 1t
the world sees? What witness is your
face bearing for the Master? 1t is not
pleasant to be looked at, as was
Stephen, but the scrutiny of the world
is upon the Christian even as that OF
the council was upon Stephen. The
Christian cannot escape it. Because
the Christian makes professions which
place him in a class distinct and sep
arate from the world, the world is
eager to watch and see if there is any
real difference. 1t watches the face,
for through the face it largely reads
the character, and may guess the con-
duct from the lines and expressions
which mark the face. What think you
is the judgment of the world when 1t
sees a gloomy Christian? Will such
visage attract and be good indorse-
ment of the religion which the individ-
ual behind the face processes? VIII
it make the world long for the same
kind of religion? Nay, verify, the
world will turn from such with the
sneer of disgust and say: ''If religion
stamps the face in that way, none of
it for me-"
A ND in contrast to the gloomy
y Christian there is the careless,
frivolous Christian, the Christian who
is glad to feel safe in Jesus and yet
who thinks only of having a good time
generally; perhaps not indulging in
any positive sins, but nevertheless
only seeking and caring for the super
fatalities of life, living on the surface.
CUdTdClGI d
ten upon the face The expression of
the eye; the selfish, sensual, weak
lines about the mouth; and the curl
of the lips which are ever busy franz
ing careless, light speech and never
know The wholeSomeness of grave and
reverent conversation; all these things
in the face betray the person behind
the face. And when the world sees
such a face, what is its verdict? Is that
face witnessing for the Lord it pro-
fesSes to love and serve? Is the world
able to read there the Christ express
sion? Is it made to think of angels
and Heavenly things? All, Christian,
with perishing souls all about you,
with sin performing its awful work of
death on every hand, how dare you
bear such witness with the face which
should shine for your Lord? Let God
work a deep work in your heart and
your face will begin to light up with
that radiance which comes from know
ing Jesus and having Him as an in
dwelling presence in your heart
THE face of the Christian should b,j
| a benedictiOn, a sermon to those
who look thereon. l remember hear
ing a man who was net a Christiam
say of a certain person whom he
passed frequently upon the street i'll
his neighbOrhood: Il knew she was a
Christian by the expression upon her
face" In Longfellow's Evangeline the
poet pictures her in the closing years
of her life, after the tragedy of her
Young womanhood and her long, fruit
less search for the loved one from
whose side she had been torn, as giving
her life in sweet, Christ-Iike service to
others, and then goes on to tell how
The dying
Looked up into her face. and thought, in
deed. to behold there
Cleans of celestial light encircle her fore
head with splendor.
Such as the artist paints DER the brows of
saints and apostles,
Or such as hangs by night DER city seen
at a distance.
Unto their eyes it seemed the lamps of the
city celestial,
Into whose shining gates ere long their spir-
its would enter"
Thus should the Christians face
speak of its Lord, and of the joy and
peace and comfort of Heaven. The wit