Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-06-16

4 ~ ~ anu = isSf - 80
others; himself he cannot save'-a pro
found truth which they who uttered il
did not understand. This was then
hhour of triumph and they gloated W.
Aat. That central cross marked the sue
lcess Of their scheming, plotting and per
luring. They were up II Jesus was
Gown. Therefore. hey reasoned, they
We're right n he was wrong. Poor
blind bigota, Did they not know that
VERY such hour of triumph is but Il
trief one? Truth may be crucitied. but
the resurrection always follows. They
mad to hurry. as error always does, but
Jesus could wait. No man is qualified
TO serve a high cause or to count him
telf II knight of truth who does not
know how to bide Gods time. Tho
Cruciied's day was coming. and the
speedily shift. as Il national reproach
upon these blind and Jealous pa~rtisans
Of the old order who made the mistake
Of trying to combat n spiritual prin-
tiple with weapons of temporal power.
Jesus received jeers upon that darl;
Friday, but the real disgrace was not
upon him. but upon those whose lips
were stained by %reproaches.
THE CLIMAX OF THE TRIAL.
Doubtless the -cocksureness of these
p~lotters was shaken when there began
- y wa ''At it'N vi tllt Nsti Al sN
midday Il dim and murky darkness.
They looked at II another With con-
sternation upon their faces. What
could 1t mean? Was this strange m;N
still exerting his incomprehensible
power? 1t meant. as they We're toe
blind to see. that even the natural ere
alton could not proceed in its orderly
way while It's Creator suffered at the
hands of hate.
We'll mirhf tho CT, IN 10 htJA
And shut its glories in,
When Christ, the great Creator, died
For man, the Creatures sin.
This was ut high noon, when the
light of the physical world was eXtin-
guished for a time. Out of the black
that has ever passed human lips: M
God. my God, why hast thou forsaken
me?"
The worst had come. Jesus felt him.
self shut out from the light of his
Fathers presence. The last drop of his
Drumming cup of anguish was this. that
he Father could not look upon him
while he hung there ~incarnating the
worlds sin. Then it was thai the Say
!our's great hear: was broken.
Even at the end he was misunder-
stood, for those hearing did not rightly
interpret the words. but it was the geu-
erous impulse of one-and the deed
makes us love u kind better-to offer
the dying man q refreshing drink. And
again Jesus cried aloud a M gave up
the ghost. The seven words from the
cross might we'll be considered here.
We're there opportunity. as we'll as many
other phases Of h great event. Yet
the simple fact itself ~overwhelms all
else. that Jesus died the Just for the
unjust, the sinless for the sinful. the
divine for the earthly, the one for the
many
VICTORIOUS IN DEATH.
Well might the grea screen in the
temple be rent in twain in token that
a new and living way of access to the
Father had been created. For this was
the significance of Calvary. The old
order. with all it's ritual and forms and
types and ceremonies, was no longer
needed. Jesus was showing this at ire
cost to himself, that there
was II straight path to the Fathers
heart of love for every wandering child
of his. To prove himself mans brother
and to show that Gods other name is
love. the Christ underwent such suffer-
ing as no mere mortal has ever known.
He died that we might live. In his
death was the final INC complete proof
of his divinity.
AS the manner of his dying rownc
and vindicated his life, SO the death of
ChrlStlanS throughout all ages since
has been one of the best testimonials
to the power of the gospel. When the
Roman centurian, Il heather. whose
eyes had often looked upon SUFFERING
and death, saw that Jesus so gave uD
the ghost, there was wrung from him
the involuntary tribute: Truly This man
was the son Of God."It is within the
memory of all who read these lines
that Christian n.en and women. Ameri-
can and Chinese, have gone unfalter-
ingly to undeserving death for loves
sake. In the spirit of the Crucified.
Within the past four months there per-
ished In Persia, a martyr to his faith
and to his Christly devotion to his fell
lowmen, one whose end was such that
the hearts of Mohammedans, whom his
words could not touch, have softenad
and they have borne witness that he
was Gods man.
The whole significance of the cr,,ci-
nixon passes u knowledge. We cam
not tell h how and the why of II ali
The distinctions which t%heologians have
drawn serve only to perpleX us. Wa
know but this-and it is the only
ground of our faith in God. and of our
hope of redemption-that Christ died
because he loved US, hat he died to
make. 1t easier for us to understand
Cod. that he died that we might have
the life which he had known with tho
Father. His sacrifice Is our Salvation