Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-28


Christ had opened. and the deaf men
whose ears Christ had unstopped, and
the lame men whose crooked limbs
Christ had Strengthened, and those like
Lazarus and the boy who was 1.-THE
only son of his mother and she Wild
ox" whose dead bodies Christ had
resurrccte,l. These living witnesses
were In Palestine nj the time OF PLATE.
tie same as those who have been mirac-
ulously healed of their disease Of sin
are IN the world today. The Christ who
performed his wonders 1900 years ago
is the same Christ who Is performing
his wonders now.
How Christ Changes Men.
Christ has been able 10 change the
lives of nci before our own eyes. We
have often seen the Transformation.
The painter Iigo some years ago went
TO the northern part Of Africa 10 paint
pictures Of the natives. lie had for his
first moGcl Nuban warrior just ar
rived In Cairo. No sooner did the nude
native sec his head AMI chest being re-
produced upon the canvas than he
turned and In wild terror fled He
declared the white man had stolen
away his head and half of his body and
stuck them upon II fence to dry. Great
was the wondcrmcnt OF the dusky AZ
rican nj the power of the European
artists brush. But our wonder In ref
ercnce To Christ IL even greater than
that of the Nubian nj the powers Of
Rigo. We have seen Christ absolutely
change men. Before our very eyes lie
has changed their natures. changed
their couniclianccs and changed the
whole trend of their lives. lie has
been working his miracles before us
as he worked his miracles In Pilates
time.
We have the authenticated historical
facts of Christ's birth. Like PLATE. we
have seen with our eyes the miracles
which Christ has wrought. and. like
PLATE, we have had our own evidence
of Jesus substantiated and rc.cnforccd
by the testimony of those that we love.
Our Christian mothers testimony, our
Christian fathers and wives and
daughters and sons and friends have
been pleading with us on behalf OF
Christ rs Plates wife sent her mes
sengcr 10 her husband, pleading with
him 10 do HIN justice.
Shall describe for you this oriental
scene: We are standing in the open
judgment hall of Jerusalem. The
judges face is set and troubled. The
suppressed sigh the muttcred OATH the
growlings and the murmurings of the
people are threatening him. What Is
PLATE TO do? Suddenly messenger
bearing letter forces his way through
the crowd The governor opens the
note and reads. II is written by his
wife. Al once the troubled face Of the
Roman governor becomes more trou-
blcd. There Is the we'll known hand.
writing of his loyal and loving wife.
The words burn into his soul. Have
nothing To do with that just man. for
have suffered many things this day In
Il dream because of him.. That letter
practically meant this: Dear Husband
DO not yield TO those crafty Jews.
The man before you must he more than
mortal. In my dreams | hear II mes
sage from the heavens about him. l
beg of you 10 protect him, lest the
vengeance of God come upon you. Con
denim him not. Condemn him not!'
Thus with us. by the testimony of
our fathers. mothers, wives. husbands,
children and friends plcadings are con-
tinually going Oh today with us. In
great chorus our loved ones voices
seem TO be calling: condemn him not.
Condemn him not. We have had rcve-
lations Of the power and the divinity
of Jesus Christ. Condemn him not"
We cannot shut our eyes to what we
have sccn We cannot stop our ears
To what we have heard. Neither, like
PLATE. can we turn away from the
Christian testimonies which are being
given by our loved ONES concerning
Jesus Christ. | ask you now the qucs-
ton which wnvcring and cowardly
PLATE asked the Hebrew multitude.
what shall I do then with Jesus who
- i'o spu
him rs the Son of God! Yea, yea
you must all answer Il do. | do.
do.
Yielding to His VIII.
Having intellectually acknowledged
Christ MS the Son of God. the second
question Is more importunate. What
will you do then with Jesus who is
called Christ in reference To the will:
Are you going To let HIM rule your
mind. your thought and your actions:
When Jesus comes 10 you and says, Il
am .Icsus-wilt thou obey me:" are you
going TO answer: Yea. Christ, | know
that thou ART the Son of God. but
cannot and will not do rs thou wouldst
have me. cannot yield my will TO
thine"
Christ demanded of Plate the same
kind of submission Ia his will that the
Franciscan monks are compelled To
give Ia the head of their order. The
story Is told that many centuries ago II
monk refused 10 obey the great found
or of their order. by the command Of
the leader Il grave was dug. The re-