Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-10-10

The tears Of Jesus tell us of His
atonement. He did not come down
to earth to weep in helpless sorrow
but to rise in almighty strength
against our doom-and rescue US
from it.
When Hercules came to the place
where the helpless virgin lay bound
upon the rock and the dragon was
coming to devour her, her parents
and all around were frantic with
tears, but Hercules cried, "This is no
time for tears; this hour is for res
cue." and he slew the dragon and
saved the maiden.
So Jesus came, not merely to weoU
but to help, ard by His own tears ana
His own agony and His own blood to
meet our peril and our penalty and
save us from eternal sorrow.
And so we read of another instance
of His tears in Heb. 81. These were
the tears of Gethsemane and the an
guish of His passion. These were the
tears that we deserved to shed. These
were the pains that we deserved to
suffer. But as our great Substitute,
and Sacrifice, He bore our sins In HIS
own body on the tree, and having
| paid the penalty and satisfied the
claims of Justice, He comes In the
| glad message of the Gospel to an
nounce our pardon and salvation.
| o Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head;
| Our load was laid on Thee;
| Thou stoodest in the sinners stead,
Didst bear all sin for me;
Jehovah lifted up His rod,
o Christ, it fell on Thee:
| Thou vast sore stricken OF Thy God,
Thy bruising healeth me.
Hindu mythology has a strange
| tale typical of the atonement, the
story of a dove pursued by hawk
until in desperation it flung itself
into the bosom of Vishnu, one Of their
deities. But the hawk demanded sat
isfaction, declaring that the dove was
her lawful prey and that Vishnu must
not only be merciful to the dove but
just to it's claims. Then Vishnu, hold
ing the trembling dove in her bosom.
barred ner breast and bade the hawk
devOur of her own living flesh az
much as would compensate for the
dove, while all the time the dove lay
fluttering there and knowing the fear
full cost Of her deliverance. Yes, We
are safe within His bosom, but oh,
the cost to Him. "He saved us. Him
self He could not save" He wipes
away our tears, but in order to do
this He had to weep when there was
no eye to pity and no arm to save.
Don't yous think the least that you
could do would be to thank Him and
give Him your heart, your love, your
grateful tearso
We have yet one more picture
Luke 1874. He was entering Jeru.
J salem from Olivot He had just
; turned that point where the whole
city suddenly bursts upon the trav
eler's view. AS He gazed upon it In
| its singular beauty. there arose be
} ! hind the scene another vision that {
few years later was to I'LL all that
| | valley: city hes!eged. cruel Roman
legions around on every hill top, the
] narrowing Gordon OF destruction, .
breach at last ir the walls OF defense
the breaking in Of the brutal con
queror, the streets running with
blood, the Temple rising In smoke
and flames, the shricks of mothers
maidens and little children in ths
cruel grasp Of the conqueror, ant
then, a long train of captives goint
forth to distant lands while behinl
them lay plowed field of desolatiol
where once their beautiful city hat
| been.
And as He saw it all and how I
. | might have been prevented IL the,
| had only received Him, He cried, II
thou hadst known even now in thi
thy day the things that belong to tn.
peace, but now they are hid from
thine eyes," It was too late; abu
: even yet He had for them His tears.