The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-10-07
THE WEEPING CHRIST.
Materalsm and Worldliness OF Jeru-
salem Brought Tears to Savior's
Eyes and Threaten World
Today.

AT the Lutheran church last even
ling Rev. Charles H. Armstrong, spoke
of the tendencies of the times toward
free thought and of ''seif-styled re-
formers" who erect seaffoldings OF
mere human attributes" on which to.
fasten their own golden rule" His
text was from Luke 19:14--"And
when he was come near, he beheld
the city and wept over it," He said
in part:
The Weeping Christ.
"And when he was come near, he
beheld the city, and wept over it, "
luke 19:14)
The birth of the twentieth century
occurred under the fateful star OF
ltransitlon-the most marvellous period
of change in the history OF the race.
The phrase, strenuous commercial
Iism," is self-explanatory. Upheayels
are changing the social strata, sub
F., tie Ieayen is at work. In the religious
world, many, adrlft from the old-time
mornings, are anchoring under the
standard of heterodoxy, Oriental
cults" and mushroom and sporadic
faiths" Nothing strange in this,
however, for sacred prophecy intima
ties as much. Ours Is wonderful age
| of mental unrest and activity,
coupled with un.rammeled thought;
| as logical sequence false relig
ions and strange seets" contend In
the arena of free thought" This is
| the time to recall the injunction of
the faithful apostle, prove all things,
hold fast to that which Is good. The
tendency of this age Is TO ''canonize
things seen - rank materiaism -
rather than the acceptance of things
mot SEEM but eternal" Constantly,
men. systems, institutions, weighed
| In the balances, are found wanting.
Atheism arrogantly asserts that re-
lligion, not only the Christian religion,
but the inherent religious tendency
of the soul, is superfuous. Goddess
self-righteousness and un-Christian
bigotry point scornfully alas,
ltruly-to inconsistent members of
church. Bur the law of fairness de-
mands that judgment must not hinge
upon the fallacy, the part condemning
the whole. Never in all the history
OF civilization has there been an insti.
tuition, with fallible adherents, that
has been free from unworthy follow
ers, and the church can be made No
exception TO the rule.
Selfstyled 'sEeformers" broad cast
many specious and platitudinous doc.
trines Of the efficacy of ethics per s.
thereby endeayoring to entomb tn
God-idea and erect a scaffolding OF
mere human attributes, on which t.
fasten their golden rule" and ALT
Rustic" appeals, good, it is true, so
far as they reach, but lacking the re
quisite alEsufficiency. Love-Diyine
love--is the lever destined TO raise
fallen humanity: Gods plan, in the
salvation of the race, cannot be ig
nored with impunity. There is al.
ready laid a foundation, deep and
wide amply secure on which the su-
perstructure of religio-social powe-
must be reared, to be enduring.
The sons of Abraham, blessed above
their neighbors, received revelation
direct from Jehovah. The laws OF
Moses. the glowing verses of the
psalmist, the glorious promises-Pro-
phetic songs in the dawning of mono
theism. relative to Messianic certain
lty-illuminated their sacred scrolls.
But. to be brief. their own came
and they received him not. Jesus
was fully aware of his rejection at
the crucial juncture of his ministry,
and while. on that neyer-tO-be-forgOt-
ten Palm Sunday" entering Jerusa
lem as a king. he well knew the
evanescent quality of the loud and
blatant -hosannas" AT last, on the
day of the utterance of our text. when
his tears fell fast. with the mantle .,
prophecy around his form. he descrie
the army of Titus. under the imperial
Eagle. beleaguering the metropolis OF
his "fatherland. He beheld the pa
triot warriors fall with many wounds
and the daughters of Rachel carried
into captivity and disgrace Already
the Jews were entering into the twi-
light Of National deeadence. Their
leaders. fanatical and intolerant dis
cerned the letter. not the spirit Of the
law.
Had the tears Of the man Of Cali
lee any special meaning? Al the
eleventh hour did he stiil expect ID
convert the Jews2 NTH all his divin
ity. Christ was POSSESSED Of a human
nature. Therefore, with pity, com