The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-26
EY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

II wish We might have a few Boxer /
,,,rsrcutions III America said a y
Speaker from China. The remark
was somewhat startling, but the point !
Was well taken. He meant that inc I
fires Of persecution would both pHrllN j
and solidify the forces OF christianity. :
Because religion is respectable. II -
likely to lose its edge and earneStncsS.
The ideal conditions under which tho
infant Christ at Jerusalem began It's
life were almost too serene To last.
They needed to be welded together
and made from molten metal INTO
tempered steel by the fires of pcrS"-
cution. The need was met lmmeul-
atcly after the healing of the lame
man by Peter and John, for the apos-
Ties were arrested and a~rTal&ntQ be
fore the Sanhedrin.
1t is not altogether d calamity when
Il man must 20 to jail for his reIIg-
ion. In the first place. il makes hmm
test his own faith, to be sure that he
has a religion worth going to Jail for.
The average persons Christianity
would be priced more highly if it
cost more. In the second place, per
%secution has always been the means
of arresting the attention Of the in
different and the hostile, and of lead
ing men seriously to think upon be
liefS foi which others are willing
to be martyred. out of the imprison-
iitiII vi lilt dpOSlIeS itON6u many
tangible results. Pilgrims Progress.
born in a tinker's cell at Bedford. is
not the only great fruit of an impris-
onment for conScienCe'S sake.
Challenge OF the Heroic.
Sealed beneath the commonplace
ness of the average MAJ is a consid-
cradle spark of heroism. which re-
spends to the challenge of the heroic.
We spend our energies in seeking
more comfortable conditions, but
really what We need, and in our hours
OF Illumination desire, is not an easy
lot, but a harder life. 1t is the people
who have had to wrestle with rigorous
climates and difficult territories who
nave given to history it's greatest fig
ures. The church's periods OF perse-
cutIon nave produced its most shining
saints.
in passing, it is we'll worth noting
that, thanks to the fearless labors in
the past of men and women who have
added all things for the truths sake.
there Is today probably no spot in the
world. except Thibet, Where men can
be imprisoned because of their relie-
lous convictions. Within six months
the religious Intolerance of the Turk
lSh rule has been broken. Now. at
the very Centers of MohammedaniSm.
religious liberty prevails. The cXperi-
ence of Peter and John, who were ar
rested on theological grounds. cannot
be duplicated. The days of the great
fciormcrS, when men went to the
stake because of Intellectual convic-
tons, seem to have passed AWAY The
Ioh$ ilnc OF imprisoned champions of
truth nave been the Iberators OF the
present generation.
Standing With Their Leader.
ms picture of pptpr and Toh, h.
pore the Sanhedrin as it sat in stare
recalls inevitably that earlier nict,ra
u! the same man when the Sanhedrin
Nds once before sitting. Then he
tPo cree ana chlnged and skulked on
.he OUTSKIRTS of the scene, startled by
the nlId words of a servant maid try
ing III VAIN 10 drive away the chill |
from his heart by a fire kindled by !
ms Il enemies: and even Ivjnc
ana cufSlng in Il vain effort tn soma
- HlilSelf from relationship with
the majestic Prisoner within An al
J"tt' pltIable figure was that covyardly
Tcter, Now. however. we see him
Stall4InS Just where his Master had
>''D". lie IS in his right place, face
20 lace with the same foes No moro
does he need to warm himself for his
Ieaft IS agloW with Joy and pride.
mat ne has been counted WORTHY +n
Stahd IN the stead Of his Master. We
pItN me heroes and martyrs of faith.
men really We ought to envy them.
me most comfortable men i'm all tbat
distinguished Jerusalem assenbIv tbat
John. o'0 Oh"
iiefc were cXaltation in the spirjt
~ t''s fearless prisoner. His arraign-
..#t gave HIM q chance to preach to
lse, Wy cyo.1 reaaeFs e the Ieyjstr sJ4eEm,
g tsfaa- HIM, tut ffya &c., 1T +
~ "a at hun. TO them. 'Wleie. tIbaaVV
49, p'lsed t. listen to him. Ovar
the 10 ~ tLiLlng Inconvenience Of
gIorfa,S anu imprisonment was this
81 20 oH9 privilege of preaching .
HIIdiSnt Gospel to the mo-, q
crucified Christ. "el VINO had
Knights Without Fear
his "ndl VINO has the fear of Goa in
,-,. 80 | - never afraid of mon II
heforo aIsht preaching that peter did
robes of ~ 9~4nhedrin The sumptuous
lacteries of +nhish priest. and the phy.
tCgatboSS ~ the eminent ~the0Ioeians
~ 9ItIef with a.! the conscious Girnit1
b1,r,L Court' Gld not impress these w.
direct ana d"tls Ihey preached a
]frnntip @"a dehnite Gospel. while con-
L'iit'hS these eminent adversa IN
1hclr Lord. They haIIenr iles o1
i"Ittr POSITION, and avov-nG 'he
,sGo ulSClHIeS of the Nazarnne Gov
ocrrirniiS Whom they said. Who We
tI,,oi ~ Quoting from the Scrin-
5000. ''tNI lleSt men VEaTa o.
peItS' the prisoners. with snlendid eA-
u9tltH' declared: II is The ~
MnlCh was set at nought Of Won, IN
nui'oerS' which was made the boad af
the rner. 'He head or
The picture is one to ponder !,
st WIN that of some modern
preachers who are -
me dignity and social position = ~
occasional leading man in their nnutS
! nae IN min at the moment a
pItacher whose pulpit ought to he
;~ilSerpoard for the thinking ana liz"
- u ms city, a "lace Of rare onnortr
NY. rms man became so iprrat."3
in ia" social, political. and Gna-m;i
iishity OF q few of his leading maric ib
,pIlerS That he devoted an his "rrol
odL'htS To winning their annoy, IL
@HcCeeded in this. nut he fai1ad
niII9tef Never by a hairs hroa
appdFehtly, has he turned tboea aauCh,
ineh from conduct which has SS&nanne
% Idn IeTea-ed to be UNANIMOUSLY scano
t"io4s. woe unto the preacher or az.
l"SHef VINO has abdicated hi ne
az or rCpuke ~WIckedness wherever ro,IS2h
OF VINO d~ifferentiates between blounq'
=" IN. Door in the pulpit, iicl
-, iie Bcnefi Of BoIdpesc
1ashe fearIessness &c