Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-13

it soil was erected the cross wherein
hung the Man of Sorrows, the Re-
deemer of mankind That was the
tragedy that changed all the current
of history. There new chronology
was created. There new faith, des-
tined to conquer the world, had it's
birth.
The cross, one symbol Of shame,
even as is the gallows today, has be-
come a badge of beauty, a mark of
honor, symbol of hope, all because
the Son of God once hung thereon.
In Bunyan's allegory the Pilgrim
lost the pack from his back, the load
that had hardened and distressed him,
as soon as he came in sight of the
cross. The dramatic episode especially
impresses youthful readers of the
story. 1t is at the cross that the weight
of sins falls and ceases to trouble.
Freedom from the guilt of sin and
emancipation from its weight may be
obtained only at the cross Of Jesus.
Well does the old Latin motto label
the cross una spes," 1.-THE only hope"
of the world
On hill on the oceanward side of
San Francisco stands a great cross,
visible to sailors at sea for several
miles. 1t is said to be a mark for the
little fishing boats. The cross crown
ing this sandy hill seems singularly
impressive. 1t is significant land
mark. It. spells safety and home. It's
arms beckon to rest. In it, the spirit
1,r l.~l i ,H,,@
truths of service, sacrifice and saliva
ton,
/ When Bunyan's Pilgrim came to the
cross and felt his wearisome pack no
longer on his shoulders, he was deeply
affected: Then he stood awhile, to
} look and wonder; for 1t was very sur
prising to him, that the sight of the
Cross should thus ease his burden. He
| looked, therefore, and looked again.
even till the springs that were in his
/ head sent the waters down his cheeks.
So 1t has ever been. The cross of
| Christ breaks the hardest hearts. II
has been mightier that all philosophy
to over come the world
The cross is full of meanings. The
first of these is atonement, which is
the atonement of God and man. There
the Father and the children meet ir
reconciliation. They who were afore-
time alienated come together. The sir
that separated has been borne away
by that Crucified. There is now q
straight path to the heart of God fol
every wandering child who would come
back. The cross is more than the
meeting place of history; 1t is the
meeting place Of a just Jehovah and {
sinful humanity.
some mountain peak, but the crest o
Calvary, for there earth comes nighes
to heaven.
Lfe's heaviest burdens are not thos,
which are upon us from without, bu
those that are within us. Pilgrim
pack represented the heavy heart.
is the weighted and weary spirit t
which Christ gives liberty "Come un
to me all we that labor and are heav.
laden, and | will give you rest criet
he. There is peace of heart only at tn
cross.
) A new symbolism has been given
l the world by the crucifxion. The eros
is the emblem of mercy borne aboy
the fields Of battle carnage. 1t is tn
: favorite ornament of rich and poor.
crowns the church steeples, as an UP
lifted sign of spiritual succor and G
divine forgiveness. Powerful fratern
al organizations are proud to display
? as their banner labeled I'm hoe sign
. vinces." Now this was not always sc
! Paul was using no vague phrase whe
he spoke of the offense Of the cross
For in his day. as in Christs th
cross was as offensive as the gallow
is today. 1t stood for shame and tn
{ most ignominious death. By expires
, provision of law a criminal who wa
, a Roman citizen could not be put
death in this degraded fashion. TIL
, extremity of the humiliation of Jesu
: may be more clearly understood
. the light of this fact.
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