The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-16
BY WILLIAM IT. ELLrs.

q at a small knoll outside the walls of the capital of a minor Roman prov ince. Jerusalem was the sacred city of comparatively small nation: but because 1t was the scene of the execu- tion as a criminal of One whom His contemporaries regarded variously as mad rabbi from the hill country. 8 gentle teacher of new way of life and healer of mems infirmities. or the long-expected One Sent From God. Jerusalem is today regarded with pe- culiar reverence by a large portion of the earth's inhabitants. It Is a sort of spiritual capital of the world. And all because upon its soil was erected the cross whereon hung the Man of Sor- rows, the Redeemer of mankind. That was the tragedy that changed all the current of history. There a new chron : ology was created. There new faith. destined to conquer the world. had it's birth.
 The cross, once symbol of shame, even as Is the gallows today, has be- come a badge of beauty. mark of honor, a 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 burdened and distressed him, as soon as he came in sight of the cross. The dramatic episode especially im- presses youthful readers of the story :. It is at the cross that the weight of sin falls and ceases to trouble. Free dom from the guilt of sin and enamel patton from it's weight may be ob- tained only at the cross of Jesus. Well does the old Latin motto label the crbss una spes." "the only hope" of the world.
 On af,hiiI on the oeeanward side of San Francisco stands algreat cross, vis- ible to- sailors at sea for several miles It is said to be mark for the little fishing boats. The cross crowning this sandy hill seems singhlarly impress i've. It is a significant landmark IL spells safety and home. Its arms beck on to rest in 1t, the spiritually mind ed may read the. great truths of ser vice. sacrifice and salvation.
 when Bunyan's Pilgrim came to the cross he 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 ease his burden. He look ed, 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 eros of Christ breaks the hardest hearts. It has been mightier than all philosophy to over- come the world.
 The cross Is full of meanings. The first of these is atonement, which is the at-onement of God and man.. There the Father and the children meet in reconciliation. They who were afore- time alienated come together. The sin that separated has been borne away by that Crucihed. There is now. a straight path to the heart of God for every wandering child who would come back. The cross Is more than the meeting place of history; it is the meeting place of a just Jehovah and a sinful humanity.
 The highest point in the world is not some mountain peak, but the crest of Calvary, for there earth comes nigh est to Heaven.
 A British diplomat in China. a Uni- 'tarian, nearly a hundred years ago, 4yrote a poem expressing his own deep est sentiments He had no knowledge that the poem was being used as a hymn until. ten years later. he heard 1t sung by company of American missionaries in Turkey. That hymn is the immortal 'Tn the Cross of Christ li NGlory. Luxe Kay PalmerS My Faith Looks Up to Thee" this hymn Is one of the few that are enshrined In the hearts of Christians everywhere There Is a green hill far away, Without a city wall.
 Where the dear Lord was crucifed, Who died to save us all. | We may not know. we cannot tell What pains he had to bear: But we believe 1t was for us
 He hung and suffered there. 1 He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good. That we might go at last to Heaven.
 Saved by His precious blood. | There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin;
 He only could unlock the gate | Of Heaven and let us in. Oh, dearly. dearly was He loved.
 And we must love Him, too.
 And trust in His redeeming blood. And try His works to do.
 For there's a green hill far away, | Without city wall
 | Where the dear Lord was crucified,
 Who died to save Ns all.
 Francis Pott.