The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-12-09
Digit
BY Rev. r. E. DAWSON
VxtAJ Rutland, VI
o+o4o+oa.o+oto4o 4o4,otot.otofos
THE kINe's LAST BATTLE.
international Bible Lesson for Dea
II, '1o-(Matt. 97;15-5o).

Tnat was Jhe locus toward WnlCn
everything from the foundations of
the world converged. That was the
fulcrum Archimedes could not find,
for the long lever that could move
the planet. The result Of that
event will yet have direct and per
sonal effect upon every individual In
habiting this globe. For that stu
pendous. far-reaching and revolution
airy event was the crucifixion OF
Jesus Christ.
The world has seen some awful
tragedies; but that was earth's great
est tragedy. The world has seen
some dark days; but that was earth's
darkest day. The world has seen
some terrible earthquakes; but new
er one before or since that burst
tombs open and brought sheeted
! dead to life. The world has seen
! some strange mysteries; but never
one before or since like the invisible
power that ripped the wonderful veil
| OF the temple from top to bottom,
exposing the Holy of Holes to every
curious eye.
The world has seen some great
battlefelds; but never any like that
green hill-top-Calvary. Other con-
ficts settle the destinies of cities, of
nations, of continents; this conflict
settled the future of a world. One
Friday. in the month of April, out
side the walls of Jerusalem. in the
presence of men. angels and devils,
heaven STOPPING from above, hell
swarming up from beneath, great ma
ture turning out the lights of the
sun to add to the horror of the
scene, the Second Adam, fought the
great fight of redemption and won
the victory for all men everywhere,
to the last syllable of recorded time.
The King Victor.
The ordinary view of the crucifiX-
ion is to dwell upon the sufferings OF
the victim, to stand awe stricken at
the spectacle of physical distress and
to stop there. But that is not the
teaching of Calvary. To count the
sufferers wounds, of head, and
hand, and foot, and go no further, is
to put low estimate on the issues of
/
the Bozrah Conqueror is all wrong.
He does not ask for pity.
He wants no sentimental tears shed
over him, as though he was felon
executed against his will. Hear His
glorious declaration: Il lay down
my life of myself; no man taketh 1t
from me; l have power to lay 1t
down. and have power 70 take It
again" Christ is not martyr,
dragged to the cross and executed
in spite Of Himself.
He was q victor on that battle
field He was a victor when He
shouted. 1T is finished" And He
lay down to rest in the new tomb
in the garden, like conqueror on
the field sleeping the sleep Of peace.
1t is a mistake as wide as the unp
verse to use the cross to excite the
lachrymal glands. Christ was no
body's victim. He was victor. The
cross stands for suffering certainly,
keen, awful, mysterious, but that Is
= not by any means the chief lesson
Of the crucifxon.
The Cross Emblem Of Victory.
Up to that April afternoon the
cross was the emblem of shame and
disgrace. But this conqueror trans-
formed It and the cross now. always
and everywhere stands for victory.
That is what Constantine thought oi
: It, as he saw It emblazoned on the
midnight sky, with its significant
prophecy. by this Bign ye shah con
quer!" That is what Peter the Her
; over Europe. until he tnnamed CON
= tinent with the ambition to rescus
the Holy Sepulchre. Men, women
: and children nOcked to that standard
. and put the holy emblem on theil
: shoulders, shouting. 1T is the will Of
: Cod" That cross is mightier to-day
l. than fleets and armies. Before II
: all other signets bow.
{ There is a wonderful picture II
{ the Dore Gallery in London. 1t Il
= called THE Dream OF Pilates Wife,
q and is remarkable as being the art
lists conception OF the true meaning
O of the cross. The dreaming woman
i is represented as standing in bal
K cony and looking up valley which
Q is crowded with figures. 1t is thu
e vale of the centuries and the figures
are generations of the church which
+; is yet to be. Immediately in front Il
the Saviour Himself bearing Hi
q cross; behind and around Him arr
r. His twelve apostles and their con
verts; behind these, the church o
Q the early centuries, with the grea
: fathers; further back, the church o
the Middle Ages, with the majesti
forms Of the crusaders rising from
It's midst: behind these, the churcl
OF modern times, with its heroes
then multitudes upon multitudes
: that no man can number. pressinI
u forward in broadening ranks. till ia
e aloft, in the white and shining heaV
d ems, 10, tier on tier and circle on eli
a Gle, with the angels Of God hoverin
above them and on their fanks
> and in the midst, transfigured to tn