Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-22

poor expatriated founding thrust out OF
Egypt. forty years later he returned to
lead out the greatest single migration Of
history. For forty years they are swal-
lowed up in the wilderness only to emerge
with Gods ten imperishable laws, and a
national unity that has defied the forces
that effaced every nation that was great
in the day of their oppression
Again we see lonely Teacher; reject
ed by His people; driven out to die upon
a cross. That He was to be the founder
of the only eternal Kingdom so little i'm
pressed the historian of His day that
practically no mention is made of Him.
But 10, His kingdom is filling the earth;
The stone which the builders rejected is
become the head of the corner
This is especially true of the time and
incidents that cit er around the Scrip
lures which form the basis of our word
today Daniel is thrust into the lions
den to die miserable DEATH but does he
die? Nay. a thousand times nay. He not
only lives but the name of the God for
whom he dared to face that lions den
is given honor never before accorded to
any God And when the hierarchy of
Israel driven to madness by the simple
spiritual fervor of the sanity Stephen,
not only slew him, but scattered the in
FAINT church abroad, their very animosity
was like the ruthless autumn wind, that
strips the foliage from shrub and tree,
but bears the winged seeI to hill and
vale. and when the earth awakes from
wintry sleep, where bloomed one towering
pine or lowly shrub thousand wake, as
witness to grateful land that life was
in the parent plant.
Back Of the message which Darius
wrote. in praise of Daniels God, was the
fierce persecution which bore that worthy
servant OF the Lord to the far limit Of
sage which ST. Peter bore to bless the
Gentle world was the harsh attitude of
those who slew with cruel stones him
who should follow first his Lords exam
pie and seal his witness with his blood
Four thoughts are here:
!. THE HISTORY OF PERSECUTION
The history Of persecution. from that
far distant day when Cain was wroth
with Abel without cause until the pres
ent hour, bears two great lessons which
of the truth upon the blameless bearer of
the truth and those who suffer for their
faith should ever keep in mind First,
That no folly is so great as that which
seeks to overthrow the truth or check it's
progress by such senseless schemes as
persecution always must employ. And
second, that If right be right and God
be God, and truth be truth, the marrying
to witness still more widely to the world
concerning that which means much to
him. Thus every record OF the vain at
tempt to throttle with the bloody hands
of hate the deathlesS message OF the
cross IS but repetition of like futile eff
fort in the past
H. FIDELITY'S FRUITAGE. = How
comforting il is to think that even though
they did not always see the ripened har
vest of their fearful sowing nevertheless
a. nav Of fol 1fey,f
does the blossom one bit more surely go
before the fruit than does success wait
on the faithful messenger of God. Our
task is to be faithful; to bear reproach;
to witness for our Lord: tbs His to carry
out the oft-repeated promise of success.
sown in the darkness sown in the light.
Sown in weakness sown in might;
Gathered in time or eternity,
Sure, ah sure, will the harvest be-
III. THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS
AS THE SEED OF THE CHURCH.
| That 1.-The blood of the martyrs is the
! seed of the church is SO self-evident a
seems to best thrive beside the graves of
| those who died as bravely by God-given
| task as ever patriot died on battlefield.
| Napoleon said: alexander Chalemagne
and myself founded empires ON power
and they have crumbled into dust. but
| Jesus OF Nazareth founded an empire on
love and there are millions ready to die
| for 1t at any hour Men are ever ready
10 die LOT tndt WHICH Is worth while, ana
| witnessing for Jesus Christ is worth
| while, even at the cost Of life itself.
+, ~. THE MESSAGE THAT JUSTI-
| FIES THE MARTYRS SACRIFICE
The fact that every age and cline has
| seen men gladly bear misrepresentation,
want and even death, for that which they
held true concerning God is the best
| answer to an age Of doubt. that faith can
give. Men do not die for sharns or for
nypocrlsies. 1t is the consciousness of
| COD that burns within the fervid heart
| or those who know Him; that makes the
| martyr glad to die If by that death he
| may advance the cause of God.
| Tnere is great psychological as we'll as
| a spiritual truth, If they be not much the
| same, In Faber's lines:
Onr fathers, Chained In prisons dark,
were sun In heart and conscience free;
| nov sweet would be their children's fate,
| they, Ike them. could die for Thee
AND the daily prayer that should go up
TO Goa from all His faithful children
everywhere Is this: 20. Father, grant
that Whatsoe'er may come Of victory for
my cause, may the great church that
| Jesus oied TO save SO feel the message of
| the cross that she may never lack for
those who shall be willing both to live
ana Ole, II only that the message may
go on. Amen
\