Evening journal., 1916-01-10
THE GREAT CRUSADE
Sermon preached in Tabernacle last night by Dr. Lyon

sunday night Dr. Lyon TOOK as MS
text: Luke 9: %. And he said TO
them all, If any man will come after
me- let me deny himself, and take up
his cross daily. and follow me
He said in part:
More than eight centuries ago.
there might have been seen a pilgrim.
stan in hand, making his way over
hill and valley, on that long Journey
to Jerusalem. In that day ana age
this was the supreme goal Of the high
est and holiest human ambition. If
the traveller succeeded in making a
safe return, bearing a palm OF The
Holy City. he received the honor and
homage of the entire population.
Upon him was bestowed the name of
Palmer, and throughout the re-
mainder OF his life he was greeted
by high and low alike with marked
tokens Of respect and reverence. This
pilgrim, Peter by name, had served
in the wars of France under the
Dukes OF Burgundy. but wearled OF
the battles he turned his back upon
the comforts OF home and after per-
iod Of prayer and fasting, in the soli-
tude of a monastic cell. where he was
given the name of Peter TIE Hermit,
he started upon this long journey to
kneel in penitence beside the empty
tomb OF the worlds savior.
Rescue Of the Holy city.
When he reached Jerusalem he
found the Christian inhabitants sub
| iected to the most humiliating slavery
and cruel persecution by the blrbar-
] nd trth rrslfu fc ~
was narrowed within him, as he saw
the fiendish delight with which these
Mohammedan masters despised and
disgraced the places sacred to every
Christian heart, and beheld his fei-
low pilgrims beaten and scourged
many even until death. His soul was
stirred to its depths by the conception
of a great purpose and he vowed that
upon his return TO his native land he
would awaken the Christian world
TO the rescue OF the Holy City from
the hands Of the barbarous inhdels.
Great Incentives.
II is always the inspiration Of a
great purpose that separates the ex-
traordinary man from the ordinary. !
would rather have a man of small
talent imbued with a great motive
than the biggest brain void Of high
ideals. The poet Whittier gave this
advice to a young friend Early in
life." he said. identify yourself with
some great but then unpopular re-
form" The greatest lack in the aver
age life today is the want of strong
and sufficient incentive.
On his homeward journey. Peter
stopped at Rome and visited Pope Ur-
ban. To him ne told the story OF the
sad conditions in Jerusalem. and de-
scribed the sufferings and the perse-
cutions OF the pilgrims. He found I'm
the pope a sympathetic and respon-
sive hearer who promised the Her
nit every assistance in his power. A
council OF the men of influence and
leadership of all Europe was called
by the pope to meet the following
year at Clermont. in France. 20 devise
means and methods for the promo
tion OF this great enterprise. In the
meantime Peter the Hermit went
from city to city throughout the entire
country, in village and rural district,
he proclaimed the great cause which
lay so near his heart. Thus was re-
described by one of his hearers. His
eloQuence may have been as rude as
il was ready, but its deficiencies were
made up by its earnesiness. which
gave even the glare of his eye force
more powerful than speech" Dwarf
ish in stature. and mean in person
he was vet filled with n fire which
would most surely stir the consciences
and rouse the wrath OF his hearers.
Wherever he went rich and Door. aged
and young. knight ana peasant,
| thronged around the emaciated stran-
ger seated upon an ass. clad in the
coarsest garb and holding aloft a
/ crucifix. He appealed to every feel
/ ing that could move the hearts OF
men. He pictured the suffering OF
the Christian pilgrims to the Holy
/ City and described the diabolical
atrocities of the barbarous Turks. The
! earnestness that filled his voice and
expressed itself in sighs and tears
/ had its effect on the vast crowds to
stir their natures 10 the depths.
II was the message of Peter the
Hermit that created and crystallized
I the popular sentiment Of all Europe.
4 In a peculiar sense such men are the
greatest characters of history, for il
is they who make history. Back of
laws and legislatures. back OF kings
and governors. is that power behind
! the throne which mOlds the charac-
ter OF law and sways the scepter of
state. the power OF public opinion.
Lawmakers do little TO mold this,
they are nodded by it. There can be
no greater human ambition than a
desire to be a creator of the right
kind of popular sentiment. Its begin
ming is often almost imperceptihle
II is like the SNOWFALL that starts
/ from the summit down the mountain
side. increasing in size and swiftness
as il goes, until il becomes a great
avalanche. swift and resistless in its
power.
Every great movement in the his
tory Of the world has had its fore
runners who have come through the
forests. telling the trees and clearing
the stones by which others might
tread the path of progress. Thes,
have been the worlds reformers
despised, prosecuted, rejected; ont