Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-13
Humbled and Exalted
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. TOMI<JSS.
Texts Phil. H., LII.

The Apostles Peter and John wcre
humbicd, in that they were threatened
ana Imprisoned. They were exalted, in
that they followed In the footsteps OF
their Master and suffered even as He
suffered. The disciple cannot be above
ms Master. And no greater glory can
come to tho disciple than suTcrin,;
persecution for christ's sake. The
humbling is i'm the sight of men; the
eXaltation is In tho sight OF God. The
humiliation Is for little while on
earth: the cXal,ation is TO be forever
in heaven.
We need to contemplate earnestly
and frequently the humbling of the
son OF God. who. for our Saltcs, became
poor and suffered the death Of the
cross. All glory. honor ana power wore
His In heaven. yet when He saw the
need of His human children He came
down 10 earth, laying aside His glory,
that as man He might redeem men.
What love Was manifested " this
gracious Friend of yours ana mine
How can men doubt His love to-day
when long ago He thus manifested it
Now and then Il man Will disguise him
self for the sake OF others, as did Mr..
Osborne when he became a voluntary
prisoner In the Auburn Penitcntiary in
order 10 see how the prisoners were
treated. Many good men and women
have left home and friends TO 20 TO
heather lands TO live in the dark
places of II great city that they might
help men TO live for cod
LEFT GLORY To COME
no WORLD OF SUFFERING.
Put our ltcdccucr left all-glDry be.
Nond understanding and the alteration
OF anSels-that He might live and SUI
for on earth, bearing the sins oc the
world and dying the most cruel death.
sake. you and !?
II gave My life for thee,
My precious blood shed.
That thou miGhtst rauaom.d be.
And Gutckcncd from the dead.
gave Ny Ike for thee.
What hast thou given for Me-
I, is we'll tor us 10 learn little self
denial. but IL must be q denial that
others may gain. There is no virtue in
suffering unless IL brings help ana
comfort TO another and is voluntarily
borne because We serve Christ In scrv
ing them. some people think they are
holy just because they 20 without
something They like. or because they
ar idea some mistaken folk had cen
turtles ago. when they denied them
selves OF luxurics and went IL live
In tho desert. thinking that they
would grow in holiness II IS not q
cross Hh.n we endure Tho troubles Of
life which come TO us without our
seeking
some people call their trials "crosses"
when they have not brought thr-"
trials BY any service they have rem
dcred and would get rid OF them n
they could Your sickness. your head
ache, the unkindncss men visit upon
you. are burdens, indeed, which Christ
vii! help YOU 10 bear and which VIII
sanctify your nature II YOU ARE patient
and have faith in Cod; but they are not
crosses In any sense unless YOU nave
brought ihcm through your devoted
service. without which YOU would not
have ih.m. We have made the cross
too light thing. People wear crosses
tari"S carry them openly. gold and
jcwclcd crosses, as II thus signifying
their service for Christ.
so GROWN or GOLD. WHEN
CHRIST WORE TIIORNS
II such signs OF service ar" Worn at
all they ought 10 he OF iron or wood
and kept hidden. When tho brave
Godfrey OF Boulcgnc. after Ia. first
Crusade stood in Jerusalem as con-
Qucro- they wanted to make him q
King. He refused saying: Il viii not
wear n crown OF gold where my Master
wore "A crown of thorns." The cross
is too sacred to be carried about or
made jewel for the unsanciided
breast. The Master brought Himself
to the cross By the life He lived. the
truth He preached. the works of mercy
He did for others. If We can look
upon our sufIcrings as such results of
our loving service, then We can bear
our crosses and follow after Christ.
There IS an cXaltat!on Of love in the
=, things we suffer for the sake OF others.
All love has pain mingled with II. 1t
Is a token that true affection demands
denial for man really loves any
body or anything unless he is ready TO
suffer for IT. The man who loves his
work suffers for the sake OF that work ::
denial hard labor. much thought and
study unlimited are the price he must
paw for success. a student for any
profession will suffer just In proper
ton TO his love for that profession.
4 Christian will suffer just in proper
ton TO the depth and fcrvor and loyalty
of his Christianity. But the wonder
Of IL is that the very pain brings
exaitation for Il proves the worth
alike of the cause and OF the man who
espouses the cause.
INWARD SENSE Of
JOY AND NICrORY
No one can explain or describe this
eyaltation. 1t comes not In outward
glory except in rare cases, hut In an
Inward sense comes from God, VINO
makes Ills children to rejoice. with Il
tov which no man can take from 'heni'
in the eternal character ana slGnlh-
canoe Of their service. So 81 James
cries. count II all JOY who. yc fail
Into divers trials: so st. Paul "Glories
in tribulntlons": so the child of Goa
cycrywhcrc counts his humiliation not
ms dark passages on his way to futurc
glory, but rs glorics I'm themselves. he
cause proving that he is Gods chiid
and doing His work. rs the Master
aid His work Our Lord was exalted
on the cross. which since his death
has lowered DER the wrecks Of time"
avon NC lie IS now exalted as a prince
ond savior in heaven. We must
learn to find glory in our troubles
which come to us in our service for the
Master.
Rut we must not fail to remember
that Christ has promised to those VINO
Loyalty serve Him future GiorE p'Hl
T human understanding. Eye hath
not seen, car hath no: heard, heart
49, - Mt concoiycd the things