The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-22

f1ts tlfS HHxue out Win 8uCh LANlne
clearnsse as in the black darkness of
blurred nor threatened. Never did He
recall anything He said nor regret
anything He did. He went right on
I I'm His work as IL there were nothing
to be afraid of.
! When Cavalry became inevitable,
Jesus might have cursed the times
that brought Him to IT, But He did
nothing OF the kind; He was just as
| brave on the hillside of Cavalry as
He was on the hillside OF Galilee. with
thousands of eager listeners all
/ around Him. And He died with for
gfveness for Us murderers on His
/ lips.
Well might the Roman oficer de-
clare. who presided owe the execu-
ton: Truly this was the Son of God;
surely this was righteous Man,
( You know what that life and death
meant for the world. The purer and
tae -nobler the individual left to the
will OF God, the higher and the strong
er Is It's effect on the lives of others.
and nothing can stop 1t in earth or
, hell
= And why not? First, because God is
behind 1t and nothing can contend
against Him in the long run.
i The reason he life of Jesus re-
manned clear and undimmed till the
last yis because His life cost His so
much. This is the source of It's power.
I despised and rejected of men.
/ That life has been a elimination
ever since and it's work will never
cease until all mankind have been
transformed to rs likeness.
Ideal Excmplified.
! Now run your eye along the line Of
history and you Will see the great
ideal exemplified in all lives, who
have ever caught the spirit of Christ
| fectly as He. But thousands upon
thousands OF His followers have tried
1t for His dear sake and the spirit OF
God has bless them in the effort.
/ 1t is strange thing that when a
! man tries to do something for the
good of the world he should be treated
! as IL he were doing harm. Very often
the worst OF men get on better than
| those who do their best.
Now / am not speaking of negative
/ goodness. that kind of goodness that
takes care never to run into danger II
! 1t can help 1t. There Is plenty of that
! type of amiability in the world today,
| and its effect is not very great. How
could 1T be. candidly speaking?
| Ask yourself what 1t is that Is saw
! ing the poor needy race, and you will
not go long without an answer. 1t is
! the spirit described in the text 1t is
! the spirit which has been the tnspira-
/ ton of all the great things that has
ever been achieved for the good of
the world. 1t Is the spirit which is
I leading men and women not to count
! life dear unto themselves, who accept
contempt, hatred. agony and loneli-
mess II necessary. In order to bring
man and God together. 1t Is the spir-
1t which has governed the whole life
: of Jesus.
( When Mazztni, the apostle of Italian
/ liberty. made his appeal to his own
countrymen., he was ridiculed and
chased from pillar to post by the very
/ people he loved and sought to inspire
with his own ideal Of national free
dom. And in spite of all the OPPOSE
I ton made against him, he accom-
! plished what he set out to do,
I What was the secret OF his sue
cessf It was by rehabilitation TO
his great mission. And where is MAJ
zini today? He stands as one OF the
greatest in a long roll of heroes Of
( his own country. He Is to the Italians
what jeremiah Is to the Jews: what
Washington liz to the Americans-the
soul OF the nation
I When Martin Luther blew blast
+ that shook the walls of the strong
/ holds OF sin and and debauchery, and
/ put to open shame the priests and
such. OF hts day. who were guilty Of
/ the practice OF the flthiest vice. 1t
contempt and hatred against Luther.
Luther Did Not Hesitate.
But that did not stop him In the
course pursued.
! The same spirit that governed Lu-
Their caught hold of John Knox. whe
! led the fight for reformation In Scot
! land, and later IN England: the Wes-
| leys were touched. and John fired up
and spoke out OF his hot heart Of the
desptsed and rejected Saviour. with
( an endless love for humanity to thou
sands who were eager for a orumb
OF inspiration from God for whom
their souls craved.
( But we do not have to look to his
tory for the truest exampiiacation of
/ this principle. Look for II wherever
the Spirit OF God 10 leading men and
women not to count life dear unto
themselves II by any means they bring
about the saving OF others, you win
/ ind 1t there Just as clear.
When / think of the atonement of
Christ. I like to think Of it's expression
in the humble ways Of common life
II you do not find II there you will
md 1t nowhere. The obscure hArotsms
, by obscure people; the thinss that have
| been passed by. by the world; the
things that achieve the most for good
of the world. are the things that cost
the most.
1t Is so much easier to do a splendid
thing on a splendid scale than 1t IL to
| DO II quietly, and without applause or
even without recognition In some dark
corner of the earth.
| In congregation gathered from
amongst serious thinking men and
| women. many being true servants of
| God. know what II Is to go into Geth-
semane with our Lord for all noble
souls are lonely sometimes. think
| scarcely a person can take life and
| duty seriously without sometimes feel
Ing the pressure OF loneliness
He IL an ideal not unworthy of
notice. To carry our Christ through
the world. to lift Him up. to leet Him
shine through us. and keep his spirit
burning within always-this should be
the chief aim OF every Christian, and
while l speak there may be some here.
who feel deep down in their hearts that
they know. and are the only ones who
have lived up to the great ideal. But
do not make a mistake, there are plenty
like you. and none but God and them
selves knows the truth about tho graaf