Mansfield mirror., 1916-11-16

| fourteenth verse,
where we read:
4 "As Moses lifted
up the serpent in
the wilderness, even so must the Son
Of Man be lifted up" Again in the
eighth chapter. twenty-eighth verse:
when ye have lifted up the Son OF
Man, then shall ye know that ! am
he." And in the twelfth chapter, the
thirty.fourth verse, where the people
in response to Christ's words In our
text reply: I'VE have heard out OF the
law that Christ abideth forever; and
how sayest thou, the Son Of Man must
be lifted up?" 1t is very evident from
this reply that they understood him to
mean by the expression lifted up" his
death. And so careful study of the
use of this expression in this gospel
convinces one that by It is meant
Christ's death upon the cross.
Christ, therefore. in our text tells
US that through his death there would
come to him an added power, the
power to draw all men to him. power
which was not evident when he
walked this earth as the Son Of Man.
Christ never had any large following
then, probably never more than FIVE
hundred disciples at any one time.
But today. on this side Of the cross.
millions follow in his train. His words
have come true: "And II I be lifted
up l will draw all men unto me-"
What is this power? We have all
experienced 1t. 1t is the attraction Of
sacrifice. Who Is not drawn by It?
I shall never forget how. as a boy. {
was drawn to that hero of the great
lakes. John Maynard. by reading the
story Of his sacrifice. He was pilot
on lake steamer that caught fire. and
though the flames swept around the
pilot house he bravely stood at his
post. From the stern Of the vessel.
where passengers and crew were gath.
cred. the captain repeatedly called out,
"Can you hold out a little longer,
joint" And each time, more feebly,
came the reply: AYE, aye. sir. little
longer" At last the keel of the boat
ground upon the gravelly beach. and
all were saved except John Maynard,
who died at his post. Who. ask, is
not drawn by such sacrifice? And II
the sacrifice Of John Maynard draws
ones heart, who Is there that will not
be drawn to Christ as they know the
story of his sacrifice on the cross?
Hearts are drawn. the world over
as the old love story of the cross Is
told. There Is no doubt about that
Matchless as the teaching of Christ is;
wonderful and beautiful as his life on
earth was. it is the story Of Calvary
that draws human hearts. For there
God in Christ met and settled forever
the problem of every human heart
Sin was there put away by his sacri
fee; there he bore our sins in his OWL
body; there he. who knew no sin, was
made sin for US. It was a divine sac
rifice meeting every human need. Nc
burdened soul need longer stumble
and fall under the weight of sin
Through this man is preached unto
you the forgiveness Of sins and by
him all that believe are Justified from
all things" Blessed fact!
Weary, worn one. why not yielt
yourself to the drawing power Of the
uplifted Christ? That-is the question
! Christ draws all men. but will al mer
yield? That depends upon the men
for as free moral agents We have the
power of saying, mo" Among tht
saddest words Jesus ever uttered art
these: "Ye will not come unto me that
ye might have life." Note 1t carefully
will not" 1t is a matter then Of oul
Wills. Will we yield? He draws u;
no doubt about that Wherever thu
stcSy ID known men are drawn; bu
| oh the sad. sad fact. they do not al
yield to him, simply because they viii
not.
In q little New York state tow
where was a student pastor maj
sat alone one Sunday night in hi
home. Some time before this de
voted Christian woman. In paying hin
. bill, said, "Mr. wouldn't b.
in your shoes for all you have in TIL
world" And as she said this sh'
placed in his hands two volumes o
the life Of Christ. requesting that h,
read them. Time. that Sunday night
hung heavily on his hands. The folk
were away: he had nothing to dc
Aimlessly he picked up one Of the vol
umes and began to read, not In tn,
front Of the book but near the close
II was the second volume Of the If
Of Christ. and as he read he bccam
deeply interested, then fascinated
finally drawn. What was he reading
The story of Calvary. A tear glistene,
in his eye, rolled down his cheek. the
another and another. At length, ur
able to resist longer, he rushed out Q
the house, up town to ths littl
church. and Just as the benedictio
was about to be pronounced. down tn
aisle came the maA. Az he reache
the pulpit he cried aloud. "What nun
| I do to be sayed?" And there. ths
night. drawn by the uplifted Christ, b
yielded himself to him who ID might
to save. Oh. my friend. the uplifts
Christ draws. VIII you yieldf
There is no good in arguing wit