South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-27
SACRIFICE IS
SERMON THEME
Rev. Allison Says 1t AvaiIS
Nothing if Man Fails
to Live 1t.

Crude ways in which human be-
ings have been sacrificed in the
world in nearly every country as
acts of religious devotion. was the
principal point emphasized by Rev.
George William Allison, pastor Of
the Hope Presbyterian church, Sun
day evening in his sermon on the
subject "Cavalry-The Mount Of
Sacrifice" This was the NTH SER
mon of series of Sunday evening
talks on the general subject Noun
tain Top Talks" The sixth and
last sermon of the series will be de-
livered next Sunday evening, en-
titled Mt. Olive-The Upward
Vision"
He said no subject is so vital to
the religious life as that associated
with Cavalry. namely sacrifice. This
mount is the one most considered
by the Christians Of today. In deal
ing with the subject Of sacrifice as
associated with Calvary he said:
Even the most primitive peoples
the world over have had sacrifice at
the very heart of their various forms
Of religious worship. How many a
mother has walked he bank OF
Gauges river holding her infant in
her arms lovingly which her re-
ligiOus code commanded her TO cast
into the river as foCd for crOcO-
dies? 1t was her idea of sacrifice
and religious duty, How many a
widow has been burned upon the
funeral pyre of her husband a liv-
ing sacrifice 10 heather religious
custom? Even within our own mem
cries we have read in our dailies
Of the sacrifices of scores of Jap
aneSe by suicide i'm behalf of their
dying emperor And the suicide OF
prominent Japanese statesman fol-
lowing the death Of another as an
act of religious devotion. Sacrifice
is a part of all religion,-but it Of
ten has taken crude expressions.
Among the Mcxicans.
Within the past 200 years II eX-
listed in Mexico among the Indians.
At one time the sacrifice of human
life in Mexico amounted to 10000
annually, Human sacrifices were
obtained by capture in war against
neighboring tribes if possible in
cases; yet in others the priest en-
/ tered the ring Of wOrshippers and
| by lot chose the one to be offered
/ up upon that particular occasion.
Then he was taken into the temple,
hts heart ripped out with a crude
stone knife. and waved toward the
sun: while the body was eaten by
/ the remaining living. All of this in
! the name of religion. Yet it eX-
pressed the essential idea of sac
/ rifce. Early among the Semites,
4 sacrifice may have been not SO much
I higher than this Abraham was
willing TO sacrifice his only son, and
/ is actually ready TO complete the
/ act when a substitute is provided.
I Yet here the real sacrifice is not the
son, but the Willingness to yield
/ obedience in the fathers heart. The
sacrifices Of God are a broken spirit
If we are discerning readers Of re-
lgious requirements we Will notice
"a growth or development in the idea
/ of sacrifice with the growth Of civ
+ ilization And sacrifice reaches its
zenith in Christianity. The sacri-
T fee OF Jesus upon Calvary was in
/ no way an offering TO appease God.
God is not the sort of a monster TO
! require that sort of thing. 1t was a
! loving appeal To men. an act OF self
defeating martyrdom; intended "a
I reveal in perfection the love of the
/ Mighty Go. 1t revealed not only the
/ consistency Of Christ TO righteousness
and duty; il did more II set in
I everlasting contrast the qualities OF
/ holiness and sin. The sacrifice OF
his life was necessary to do this.
Must Dedicate Self.
But the sacrifice of Jesus avails
nothing for the modern man, until
he too becomes a sacrificer. 1t is
all right 10 talk OF Jesus death
atoning for the sins of the world
Z but il requires an act or self-dedi-
/ cation 10 the things for which Jesus
J life stood before that sacrifice car
be appropriated Sacrifice for the
4 modern man becomes what we cal
by a simpler word, namely. cOnse-
Grafton. And only when a mans lif,
is cOnsecrated does he share th'
I benefits OF Christs sacrifice on Cal
vary. And il was 10 win the worlC
TO Standardization 10 the pursuit o
holiness. or conservation 10 becom,
a seeker after righteousness, tina
Jesus carried the Cross up Calvary
and yielded his soul into death. /
is the sublimest religious and his
torical event in human tradition. lie
il not be in vain. Let Us seek GU