The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
Last Sundays Sermon


great Drive We have become ac
cumstomed as an American people to
eclipse ourselves Therefore this
week we shall roll up Red Cross
membership of rs millions. The
President has requested it. On this
occasion under these circumstances
there is one text for minister to use
Il Is in Galatians 6:14. God forbid
that | should glory save in the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ"
You have read of the Christ of the
Andes. Early in the present century
two Republics of South America were
on the verge of war over boundary
dispute The line between these re-
publics. Chile and Argentine. ran
along the summit of the Andes
Eighty thousand square miles were
in dispute. With the utmost yigor
they were increasing their armaments
The representatives of the English at
the Two capitals offered the friendly
i services of their government To settle
/ The dispute The a1er was accepted
and ihe KIHs II England MS ap-
pointed aHH8ae Two minister's. one
j il eaeh=sr1--'gl,sl es4etsently appealed
/ In tbelf people = aFafa @ar. The
matter ~ peacefully settled to the
ereat satiz faction OF both nations.
/ All bitterness aud distrnst passed
away Most cordial good feeling and
confidence have taken their place. The
| batteships which were building in
| Europe were sold and many and i'm
portant local improvements were
made. One OF the above ministers
proposed that there should be placed
on the boundary line at the summit of
| The Andes a statue of the Christ. 1t
WAS done and in March 1904 it was un-
yelled in the presence OF many Chill
cans and people of Argentine. 1t
was 1900 feet above the sea level.
The Argentines stood on the Chilean
side and the Chleans stood on the
Argentines side of the boundary On
high pedestal stood the figure of
Christ 26 feet in heigh. On the
base was an inscription, sooner shall
| these mountains crumble into dust
than Argentines and Chileans break
the peace to which they have pledged
| themselves at the feet of Christ the
! Redeemer' That was a league of
peace that had its foundation in re-
ligion The only league for peace
which will secure the purpose for
which it is formed will be the one, the
primary and fundamental principle of
which is, a league with the Almighty.
; All human covenants between indiyid
! uals or nations are only scraps OF pa
per unless guaranteed by a covenant
with God. The religious question is
! at the bottom of all human relations.
Paul had the conviction that the
problems of the state, the nation, the
community and the home could best be
solved if Jesus could be set forth
among them.
POWER OF THE CROSS
Corinth was the scene of some of
Pauls most intense efforts. 1t was
big city, city famous for its bust
ness, worldliness, vice and commerce.
Paul was scholar, great travel
! Ter. man of keen mind and knew
how to size up a situation. He says
that he came to Corinth the first
time. with this iron-clad resolution, u
determined to know nothing among
you save Jesus Christ and Him cruel
fed Later he said Il delivered unto
you first of all that which | also re-
ceiyed. how that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scripture. Paul
won out here, and established a great
and influential church, He was SO
we'll satisfied with the results that he
exclaimed in the text God forbid
that | should glory save in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ
THE CROSS is AN AWAKENING
POWER
Paul is marvellous example of its
awakening power. He met the
Christ when he was on his way to
arrest any who were believers. The
/ Great English preacher and hymn
writer John Newton was awakened to
a life of the greatest usefulness. |
challenge any to think for a few quiet
! minutes of the scene Of Calvary with
out being moved.
/ THE CROSS THE CENTRAL POINT
OF RELIGION
Paul glories in that which Is the
! center of our religion In the eyes
! of the world it was the meanest and
most inglorious part of the life of
Jesus Christ Paul might have
/ gloried in the incarnation Angels
sang 1t. The wise men of the Fast
/ came "A long distance to see it. Did
] not the new born king awake the song
! from heaven of GLORY to God in the
i highest and on earth peace, good will
| to mem? He might have gloried in
! the life of Christ Was there ever
/ another so generous, so patient, so
unsefsh. so inspiring? Paul might
j have gloried in the resurrection. 1t
/ is the hope of all. He might have
| gloried in the Lords ascension. He
might have gloried in his second com
ing Yet Paul did not glory in any
of these things. He selected the
center of the Christian system, the
center of the worlds history, the
Cross.
CROSS OF LIVING IMPORTANCE
All who have figured in the better
ment OF the world have been men who
we're believers in the Word of God. in
the Christ of the cross. These men
have found their comfort, their in
spiration, in Christ. You need the
same Christ no less than they The
Cross Is an inspiration in life. and a
comfort to the very end
I'm the cross of Christ glory
Towering DER the wrecks of time
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime
Card of Thanks