Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-30
GOOD FRIDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Rev. Samuel H. Howe, D. D. Preacher at Union Congrega- tiona Service at Park Church Cruci6xon of the Re deemer Commemorated at St. Patick's Church = Missionary Pageant at Trinity Methodist and Three Hour Service at Trinity Episcopal Church.

At the union service on Good Friday morning held at Park church Dr. Howe read for the lesson the 22d Psalm, which he called historic, a Messianic psalm, commemorative of that which took place years afterward on the day of the crucifxion.
 The text for the sermon was taken from Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 2, verse 10: ''F'or it became Him for whom were all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory. tos make the captain of their salvation perfect througf suffering"
 The Bible does not insult mems in- telligence by arguing about the Divin- ity; Gods existence is self evident; He existed back of creation, as it's author and it's ending. He could have created man in a thousand different phases, but took the risk of creating him free, to choose the highest or low est in human nature, and having taken this risk, God chose to redeem man.
 It suited His benevolence to share this experience of suffering and death with man, to know ignominy and shame with him. Power and wisdom are shown in the creation of an atom as well as a planet It became Jesus Christ in the interest of His Fathers glory to enter into the experience of human suffering. Incarnation is con- grous to the nature of God. that He may reach His children. That is, it became Him to redeem and save. Cre- ation and redemption both became Him Cthese are Divine attributes) just as it becomes a parent to rush to the rescue of child. To create and then leave to ruin would have compromised His benevolence. If suffering is for us the highway of our ascent to the higher grades of life. it was right for the Divine nature to taste the same sacrifice. And we ask what if the highest of all should long to share a mans deepest experience, agony and shame? It is suffering that writes the great music and great literature Of the world. The touching music of the Iliad and the Odyssey was bathed in suffering. A1illet dipped his brushes in his own hearts blood.
 It was the sufferer who destroyed the works of the devil; the evil spirit encountered defeat and the cruciixion. From that cross the redeemed of the Lord came with everlasting joy. If we have the same faith that these crucified nations will also rise on the third day and make the world decent world to live in. The power that is destroying nations is destroying him. self.
 Jesus Christ suffered that He might become the leader of suffering cause not merely the great sufferer, but the great leader. We could scarcely fol- 1 low an unsuffering leader, but it be- came Him to be touched with the feel | ing of our infirmities.
 r. s- ok a1 : moment is calling the world back to reality. The prospect of sacrifice that is making heroes of our young men. It became Him who made all things to enter the enchanted world of sac- rifice It perfected Him for task which an unsuffering being could never grapple with; to be conformed to this . law which made the fires of His sacri- flee the supreme revelation of Divine . love.
 We often treat sin as plaything 2 negligible quantity; we do not know 2 it's nature till we see it flung into the face of this suffering victim on the cross. All the malice of earth anc hell were given this chance for self revelation. We should never have known the depth and turbulence O. sin without the cross.
 At this moment nations and race! are stretched on their crosses, mailed there by the malignant spirit of evil which spectacle is presented by Bel giun, Serbia, Russia, France and Ar menia all stretched on their crosses b, kindred spirit as that which reared the cross at Calvary.
 We are learning what sin is, ant has been, and will be in the future till the angels destroy these works o the devil and make it impossible.
 Jesus is before you. He leads il every battle today He is at the heat of the column; the battle is on today though the combatants are invisible Municipalities and powers are alway
 with us, but our unseen leader i
 there, too. and his pledges of ultinat victory are sure and we ourselves ar