Year: 1874




Christ and Him CruciGed.o


There was a very large congregation at the
morning services IN the Broadway Tabernacle
Every seat in the gallery was occupied and the
pews the ground floor were all filed. The
pulpit platform was charmlngy decorated with
flowers as sort OF cheerful greeting TO the pastor
the Rev. Mr.. Taylor, who has just returned from
Europe. The reverend doctor preached the sermon.
He took his text from ST. Pauls First Episte to
the Corinthians, IL. 2-"For l determined not TO
know anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him crucilied.n The discourse which the reverend
gentleman founded on this text was most elo-
quent one, and was listened 10 with rapt attention
by his hearers. He sad that all great men were
animated by one idea, had one great ambition that
absorbed all minor ambitions. Napoleon Bona
parte desired to be great conqueror, ana 10 the
attainment Of this end he bent his every energy.
1t was with Luther in his determination TO
crush prlestcrat and the superstltions which it
gave life. 1t was so with st. Paul. He did not
content himself With saying that he was resolved
to preach the doctrines OF Jesus Christ, but he
deemed 1t necessary that he should add. "And him
crucined.n This was his great idea. He could
have referred to the many works OF Christ to the
manio.d blessings lie had showered upon man
kind, to His great miracles to His teachings;
but all these he considered, in his letter to the Co
rnthiaEs, secondary so to speak, to the iact that
the Master had been crucihed. 1t was this great
sacrifice that he was determined TO hold up to the
view OIL Chrlstans-that GOO had SO loved the world
that He had given His blessed son as sacridce-
A SACRIFICE TO REDEEM TIE SINNER


and to open unto hun The way OF salvation. And
II was this constant preaching OF CHRIST cruclned
that crowned Pauls labors with success. the
idea that a man who had died On the cross be-
tween two maleiGctors was worthy OF their re-
spect and worship was aDnorrent TO the proud
strength that God had given him, persisted III
preaching HIM "cruciiied." Thus was the stum-
InlfnD III fhn w stf w q rSf
FUSED 10 be convinced; but 1t made no difference
TO Paul. His way was clear; lie desired to impress
been shown ior sinners by the same cruclixon,
and he hesltated not The Doctor then went on
to snow that In the cross was 10 be found the true
consolation and comfort OF the Christian. 1t
was SYMBOL OF love and OF mercy-the sign Of
redemption. 1t was the emblem OF salvation and
o sign OF mercy and hope To the sinner. In TINS
word there was always strife and war; and the
sea, the earth, the air were pltess. Men, IN deal
log out justice to their fellows were wlthUu: heart;
YET Christ had, by HIS death on the cross. extended
mercy 10 the guilty, to the very ones who had the
least reason TO expect mercy, to souls that were
weighed down with sin. He mad willingly taken
of the ioad OF the sinners, and even though 1t had
crushed out His very lie he gave up that lie
ton. God had not only extended mercy thus
wonderfully TO the sinner by the sacrifice OF his
beloved Son on the cross. but he actually


YEARNED FOR THE LOVE or MAN.


His mercy was unbounded. and He was always
against Him, provided the sinner was Wiling 10
20 10 him. The love OF God, as manifested by the
sacrnce on the cross, Illed the heart of man with
q Joy ecstatc, peace that surpassetn all under
standing IL changed the darkness In which the
sinner was wont 10 grope INTO light, and made the
promptings OF conscience. that once tormented
MIN SO sorey, TO become a source OF happiness
and delight. 1t was this Christ cruciied that was
necessary, the Doctor remarked, TO stem the tide
OF corruption in nigh and low places, to
the evil practices Of the day IL private and
public life. In the light OF that sacrifice no sin
could remain undetected. 1t was q light that
made every word and thought and deed stand
out boldly In its true character. 1t dl1iused
peace III the domestic circle. 1t made plain the
way OF the man who wished to do good, and even
IN places oI business 1t threw light upon the
'smartest" transaction. which no honest man
could mistake. To HIM who contemplated the
cross as the symbol OF the great love Christ had
Tor man, and gave heed to the lessons the great
sacrifice taught, there could not be two ways OF
dong right, there could be no compromise with
wrong The Doctor argued tnat the Christian
needed no sacrament. no outward ceremonies to
impress upon his soul Christ cruci1ed. Though
the material cross that We saw in churches
beautiful reminder of the great sacrifice made
should really be erected and cherished 1t was by
our good leeds ana actions that we
were TO show our love for the cross and for
the loving God, who was so good TO SHINING man,
more than by any outward show OF devotion. As
the Jew AZ the time OF the Passover went about
with candle III hand through his house TO see that
o CHRIST entered into our hearts ana sought to


DRIVE OUT EVERY vEsTIGE or SIN.


we should, then, put the cross IN the centre OF
our lives ana consider IL a sacrlege TO have SIN
enter where the sacred emblem stood. The
preacher then closed by saying that the
taught US TO nave charity FOR one another that 1t
taught churches and ministers to set aside their
prtJudices aud differences and squabbllngs, to
nave but one idea III common-the PRONUNCIATION
or God's'hoy word. Being all sharers In the re-
demption, we should devote all the energies OF our
lives TO the salvation OF our fellow men, instead OF
wasting them in vain bcKerngs about doctrines
and sectional distinctions.