the crown of thorns-第8部分

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tation　forms　in　us　an　exalted　and　spontaneous　virtue；　or　enfeebles　and　enslaves　us。　Chiefly；　then；　should　we　be　solicitous　about　character；　the　plot　of　our　life；　and　in　this　solicitude　our　earthly　existence　rises　to　the　highest　importance。

Let　us；　then；　feel　that　our　mortal　career　is　not　vague　and　aimless。　　Let　us　realize　that　each　life　is　a　special　history。　The　poorest；　the　most　obscure；　has　such　a　history；　and　although　it　may　be　unnoticed　by　men；　angels　regard　it　with　interest。　　The　merchant；　every　day；　in　the　dust；　and　heat；　and　busy　maze　of　traffic；　unfolds　a　history。　　The　beggar　by　the　way…side；　it　may　be；　outrivals　kings　in　the　grandeur　and　magnitude　of　his　history。　　In　sainted　homes；in　narrow　nooks　of　life；in　the　secret　heart　of　love；　and　prayer；　and　patience；many　a　tale　is　told　which　God　alone　sees；　and　which　he　approves。　　The　needy　tell　a　tale；　in　their　unrelieved　wants　and　unpitied　sufferings。　　The　oppressed　tell　a　tale；　that　goes　up　into　the　ears　of　the　Lord　of　Sabaoth。　The　vicious　tell　a　tale　of　wo；　and　misspent　opportunity；　and　wasted　power。　　Let　us　think　of　it；　I　beseech　you！　　Each　one　of　us　in　his　sphere　of　action　is　developing　a　plot　which　surely　tells　in　character；which　is　fast　running　into　a　great　fixed　fact。

Once　more；　we　may　compare　every　life　to　〃a　tale　that　is　told；〃　because　it　has　a　moral。　　Any　story；　good　or　bad；the　most　pernicious　work　of　fiction；　the　most　flimsy　narrative；　as　the　grandest　history；has　its　significance。　　So　it　is　with　the　life　of　a　man。　　As　all　his　conduct　he　is　building　up　the　intrinsic　results　of　character　for　himself；establishing　in　his　own　soul　a　fabric　of　welfare　or　of　wo；so　is　he　furnishing　a　lesson　for　others；　and　accomplishing　an　end　by　which　they　are　affected。　　The　purpose　for　which　any　one　has　lived；　the　point　which　he　has　attained；　the　personal　history　which　he　has　unfolded；　constitute　the　moral　of　his　life。

For　instance；　here　is　a　man　whose　life　is　frivolous；divided　between　aimless　cares　and　superficial　enjoyments。　　He　has　no　resources　in　himself；　no　fountain　of　inward　peace　and　joy。　His　spirit　leaps　like　new　wine　in　the　whirl　of　exciting　pleasure；　but　in　the　hour　of　solitude　and　of　golden　opportunity；　it　is　〃flat；　stale；　and　unprofitable。〃　　He　marks　off　the　year　by　its　festivals；　and　distributes　the　day　into　hours　of　food；　rest；　and　folly。　　In　short；　he　holds　no　serious　conception　of　life；　and　he　is　untouched　by　lofty　sentiment。　　The　great　drama　of　existence；　with　its　solemn　shifts　of　scenery　and　its　impending　grandeur；　is　but　a　pantomime　to　him；　and　he　a　thoughtless　epicurean；　a　grinning　courtier；　a　scented　fop；　a　dancing　puppet；　on　the　mighty　stage。　　And　surely；　such　a　life；　a　life　of　superficiality　and　heartlessness；　a　life　of　silken　niceties　and　conventional　masquerade；　a　life　of　sparkling　effervescence；　has　a　moral。　It　shows　us　how　vain　is　human　existence　when　empty　of　serious　thought；　of　moral　purpose；　and　of　devout　emotion。

Another　is　a　skeptic。　　He　has　no　genuine　faith　in　immortality；　in　virtue；　or　in　God。　　To　him；　life　is　a　sensual　opportunity　closing　up　with　annihilation　and　to　be　enjoyed　as　it　may。　　It　is　a　mere　game；　and　he　who　plays　the　most　skilful（sic）　hand　will　win。　　Virtue　is　a　smooth　decency；　which　it　is　well　to　assume　in　order　to　cover　and　artful　selfishness；　and　it　is　a　noteworthy　fact；　too；　that；　in　the　long　run；　those　who　have　trusted　to　virtue　have　made　by　it。　　At　least；　vice　is　inexpedient；　and　it　will　not　do　to　make　a　public　profession　of　it。　　Religion；　too；　he　says；　is　well　enough；　it　does　for　the　weak　and　the　ignorant；　though　shrewd　men；　like　our　skeptic　know　that　it　is　all　a　sham；　and；　of　course；　scarce　give　it　a　serious　thought。　　What　is　religion　to　a　keen…　minded；　hard…headed；　sagacious　man　of　the　world？　　What　has　it　to　do　with　business；　and　politics；　and　such　practical　matters？　　Pack　it　away　for　Sunday；　and　then　put　it　on　with　clean　clothes；　out　of　respect　for　the　world；　but　if　it　lifts　any　remonstrance　in　the　caucus　or　the　counting…room；　why；　like　a　shrewd　man；　laugh　it　out　of　countenance。　　What　has　our　skeptic　to　do　with　the　future　world　or　with　spiritual　relations？　　Keep　bugbears　to　frighten　more　timid　and　credulous　persons。　　But　only　see　how　he　uses　the　world；　and　plays　his　scheme；　and　foils　his　adversary　and　twists　and　bends　his　plastic　morality；　all　because　he　is　not　troubled　with　scruples；　and　has　no　faith　in　God　or　duty！

And　yet；　to　the　serious　eye；　that　scans　his　spiritual　mood；　and　looks　all　around　his　shrewd；　self…confident　position；　there　is　a　great　moral　in　the　skeptic's　life。　　It　teaches　us；　more　than　ever；　the　value　of　faith；　and　the　glory　of　religion。　　That　flat　negation　only　makes　the　rejected　truth　more　positive。　　The　specimen　of　what　existence　is　without　God　in　the　world；　causes　us　to　yearn　more　earnestly　for　the　shelter　of　His　presence；　and　the　blessedness　of　His　control。　From　the　dark　perspective　of　the　skeptic's　sensual　view；　the　bleak　annihilation　that　bounds　all　his　hopes；　we　turn　more　gladly　to　the　auroral　promise　of　immortality；　to　the　consolations　and　influences　of　a　life　beyond　the　grave。　　Yes；　in　that　tale　that　is　told；　in　that　skeptic　history；　there　is　indeed　a　great　moral。　　It　shows　how　meaningless　and　how　mean；　how　treacherous　and　false；　is　that　man's　life　who　hangs　upon　the　balance　of　a　cunning　egotism；　and　moves　only　from　the　impulses　of　selfish　desire…without　religion；　without　virtue；　repudiating　the　idea　of　morality；　and　practically　living　without　God。

Or；　on　the　other　hand；　suppose　we　call　up　the　image　of　one　who　has　well　kept　the　trusts　of　family；　and　kindred；　and　friendship；one　who　has　made　home　a　pleasant　place；　who　has　filled　it　with　the　sanctities　of　affection；　and　adorned　it　with　a　graceful　and　generous　hospitality；before　whose　cheerful　temper　the　perplexities　of　business　have　been　smoothed；　and　whose　genial　disposition　has　melted　even　the　stern　and　selfish；who；　thus　rendering　life　around　her　happier　and　better；　attracting　more　closely　the　hearts　of　relatives；　and　making　every　acquaintance　a　friend；　has；　chief　of　all；　beautifully　discharged　the　sacred　offices　of　wife　and　mother；　encountering　the　day　of　adversity　with　a　noble　self…　devotion；　enriching　the　hour　of　prosperity　with　wise　counsel　and　faithful　love；　unwearied　in　the　time　of　sickness；　patient　and　trustful　beneath　the　dispensation　of　affliction；　in　short；　by　her　many　virtues　and　graces　evidently　the　bright　centre　of　a　happy　household。　　And　now　suppose　that；　with　all　these　associations　clinging　to　her；　in　the　bloom　of　life；　with　opportunities　for　usefulness　and　enjoyment　opening　all　around　her；　death　interferes；　and　suddenly　quenches　that　light！　　Is　there　not　left　a　moral　which　abides　a　sweet　and　lasting　consolation？　　That　moral　is…the　power　of　a　kind　heart；　the　worth　of　domestic　virtues；　the　living　freshness　of　a　memory　in　which　these　qualities　are　combined。

Thus；　then；　in　its　brevity　and　its　comprehensiveness；　with　its　plot　and　its　moral；　we　see　that　each　human　life　is　like　〃a　tale　that　is　told。〃　　To　you；　my　friends；　I　leave　the　personal　application　of　these　truths。　　Surely　they　suggest　to　each　of　us　the　most　vital　and　solemn　considerations。　　Surely　they　call　us　to　diligence　and　repentance；to　introspection　and　prayer。　　What　we　are　in　ourselves；what　use　we　shall　make　of　life；is　not　this　an　all　important　subject？　　What　lesson　we　shall　furnish　for　others；what　influence　for　good　or　evil；can　we　be　indifferent　to　that？　　God　give　us　grace　and　strength　to　ponder　and　to　act　upon　these　suggestions！

Finally；　remember　under　whose　dominion　all　the　sorrows　and　changes　of　earth　take　place。　　Let　your　faith　in　Him　be　firm　and　clear。　　To　Him　address　your　grief；to　Him　lift　up　your　prayer。　　Of　Him　seek　strength　and　consolation；of　Him　ask　that　a　holy　influence　may　attend　every　experience。　　And　while　all　the　trials　of　life　should　quicken　us　to　a　loftier　diligence；　and　inspire　us　with　a　keener　sense　of　personal　responsibility；　surely　when　our　hearts　are　sore　and　bleeding；when　our　hopes　lie　prostrate；　and　we　are　faint　and　troubled；　it　is　good　to　rise　to　the　contemplation　of　the　Infinite　Controller；to　lean　back　upon　the　Almighty　Goodness　that　upholds　the　universe；　to　realize　that　He　does　verily　watch　over　us；　and　care　for　us；　to　feel　that　around　and　above　all　things　else　He　moves　the　vast　circle　of　his　purpose；　and　carries　within　it　all　our　joys　and　sorrows；　and　that　this　mysterious　tale　of　human　life…this　tangled　plot　of　our　earthly　being…is　unfolded　beneath　His　all…beholding　eye；　and　by　His　omnipotent　and　paternal　hand。




The　Christian　View　of　Sorrow


〃A　man　of　sorrow；　and　acquainted　with　grief〃　Is。　Iii。　3。


There　is　one　great　distinction　between　the　productions　of　Heathen　and　of　Christian　art。　　While　the　first　exhibits　the　perfection　of　physical　form　and　of　intellectual　beauty；　the　latter　expresses；　also；　the　majesty　of　sorrow；　the　grandeur　of　endurance；　the　idea　of　triumph　refined　from　agony。　　In　all　those　shapes　of　old　there　is　nothing　like　the　glory　of　the　martyr；　the　sublimity　of　patience　and　resignation；　the　dignity　of　the　thorn…crowned　Jesus。

It　is　easy　to　account　for　this。　　In　that　heathen　age　the　soul　had　received　no　higher　inspiration。　　It　was　only　after　the　advent　of　Christ　that　men　realized　the　greatness　of　sorrow　and　endurance。　　It　was　not　until　the　history　of　the　Garden；　the　Judgment…Hall；　and　the　Cross　had　been　developed；　that　genius　caught　nobler　conceptions　of　the　beautiful。　　This　fact　is；　therefore；　a　powerful　witness　to　the　prophecy　in　the　text；　and　to　the　truth　of　Christianity。　　Christ's　personality；　as　delineated　in　the　Gospels；　is　not　only　demonstrated　by　a　change　of　dynasties；an　entire　new　movement　in　the　world；a　breaking　up　of　the　its　ancient　order；　but　the　moral　ideal　which　now　leads　human　action；　which　has　wrought　this　enthusiasm；　and　propelled　man　thus　strangely　forward；has　entered　the　subjective　realities　of　the　soul；breathed　new　inspiration　upon　it；opened　up　to　it　a　new　conception；　and；　lo！　The　statue　dilates　with　a　diviner　expression；lo！　The　picture　wears　a　more　lustrous　and　spiritual　beauty。

The　Christ　of　the　text；　then；〃A　man　of　sorrows；　and　acquainted　with　grief；〃…has　verily　lived；　for　his　image　has　been　reflected　in　the　minds　of　men；　and　has　fastened　itself　there　among　their　most　intimate　and　vivid　conc