What Think Ye of Christ?

What think ye of Christ? — Matt. xxii. 42.

I would like, if possible, just to hold your attention right to that one question for a little while, forgetting everything else. It is not what you think of the Riblfc, It is not what you think of this denomination or that denomination. It is not what you think of the church. Il is not what you think of this preacher or that preacher but “What think ye of Christ?”

I would like to have time to take Him up to-night as a£ea£her; the most wonderful teacher that ever came into this world. No man taught as He did. He did not teach like like the Scribes and Pharisees. He taught as one who had authority. But that is not the object to-night.

I would like to have time to take Him up as a preacher, You talk about your great preachers, but this world never saw such a preacher as He was. He stood at the head of the list. There never has been, there never will be, another one like Him. Very often ministers preach their opinions. He taught no opinions. He taught the truth, and it was so deep that the greatest theologians have not yet been able to fathom the depths of His teaching; and yet they were so simple and so beautiful that the little children understood them, and they liked to hear Him. In fact, there is not a book in the world now that will interest the children like the Bible. If you want a book that is full of beautiful stories for the children, that is the book.

And He had a faculty of teaching and preaching the truth so that men could not forget it There is not ft prodigal on the face of this continent, in my opinion, that is not familiar with the fifteenth chapter of Luke, He drew that picture so vivid and so clear that men cannot forget it. They know about that younger son; they know about that far country, I seldom talk with a prodigal that he don’t refer to it. We can never forget that story of the Good Samaritan. It kind of hooks into your memory. You can’t get it out if you try.

I am told by Eastern travelers ‘who have been through Palestine, that there is not a solitary thing you can see there but that the Lord used it as an illustration — hung the truth right about it. The first parable that he uttered was that of the sower. I can imagine that, as He was teaching there upon the hillside, He looked down, and upon the bank of that lake was a sower going forth in the spring to sow, and He said, “behold a sower!” and He drew a lesson there that you cannot forget. There are four kinds of hearers. We have had them here in Cleveland for the last four weeks, and they will remain till the end of the time. There are the wayside, the stony ground, the thorny ground, and the good ground hearers. Would to God there were more good ground hearers, that should bring forth thirty, sixty and a hundred fold. Those four kinds of hearers will remain. He taught the truth. Men cannot get around it. They may say there are not four kinds of hearers, but that don’t make it so; and any man that talks much to the public and mingles with them will find those kinds of hearers. Many a man has been in this tabernacle, and the devil has been outside and caught the seed away before he could get home, and before he could cross the street. He thought when he left the tabernacle that he would step over and let some one talk with hi*n* Before he got over there the devil caught him*

WHAT THINK YI OF CHRIST?

I would like to talk to you about Him as a physician. Why, they say they have got some wonderful physicians in New York, in London and in Paris. Their fame is known throughout all the country. But did you ever hear of a doctor that never lost a case? They say you have some very fine doctors here in Cleveland, but have you get one that never lost a case? He never lost a case. He had some pretty difficult cases, but He was a match for every case that came. Even if they were dead when He got there they lived. He never preached any funeral sermons. A dead body would come to life when He came.

I would like to have time to take Him up as a Com ferter. As some one has said, he wiped away more tears in one day than all the infidels in eighteen hundred years. He has bound up more aching hearts, He has comforted more people, than all the infidels put together have ever done. He came for that purpose. “He sent me,” He says, “to heal the broken-hearted.” That is what He came for.

I have not come here to-night to take Him up as a Prophet; not to speak to you about Him as a Priest, or as a King. I have not come here to talk to you about Him as a Preacher and a Teacher, or as a Physician, or as a Comforter. That is not the point to-night, I have got another point in view, and the point I want to cal your attention to is this. Who was He? Was He what He claimed to be or not?

Now, I am one of those that contend that Jesus Christ was either God-man — He was both human and divine — or else He was a great imposter, and He passed Himself ofl to be more than He was. Now, you and I have great contempt for a man that is assuming to be more than he is. If a man tries to make you believe that he is a greater man than he is, he goes right down in your estimation at once.

Now, to-night I want to ask you to settle this question in your minds: Was he God-man? Was He with God the Father before the world existed? He said He was. Before the world existed He existed — before the morning stars sang together. “Before Abraham was I am.” Now, it is a very important question. It is one of the most important questions that can come before us down here in this world. We will not know how to treat Christ if we have not made up our minds who and what he is. I was talking to a man not many hours ago, and he said it made no difference what he thought of Jesus Christ. I was pressing that point upon him. It makes all the difference in the world what we think of Him. It is of very little account what you think of General Grant. It is of very little account what you think of the public men of this country to-day. It is of very little account what you think of Queen Victoria. It is of very little account what you think of the Emperors and rulers of other nations. It is of little account what we think of other men in comparison with what we think of Jesus Christ. This is the question; and I believe it is a proper question. I think I have a right as as a preacher of the Gospel to press this question home upon my audience; and I want those young men up in the gallery, I want every person in the house to-night, just to put the question home to himself. “What do I think of Christ? What is my opinion of Him?” We are very free to express our opinion about public men. There is hardly a person in this house that has not made up his mind about the public men of this nation. Jesus Christ is a public character, and we have a right to ask you what you think of him. There has beu ruore written and more said about Jesus of

Nazareth in your day and mine than of any hundrec men that ever lived; and it is time for us to make uj our minds what we think of Him. Was He an impostor Was He what the Jews claimed Him to be — a deceivei and a fraud? Or was He God-man?.

I am thoroughly convinced that men have got to take one side or the other. This idea that Jesus Christ was a very good man, as some people tell us, but He was only man, is false. It seems to me you could not utter a greater falsehood than that. If Jesus Christ was mere man, then he has been guilty of one of the worst sins in the whole Bible. All through the Bible God has said, <4 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Christ comes and says, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He invites the world to come to Him. Not only that, but He tells us that we cannot come to the Father except through Him and by Him. “I am the way.” “I am the truth.” “I am the life.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” That is what he says. Now, if that is not true, then he was an impostor, and if He was an impostor, the Jews ought to have put him to death. By their Jewish law they were obliged to put him to death; and we either ought to ratify the act of Calvary and say they did right, or else we ought to come out and own Him as our Lord and our Master.

But to-night I am going to ask you all to imagine that you are on a jury. Perhaps some of you ladies will say, u I never was in a jury box in my life.” I suppose you never were, and perhaps there are a good many men here that never were in a court on a jury; but to-night I would like, to have every one of you just keep awake and keep your mind right on the case we have before us. Let us examine a few witnesses and make up our minds on their testimony. If a man has a case in court he

46 WHAT THINK YK OF CHfciST?

brings in the witnesses. Both sides are brought in, and after they have heard the testimony on both sides, the jury make up their minds.

Now, to-night I want to call in the witnesses, and we will just imagine .that this is the witness box right here. Now, you know the worst enemies that Jesus Christ had while he was down there were the Pharisees and the Saducees. They were constantly trying to entangle Him. They were constantly trying to find something against Him that they might put Him to death. They made one attack after another and they failed. The most serious charge they could bring against Him was this: “This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.” That is what we glory in. It is a good thing he does. That takes us in.

But we will not take the public. We will just take up the individuals. Now, Caiaphas was president of the highest ecclesiastical court of that day. There was no higher tribunal. He really sat in the place of Aaron. Jesus Christ was brought before Caiaphas. It was Caiaphas that gave sentence of death. It was he that gave orders that Christ should be crucified. Now, suppose to-night we could bring that priest in here with his flowing robes upon him. Let him stand here, and let us ask him what he found against Jesus Christ. Let us ask him what Christ was guilty of, and let us hear what he says. He it was that put Jesus Christ under oath. You know if a man goes into court now, they make him hold up his right hand and solemnly swear that he will tell the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Well, he put Christ under oath. After the witnesses had come in and testified, then he put Him under oath. “I adjure thee, by the living God, tell us plainly, art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’5 Christ said,” I am, %ad ye shall see me at the right hand of God, axhd com*

ing in the clouds of heaven.” What further testimony do we want?” says Caiaphas. “We have heard blasphemy from His own lips.” And he took his mantle and rent it, and said to the Sanhedrim, “What think ye?” And they said, “He is guilty of death.” If Jesus Christ was not God-man, then they ought to have put Him to death, because there in that council he said, “I am,” when the question was put to Him, and He was under oath. It was that very thing that caused Him to be put to death. It was His own testimony. He bore testimony to that very point — that He was God-man; that he had come from heaven, and they should see Him at the right hand of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

But we have a good many witnesses to examine, and I will have to pass on. The next witness we want to bring into court is Pilate. Pilate was no Jew. He was prejudiced really against the Jews. He was put there by the Roman Government to keep peace in that city. Now let us bring Pilate in here and examine him. The Jews brought Jesus before Pilate and Pilate examined Him. And now hear what Pilate had to say after examining Him and talking with Him. This is his testimony: “I find no fault in Him.” If there could have been a flaw found in His character, do you think the Jews would not have found Him out and told Pilate? Do you think that Pilate would not have found it out in that blood-thirsty city? If there had been something wrong in His character; if He had been a fraud; if He had been a deceiver, do you think they would not have found it out? “I find no fault in this man. I will chastise Him and let Him go.” “If you let Him go, you are not Caesar’s friend.” Poor, vacillating Pilate. He did not have the moral stamina to live up to his conscience.

He sent Him away to Herod, and Herod could find n* fault in Him.

But we have another witness — a lady. We will bring in Pilate’s wife. We have her testimony on record. She sent word to her husband, and this was her testimony: 44 Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.” People talk against Pilate now, but there have been a good deal worse than Pilate right here in Cleveland. They can find fault with Jesus Christ, but Pilate, that heathen Governor, could find no fault with him. Pilate’s wife could find no fault with Him.

But here is another witness. Now, you know, Judas knew a good deal more about Jesus Christ than these witnesses that we have had in the witness box. Judas knew a good deal more about Jesus Christ than Caiaphas did. Perhaps Caiaphas never met him but once, and that on that memorable night when he was on trial. Pilate probably had never met him until he was brought before him. Pilate’s wife perhaps never had seen him. But Judas had been with him for three years. He had heard those wonderful sermons. He had heard those wonderful parables uttered by Him. He had seen Him perform those mighty miracles. He was with Him when Lazarus came forth. He was with Him on all occasions nearly when he performed those wondetful miracles. Now let Judas come in. He has sold him for thirty pieces of silver. If there is anything against Christ he will certainly know it. Look at him! Look at the remorse! Look at the despair that has settled upon his countenance. Let him step into the witness box. “Come, now, Judas, tell us what think you of Christ? You have been with him for three years; you have been associated with him; you have been the treasurer of that little band. What think you of Christ?” Hear him, as he throws down those thirty pieces of silver, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” Even the very prince of traitors knew that Christ was innocent. That is what Judas thought of him. Men sit in judgment on Judas now; but how many men will say that Christ was not what he claimed to be. Judas knew it. “I have betrayed innocent blood.” That is his testimony.

It is a very singular thing that every man that had anything to do with the death of Jesus Christ left his testimony. God made every one of them testify that His Son was innocent. Not one of them was permitted to speak against that Son. Their testimony has been put on record, and preserved and handed down to the present time.

Now, you know, if there is a criminal in this county that is to be executed, the sheriff has charge of the execution. The next witness we want to bring in is not a man that bore the name of sheriff, but really the man that held the same position that day — the centurion who had charge of the execution. He was there at Calvary, and it was he that gave orders that those nails should be driven into His hands and His feet. It was he that gave orders that those soldiers should take that cross up and let it fall into that hole that had been dug.

Now, let the centurion be brought in here. Let him stand here in the witness box. “Come, now, centurion, you had charge of that execution. You saw Jesus nailed to the cross. You saw Him hanging between heaven and earth. What think you of that person? What think you of Jesus of Nazareth?5’ “Truly this was the Son God.” That is what he says. He was convinced right then and there.^ That is what the sheriff said. Never was there such a scene on earth as that witnessed there at the cross, when Jesus cried with a loud voice, “It is finished,” and heaven took up the cry, and the rocks

Glory 4 were rent, and the earth shook. This earth knew ith Creator, although man did not, and the centurion was obliged to say, “Truly, this was the Son of God.”

But I have other witnesses. Do you know the testimony of the devils is on record? They bear testimony. It has been put on record and it has been kept on record for us. “Thou Son of the most high God, hast Thou come here to torment us before our time?” Even the very devils knew Him. And yet men dont’t know Him; yet men don’t think well of Him; and there are men going up and down this nation talking against this Jesus, with all this testimony on record.

Now, these were not friends of Jesus. These witnesses that we have been examining were men that lifted up their voices against Him. They were the bitterest enemies that He had.

But now we will bring in his friends. You know, if you want to get the truth of a case you want to hear both sides. We have heard the side of the enemies of Christ; and we have tried to” be fair. We have brought in all their testimony that we can find. We challenge any skeptic or infidel to bring in any more testimony. Bring in your witnesses. Let them come and testify against the Son of God, if you can find them.

“There was a man sent from God.” That is the way it begins. I like that. He was sent to introduce this Christ. He was no fanatic, and he was not biased by the world. The world had no power over him. Flattery did not have any weight with him. Position did not have any weight with him. If he had been living now you would not find him up here on your fine avenues. He was one of the poorest of the poor. His food was that of locusts and wild honey. He did not wear a broadcloth coat. His coat was made o f camel’s skin, and he wore a leather girdle. But he came out on

WHAT THINK YS OF CHRIST? %

the banks of the Jordan and began to cry to that nation, “Repent, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” And the nation began to be moved. Strange rumors went from town to town about this wonderful wilderness preacher, and thousands began to crowd to the banks of the Jordan to see him. What must have thrilled the audiences was that he said that he was just the forerunner of a coming One. One whose shoes’ latchet he was unworthy to unloose. He was just the herald of a coming One. At last Jesus of Nazareth, the village carpenter, came down to the banks of the Jordan, and when John saw him he seemed to quail before him. He drew back and refused to baptize him. But the Lord commanded him, and he knew nothing but obedience — he did what the Lord told him to; and from that hour John, that mighty preacher, changed his text, and he had but one text after that: “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!” That was his cry. That is wrhat he thought of Him. John was just a mere guide-post, pointing toward Him. He turned his disciples away from himself, and turned them toward this Galilean Prophet “Behold the Lamb of God!” In another place he says, “I bear record this is the Son of God.” “I must decrease, but He must increase.” He began to preach down himself and preach up this wonderful Christ. I would take a long time to tell you what John thought of Him. I cannot examine this witness as I would like to. It would take ail night. I am afraid you would get weary.

We will pass over and take up another. Bring in Peter. We could not have a better witness, perhaps than Peter. Peter denied Him. Put Peter in the witness box, and say, “Well, Peter, you once denied this Christ and said you did not know Him. You swore that you never knew Him. Was that sos Peter?” I can see the tears trickling down his cheeks. “That h the greatest lie I ever told in my life. Know Him! 1 think I do know Him.” “What do you think of Him? What is your opinion of this Christ?” “God hath made this same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ.” That is what he thought of Him. As he stood there on the day of Pentecost that was his testimony.

One day Christ seemed to be just hungering and thirsting for some one to confess Him, and he said to his disciples around him: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” “Some say you are Moses; some say you are Jeremiah; some say this prophet, some that prophet.” “But who do you say I am?” “Thou art the Son of the living God,” says Peter. “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; flesh and blood never revealed that unto thee.” Peter knew him. So when he preached on the day of Pentecost, he called Him the Christ. “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, “both Lord and Christ.” “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

But let us call in that thief now. He was a notorious character. They punished only the most notable criminals by the death of the cross. That thief is a good witness. Let us bring him in. We are told by Matthew and Mark that those two thieves, when they went out that morning, from the prison to the cross, went out reviling, and when the crowd began to mock Christ, it says the two thieves also “cast it in his teeth.” They, too, mocked. But all at once a strange thing takes place there. The heart of one of these thieves seemed to be touched. I don’t know what touched him, but I can imagine it was Christ’s prayer, “Father; forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That thief says, “He has a different spirit from what I have. He must be more than human. That must be the cry of the God-man.” He seems to have been convicted light there. Hear what he says: “We indeed suffer justly, but this man hath done nothing amiss.” That is what the thief thought of him.

But here is Thomas. Thomas has a good many representatives to-day. He has a good many descendants living here in Cleveland. Thomas belonged to the doubting school. There are a great many people like Thomas. They doubt what they cannot see. They can’t take things by faith. After the Lord had arisen, Thomas, like a good many people now, did not believe He had arisen, and I will venture to say Thomas was the most unhappy man in Jerusalem the first week after Christ came out of the sepulchre. That first Sunday, when he appeared to his disciples, Thomas was not there. They had a little prayer meeting, and he was missing. Perhaps he thought the whole thing was over, and that they would never hear of him again — that he would never rise from Joseph’s sepulchre. But I can imagine Monday morning, as Thomas goes walking down the street, whom should he meet but John. John says: “Thomas, have you heard the news?” “What news?” “The Lord is risen.” “O,” says he, “I don’t believe that. His spirit may have arisen, but his body is not.” “O, yes, His body is. Why, I saw Him last night, and I talked with Him.” “O, no, you must be mistaken; it must have been a vision.” “No, it was the identical Jesus; I talked with Him.” “O, I can’t believe that.”

Thomas starts down the street, and has not got more than half a block before he meets Peter, and Peter says, “Thomas, the Lord has risen indeed.” “Oh, no, John just told me back here He had risen, but I don’t believe

54rp WHAT THINK YE OP CHRIST f

a word of it.” “Well,” says Peter, “but I had an interview with Him. He has forgiven me all my backslidings.” “Oh, well, you just imagine you saw Him. You must be mistaken. I don’t believe He is risen at all.’’ “Well, but we went to the sepulchre, and it is empty. And there were two angels there and they said, ‘Come and see the place where the Lord lay,’ and they said He had risen, and then afterwards we saw Him.” “Oh, well, I couldn’t believe that I couldn’t believe it unless I shall see the prints of the nails in His hands, and put my fingers in them, and thrust my hand into His side.” Before the week is over he has met more than a dozen who have seen Christ, but he will not believe them.

The church is full of Thomases to-day. They stay away from the prayer-meeting, where Christ meets His disciples, and they go out into the world and live among skeptics and infidels so much that they doubt everything from one end of the Bible to the other.

But the next Sabbath came, and Thomas was there that day; and while they were talking, and perhaps trying to convince Thomas that the Lord had risen, who should stand there but the Lord of Glory, and He says, “Thomas, reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side, and put thy finger into these wounds.” And Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!” That is what he thought of Him. He owned Him as his Lord and his God.

Oh, may God scatter our unbelief to-rdght, and may we say like Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” I don’t want any other Lord but Jesus Christ I don’t want any other master but Jesus Christ

Oh, this miserable unbelief that is keeping back God’s blessing from this world! Let us say with Thomas to-night, “My Lord and my God.” That is what Thomas thought of Him. His unbelief is gone now. He never doubted from that moment that the Lord had come up out of the sepulchre.

But here is another witness. Ah, what a witness we have in John! He was a little nearer the heart of the Savior than any of the rest. He is that lovable disciple that laid his head upon the bosom of the Son of God. He heard the throbbing of that heart.

How He loved him. It would take all night to examine John, the belored disciple. Oh, how much he thought of Him! In the sight of John, He was the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, the Root and Offspring of David. John says He was the Light of the world. He says He was the Life of the world. He says He was the Resurrection and the Life. It would take a good while to go through John. We would have to go all through this gospel, then through the Epistles, and then through Revelation to find out what John thought of Jesus. Yes, he thought a good deal of Him. If you want to get a good idea of Jesus, read what John wrote, you need not get any of these infidel books. Read John. John was with Him all through His ministry. You could not have a better witness than John — that Galilean fisherman.

Here is another witness, and this witness ought to convince every skeptic. When I was in Baltimore, there was an atheist persuaded to come into the meeting by some friend. Said he, “just come in. I would like to have you come in. Of course you don’t believe anything that is said, but just come in and see the audience.” I happened to be preaching that night on this very subject, “What think ye of Christ?”

That atheist began to listen when I began to talk about Saul. “Now,” said he, “I would like to hear what Saul has to say, because there was a time when Saul did not believe in Hirn« There was a time when Saul was His bitterest enemy; and I would like to hear what that witness has to say.” And he listened, and, thank God, he was convicted and converted, and I correspond with him now. He is one of the brightest lights in the whole city of Baltimore. I hope there will be some atheist converted here to-night.

Now, let us hear what this little tent maker of Tarsus has to say: “Paul, what think you of Christ?” Hear what he says: “I count all things but dung that I may win Christ.” What did he care for this world? The fashion of it passes away. He had his eye fixed upon the Man on Calvary. He left the city of Jerusalem, where he was brought up, and where he held a high office. He left Gamaliel, and the whole of them, and he says,” The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?. I am persuaded that neither dath,

nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things” to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

Yes, that little tent maker thought a good deal of Himl The moment he got a glimpse of the Man who died on Calvary his heart was taken captive. From the time Christ met him at Damascus until he met his death at Rome, he was all in all for Christ. Every hair in his head was true for Christ. Every drop of his blood was for Jesus Christ. Every time his pulse beat, it beat true to the Man that is at the right hand of God. If you want to find out what Paul thought of Him, read some of his epistles. He thought every thing of Him. He thought nothing of himself. He had a good opinion of himself till he met Christ; but Christ was so much bet ter than he was, that he sank down and was nothing. When a man sees Jesus Christ, he will have something then to feed upon. He will not think what a great man he is. He will think what a mean, contemptible wretch he is in comparison with the Man that is at the right hand of God.

Well, I have other witnesses. There are a good many that would like to come and testify. This Bible is full of them. I might call up Zaccheus of Jericho. He could tell you a good deal about Christ. I might call up Mary Magdalena. She could tell you some wonderful stories about Jesus. I might call up Martha and Mary of Bethany, and their brother Lazarus. I would like to call up that man he met over there among the Gadarenes, out of whom he cast legions of devils. But we have not time to examine these witnesses. I think we have examined enough, haven’t we? Isn’t the jury satisfied that He was more than man; that he was God manifest in the flesh; that He was all He claimed to be?

But if you will pardon me, I would like to call your attention to this: We have something besides men. The angels were once, and only once, permitted to bear witness. A friend was telling me to-night that the angels have not the privilege of working that you and I have. Gabriel has not the privilege of coming down here and saving a soul to Christ. When Cornelius wanted to know the way of life, the angel had to tell him to send to Joppa, thirty miles away, and get Peter. But the angels had a chance once to tell what they thought of Jesus Christ. Those shepherds were, perhaps, half asleep there on the plains of Bethlehem, when all at once there came down a heavenly host all around, and the shepherds began to rub their eyes and look up. What a strain it must have been! What was it? “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city oi David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” That is what they thought of Him. “A Savior.” And then there was a great company — I don’t know but the whole choir of heaven was down here right out on those plains, and they bnrst out, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Blessed gospel, my friendsl Good tidings! Who will believe it to-night? Unto you — every soul in this house — unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior. And now the question is, What will you do with Him?

John, you know, says he was caught up once, and he heard a loud voice in heaven. It was a voice like the voice of many waters. It was “the voice of many angels round about the throne. The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, and they cried, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” That is what they think of Him up there.

Oh, let earth join with heaven to-night! Let all in this assembly join with that crowd around the throne, and let us say, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world!” Oh, poor, vile sinner, come out from the world and join the hallelujahs of heaven to-night, and let us all shout together, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb!” Isn’t he worthy? What do you ministers of the Cross say? Isn’t he worthy? Let us up and publish it! Let us out and tell the world of Him! The devil has been deceiving the world. The world does not know this Christ. And who shall publish Him if we don’t? The world is perishing for the want of Jesus Christ. Let us gfo out into the world and tell it out.

Now, God forbid that I should speak in any careless

or any flippant way, but with all reverence let me say that there is one more witness that I want to bring in here to-night, and that is God the Father. As John stood on the banks of Jordan — and I can imagine there was an audience twice the size of this audience gathered around that wonderiltl preacher there on those banks, and he just held them breathless — when Jesus came forward and ^’&5 baptized, as he came up out of that water there was a voice heard. Bible students tell us that the Jehovah of the old testament is the Christ of the new, and it is supposed by the best Bible students that for four thousand years, God the Father never broke the silence. From the time that Adam fell from the summit of Eden until Christ came at Jordan, God the Father had not broken the silence. But it is written in the book that He came to do God’s will, and the moment he began his ministry God broke the silence of four thousand years, As Jesus came up out of the water a voice was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Oh, if God is well pleased with Him, let us be pleased with Him. If the God of heaven is well pleased with Jesus, let us be pleased with Him.

Then on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Peter wanted to build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elias and for Christ, putting Christ on a level with Moses and Elias, God Almighty came in a cloud an snatched Moses and Elias away, and left Christ alone, and he broke the silence again: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him.” Hear Him.

Oh, may we hear the voice of the Son of God to-night calling us from the world and from ourselves, =and may we think well of Him! Oh, let us think well of Christ, and let us go out and publish His name, and pro* claim salvation to a perishing world!