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Show REV. MEEKER'S IMPRESSIVE SERMON Rev, John Meeker of ML Pleasant was tho speaker at tho sorvlces In the First PTeabytorlan church Sunday morning- His subject was "Cross Bearing Get Under and Stav Under." Text, Luke xxill:26: "And as they led Jesus away they laid hold- upon one Siilon. a CyTonlan, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might boar it after Jcbus." Mr. Meeker said In part: "Here we hav the account of a man, Simon, the Cyreninn, not to be confused with the famous Simon Peter, Pe-ter, who accidentally and involuntarily involuntar-ily became immortal by reason of his connection with the great tragedy of history- "Thi? Simon was a 'man from tho country.' About, all we know of hl;n Is stated here oxcept that another ac- count ay he was the father of Ru- ! fus and Alexander. Tho man from the country has alwuyB been an Jm- inortaiu factor In tho life of our cities. (Todav. with the mighty tide toward the city, we wonder how we shall keep I sufficient men' In rural life. Curiosity probably brought this Simon into the hRTt of Jerusalem he was drawn In- to the current aurgiug near Pilate s Plall of Justice just a3 the cross-burdened Nazarcne staggered forth on the wav to Calvary God's plans often make use of natural curiosity In leading lead-ing men into undreamed opportunity We know not. hut we may believe that as Simon carried the neavy croa., behind the Innocent Victim and later witnessed the crucifixion he was won over to an immortality involved In true discipleshlp. The world needs more Simons real men who will fall in behind Christ when the mob ami materialism are striving to banish ChriBt and Ills gospel from the cities and civilization. Infldelitv can only produce mob-rule Jesus is the only hope for the real rule of love. "The call of the gospel today Is the same Men are wanted who are strong enough and bravo enough to bend to the unpopular lash of croaa-bearlng. croaa-bearlng. Friend and foe are both at hand to make the burden heavier. The nominal Christian almost sneers at the man who takes his religion seriously seri-ously enough to live up to it The men who la really malting his life an Illustration of the text. 'Seek yc first the kingdom of God and his righteousness' righteous-ness' may get very lonesome at times. The fashionable man or woman of th church looks indulgently on the friend who goes to prayer meeting, teaches In Sunday school and keeps unspotted from tho world. "Yes, Simon carried the cross close in behind Jesus; don't take a back seat when you go In for business with Christ get so close to him that your own home folks, your mates at school, vour business associates, will take notice, no-tice, and they will take notice. Invest your Ufo In the shadow of the crosu and some daj you will hear from it "General Booth got In close behind Christ where the citj was banishing the gospel Friends and foes added to hi3 burden, but he stuck to his post until Jeers chansed to cheers, until the call of another world claimed claim-ed him among its Immortals, but nor before ho had won immortality here. "Cross-bearing Is a man's job. Drirt with the current if you will, but know that the challenge of Christianity is still unsurpassed: The lifting of men into sin-forgiven brotherhood in Christ M Rev. Mr. Meeker is a young man of deep earnestness and his sermon yesterday was listened to with rapt attention by a large audience. |