Notes of a sermon preached by the Rev. 0. E, Darwent in Union Church on Sunday morning, September 8.
Text: Galatians VI. 14.
"But far be it for me to glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I wish that I could quote the whole of Mr. Rudyard Kipling's wonderful poem called "Cold Iron" for a start. It is in his "Rewards and Fairies." Its refrain "Iron out of Calvary is master of them all," puts in a more poetical form the thought that I have in my head, of the enormous and deep-reaching influence of the cross of Christ, which stands for self-sacrificing love, on human conduct and life. There minstrel sini i i "Gold is for the mistress, silver for the Copper for the eraftaman cunning atjhis Good said the baron sitting in his hall But Tron—cold Iron ~is master of them'
So the baron rebels against his ki ud is imprisoned. The King did not have him executed, but offered him bread and wine; but the baron has little hope of being spared. He repeats "Tron—cold iron—is master of ut " But the King is generous. He "Took the wine and blessed it; He blowed broke the Bread "Wounds are for the desperate, blows are for the strong: Balm and oil for weary hearts all cut and bruised with wren; 1 forgive thy treason ~I redeem thy fall For Iron—cold Iron—must be master men all, "Crowns are for the valiant; sceptre for the bold jes and powers for mighty men who dare to take and hold.
'Nay said the Baron, kneeling in his hall But ron cold Iron—is master of men Tron cut of Calvary is Master of men all'
You catch the idea of it. Because Christ had died for sinners and suffered for them, this King could not be vindictive and unforgiving. He forgives the rebellious baron as Christ forgave the thief on the cross. This is Mr. Kipling's way of teaching that you cannot take the cross of Christ out of the Gospel and out of human life without ruinous loss.
"Tron out of Calvary,"the loving sacrifice of Calvary affects the whole actions. It has altered the whole point of view of the world. That' is why Paul gloried in it. It is such a mighty power on the side of 1 and spiritual things that people "enemies of the human race" who belittle it, trample it under foot and talk about it. as I said five weeks ago when preaching on this text,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.