THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 50

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR Xo. 409.

By

Duncan Wright,

Dunedin.

i The Head that once was crowned with thorns I Is crowned with glory now; ■ A royal diadem adorns | The mighty Victor’s brow. 1 The highest place that heaven affords Is His, is His by right. The King of kings, and Lord of lords, And heaven’s eternal Light. “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ! ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; j Saving with a loud voice, Worthy is | the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and oil earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying: Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, he unto | him that sitteth on the throne, and unto j the Lamb, for ever and ever." (Revelaj lion v.) When Billy Dawson was preaching in ! South Lambeth on the offices of Christ, ’ he represented Him as Teacher and Priest, I and then as the King of saints. He mar- ‘ shalled patriarchs and kings, prophets and apostles, martyrs and confessors of every age and clime, to place the insignia of royalty upon the head of the King of the i universe. ’The audience was wrought up ! io the highest pitch of excitement; and, a.-, if waiting to hear the anthem peal out for the vast assemblage, the preacher commenced singing, S “All hail the power of Jesus name.” ihe audience started to their feet, and sang the hymn as perhaps it was never sung before. WROTE NAPOLEON I: “I shall soon be in my grave. Such is the fate of great men. So it was with the Caesars and Alexander the Great. And I. too, am forgotten; and the Marengo conqueror is a college theme. My exploits are tasks given to pupils by their tutor, who sits in judgment over me. ; I die before my time; and my dead | body, too, must return to the earth and I become food for worms. Behold the | destiny now at hand of him who lias been called Ihe great Napoleon ! What an abyss between mv great misery and the eternal reign of Christ, who is proclaimed, loved, and adored, and Whose kingdom is extending all over the earth!” i .... “and on his head were many | crowns.” Revelation xix : 12. Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne: Hark, how the heavenly anthem drowns All music hut its ownl Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him Who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of life, Who triumphed o’er the grave, And rose victorious in the strife For those He came to save. His glories now we sing * Who died and rose on high, Who died eternal life to bring And lives that death may die. The Emperor Trajan wondered how God could be everywhere and yet not seen by mortal eye. “You teach me,’’ said the Emperor, on one occasion, to Rabbi Joshua, “that your God is everywhere; and you boast that He resides among your nation. I should like to see Him.” “God’s presence is indeed everywhere,” said the Rabbi, “but He cannot bo seen. No mortal eye can behold His glory.” The Emperor insisted. “Well,” said Joshua, “but suppose we go first and look at one of his ambassadors.” The Emperor assented. The Rabbi took him into the npen air. It was noon day; he bade him look on the sun, blazing in its meridian splendour. “I cannot see,” said Trajan; “the light dazzles me.” Said the Rabbi:—“Thou art unable to bear the light of one of His creatures,- —how, then, could’st thou look upon the Creator? Would not such a light annihilate thee?” LOWLINESS AND MAJESTY. Ho was not In costly raiment clad, nor on Ilis brow The symlxd cf a princely lineage wore; No followers at His back, nor in His band Buckler, or sword, or spear —yet in his mean Command sat throned serene, and if Ho smiled, A kingly condescension graced! Kis lips The lion would have crouch’d in his lair. His garb was simple, and Hi® sandals worn; His statue me dial I'd with a perfect grace; His countenance the impress of God, Touch’d with the open countenance of a child; His eye was blue and calm, as is the sky In the serenest noon; His hair unshorn Fell to His shoulders; and His curling beard The fulness of perfected manhood bore. —Wilhs. Yes, — Crown Him the Lord of peace, Whose power a sceptre sways From polo to pole, that wars may cease And all be love and praise. His reign shall know no end; And round His pierc’d feet Fair flowers of paradise extend Their fragrance ever sweet. Crown Him the Lord of heaven, Enthroned in world's above, The King to Whom alone ia given The wondrous name of Love. All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou hast died for me; Thy praise shall never, never fail Throughout eternity. HONOUR THE SON. It was during the reign of Theodosius the Great, away back in the fourth century, that the Arians made their most vigorous attempts to undermine the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ. The event, however, of his making his ton, Arcadius, partner with himself on the throne, was happily over-ruled, in the following manner, to his seeing the God-dis-honouring character cf their creed. Among the bishops who came to congratulate him on the occasion was the famous and esteemed Amphilochus, who, it is said, suffered much under the Arian persecution. He approached the Emperor, and, making a very handsome and dutiful address, was going to take his leave. “What,” said Theodosius, “do you take no notice of iny son? Ho you not know that I have made him a partner with me in the empire?” Upon this the good old bishop went to the young Arcadius, then about 16 years of age, and. putting his hand upon his head, said, “The Lord blee thee, mv son!” and immediately withdrew. Even this did not satisfy the Emperor. “What,” he said, “is this all the respect you pay to a prince, that I have made of equal dignity with myself?” b pon tins the bishop arose, and looking at the Emperor in the face. With a tone solemnly indignant, said, “Sire, you do so highly resent my apparent neglect of your son because I do not give him equal honour with yourself? What must the Eternal God think of you, who have allowed His Co-equal and Co-eternal Son to be degraded in His proper divinity in every part of your empire ?” Ibis was a two-edged sword in the heart of the Emperor. He felt the reproof to be just and confounding, and no longer would seem to give the least indulgence to that creed which did not secure the divine glory of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace. ” The following stirring verses by the Rev. George Jacque are found in seme of our well-’ novvn hymn books : Hark! how heaven is calling, In sweet echoes falling Fr« n lie !.. . i ■ and voices: ’Tis the wondrous story. Chicfest theme ill gicry, Grace o’er man redeemed rejoices: This inspires All their lyres, And with harp and sinning Heaven’s dome is ringing! Saint unites with angel, Hymning the evangel, Glory to the God of heaven! Glory to the Spirit! And' to Jesus’ merit Let hosannas loud be given-! For 110 saves, Sinful slaves. The n firm ruin raising In His loving amazing. Does Salvation’s story AA’aken praise in glory To the Lamb who suffered thus And. wli ile heaven rejoices, Shall not kindred voices Sv.cli from earth to join the chorus? Yes, the .song, Loud and strong, Shall to crlory’e portals Kise from saved immortals!