View source for Calvary's tragedy!.

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<p><br>
  "The place which is called <em>Calvary</em>." Luke 23:33<br>
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  The hill of <em>comfort</em>—is the hill of <em>Calvary</em>.<br>
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  The<em> house of consolation</em>—is built with the <em>wood of the cross</em>.<br>
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  The temple of heavenly blessing—is founded upon the <em>cleft rock</em>—cleft by the spear which pierced His side.<br>
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  No scene in sacred history ever <em>gladdens </em>the soul—like <strong>Calvary's tragedy!</strong><br>
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  <em>Light </em>springs from the <em>midday-midnight</em> of Golgotha! <br>
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  Every <em>flower of blessing</em> blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of that <em>accursed tree!</em> <br>
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  In that place of <em>thirst</em>—grace has dug a fountain which ever gushes with waters as pure as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind!<br>
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  You who have had your seasons of trouble—will confess that it was at Gethsemane, Gabbatha, and Golgotha that you have found real comfort. <br>
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  The <em>bitter herbs </em>of Gethsemane—have often taken away the bitters of your life. <br>
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  The <em>scourge </em>of Gabbatha—has often scourged away your cares. <br>
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  The <em>groans </em>of Golgotha—have yielded you rare and rich comfort. <br><br>
<strong>Do men make their own gods?</strong><br>
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  "<strong>Do men make their own gods?</strong> Yes—but they are not gods!" Jeremiah 16:20<br>
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  One great besetting sin of ancient Israel was <em>idolatry</em>, and we who are the <em>spiritual Israel </em>are vexed with a tendency to the same folly! We no longer bow down to <em>sticks </em>and<em>stones</em>—but <em>Mammon </em>still intrudes his <em>golden calf</em>; and the shrines of <em>pride </em>are not forsaken. <em>SELF </em>in various forms, struggles to subdue the chosen ones under its dominion; and the <em>flesh </em>sets up its altars wherever it can find space for them. <br>
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  <em>Children </em>are often the cause of much sin in believers. The Lord is grieved when He sees us doting upon them above measure; they will live to be as great a<em> curse </em>to us—as Absalom was to David, or they will be <em>taken </em>from us to leave our homes desolate. If Christians desire to <em>grow thorns to stuff their sleepless pillows</em>—let them dote on their children!<br>
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  It is truly said that "they are <em>not </em>gods," for the objects of our <em>foolish devotion</em> are very doubtful blessings; the <em>solace </em>which they yield us now is dangerous, and the <em>help </em>which they can give us in the hour of trouble is little indeed. <br>
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  <em>Why, then, are we so bewitched with vanities?</em> <br>
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  We pity the poor heathen who adore a god of <em>stone</em>—and yet worship a god of <em>gold!</em> Where is the vast superiority between a god of <em>wood</em>—and one of <em>flesh?</em> The <em>principle</em>, the <em>sin</em>, the <em>folly </em>is the same in either case; only that in <em>our </em>case—the crime is more aggravated because we have more light—and sin in the face of it. The heathen bows to a false deity—but he has never known the true God. But we commit two evils, inasmuch as we <em>forsake </em>the living God—and <em>turn </em>unto idols! May the Lord purge us all from this grievous iniquity!<br><br>
  "The dearest idol I have known, <br>
    Whatever that idol be; <br>
    Help me to tear it from Thy throne, <br>
    And worship only Thee!<br>
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