THE CROSS BEARER - a series

Saints,

I am going to be posting this short booklet in subsequent posts in the same thread, feel free to comment as it goes along. It is an anonymous author and a great blessing, below is the forward by a brother who had it reprinted awhile ago:

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THE CROSS BEARER

"They were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Hebrews 11:13

"I speak to you as strangers and pilgrims.”
1 Peter 2:11

Many years ago someone sent me a very old book published in 1861: The Cross Bearer.
I glanced at the book and sent the person a thank you note. It was 'lost' for many years in my library and not located until I moved to new offices. As I was unpacking the book I opened it and read a few pages. I was overcome by the message and the drawings. They were so powerful. I read and wept through the night. How true, how true I thought. This book must be published again.

I did publish it but it is now out of print. I felt led of the Lord to put it on our website for people to read and to print a copy. The author of the book is not known so I cannot give that person credit. All the credit goes to Jesus who is the Master Cross Bearer.

Please note that the writing is more in the style of many years ago. I have edited it to the main points and know that the drawings carry a great impact and really tell the story.

I have added some of my own thoughts and feelings at the end of this book.

All Glory to God,

A pilgrim follower of Jesus,
Arthur Blessitt,
Luke 18:1

The Model Cross Bearer
Chapter 1

"His appearance was marred more than any man
and
His form more than the sons of men."
Isaiah

It seemed to be the noon hour and I was standing on a street of Jerusalem amid a multitude of people.

What a scene was before me. My Lord was there: but in what a condition and with what surroundings! A few hearts loved him; but lover and friends were far from Him. Rude, fierce soldiers attended Him on His way to death. An atmosphere of hatred and oaths and mocking and cruelty was all around Him.

He was staggering and fainting beneath the rugged cross. Then I remembered how it had been said that the weight of our sins was laid upon Him, even to the limit of His strength. Jesus carried the cross for us and for our sins.

Surely I had never before really comprehended this scene. My heart was deeply moved as I discovered the greatness of my wrong and the greatness of the sufferer, the intensity of His suffering, His cheerfulness and willingness to endure it for me. There had been something superficial before in my view of my Lord bearing the cross for me.

The Cross Presented
Chapter 2

"If any person will come after me,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Christ

The scene changed, and I seemed to be an eyewitness of the Majesty of Him who had appeared before in weakness bowing beneath His cross. His Face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was as white as the light.

Before Him stood a young man, pleasant and in the dress of a pilgrim, his face was set toward the celestial city.

The Lord held in His hand a cross resembling his own, but far smaller and lighter. He presented the cross to the young man and said,

"Take your cross and follow me!"

A deep sadness passed over the countenance of the young man. The Lord stood holding out the cross to him.

Lord: "My dear disciple, I have cheerfully suffered for you. I endured the cross, despising the shame, for you. Can you not accept this cross now and bear it for me?"

Disciple: "Why, Lord? Did you not promise rest to all who come to you. I thought that from now on my life was to be full of happiness. I looked for joy and peace in believing. Now I only find a cross. Difficulties have begun to embarrass me that I never knew when living in the world. Trial succeeds trial, like waves of the ocean."

Lord: "My child, your happiness is found in tribulation and conflict here. It is in imitating and obeying me that you are to become holy in bearing your cross, to find joy, to be exalted in being abased, to conquer by yielding, to find your life in losing it.

You must deny yourself. Passion will plead for indulgence but it must be refused. The world will beckon you to ease and seek to dazzle you with its glitter and pomp; but you must resist. I have shown you in my own example what I would have you be. Again I repeat, take your cross and follow me."

Disciple: "Lord, I could bear anything but this trial you have allotted me."

Lord: "You are called to bear your own cross and not another's."

Disciple: "Is there only these severe terms? I desire to follow you but how can I make such a sacrifice of my position in society, my comfort and my interest?"

Lord: "You may be my disciple but only on the condition of bearing your cross after Me."

Disciple: And must I give up my cherished dreams? From childhood my heart has indulged in the most delightful anticipations of future enjoyment of life. I should be able to relieve my anxieties and gratify my tastes and have everything around me comfortable so that the ideal of life would be realized."

The Cross Selected
Chapter 3

"Not my will, by Thine be done." It was with a heavy heart that the youth had taken the cross, which his Lord presented to him. Only the explicit declaration that whosoever refused to be a cross bearer could not be a disciple had caused him to receive it at all.

Instead of pursuing his way with cheerfulness, his step was slow, his look downcast, and a sigh escaped from his lips. "I wish to be a Christian; I wish to be saved, the young pilgrim thought. Is there no way to attain this but by the painful one of self-denial and self-crucifixion? I know I must repent of my sins and rely on my Savior and His righteousness alone. This I have done.

But now I must take up my cross. And this cross too! How heavy it is! Why did He not give me a lighter one? One better suited to my age and circumstances in life, or to my taste and abilities? I would not disobey my Lord but surely I can be a cross bearer without struggling under a burden so heavy.

I will find myself a less painful cross.

I looked again and the disciple had gathered around him a large number of crosses of various sizes and styles. He had laid aside the cross that had been presented to him at first and was selecting one of the smallest of the group for himself.

Suddenly his Lord again stood by him, looking sorrowfully on the scene.

"Foolish child! I gave you your cross. It was prepared for you in the councils of heaven. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit sent it to aid in fitting you for your final home. Infinite Wisdom made the choice; Infinite Love approved it. And do you think to find a better cross by your own understanding?"

I observed that the man was speechless.

The Cross Lightened
Chapter 4

The disciple humbled and penitent under his reproof again took the cross, which his Savior had given him. But though he dared to no longer refuse it, he shrank from its weight and its roughness.

He had not learned the true way to find relief is in bearing it patiently and faithfully. He knew not the grace, which strengthens the weary and is made perfect in weakness. Soon as before he began to take counsel of the flesh and seek a compromise with duty.

The cross, which had been assigned to him, he might not exchange for another. "I will obey," he said. "It will be my Lord's cross, and has He not promised me that His yoke shall be easy and His burden light?"

So I observed him lay the cross upon the ground, and with saw and plane seek to shorten and smooth it!

The Cross Worshiped
Chapter 5

How patiently does the Master bear with the waywardness of His people! With what tenderness does he correct their mistakes, reprove their follies and teach them the path of obedience.

With gentle reproaches he had recalled his disciple from the vain endeavor to lighten or in any way alter the cross that He had presented. It was the cross as He gave it, which His disciple was to bear.

Oh, the weakness of the flesh and deceitfulness of the unsanctified heart seek to contrive
evasions of duty.

”‹When I next saw him, he had set the cross upright, had wreathed it with a garland of flowers and was bowing low before it in the attitude of adoration!

"And is this," said Jesus, as again He drew near to the erring one, " the service which I required of you? Your duty is to bear the cross, not to worship it. It is not decking it with flowers that the ornament of celestial purity is acquired. It is not by bowing the head, or bending the knee, that your spirit within is made lowly. The cross is given to you for the crucifixion of your sinful nature. It cannot effect this without pain. You must feel the burden, you must suffer with me, else you can have no part with me.

Rise, my child, from your posture of self-indulgence and take up your cross and bear it after me."

The Cross A Shame
Chapter 6

"Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My word,

in this adulterous and sinful generation,

of Him also shall the Son of man be ashamed,

when He comes in the Glory of the Father with the holy angels.”
Christ

When I next saw the disciple, he had taken down his cross from its place of honor and begun to carry it as his Lord required. But just then he spied certain bystanders looking at him in contempt.

Unable to endure their reproach, he put the cross behind him and even attached a rope by which he was dragging the cross on the ground. He had also placed a veil over his face to conceal his identity and disguise himself. The Lord again approached the disciple and lifting the veil said, "Ashamed of Me and My cross! Is it possible? For you I endured the cross, despising the shame. In heaven among the angels of God I make mention of my redeemed, and am 'not ashamed to call them brethren.' And is this all the return you have to make to me?'"

The Cross A Boast
Chapter 7

"They disfigure their faces that they may appear unto people to fast."
Christ

Our young pilgrim now turned in another direction just the opposite but no less reprehensible.

The crowd of spectators was still looking on with much the same thought as before. "What will the world say?" was his absorbing consideration.

As he was no longer able to conceal himself from his burden, he decided to make a virtue of the necessity. He now elevated his cross bearing to cause the beholders to admire his zeal and fortitude.

The cross, which just before was his shame, became his boast!

But then he felt a gentle hand upon his shoulder; and a voice, stern and sad, speaking to him: "Take heed that you do not this before people, to be seen of them; otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

The Cross Carried in Self Will
Chapter 8

"He that does not take up his cross and follow after Me

is not worthy of Me.”
Christ
"What next?”

Can this disciple, after so much disobedience and so many corrections, at last really do his Lord's will? Not yet it seems.

As I observed him after this last reproof, he had taken the cross down from its lofty position and placed it where it belonged, on his shoulder. But then instead of fixing his eyes on Jesus in order to follow Him, I observed that his face was looking away. Yet there appeared a look of complete self-satisfaction!

Again I saw the Lord approach him, grieved and yet compassionate. Again and again He had reproved the disciple, patiently bearing with his waywardness and gently instructing him. Now, once more, He must reprove this dull learner.

"Still, my child, refusing a full obedience! Have I not called you to bear the cross? I appointed you to follow in My footsteps? I point out the way to life by my own example. The path to peace and glory I have walked through this vain world and there is no other.”

The Cross Borne After Christ
Chapter 9

I looked again. How changed was the face of this disciple! How his cowardice, his waywardness, his self-assurance, all seemed to have been subdued. Again his cross bearing Lord offered him the instrument of self-abasement. His former replies were repeated no more.

”‹When the cross was again placed upon his shoulder, by the Lord Himself, who had once so meekly suffered for him, he meekly replied, "Lord, what will you have me to do? Not my will, but Your will be done."

I observed the Savior then selecting a cross which was exceedingly large, heavy, and rugged; and laying it on His follower, saying, "Now I intend to honor you with extraordinary service and suffering in my kingdom."

It was cheering to see how promptly and gratefully the disciple now took the instrument of pain and shame from those Blessed Hands. There was no hesitation. There was no questionings. He held the cross as a treasure; neither afraid nor ashamed of it.

This is all very well. However, it doesn't really help one to picture what it actually looks like in real life (rather than in a metaphor) . I have long been confused about the notion of picking up our crosses, particularly regarding how it might apply to myself. Indeed, I sometimes feel guilty for NOT having suffered very much in life.

Thoughts?

I believe one way we can practically follow what is being shared is to look at clear scriptures that speaker of the crucifying of our fleshly desires daily in different areas of our life. ie Colossians chapter 3.

Also the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel is helpful to read in this light.

The Cross Wearisome
Chapter 10

"You did not run well; who did hinder you?”
The Apostle Paul

Our traveler had not gone very far on his path carrying his cross when I beheld him deliberately taking it down from his shoulder and setting it aside as a load he was not willing to carry.

But that ever watchful, faithful Lord, who had begun to lead him in the way of life, was evidently not willing to leave him in that condition. Gently approaching this unfaithful disciple with a kind but reproving look, the Master addressed him:

Lord: "What! Can you not bear your cross one brief hour?”

Disciple: "Lord, I have found my strength insufficient for this hard service.”

Lord: "What is it then that has been so hard?”

Disciple: "I have a great many uncomfortable burdens. Many who have no faith in God, never pray, are much more comfortable than I am.”

Lord: "But my child, did I not though rich, become poor for you?”

Disciple: "I know that, my Savior. But then I found so many sacrifices required that I have concluded at last, I must stop and rest, for a while at least.”

Lord: "Oh, foolish and ungrateful child. Did you think it possible to share My crown by shunning My cross? Do you think I ever lay one unnecessary burden on one of My followers? It is only by patient fellowship in My sufferings, by enduring to the end, that you can enter into intimate fellowship with Me.”

I see, so putting stuff to death that is listed in Col 3:5-9 comes under this whole umbrella. That makes sense, thanks.

Do you know if the drawings mentioned in the introduction can be found on the web?

A PDF copy can be read of an old edition here and downloaded as PDF: http://goo.gl/ulQn28

For illustrations you can view them here where I am copying the text from: http://www.blessitt.com/E_Books/TheCrossBearer/CrossBearer_Page1.html

The Cross Alleviated
Chapter 11

"The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms.”
The Prophet Moses

"We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was, in all points, tempted like as we are.”
The Apostle Paul

The disciple now appeared, cheerfully bearing his burden, intent upon walking closely in the footsteps of his Lord. Every movement indicated great firmness of purpose and great satisfaction in the labors and difficulties of the way.

Soon, however, there was a change. It appeared to be no faltering of purpose, no hesitation to do and bear all that was assigned to him of duty or of suffering. It was a giving away of natural strength.

His knees were trembling, his face became pale; and at length he fainted and fell to the earth. He was in full submission to the will of his Lord. He had bowed his neck and followed Him implicitly. Now we see him no longer shrinking from the cross, but sinking under it. It was a sight one could scarcely behold without a tear.

He that has a feeling for our infirmities heard the cry of the weary soul and came to his relief. How promptly, how kindly, how gently, and powerfully, was His arm outstretched to lift up His fainting follower!

He spoke these words of cheer: "Fear not, I am with you; My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness. You be faithful unto death; and I will give you a crown of life.”

The Cross and the Crown
Chapter 12

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.”
The Lord of Glory

"Who are these which are arrayed in white robes; and where did they come from.”
The Apostle John

"These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robe and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
One of the Elders

It was now clear that this cross bearing pilgrim had reached the end of his wonderful journey with all its toils and trials. It was seen in his whole appearance and in everything around him. His eyes wandered no more but were steadily fixed on the Lord, observing Him and watching the path He trod. His restless manner had given place to a subdued deportment.

The eagerness of hope could be seen beaming from his countenance, tempered by a submissive spirit. His step was cheerful and the burden seemed to sit lightly, although the weight of the load had not been lightened.

He was walking onward from day to day; a light of heavenly purity was seen shining on his forehead.

In time, he came to part of the road that was exceedingly rugged and painful to travel. In some places it was so steep that he could hardly keep his footing. Sometimes he would suddenly plunge into a gorge where the darkness was like the shadow of death. Yet the same gentle light was always shining around his feet. This was wonderful to behold.

It was a strange place: horrible and yet it did not frighten him. All around him was the light of the heavenly beams. Nothing could live here, except death. Yet the pilgrim could hear angels approaching praising the Lord and welcoming him.

This rugged portion of the road continued for many days of his journey until he came to a high gate stretching across the path with a high wall on both sides of the gate. For a moment he was perplexed not daring to venture on. While he was hesitating, the Lord, whom he had lost sight of for a short time, showed Himself. Jesus Himself opened the doors and looked at the disciple with a smile. At that moment every doubt and fear vanished.

But, who can describe the rest of the scene! The pilgrim gazed in rapturous wonder upon the transformed Face of his Lord. He no longer appeared as the Cross Bearer in his lowly earthly garb, but had on His heavenly robe and crown.

"His head and His hairs were white, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire. And His feet like unto fine brass, as if burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters."

At His kind call the weary pilgrim sprang through the gateway and in an instant the Lord was taking the cross from his shoulder with His on right hand and casting it away from his sight; and placing upon his brow a beautiful crown.

Soon they passed up a shining way to meet the heavenly hosts approaching him in joyful throngs from the gates of a glorious city that lay in the distance.

What a meeting! What greetings! The child was welcomed home with unutterable joy. But earth cannot hold such joy as attends the pilgrim of earth reaching his heavenly home.
I stood gazing on the enrapturing sight as they all walked toward the city. But in an instant! A cloud hid them from my view.

And this is the end of cross bearing!

This is the end of the booklet.

here is a short excerpt near the end of an add-on writing by Arthur Blessitt:

The Way of the Cross

There is only one path - One way ”” the cross is at the beginning, and the end, and all along the way. You must carry the cross you picked up at the start.

The way is not marked, only the quiet whisper of the Spirit to say which way ”” where to step ”” when to start, stop or leap.

Society, culture and religion are disguised obstacles along the path. Often we seek to find a way to lift the load on one side and then the other. Our ways are easier than 'His Way!" The 'gods' beckon us to enter into them with enticing words ”” earthly pleasures, vainglory ”” but the path of Jesus is Crucifixion ”” dishonor and unity with Him.

For those who prevail, who crawl when they can't walk, and grieve at their sin and weakness ”” there is a reward! A heavier load, a deeper burden, and if you go far enough, crucifixion!
Our joy is suffering with Him, carrying His cross, obedience, simple obedience and love.

Man's glory is in vain

Man's power so weak ¦

Man's pleasure so quickly passing.

Jesus said, "Whosoever shall come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me."

What Jesus offers is:

Self Denial :¦ The cross

And walking in His steps.

Who will dare to do it!

"I fall at Your feet Lord Jesus. Have mercy on this corrupt flesh, breathe upon it, Oh Lord and burn me with Your fire, put Your light in me, upon me and about me, that there be no darkness, light my path that I may walk with You in power and love. Keep me from all the corruption of wealth, pleasure and vainglory. Nail me to the cross, make me to eat the dirt of humiliation, grind me to powder and let the Spirit blow me where You will. Make me fertile soil that Your seed may grow in me and bear the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control. Take this flesh and speak through it thy salvation and truth . Yes Lord, I see the cross before me'¦ nail me to it that I might live! Hallelujah!"