The Russellville Democrat., 1876-09-14
To THE ATKINS SABBATH SCHOOL

To THE ATKINS SABBATH SCHOOL
 The passage under consideration is found in Matthew 9 l3 and l2 7:- ''I will have mercy and not sacri- fice." To learn the meaning oI this passage, we must first learn how, 1 wben and by whom it was used.
 Christ used it as q quotation and a rebuke to the Pharisees. On the hrst occasion when they complained to the deciples of Christ eating with publicans and sinners, ''He said un- to them, They that be whole need not q physician but they that are sick" i" But go ye and learn what this meancth, will have mercy and not sacrifice, for l am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to re- pentance."
 for part of his answer to the Phar- asees when they murmured at what they consider violation of the Sab bath. He tells them what David and they that were with him did when they anhungered, &c., and adds {: But if ye had known what this meaneth, 1 will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have con dcmned the guiltless." It is plain from the above that Christ uses the passage only as d quotation and the next thing is to find from whom he quotes it. By referring to the Old 1'estiment we find language similar to this in several places used by God through the prophets and in- spired writers.
 Hosea 96: "For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. It seems from the connections ot this passage that the people to whom this was addressed were sinful at heart and had departed from God in spirit but still adhered strictly to the | form and ceremonies of sacriticial worship, and God through his prophet wishes to teach them that the true worship of the heart is more acceptable than forms and cer- emonies, sacrifice and burnt offer ings.
 l Sam. 15 9: "And Samuel said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice as in obeying the voice of the Lord! Be- hold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams
 King Saul had just returned from an expedition against the Amale. kites where God hal sent him tc destroy the whole nation, together with all their possessions. But he had disobeyed God and preserved the valuables; the sheep and oxei for sacrifice to God, which displeas. ed God, and he made known his dis. pleasure to Samuel, hence his Ian guage to Saul.
 Notwithstanding the Jews had nc mode of worship but through sacri' fees and burnt offerings, God would not accept it when his commands were to be disobeyed to perform it.
 Prov. xxi. 8 "To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice"
 Micah vi. s: ''He hath showed thee 0 man what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and | lO Nalh Huibbiy Nith thy 0od.
 Taking these passages together those to be found in Ect. V. i, Psalm 30, Deut. K. l2, and many others of Old Testament Scripture, there is no room for doubt Git seems to me) as to the original meaning of the text and if Christ uses it as quotation (which he certainly does) he un- doubtedly intends to convey the same idea that was originally in- tended, namely: that God prefers mercy to sacrifice. And now we have but to find the literal meaning of the two words, mercy and saori- flee.
 Webster defines mercy as tender ness towarn an offender, pardon.n n And sacrifice, as noun, Gan offer irg to God;" and as verb, "to kill and offer to God, in worship" Talk ing these definitions as the true and literal meaning of these words, and summing up all the scripture that throws any light on the subject, I can arrive at but one conclusion :: Thas God delighteth more in the truly merciful, mercy loving heart, than in all the sacrifices and burnt offerings, forms and ceremonies that the ancient Jews could perform.
 Tine whole meaning of the passage as l understand 1t is contained in these words: to love mercy, fear God and keep his commandments is more acceptable than sacrifice.
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