The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-22

the scholar and the reformer. We turn over
the pages OF history and read that nations
have worn themselves out in the desperate eff
fort to lift themselves up. Man is wrecked. The
philosopher speculates about the cause of the
disaster; the m0ralist talks about the conse-
quences of the catastrophe; the humanitarian
piles the unfortunate victim, and talks plausl-
Oily ABOUT his plans TO lift up his fallen brother;
put they all fail. Why's Because they
are all a part of the wreck themselves.
the fai stream never rises higher than the
brother man higher than he is himself, iutellec-
tually or spiritually. We told that Zen0
could not attract the sanguine, nor Plato the Drac
tloal, nor Epicurus the Emphatic, Aris-
totle the imaginative. Then there are mill
Mons who have neither time impulse for
culture that none of these scholars could attract
But we find that Christ attracts all men, In the
equation of this proposition, that the moral nfu-
ence OF the atoBemeht draws all men, there are
Two quanttles-the known and the unknown
The cross is the X which represents both tue
known and the unknown.
The ntonement has lifted up all men. Total
depravity is the pre-supposed condition Of men
without the atonement. "But 10y the grace OF
God, Jesus Christ tasted death for every man"
salvation hath appeared to every man." There
is an unknown power exerted pagan
and heather peoples that we cannot com
pute nor define. But there is a power
that came under our observation, and that be-
came matter of experience that we may "com-
prehend with the saints" Behold the influence
of the cross upon our Christian civilization, the
amelOrations and amenities of social life, and
the sacred and sanctified relations Of the Christ
ian home.
Why do His words take hold of us as the words
OF no other being, even SURPRISING in power,
patEos and matehess tenderness the words of
our dearest kindred2 Because they are the
words of infinite love- And why does His exam
ample inspire my soul with hope? Because He
Is "a man, my brother and companion. Christ is
divine; but 1t is because His divinity comes to
me inoarnaJe in humanity, that I am attracted
and held and lifted up by il into Fellowship with
God. "And truly our fellowship Is with the
Father and with His Son." That which
makes the atonement etficacious is
the perfect obedience of Christ-obedience even
unto death. the battle of the wilderness, the
struggle of the garden, the tragedy of the cross,
Were incidental to the volition of Christ The
blood of Christ is the outward sign and visible
expression of the obedience of Christ Ye are
Saved by His life" THE love of life in Christ
Jesus makes "free from the law OF sin and
death" This law OF life is love The blood is
its symbol. '"rne blood of j esus Christ His Son,
cieanseth us from all sin." Whya Because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts," Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus.
Christianity is not coercive, but responsive
The time has gone by when Christians can
be made by threashiug machine.
For as many as are led by the spirit are the sons
of God. With the great apostle Paul. may we
all "apprehend that for which we are appre-
hended in Christ Jesus, that may know Him
and the power of His resurrection"
The uplifted Christ brings nearer the
thought of God as Father, goes deeper into the
hearts and motives of men, disclosing the cor
ruption and need of the sOul, showing that men
are not only to be pardoned, but united TO the
life of God. He told of the love of God in send
Ing His Son into the world that men might be
saved, aud witnessed that love by life of SYM
patty and suffering and His death on the cross
Now what Impression do we get from all this2
Simply that God has come nearer the world in
Jesus Christ; that God has invaded this world
with His mighty love, convincing the world of
SIN, right eousness and judgment; that as Father
and Savior He is Judge aud ruler upno.ding law,
and yet lifting up the fallen woman and wclceIn-
ing hack the long lost son. As Father and savior
He is both mercifu and just, forgving and heal
ing His children. How can He do this? He does
il, aud that is all.
The great burden and achievement of the
atonement is our reconciliation to God. "GOd
in Christ recOnciling the world to Himself"
There is not one word in the Bible, 30 far AS
know, that represents Christ as reconcng God,
Christ reconcile man. In this way He
does work forms n and III man. He brings God
to man-God in the tenderness of His love and
the justice of His love; reproving sin, yet loving
the sim er, reaching and melting the heart-a
manifest alton OF God to which mans affec tional
nature re spends in life of trust and unfatering
devotion. And this solution is not only 1.-THE
forgiveness of sins that are past through the for
bearanee of God" it is this and more. 1t is so
atoning, reconcling man, tn at enmity is gone
and hi s soul purified, being "w ashed in the blood
of the Lamb" not, of course, in an outward lit
eraI sense, but In the real, deep. inward con-
seriousness of the power, love and life of God
o, divine and beautiful world, when the up
lifted Christ shall draw all men to Him-when
all men shall receive the spirit of adoption into
the family hood of Christ.