Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-11
TIE PARDON OF COD.

THE PARDON OF GOD.
Ho. everyone that thirsteth, come We to the
waters, ard he that hath money, come ye
buy and eat; yea come buy wine and milk with
out money and without price. Isaiah, 55-l.
Whosoever will, let him take OF the waters of
life freely Rev. 2Z-17.
In the old feudal days when king was
going to war he cent out his herald to
summon all chiefs who owed fealty or
hostages to him to gather all their clans
and muster at some designated spot.
Scott in 1.-THE Lady of the
Lake." tells how Roderick Dhu
sent the Fiery Cross circling over the
hills and moors to call forth all who be
longed to Clan Alpine or followed the
standard of the evergreen Pine.
similar custom was observed when a
king granted amnesty to his enemies, or
pardon to his rebelli2us subjects. her
aid was sent 10 proclaim the glad tidings
40 the king's clomency.
After Adams sin, whereby man lost his
first estate, there followed period Of I'M
certainly as to what course Divine Justice
would pursue towards rebeliious men. The
rites ard symbols OF tho Jewiah
worship pointed to some COM
ing evant which should bring 'life and
immortality TO light" Some sure word
which should foroyor'answer the question,
eff man die, shall he live agnin?'
Upon that time of doubt and suspense
came the joyful proclamation. "of great
Joy for all people, assuring men Of free
and full salvation. Like the peal OF great
bell it sounded far and near through the
earth. ''Ho every one that thir0teth, come
ye 10 TIE waters"
The first promise of this proclamation
is free pardon. II IS for all,
% every race and condition.
There is no power can prevent man from
drinking of the waters of life, if he will.
No priest or layman, no interdict Or sen
tercs OF accommodation from any
church on earth, can bar an individual
from the pardon which is bought "without
money and without price" 1t is this that
makes che promise SO glorious. "Whoso-
ever will may come"
The scond promise of the proclamation
is thnt the pardon is perfect and absolute.
The King does not offer to forgive half the
debt of sin, after the sinner has soourged
his body, and put sackoloth upon him, and
bowed down his head like a bulrush to pay
the other half.
Weeping and grooming over past sins is
time and strength spent in vain. When q
man finds sin to be heavy, shameful load,
let him come 10 The living waters and he
Will find peace and Joy, only let him be
sure that he forsakes his sins. That duty
il rs imperative ga tho pardon is complete.
Though mans Gins are as crimson, tears
will not wash them away. Torturing the
body for its sins is not only useless, but it
implies doubt of the efficacy of the heal
ing waters.
A great many protesting Christians try
to assist Christ in his work of saliva
ton. They give to the poor, they
build churches, they speak with
zeal on public occasions,
they mind the religious concerns of their
neighbors, not so much from love of Christ
rs from desire to add another figure to
their credit in the book of reckoning.
The remembrance of their good deeds is
always green, and, in their prayers, they
occasionally jog the memory of the Great
Judge for fear he might let them slip.
Christ's pardon is perfect; HE saves
unto the uttermost." Christian thinking
and living are not inspired by the hope of
earning heaven, but by the love of God and
his Son, Jesus Christ. The Savior says,
l offer you free and full sal
walton, drink of the water of life freely"
and let the remembrance OF my love con-
strain you to depart from evil.
What is the ''unspeakeble gift" which
the proclamation offers? Life. The waters
are waters of life, waters springing up
unto everlasting life" No mention is
made of heaven or the glories and bless
edress of home there, but the exceed
ing richness of the pardon is life, eternal
life.
To believers in inherent immortality
the words ''waters of life" convey a fgur-
alive meaning. They assume that the
real meaning of the promise is believe on
Christ, and when time and earth
have passed forever, the happiness of
heaven shall be yours.
To the christian who believes that all
mankind were created mortal, and by sin
passed under the dominion OF death, with
no hope and no future, that sll their
lives are passed in bondage through fear
of death, and, thsn comes the end---eter-
nal silence, to them, the voice from
heaven calling, "Ho, every one that thirst
eth,come ye to the waters,nmesns infinitely
more. It means way of escape from
the grave. victory over death,
life for the dead; it means immortality.
This is the great promise of the proclama-
ton, an eternal salvation from death. If
the pardon wss frse and complete if it end
ed with life, how small would be its value.