Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-02-11
No. s.

NU. Q.
The readers of the LEDGER can see,
from our last lesson, how easy it is
to be born of water and the spirit.
and by that means enter into the
kingdom of God on earth. 1t is as
easy and as plain as the law could
make it. Certainly it is but coming
to Christ and taking $50 to speak)
the oath Of allegiance to Him. The
anology between this free voluntary
act of the sinner, and that of an in
teiligent European, who, confding
in American freedom, comes here and
takes the proper steps and a solemn
oath of allegiance to our government
and renounces all allegiance to every
king, kingdom, potentate or power
from whence he came is SO clear that
the most ignorant mind cannot fail
to see it. One of the blessed things
connected with the kingdom of God
on earth is that it in no way under
takes to interfere with the free WM of
dny man. If such had been the
rules God in his omnipotence could
have made man a machine to be
operated, directed and controlled by
His almighty fiat Such a condition
is at an immeasurahle distance from
every conception of the dealings of
God with man. While GOD ls SOW
ereign man is free. God commands,
man obeys or takes the consequent
penalty of disobedience. Such was
the rule in Eden. Such 1t was un-
der Moses. Such is it under Christ
and will be ''to the last syllable of
recorded time"
Because of the free wiU Of man
God imposes upon him certain duties
and requires man to perform them.
We may call this Gods alternative
writ of mandamus made returnabIe
at the final judgment. At that great
assize it will be for man to show
cause why he did not comply. On q
failure to show proper cause for not
complying his prima facie case of
willful disobedience will be disposed
of by the final peremptory manda-
mus from the Judge of all the earth,
depart from me ye workers of in
iquity, I never knew you, and such
shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of Col
and the glory of His power For
what, you may ask? For disobe-
dience to Gods commands. Mans
free will is a good thing if it lead HIM
in the path of obedient rectitude,
but if he violates the commands OF
God woe be unto him. This free will
| is the element in his make up that
authorizes the Creator to demand
something at his hands and is the
divine warrant for Furnishing him for
disobedience. God is just, merciful
and true. He gathers only where he
has sown. If you are so unfortunate
as 10 be an idiot, although really
think he had no hand in making you
one, as that can be physically traced
to other causes, yet, in His infinite
goodness, no penalty will be visited
upon you by him. By vesting ysu
with free will He treats you as rati u
al and, therefore, accountable, and
hence He reasons with you on all
matters pertaining to your temporaI
and eternal welfare. For that rea'
son Jesus said scome unto me all yt
that labor and are heavy laden and
/ will give yourest." Take my yoke
upon ysu and learn of me and ysr
shall find rest. In all this you are
drawn by the power OF mo
Tive. Your coming is for your good
hence, il you would receive the gooe
You must accept the terms and come
Your free will to come and accept ths
terms of salvation as contained in thu
gospel for forever precludes the ide'
lof mysterious abstrocs incomprehen
liable operation of the Holy Spiri
Ia,nar. from The word Of God V max