Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-08-10

| described in Genesis XIV These animals are
clean according 20 the Levitical division in
| TO clean and uucie0n. They were the most
| important Of those used for food. The three
kinds OF quadrupeds were dCmesticated in
/ ffocls and herds and were recognized as
property, constituting great part OF the
wealth OF the people IN that age. Three
| conditions were met therefore in tho sacri-
fee OF these quadrupeds Cd They were
cls0n, (e) they were domesticated, (3) they
were part OF the personal property OF the
| sacrihcer.
| II man were rich, no brought "a his
heart prompted 10 henor God, the best OF
his herd. Those less able would bring
sheep or goat, those still poorer brought
turtle dove or pigeon. Those chosen
| for q sacrifice were Of creatures mild nnd
| gentle, typifying innocence and1meekness.
| The Jews sNimed that the ssscrifSo or
birds WIS one of the most difficAt services
| devolving upon the priest; and that greater
care was necessary, the lesson being thus
| tsught: that those who minister In holy
| things should be as solicitOus foe the souls
| Of the poor az those OF the rich; AMI that
| their Offering was as acceptable 10 God, for
| he expects according te what man
hath"
AToSEuESr FOR THB PEOPLE.
Having effected personal reconciliation
| with God. The High Priest proceeds 70
make atonemest for the people. TWO Kids
| Counted "a one ofYering) were purchased
| by the contributions Of the congregation.
These lambs of equal size and value were
| presented at the door of the tabernacle near
| the worshippers, On the north of the altar
| was an urn in which were coin, some mark
| cd for Jehovah" others for Azazel" Escape
goat.) The high priest shook the urn and
| thrusting in his hand drew forth two lots
and placed them on the head Of each goat.
The one on which rested the word Escape
goat" was led before tho people and facing
| them waited, as II We're till their sins
| should be laid on him. The goat upon
which fell the Lords lot was offered as a
| sin offering while the scepe goat was led
| into the Wilderness or ''uninhabitcd land;'
| signifyisg that the sin eXpiatcd by the life
| of tho one was borne away never again To
| be remembers There is, in the matter
| of ntonement, "a part which belongs To God
only, and which is offered to God only. Sin
is IA guilty thing, for which satisfaction
must be made. This satisfaction is render
ed 70 God. In this transaction man has no
| part whatever The blood OF atonement -
| not offered TO man, but TO God. Here iudg-
| ment and death arc put upon the goat OF
| ferod 10 the Lord and mans sin il punish
| ed and expiated. There are those who
| claim that there is nothing in the nature or
| character of God which requires from us
an expiation OF sin; npsi therefore, nothing
| 40 Inherently sinful and guilty that God
may NOT pass IL, by simple forgiveness.
| But we learn from this, that God = holiness
i
| Judgment and death. This - what was
done by the one Offering which Christ made
| for our sin. IL must DO clearly understood
that sin is something that God must take
| account OF wholly apart from the
| question Of mans salvation Sin must be
met and expiated, whether man be saved or
not. II is part of the gracious purpose of
| God in dealing with man, 10 give him the
| benefit of this eNpiation aud provide Tor his
| return through the open door of forgiveness
| in connection with the putting away Of sin.
Therefore, we understand how expiration OF
sin by Christ for the whole world, for
every man. is made efficient for salvation
only for those who, through faith and re
pent9nce come back 10 God. There Is no
waste in this work OF Christ because some
do not believe since IL is something done 10
God entirely apart from mans acceptance,
Gods glory could not be purged OF the
sffront offered 70 II, until sin had been put
away by the amazing sacrifice which Christ
accomplished. The punishment OF sin does
not glorify God in this respect; il is the
work of Christ which does.
Tho goat on which the lot fell 20 be the
scape goat shall be presented alive before
the Lord. Here we have mans side and
share in the atOnement. This goat was
offered 10 the people, as the former one was
offered 10 the Lord. Showing how the sin
OF the people, which had been expiated by
the Lords lot is now carried unto the
wilderness by the peoples lot Thus Is
typifed the forgiveness and fOrgetfulness
Of our sins by the Lord, when we accept
his atonement and make IL ours Pentecost.
V. a. Sprinkle the blood upon the mer-
Cy feat seven times. Seven signihed com
plstcness. The blood did not affect "a par
tial reconciliation: IL was a complete and
satisfactory atonemcnt. All Of this accom-
| plished, the high priest returned toward
the sanctuary and second time laid his
| two hands on the bullock (Which still stood
~ A A fpC
over him his personal sins and those of his
| own household Then the high priest slew
| the bullock and the blood was caught, and
later sprinlled upon the mercy seat In
| like manner were slain the sacrifices Of the
people.
V is. Atonement for the tabernacle
| Moral uncleanluess detiles everything with
| which il comes in contact. Israel could
| learn the lesson in no other way.
During the London plague, not only did
! merchants refuse 10 Commingle with the
| diseased. but articles were laid down in
| distant locality and the coin in payment for
these necessaries was dropped in a basin of
| disinfsctants, lest plague cling To tho metal.
| So the lsraelitcs were 10 cleanse the taber
nacle which their sin had deiiled.
SUGGESTED THOUGHTS.
AS the holy fire was ever 10 be kept burn
ing on the ancient altar, so in our lives the
| hane OF holy love should never go out, but
be bright and burning as we regularly offer
unto God the homage OF our lives.
Sins to be forgiven must be acknowl-
| edged aud confessed.
Those who hold official positions in the
| church are alike sinners, saved by the
| grace Of God. Before teaching others they
| should experience in life the blcsscdncss OF
| the precepts they inculcate.
The onering for the congregation was
| furnished by them. One rich man might
have bought the sacrifice for the whole
| not SO, the teaching would have been un-
| true 10 fact; every mar must be personally
q participant and partaker of the grace Of
God.
Let him whose sin has been expiated, and
carried away by the scape goat, cease run
ming after the old sins; leave the things
which are behind and press forward to those
| which are before.
Fast days are needed now, not dead for
nalisrn, but IA living spirituality, drawing
near 10 God with fervency Of spirit.
The fact that we have committed sin re-
mains after Il has been forgiven, but our
| heavenly father teaches that through
| Christ he will forget as well as forgive.
| Transgressions are blotted out, covered.