Nevada County picayune., 1889-06-05
RELIGI0U5 COLUMN.
Edited by =. GEO. A. GARDNER.
THE FALL OF MAN.

human race, deliberately closes his eyes to the light and knowledge which flows from these sources. The Bible account of that sad calamity is corroborated and confirmed by three sources of evidence, outside of the ell-authcnticated testimony of inspiration viz: Experience. "baer- vation and history, all of which re- peat and amplify in minute and shocking detail the same sad story Of mans s defection and lapse from prime val innocence. Let us examine these witnesses. and ascertain their testimo- ny to this fact, First, we appeal to eN- perience. Every man consciousness of the motives and purposes which inspire and govern his conduct; of the daily acts and words by which he violates or neglects the law of love and of his naturalinclnation to grat- ify his lower nature demonstrate the depravity of the heart, and testify to his inability to overcome unaided this law of sin and death implanted in his nature.
 We appeal next to observation. | The circle of our observation is wider and larger than our personal experience; while experience offers testimony of one man, observation multiplies this testimony by the num- ! Der of persons coming within Its range, and in their concurrent state ment strengthen and increase the proofs of human degeneracH. But, for fuller and more explicit authen- tication of this doctrine, we appeal, lastly, to the plain and unvarnished records of history. The pages of authentic history, both sacred and profane, abound with numerous and striking illustrations of the cor ruption of manners and they are stained with the recital of fraud, Op- precision, cruelty, murder, and crimes of every description known to the calendar.
 According to sacred history, the whole earth was filled with violence, and all flesh had corrupted themselves before God; so much so, that God sent a flood to sweep them from the face of the earth, and none were spared except Noah and his family, who alone was found righteous among all its inhabitants. And even under the restraints of the Theocracy, un- der the most favorable condition and surroundings, Gods own chosen peo- pie, the Jews, were guilty of ire quent rcbellions and apostasies, and at last crowned their wickedness by the rejection of the Savior of the world. Meantime the spectacle pre- sented by the Heathen world was of such a degraded character as to be revolting to every virtuous instinct ; wars, bloodshcd, cruelty, oppression, and the grossest superstition and idolatry prevailed over nearly the whole habitable globe. And even in our day, under the humanizing and softcmng influences of the Cos pei, how much fraud, injustice and corruption still prevail in the most civ ilizcd communities, and especially in the great centcrs of population. Ii is true that the dark picture of human corruption is relieved of it's darker features by the cffulgencc of the Cos pei; and so far as the Gospel is cor dially received, and it's benign pre- cepts carried out, to that extent ouI race is elevated in the scale of being and the principles of peace and good will triumph over the deprayity and wickedncss of the human heart.
 But there Is remedy provided for this fearful disease, and that remedy lies in the cordial reception of the Gospel of the son of God. It is inn possible, however, to believe in that Gospel, without profund recogni- ton of our sinfulness and need of a Savior. Hence, our Savior says : "IIe came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance :" and, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Y" Standing on the platform of the Fall of man, and acknowledging our own sinfulness in the sight of God, we are prepared to repent and believe the Gospel, and thereby receive the unspeakable benefits which it was designed to bestow The Atone ment pre-supposes and implies the