The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-26

der the circumstances, that the great body
OF the Jewish people should have clung
to the belief they so fondly cherished, as
to the
CHARACTER AND WORK OF THE MESSIAH.
We who live under a meridian light
and knowledge, ought not hastily to
fault those to whom the light was as
darkness, or at best as the dim and I'M
certain twilight which ushers in the day.
Though in their own Scriptures the
spirit had spoken in symbol and by
promise with what seems to us no doubt
tul voice, we must remember that the
fullness of time had not yet come-that
faith, not history, was the key to unlock
the door of heavenly knowledge; we
must make due allowance for natural
pride, for national prejudice, for the in
huence Of local associations and of
patriotic hopes.
Yet not even thus are they to be
wholly excused. In the last period of
their history, when the oracle was we'll
nigh unsealed. when the signs of the
times should have been recognized and
Interpreted, when the Messiah, with
every lineament of his we'll know feat
ures, and authenticating his commission,
stood amongst them with Divine power
and glory, they dishonored both him and
themselves by the vulgar and contracted
standard, after which they measured and
rejected His claims. We cannot believe
1t was thus in the earlier and purer ages
OF their faith. That faith, we may fairly
conclude, was a spiritual idea, living
principal; well-spring of real knowl-
edge and of real strength, to multitudes
Of every age, who made it the present
stay Of their dearest interests, and upon
II anchored, as on an everlasting rock,
their brightest hopes for the future.
WE MAY NOT LOOK BACK
Upon the successive generations of the
chosen people, and think Of the earnest
and unreprovabie piety which distin-
guished them without the confident as
surance that Jesus the Redeemer was to
Israel then what He is to Israel now,
precious among ten thousand and alto
gether lovely. Can we, for example,
imagine that the great and glorious truths
which were published from the mouths
of law-giver, ruler, and seer, found no
application, awakened no suitable feel
ings, conveyed no peculiar grace? In
vain for his people, and for himself, was
Isaiah's tongue touched with hallowed
fire, did David tune his harp to Sublimest
strains, did Jacob and Moses utter
mighty words, and picture glowing
visions? Were all eyes too blind to see;
all ears to deaf to hear? No, we may no
more monopoize the Redeemer than
could the Jews the Messiah. He was a
light TO enhghten the Gentiles, and the
glory also of his people, Israel. In a
special manner, and with peculiar pro-
priety, might the ancient prophet, having
regard to the mission and to the election
of his countrymen, boast: Unto us a
child is born; unto US a son is given"
This was a strictly Jewish child, the
son of Mary, who was worthy daughter
of Abraham. This branch of His gene
alogy is fastened to the stock of Jesse and
TO the root of Tiara, and thence rms
back to Seth, to Adam, and TO God. Much
to be observed is the confession of the
Christian apostle, ''Who are Israelites, to
whom pertaineth the adoption-whoSe
are the fathers. and of whom, concerning
the flesh, Christ came, who is, over ali,
God blessed forever"
1t is in this regard alone that this peo-
pie above all others mentioned in history
are so distinguished, so immortal. In a
certain sense they had vicarious exist
ence, q representative history. They
lived for all men and for all times. In
and through them were wrought out the
great problems and the mighty issues of
our entire humanity. The perfect and
the pattern man-in whom mans nature
was recovered from utter ruin and en-
dowed with higher capability, was
THE VERY CENTER AND SOUL
Of their whole economy, its inward spirit
and its outward form. His was the
solemn volume of the law, and the cheer
ing strain of prophecy: His the historians
page and the poets song. For Him kings
reigned and princes decreed justice. The
noble succession of the great and the
good, from Moses to Mary, were His
preachers and representatives.
The Old Testament Scriptures. no less
than the New, are the records of His fame.
His shrine was the glorious temple; its
gorgeous ceremonial and solemn sacri-
=
courts, the Levites, with whose songs
its hallowed walls were ever vocal,
! heralded His advent, and nOt unworthily
set forth His character, offices and work.
| We must ever associate Jesus with Juda-
ism, and with the aid of its Messiah,
and of its revelations, study and compre-
bend the gospel of our salvation. This
child, born to be a prince and Savior, is
the child of ancient promise.
THIS SON OF A VIRGIN
Is the son of the old covenant While we
hail Him as our redeemer; while we
stand around His manger and recount
the marvels of His birth; while we rejoice
| in His incarnation, and appropriate it's
1 benefits, let us pay due honor to that
elder church whose witness was so faith
full and true; let us render full justice to
| those noble, prophesies uttered by her
children in her courts, which reflect upon
Christianity hardly less luster than they
receive from it in turn.
The remaining portion of the prophecy
/ embraces the results Of the Redeemer's
! advent. 1t paints, in very engaging
manner, the sublime features and noble
| achievements of that kingdom to which
/ He succeeded. Christ, in his human ma
ture, was the lineal offspring of David,
and his constituted heir. David, how
ever, was but an imperfect type Of Christ,
! representing Him only partially and in
adequately. The system of which he was
| the head was crude, carnal, and earthly,
compared with the better one which su-
perseded it. Its true grandeur and real
strength lay not in its civil and political
form, but in its divine character and
| spiritual agencies.
THE THRONE OF DAVID
! Was none other than the authority of
God; the kingdom of David was the
visible church, established by divine au-
| thority, and equipped for divine mis-
/ sion. Apart from the accidental habili-
ments and prerogatives of royalty, with
! which by infinite wisdom it was for the
/ time invested, it was properly a king
! dom, like the Kingdoms of the world,
/ in the elements Of order, stability and
! power; but totally unlike them in spirit
! and in aim. 1t was in truth the kingdom OF
/ God upon earth, fashioned into an earthly
/ shape, and linking in with human policy
and purposes, but not, therefore, less
! heavenly or less divine.
And when at length its local and tenn
! porary connections were dissolved, it re-
NAMED firm and entire, ready for a
richer sphere, capable of purer inf1u-
4 ence. The lawful heir of David found
/ therein his promished crown, and pro-
ceeded at once to order it, and to estab-
/ fish it with judgment and with Justice,
from henceforth even forever. The two
salient features of the Redeemer's king
dom brought out in prophecy are its
growth aud its benefcence. Well might
the former excite in the breast of the