Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-01-18
Cain and Abel.


"in the beginning. In this book OF
beginnings we come with this fourth
chapter to two first things; the begin
ming of the family and the beginning
of death. The account is brief, clip
teal. but deeply pathetic and impress
sive. II is one OF the incidents Of the
Gene. is narrative referred to by our
Savior. when he speaks of "the blood
of righteous Abel. Matt. 23: 2o).
Driver In his Introduction alludes to
three documents in Genesis: the early
Jehovist and Elohist documents and
the so-called la.er priests code
Well, If you will allow u, here IS
pert or The Messianic code. Aud, for
that matter, it is all Christ "Be2in-
ming at Moses and all the prophets. he
expounded unto them in all the Script
ures the things concerning himself.
Read here as everywhere the prophecy
of the cross.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
We shall think we'll of Abel IL for no
other reason, for the reputation ne
had with Christ: his divine credentials
righteous Abel o to be held In
such an estimation on high.
The world did not think well OF him
No. il could not. The carnal mind is
enmity against God. Here, in turn, Is
Heavens estimate Of Cain: who was
OF that wicked one" And God knew.
Right over against each other stand
two altars-one of the world, the other
of God. On one or the other all meu
are sacrificing, for all men are instinct
lively religious One is complacent-
self satisfied, thank-offering, benefac-
tion. without reference TO ill-desert.
These are not at peace, neither IN
deed can they be. Worldly sacrifice
feels itself continually rebuked by the
altar that speaks of guilt and of blood
atonement. Presently the blow will
be delivered. Indeed that cudgel in
Gains hand was not aimed so much at
Abel as Atels altar; yea, fearful
thought, at Abel's God. - - -~.~
And so the blood Of righteous Abel
still cries out from the earth. 1t Is
cry OK faith against unfaith, for by
faith Abel offered unto God more ex-
cellent sacrifice than Cain. 1t is a
cry of meekne IS against murder and OF
obedience against disobedience. And
wherefore" says John Il John 3: ~
"stew he him? Because his own works
were evil and his brothers righteous"
What does this voice of Abel's blood
cry out to us from the ground to-day!
A far voice it is, but sensitive ear can
y.
ground and hears the tread Of coming
i'll. The Scottish maiden, her head
bent to the earth, could hear the well
come pipes o. Scot and. To the one
rightly listening there comes from
Eden's distant borders a voice that
speaks to us mingled words OF judg-
ment and mercy.
1t SAYS to us that sin, like murder, its
! legitimate offspring, will out, and
' that "the wages of sin is death" There
| is a plaintive legend of Adam and Eve
! finding their dead son on the hillside
and, appalled, at this new visltant OF
| earth, they knew not what to do till
| the ravens of the air, covering with
| leaves one of their own kind, taught
| them the sad rite of burial. What did
| Adam and Eve see when they looked
| upon that lifeless form? The legiti-
mate consequence OF their own sin in
the garden. O, the resultant of sin
reaches far and wide and deep. Be-
| ware of the first act of sin.
| HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
Hebrews ~: pa tells of the speaking
/, blood of Abel. Does it speak to you to-
| dayY If so, what does 1t say? The
| blood of righteous Abel still crieth out
| from the ground. 1t utters itself in,
briar and thorn, and also in blossons
| and flower and fruit. God writing 81
the earth alike his mercy and judy
ment.
"As we SOW so shall we reap in the tide Of
coming years,
| Whether 1t be Joy or sorrow veal OF woe,
| Then this word In view still keep while the
days are going by.
We shall gather in the harvest what we
\ sow.n
Hear the voice, the far voice of Abel
speaking; re-enforced by that thunder
of Sinai, the author of Hebrews goes
on to utter this solemn warning: For
il they, ESCAPED not who refused him
that spake on earth, much more shall
| not we escape, if we turn away from
him that speaketh from heaven" In
the recent lesson from Revelation John
says that while in the spirit on the
Lords day he heard behind him "a
great voice as of a trumpet" . that
men might hear it enc of these Lords
DAYS. the trumpet voice of God speak
ing, it may be, through man. Voices
we have, measurably strong, but O for
great voice to make men stop and
think.
Cain prevailed. Cain failed. His
overthrow of his brother was his own
worst discontinue. Satan's victories
are his own defeats. In Luke %: % it
| says the voices OF bne cnlel prlcsOo
prevailed. And right the re at the
cross by prevailing they were van
luished. Where sin abounded grace
did much more abound
We need more of the Abel spirit;
more indeed of the Split of Christ,
who. as Peter says Il Peter ?: ~ did
no sin, neither was guile found In his
mouth, who, when he was reviled. re-
! viled notsagain, when he suffered he
threatened not: but committed himself
to him that iudgeth righteously. said
Alexander to his faltering generals,
} dismayed at the hosts confronting
them, How many do you count me
for"
II is a lesson the man OF God may as
J we'll learn at the outset. His life is
; not his own, and in wfathful world 1t
NAV be forfeited, and 1t may be that
, his blood alone shall be the seed OF the
church. In fact the bl,od, the life of
J the true spiritual church, is always be-
ing offered ND upon the altar. and SO
; the truth makes progress.
: There are two divine spirits in this
world. The counsel of the ungodly,
} which means decent self-righteousnsss
: THAT Unitarian preacher at the North
who saws he hasn't many miserable
! sinnersS in his congregation, Is just
! now appealing for a prayer-book ac-
} ceptable - ordinary self-respecting
/ menl and the humble-mindednes that
Q-1. anlo ooranfauoa IN tho blood ~