The mirror., 1894-08-02

are not willing to allow to others the
rights they claim for themselves; or
else they have forgotten that this gov
ernment was founded upon human
rights. This principle was we'll under
stood by the founders of this govern
ment. They gave their fortunes and
their lives to establish this principle
and to give us government wherein
human rights would be respected and
guarded, and all men protected in the
proper exercise of those rights. These
men builded better than they knew,
when they gave us the federal consti-
tuition as the national safeguard of
those rights. Under it our nation
stands without peer today. What
shall we say then, OF those who would
by word or act try to subvert its prin-
ciples, thus laying the foundation Of
another revolution? H. F. Phelps.
NOTE:-By some means beyond my
ken. in my article in the last weeks MIR
ROR am made to say :-"Buta a man was
not created as free moral agent, but he
was created as social being" This
does not state the sentiments of the
writer, nor does it state the truth.
Man was created as free moral agent
as much as that he was created as a
social being. Without free moral
agency there could have been no devel-
opment of character. Without free
moral agency man would be mere
machine. And all actions would be
forced, and man would run in a groove,
with no possibilities of any hing higher
before him. But '!an was created a
free moral agent, with the free exer-
else of the will. in the power of choice,
with power to choose the good or the
evil. Most unfortunately for the race,
man has made choice of the evil; and
thinks he sees the good in the evil.
When our first parents made choice
of disobedience, they sold themselves
in sin. Man fell into bondage, and be-
came the servant Of sin. 'WhOsOeve1
commiteth sin is the servant of sim
John, 8: a." For of whom a man
is overcome, of the same is he brought
in bondage. End Pet. 2, 49, Thus man
lost his free moral agency in the ser
vice of sin; and had not the Creator in
terfered, in the promise of Saviour
man would have forever been bound iT
the service and bondage of sin, with
no power of choice only in the evi
Desiring the good but always choosing
the evil, and with vain imaginings, see
ing the good in the evil.
But God, in his infinite love, inter
ferred to set the will of man fre'
again. In the first promise of Saw
iour: in the words, Il will put enmity;
God implanted the hatred OF the evil
and once more set the will of man free
And thus giving to man again the pow
er of choice, God restores to him hi
free moral agency. Once more is mai
a free moral agent, to work out hi
own destinies, with the right and pow
, er to choose for himself between tn
: good and evil. But the power to pei
form the good was not restored to hin
in the promise of the Saviour. He ma
again make choice of the path of ODE
: dience, but will find in himself no pow
er to walk in that path. That powe
can come alone through the gospel Q
;, Jesus Christ through faith in that gos
,, pei. For cit is the power of God unit
salvation to every one that believeth
ROM, 1: 16. eff the Son therefore sha
. make you free, ye shall be free indeed
: John, 8; 36. In Christ is found perfe(
6 freedom from the power of sin.
H. F. Phelps.