The Holt County sentinel., 1897-08-20

I received from the sun. When you pause
to think OF the gentle, silent influence
OF the sun 10 unfolding and developing
your garden it would not be much OF &
figure Of speech nor unreasonable fol
you TO say the sun is love. 1t nevel
willingly did any harm 10 even the mean
est violet. Now the sun was blessing
and only blessing to your fiowers-Jusl
as long as they we're growing in accord
ance with Gods eternal laws. This
will endeavor to show you to be true
Suppose some morning you enter your
garden and tear your flowers from the
soil and lay them with their roots bare
along the garden path would that benefi.
cent sun be any longer "love?" Would
he not be a consuming fire to wither
and destroy? Because The sun 10 both
love and consuming fire to your flow
ers would you say it was tickle, would
you say it had a double nature-tha: it
changed? 1t has not changed. 1t is the
same sun yesterday, today, and forever;
not willing that any flower should per-
ish; and in all parts OF this beautiful
earth wherever there are flowers grow
ing in obedience to Gods laws there are
flowers looking up in gratitud e-reaping
the rewards Of love. The God OF our
flowers and of our grasses is not a
changeable God but he becomes con-
suming fire to them whenever they are
out of right relations to him. What is
| Crue of flowers in relation to the sun
that shines aboye US is true OF our souls
in relation to God. Obedience to his
laws means life and dlsobedience means
death. II any man abide in God and
Gods commands abide in him, or IN
other words, il he is satisfied to live ID
accordance with Code will, then he may
ask everything that man needs to ask
and it shall be done unite him, II obed
lent God is love, il dsobedlent God is
consuming fire.
This same law operates In the various
institutions of society.
Paul was arguing for it when he was
exhorting Christians to yield allegiance
to magistrates. "For rulers said he are
not terror to good works." II you are
willing TO be a conservator Of social in
stitutions, to obey their laws, the more
stringently the laws are enforced the
better for you because to you it is pro-
lection. Rulers are not terror to good
works but to evil. That which is an
unmixed blessing to the good man be-
comes a burning flame to the wicked
man. "Do that which is good and thou
shalt have praise OF the same for he is a
minister Of God to thee for good. But
il thou do that which is evil, be afraid;
for he beareth not the sword in vain; for
he IS the servant OF God, a revenger to
execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil" The just judge to the wronged
widow in danger Of losing her little es-
tate left her for the support OF her self
and children is love, but TO the villain
who is seeking to wrest it from here the
just Judge is a consuming fire. To the
good man God is love, to the wicked
man trampling upon the divine precepts
God is a consuming fire.
Therefore let 1t be understood and un-
derstood forever that when We speak of
God as a consuming fire We speak an
awful truth-true though it be awful
and awful, because it is true. Yet let it
be understood that we do not mean that
Gods love ever turns into hate-that he
ever angers or that with vIndictive
lust for vengeance he delights to punish
men-glorying in their torture. II one
would interpret the scriptures Alright, he
would find no other key than the all
brooding fatherhood Of God, and there
is no worse infidelity in tine world today
than that which begins to doubt that
all Of Gods dealingsare as full Of love
as the daily sun which shines upon US is
full Of warmth. Yet the holiness OF God
must ever be q consuming fire when
brought face to face with unholiness.
One has written: ITO selfish, sinful
man, heaven itself would be the deepest
perdition, because having voluntarily
put himself out OF right relations to God,
everything pertaining to holiness be-
comes to him a scorching flame" And
those who in the strength Of Jesus
Christ have striven for holiness and are
chanting before his throne. "In thy
presence is fullness Of JOY, l can imagine,
says this same one, the ungodly man
rushing forth in despair and crying,
"Whither shall go from thy spirit or
whittier shall flee from thy presence?
II 1 ascend up into heaven thou art
there. If make my bed in hell, behold,
thou art there. III take the wings OF
the morning and dwell in the uttermost
parts Of she sea; even there art thou"
o pure and awful God. 1t needs moth
ing more than the presence OF infinite
purity standing face to face with impur-
ity to infiict suffering and IN that pres
ence wicked men who have cherished
wickedness in their hearts and practiced
it in their lives,-will realize that God is
a consuming fire.
There is something here for men to
think about. Our souls condition before
God is not thing Of trifiing moment.
We need the life that comes from above.
This is what Christ taught and 10 teach
ing it he laid down no arbitrary rule.
He merely stated fact as true before it
was uttered as after it was uttered when
he declared, Except a man be born
again." (be born from above is the better
translation) unless ne has entered into
communion with God and Gods holy
spirit has come down and flied his
heart he can not see the kingdom of God.
Though he we're in the very midst Of
tit would not be heaven to him until
born from above. This has been the
doctrine of the church from Paul to