Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-12-29
THE SAYINGS OF JESUS.
II Followed They Win Make Man
Pure OF Heart and FIT Him For
the Kingdom to Come.


To the Editor Of the Ledger.
MEXICO, Mo-, Dec. 22.-In this arti-
Gle we propose to look into the real
marrow and fairness Of the sayings Of
Jesus.
In that ever-memorable sermon
which was delivered to his disciples
and recorded in Matthew, chapters 5,
9 and 2, He said, "Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God"
II the pure in heart see God, then
the impure In heart will not see Him,
10 the converse of the Lords propo-
sition. The question then of para
mount importance to us is, what is a
pure hearth The heart is not only the
central point OF human existence,
from whence proceeds the red, flowing
current of life to every extremity OF
the body; but, by a metaphor, it is
the seat OF all mans affections. The
heart is also described as being 'tde-
ceitful above all things and desperate
ly wicked"
A pure heart, then, must be free
from all manner, class or kind of de-
ception in every act we perform to-
wards God or man; not only so, but
our thoughts, which form the basis OF
our actions, must possess the same
degree of purity.
Every citizen Of the Kingdom OF
Christ has taken upon himself the
obligation to conform his walk in life
to the directions laid down by the
Savior. An observance of the fore
going rule would free all his followers
from a mountain-Ioad of desperate
wickedness. A large list of evils
would be forever banished, viz: evil
thoughts, evil words, evil deeds. By
scrutinizing the teachings of Jesus,
and attempting to fathom their depths
or scale their heights, the thoughtful
mind proves his divine claim and
mission.
Men Of all classes frequently make
1t a life study to deceive their fellows
in order that they may obtain some
eayantMasHaa g6mFNakAsAAis life.
Il is quite possible to succeed, as tEe
history Of many has well-proyen; but
when vain man undertakes to deceive
that God who created him and sustainE
all worlds that reyolve In the immens-
ity OF space, he must stop and re-
member that he is dealing with 8
being clothed with omnipotence, ON
niscienee and omnipresence; one who
possesses all power, who knows all
thinge, even the secret thoughts and
intents of mans heart, and who per-
vades all space. This latter thought
is clearly proven by the savior's
teaching in regard to that man who
stood on the street corners to pray.
He said, "Be not n the hypocrites
who love to pray standing on the
street corners that they may be seen
Of men; but when rhouprayest, enter
into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut the door, pray to thy Father in
secret; and thy Father, who sees in
secret, shall reward thee openly"
Men have been known to pray in a
soft whisper because their voices were
gone.
One OF the most solemn invocations
we ever witnessed, and one which i'm
pressed the hearts of all of a very
large assembly with the highest de-
gree of solemnity, was given by Prof.
W. D. Kerr at an exhibition of deaf
and dumb students at Fulton.
Though wholly ignorant Of a word
he signihed, yet the mannerism was
such as to make a deep and solemn
impression on all present, and to i'm
press the mind with the thought,
"God is present and accepts the offer
ing; or, at least, knows the motives
actuating and impelling the deed"
In all the ages, no doubt, men have
successfully practiced receptions upon
their fellows in order to obtain
wealth, which experience and reason
assure them they can only enjoy for a
moment.
The churches of modern times are
filled with that class in a large degree.
That class simply uses the church
membership as a sort of handy CLOAK
to cover up and conceal their evil
deeds and give them responsibility
among men of purer and better
thought. SPY their fruits ye shall
know them. Grapes do not grow on
thorns, mol fgs on thistles."
Reader, viii you please give your
attention to these sayings while you
live on this earth, and 80 improve the
rest Of life; for very soon you and all
Of rs must stand before that Judge to
whom every secret thought, act and
deed will be as open and manifest &c
the MONDAY sun in a clear sky.
III. Y. DUNCAN.