The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-06-23


ing of the law symbolizes the old dispen.
sation. Around the mountain upon
which the law was given bounds were
placed. and the people forbidden under
pain of instant death to cross the limits.
Moses might ascend the mountain and
meet God, but the people must not. So
in the temple none could stand In the i'm
mediate presence of God, except the
High Priest once year In the Holy Of
Holes.
IN THE NEW DIsPENsATIoN
this is changed. st Paul in Hebrews
writes, For ye are not come unto the
mount which burned with fire, nor unit o
blsckness and tempest. But ye are come
unto Mt Zion, and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jeruss lem, and
unto an innumerable company q angels,
to the general assembly of the first born,
and to God the Judge of all, and TO Jesus
the mediator OF the new covenant.i' The
New Testament writers frequently dwell
upon the fact that men now stand In q
lew aud more intimate relation to Goa,
1t is based upon the fact of the incar-
nation. In Christ God clothes himself in
human flesh, and stands in the immediate
circle of his church. In one of st. Pauls
ton of the head with the body. In the
gospel of John it is symholized by the
union of the branches with the vine. ST
am the vine, ye are the branches"
Palestine ia the native land of
the vine. Travellers speak of it's lux
urient growth. The roots are often con-
cealed in crevaces of rocks, while the
branches extend far and wide upon the
terraces above. Yet we can see that they
spring from one source. So the root
Christ is concealed from mortal sight,
and the branches are scattered over the
earth. Yet we can always recognize the
fact that they derive their life from one
source. Ii truly endowed with power
from on high, we know that they have
been with Jesus and learned of him. In
the book of Revelation the same Thought
Is Illustrated by the symbol of the mar
rage relation. The church is represent.
ed as bride adorned for her husband.
Heaven and earth are commanded to re-
lolce and be glad, for the marriage of the
lamb has come and his wife hath made
herself ready.
Third. Another result of the outpour-
ing of the Holy Spirit is the greater hold
upon markiDd of the doctrine of immor-
tality. In sges men have been strong
believers in this doctrine, but not until
the time of Christ was it grasped in its
fulness. 1t was symbolized by the trans
lation of Enoch and Elijah. Men needed
an example. They found it in the death,
resurrection and ascension of Christ.
From that day till now immortality has
a meaning never known before. The
best and wisest in ancient times never
found in the tomb the light which we be-
hold. Hezekiah was q good king. One
OF the best. We read that the prophet
Isaiah came to him and said, s'Thus
saith the Lord; Set thine house in order,
this year thou shalt die, and not live"
Then the king turned his face to the wall
and prayed, II beseech thee, o Lord, re-
member how L have walked before thee
with perfect heart, and have done that
which was good in thy sight" And
Hezekiah wept sore. What 8 difference
between this and the words Of st Paul,
81 am in strait betwixt two, willing fer
the good Of the church to remain, but
anxious to depart and be with Christ,
which is far better. And when at last
him by the tribunal of Nero, he exclaim-
ed, 81 have fought good fight, have
Kept the faith,I have finished my course,
henceforth, there is laid up for me a
crown OF life which the Lord, the right
eous judge, shall give me In that day,
and not to me only but to all them that
love his appearing"
Finally, the greatest result of the day
of Pentecest was the getting in operation
q force which was able to check the
downward tendencies of human society.
No one can read the writings of that day
without noticing the tone of sadness that
pervades the thinking of the best men as
they beheld the condition of society. 1t
seemed as if all was gong to ruin. The
people instead of improving were waxing
worse and worse. A condition of moral
death seemed settling over the ancient
world. Sin and wickedness everywhere
prevailed. Good men had labored to pre-
vent it. Jewish prophets had taught
and preached in vain.
THEY PAID THE PENALTY OF THEIR
FAITHFULNEsS
with their lives, and the people turned
to prophets whom God had not appoint
ed. In the Gentle world it was worse.
st Paul says, "God gave them over to
their own hearts lusts to work all un-
cleanness with greediness." The whole
course of ancient civilization seemed
downward to ruin. Had not God interior
ed no other result could have occurred.
With the outpouring OF the Holy Spirit
and the sending forth of the apostles TO
preach the gospel, change for the bet
ter soon become apparent. A force had
at last appeared to moral regeneration Of
the race. From that time onward we can
trace the Improvement. The eighteen
centuries past have been ages of improve
ment. To-day we are surrounded by the
mighty workings of great Christian
civilization. Despair has given place to
hope. Ii, in the language of the mis-
sionsry hymn, we turn to the Waterman
standing upon the walls of Zion and ask
him to tell Of the future, the reply comes
in words of Joy, sBehold, the day dawn
eth" We are beginning to realize the
approach of the time foretold by the old
Jewish prophet, when the knowledge
of the Lord shall cover the earth as the
waters do the sea when none shall say to
his neighbor, 'Knowest thou the Lord,
for all shall know him from the least to
the greatest; when the lion shall lie
down with the lamb and the little child
shall lead them"