The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-09
Teachers Lantern.

At the institution of the Christian Church, God struck two people dead. They were doing just what Nadab and Abihu did-a religious thingfn an irrelig- mercy. too. It was the nipping in the bud sin that might have caused the staying of thousands. The punishment was exemplary in both instances, like the shooting of d deserter as he sits upon his coffin-lid in full view of an entire army.
 If we. too, are priests offering spiritual sacrifices and the incense of prayer, 1t Is living question whether there is any strange fire offered to God in our day Priests of old must needs use Gods own fire ofly. So our hearts must be kindled in worship and service by the Spirit or else it is only sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.
 Religious responsibility is ever propor- tionate to religious privilege. Where much is given, much Is required. Much was given to these young priests. Their return was worse than nothing.
 The priestly function was intended to be a reasonable service" Aaron's eld- est sons made it an irrational one through intoxication
 The very force of nature, sunlight. which makes the plant grow when 1t Is rooted to its place in the earth, withers and kills 1t when it is out of it's place. The very fire which, if they had had it in their censers. would have swathed the priests in incense. slew them instead God is consuming fire to the wicked. while there is healing in his beams for the righteous.
 Aaron appears in far better form in this crucial hour of bereavement and dis grace than at the time of the making of the golden calf. Compare his inane and
 spiritless answer to Moses then with his dignified and reasonable response now.
 He has grown rapidly in grace and knowledge in the nine months interven- ing.
 He could refrain from the outward tokens of grief; but his sorrow-racked
 nature revolted at the sight of roasted | meat He who knoweth our frame did | not require Aaron to eat a festive meal | while his sons were being carried to an unhonored burial.
 The honorable burial accorded to dis honorable persons Is a scandal of our time. Fulsome eulogies, attributing to the deceased virtues they never possess ed; the use of emblems of hopes the be- reaved have no adequate grounds for entertaining-the whole grows grotesque, | and would be honored in the breach. The instances of severe penalties are
 comparatively rare in Scripture. The | stick gathering Sabbath breaker; Uzzah, | steadying the ark; the rebellion of Ko- | rah; Ananias and Sapphira, these with
 the one under consideration. were epochal
 as to time, exemplary as to use. Spiritualism, Christian Science, faith | cure. substitution of morality for faith | do not all dangerously resemble the prof. | fering of strange fire to God? Bishop | Hall says he hates both altar, fire, priest
 and sacrifce." Gods order Is right and just and good. | To alter, add or omit, Is alike offensive | to God. He stands watch and ward over | his 'dvtnely-revealed economy, to guard
 1t against any human and vain intru- | sion.'
 Incense was the divine symbol of prayer. | This one appalling scene ought for all | time to impress the race with the sol | emnity of prayer, and the necessity of | offering it in the manner God has pre-
 scribed and with emotions becoming his presence.