Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-30
GoD.s PERFECr WAY.


can be perfect. either in attainment or
achievement. First, is Gods way in the
physical world perfect way? SO far as
We may Judge, his work is thoroughly
done. Every minute detail is complete.
Nothing has been hurriedly done. The
rocks are the result of long ages Of sand
deposits, grain by grain. All forms OF
life, animal and vegetable, are produced
| and developed by the aggregation, one by
one, of particles of matter so small as to
defy the powers of the strongest glass.
There is also order. Among all reyolv-
ing and swift-iying planets there Is not
a clash or jar. In the heavens above,
in the earth beneath, and in the waters
under the earth all nature is harmoni-
Gus. Then, too, what variety! No two
created things are exactly alike. No two
leaves, blades of grass, or even grains of
sand are exactly alike.
Still again, what world of beauty.
In form, color and texture We ind all
nature possessed of indescribable beauty.
When God puts his bow in the sky he
paints it with colors unapproachable in
beauty. The tints Of the flowers and the
hues of the sunlit skies are all so beauti-
| full that the works of the greatest paint
ers seem but miserable daubs. As we
contemplate the perfection of Gods way
in the physical world, we are led to ex-
claim with the Psalmist: The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the tirma-
ment showeth his handiwork. On, Lord,
| how manifold are thy works; in wisdom
| hast thou made them all.
Second. is Gods way in the moral
| world perfect way? Let us ask first,
| Is God Just? Moses declares, "and with
out iniquity, just and right is he Isaiah
| declares. HE is a just God" And to the
| same effect testify all the writers Of the
| Old and New Testaments. Man instinct
lively admires the quality Of justice in any
act But how many things come in to
prevent justice when the laws are ad-
| ministered by man. How many times mas
| ignorance sent a man to he gallows who
was innocent, or let loose upon the w2s'd
a criminal of the deepest dye. But God
in his administration of justice knows all
the facts, and so is able to deal justly.
Again. prejudice often interferes with
human justice. When Charles Wesley
was conducting his famous revival meet
| ings in Cork, mobs destroyed the houses
| and took the lives of some of his con-
| VeTES. L NeutN-GlGul utpoS4llDhS HNAS PAV
sented to the grand jury of the assizes
| against the offenders, but they were all
thrown out, and the jury made remark
| able presentment, which still stands on
| the city records, and which declares: We
| find and present Charles Wesley to be
| person of ill-fame, a yagabond and a
common disturbcr Of the majesty's peace,
| and we pray that he may be transported.
| This is what prejudice will do in human
courts No such sentiment, for mo
ment, dsturbs God in his administration
! of justice. God is interested in the well
! fare of all his creatures, and so admins
| tiers his justice for the good of all.
Another question. the answer to which
| will help in determining the character of
| Gods administration of the moral world.
| is this: Is God merciful, as well as just?
| II Gods way in the moral world be per-
| feet, he must De mereiful in his admins
| tration of justice and 'ust in his admins
tration of mercy. Paul, in speaking of
| the mercy and forbearance which God
| exercises toward those who believe in
| Christ. declares it to be so granted that
God is still ''just and the justifier of him
that hath faith in Jesus"
1t is important to notice not only that
| God is merciful. but to notice also the
many forms which his mercy takes.
| There is mercy in the form of compass
| sion. When the leper came to Jesus and
| cried out, Lord, if thou wilt thou canst
make me whole" Jesus looked upon him
| with compassion and healed him" VIII N
| Jesus saw the widow of Main weeping
| for the loss of her son The was moved
with compassion" and restored her son
| to life again. We read also, "And when
| Jesus looked upon the multitude he was
moved with compassion" Jesus who
came to earth to reveal the Father was
in these acts of compassion revealing the
mercy in the form of compassion which
God has for all mankind.
There is also mercy in the form of gen
tleness Al here, too, Jesus is the re-
vealer of the Father. "a bruised reed
he will not break, the smoking flax he
will not quench." When the woman
taken in sin was brought to him he did
not rail at her and charge her with sin
ming against her sex. against the family.
against society, and all the rest But
| with the deepest tenderness in tone and
manner he said to her, Woman, go and
sin no more" When Thomas was not
willing to be convinced Of the Lords res
direction except he could see for himself
| ''the print of the nails Jesus had TO
word of reproach for him, but made the
disciples in that upper room a second
| Sunday night visit for no other purpose
| than to win Thomas. And at this visit
he gave Thomas an opportunity TO put
his finger into the print Of the nails and
| to thrust his hand into his side" And
after Peter had committed that sin which
makes him easily the capital sinner of the
New Testament, Judas not excepted. still
Christ's attitude toward him and his
method with him was as gentle IS that
| of a mother with her babe.
The first opportunity Jesus had, after
| Peters denial. for a private conversation
with him is the one mentioned in the last
chapter Of John. There are three or four
| clear indications, in the account Of this
| incident that after the early morning
! meal of broiIed fish was over Jesus and
| Peter retired short distance for pri-
vate interview. Concerning that terrible
! sin which was now. no doubt, uppermost
| IN Peters thought. jesus said never
word. He said simply: simon son Of
| Jonas, loFest thou me more than these
| The pathos, the tenderness, the love
| which Jesus put into that thrice repeated
/ question none but Peter will ever know.
| But we do know that from that moment
we have q new Peter so that on the day
| OF Pentecost, the man who was on
afraid to confess Christ to a Jewish maid
now prOclaims him 70 the assembled mui-
z Il