Newport weekly independent., 1903-01-16
with the good boys," and he rushed

God only recognizes two kinds of souls, the soul dead in trespasses and sins and the soul that has been the nail-pierced hand of Jesus. There were just two kinds of people when the mighty floods of Gods judgments swept over the corrupted earth
 Those lying dead under the rolling waters because of their unbelief, and those eight living souls sheltered in the ark which their faith had reared. There were just two kinds of homes in the land of Egypt when the death angel passed through it: Homes where the first-born lay stretched cold in death, and the homes where death had been shut out by the sign of the blood upon the lintel and door posts. There were just two kinds of people in the wilderness when the fiery serpents came upon them: Those who miserably perished and those who obtained life by lifting n dying gaze to the brazen serpent which Moses held up. And the com ing of Jesus sharply marked the line of separation, on one side of which are the souls that have found life by look at the Crucified One, and on the other side the souls that are dead in trespasses and sins because they will not look away from self and the mirage of false hope to the One Who has been lifted up for the salvation of the world. Only liv- ing organism can hunger, and so, in the consideration of our text, we have to do only with those who have found life in Jesus.
 Take your Bibles and read the first two verses of the fifth chapter of Matthew. It is carefully and explicit ly stated that He separated Himself from the multitude and went up into mountain. And in the quietude of some retiring nook among the rocks away from the surging and curious multitudes, He sat Him down, and His disciples came unto Him and He taught them. It was not mes- sage for the multitudes: 1t was for His true followers who were to be instructed in the principles of His Kingdom. They were to become preachers of salvation, and in prep aration must come to know the right eousness of God and the utter hope lessness of any attempt of man to attain that righteousness by his own efforts. Why, the Sermon on the Mount is terrific Gatling gun riddling man through and through. Who is there who can stand up be- fore it's declaration that whosoever is angry with his brother hath com mitted murder already in his heart? What terrible and sweeping indict ment of man is the statement that "whosoever looleth upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" In this day of loose mar riage and easy divorce observe Je- sus' declaration of the one single ground of divorce. Observe the standards which rule in the world to- day and then hear Jesus say: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despiteful- ly use you, and persecute you" Every word and syllable of these declarations is a terrific judgment upon the soul of the natural man. It prostrates him in the dust and makes him realize his utter sinful ness and need of Saviour. Man at tempting to live out the Sermon on the Mount! Preposterous. Impos- sible! It would be an easier task to search out Jacobs ladder and climb up by it into Heaven, than to keep this perfect law of God. The dead soul might cram itself full with it. it might weave for itself beauti- full robe of covering, it might garland it's brow with the sparkling gems of the beatitudes, but underneath it all would still remain the specter of the dead soul, and no thrill of Divine life would be felt. But meet Jesus your own righteousness and He will call your dead soul into life and clothe you with His righteousness. and on the other side of the cross with Jesus as your Guide and Helper the Sermon on the Mount becomes the beautiful and shining way along which you will walk. Then. and not until then, "blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteous ness, for they shall be filed"
 It is a charming and beautiful picture which Gods Word gives us in the story of Ruth, the sweet, gen. tie Moabitish woman. From her mother-in-law's lips she had heard of the true God, and putting away the gods of her own people she came to be- licve in Him. And with His coming into her heart came such hungering and thirsting after Him and His people that she forsook all to have her soul hunger satisfied. And how God filled her. Her cup of blessing overflowed
 She became the greatgrandmothe of David, through whose line came the Christ What a wonderful illus