The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-05-29

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IES099. SA,NSy wroth, a i s
cOuntenance fell"
Then it is that the Lord confronts him
and asks him three questions, which
lay bare his wickedness of heart, his
rebellion toward God, and the reason
his offering was not accepta BILE to God
The Lord then proceeds directly to
the root of the matter Gle always does
when dealing with souD, and lays the
charge of sin against Cain. There is
no intimation in Scripture that Cain
attempted to reply to the Lords ques-
tons or His charge against him. Like
the man without the wedding garment
on in the presence of the Lord, he was
speechless. Cain could not answer the
Lord or offer any defense to the indict-
ment against him, but a good many
people since Gains time have dared to
reopen the case, ask God questions,
and adjudicate the case by the aid of
human wisdom and according to hui
man standards. Man rushes blindly
and heedlessly, sometimes, into places
where angels dare not tread. Michael,
the archangel," Jude tells us. ''durst
not bring against him (the DeviD a
railing accusation" but man dares
sometimes not only to pass judg-
ment upon the Devil. but to bring
God to the judgment bar and
charge Him with Partially and
injustice. Gods piercing glance
searches beneath the surface of
human reason and human conduct,
and lays bare the hidden recesses of
the heart, and we must let Gods in
dictment against Cain stand without
question. Cain had no defense to make.
Dare anyone attempt to make it for
him? There is no appeal from the
Judgment bar of God. The case can
never be reopened, but thousands of
years after, the Lord, by His Holy
Spirit. speaking through the Apostle
Paul. gives this final and clear eXplana-
ton of the incident: by faith Abel
offered unto God more excellent sac
rifice than Cain, by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous. God
testifying of his gifts: and by it, he, be-
ing dead, yet speaketh."
NND in view of Gains silence be-
n fore the Lord how striking is
it when Scripture goes on to declare
in the next sentence that Cain talked
with his brother Abel. He dare not
try to justify himself before the
Lord, but when the Lord has with
drawn and he is alone with his
brother his tongue is loosened. l
have often thought that 1 would like
to have been a listener to that con-
versation, and vet / am inclined to
think that it differed little from dis
cussions which have continued to
take place to this day between those
whose offerings have been accepted
of God because given in faith, and
those whose offerings have not been
pleasing to God, because, as Jude
puts it, 'they (the offerers) have
gone in the way of Cain There
stand the brothers. Nature fresh
from the hand of God unfolds its
verdure and beauty all about. The
birds resting in the trees overhead
are busy picking out new and melodi-
Gus notes to add to the sweet song
which God a few years before had
taught them. There is a busy hum
in the air as the insects. flashing in
the glad sunlight, speed hither and
thither. Fleecy white clouds float
ing through the blue of the heav- |
ems build themselves into a stately |
city with buildings and streets and |
busy inhabitants, until it would al |
most seem as though the unseen |
hands of the angels were shaping a |
model of the eternal city to inspire |
in the hearts of these brothers a |
higher hope of 4 better destiny than |
that which it was possible to real |
ize upon earth. There they stand, |
these two brothers. They have been |
boys together. They have played to-
gether. And now that they have
grown to manhood, they have both |
entered upon their business careers.
Cain chooses farming, and Abel be-
comes a keeper of sheep. Until this
day of crucial testing before the Lord |
we have no reason to suppose that |
any difference had ever risen be- |
tween them. But there stand these |
two brothers now, one with anger
filling his heart and the other with |
the sweet presence of Gods love fill :
ing his One has black and for
bidding frown upon his face as he /
talks: the other has his face lifted
heavenward, and it is lit up by the
peace which rules within. One who
has been mute before God is now
pouring forth bitter words of COM
plant and criticism; the other with
earnest words and pleading tones
is trying to point out the error and
reveal the pathway of faith which
leads to acceptance with God.
This was no quarrel. 1t must not
be so intimated in telling the
story to the children. The soul that
is in rebellion against God quarrels
with itself in the presence of right