The Tupelo journal., 1903-06-05

were regularly brought and offered,
but when the arrow of conviction OF
sin had pierced his heart he realized
that what God wanted was not of
ferings, but the heart and the life,
of which the Offering was but the
expression. And the mistake which
David made is one which Christians
ire constantly making. There is no
service which man can render to
God which will blot out the stain
of sin. The devotion of q lifetime
cannot cover up the failure which
lies behind. Only the blood and mer-
its of Jesus Christ can cleanse from
sin and give the soul access to God.
Then, when the nail-pierced hand has
been placed over the sin spot, and
not until then, may the offering be
brought to God and be accepted. The
service and devotion to God then
become an expression of that accept
ance with God which has already been
gained through the shedding of
blood. "For without the shedding
of blood there is no remission"
~Zacchaeus, before he climbed up into
the sycamore tree and met Jesus,
might have given half his goods to
feed the poor and restored fourfold
to those from whom he had extort-
ed unjust taxes, but it would never
have gained for him the testimony
of the Lord: "This day is salvation
come to this house." No; but Fac
chaeus, having received the Lord
joyfully, gave of his substance to
succor the needy and righted every
wrong which he had committed as
an expression of a changed and
cleansed heart. If it were merely a
matter of offering which made ap.
proach to and acceptance with God
possible, then would the rich with
their gifts GO in first into the King
dom of Heaven, and the widow and
her two mites would be left stand.
ing at the door forgotten.
ITEIGHED commercially, there is
wv no doubt that Gains offering
equaled or even exceeded in value and
in excellence that of his brother.
Weighed by God, Who looked behind
the offering to discover the attitude of
the heart towards Him, we find that He
could not have respect unto the offer
ing of Cain, but that Abel's offering
was worthy of acceptance because
faith prompted it, faith suggested the
kind of offering. faith showed the way
to make the offering. Abel by faith
knew more of the way of approach to
God and acceptance with Him, in that
primeval day when yet the way Of sal
walton was yelled in mystery. than does
many a churchman to-day who rejoices
in the greater light and revelation of
this Christian age. and to whom God
has given the perfect revelation of His
will in His written Word. Abel did not
have the theology Of the nineteenth
century to help him out, but God
testifies of him that he had faith. and
that faith taught him two things which
Cain was not willing to recognize.
First, it revealed to Him the absolute
righteousness of God, and, secondly,
it showed himself a sinner, separated
from God. Faith then made it plain
to his heart that his offering must
meet these conditions. that his offering
must satisfy Gods righteousness and
testify of mans need. 1t was not a
mere matter Of offering. 1t must
MAIDS ha n ft{inr oTa,.
find Abel taking a lamb without spot
or blemish. We see him shed its limo
cent blood. We behold him place il
upon the glowing Goals and watch the
fire and smoke rising as a sweet smell.
ing SAVIOR before the Lord. Why the
lamb, instead of the golden fruits OF
the field? Why the shed blood instead
of the ripened grains and full rounded
and luscious product of vine and tree:
Why the smoking altar instead of the
heaps of glorious gifts from field and
orchard? All! need we ask such ques.
tions in this day of the full revelation
of God? Need we enter into full ex'
PLANTATION of what the lamb, the shed
blood, the smoking offering typified:
Abel's faith pointed towards the cross
on Calvary, and the salvation which
God was to accomplish for the lost
human race. Our faith looks back to
the cross and sees accomplished that
which Abel's faith taught him was
sometime, somehow. to be realized
And so, 'by faith Abel offered unto
God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain. by which he obtained witness
that he was righteous" Righteous, not
by deed. but righteous by faith, or as
Gods Word puts it, "the righteousness
which is by faith"
DUT, youask, how came Abel to know
y that sacrifice was needed? How
came he to take the lamb? Go with mt
back into the garden of Eden. The
guilty pair stand before God with their
clothing of foliage which they have
woven together for themselves. But
God does not suffer it thus, but makes
them coats of skin. God must provide
the covering for guilty men. And sc
in the garden there sacrifice is made
as a testimony against sin and to point
the way of cleansingf from sin. God has
Just said that the consequence of sir
shall be death, and here is death wit
messed by the slain animal from which
is taken the skin to cover their naked