St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-04-09

! ! ! ! J: !. J
SIN between man
NX and God might be
INV !! KVW healed; that where
,WMH% discord prevails,
RyfX VIVA harmony might be
MiZLIM%1fS restore d; that
2sylZE//IlM 1K where estrange-
IN ment and separa-
ton exist, there
sht pc Fellowship and blessed
unlon. With man shut out of the
PARADISE which God had planted
sno given to man, how could
1oo oe content or satisfied until the
~, NY back to paradise was opened?
WIN Israel IN Egypt in bondage, God
oouio not be quiescent and forgetful.
ne says: I have surely seen the af-
alcuon OF my people which are in
Neypl and have heard their cry by
reason Of their taskmasters; for
Know their sorrows; and l am come
DOWN to deliver them out of the hand
~ the Egyptians, and to bring them up
out Of that land unto good land and
= large, unto a land flowing with milk
ana honey" And neither can God be
andinerent to or neglectful of man
while he is in the Egypt of the worlds
bondage. The fathers house had an
empty room, and vacant chair at the
table; and his heart had its unsatis-
NED longing, while the prodigal was
away in the far country He watched
and he waited until at last the wander
Ing, hayward boy came back. The
Sorr0wing father could know no peace
Or rest until the wanderer had re-
turned, until the lost had been found,
until he who had been as good as dead
had sought the safety and protection
OF the fathers house, and had come
to life again. And so is it in infinite
" greater degree with the Heavenly
Father. He yearns for the return Of
His sinful. hayward children. II we
may 60 reverently speak of God, He Is
unhappy, and unsatisfied while the
world continues to wander far from
Him. Jesus cry of anguish: 20
Jerusalem, jerusalem! How
often would | have gathered thy chill
dren together, even as hen gathereth
her chickens under her wings, and We
would not" is but the cry of God to a
lost world, is but the cry Of the loving,
merciful Creator to the poor, deluded,
wayward creature. Gods supreme pur-
nose for man is that he should become
recdnciled to God.
OUT notwithstanding the fact that
D this is true, that Gods plan OF re-
demption and reconciliation takes in
the whole world. Notwithstanding the
fact that God would have all men
to be saved, and come to the knowledge
OF the TRUTH" and has mo pleasure in
the death of the wicked" Notwith-
standing that 1t is true that God IL
.longsuffering to you-ward (that is, te
the lost and guilty sinner), not wish
tn9 that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance" Notwith'
standing that this is all true, that Goo
A s.slow to anger and abundant In low
ing kindness; nevertheless HE will
not always chide, neither will He keel
His anger forever" The. time vii
come when Gods patience will have
been exhausted, and His offer Of mercy
withdrawn. THIS is strikingly illus
trated in the history of the children o.
I Israel, during the decline which fol
lowed Solomon's splendid and gor
xeous reign. Through hundreds O.
wears God followed the hayward ma
sfion with warnings, and pleadings, ant
nunishments, but all to no avail. God'i
messengers were rejected, despised
abused. and even killed.
@UR text gives to us Gods message tc
Nils people. 1t was to be "precept
npon precept, precept upon precept
line upon lire, line upon lile: here ,
little. there little" forcibly remind
ing MS that Gods message is ever ,
simple message pertinent message,
uersistent message, and an unchangfn!
message. And the latter clause of on
text is suggestive of the effect Of God
message. First of all, then, let u
consider the simplicity Of Gods mes
eape It Is "precept upon precept, pre-
can't mon precept; line upon lire, lin
.,ncr line: here a little, there a little.
when God is dealing with the soul
- men He does not indulge in plati
.uao. and high-sounding phrases; H
800 not use the terms and phraseolog.
& = the wise and learned. Nay, rather
= tha quickest and most direct wa
-..s,h,e He seeks to administer to tn
ssel needs of the soul. And for tn
-s.son His message is one OF sim
.,,icity. Simple because OF It's universe
k...,nr Gods message Is to all tn
.ar,d 70 the most enlightened and t
~ ,,ost benighted; to the culture
go -sfIned and to the most vile an
..ded. to the man OF gray hair
wa tottering steps and to the httl
.sud with all Of life before 1t. IN II
s,mnlicity, Gods message IS most strik
sI ,'. differentiated from the messag
1ns VERY other religion In the worle
9. = 10 one most marked characters
y = .,n;ch stamps it as the message G
uc md proves It's authenticity.
ISAIAH in another part o. MS =, !. Do s,rn a. =.
e1ares that Gods message IS So slm ~ ;!
c'a a M wayfaring men, yea fools, sna
tnas ar therein" Even fools, thos
no. a,,v deficient. may be able to recelv
men.an iarstand Gods simple messag'
AM And how often this has proven pro- 1n ,'c choos,
49, 20 to whatever nation you 'ae eaov W.
go ,vhatever quarter OF tne s s.,t,,s an
to 49, snd YOU will find beautllui a. =
strlkas Is 50 simple that it can r rensa