The Tupelo journal., 1904-02-19

several lots of candy, 10 any n of
which is pure, | may say of n
which has less adulteration in it than
another that it is purer than the 9TH
er, and of a third which has the least
adulteration of all that it is the purest
of all, but if | say the candy is pure,
there is no need of comparative or
superlative degree. If it is pure, 1t
cannot be more pure or most pure.
And so | believe in our text Jesus is
not using a relative term, but an alb
solute one. A pure heart-a fixed and
certain quality, and not arranged upon
a sliding scale to suit varying grades
and conditions. There is a DISPOSE
ton on the part of some people to
qualify the declarations of God, and
try to bring them down to mans level.
This is reprehensible. 1t is perilous.
When God says: BE ye holy, for l am
holy" BE ye perfect. even as your
Father in Heaven is perfect" He
meant exactly what He said, and
could not possibly mean anything else.
II n begins to qualify or weaken the
statements and commands of God.
where will he end? And If one has
the privilege of adjusting %Scriptural
declarations to his own views all have
the same privilege, and the result is
that we have as many different stand
ards rs there are Christians. But this
is manifestly wrong, and brings con-
fusion and v~itiates Gods Word. 1t
is infinitely better and safer to at
tempt to reconcile and harmonic our
views with Gods Word than it is to
try to accommodate Gods Word to
our views and conceptions. And so.
when Jesus speaks of the pure in
heart, it was not with the thought
that each was to decide for himself
just how much hat term implied, but
it was with one definite and fixed
condition and standard in mind. The
pure in heart-those whose hearts are
Sin-free.
WITH this Interpretation, however,
w the difficulties in the way seem
almost insurmountable. Surely, if the
pure in heart are those in whom is no
faint of sin, there can be none such,
and hence no one has the hope OF
seeing God. But we know that this
last is not true. We know that the
infinite purposes of God center about
man, and that it is His longing, low
ing desire that all should come into
His presence. Gods Word teaches of
a Heaven which He has prepared for
man, that he might dwell with Him
forever. We know that from Genesis
to Revelation, as the sin and failure
and depravity of man are unfolded,
the mercy, love and forgiveness OF
God are gradually revealed in the
marvellous redemptive work. And
knowing this, we believe that when
Jesus spoke of the pure in heart He
spoke of a condition possible to man.
If he said: Blessed are the pure in
heart" there must be such among
men. And if there are those who are
really and truly before God pure in
heart, it is evident that they are pure,
not by nature, not by self cleansing
and purifying, but they have been made
81 ny q DlSHCi VI IiiShtiCi Po"Si
than their own. We have, then, three
propositions which we want to get
clearly fixed in mind. First, that pure
in heart mean a heart free from all
sin and sinful thought and desire.
Second, that there are those who in
Gods sight are pure in heart; and
third, that the pure in heart are such
not by inherent possession, but De-
cause they have been made SO by Divine
Transforming power. With these
three propositions in mind let us re-
peat our text again: blessed are the
Does it not begin to mean more to us,
and does not the harmonious relation
of the promise of the last half of tie
verse to the condition named in the
first clause become more apparent?
THE pure in heart to see God. Why
L of course! Who else could come
into His holy presence, and where else
could the pure in heart go? Christ was
not declaring something new and
strange. 1t is as natural for purity to
center in Heaven in the presence of God
as it is for the flower to turn its face to-
wards the sun, or for the lark to mount
up the early morning skies and greet
the glorious king of day as he advances
up the royal pathway of light in the
eastern heavens. 1t is not thought
strange that the magnet should draw
the steel to close contact with itself. 1t
is not deemed unusual or singular that
people of like tastes and purposes and
sympathies should be drawn together in
close fellowship. Why should it be con-
sidered anything but the most natural
the most fitting, that a pure heart should
find its affinity and its complement with
a God of purity, and in the place where
naught but purity is known? The pure
in heart to- see God-of course! And
only the pure in heart al possibly see
God! for in Gods dwelling place there
shall in 10 wise enter into it anything
unclean, or he that maketh an abomina-
ton and a lie.' But if on the one hand
only the pure in heart shall see God, on
the other hand only in the presence Of
God will the soul find peace and joy and
be satisfied. Here the soul hungers
The world has never been able, search
| through the ages as it would, for thai
which could perfectly satisfy the sou
of man. But when he beholds Gods
face in righteousness, when he awakes
in His presence, then shall he be sat.
isied.-Ps. 17:15. Man has been created
with a capacity for God. And it is only az
80 61Ic opd c1oiroc tho life tbot ~ oor