Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-03-09

%R,z%/>Tr VIII. where estrange-
~ Z//J ment and separa-
r.. ton exist, there
might be fellowship and blessed
union. With man shut out of the
paradise which God had planted
and given to man. how could
God be content or satisfied until the
way back to paradise was opened?
With Israel in Egypt in bondage. God
could not be quiescent and forgetful.
lie says: Il have surely seen the af-
nlcton of my people which are in
Egypt, and | have heard their cry by
reason of their taskmasters; for
Know their sorrows; and | am come
down to deliver them out of the hand
OF the Egyptians. and TO bring them up
out OF that land unto a good land and
large, unto a land flowing with milk
and honey" And neither can God be
indifferent to or neglectful of man
while he is in the Egypt of the worlds
bondage. The fathers house had an
empty room, and a vacant chair at the
table; and his heart had its unsats-
ned longing, while the prodigal was
away in the far country. He watched
and he waited until at last the wande,-
ing, hayward boy came back The
sorrowing 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 lie again. And so is it in infinite
ly greater degree with the Heavenly
Father. He yearns for the return Of
His sinful. hayward children. If we
may so 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 yc
would not" is but the cry of God to a
lost world, is but the cry of the loving
mercitul Creator to the poor. deluded.
hayward creature. Gods supreme pur-
pose for man is that he should become
reconciled to God.
n UR text gives to us Gods message 70
~ His people. 1t was to be "precent
DTPCpnt-
line upon line. line upon Iile: here a
little, there a little" forcibly remind.
ing us that Gods message is ever a
simple message pertinent message. a
persistent message, and an unchanging
message And the latter clause of on.
text is suggestive of the effect of Code
message. First of all, hen. let ms
consider the simplicity of Gods mos
sage 1t is "precept upon precept nre.
cept upon precept; line upon lire line
upon line; here little there n .i.tIe "
When God is dealing with the sooIs
OF men He does not indulge in pla,i-
tudes, and highsounding phrases. He
does not use the terms and phraseolopv
OF the wise and learned Nay. rather
In the quickest and mos. direct wav
possible He seeks to administer to the
real needs OF the soul. And for this
reason Ills message is one of sim
plcity. Simple because of its univargot
mission. Gods message is to all the
world. To the most enlightened and I'm
the most benighted; to the cultured
and refined and to the most vile and
degraded; to the man of grav bairs
and tottering steps and to the Iittle
I. 70
simplicity. Gods message is most strik-
ingly differentiated from the message
Of every other religion in the world
II is its one most markel characteris-
tic which stamps it as the message of
God and proves its authenticity
| SAIAH in another part OF his book de-
| clares that Gods message is so simulc
that "the wayfaring men. yea fools shall
not err therein" Even fools. those
mentally deficient, may be able to receive
and understand Gods simple message
And how often this has proven true. You
may go TO whatever nation you choose
to whatever quarter OF the globe you
wish, and you will find beautiful and
striking examples OF the truth that Gods
message is so simple that IL can reach to-
the lowest depths. as we'll as to those in
the most exalted places OF learning and
authority. IL was even so when Jesus
was on earth, for the learned and cul-
tured Nicodemus. member of the San
hedrin, was numbered among His disci-
pies. even though secretly, as was also
the poor. despised thief upon the cross
Jesus sets little child i'm our midst and
tells us that except we become as that
little child we cannot understand Gods
message and enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven. Jesus in one Of His prayers
says: 81 thank Thee, oil Father, Lord OF
Heaven and earth. that Thou didst hide
these things from the wise and under
standing. and didst rrveal them unto
babes" And Paul, IN the first chapter
OF his first letter to the Corinthians. says:
mot many wise after the flesh, not many