Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-13

less and uniform, for our God is not
spasmodic and anthropomorphic mon-
StrOcity, but balances his creation in
an eternal will. which ever creates and
suStains and changes not as the fleet
ing years unfold their rolls into CEN
turtles and the glorious achievements
of present times grow dim and ghost
ly in the uncertain traditions of the
past. Jonah's revolt and restoration,
historical if you wish, are yet pro-
phetiC, floating on the sea of life as
guiding buoys which point ont the
channels of spiritual forces and lead
past the shoals of sefishness to the
promised land of world wide human
ity beyond.
The close student will discover rum
ningfi through the Old Testiment, and
coming into frightful climax on the
cross two conflicting ideals concerning
the redemption of the world. Obediah
declares the first. redemption by an
Inhalation. where he writes: "For the
day of the Lord is near upon all the
heathen-and they shall be as though
they had not BEEN and coming To the
surface every now and then as Il float
ing object carried down the swift VA
terS of a river. this view appears, re-
demptlon of the world through the am
Inhalation of the heather. The Phar;l-
sale narrowness of Christ's time.
bounding to death the friend of pub
leans and sinners. was but a Towering
out OF this unspiritual seed. and the
triumphs of Paul among the Gentiles.
its fatal blow But there is another
with this human view of redemption by
annihilation, the divine idea of re-
demption by evangelization, and the
Book of Jonah is Gods eternal judg-
ment of their relative worth as He says
to joan, son of Amittai. arch enemy of
the heather, "Arise, go to Ninevah
that great city, and cry against it, for
their wickedness is come up before
me- And so the Book of Jonah is but
a part of that missionary stream run
ming through the Eible. which takes
its source high in Mt Sinai. when i'll
the midst of the fire and splendor of
Jehavah's glory. His voice was heard
declaring "all the earth is mine:
which appears again III the much
quoted invitation of Moses to HOab
Come with us and we will do thee
good. which became such Il reality III
the days of Rahab and Ruth that these
Gentle converts were promoted To Il
place in the royal line of promise.
which often appears in the Psalms. in
Isaiah and others of the prophets.
where longingly the day is sought
when the knowledge of the glory of Je
hovah shall cover the whole earth: the
xtl,i I,,r,
dred years. only to burst again into
majestic sweep on Calvary. and to be
immOrtalized in the command of
Christ to his Borrowing disciples, go
We therefore. and teach all nations.
baptising them into the name of the
Father and OF the Son and of the Holy
Ghost.
l. RESPONSIBILITY.
The first truth emphasized in this
monograph. is Responsible
ty. The word of the Lord came unto
Jonah. son of Amittai. saying. arise.
gc!' Here you have the fundamental
motive, the firm expression
Of the sovereign will of God. proclaim
ing an unacceptable responsibility. But
Jonah. like many Jonahs since. didn't
quite understand. and so We see him
fleeing from the Omnipresent God, and
going down by successive stages: going
down to Joppa. where at the wharf of
tho JOppa and Tarshish Transportation
Company he secured passage: going
down into the boat: and finally going
down into the belly of z great fish.
where in a damp state-room, he had
ample time to reflect that when the
word of the Lord comes, it places upon