The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-25
are nnder the came sacred obllga-

we are under the same sacred obliga-
ton and have the same encour:. cement
to secure for our souls the square deal
God means tuem to have. Let us never
forget that Jesus Christ Is the great
champion of q square Teal for every
soul, and that that means ours.
A square deal in presenting the
claims Of religion should be religiously
maintained. God is eternally against
anything else. Jeremiah never SAID
anything which bears more unmistak-
ably the seal Of a aivin, ratihcatlon
than when he called it "a wonderful
and horrible thing" that had come to
pass in the land; that "the prophets
prophesy falsely, and the priests bear
rule by their means; I M people
love 20 have It So" But u square deal
in presenting the claims Of religion
rules out, nc. merely wilful talsihca-
ton and perversion Ct the truth, 1t
rules cut intolerance and demands a
square deal for the religious cOnvic-
tons Of other people. 1t rules out dog
matism and demands a square ceal for
whatever new light may break forth.
It rules out the i~nsinuation OF doubt
and de hands a square deal TOR tne
feeblest and most unintelligent faith.
1t rules out insincerity of whatever
kind. But it does not rule OUT loyalty
to deep convictions, nor defniteness
of teaching, nor the replacing OF the
broken reed Of an outworn doctrine
with the strong staff Of a living truth.
10 be absolutely loyal to the truth, and
yet deal fairly with all the spiritual 1n-
terests affected by the manner IN Whlch
the claims of religion are presented, IS
no light thing to achieve. But of n
thing, those to whom we 60 with the
call of Christ must be left in no doubt,
and that is that, so far as in us lies ana
God gives US light upon our way, we
mean to be square with them. God
made our ears so that they Instructive
ly protect themselves against cant.
They close as quickly as the threatened
eye.
The square deal in religion involves
q square deal at the heart Of religion.
The central doctrine should be the
Righteousness Of God, the righteous
dealing of God with men, a square
deal and nothing less for all men. a
square deal and nothing more for the
saved" Paul gets tired OF tell
ing us that God does not save us by
doing anything wrong. He Is contlnu-
ally declaring Gods righteousness IN
His way Of saving men, that He is at
once "just and the justifier of him that
hath faith in Jesus" Paul proclaims
the triumph Of the square deal In
Christ. In Him "mercy and truth are
met together; righteousness and peace
have kissed each other" All that God
offers to us in Christ He has q right to
offer. He comes before the bar OF our
conscience with His great gospel OF
| forgiveness. If 1t is not ratified there
il can never give US peace. 1t is NOT
the less sensitive conSciences when
have borne the. most unequiVocal testl-
mony to the peace which God gives in
Christ Jesus. But there should be moth
ing to settle between your conscience
and your doctrine of salvation. we are
not saved by dishonest bookkeeping
Nothing is credited to us which does
not belong to us in Gods sight. Every
item which justifies God in His mercy
toward us may not appear. Bat no
scheme that could not pass muster with
US in our dealing with men can repre-
sent the redemptive dealings OF o
with sinners. The man who finds
peace with God through Jesus Christ
lust believes that whatever safeguard
ing of righteousness was necessary
when Gods mercy set out to save him
has not been neglected.
But while We need not fear that God
will offer us more than He has a right
to. we need have, on the other hand, no
fear Of giving too much to Him If we
give all.
Were the whole realm Of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my AL"