The Penn's Grove record., 1906-03-30

we are under the same sacred obliga.
ton and have the same encour. cement
to secure for our souls the square deal
God means them to have. Let us never
forget that Jesus Christ is the great
champion of a square deal for every
soul, and that that mean ours.
A square deal in presenting the
claims of religion should be religiously
maintained. God is e~ternally against
anything else. jeremiah never said
anything which bears more unmistak-
ably the seal Of a divin2 ratification
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; AM M people
love TO have it So" But i square deal
in presenting the claims of religion
rules out, nc9 merely wilful falsifca-
ton and perversion cf the truth. t
rules out intolerance and demands a
square deal for the religious convic-
tons of other people. 1t rules out dog
matism and demands a square deal for
whatever new light may break forth.
1t rules out the insinuation of doubt
and de hands a square deal for the
ASSOASSb LIN 4 4oAAAs
1t rules out insincerity of whatever
kind. But it does not rule put loyalty
to deep convictions, nor defiDitenesS
of teaching, nor the replacing Of the
broken reed of an outworn doctrine
with the strong staff Of a living truth.
To be absolutely loyal to the truth, and
yet deal fairly with all the spiritual in
terests affected by the manner in which
| tho oloipoc of rnIiofon apo 1racon+na 10
no light thing to achieve. But of One
thing, those to whom we go with the
call of Christ must be left in no doubt,
and that is that, so far as in us lies and
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
a 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 never gets tired of tell
ing US that God does not save us by
doing anything wrong. He is continu-
ally declaring Gods righteousness in
His way of saving men, that He is at
once "just and the justiier 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 a right to
offer. He comes before the bar of u
conscience with His great gospel of
forgiveness. If it is not ratified there
it can neye give us peace. 1t is not
the less sensitive conscienceS which
have borne the most unequivocal testi-
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. But no
scheme that could not pass muster with
us in our dealing with men can repre-
sent the redemptive dealings of God
with sinners. The man who finds
peace with God through Jesus Christ
Just 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 all"