The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-12

themselves, but rather In the way
which 1t taught, by forgetting self and
thinking only OF God.
at Our Lord then takes up some Of
the commandments in detail. There
is the old law OF the commandments
against murder; but 1t must now be
completed, fulfilled, by the new law
against indulgence in anger. It is not
only the taking of life which needs
to be punished. II you are angry with
your brother without cause you are
In danger Of judgment. II your anger
is great enough to break out into
words Of derision, you are In, danger
bf the council. But II you are so car
ried away by wrath that you hurl at
your brother words of reviling, you
are worthy Of death, and to have your
body cast out with the refuse into the
valley Of Hinnom, to be consumed
with all else which defiles. So He
speaks. So malignant sin does He
make the giving way to anger. And
II you are honest with yourself your
own conscience will convince you that
His words are no more than true.
We are next shown how enmity with
nan separates us from God. Christ
says that II you ccme to offer your
gift at Gods altar while your brother
is still suffering from injustice at
your hands, that fact will rise up as
wall, shutting out you, your prayer,
and your offering from the presence of
Him who loves both you and your
brother. First be reconciled with thy,
. brother" before you can hope to offer
your gift. Then come words Of Deep
er warning. We are told never to
neglect an opportunity of reconcilia-
ton; because If we do, our offence
against brotherly love will stand as a
perpetual appeal against us at the bar
of Gods Justice; stand until the for
bearance of God is exhausted, and we
are cast into prison; never to be de-
livered thence until the last farthing
of our ten thousand talents has been
paid.
Our Lord then speaks of the seventh
commandment. He tells us that de-
Element lies for us not only in vile
act, but also in the base thought; that
our purity must be not only that of
the clean body, but also that of the
pure heart. Such purity, because it,
is from within, is able to defend itself
against those pollutions which come
to US from without. This and this
only, can make us safe from SIM He
then goes on tostell US what this inner
strength will enable us to do. If thy
right eye or thy right foot cause thee
to sin, pluck it out, cut 1t off," Notice
what this means. 1t is not only sins
which we are to thus dispose Of. It
is, everything which causes us to sin;
not Just the fleshly lusts, but those
other things, harmless, or even neces-
sary in themselves, which past mis-
use, or the weakness of our natures,
has made source of corruption in us.
Work or pleasure, or friend, or habit,
Of life, whatever it may be which
makes us live less as God would have
us live, though they are as close or
as dear as eye or hand, His command
is, PLUCK them out; cut them of, cast
the mfrom you" Is 1t a hard saying?
It is His command. His command for
the members Of His Kingdom.
Next comes a teaching for society.
Men have thought they found here
a conflict between the command
Of Christ and that Of Moses. There is
no such conflict Before the time Of
Moses, divorce had been matter Of
whim or caprice; matter lying alto
gether with the individual. Moses linn
tied that. He made 1t a matter of law.
The one seeking divorce must obtain
1t, II he had sufficient grounds for 1t.
only from legal officer and by legal
process. 50 much the law Of Moses
did. It could do no more, because of
the hardness Of mems hearts. But
now the higher, truer elopment of
the law has come. By the Incarnation
OF Jesus Christ the marriage relation
has been sanctifled, along with all the
other relations of human life. This
New Creation has restored the condi-
4 ton az II was from the beginning:
They are no more twain, but one
F flesh. Therefore, what God hath Joins
led together, let no man put asunder.'''
Thus Is the law fulfilled for those who
have learned what human love may
be, because they have seen what d.
vine love Is. Us
Christ next addresses Himself to
another abuse OF the law. The habit
of over affirmation, OF making oath to
q truth by calling to witness this or.
s that or the other thing, had become
very common among the Jews. They