Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-02-20

~ Publican and elevate to the highest
mortal all conception the Pharisee, in the face OF the
anathemas of the Son Of God, pronounced against
them. John denounced them as generations OF
vipers before Jesus had testified against tnem;
what have we thenf The Pharisees against the
Publican; the Lord against the Pharisees! Let. as
examine the score; we have the character OF the
witnesses, whose testimony could be easily i'm
peached; according to the sanderous attack in the
temple, in the pTtense OF prayer, offered by the
Pharisee. "God thank Thee that l am not as
other men, extortoners unjust, aduterers, or even
as this Publican.' For the sake OF argument let
accept the whole as applying to the "hated one"
who stood aar off and cried 'God be mercifu to me,
sinner" but who, rather than the otner, went
down to his house justified; after ALL it is not
adultery, injustice extorton that shuts men out
of heaven, but unbelie,. This unbeief was the
heritage of the Pharisee, while the key that unlock
ed the kingdom OF God and which admitted the Pub.
lican, was faith, which the religionst lacked
There is nothing to convict zaccheus in his con-
fession; it was meet having received Jesus that he
should confess his faith and give assurances for the
future, and he does not do this as representative
OF a GLASS; bnt as sinner saved By grace; he could
say what any other might properly say, "Behcld if
have taken anything from any man by false ac-
cusation, restore four-fOld.'
Let us analyze the respective elements in the
two classes in whom according to Gods testimony,
there was no difference. The respectable
viper, hypocrite whtened sepulchre, con-
spirator, betrayer murderer, the witness OF the
Word, while not a word of testimony stigma was
ever entered against the Publican by any but the
Pharisee, it follows that both classes sinners,
before God; the Publicans, humanly speaking, open
to conviction; the Pharisees not the religion OF the
one could avail no more with God than the irreli-
gion Of the other. The taint in the blood would be
found the same in beth, begoten in the likeness OF
Adam, after his alienation and whit an improve.
ment over Ewes first born; no moral decency In
herent In the accuser accused. The Pharisees in
their unbelef neglected. rejected and slew the Son
OF God in building the tombs Of the prophets they
confessed themselves in their own words Matt
23:31) the children Of those who killed the prophets
The Pharisee despised the Publican because he was
disloyal to their nation, while the Pharisee himself
was disloyal to the God Of that nation
In our authors appeal for popular favor, he in
troduces all sorts of vagaries into Luke 18, and
undertakes to throw numerous oriental sideghts
into Simon's feast as given in Luke Z. In his bid
for popular applause he loses the benedictiOn OIL
God, for no lie is Of the truth.
An altogether fair and concientious reviewer,
who undertakes to make some degree a critical,
though OF necessity in this case a somewhat super
fetal examination, should be intelligent in his com
parisons, honest in his conclusions, charitable in
his discussions, while he strives to exhibit the same
gentleness in combating error, that characterized
our Lord, in his wonderful interview with the wo-
man Of Sychar, he gives simplicity the results Of his
investigation, The must neither be broader nor
rover than the Word Of God, the only rule for try
ing any and every ntterance Of men.
Now under such circumstances to speak Of re-
grets would be incOngruOus and yet to traverse 50
many lines, one is sure to find much that is charm
Ing, and while to be honest must rebuke error,
confesses to occasional pangs Of remorse, be
comes face to face with some sweet tribute to the
homeless Nazarene by our eloquent, popular, but
misleading Scotch preacher Such pangs are but
mementary, for while one Is Chagrined for having
critcised at all radical lines Of departure from the