River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-09-03

ceiver could have
made the claims that he did. The
strongest minds on earth stand with
uncovered heads in the presence of his
teaching. The Sermon on the Mount,
the utterance of clear head and a
pure heart. The whole trend of his
life indicates the soundest mind, filled
with the healthy enthusiasm which a
great mission inspires. The charge
that he was mailman no one is fool
ish enough to defend. Then we are
driven to one of two other positions.
He was either God, or the worst OF
men. A good man cannot claim to be
what he knows he is not. A good man
cannot be hypocrite. Now, does any
one in this day contend that Jesus was
deceiver? I have yet to hear such
a one.
A Rabbits Admission.
A candid Jev ish rabbi admitted in
a sermon some time ago. that Jesus
was a good man, whose object it was
| to do good, and said that he died a
martyr to his mission. Such an admis-
sion puts a man who rejects the divin-
ity of Christ in an embarrassing posi-
ton, for now he must prove that a
good man can be a hypocrite; that a
good man can be the worst of men.
There is no middle ground. Jesus
pressed this fact home upon the
young man who came to him, saying:
Good master, what must I do to in
herit eternal life?" when he replied:
"Why callest thou me good? There is
none good but one, that is God" mark
10:17-18.) "To say that I am good, is
equal to saying that I am God; and
if you admit that I am good, your
place is at my feet as worshiper,
and the place for your money is on
the altar Of my service" The ques-
ton of Jesus: (Which of you con-
vinceth me of SIM" challenges not
only his hearers, but all the ages; and
their verdict has echoed the words Of
PLATE: Il find no fault in this man"
Friends and foes who lived close to
him, and inspected hiss words and
actions, confirm the claim that he was
good Peter says, "He did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth"
Il Peter 2:22) 'Ye know" says John,
chat he was manifested to take away
our sins, and in him was no sim" Il
John 1850 We believe that no man
lives to-day bad enough to deny this
claim, and assert that Jesus was de-
ceiver. The very thought shocks the
consciousness of one who is at all IA
miliar with his character. If then, no
one can be found foolish enough to
claim that he was a mailman, or bad
enough to assert that he was bad
man, surely the We dict that he was
good is universal. And if good, he was
God.
His Work.
His work was to establish king
dom not of this world. John IS: 36.)
Such a thought was not Of this world.
The Jews were looking for temporal
king, to deliver them from Roman
rule. If Christ had taken hold Of their
idea, and used it for his own advance
ment, he would have acted like a man,
and his success could have been ex-
planned as the success of Napoleon and
Washington can be explained. On the
contrary he opposed the leaders of
public opinion, and began the estab-
lishment Of a kingdom which lives to-
day after the kingdoms of Greece,
Rome and Egypt have ceased to exist.
A young man, poor mechanic, from
mountain village, with no rich, pow
erful allies. does this in three years!
And he does it by the deliberate sacri-
fee of himself Men have died mar
tyrs to their mission. But man has
never yet planned martyrdom as a
part of his mission. Jesus told his
disciples that he would go to Jerusa-
lem and be crucified, and on tho third
day rise again. (Matt. 1920 He pro-
vides before his death for memorial
of that death. Men do not build monu-
ments to their defeats. The French
have no monument to Waterloo. But
Jesus would have his followers re-
member not the Mount of Transfgura-
ton, but Calvary; not his glory, but
his shame. Indeed, he makes his
shame the test of discipleship, he tells
his followers that they must expect to
be hated, prosecuted, killed. Men do
not try to establish kingdoms in this
way. All these things go to prove that
Jesus was not native to this world.
He was more than man, and, as l see
him standing out distinct from and
above all others, I cannot resist the
impulse to fall at his feet, and say
with Thomas: my Lord and my God!"