Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-10-08

of the Christian religion. But they
are not compelled to rest upon this
alone. This commandment is sub
Stantially reiterated in the other COS
pelS. | shall not now stop to notice
these particularly; but do desire to
call your attention to another COM
mandment which Jesus gave to his
| disciples. with the exception of Judas
1scarfot. who betrayed him After
hi> crucltiXion, and just before his as
cension, he gave to those disciples a
final commandment which is recorded
at the close of the book Of Matthew
L ask your attention to its plainnesS
as well as TO its sweeping character:
go We therefore. and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the son, and of
the Holy Ghost
Teaching them to observe all
! things whatsoever | have commanded
you; and 10. lam with you Away, even
| unto the end of the world ="
This language is plain and unquali-
fed If We accept it FIR what it dis
tlnctlF saws we must conclude that it
embraces all of that first great com
mandment, as well as all OF any COM
mandmen' or instructions given by
leSus to his disciples Without wish
ing to criticise or condemn the view
OF others, l must frankly say that /
DO not see how any one can read hese
plain words ana give them moment s
/ Thought and continue longer to think
or TO say or believe that any part of
the hrst commandment or of any
commandment ever gwen by Jesus to
his disciples was to be put aside or to
become obsolete Especially 50 when
we consider the closing words of the
final commandment, Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever
| have commanded you, and 10. | am
with you Away, even unto the end of
| the world"
| In direct connection with Jesus
! first great commandment and his
/ final commandment, | desire to call
| your attention to one more declaration
made by the Founder of the Christian
| religion. When we think Of all the
! great,w OrkS that Jesus did during hi 5
earthly career, how he overcame and
destroyed all kinds of sin, how he
healed all manner of sickness and d.
sea>e, how he raised the dead, how he
walked The waves and stiled the tenn
| pest, and how he did many other won
| dertul works. L say, when we think of
this, and view things from the stand,
point Of our limited mortal senses, we
may we'll be aStOniShed at the words
which | now quote as they are re,
corded in the l4th chapter of John
18th verse: Verify, verify. | say un-
to you, he that believeth on me, the
works that L do shall he do also. .
Plain words. | do not see how words
could be palmer. 1t seems to be only
question as to whether we shall &C
cept them or reject them. We might
we'll suppose that when Jesus had
made so startling a declaration he
would have ceased. We might well
suppose that when he had in terms OF
such solemnity and plainness declared
that those who believe on him should
do the great works that he did, he
would have reached the utmost limit
Of mankind;s hopes and expectations
and possibilities. But he did not stop
there. He went further and uttered
| these yet more astonishing words:
And greater works than these shall
he do: because | go unto the Father -
Because | 90 unto the Father" as
he here says, land 10, am with you
alwav, even unto the end of the
world" as he says at the close OF his
| final Commandment. Ii these words
are true, we must believe that the
Christ power and the Christ spirit
were never withdrawn from this
world. Jesus went unto the Father,
into better understanding of the di-
vine law whereby he did his mighty
works upon the earth, and by virtue
of which those who believe on him
were to do not only the works that he
did, but greater Here, | say, is
Jesus great commandment to his dis
cipleS. Christian Scientists are not
responsible for it. Mrs. Eddy, did not
write it. 1t stood unrepealed, I'M
changed, unmodified long ages before
her birth, long ages before the birth