Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-10-22

the self-indulgence and love of earth
ly pleasures through which he sinned
inherit also the consequences of those
sins And sorrow is universal here on
earth.
But for those who believe in Christ
the apostle paints a radiant future,
made all the more radiant by contrast
with the somber background of expe
rience. AS surely as We have borne
the image Of the earthly, we shall also
bear the image Of the heavenly If
we have been like Adam, we shall be
like Christ. The weakness, error, folly,
sin and sufferings which mark our
earthly experience shall assuredly give
place to the glory, the strength, the
perfection, the purity and the bliss of
the redeemed. There is no doubt about
his words. They do not affirm that
We may, or we might, or that under
certain conditions it Is possible that
we will, bear the image of the heav-
emily But they declare that we shall.
They point to the immutable facts of
our experience, and draw from them
the assurance of the promise. Because
there can be no doubt that we have
borne the image of the earthly, so
there can be no doubt that we shall
bear the image of the heavenly.
Since memory and conscience and
fear and even hope itself are tinged
through and through with the colors
of the earthly, and every reference
to experience assures us that We are
of the earth, earthly, and must be till
the end of life below, our whole spirit
ual experience becomes the ground
work Of an assured outlook upon ex-
allied joy and heavenly bliss beyond
the grave For the promise derives it's
inspiration from the dark and dolefu1
dreariness of sins experience. las we
have borne the image Of the earthly, we
shall also bear the image of the heav-
emily"
The Christian who accepts the doc
trine of the crucif1ed and risen Christ
may look back upon his life, and let
both memory and conscience faithfully
record each proof of weakness, folly,
sin or shame through which the I'M
willing heart is forced to trace the
tests and trials it has met; and out o.
every downfall the penitent believe1
can lift monument OF praise, and oul
of every Renaissance of infirmlty OF
weakness bring forth psalm OF faith
and hOpe-yes, even out Of every sin
for which tears of contritiOn have
fallen he can lift up the promise oil
the Saviour's grace. For each and all
of these sad proofs of inherited weak
ness. and native depravity, and person
al indulgence and disobed1ence, are
lust so many demonstrations and as
surances Of purity and bliss and god
likeness at last Each Christian life
has borne the image Of the earthly;
there can be no manner of doubt about
that. And this very certainty, this
deep bedrock of experience, affords the
apostle standing room for his asser'
ton You shall bear the image of the
heavenly. 1t is Gods word, not mans.
It is the inspired statement OF holy
apostle of our Lord, who spake as he
was moved by the Holy Ghost, being
inbreathed of God. And, being thus
inspired, it is profitable for doctrine
and instruction, and for an assured
hope. The somberness of sad expert
ence affords a foil for the radiance OF
glory with which the light of love di'
vine brightens and gladdens the Chris
tian's hope. And the sunset of be-
levers life 10 like the dawn of day
Of beauty such as earth never saw.