The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-09-24

; and by thy words thou shalt be con-
1emned" Matthew xii, SO. 80. /;
ooO.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-.-.-...-.-.-.-.-.-.-.S0
recalled. Some one has wisely said
that Error can get around the world
while Truth is getting its boots on. Oh,
the power of slanderous word. Oh.
the power of an insinuation. Yea.
even of a shrug of the shoulder. Who
does not know it? Who is unaware of
The fact that this is the practice of the
world daily; and alas. the practice also
Of many of Gods peope-professing
Christians. The bitter word of sar-
casm or insinuation is shot out often
unthinkingly. but the terrible poison
goes from heart to heart and fresh
roots of bitterness are scattered
abroad. which Il lifetime of holy living
cannot fully counteract
On the contrary. what a power the
tongue has for good, using the word
tongue here in its broad sense, repre-
senting not only words spoken. but the
words written and printed. AS an il
lustration: What speaker or writer has
ever done more to help poor humanity
than the Prophet David in the inspired
Psalms which he wrote? Truly, as
Solomon has said, "A word fifty spoken
is like apples Of gold in pictures of sill
yer PrOyerbS XIV, III. AS for the
Church. the Lord has indeed agreed
that he will not judge the Church ac-
cording to their words and their deeds
entirely, but according to their spirit.
their intention. their will. their energy.
their zeal for him and his Truth. New
ertheless. he assures the Church that
out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth will speak. and that they may
thus judge or test themselves. If their
hearts are right-ful Of love for God.
for the brethren. for mankind. for
their enemies. they will speak accord
ingly. manifesting their love and kind
ness in words as we'll as in deeds. The
good heart out of it's good treasure will
shower blessings-fruits and flowers of
refreshment and kindness. while the
evil heart will send forth bitter words.
poisoned arrows, injurious to all with
whom they come in contact.
Whoever. therefore. finds that he is
continually stirring up strife and
wounding his friends should promptly
make an examination Of his heart to
ascertain the trouble there. He should
not be content to say, Il meant no
harm" The heart that is not full of
goodness, kindness, generosity, love.
o. ha
erly We must reach the place where
j not only we do not will to do harm to
our neighbors. but where we sincerely
wish to do them good Then that good
heart, out of its treasure of goodness.
will speak words of kindness. of love.
Men Shall Give an Account.
But now, considering the words Of
our text as applicable to the Millenni-
UNI. how will the world render its ac-
count in the future respecting the
words of the present life? Not surely
in line with the teachings of the dark
ages that. during a Neutrality-suspicious.
day. the whole world could be ranged
in line and each individual remember
each pernicious word and evil act and
give an account of the same to the
great Judge? Quite different will the
reality be. The judgment day will be
the thousand year period of the Mil
lennium and the account of every evil
act. Of every sinful deed. and of every
pernicious word will be recorded in
the individuals own character. just as
a towel bears the mark of every I'M
clean wash dried upon it. In other
words. the wrong-doer not only in
jures others. but specially Injuries and
marks himself by the wrong he has
practiced in evil speaking and evil
doing and the more deeply has he
marked his character accordingly. 1t
is in line with this that the Scriptures
assure us that i'm the resurrection time
many will come forth TO shame and
lasting contempt 1t is time in which
characters will be shown up. How ter
ribly ashamed some will be of their
showing. Some who now appear to be
honorable indeed. some who now rank
fairly high amongst men, will then be
seen in truer colors. Their shame and
the contempt in which they will be
held by mankind in general will be a
part of their punishment for their
wrong course The shame will last
until gradually they will be able to
demonstrate more noble character.
| Their contempt will continue until. I'M
der the blessed. uplifting influences
! Of the Millennial Kingdom. they will
have attained the way Of the LORD
! more perfectly.
BY Thy Words Justified.
We are not to think that this signi-
fies that every man will be justified
| from the Adamic death condemnation
by any words that he could utter. Nor
are we to think of the expression, by
thy words thou shalt be condemned"
! that any man could come under Sec
ond condemnation until first freed
! Through CHRISTI from the condemna-
tion of original sin. Nothing but the
merit of Christ's sacrifice can Justify
any. Nothing but the blood Of Christ
can justify those who come to God.
by faith, in this Age. or those who will
/; assure him of their loyalty for right
eousness by works, in the next Age.
J We are not to understand our Lord as
here contradicting the general testi-
mony of the Scriptures.