The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-07

timents are relatively weak, inexperi-
enced and out of accord with the Sin
and Death conditions which prevail on
every hand.
Is it asked why this is so? The
Scriptural reply is that we were born in
sin and shapen in iniquity; and in sin
did our mothers conceive us psalm II,
81. The Bible tells us of the origin of
sin in the disobedience of Eden 1t
tells us Of the sentence of sin. And
we see how that sentence has bound
and enfeebled our race on its way to
the tomb. The effort to live righteous
ly, soberly aud justly in this present
world Is so great that If there were no
future prospects, no Divine promises
of future life. we might well consider,
as the Apostle suggests, whether we
might not better eat, drink and be
merry and die, rather than fight con-
tinual warfare against so heavy an odds.
Give the viii to God.
The Scriptures inform us of the Di-
vine pity for our race in its fallen con-
dition; yea, that God perceived all OF
our distressed conditions before he Gre
ated us and even then planned a rem
edy, THE Lamb slain from before the
foundation of the world" The Bible
shows us that Jesus was that Lamb of
God, to take away the sin of the
world. 1t shows that before he can
deal with the world, according to the
Divine arrangement, he must purchase
all of its rights and interests by his
own perfect life. In our Lords sacri-
fetal experience these two things were
accomplished. He kept the Law and
had right to all of it's blessings as a
man. He sacrificed those rights in the
interests Of the world of mankind. He
received a reward of life eternal on
the higher spiritual plane. The next
thing in order is to give to mankind
the blessings secured by his sacrificial
death.
Our Redeemer might have consum-
mated the entire work of uplifting hu-
mainly from sin and death back to all
that was lost and which he redeemed
by his own sacrifice But God had a
higher and grander message which
would still further illustrate the length
and breadth and height and depth Of
his justice, wisdom, love and power.
This plan, which God is pursuing, calls
from among the redeemed race those
who have hearts hungry, and thirsty
for righteousness and harmony with
God. By various processes these are
'called" and chosen" instructed and
tested and made ready as the members
Of Christ, Gods jewels. They are
promised close relationship with
their Lord in the future, represented
relation to the King of Glory. 1t is to
these, after they have believed that
the Lord makes known his gracious
purposes. Such of them as respond
with zeal have the Apostles exhOrta-
ton to take upon them Vow of full
conservation to the Lord unto death.
and then to live up to the terms Of
that Vow to the best of their ability
until the close Of life.
This Vow, unlike the other we sug-
gested, is not to themselves, not to
other men or congregations, lodges or
societies, but to God only While it is
true that the Vow to the Lord will not
end our responsibilities, but merely be-
gin them, it is also true that we can
not come into relationship with the
Lord at all, except by making a con-
secration Vow. 1t is the Vow In ad-
vance that the Lord accepts and re-
spends to by the begetting of the holy
Spirit. Whoever, therefore, has failed
to Vow unto the Lord with consecra-
ton has failed to be begOtten Of the
holy Spirit and will have no share
with the Church's glory. He may not
have called it a Vow, he may not have
called it conservation, he may not have
called it anything; but the Vow of con-
secratiOn must, nevertheless, have
been his-uttered or unexpressed, be-
fore he could become a member Of
Gods Spiritual family.
Thus our Lords Vow of conservation
was expressed in the words, 80,
have come, as in the volume. Of the
Book 1t is written of me-to do thy
will, o God" The will of the Father
was that our Lord Jesus should have
the opportunity of presenting himself
a living sacrifice on mans behalf. Our
Lord accepted this and his acceptance
was his conservation Vow of Obedi-
ence, even unto death, even the death
of the cross.
Bind the Sacrifice With Cords.
Our original Conservation Vow, even
If carefully made, we found to be but
an imperfect one because of our i'm
perfect knowledge Of the trials and re-
sponsibilities and difficulties and the
Lords requirements. We found need
for new Vows covering new features
or guarding rtwly discovered weak
nesses. Such Vows we made for our
own assistance. although it might be
said that everything possible was in
cluded in our original Vow. Those
who follow this course bind their sac
rifices the more firmly and the more
closely to the altar of sacrifice and
CORRESPONDENCE are assisted in the
narrow way and in maintaining them.
selves in the love Of God.
In conclusion, then, let us not Vow
hastily, but soberly, wisely. Let us
bring ourselves under all reasonable
restraints of thought and word and
actiOn-restraints to God and not to