Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-11-10

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.NzAY early fathers wrote. We
W are perhaps disappointed
at the sudden, almost
abrupt, ending Of the Acts All the
more do we turn with expectancy for
further light upon that great early
heydey of the church to its literary
leaders.
Among the very early Christian
writings is that known as the Epistle
of Clement. It is written from Rome
to the church at Corinth which had
been pestered with partizans. There,
was emulation and envy, strife and
sedition. The worthless rose up
against the honored the foolish
against the wise, the young against
those advanced in years. Everyone
abandons the fear of God and is blind
in his own faith.
But once it had been so with this
church. At first Content with the
provision which God had made for
you and carefully attending to his
words, we were inwardly filled with
his doctrine, and his sufferings we're
before your eyes Ye yielded obedi.
ence rather than extorted it and
were more willing to give than to re-
ceive."
Lesson Taught by Clement.
One can see it is the same church
to which Paul ministered and which
he needed so sharply to reprimand.
Because of these inner difficulties
fNIn,,,o,t Nv hn 30
secution and calls them to quicken
ing of the faith.
Especially does he exhort them to
humility. Quoting almost a third of
! his letter from the Old Testament
and much also from the New, he
ceases not to urge them to a finer
| spiritual understanding. Like many
of the early writers he is not always
exact, but he never misses the sub
stance of the thought he wishes
to repeat. "As l live, saith the Lord,
| l desire not the death of a sinner,
but rather his repentance. Though
| your sins reach from earth to heaven
and though they were Tedder than
scarlet and blacker than sackcloth,
yet if We turn to me with your whole
heart and say, Father! 1 will listen to
you"
Then the reward. How blessed and
wonderful the gifts of God. Life in
| immortality, splendor in righteous
ness, truth in perfect confidence, faith
| in assurance, self-control in holiness.
| What then shall those things be
which are yet prepared for such as
wait for him?
But how may we attain this bless
ing? by him, even Jesus Christ, we
look up to the height Of heaven. By
him are the eyes of our hearts opened.
By him our foolish and darkened UNI
derstanding blossoms up anew to-
wards his marvellous light; and by
him the Lord has willed that we
should taste of immortal knowledge.
For what can mortal man do, or what
strength is there in one made out OF
the dust7"
Truth In Burning Words.
He tells them, Eye are fond of con-
tention, brethren, and full Of zeal
about things which do not pertain to
salvation"
But If you will look at the Scrip
lures you will find that the righteous
were prosecuted but only by the
wicked. They were cast into prison,
but only by the unholy. They were
stoned, but only by transgressors.
They were slain, but only by the &C.
cursed.
"Why then are these strifes among
you? Have we not all one God and
Christ? Is there not one spirit OF
grace poured out among us? Remem.
Der the words Of the Lord Jesus how
he said woe to the man by whom
offenses come. But your strifes have
subverted the faith of many, have
discouraged many, have given rise to
doubt in many, and have caused grief
to all"
Then Clement exhorts that all
shall enter the gates of righteousness
by reconciliation with God, and by
that love which beareth all things, be-
lieveth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.
BY all this and much more Of
like kind Clement stirs up faith and
deters from evil.
How familiar 1t all sounds to us
the same human nature, the same
gospel pharmacopia, the same divine
possibility. The ravage of strife; the
antidote, humility and Christ the suf'
fering saviour.
III. Da,Hard oF OhaHiaHra
The Joy of Christ dwells in those