River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-02-24

The advance of the world in civil
ization, coupled with general low
ering of Christian star lards in neg
lect Of the Bible, has drawn the civil
lied world and the nominal Church
very close together. Never more
necessary than now are the Master S
words of this Bible Study, Enter
We in by the narrow gate; for wide
is the gate and broad is the way
that leadeth to destruction and
many there be that enter thereby;
for narrow is the gate and straitened
the way that leads unto life and few
there be that find it..
The teaching of the dark ages
handed down to US was that the
many walking on the broad road are
being swept by millions into eternal
torture. The general revulslon from
this Interpretation of the Bible has
shaken confidence in the Bible itself
and turned many completely away
from it to mild form of UNIVERSAL
ism-to the hope that nearly every
body at death goes Immediately to
glory, regardless of whether he walks
in the narrow way II discipleshlp or
in the broad, easy way of worldli-
ness. In every sense of the word
the effect of this neutrality-suspicious.
has been injurious.
Now we perceive that the Master
said not that the broad, easy road
leads to eternal torture, but to de-
struction-death. Now we see that
father Adam by disobedlence was
cut off from fellowship with his
Creator under death sentence and
that his children were all born in g
sinful and alienated condition and
that their perverted appetites and
the influences bearing upon them
constitute broad road of self-grati
6cation down which they are speed
ing to the tomb.
Our Lord came as the worlds Re
deemer, but before dealing with the
race as a whole he selects the church
class-disciples. The love anc
loyalty Of these are tested by theil
call to walk contrary to the genera
tendencies of the world upward
along the narrow way, at the end Of
which they are promised eternal life
glory, honor, and immortality anc
association with the Redeemer II
| his great work of the Millenn1a
Kingdom. Then he will deal with
humanity now going down on the
broad road to death-recoverlne
them and giving them glorious OPP
portunities secured by his sacrifice
The present call to discipleship Is
through the narrow gate of full con
secration, even unto death, IN the
| footsteps of the Master, and few
there be who find and willingly walk
this way. Thank God that the
masses of humanity on the broad
road were redeemed and will yet be
blessed, though they will miss the
great "prize" now offered to the
"elect," who walk the narrow way
Eventually only the wilfully wicked
will be destroyed in the Second
Death.
The Lords disciples are to be
ware of false teachers who pretenc
to be shepherds and wear the cloth
but really they are unlike the Great
Shepherd. They are self-seekers
ravenous, wolfsh. They do not lay
down their lives for the sheep, but
feed upon the sheep.
1t is forbidden US to judge the
heart. Judge not, that We be not
Judged" (Matt. IL } The Master
here illustrates that we shall judge
those protesting to he his disciples
by the general fruits of their lives
Are they sharp, thorny, injurious,
poisonous, in their influence upon
others, or are they helpful, strength