The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-06-16

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and tinklirg cvmbals." Here stands
the perfect Pharisce--the slave has
overcome the son.
OF course God wants your service
in the house and in the field, but in q
sense 1t Is true that He can do with
out It. He has hired servants enough
to do that. but only sons can love Him
as He longs for, and manifest the
filial spirit which He craves-"My
son. give Me thine heart"
One reason for this is that 1t is a
law OF our being that mans predom-
inant passion gives color and tone to
his spiritual state" Aud when we
are so epgrossed in mere service "in
the field" 70 the dispare cement of the
urinary OBLIGATION os loving the
Father, II is plain to sec that the con-
trolling motive is a low one, however
religious that service may appear to
be.
The lack of flial spirit is manifest
ed in his boastful utterance. Never
at any time transgressed thy COM
mand." Is not Obedience Christian
duty? Yes. but only in the spirit of
a son and not as a hireling. Before
performing them the man must have
Il plainly stated what he was to do.
There is nothing in the heart to
promnt him to perform either more
than he was paid for in the way of
service or than he was actually told
70 do. Is this not the spirit against
which Jesus spoke when He said.
Except your righteousness exceed
the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees ye shall in 10 case enter
the kingdom"
Why in the Sermon on the Mount
did He in those wonderful words on
prayer and passion AMI providence
teach this higher Righteousness? Men
had-llke this older son-attained
the art of measuring acts and ceremo-
nial observance with such faultless
nicely, while the heart and soul were
left untouched by piety and love. You
can to-day so serve Col by letter and
be as far removed from Him in spirit
as the prodigal amid the glare and
glitter of the far country. You can
be so busy with your mere rule and
dogma that you miss the spirit which
alone can give them worth 1t Is not
the wild and wanton spirit only which
Slienates, but the slavish spirit IL i'm
must not wonder If your cold, cynical
and mercenary spirit keeps you in
the field when YOU might be living in
the warmth and glow and JOY of the
Fathers house
Thou never gavest me kid that
l might make merry with my friends,
but as soon as this thv son is come
thou hast killed for him the fatted
calf" my friends" Thy son"-not
my brother" Do you not see how
little sympathy there was between
this son and the Father? There can
be none unless and until "the spirit
of bondage has given place to the
spirit OF adoption" whereby we cry.
abba. Father!"
If God looks to each of us for a
service and obedience which alone
can spring from love to Him, so also
He looks to us for gladness and re-
ioicing which only come from sympa-
thy with Him.
Surely it was for these reasons that
Jesus held u) the mirror before the
faces of these men of o!d-and their
type Is by no means extinct to-day.
But, as then, the Father comes and
pleads with men to come IN from the
field where the unfllial spirit drives
them.
He takes no notice Of the sneering
inuendoes on the slavish sense of duty
or the lack of kindness to our broth
er. But with his wondrous patience
bids us come within the circle OF the
home and share with Him His wealth
/ of grace. He calls each one OF us to a
life whose ears are open through con-
slant sympathy with Him to hear
what God desires and loves, whose
heart has opened to receive Him as
Its Master and It's Lord, 50 that His
will is ours through our admiring g
love.
And If you would forsnke the fields
into which your selfshness has sent
you, turn to Him who calls, and say
Father, I. too, have s,nned, for
whilst l held the name of son, lived
but as a slave Make me no longer n
mere hireling, but an honored child
and say of me, This My son was lost
but now Is found ;"