The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-01

ooO+.-.-.-s-.-s-e-.-.-.-.-
ing the dogrnas of the past. have re-
jected the Bible also, believing that
the teachings OF the creeds truthfully
represent Gods Word. These are wan
dering bither and thither. hungering
and thirsting, looking for the bread Of
life and water of life, and finding 1t
nowhere, because they seek not where
alone it Is to be found.
"Ho, Every One That Thirsteth, Come
Ye."
Ho Ye all that hunger for Truth,
Come We. There is an abundance for
us all in our Heavenly Fathers won
derful provision-in the Bible. Desert
ing all the creeds and traditions of
men, let us gather Mt our Heavenly
Fathers Board as his family, as his
children. Let us prove the truthful
ness of his declaration that Like as a
father pitleth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that reverence him." Let
us seek and obtain the satisfying por-
tion. Let us satisfy our longings at
the' table of Divine provision. Mark
the Lords words and consider how
truthful they are. BLESSED are they
that hunger and thirst after righteous
ness, for they shall be filed (Matthew
v, O.. 1t Is this Truth-hungry class
that we address. We know their
heart-longings, for we had the same.
We know the satisfaction which they
, crave, for we have received il and are
therefore doubly glad to hand forth
the bread of life and the water of life
to those who desire 1t. There are
| plenty ready to serve the appetites Of
those who long for pleasure
games, society fetes. chess, travel, etc.
We have not word to say against
these. 1t Is not our thought that they
are going to eternal torment; hence we
do not frantically beset them, annoy
them. Let them have their pleasure
Let them wait for the time to come
when something may occur in their
experiences which will put them into
the class OF the broken-hearted and
contrite Of spirit and cause them to
feel after God, If haply they might
find him as. satisfying portion. In
harmony with the Masters direction,
1t is our aim to blind up the broken
hearted, to comfort those that MOURN
to tell them Of the oil of JOY which the
Lord Is willing to bestow for their
spirit Of heavineSs and sorrow for sin
Qsaiah Xxi, 1-3). AS the Master ex-
pressed no reproof of those engaged
In any form of moral reform, even
asceticlsn, SO II is with us. We desire
to oppose no one who is doing any
good work. whether he follow with us
in every particular or not. There are
SO many engaged in doing evil works,
and so few engaged In doing good, that
not one of the latter class can be
spared from the ranks of the service of
righteousness,
AS the Master did not give his time
to temperance reform, nor social re-
form, nor political reform, but did
give his time to the instruction c. the
people in the doctrines of the Divine
Word, so let us be intent to fellow
his instruction in this matter, not
teaching for doctrines the precepts o.
men, but the Word of God, which liv.
eth and abideth forever-eXpoundin
unto the people the Scriptures and as.
sisting them to see the length and
breadth of their meaning. Neverthe
less. as the religious teachers of the
Masters day hated Jesus and his dis
ciples for. this cause, Because they
taught the people," and prosecuted
them because they did not walk In
the beaten paths of their day, SO we
may expect also to be hated without
cause; SO we may expect that the
scribes and Pharisees and Doctors OF
the Law today will be grieved because
the people are taught, because the
tight Of the knowledge of the glory OF
God shining in the face of Jesus Christ
is presented 70 the people as an in
centive to love and obedience. instead
OF the doctrine of eternal torment. II
matters not that all the educated min
istry today well know, and would not
for moment deny, their disbelief In
the doctrine Of eternal torment, II
crQss-qtestloned. Nevertheless many
of them hate us and oppose us, be
cause we show the people the true
interpretations Of Gods Word, and lift
before the eyes of their understand
ing God of Love, Just, Merciful
Righteous altogether, and fully capa
BILE both In wisdom and power to work
out all the glorious designs which he
"purposod in himself before the foun
dation of the world"
a. They perceive that the teaching
of the doctrines OF Purgatory and eter
nal torment has not had a sanctify'
ing influence upon mankind In all the
sixteen centuries In which 1t has beer
preached. They fear that to deny
these doctrines now would make 9
bad matter worse. They fear that II
the Gospel of the Love of God and OF
the Bible-that 1t does not teach eter
nal torment for any-were made gen
orally known, the effect upon the
would WOULD hn 10 inoraoca ftc xUipl, ad