The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-12-09

Al';A-a-1-I14 Iaa4-"1 or th0ughtful-o0k-
ing people. evident
~ chiefly from the middle walks Of
life. Asked why so few of the wealthy
attended. his characteristic reply was:
'Of my Master it is written, The com
mon people heard him gladly" He
spoke from the following text
The Lord, whom ye seek. shall sud
denly come 10 his temple even the Mes
senser or the covenant whom We delight
in. Behold he shall come. saith Jehovah
Of Hosts: but who may abide the day OF
his coming Malachi iii. 1-5.
Six thousand years ago in Eden our
Maker. i'll justly sentencing his DISC
bedient children TO death, intimated
that ultimately the Seed of the woman
would bruise the serpent's head. This
hidden promise was the first intima
lion of the Divine mercy which our
gracious Creator purposed in himself
from before the foundation Of the
world. Ever noble, kind and gracious
our Creator restrained his mercy for
the good of his creatures-that they
might learn 70 appreciate the exceed
ing sinfulneSs of sin. For the good Of
the angels also. and that they might
fully know of his justice as we'll as
OF his wisdom and power, God insisted
upon dealing with his creatures from
the standpoint of exact justice. They
had Sinned and thereby had forfeited
all claim upon the eternal life which
he had given them conditionally.
Eternal torment, as we have already
seen, did not in any sense or degree
enter into the Divine intention. His
sentence upon man, plainly stated.
was, Dying thou shalt die not Liv-
ing thon shalt live in torment The
soul that sinneth il shall die Genesis
ii. Il; Ezekiel xviii, A.. God intended
10 eXemplify in his dealings with our
race Il principle of Divine government
10 be made operative everywhere-ulti-
mately amongst all his creatures on
the spirit plane. as we'll as upon the
earthly.
Long centuries after. in the seventh
generation of Adams children. God
SI'pht thiouSh oiiC Va
these. Enoch, saying, The Lord cometh
with ten thousands of his holy ones to
execute justice in the earth-to eStab-
fish righteousness amongst men. Time
passed on, but sin prevailed and the
coming of the Great Deliverer was still
future.
Next God spoke TO Abraham, after
Il, n; 70; laval
~. To him he mentioned the same
great Deliverer who would bruise the
serpent's head-and who would come in
great glory with ten thousands of his
holy ones. To Abraham he gave as
surance that this One. in some way,
would be identified with his posterity
so that he might properly he called the
Seed of Abraham. He said, In thy
Seed shall all the families OF the earth
be blessed"
The Divine Programme was not
changed but more explicit statements
We're given respecting il. Thereafter
AL taught of God would know TO
look for the Messianic blessing through
Abraham's Seed. Besides, the Cove
nant was afterward confirmed with an
Oath TO Abraham; later, 10 Isaac; later,
70 Jacob That Covenant promise be-
came the basis of Gods adoption OF
The entire nation of Israel-all OF Ja-
cob's children. They were heirs Of the
Abrahamic Covenant-the Oath-Bound
Covenant. If so great an honor from
the Almighty God has made some Of
the Jewish people at times TO appear
arrogant and proud, let us not forget
that 10 err is human-to forgive, Di-
vine. Perhaps if we were in their
stead our imperfections would SINH
larry display themselves.
Gods Covenant Of the Law.
Israels experiences of tribulation and
bondage in Egypt were probably nee
essary 10 prepare them for Gods great
proposition-lhat they should keep the
Law and as reward have life ever
lasting. AS il is written, HE that
doeth these things shall live by them
Leviticus xviii. 81. Israel greatly re-
ioiced in this manifestation OF Divine
preference for them more than for all
others of humanity. The Law Cove
nant was mediated. The sacrifice OF
bulls and OF goats made typical atone
ment for them for a year so that they
might enter into this Covenant rea-
tionship with God. But when they at
TEMPTED To keep the Law they were
disappointed They failed. The Law
of God being the full measure Of per-
feet mans ability, and the Jews, like
other men. being imperfect. found that
they had undertaken an impOssibility.
Not Jew kept the Law perfectly.
Not a Jew, therefore, gained eternal
life during the first year. But Cod
foreknowing this. had made prepara-
tion for repetition of the Atonement
Day every year. so that the people
might continue striving to attain eter-
Put a Stop to Fire.