The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-05-19


(f3AsTeR fLlSSElLy preached from the
words of the ApOs-
tie, Christ brought life and immOr.
tally to light through the Gospel"
The speaker said
All around us we see what the Scrip
lures designate reign OF Sin and
death. The various forms Of life in
nature-the grass, the flowers, the low
er animals and man-exist for brief
summer time Of life. then wither and
die This does not strike us as
strange. except in conjunction with
humanity, and that because OF mans
greater inteligence-his appreciation
of the value of life, his growth in
knowledge and his ability to use life's
opportunities with his increased wis
dom
The disposition to shun death is
not peculiar to man; 1t is the law
of nature. The smallest creature. by
instinct. fees from death. The law OF
representation is properly said to be
the first law of nature. The lower ami
mails. like man. have sensation, an ap-
preciation of pain; but all these things
are much more pronounced in humani-
ty than IN the lower animals; and the
lower the form OF life the more slight
are these sensa tons. We are not de-
Tending vivisection. but we quite agree
with scientists that the pain, the suf-
fering of the lower animals, is as moth
ing in comparison with that OF hui
mainly. We even note the fact that
the more refined human being, the
more intense his suffering. Core
spondingly, refinement and intelligence
bring fear of death and desire for
life everlasting.
All mankind seem, instinctively, to
hope for future life. even though with
the majority the hope is accompanied
with dread respecting its conditions.
However. only the Bible reveals ra-
tional basis for faith respecting a fu-
ture Iife-a survival of the general
death conditions everywhere prevalent.
The heather hope for future life. but
none of them furnish a logical basis
for such expectations. Only in the
Bible can this be found.
The heather hope is represented by
their great philosophers. Socrates and
Plato Their hope is. in brief. that, In
view of mans great superiority over the
beast. it must be be will have future.
even though to all appearances death
means the same to the human as to the
brute The Bible explains that man was
indeed created In his Makers image and
likeness and granted the privilege of
eternal life on condition Of obedience.
but that be disobeyed and therefore
became subject to death; and that
death, the penalty. effects him exactly
as it does the brute creation. But the
Bible does not leave the subject here.
1t tells Of Gods pity and love. and of
His provision to rescue mankind from
sin and from death.
God Meets Mans Emergency.
Since the Divine sentence is that
only the perfect may live, Adam and
his race. as imperfect sinners. could
not have eternal life after violation
of the Divine Law; but to meet this
emergency. Divine Love provided a
Redeemer. who died, 1.-The Just for the
unjust; LAS by man came death. by
Man also comes the resurrection OF
the dead: for as all In Adam die. even
so all in Christ shall be made alive;
every man in his own order" q CORN
thians XIV, 21-23).
Thus God has manifested His char.
acter in way and to degree which
could never have been known to an
gels or to men had He not permitted
sin to enter the world. His Justice
has been manifested In the infection
Of the death penalty upon our race fol
six thousand years. Divine Love has
been manifested in the arrangement
made by which the Only Begotten Sor
of God. on the heavenly plane. counted
it joy to leave His glory and honor
and be made flesh and die for our sins
Before the Divine Plan shall be fully
consummated, Gods Wisdom anG
Power will also stand fully revealed
through His dealing with sin and sin
ners.
Through the merit Of Christ's death
Adams transgression will be fully off
set. and the penalty Of Adams sill
will be fully paid to Justice; and Adam
himself and all of his posterity, wh'
have shared his penalty. will be Sc
free from the signing and crying. tn
pain and trouble, mental. moral ant
physical. incidental to the execution o
the death sentence against sinners
Thus. through the death of Jesus, Di
vine provision has been made for
future eternal life for mankind-fo
so many as will appreciate the priv
ilege and conform themselves to tn
Divine laws and avail themselves O
the privileges which will be granted.
The Worlds Salvation Waits.
How natural 1t is for MS to b. i'm
patient! The few years of our lives