The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-01-17


The same was In
the beginning with ho God. BY him
were all things mate and without him
was not anything made that was
made" (John 1, 4, a He said
A week ago we considered the time
when God was alone To-day let us
discuss the first creative act as re-
spects intelligent beiugs. Long befole
man was created, or our earth was
brought from Ats chaotic condition,
long before angels and cherubim were
created, Divine power brought forth
Son on the spiritpane- -Jehovah's First
Bcgottcn--plo plorious. perfect. beautiful,
his own image and likeness.
This glorious One Is In our text
designated The tIogos, the Word, the
Message. the Expression of God. In
the Old Testament ne is symboiically
referred to as ''Wlsdom'' in the words,
"Jehovah possessed me In the begin
ming of his way. before his works of
old. - Then | Was by him, as one
brought up with him, and | was daily
his delight. rejoicing always before
him" C'roeerbs viii. 22-30)
This mighty one. personiled as Wis
dom, is dec jared by st, Paul to be "th
first born OF all creation" (Colossians L.
1919 The Psaimist similarly refers
to him ns .Iohovah's "Grsi-born high
,er than the kings Of earth" psalm
lxxxix. 27l Jesus thus refers to him
self as one who had prehuman ex-
istence. saying. "I.ef6rc Abraham was
am" tJohn viii. II, %. 42-5Sl. The
glorlfed. nScended Christ, In Apoca-
lirtic vision. declared The same great
truth, that he was "the beginning Of
the creation OF God" Qevelation Ill,
14. And again he declared, ~ am the
First and the IAst"Qtev l.. II; II. ~.
All OF these Scriptures fully corrobo-
rate the statement of our text that he
who subsequently became the worlds
Redeemer was long before the primary
Son of God. tie ranlSed irst. not only
in seniority, but also In honor dignity
and station. above nh other sons of
God not one 0G whom was like him
self-the direct creation of Jehovah.
''For oil things were made by the L0-
gos, and without him was not one
thing made that was made" He was
not the creator in the primary sense
of the word. hut in the secondary
sense. He was the active agent OF
Jehovah In aW of His subsequent crea-
tive work; thus ne was not only the
Grst-born OF all creation. but, lndividu
ally, he was also the last Of Jehovah's
creation. To this agrees the word OF
ST. Paul "hii things are Of the Father
and all things are ~ the Sen"
Surely many have failed to appreci
ate not oniy fti,e5 Divine personality
of Jchovai,. bat aise the greatness OF
him who In styled 'The Son of God"
In tho Dark Ages.
There was time when Gods people
did not POSSESS thc'Bibc IN their owr
language, and when education to reat
it was extremely limited. and whcr
nobody possessed suche wonderful
Bibles with references aud concord
ances) as are common today. II shoul'
not surprise us that In That far-of
time confusing errors crept into TIN
traditional faith OF the Church Th,
contention OF the Jews was that JeSu
of Nazareth was m impostor ana tha
his mighty works were done unde
the influence OF the fallen angel, BE
,eigebub. Shouid we think II strang
that In the heat of discussion some .
the followers of Jesus would make eX
travagant claims Cor Tim In their en-
dcavor to oppose the theory that mad
OF Messiah, mcre sinful man?
II does mol surprise us. therefore
that early IN the third century claim
were put forward IN the name o
Christ ard his Apostles which ncithe
be nor they ever authorized, Tn
Apostles declared tim TO be "the SO
OF God with power" and that he wa
''holy, harmless. undctlled and sepa
rate from sinners" (lebrews vii. 20
The Master himself declared M!
Father Is greater thnu L." Gle
above ALL" "he sent me:'' II came I
do the win OF my Gather In heave
and not mine own wiil:" 81 delight I
do thy will oh my God: thy law
written In my bcart"
True, he also declared II aud m
Father are onc.' but he showed
Wnhl lulS uHcntHb tullAihleu- -'nNt
was n oneness of will Of purpose. {
work. Because he had fully submltte
his will 10 the Fathers win and Ia
made the lFaihrS's viii his own, tier
fore they wGc one,
The Master egsin illustrated In
oneness when he prayed for his dl
ciples that 'they all might be on
even as thou .Father aud are on'
<John xvii. ~. ~, 22). evidently Il
Master did not pruy that his discip
should all become ono In person. To-
that they should all become Of OF
mind. of one heart. OF one dispositi'
, through their loyalty and obedience
the Word and TO the spirit OF GO
And this Oneness. ne declared. was 4
kind which smbsisted between II
Heavenly Father aud himself.