The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-08-24

a.
seas saa a~skSm=ats. fass Nrr ae4nx
enn ssesslss In ssutA, saat SAB
~ys acquainted vita sur Raaesa
@kasseni Ger it /, act e~ssrbttA,lg al.
ter.at ssst;;i iA- tsfe~k e.s1ess MAsya
he HAD 10 combat,
As i, was heathenlsm ttat object
ed 70 the gospel OF Christ IN The tine
OF Paul. SO IT Is toeas 'Ahen W. are
urged Il abandon the sospei OF
Christ Ter the teachings OF men, We
are urged TO return to heathenisn,
and that Involves Il return 10 the
moral depravity and spiritual wretch
sdness. which, in spite of art and
culture always have accompanied
heatheuism. and which philosophy
will be as powerlesS to remedy today,
as it was two or three thousand years
ago.
Paul was a we'll educated man: he
was we'll versed in philosophy and
science. But he had a good eason
for not being ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. For, he says, it is the
power of God unto salvation to ev-
eryone that b~elieveth.' He had eN-
perienced its wonderful power: it
had made a new man of him, Il new
being. 1t had transformed the vi
cious prosecutor into a loving dis
q z.l - Il. ~,~~t@, --] lIs. >~N~l
And the gospel is the same wonder
full woodworking power today. as
it was in the time of Paul, but alas.
so comparatively few recognize it as
the power of God! There seems to
be much religious activity in the
world today, but little OF true Chris
tianity. The gospel has a definite
object, and that is to effect the sal
Walton of man, to W. him from the
consequences OF sin and to restore
the original relation between him
and his maker. 1t is not the purpose
OF the gospel to satisfy our curiosity,
to solve the problems that interest
US. or to answer all questions that
we may see fit to ask. 1t does not un-
dertake to tell us how we may be-
come rich, great and mighty in the
world, how poverty, disease and suf-
fering are to be abolished, how states
and municipalities are to be go,N..'-
ed, how the relation between capital
and labor is to be adjusted, or how
social and POLITICAL evils are to be
remedied. Its purpose is to answer
this n momentous question. How
may 1, a poor, lost sinner, be saved?
We know very we'll that there are
many who do not regard, this Ques-
tion as important, and who have no
use for the gospel, just because it
concerns itself solely with this ques
ton. Within the church itself there
are today many who, for this same
reason, are disappointed With the old
gospel and tell us that We must have
a different gospel now. The church
has been too willing to listen to this
clamor for a new-up-to-date gospel,
and the results are in evidence. The
instruction Christ gave His disciples
when He was about to leave this
world with His visible presence was
this - g s. Go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel to ev-
cry creature mark 16, 15). This
instruction was given to the church
and it's ministers in all ages. How
does the modern church comply with
this divine instruction? Can this
great commission be carried out by
preaching politics, or by preaching
the law apart from the gospel? The
law reveals sin, but it fails to pro-
vide salvation. The law may be
preached until doomsday but it will
not convert a single sinner. The
gospel alone is that power Of God
which transforms the sinner Sc that
it can be tr%uthfully said of him: "Old
things have passed away; behold, all
things are become new"
To preach the gospel vas Paul's
great concern, and so it must be
with every true minister OF the Lord.
He must reprove sin, it is true, but
he is not to specialize in sins. That
seems to be the great hobby of SO
many ministers at the present time.
And this is especially the case in
dealing with the subject of temper
ance.
We admit that drunkenness is
sin, a sin that ruins body and soul.
1t is necessary, just and right to
show the people from the word OF
God that this is a sin that leads to
fearful consequences, and hal it is
responsible for many other sins. The
word of God says: BE not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolators,
nor adulterers, nor eliminate, nol
abusers of themselves with man