The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-08-22

lIAelSlk- -ku9oLlLyJ for Bible Students.
The Pastor took
for his text Gods message to Adam,
after the latter had become a transgres-
sor in Eden, when he hid from his
Maker: "Where Art Thou, AdamT
Genesis iii, 81. The speaker said in
part:
"Be sure your sin will find you out"
Adam learned this lesson early in his
career. Highly favored by his Maker
crowned with the glory and honor Of
human perfection and the lordship OF
earth, Adam had the offer of everlast-
ing life, under Edenic conditions. But
while condemning his disobedience we
cannot help sympathizing with him
when we realize that the act of dis
loyalty which brought the Divine SEN
tence upon Adam, and, by heredity.
upon all of his race, was caused by
love for his wife.
The unvarnished narrative is that
Mother Eve thirsted for knowledge,
and was not content to await the AL
mighty's time for giving them knowl-
edge. She hearkened to the Serpent's s
plea that the Almighty was seeking
to keep herself and her husband in
| ignorance by forbidding them to par
take of the fruit of the tree of knowl-
| edge. She had not come to know the
benevolence of her Maker and that no
good thing would He withhold from
His obedient creatures. She had not
| yet learned that the fruit of that tree
| was forbidden for time only, and
that the premature eating of it could
bring no blessing, but Divine dlsfavor
| The Apostle shows this when he de-
clares that Mother Eve was deceived;
but with equal positiveness he de
clares that Father Adam was not,
himself, deceived; that he partook of
the fruit knowingly, Intentionally. will
fully, and with full realization OF
the disobedient act which brought
upon him death-"rhe wages of sin Is
DEATH" Thou shalt surely die Ro
mans vi, %; Genesis ii, 10.
But while Adams act was one of
chivalry-was really suicide because
of love for his wife, who had trans
| gressed-nevertheless it was an act
of disobedience. He should have had
loyalty to his Creator first, above his
loyalty to his wife. Indeed, we have
transgression might have been can
celled in some manner, since it was
committed under deception Father
Adams course should have been to
remain loyal to God at all hazards,
and to have trusted to Divine love
and wisdom in respect to the results.
Everywhere the Scriptures lay stress
upon Adams disobedience, which was
wilful sin against light and knowl-
edge.
The sinners hid themselves in the
Garden. The inference is that, pre-
vlously, they had enjoyed fellowship
| and communion with their Creator
but as soon as they sinned they real
lied their unworthiness OF Divine fel'
lowship-sln turned them away from
God. Instead of the happiness of His
fellowship, they had discomfort and
evil forebodings of estrangement. They
had lost their God, and. by virtue of
their very nature, they would. in conse
guence, be measurably unhappy-one
of the principal elements of their ma
ture. thenceforth, was hunger and
thirst for God, which was not graft
fed A barrier had come between the
Creator and His creatures.
Estranged From Birth.
The estrangement which our first
parents experienced. dating from the
time of their sin, is one which all
mankind has inherited from them. The
Prophet David speaks of this, saying
that the world is estranged from birth;
md. speaking OF himself, declares, 81
was shapen in iniquity, in sin did my
mother conceive me" psalm IL. o.
God Is not to be charged with the
responsibility Of this estrangement
1t COMES to all as the result or out
working of sin. All are sinners and
all feel themselves unworthy of the
Fellowship of their Creator, and real
i2e themselves undeserving of His
blessing. The fear which drove our
first parents TO hide has since then
driven many still further from God
ms they have delved vet more deeply
into sin. not only because of heredity,
but also through taking perverse
course themselves. The fear has In
creased. and today one OF the most
terrible maladies on earth is fear
dread, 1t is not surprising that we
find the heather. thousands of mill
ions. fearing. dreading. not with that
fear which is the beginning Of wisdom,