The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-08-16
LET HIM
B. w. RICE


tact would rather a member of the
family should die and perish than to
suggest anything so far from the rule
OF faith and practice in his church. As
a matter OF fact and Bible truth no
Christian has done all he could for the
reliet OF his sick one, until he has
taught the sick one this scripture
teaching and had that sick one call
tor the elders and they have Amounted
the sick one and prayed over him. If
we should neglect to call physician
and loved one dies, the neighbors
would rawhide us severely for our
culpable neglect and yet that neglect
IS not marker in the sight of God
compared with the skilled and sinful
inhdelity connected with the act of
1isregarding Gods plan in hours like
that.
Now there will be readers who will.
at first reading, deny that James meant
what he said. There will be others
who will suppose we do not under
stand just what the inspired writer
intended to convey. Let me say for
the benefit of the first, that no script
| ure is better stated and none better
substantiated. There is not a word
of mystery in the entire text and not
word of uncertain weight. 1t tells
the story simply and tersely. If it is
not true, the same line of logic, will
annihilate every word of scripture.
To the second objector, let me say,
there is not word of truth in the pre-
tense that we do not understand the
| Holy Spirits meaning in this language.
We DO UNDERSTAND Him, but
our sins and iniquities have separated
us from God on this vital point and
IT We were not ashamed to let people
know we would try it.
1t is with this promise as it is with
every other promise in the word of
God; the conditions must be met.
God says. if you will do thus and thus
will do so and so, and he makes
these thuses and SOS very definite
and plain. This promise stands out
today in bold type right in the face of
every objection and in the heart of
every objector. The Word cries out
for those who will dare to stand fatty
on the promises of God. If we can
do away with text by any manner
Of means, by force Of logical COM
binations, we can in the same way
annihilate the Bible from lid to lid.
If we are able to be- permitted to
eliminate plain teaching that crosses
our path, let US be honest about it and
allow every other person the same
privilege.
How much faith does it take to
test this? Just enough to be sick, to
be Christian at the time and to know
where there are some elders in the
church who are living consistent with
this text, to have will enough to call
for these elders and have them come
auround to see you and they are to
get hold of some oil and have it at
hand, and one is to go to work to
annoint you with this oil while at
least one other prays over you. If you
do not know where you can get some
oil, which in my tests has been olive
oil, you can make some inquiries. If
you do not belong to church whose
elders would do this for you, you
should either get out of the church or
else. teach your elders their duty, or
else the whole fraternity declare you
do not believe one of the cardinal
and fundamental teachings of Christ
rest your case in such infdelity. There
is no half way place about it, we either
ARE or we are NOT, and one thing
is certain, the Lord knows them that
are his.
Some one says: Now if this were
true, we would soon have a race of
people who would never die. The
apostles did this work, think you!
They did not keep people alive for all
time and every one of them are dead.
hosr
with forefathers who sat around in
immense age, useless. and harmless,
to be fed by the loving hands. Peo-
pie died right along as it was foreor-
dained and people will continue to
die in the face of my text, for it does
not even hint that the practice of this
truth would forever preclude death
Let us not try to make the text mean
more than it said, but let US not de.
prive it of what it does say.
The sum total of the whole matter
Isl after the physicians tell you that
death is camping close on the trail Of
your friend, you suggest to that friend
.that he send for the elders who will
do the act outlined in this text Hunt
far and near until you find the men
Have them appear at the sick mans
bedside. Do not hunt up elders who
are corrupt in word and deed. Dc
! not hunt elders who disbelieve The
promises of God and who especially
/ deny this truth. These are not elder.
: at all. they just think they are. Nee
every condition of the text and lool
for every ful6illment speedily. Dr.
: not hesitate and do not do the thinl
} in a corner. Come boldly to the throne
Of grace and there enter heartily into
: the humble undertaking. Remember
. the ingredients in this ministratio.
1 are four and are. sick one; "call.
6 some elders and some oil. These Gle
E ments are to be mingled according t
. scripture. They are to be applied &C
: cording TO scripture and you are, t
, expect the result according to script
ure.
! I have proposed the working out o
this text to a certain would be be
, levers in Gods promises and hav
| -. A.. ~,,o,, .:etlv grin nrASent IL