Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-25

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The ordination address of Jesus, after
choosing the twelve, the title OF THE
Sermon on the Mount" q title now uni
yersally accepted. 1t Is better perhaps
1.-THE Gospel of the Kingdom" telling
us of the characteristics of these men,
bers of the new kingdom Jesus came
TO establish, the influence Of these
members upon the world, and is a com.
mentary upon the laws Of this king
dom. 1t Is this, and more, for 1t Is a
prophecy of the church at work and
also a test whereby We arc to know
who belong to this Kingdom.
Their Spiritual Meaning.
There are in reality only seven OF
the Beatitudes, the "blessednesses"
and seven is always typical Of perfect
ness. They are written in Old Tesla.
ment language, but give tho old form q
new and spiritual meaning. The re.
wards are not arbitrary, but are the
logical outgrowth of the character de-
picted.
The first four are passive virtues.
Happy are those who are poor In spir-
It, not the poor-spirlted but the humble
minded ones conscious of their need.
1t Is the poor, as TO this world, that
are to be rich in faith and to be heirs
of that kingdom which Christ has
promised to those that love him Gas.
$3.50. Happy are those that mourn, for
they mourn not as those who have no
hope, they shall be comforted, yea,
they shall be strengthened. Paul tells
us Of that sorrow which Is unto saliva
ton and need not to be repented OF,
but the sorrow of the world worketh
death. Happy are the meek, those who
are not proud. The pride of man Is
Don cut off as grass. In him, the
meek and lowly, we arc TO find rest to
our souls. We are eXhorted by the
meekness and gentloncss of Christ to
receive instruction and Peter tells us
that our ornamentation that shall be
of the greatest price Is to be meek and
quiet in spirit.
At this point the master begins to
make his practical application of the
lives Of those having these character
i~stics, upon the world about them.
Happy are the mcrciful. The with
holding OF mercy ends to poverty, but
the liberal soul shall be made fat, for
to the merciful lie viii show himself TO
be merciful. F~orrbearing, and forgiv-
ing we enter into his happiness, being
kind, forgiying, trnder.hearted, even as
Christ hath forgiven us.
Righteousness Defined.
Happy are the pure for they may
draw nigh unto God In full assurance
Of faith for themselves and on behalf
of others. Indeed the writer Of He.
brews tells us that without holiness
(purity) no man can see God. not our
own ~righteousncss wherein we might
boast but the righteousness OF Christ
which Is by faith.
Happy are the peace- makers, the re-
~ceivers and the dIffusers of this king.
dom. Not merely ~peaceable men, nor
pieces of men, but rather as Tyndale's
version Is, the maintainers of peace"
Led by the spirit Of God they are not
only called the sons of God. but ara
the sons Of God from. SID. "Tha
cause, not tho pain, makes the
martyr" said s.. Augustine. Those
who are presented for righteousness
sake, not those who seek persecution,
are possessors Of this kingdom; pos.
sessing 1t they are prosecuted.
Being Is doing doing does not pro.
duce life, and We have here q linking
OF the old law and the new gospel. His
kingdom brings blessedness, happi.
ness; satan's kingdom turns to the APP
pies OF Sodom. God says, speak out
endure for Others. Ills kingdom Is dis
tingulshed by altrnism. The Kingdom
of darkness says; Keep still, live FOL
yourself" This kingdom knows not
the essence of brotherhood.
Man ever asks this old question
How may be ~happy?" Those whom
Jesus selects as tho happy ones are
looked upon by the world as the most
unfortunate, but time has proven and
eternity will Justify these declarations
OF Christ. The good of this age DO
longs to the selfish and self-assertive
the good OF the coming age to the self
%renouncing. 1t is better to have sor
rowed and to have received his com
fort than never 10 have sorrowed a
all. The message Of the meek will ge'
a hearing as against the censorious
and the supremacy happy are those
who shall see God.
Hunger for tho highest and tn,
noblest can find a supply for all III
needs In Jesus the Son OF God ant
only according to the principles hi
here sets forth,