The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-10

His Son, Is OH account of this knowl.
edge to be granted everlasting life.
Some think to be able to make void
the various Scriptures which tell US
| of the necessity of making our call
| ing and election sure" by SO running
as to obtain the prize. Il Corinthians
| TX, 24)
Our Lords words do not refer to a
knowledge about God. but to knowl-
edge Of or personal acquaintance wifa
God and His Son. And such an init
| mate acquaintance Is not obtained
| merely by an introduction, but by
| companionship; it signifies an intimacy
Of acquaintanceship. Il familiarity.
Everything in the Divine Word en-
courages those who accept the Divine
invitation to draw near to God. to
come into fellowship with Him.
But this knowledge of God whic h
will bring sanity few to salvation
on the highest plane stands related to
Gods Word-the teachings of the Bible
for thus God exalted His Word. by
making it the channel for spiritual re-
freshmen and personal acquaintance
ship with Himself
Thus Jesus prayed for us. His fol-
lowers, "Sanctify them through Thy
Truth. Thy Word is Truth" Any
who neglect the Divine Word will fail
of the sanctifying power and thus fail
OF the ultimate acquaintanceship with
God which alone will guarantee ever
lasting life. The reason why the Lord
has thus arranged the matter and made
knowledge OF the Scriptures essential,
doubtless is that thus His faithful
people may be benefited: and they
alone receive the instruction which
will profit them alone. but would more
or less injure others. Thus 1t is written,
"Ye shall know the Truth. and the
Truth shall make you free
To this class our Lord says today, as
He said TO His Jewish followers eight
cen centuries ago. ITO you it is given
to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom
Of God, but to all outside these things
are spoken in parallels and dark say
ings, that hearing they might not I'M
derstand and seeing they might not
perceive" To the outsiders-the Doc
tors of Divinity-is not permitted the
Key Of Knowledge. Even so, Father.
for so it seemeth good in Thy sight,
Matthew XII. 20. 26.
What Constitutes the Key?
The Key Of knowledge consists OF
the faithful study of Gods Word. with
an honest purpose to know the things
that are freely given unto us of Cod
This implies q conservation of heart.
for none others would really desire
that they might do the Divine will.
And this implies also faith in our
Lords promise that He that doeth the
will Of My Father shall know of the
doctrine" John vii, ID 1t is this con-
secrated, conscientious Bible study that
! is lacking today-that is being discour-
aged today by the great teachers and
! Doctors Of Divinity. b..
Everything calculated to help Bible
study, to get rid of the darkness OF the
creedS and superstitions of the past,
is opposed-but not openly. The Doc
tors Of Divinity of our day, like those
of Jesus day, are wise and act as
though they do know But they do not
know; they oppose real Bible study
not openly, but secretly, for fear of the
people" Mark xi, 80; xii. 70 The
great religious leaders OF the Jews
were marked by our Lord as being less
conscientious, less honest, than the
masses of the people. Concerning the
people we read that Jesus was moved
with compassion when He behed the
multitude, that they were like sheep
without a shepherd
And is it not so today also? Are not
many Of Gods people hungering and
thirsting for the Truth, and greatly
perplexed and discouraged because. 60
ing time after time to the religious
leaders, they have received instead of
bread "a stone." instead of fish "a
serpent"-a false doctrine devilish
character and Plan in respect to hui
mainly! These devilish doctrines of
the Dark Ages st. Paul calls doc
trines of demons" because the demons.
the fallen angels. evidently have propa-
gated them. They are to be found
amongst all of the heathens, but no.
where in any worse form nor as bad
as amongst Christians of all denomina-
lions. Is there not therefore a great
responsibility resting upon every con-
scientiOus minister of the Gospel. that
he should step out from amongst the
mass of the Doctors of Divinity, who
are hiding the Key of knowledge and
misleading the Lords trusting sheep Of
nominal Christendom?
Impossible to Deceive the Very Elect"
AS we have already shown they can
not keep penned. nor keep asleep. nor
keep the knowledge from the sanity
ones who constitute the very elect"
Our Lord, speaking of this time. said
that the receptions would be such that
they would deceive. If possible. 1.-The
very elect" but in their case deception
will not be possible. for the True Shep-
herd Himself will help them. But, oh.
what weeping of disappointment. and
what chagrin and crashing of teeth
will come shortly to the false shep-
herds" to the Key-hiding Doctors of