The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-17

the worlds conversion to the Lord, the
second, error was in respect to iohGt
t00nld happen TO the toOrtd il they were
not converted to the Lord. When the
erroneous idea gained credence that
everyone who does not accept the in
vitation and become Il member Of the
Bride of Christ is to be eternally tor
mented. can we wonder that it led
many good people to II frenzy of error
respecting what should be done to
save their families and neighhurs and
the heather millions from supposed
eternity Of torture:
1t was because Of this supposed ur-
gency that those coming to belief In
Jesus were eXh0rted not 10 st0p to feed
and to grow strong in the Lord and to
study His Word. but to be moved by q
frenzy of zeal to bring others to the
Lord. This frenzy in turn led to most
unreasonable teachings and practices
which We are only now gradually get
ting rid OF as we realize that a great
mistake was made.
How strange that we did not stop to
think of the absprdity OF our position
and how it misrepresented the Heav-
emily Father In most detestabe light!
How strange that any should ever
think that when the Heavenly Father
sent out the call to those who have
the hearing ear, to joint-heirship with
Jesus Christ their Lord, He would
consign to eternal torment any who
would decline to accept the admittedly
stringent rules and conditions appertain-
ing to this "call''-the marrow way"
of the footsteps of Jesus-self denial,
etc.!
Well do the Scriptures assure us that
the saints "wrestle not with flesh and
blood merely" but rather with wick
ed spirits In high positions" Of infiu-
ence. (Ephesiuns vi, H.. Well does
the Apostle tell us that it is the God
Of this Age who hath blinded the
minds of those who believe not. I'll
Corinthians iv. a., Well can we see
how he put light for darkness and
darkness for light during the Dark
Ages.
Another Lesson We May Learn.
We must not leave our text without
| calling to memory a most wonderfully
Instructive lesson concerning the prop
err way to reprove and rebuke our
brethren when the same is surely nee
essary. So far as the record shows. the
three Inquiries which our Lord made
of st. Peter respecting his love for Him
were the only rebukes ever given him
as an offset. or punishment for his
shameful denial of the Master on the
night In which He was betrayed.
Had many of us been In the Masters
place we would have felt that 1t was
necessary to make st. Peter very num-
bly apologize before we would have
anything further to do with him. we
would have been inclined to speak OF
his weakness. of his ingratitude. or
how he. knew better, ETC.. etc. Our
sense of justice would in many In
! stances have entirely Overshadowed
our sense of mercy and sympathy.
But not so with the Master. He knew
the loyalty of st. Peters heart. He
knew that he had already gone out
and wept bitterly over the matter
He knew what sense OF shame
would be upon him and how much
courage it would mean for him to
think at all of meeting the Master
whom he had denied.
Surely 1t was ON account OF this
sympathy for st. Peter and this appre-
citation of the tendency he would have
to become entirely discouraged that led
our Lord to mention st. Peter first
amongst the Apostles on the morning
of His resurrection, saying to Mary. to
whom He first appeared, go and tell
My disciples and Peter'-don't let Pc
ter think that he is an outcast. Let
him know that think of him and love
him and sympathize with him and
have forgiven him. because | know he
did 1t under stress. 49,
We Should Copy tho Masters Methods.
And if our Lord and Master has set
us such an example Of benevolence
and forgiveness without request. how
are we learning this lesson? To what
extent do we forgive others their
trespasses and to what extent do we
go more than half way to let them
know that we harbor no resentfu feel
ings toward them? To what extent do
we send them word that we think of
them kindly, generously? And when
the appropriate time comes and 1t is
proper for something to be said can
we not take lesson from the Redeem
er's loving fOrbearance and gentleness
in His merely asking the erring one IL
he had proper kind Of love. and
when he confesses special love. then
to ask him If he were sure that he had
the special lOreS
No doubt our success as the Masters
servants In feeding the brethren. the
flock. and helping instead of hindering
them. will be In proportion as we re-
member and copy His style and meth
DDS. So. then. while feeding His flock,
let us have continually before us the
great Shepherds example of how the
flock should be dealt with
THIRD DISTRICT CLUB WOMEN