The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-12
MANkATO FREE PRESS

must have been consccratcd to Him.
else they were not accepted as His dis
ciples as He said. The charge which
the Apostle directed to be given to the
brethren possessing wealth Is stated.
shat they do good. that they be rich
In good works. ready to distribute (fOr
the necessities of Others), willing to
communicate" tliberally: willingtO share
with others of the brethren as mem
bers of community. somewhat along
the lines Of Christian cOmmuniSm).
The effect OF so doing. the Apostle
states. would be laying up I'm store
for themselves good foundation
against the time to come. The word
foundation here is used in the same
sense as when we say that wealthy
man gave foundation of a million
dollars for a college. His present con-
stituteS the foundation or basis for the
carrying out of the college plans and
arrangements.
Thus u Christian who generously uses
In the Lords service his financial
stewardship is laying foundation for
the future-a foundation for his spir-
itual wealth. and the more of time and
influence and wealth any of US can lay
up thus in doing good in forwarding
the interests of the brethren and the
Lords work. the more are we pfling up
our treasures i'm heaven and lessening
those on earth. Ar the advantage of
this procedure is that II helps to center
our hearts on things above. and TO wean
them from the things &c the earth for
where our treasures are there VIII our
hearts be also. And thus, Says the
Apostle. we will be able to lay hold on
eternal life." now protfered TO us.
Like Unto Your Father.
a. 1t helps Gods intelligent children to
follow in the narrow way and To
learn the lessons Of the present life. it
they can see the principles involved.
and how the lessons in the School Of
Christ are advantageous. For instance.
many at first are inclined to say, Il do
not see how it will make any differ
ence to the Lord what | do with my
money. my talents. my influence. He
Is rich. He needs nothing. Moreove'.
If any are. needy. He is quite able to
supply their needs without in ne
slightest degree impoverishing Him: If.
Why, then. should He desire His chill
dren, who are far from rich In the
worlds estimation. to use their little
talents of time and money and fntiu.
ence. and why make this u test for
them, which will determine whether or
not they shall attain to the Kingdom at
all. and If they attain at all. whether
they shall be amongst the greatest or
amongst the least in the Kingdom
What is the philosophy of it,"
The philosophy is this: Man as orig
inally created. in the Divine likeness,
was tender-hearted. sympathetic. 1t
| was after sin entered the world and
the strife for a living began that self
ishness gradually became the FREEDOM
inant influence, producing hard heart
edness-carelessness of the interests OF
Others--self-lOve. - Il
Take Away the Stony Heart. -
God proposes that during the thou
sand years of Messiah's reign the hard
heartedness OF our race shall gradual
ly be dissolved. Satan will he bound
and his alurements will be ended.
The curse will be lifted. the earth will
yield it's increase. the thorns and this
ties will give place. and SO will the
pests The stress being lifted from
mankind it will be easier for him to
learn the lessons of love and brother
hood. and to rise up out of his present
condition Of meanness and hard heart
edneSS, sefishness-back to the gl0-
rious image of God in which man was
created. This will mean the dissolving
Of the stony-heartedness Of our race;
or. as the Scriptures put it. the Lord
will take away the stony heart out of
their flesh. and give them heart OF
fiesh-a heart of sympathy. All under
that favorable condition who will re-
fuse to return to harmony with God,
and to the likeness of God. will be de-
stroyed from amongst the people fn
the Second Death.-Acts iii. 1923.
But while such restitution under
the favorable conditions of the Mes
sianic Kingdom is Gods provision for
the world. He has different provision
for the Church. now being called. test
ed, proven. By nature our hearts are
hard and selfish: and. as the Apostle
says. I'VE were children Of wrath.
even as Others" The fact that God
has called US to joint-heirship with
His Son in the glorious Kingdom that
Is shortly to bless the world does not
signify that He will accept US in our
present condition of hard-heartedness
and selfishness.
On the contrary. If we are to be the
kings, priests and judges Of the world.
in association with our Lord and Head,
the great King, we can readily see
that we ourselves must get rid of this
condition before we could be properly
capable Of helping the world up out Of
its hard heartedness.
I'VE Walk by Faith"
In various respects the Lords deal
ings with His called Church at the
present time are different from what
His dealings will be with the world
nv and nv This ia hecauSa OurS is so