The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-09-20

perYerC the IOSpel OF sSHTlSt. 7F-.ss'.s-,"
let him be accursed." Galatians i. 6S,
When We remember that there is but
the>one Lord. one Faith one Baptism.
presented in the Bible we are astound-
ed to find so many faiths. so many
Gospels" presented by so many de-
nominations. all hearing the name Of
Christ and all bearing marks of some
relationship to the Truth-to the Di-
vine Revelation.
st. Paul noted the fact that even In
his day the brethren in Galatia had
80 soon" turned away. in part at least,
from the true Message to another. a
peryersion. No wonder. then. If during
fifteen centuries that Gospel was al
most buried under human tradition.
And need we. wonder that we make
such slow progress since in getting
back to "the faith once delivered to
the saints" the Truth that Jesus de-
clared to be the. sanctifying power of
God working in His people? <7':,
1t will not do to say that we have
many denominations, but only one Cos
pei. Denominations were not organ
lied for amusement, but because the
founders of each believed that they
I saw sufficient reason, sufficient diff
ference of Gospel, to Justify them IN
forming new sect We are bound to
admire their zeal for the Truth, which
led them often through severe persecu-
tions and through martyrdom towards
the Light
All the same each of us owes the
duty to himself. to his brethren, and
above all. to the Lord. to search care
fully for the original Gospel of the
Word of God--no matter what it may
cost him to reject the more or less false
Gospels handed down by weIl-meaning
brethren of the past. ..,,,.t
The Galatians New Gospel. ssg
The new Gospel which the Galatians
were disposed to accept was one that
is very prevalent today. and is as much
to be reprehended today as when ST
Paul wrote, Their new Gospel cons
sisted of a mixing Of the Jewish Law
With the Grace OF God in Christ, as
the Apostle shows. They said. Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. surely; He
is the Savior. He is the 'Redeenser: we
must believe ON Him. but that Is not
enough. We must become Jews under
their Law arrangement. and between
the Law and Christ we will obtain sal.
vation. Many Christians today are
making the same uiistnkes of adding
something to the Gospel Of Christ
They hunger for some command. i and
desire TO be under Il Law, AS a dog
used TO wearing a collar and chfilntfeeIs
not himself unless thus restra iHed.o s-E
Such dear Christian people. like the
Galatians, do not fully appreciate the
Masters statement. IF tho Son shall
make you free, We shall be free indeed"
Such feel lost without Divine COM
mands-Thon shalt. Thou shalt not
etc.-and rejoice specially in holy days
and Sabbaths. Church going and formal
prayers. because they do not under
stand that God is better pleased to
have US sons than to have us slaves.
The poet got the thought correctly
when he wrote, .....r -.....
I'VE can no longer lie .E.s .
..,.- Like slaves beneath the Throne,
Our souls now Abba, Father cry.
And He the kindred owns @,yk -
A measure of bondage" to forms.
ceremonies and commands is probably
reasonable to expect in immature
Christians, whom St Paul styles
''babes in Christ" Il Corinthians, III. ~
Rut growth in grace and knowledge
must bring such more nearly to the
stature of manhood In Christ and to
an appreciation of their relationship to
God as sons. else they will not make
their calling and election sure to the
best things that God has provided.
The Soeial-UpIift False Gospel.
From the most prominent pulpits OF
Christendom the Gospel of Christ re-
speeding the forgiveness Of individual
sin, the reconciliation of the individual
heart, the individual begetting of the
Holy Spirit. and the personal walk in
newpess of life has been discarded.
Long ago this Message was considered
too personal. Many Of the preachers.
having had no such experience them
selves properly enough were chary of
talking about what they did not I'M
derstand. But salaries must go on.
Sermons, therefore, must be preached.
and something must be said The
Social. Gospel has been brought for
ward to fll the gap The message Of
the hour, according to this pseudo
Gospel. Is not saintliness. not follow
ing, In the footsteps Of Jesus. not Bible
study. but athletics. manliness. posi-
ton In society, attention to poltica
duties. attainment of honorable posi-
tons In the world, and great names
which will make the Church register
shine-and money withal /.
Far be 1t from me to teach inatten
tion to- the duties and responsibilities
of life. Nothing in the words Of Jesu:
or the Apostles admonishes or exempi
f1es careiessness In respect to health
manhood. womanhood. education, goo(
name and proper provision Of thu
things needful to the present life. The
Gospel of Jesus and the Apostles. how
ever. tells us-most distinctly impresse.
upon all the followers of Jesus-tha
their cOnsecration as disciples of Jesu.
means their death to worldly ambition.
for wealth. praise of men. politica
Office and the giving OF chief concern
TO the preservation of their 1earthl,