Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-29
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Bp Keb. .Rugb a. Stebenson.


have been presented in the lessons for
the quarter. Others will find the study
OF the great characters that have been
the subject of our study will be the osf
profitable. In the record of the word'I
childhood and the beginnings of thu
fundamental facts and forces that have
shaped human history. We have found
nothing complete in the four epochs that
We're outlined in our studies.
Genesis is the record Of the commence
ment and not the completion 81 Gods
activity in the working out OF His pro-
gram Tor men. Moses traced back all
events to their origin and recorded in
Genesis the spiritual source Of all history.
q secret not discovered in the same lofty.
beautiful and elevating character In any
OF the other records and concealed by
nature in her autobiography. The purpose
of God was thwarted by the introduction
or sin. The entrance of evil furnished,
however background for the picture OF
divine grace that was revealed irnme-
diately after the fall and that eliminated
in the flood, when God sought to purify
the world from sin. The first five lessons
taught us the facts concerning the crea-
ton, corruption and condemnation OF
man.
x x x
Creation, Corruption, Condemnation.
According to Genesis, Back of all
things, before all things, above all things
stands God. the great First Cause.
the Creator" The time when He com
menced and the methods by which
He carried on tho work Of crea-
ton have been omitted, while the fact
that the universe is the product OF tho
VIII, word and work of God is stated.
Science corroborates the Bible, testifying
that all its data prove that all things
are created. The three points where alb
solute creation is introduced in Genesis,
namely, the origin OF matter, life and
man, are the three points where the
modern champions of evolution find il
impossible to make the connection"
Man, the crown Of creation. having been
made In the likeness Of God. possessed a
spiritual power that gave him pre-
eminence over all creation, failed when
put to the test in the garden. Man could
not develop spiritual character without
passing through the tests that would try
him. Man in the beginning was not
endowed with evil in his nature Sin
entered from without because man in
stead of using his spiritual strength to
Dulio up. good character perverted II
and missed the mark by hitting the
low and selfish, acting as man was not
made to act.
The consequences of sin came rapidly
not only to the individual sinners. but
10 their descendants, who were corrupted
by their parents sin. that registered
itself in the sin of Cain and brought on
the deluge that visited men as a judg-
ment for their sin. Amid all the evil
dence OF Gods hatred for sin we saw the
evidence of His love for the sinner
Driven from the garden. He protected
Adam and Eve. Condemning Cain and
banishing him, He gave him a sign that
all men would respect and preserve. as a
result, his life when in danger
X X x X
Covenants, Commando, Communion.
The agreement that God made with
Noah, like all of His covenants, was q
progressive development of His ORIGINAL
and second compact of friendship made
with Adam in the garden before and
after the fall Human history started
under the new basis that made new pro-
vision for man and placed him under new
laws, that supplied man with new mo-
tives to enable him to work out Gods
program for the race. The characteristics
mark of the new era was the direct APP
peal of spiritual motives to the moral
nature Of man. Just as the former test
ing OF the redemption as the law failed
IN the family OF Adam. SO the second
ditions failed. ending In Babel, SO that
the way of faith, was inaugurated.
The call of Abraham. marking the
starting point of mankind's spiritual his
tory. introduced us to the Mesopatamian
sheik that became the friend of God and
the father of all those who live the life
or faith. He taught the world the char
acter of God. He found that the way OF
the divine command that required his
separation from all his home ties in Ur
of the Chaldees.
The development OF the character OF
Abraham. until he became more and
more susceptible to the highest possible
motives, has proven helpful to our own
spiritual development. The noble mag
nanimity when he refused to become
party to a conflict with Lot and his
unselfish devotion to the nephew's inter-
est, after he had wronged him, showed
the spirit of God to US.
The message of the lessons for the
quarter contained the revelation OF not
only the fundamental facts concerning the
religious life among men, but they
placed before US the character of God
He is the unchanging One that watches
oyer us as He did our fathers He will
treat us as He treated them. II We
live lives In harmony with His will,
obeying His commands, we too shall enjoy
in the new covenant. that was symbol
lied by the offer of Isaac, sealed by the
blood Of Christ, the everlasting cove
nant that gives us pardon for our sins.
peace with God. power for service and
the promise of a paradise with him
hereafter.
.tOur fathers trusted in Thee: They
trusted, and Thou didst deliver them
deliver US; even from the bondage OF
death. because Christ died for us and
won the victory over the grave for all
who would believe in Him. The mission OF
Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus Christ
We also find in Christ the basis of our
hope and the foundation of our faith.
The moral factor that we saw COM
nencing in Genesis we shall ind develop
ng in our future studies until it comes
10 the supreme revelation in Jesus
Christ OUR risen Lord and Savior.