The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-14

the spring " 1910, after Mr.. Travis had
recovered from a serious spell of ILL
ness due, he said. to the tainted oys-
ters he had eaten on the Louisville and
Nashville dining car. The amount of
damages asked for was 1899. and the
lower court first rendered a judgment
for $500. On motion of the defendant
this judgment was set aside, and an
appeal was taken to the supreme court.
The decision of the higher court was
written by Associate Justice Edward
de Graffenried, who held that while
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the people in a time of trouble, causing
them great vexation and worry as to the
outcome The Lords heart, however, will
be full of love and sympathy for the poor
groaning creation, for whom He died, and
in whose interests His kingdom will be
established. The time of trouble in the
beginning of Messiah's reign will evident
ly be for the very purpose of preparing
the hearts of mankind for the blessings
which He is willing to bestow.
Many Stripes and Few Stripes
When Jacobs sons arrived with the
wheat, they told their experience to him.
They explained why Simeon was not with
them. Moreover, they were perplexed to
fnd that the money they had paid for
the wheat was returned in each sack.
Their minds continually reverted to the
crime of years ago, in connection with
their brother Joseph. Many times had
they reaped crops of sorrow and surmis
ings respecting what the providence of
just God might ultimately exact from
them in the nature of trouble, similar to
that which they had brought upon Joseph
How advantageous 1t would be to hui
manity If this principle were generally
recognized-if all realized that every
trespass must receive just recompense
of reward! We have lost such an appre-
citation of justice and such looking for q
righteous retribution because of a very
false doctrine which has become preva-
lent. That false doctrine ascribes only
one punishment for every sin, and this an
unthinkable one-eterna1 torment. Few
really believe that doctrine or are really
influenced by It, Its monstrosity makes
it unbelievable and turns the mind aside
from the proper view of the punishments
which God has foretold.
1t is impossible for humanity to i'm
prove upon the divine arrangement.
Hence all Christians should begin afresh
to tell the world Of both the justice and
the love of God-that Gods just penalty
against sin is death, but that He has
made provision through Christ for a re-
lease from that penalty, during Christ s
millennial reign. Then every member OF
Adams race will be granted full OPP
portunity of reconciliation with God and
of restoration to the image and likeness
of God. lost by Adams s sin.
Meantime each has a responsibility in
respect to his every word. act and
thought. To whatever extent he sins
against knowledge and the golden rule to
a OF pt ha doc bis oh a or
makes his opportunity for return to the
image of God more difficult. According to
this divine rule, the millennium may find
heather people more ready to go up on
the highway of holiness than are peoplpe
of so-called Christian lands. The latter
have sinned against greater knowledge,
have scared their consciences more
deeply.
Jacobs Gray Hairs for Sheol
When Jacob heard that Benjamin must
go on the next expedition for wheat, he
declared that it must not be. Joseph was
gone, and If now he should lose Benja-
min, the grief would bring down his gray
hairs quickly to Sheol-the tomb--the
death state.
In our common version English Bible
Sheo is repeatedly translated hell, pit
and grave In olden times these three
words were synonymous. When the re-
vised version was in preparation, the
Learned men charged with that work re-
fused to translate sheol by the word hell,
which has lost its original meaning and
has come to mean place of torture.
No such meaning attaches to the Hebrew
word sheol. So these scholars decided
to leave the Hebrew word and its Greek
equivalent hades untranslated. Our Bap-
tist friends have recently met with SIM
liar difficulty. and have translated these
words as 1.-The underworld" OF course
the grave, the tomb, the death state,
may be thus indicated. and none can find
fault
1t is needless TO say that Jacob did
not mean his sons to understand that he
expected to go TO eternal torment. His
meaning is evidently: MY sons, I am
old and gray. To lose my youngest son
would hasten my death-bring my gray
hairs down to sheol-the tomb
Our Golden Text Lesson
Although st. Paul made a general OBJ
servation to the effect that we reap what
we SOW, the context shows that these
words apply direcly to the church. Chris
tians are assured that conservation to
be dead with Christ is not sufficient. On
the contrary, God cannot be trif1ed with.
IL God has entered into a covenant with
us. nothing else than our agreement will
stand.
Christians covenant to sacrifice all
earthly interests. that they may become
heirs with Jesus of the incorrupti5le
things beyond the veil, as spirit beings,
Jas new creatures. The apostle says, ''Je
that soweth to the flesh, shall of the
flesh reap corruption" BY this he means
that If any consecrated Christian shall
live after the flesh, according to its de-
sires, its leadings, its promptings. its ap
petites, he shall die-the second death.
On the other hand, IL he live according
to the new creature. in harmony with his
covenant of conservation. this would de-
eide the matter In his favor. The more
faithful we are, the fewer slips we shall
make, the more like our Redeemer we
shall be- and the brighter our reward.
Every word. every thought, every act
has a bearing upon the great result.
Hence, as the apostle says all such