The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-09

10
over you terror.
consumption, and
the burning
l3AsIQ& RgSSElll ,plague, that which
= consumeth Lbe-
forel the eyes, and causetb sorrow of
heart" Ills topic was chosen in har-
muny with the general movement
against consumption. the white plague,
which he declared Is annually sweep
luz more millions to the grave than
are all the wars OF all the world.
True, the Pastors Divine commits
sion is to preach the Gospel. Never.
theless, since the Gospel Is the Good
Message Of the Divinely arranged re-
covery from sin and death. be consld-
cred it emlnently proper to ;clli htten-
ton to the rayages OF the white plague
as a part Of the penalty OF sin. He
would not IN this be understood as
meaning that all consumptives are
especially sinners. Some of the most
sanity Of God's people have died OF
consumption and other ailments. Inc
Isedcemer is credited with having died
Of II rupturcd heart, n disease not I'M
known to medical practitioners
The speaker declared that much con-
fusion prevails amongst Christian peo-
ME respecting sickness and health. 1t
seems only logical for us to reason that
God wishes Ills creatures to be healthy
and happy always, especially such as
seek to live in harmony with Hin.
True. we have received the Bible In
struction that sickness is q part OF
death; that deatfEis the Divine curse.
or sentence, or Penalty. for sin; that
sin entered the world through the dis
obedience OF our first parents; and that
all mankind therefore are under the
curse. or sentence OF death, Of which
sickness is merely n forerunnner-the
dying process.
Still it seems natural for US to think
that after we turn from sin and con-
secrate our lives to God, He would re-
lleve us of the penalties of sin and re-
store us fully to His original favor-to
human perfection and to everlasting
life and to happy conditions When we
And that some Of the best Of Gods
people, Including the Savior, the; Apos-
Ties and the Prophets, have suffered
even unto death, and that none are I'M
nune from this penalty, a perplexity
takes possession of our minds which
only the Bible sets straight.
Tho Old Covenant and tho New.
God first announced to Abraham His
ultimate purpose of blessing the world
releasing them from the curse Of sin
and death. He did not explain how
this would be done, except that 1t
would be accomplished by Abrnham's
posterity. orseed. Four hundred and
thirty years later God proposed to the
Israelltes thNt'if they wished to inner
lit the Promise made to Abraham, the
door was open for them. God entered
into a Covenant with them at Mount
Sinai, through Moses, the medtator.
lin that Covenant God agreed to eer7
tain things, and Israel to other things!
Israel agreed to keep the Divine Law
perfectly; and God agreed that II they
would do so, He would bless them with
everlasting life. and open the way by
which they might be the savlors Of the
world, to help all out from under the
curse and back to the favor of God. s.
But Israel failed to keep the Divine
requirements perfectly, as God fore
knew they would. Hence they never
gained everlasting life for themselves,
but died like other men. Hence, also.
they were not able to be the worlds
uplifters from sin and death. Later.
God explained to them TINT q greater
than Moses would come; namely, Mes
slab. who would so help, strengthen
and upllft from sin and death select
Seed OF Abraham that such, with Him,
would be qualified to constitute the
hluEuOLl VI nOu-luG luhhS I"'~'
which God would use in putting down
sin and Satan, ignorance and wrong,
and in lifting up mankind under the
Law Covenant renewed.
Our text is n part OF Coils message
to Israel, In which Ele assured them
that II they would keep the Law they
should have all the blessings Of Els
favor In their earthly lives; but u
they were disobedient, various sick
hesses would come upon them us
chastisemeuts. AS for the other na-
tious Of the world. they were not In
covenant relationship with Gcd, and
were subject to the mutations of their
dying condition.
Only with the Israclites was con.
sumption specially stated to be the
penalty for sin, and only the Israelites
were promised Immunity from these
sicknesses on condition that they
would live In obedience. to the Divine