River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-11

y%@9s6s9s4&8z4Ss34 @s.S5E 136:l.) Inc pastor
(CRASI0R- RUSSGgJ said in part:
Ingratitude is
one of the least eXcusable sins. But
alas. it is everywhere manifested. Rich
and poor. learned and ignorant, appear
to be growing in the spirit Of ingrati-
tude. unthankfulness, discomfort, muir
muring. And all this is in the face OF
the greatest blessings that the world
has ever known. With the dawning
of the New Era God seems to be open
ing His hand. and showering bless
ings everywhere "He Openeth His
hand and satisfieth every living thing"
except rebelliOus man. The more
blessings coming to man, the more in
telligence he attains. the less he seems
to recognize the Fountain, the Source,
of his favOrs. 1t seems paradoxical,
but yet it is true, that the day of the
greatest favors the world has ever
known is the day of the greatest in
gratitude and discomfort,
Lessons From the Brutes.
The brute creation look up to man
as their god-and properly so; for this
is the Divine arrangement, that man
should be the god to beasts, fish and
fowl. Man is in the likeness of his
Creator, who is the God of the Uni
verse. With what shame do we realiz
that the OK knoweth his owner and the
ass his masters crib, yet man ignores
his Maker, and seems bent upon for
getting Him!
There is a reason for all this. The
formation of the human brain shows
us that reverence and gratitude to God
would be the natural disposition of hui
mainly. The organs of veneratiOn
worship. spirituality, lie at the apex
Of the human constitution. In nothing
therefore could man, rightly guide
find SO much pleasure, peace and salts
faction as in the recognition of his God
and the acknowledgment of obligation
to Him. Why, then, the aversion to
God, the endeavor to forget Him? the
ignoring of His blessings and mercies,
and the attempt to account for them
nature? Why is it that the family dog
exhibits more of the spirit of loyalty
reverence, obedience and confidence in
his master than man, with higher in
tellect and capability, exercises toward
the God of all grace, the Father of
Mercies % Corinthians 1:3
"An Enemy Has Done This"
Our Lord in the parable of the Wheat
and the Tares declares that He SOwed
good seed-pure Truth, intended to
bring forth true, loyal children of God,
children of the Kingdom. He tells us
also that when the Apostles had fallen
asleep in death the enemy, Satan, over
sowed the wheat-field with tare seed
false doctrines. st. Paul designated
these doctrines Of devils" q Timothy
49, In due time the tare seed brought
forth in the Church a terrible crop of
demon doctrines, which have gone
forth to the whole world to misrepre-
sent God and His purposes.
Undoubtedly it is these doctrines of
demons that have gotten their hold in
our minds from childhoOd's hours,
which have effected such a poisonous
influence upon humanity as to drive
the masses away from God-some in
fear. some in disgust, some in total I'M
belief. Is it any wonder that intelli-
gent people should try to convince
themselves that there is no such God
as the creeds have represented? 1t is
not strange 1t really is to their credit
that they refuse to worship a being
pictured in the creeds as far worse
than the most depraved human being
that ever was born.
1t is no wonder that men try to dis
believe in a God who. they are told.
had plotted the eternal torture of the
race long before He created it, and has
made every preparation for human tor
ture to all eternity! Is it any wonder
that the world repudiates the Bible.
and desires to repudiate it, since
Christians tell US that the Bible is
the authority for all the atrocious the
cries respecting the Almighty's pur-
poses?
We need not wonder. We are mere
~ reaping in the present unbelief and
discomfort the results of the false doc
trines handed down to us, and believed
by US to be the Word of God without
the proper exercise of our heads or
hearts TO prove these and to see that
they are doctrines of devils. wholly
separate from and contrary to the
teaching of Gods Word.
His Text and Context.
Notice how contrary our text is to
everything we have been taught re-
specting the Heavenly Father. 1t
gives US the true basis for things-an
appreciation of Gods goodness: 20
give thanks unto the Lord; for He is
goodw Then follows the assurance
that Divine mercy endureth forever.
All. this is the merciful God which our
souls have hungered afterl When st.
Paul declared that the heather were
feeling after God that they might find
Him., it was this true God whose mer-