Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-07-05

IfEzA port one of his ad-
~ dresses, on tn
IA #E text. Were there
lPAST(9R PtJSSflIll not ten cleansed?
but where are the
nine? Only ore hath returned to give
glory to God Luke 1917, 49,
tiIeprosy. said the Pastor, has long
been regarded as incurable, and there
fore used as an illustration of sin.
which also is lincurable. As only the
Masters word could heal leprosy, so
only n Divine remedy can cure sin. In
olden times lepers were required to
separate themselves from others, and
whenever approached to cry, I'm
cleanf so sinners by Divine decree
are isolated from the pure the holy
The Pastor then reminded dis hear
ers that humanity constitutes but a
small proportion of Gods great family.
amongst whom are angels, cherubim.
seraphim. etc, who always have fel-
lowship with God and with each other.
But while the Scriptures declare that
mankind are sinners by heredity, all
do not appreciate their condition, nor
cry aloud. unclean! God wishes each
to realize that he comes short of the
Divine standard of perfeetion-of what
Sod would bless with everlasting life.
While the Bible declares that all are
sinners, yet 1t does not professionally
say there is no difference. 1t does say,
however. that the slightest degree OF
sin means that we are sinners; and
that the person with the least faint
would need the Savior-need to be
cleansed. Each must see his sin and
cry. uncleanl Lord. save, or l perish
Many of us. said the Pastor. when
reading our Bibles forgot that perish
means to die. to lose life. Nothing In
the wor. signifies to be tortured to all
eternity, Tho wages of sin is death, 7"
Observation-Disclosures. If you please
Had God not made provision for mans
recovery. there would have been no
future life for the race. Death would
have been as hopeless state as lepro-
sy is hopeless disease, from which
there is no recovery.
Jesus the Good Physician.
Jesus alone can cure this leprosy Of
sin. God has so arranged the matter
as the penalty OF sin upon mankind
means death. so whoever would re-
deem adams ace must be prepared to
nay his penalty before he could be as
sisted legally, justly. None of Adams
race could serve as a redeemer, be-
cause all were. born In sin, and there
fore as subject to the penalty as Adam
himself. Nor could any be born sin
less, because the life of the race came
from Adam,
whoever would redeem mankind
must have lie separate from that OF
Adam, and be willing to sacrifice 1t on
Adams behalf. Any of the angels
could have become mans redeemer,
had God made them the proposition
and any had CHOSEN to accept it, But
He gave the 4rst opportunity to the
very highest Of His creatures. His
Only Begotten Son-the Logos, Of
whom it is written that He was the
Beginning of the creation Of God the
Eirst-born of eiery creature.
Pastor Russell then showed conclu-
siyey that not even Jehovah Himself
could demand that one holy creature
should die to redeem humanity; and
that II the Loabs had chosen not to ac-
cept the Fatheas proposition, it doubt
less would have been extended to 9th
ers. But suchiwas the Sons love and
loyalty that to know Gods will was to
further 1t cheesfulIy. st. Paul explains
that the Redqemer's faithfulness and
Loyalty In doing Gods will to the ex-
tent of laying down the human life be
came Che basis Of His stiH higher ex-
altation-above His prehuman condi-
ton. Thus Jesus has been qualified to
be made q Prince and a Savior, able
to grant forgiveness TO all who come
unto the Father through Him.
What Sim Forgiveness Means.
Forgiveness iof sins has two aspects.
az the cancel alton of the legal con
demnation; and (2) the recovery of tho
sinner from ,liis degradation Jesus
SdIhe INTO lHe tfOIlu 10 accomplish pQln
these results. ! BY His death He could
legally satisfy, Divine Justice, giving
His life as inst FAD Of Adams forfeited
life. Then, raised from the dead, with
plenitude Of power, He would use that
power for the recovery OF mankind
from the mental, moral and physical
degradation brought about by sin.
The Pastor then showed two classes
Of sinners saved The mass Of man
Kind will need the severe lessons OF
Messiah's Kingdom to show how obedi.
ence to God sin bring a gradual re
covery from sin and death back to per.
lection. The ether class is the Church
Of the Gospel Age His text well IL
luEtratas these two clac1es Of sinners.