Evening star., 1913-01-18
ma@unoap @cbool Iessort
Nh Bp Kfb. .Nugt a. @tebenson.

SNhO III SNCts IthSioli VI tut WoTiu 2idu
in the beginning was not endowed with
evil In his nature. Sin entered human
nature from without. Bushnelrs descrip-
ton or sin as mans acting as he was
not made to act is a definition that IL
will be difficult TO surpass Man was cre-
ated after divine pattern with a spir-
itual constitution like God When sin
entered, man. instead of using his spir-
itual strength to build up good char
acter, perverted 1t and missed the mark
by hitting tie low and selfish when he
was made to hit the high and spiritual
Sin places self-will and selhshness
above the claims of love and duty.
Clarke tells us that .'selishness is
reasonable and rebellious in relation to
Gods government of men, and sin. in
this light, is rejection of God as love"
Man by following his personal preference
became willful instead of a willing
child of God.
Jesus taught in the lesson of the
prodigal son, who, when 'he came to
himself. returned to his father, that
In the deepest sense man is not sinful.
He always appealed to the man that
was in man. We have all felt in our
own life not only the call of the Wild"
but also the call of God The life to
which Christ called men is the normal
life for which they We're made. Sin
represented an enemy from which Christ
sought to deliver men, as was promised
Immediately after man committed his
first sin.
Through his saving power society win
eventually be saved. This lesson tells OF
the first conflict, but to John on the Isle
Of Patmos was given a revelation OF the
conclusion of the conflict. that Is now
being waged, when the devil will he
finally overthrown, man will receive
glorious deliverance and be exalted. and
the glory of God be seen in a reign OF
cheer and courage We take our place
in the battle now in progress between
' the seed of the woman and the seed or
the serpent" that started with the events
recorded in our lesson.
r. x
Exposure, Examination, Expulsion.
The consequences of their sin came
rapidly. for man was corrupted through
the one closest to his heart. Their sin
found them out The worlds greatest
detective made an exposure of their con-
ditio4 Sin had separated their souls
froYfthe fellowship of God. The naked
ness that overwhelmed them was not
of the body, but the reflex Of their
spiritual condition that filled them with
shame. Their one sinful act gave their
conscience a voice that ii did not have
before.
just as pain makes us conscious OF our
our souls. Conscience makes towards
of ALL, giving us a sense OF shame,
revealing what We are without a revela-
tion of what God is to us. They sought
10 cover their iniquity. but only the man.
tie of Gods grace can cover a sinners
sin and blot out our sinful record. We
STILL by our inferior methods of service.
seek salvation. which is a gift of God
promised at the time of mans first sin.
Sin ar-af cd the Solfl from the Snirif-
ual fellowship that man had enjoyed.
God did not desert them, but drew near
to recall them for communion with Him.
They sought to hide themselves. False
views of God caused them 10 seek seclu-
sion. when God called 'Aoam. where art
thou?" There was a two-fold purpose
in that summons. First to an eNamina-
ton that would precede judgment and
then to mercy.
He refused to answer as many do to-
day. who will finally be compelled to APP
pear before Him at the great court OF
eternity, when it will be too late to OBJ
tain mercy. Gods call showed that they
were lost because of their sinfulness
and suggests that His love for them was
prompting Him to offer them mercy and
pardon. The Holy Spirit is still calling
us, even when We are fattering ourselves
that We are seeking His face We may be
hiding behind the pillars of the sane
tuary. The spiritual presence of God is
being lost sight OF today by multiplicity
of services, religious discussion. diner-
ences and debates. The manifold ac-
tivities of the age do not give US tirae
to be alone to see and know God.
We have no more excuse than did
Adam, who sought to shift the blame
upon Eve and God. who gave her to him.
We are apt to blame every one except
ourself. Our sin is our own. evil and fa-
tai, even if IL transmutes itself into an
angel of light. Although the confession
was cowardly defense, yet God found in
it a basis for mercy. The woman was
to suffer pain. yet through suffering the
highes qualities of the soul have been
evoked. The man was sentenced to toll
but the necessity of toll has proven to be
one of the richest blessings of life. The
entrance even of death has been of help
full ministry. for il has made man more
tender so that the image that has been
effaced by sin has been restored and men
have linked with the unseen and eternal
God through the success of the conflict
then between the seed of the
woman and the seed of the serpent that
separate the world into two classes
We must follow the conquering Christ
If wish to be on the winning side. He
alone can restore the fellowship broken
by sin. which was the gravest result that
came from mans first sin. The expulsion
from the garden followed because man
,ould not be left consistently i'm abode OF
innocence. He had gained knowledge at
he expense of moral integrity that gave
him fellowship with God, We face the
question whether society in sef-defense
ought not to prevent the marriage of de-
ectives and degenerates and all with
hereditary taints that will be transmitted
o posterity. The result of sin eventually
viii bring exclusion. God not only sent
hem forth. but He prevented their return
~ an obstacle that could not be evaded.
rhe human conscience shuts sinful men
rom the fellowship of the God. who in
loly love creates, sustains and orders all.
The salvation of Christ counteracts the
orces of sin and makes il possible for
nan 20 regain his true relationship with
iod Jesus secured liberty for every
of sin. procured for them
life and restored the sinner to
he loving sympathy with God. The grave
esults of sin have been done away with
or all WIN Ia faith in IaSuS Christ a