Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-05-14

WOIlu WIS bp GUN
49,. made 1t, so thai
his own lips could pronounce upon the
labor of his hands, very good?" Is not
this what it still Is to the unregener
ate heart, that refuses to recognize
the ruin wrought by sin? Yes, the
heart that has no ties elsewhere; that
has not tasted the powers Of the
world to come" nor seen the glorious
realities of things eternal, finds 1t fail
and pleasant still.
But alas! this pleasant world has
become valley Of the shadow Of
death, for behold! at the very gate Of
Main, proclaiming its real condition
a dead man is carried out. Death Is
the way out of the world still, and
death is the awful shadow over it
Death reigned from Adam to Moses,
and reigns today, the world, with all
its boosted wisdom, having found nc
remedy for it. On every portal, death
with relentless hand, has carved his
telltale crest, and upon all creation
he has placed his stamp. THE world
passeth away"
This is the scene into which Christ
has come, as here he comes to Main
came with life and salvation and open
ing heaven to the lost of the earth
What sorrows, too, are in fair Main!
Behold this widow weeping for her
only son, and much people in the city
following and weeping with her. For
sin has brought not only death, but
multitude of sorrows, into the
world. However fair it may be, how
ever beautiful the names by which II
may be called, however much 1t may
furnish the natural heart with pleas
ure-sorrow remains the great fact
of human life. The great sea of life
is salty with human tears, and the
signing of the wind is the echo OF
the threnody Of broken hearts. 1.-THE
whole creation groaneth and travail
eth in pain together until now"
But the Man of Sorrows draws nigh
and Main must answer to it's name
With him at its gate, all is changed,
and we see the divine remedy for all
the ills brought In by sin.
/. When Jesus saw her, he was
moved with compassion Yes it was
compassion that brought him down
to save, compassion for my lost es-
tate, compassion for the helpless mis-
cry to which sin reduced me. Moved
with compassion at my tears for sin,
he has come to my help
6ApI bo cotd ,,,f<, ~ D1..yt
don't cry!" Who is this stranger
breaking in upon her grief with his
tender sympathy? Can he quench
those tears? Has he balm for that
broken heart? Yes, he has, and he
freely gives 1t; and in doing SO gives
us a picture of all his finished work.
The Christ of Calvary will make good
his every word.
3. He touched the bier!" Touch
1t he must IL his word Is to have power
over it. He must die. If he would
have to say to death, Where is thy
sting?"
The sting of death is sin" and he
must be made sin for u.s. to take
away that sting. He must taste
death for every man." who is to arise
from it at his word He must 60 into
1t in order to triumph over it. and
"forasmuch as the children are par
takers of flesh and blood, he likewise
himself, also took part Of the same,
that through death he might
deliver them who through fear OF
death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage" Christ, being raised
from the dead. dieth no more; death
hath no more dominion over him.
But he has dominion over 1t, and thus
he touches the bier.
In Israel 1t meant defilement to
come in contact with death. But Je-
sds must touch it. yet remain unde-
filed.
4. And having touched 1t he can saw.
and his word stand fast, Young man.
! say unto thee, Arise
And these words, which In a thou
sand tongues, he is repeating in the
esrs of the multitudes dead in tres
passes and SINS" Know, o man with
out Christ, that this young man at
Mains gate is your picture. Dweller
In Nain--in world still "fairn to the
eye but upon which sin has brought
an awful curse-you are dead.
5. And he that was dead sat IN
and began to speak" Hath he said
and shall he not do it, hath he spoken
and shall he not make it good?'
o soul, hast thou heard his voice !?
Hast thou sat up out of thine awful
death In trespasses and sins, "a new
creation" in Christ Jesus? Hast thou
begun to speak with new tongue in
the language they speak in heaven?
All hail, hearer Of Jesus voice. They