Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-02-19

see him cure Peters aged mother or
a fever. and there spend the afternoon
in quiet and rest. Towards sunset
we see the people of the village bring
ing to him a great number of sick
folks on whom he lays his hands n
heals. Thus Jesus spent one OF the
days of his life. And a busy day 1t
was.
Our lesson sets Christ forth as "one
who taught with authority, and not as
the scribes." The teaching of Jesus
struck the people like a panic. They
had been used to the dry-as-dust
teaching of the scribes. Jesus spoke
a living, not a mechanical, message.
He explained the scriptures not as a
commentator, but as the author.
Christ's message was irst-hand. He
spoke as one who knew.
The word and teaching of Jesus, not
conscience, Is the ultimate rule of
life, the final arbiter in the questions
of the soul. While we recognize that
the conscience is the vicegerent Of
God in the soul, the religious instinct
in man, yet we must admit that 1t Is
a faculty that can be warped, drugged,
misguided and silenced. Therefore, it
cannot be depended upon as an abso-
lutely correct criterion of truth and
conduct.
A man may say that he needs 10
other revelation than his own reason,
or that he will accept nothing in the
Bible saving what accords with his
reason, thereby making his reason,
and not the revelation of God, the cri-
terion of right and wrong. Inasmuch,
however, as different men have differ
ent reasons for doing, believing and
Judging things, W. become at once In
volved in a maze of conflicting stand
ards of truth and are left hopelessly
in the dark. Reason, therefore, can
not be the ultimate authority in mat
tiers of faith and practice.
When Jesus Christ has spoken,
there is nothing more to be said.
When Christ has passed his judgment.
there is no appeal from 1t. His words
are final and authoritative. Jesus
said: He that rejecteth me, and re-
ceiveth not my words. hath one that
judgeth him: the word that | have
spoken, the same shall Judge him in
the last day" Thus We see that the
word Of God is not only to be the
standard of our conduct here and
now, but the standard by which we
shall be judged hereafter.
Miracles were not the principal part
of Christ's work. They we're always
subordinate. More than once Christ
expressed the fear that men might be
tempted to make miracles the most
prominent part of his work, and thus
advertise him as a healer of mems
bodies rather than the savior of their
souls. That was the reason why
again he forbade those whom he had
healed to advertise the healing. This
Is vastly different from certain sects
today who make healing the principal
thing, and soulsaving subsidiary.
Miracles were merely incidental to
the soul.saving work of Christ.
Jesus wrought miracles merely to
prove to the people that he was the
Messiah. Indeed, the challenge 10
cast himself down from the pinnacle
or the temple was a temptation of the
devil to make Christ m%iraculously
prove to the waiting people in the
courts below that he was the Mes.
slab. This he resolutely refused to
do. Nor were his miracles performed
Tor the mere purpose Of persuading
men. They were tokens of Christ's
Willingness to relieve the distresses of
men. In SO far as Jesus was able
thus to help and relieve he felt him
self called upon so to do.
Christ's mission is ours likewise.
AS he was sent into the world BY the
rather 80 are we sent by the son.
Our fellows are bowed down with
spiritual ailments far more serious
than the physical diseases of Christ's
day. The soul has its diseases inst
as well as the body. The spiritually
blind. the moral leper. the man dead
to the things of God, all these need
the healing touch OF the Christ. II IA
the duty OF the church to see to Il
thai people thus afflicted are brought
into contact with the great physician.
Demoniacal possession was common
In the day OF Christ. Whether II ia
still In existence. whether or no man
are stu possessed OF demons, NAV be
an open question. Returned mission.
aries from China, India, and other for.
eign countries are very emphatic in
the declaration Of their belief in do.
mon possession today. Possibly some
forms of insanity may be attributed
TO this source. It may be said that
there Is nothing contrary to our pres.
eht Knowledge In the statement that
evil np'rits may and sometimes do
gain control over man, and to n preot.
or or lesser extent govern their no.
tons. There is no certainty that
such cases do not occur at the present
time, and there is much to suy,o,t
mat active agents of evil do beset the
human spirit and this Is tho most
reasonable way Of Interpreting The
tragedies of human sim and tho an.
explained remalnders' Of human no"
Modern science Is not In a position 10
deny the existence today Of demonia.
cal possession lll.temper, vice. lust,
i"asciViousness, drunkenness - these,
' Wherever found, are Indications 10