The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-04-03

nee tnat the
Scriptures explicitly DECLARE that our
Creator made man in Ills own image
and pronounced him very good. A part
Of our first parents perfection was
their desire for harmony with God;
but after Adams dlsobedience they
as a part Of the penalty Of sin. This
alienation from their Creator was
doubtless most grievous trial.
AS centuries rolled on and Adams
pOsterity became more and more de-
PRAYED. the original character. likeness
to God became indistinct In some the
desire for God is so feeble that they
are easily satisfied by pleasure or by
sensuality. Many are separated from
God through ignorance. superstition
and the doctrines Of demons. us the
Bible declares. misunderstanding our
gracious Creator. they are driven away.
and blinded by 1.-THE god Of this world"
Then the Pastor showed that with
some Of the race the desire for God
and righteousness has prevailed above
the stupefying influence of the world.
the flesh and the Devil. This class are
drawn by the natural inclination Of
their minds GOdward. and are In IA
vorable condition to hear Gods voice
speaking peace to them and pointing
them to Jesus Christ as the Way, the
Truth and the Life.
The Call Of the Gospel Age.
Next the Pastor pointed out from
Scripture the first two steps to be
| taken by those who desire to come
back into harmony with God. The first
step Is that Of faith in Jesus as their
Redeemer. Those who desire to take
It must recognize that they are sin.
ners. that Jesus death on Calvary was
sacrificial, and that Its grand outcome
will be the establishment of the Mes
sianic Kingdom for uplifting mankind
out Of sin and death conditions.
Those who have sufficient faith to
take the first step may then take the
secOnd-cOnsecratiOn. After they have
presented their all In sacrifice-time.
talent. wealth. etc.-then our Lord i'm.
putes to them individually His merit.
thus making them holy and acceptable
to God. who Immediately begets them
Of His Holy Spirit to a new nature
Thencef0rth they are New Creatures,
to whom 'Old things have passed away
and all things become new" But there
are imperfections of the nesh. which
may occasionally crop out These the
New Creature must promptly notice.
for the New Creature is the new will.
which henceforth regulates the body.
The Pastor fears that some Chris.
tiaHs have not realized what contract
they have on hand. All the consecrat-
ed. he declared. must remember that
their first obligation il to subdue them
selves. While any may. give valuable
suggestions to others, yet the response,
bility for the body rests with each as
New Creature. Some are imperfect In
one direction. others In another. There
IL none righteous (none perfectl."
The New Creatures In School.
Then the Pastor showed that those
whom God has begotten of His Holy
Spirit as New Creatures enter the
School of Christ for character-develop-
ment. There they must grow In grace.
knowledge aud love. As st. Paul ex.
plains, they must be mentally trans.
formed. made ready for the Kingdom
Of God. Thereafter matters are To be
decided. not according to their own
preferences. but according to the prin.
ciples VI justice and lovely rules al
together dldercnI.from those that for
merry regulated them.
Everything done by those in the
School Vt Christ must he squared by
the Rule Of Justice. the speaker con
tinued. Many of the Lords people cvi-
IDENTIFY have not fully realized that they
must practise the Golden Rule to the
full extent OF their ability. Failure
on the part Ut some 10 recognize this
principle, he declared. has caused the
way Of the Lord TO be spoken evil OF
sometimes. IL Christian fails 10 pay
his debts or Is careless as TO how he
involves himself. II Is because this
principle Of justice does not stand out
prominently enough before his mind
II as an old creature he has habltuaily
ignored the ilnes OF justice aud shirked
responsibilities. this will nor do for him
as New Creature.
The cultivation OF the principles OF
justice in act. word aud thought must
b. the Christians daily concern. Who
ever thinks uaIustiy Will act unIustly.
In spite Of bln,self. The New Creature
must always think OF others calmly.
without prejudice. giving them the
benefit Of every doubt