The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-04-22

from home. Weary In body, wretched
in spirit, he lies down to sleep-a
stone for his pillow; the vaulted heav
ems for his canopy. In the darkness
OF the night, the consciousness of sin
steals over him and a guilty CON
science gives uneasy rest. He felt
that the sin which separated him from
his fathers home, must separate him
from his fathers Gcd.
1t is at such times, when one Is
truly awakened to a sense Of sin IA
himself, that God can and will mani
fest his grace. Jacob had no sense
OF worthiness; on the contrary, his
conscience condemned him as guilty
sinner before God. It was then that
God broke open the heavens and out
of the depths Of love disclosed the
ladder OF grace which reached the
man in need; at its summit God, sur
rounded by the glory and brightness
OF heaven; at its base. poor wayward
Jacob, shrouded in darkness; and as.
cending and descending, the angels Of
Gcd. Is not this true picture OF Gods
grace as manifested through Christ
who Is the ladder reaching from Coz
to needy man.
Loved ones at the Bottom.
Years ago, an explosion in a coal
mine hurried many souls into eternity.
A great crowd gathered, appalled, by
the terrible calamity. 1t could not be
ascertained who had been killed, or
wounded, or who we're still exposed
alive to the fire which was advancing
in every direction. Where was the
man willing to imperil his life by de.
scending into the pit? A person of In
fluence succeeded in gaining the at
tention OF the throng. and asked II any
we're ready to face death by entering
the mine. Instantly number stepped
forward But" said Christian, who
witnessed the thrilling scene, II no.
ticed that none volunteered, except
those who had loved ones at the bot.
tom"
Just so Il was with him. who left
the throne OF glory and the courts OF
heaven to come to our relief. What It
cost him to make the descent from
such a height to such a depth, we
shall not fully know throughout eter.
nifty, but we know now that he would
never have descended. II he had no.
had loved ones at the bottom.
The Word Of Grace.
God did not leave Jacob, perplexed
by the vision, but spoke to him the
word of grace; 81 am the Lord God OF
Abraham, thy father :: the land
whereon thou liest. to thee will l give
It. And behold | am with thee in all
places whittier thou goest, and will
bring thee again into this land, for
will not leave thee until l have done
that have spoken to thee Of" But
in the energy OF a fleeing, fallen man
an 'if' obscured the grace at Bethel
1t led Jacob to bargain with God and
brought sad failure. God asked moth
ing of jacob. simply faith; but Jscot
said to God. II you will do so and So
then shall the Lord be my God and
of all that thou shalt give me, | will
surely give n tenth unto thee"
So Jacob left Bethel, having accept
ed Gods grace conditionally. Relyin"
partly upon God and partly upon self
he soon lost sight Of the grace al
Pethel, but amidst all his schemine
and planning the God of Bethel never
forgot Jacob. Grace that saved, kept
him end at last brought him back tc
Bethel where grace was accepted full
". Faith took the place Of sight and
grace wen the day.
Salvation by Grace Alone.
Today, when grace which saves un'
conditionally, is accepted conditional
ly, 1t brings failure. God has not left
us in doubt as 70 what Chrlst's suf
fering on the cross means. He hat
spoken the word. "And by him all
that believe are justified from all
things from which ye could not be
justified by the law of Moses" And
God, who exercises perfect grace
meets us just where he met Jacob, out
upon the hills of sin in the very spo'
where we find ourselves. like Jacob
guilty, helpless and alone.
Have you accepted fully Gods gift
Of grace? Or, like bargain.makine
Jacob, are you now trusting in God
now In self? now walking by sight, Hov
In faith? II so, the God Of AZ grace