Evening journal., 1916-01-29

lationship with God before he trans
gressed and broke the divine law.
Supposing. for example. a bank cash
ier was found guilty of embezzling
the funds of the bank The directors
of the bank might meet and after
careful consideration decide to for :
give the cashier for his wrong doing.
and release him from his obligation.
But what would that imply? Merely =
that the debt was wiped out, but
also that he was discharged, and he
would be left without a position or .
salary. But il in addition to their
forgiveness they restored him to his
old place as cashier, il would mean ,
not only pardon but also justification.
Now that is just what God does for
the sinner. When he received Jesus
as his personal Saviour and Lord the
glory Of the Gospel is that the Heav-
emily Father restores sinner to the
same relationship with Himself as he
had before the transgression.
friend illustrated this story very
clearly in telling Of his two sons,
boys at home, who had both disobeyed
him and he sent them off to bed, with
out any supper. Before he himself
retired for the night, he went into the
room OF the older boy and explained
fully regarding disobedience, and how
the fathers heart had been hurt. The
son seemed penitent and asked his
fathers forgiveness. This the father
readily granted, the son was satis-
fed, turned over and went to sleep.
He then went into the room OF his
younger son. and repeated the same
expression Of his sorrow for the boys
wrong doing This son also seemed
thoroughly penitent, and asked his
father to forgive him, which the
father freely granted DO you real
ly and truly forgive me, papa?" said
the little boy. YES" by boy, / do"
Really and truly forgive me?" Eyes,
why do you ask the second timer"
"Well. if you do. then, papa, take me
down and give me some supper" The
I first boy was satisfied with forgive
ness: the second was contented with
nothing less than justification.
Moreover, 1t is faith that bring vic
tory over temptation. To believe in
Jesus Christ is to believe that he will
do what he says He will. This means
the entering into personal and vital
relationship with Him as the resur-
rected, living and reignlng Lord. II
seems that the soul opens its gate
] for the reception Of divine power to
! flow in and energize and vitalize the
entire being. Just as a great factory
receives the motive power from a cen
tral dynamo to turn its wheels and
perform its work. 1t is faith also that
brings relationship in the family Of
/ God. that causes our adoption into the
divine household and writes our
name upon the family record. This
carries with it all the privileges that
belong to the children OF God, protec-
ton, care, liberty and inheritance.
Now. in closing, let me ask what
are the evidences that you possess
this faith, that you believe in God,
that you trust in His Son. First, that
you accept the provisions of His
grace. If a man offers you a contract.
the terms Of which you say are emf
nently satisfactory TO you in every
particular, il you fully believe in the
beneficial results that will flow from
belief by your signature to the con-
tract. To say that you believe in It
and yet refuse your signature. would
be to belle your own words.
Another evidence of faith would be
proceeding to carry out the terms Of
the contract, to obey its requirements.
For a soldier to say that he believed
in a commander and yet refused obed-
ience to his orders would evidence at
once his insincerity and disloyalty.
Moreover, a sincere faith in Christ
will carry with it a public declaration
of that faith. II a maiden professed
to believe and love a youth with her
whole heart, and said she sincerely
desires to become his wife and yet
refused to participate in the marriage
ceremony. would show at once her
falseness and ickleness.
We are told that Abraham believed
God, and following that it says he
went forth under divine direction, not
knowing whittier he went. trusting
implicitly in Gods commands. II was
for this reason that his faith was
counted unto him for righteousness.
} because it was expressed in action.
May it be the same with you. Yielo
your life. implicitly to the crucifeo
, and risen Christ who is both able anG
willing to save you. Yield your life
, to Him to do His commands, exclaim
Lord, here am l. send me-"