The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-09-15

now come to the light, and in his hsht
he shall see light. E. rnal life is Goa S
free gift and no man inherits 1t py
doing, but by being "born from
above"
The Lord meets the lawyer on his
own ground when he demands: "What
is written in the law? how readest
thou?" And he answered: Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, ana
with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind, and thy neighbor as thy
SELF" And Jesus said unto him:
"Thou hast answered right: this do
and thou shalt live"
Does the gospel preacher contradict
the Lord when he speaks OF eternal
life as the free gift of God for all
who will receive it? Not in the least!
Ideally, there is a way of salvation
that is not of grace, for Moses said
of the law, "The man that doeth
these things shall live by them" But
who has ever done them? The most
devoted heart on earth does not love
God supremacy nor it's neighbor as it
self, and this righteous requirement
of the law Is the condemnation OF all
mankind. Why, then, did the Lord
answer the lawyer so? He was using
the law for the purpose for which 1t
was given: "For by the law is the
knowledge of sim" (Rom. :2O). He |
held up before the lawyer this per-
feet mirror of the law that in 1t he
might see himself the sinner that he
was.
Purpose and Failure of Law.
That the law has had its designed
effect is revealed in his next ques-
ton: "But he willing to justify him
self, said unto Jesus, And who is my
neighbor? . No one had accused him.
Why did he seek to justify himself?
The law has done its work: in It's
holy light his conscience is accusing
him. There he stands, revealed by
the law in the presence of the Sa-
viour, who will now tell him who
mans neighbor is. He joys to tell it!
1t Is himself, the Saviour, the only
being in the universe who loves his
neighbor as himself!
"a certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho" In the first
five words of the parable the Lord
reveals mans downward course: man
will tell you he is going up, the Lord
says down The last four words
of the sentence completes the picture
Of human depravity-'from Jerusalem
to Jericho" From Jerusalem, the
holy city, to Jericho, the city of the
curse! What a picture! Man has
turned away from the light and is
walking in his own shadow to destruc-
ton. In spite Of his boosted wisdom,
and his reason which pretends to dis
believe what it cannot understand, his
whole course Is downward and away
from God.
But lost man is not without hope!
Along this dangerous road many a
traveller is seized with the conviction
Of sin: "And he fell among thieves
which stripped him of his raiment,
and wounded him, and departed. leav-
ing him half dead" What n picture
of the helpless misery to which sin
has reduced every man. He feels it,
for conviction seizes him. and he sees
himself the naked, helpless sinner
that he is.
"By chance there came down a GER
tain priest that way j.. likewise
a Levite," the parable continues. No
help for him from either of them.
divinely appointed ministers of bless
ing though they were! Their service
has to do with the temple, and the
traveller has turned away from the
temple. They represent the law, which
is good If one can keep it, but cannot
help the helpless. The priest and the
Levite are mere chance passers-by,
not heaven-sent messengers to dying
men.
Salvation Through Riches of Grace.
'But a certain Samaritan, as he
journeyed :" He was journey
ing: out of the fathers bosom came
he who alone can help us. :.
came where he was, and when he
saw him. he had compassion. and
went to him. and bound up his
wounds, pouring In oil and wine, and
set him on his own beast, and brought
him to an inn, and took care of him."
1t is a truism that "the Jews have
no dealings with the Samaritans." but
this Samaritan will have gracious
dealing with this Jew. "When we
were enemies we were reconciled to
God by the death Of his son." help
less enemy, yet had he compassion
= %o
out question or condition. Observe
the manner of his dealings: pouring
In oil and wine!" His grace is meas
ureless, and all he does for the sin
ner is after this pattern.
The narrative closes with the COM
mand: $50, and do thou likewiser"
Your ministry to men of misery: moth
with the mere relief of misery: moth
ing meets his mind short Of bringing