The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-09-07

life, but he has
now come to the light. and In his light
hc shnll see light. Eternal life Is Gods
free gift and no man inherlts 1t by
doing. but by being "born from
above"
The Lord meets the lawyer on his
own ground when he demands: "Whnt
ls written In the law2 how rendest
thour And he answered: Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
ihy heart. and with all thy soul. and
with all thy strength. and with all
thy mind, and thy nelghbor MS thy
self" And Jesus snid 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 III Not In the lenst
Ideally. there is n way OF salvation
that Is not OF grnce, for Moses said
Of the law. "rhe man that doeth
these things shall live by them" But
who has ever done theml The most
devoted heart on earth does not love
God supremely nor its neighbor as IT.
self. and this righteous requirement
Of the law IL the condemnation Of nll
mankind. Why, then. did the Lord
answer the luwyer sol lie was using
the law for the purpose for which II
was given: "For by the law Is the
knowledge Of sim" (Rom. 3:20). lie
held up before the lawyer this per-
feet mirror Of the law that In II he
might see himself the sinner that he
was.
Purpose and Failure Of Law.
That the law has had It's designed
effect Is revealed In his next ques-
iion: 'But he. willing to Justify him
self. said unto Jesus. And who is my
neighbour" No one had accused him.
Why did he seek TO Justify hlmselfl
The law has done Its work: In Its
holy light his conscience is accusing
him. There he sands. revealed by
the law In the presence OF the Sa-
vlour who will now tell him who
mans nelghhor ls. lie Joys TO tell II !
II IS himself. the Saviour, the only
bclng In the universe who loves his
nelghbor MS himself
~ 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 M, the Lord
Says down" The last four words
Of the sentence completes the picture
~ human depravity-"from Jerusalem
10 Jericho" From Jerusalem the
holy city. to Jericho the city Of the
cursel Whnt plctIfrel Man has
turned away from the light and IL
walking in his own shadow to destruc.
ton. In spite Of his hoasted wisdom.
and his reason which pretends TO dis
believe what II cannot understand, his
whole course Is downward and away
from God.
Iint lost man Is not without hope
Along this dangerous rond many
traveller Is seized with the conviction
of sin: "And he fell among thieves
which stripped him Of his ralment,
ind wounded him. and departed, leav-
Ing him hnlf dead" What a picture
Of the helpless misery to which sin
has reduced every man. He feels II.
for conviction seizes him. and he sees
himself the naked, helpless sinner
Tint he is.
"By chance there came down n Ger.
tain priest that way likewise
n Levlte." the parable continues. No
help for him from either of them.
dlvinely appointed ministers Of bless
Ing though they werel Their service
has 10 do with the temple, and the
traveller has turned away from the
temple. They represent the law, which
Is good II one can keep IT, but cannot
help the helpless The priest and the
I.evite are mere chance passers-hy,
not henven-sent messengers to dying
men.
Salvation Through Riches Of Grace.
"Rut certain Samaritan. ms he
iourneyed :" He was Journey
Ing: out Of the fathers bosom came
he who alone can help us. :.
came where he was. and when ne
saw him. he had compassion. and
went to him. and hound up his
wounds, pouring IN oil and wine. and
set him on his own benst. and brought
him to IN inn. and took care Of him"
II is Il truism that "the Jews have
no dealings with the Snmaritans," but
this Samaritan will have grncious
dealing with this jew. "When we
were enemies we were reconclled to
God by the death Of his SON." A help
less enemy, yet had he compassion
and met MI my desperate need with
ont question or condition Observe
The manner Of his dealings: pouring
In oil and winel' His grace Is meas
iirpless. and nll he does for the sin
ner Is after this pattern.
The narrative closes with the com
mand: go and do thou likewIsei"
Your ministry to men of misery: moth
with the mere relief Of misery: moth
Ing meets his mind short OF bringing