The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-07-11

U5Rs&$A ~ OF thrlsteh u
dom has been in
duiging itself with the notion that the
law Of retribution has been held In
allegiance, when suddenly the war
clouds burst and now three-fourths OF
the population Of the world are direct
ly involved In war. The sowing OF
all the past, particularly Of the last
half century. began to show above the
surface. and all efforts 10 stop the
growing into the ripeness Of retribu-
ton were fruitless. But In these days,
not only are 100000 men under
arms, directly obeying the commands
Of those who are over them, even 10
going TO certain death, but the manu-
featuring and commercial interests OF
half the world must not only cease to
must pay billions besides. Moreover.
the peoples OF the nations concerned
are compelled 10 eat less, to eat what
they do not like. and in a hundred
other ways contribute 10 the great
war budgets that are offered. All.
whether they will or not, have reached
the stage Of retributlon. The nations
Of the world have sown; they ere now
reaping.
In somewhat recent times a kind Of
camouflage of excessive mirth. hilarity
and reckless living has been thrown
over some of the serious things OF
life, and they have been forgotten or
ignored; retributlon II one OF them.
Possibly some Of the more thoughtful
people will hunt up Buffers Analogy
Course of Nature" and read his words
which have present pertinence and
should have present application. He
says: 1T has been observed that such
and such miseries naturally follow
such and such actions OF impudence
and wilfulness. as well as actions more
commonly and more distinctly consld-
cred as vicious; that these conse-
quences. when they have been fore
seen, are properly the natural punish
ment annexed 10 such actions" These
consequences are quite uniform even
Gle a tree. IL will die; II you do not
don warm clothing when there is a
low temperature. you will take cold; II
you swallow poison, you will die;
II you decline TO eat proper food you
will starve. Possibly the practice Of
forgetting that we are all under law
Is the reason why so many are lndlffer-
ent 10 retribution; and this forgetful-
ness is possibly due, as Prof. Austin
Phelps OF Andoyer once said 10 the
fact that even the children In the home
are not taught the consequences Of
broken law.
But this great truth Of retribution
not obliterated withdrawn or mod
flied by the Spirit of God still prevails
everywhere in the physical world. in
ethics and In religion. Never In the
history Of the world was there greater
need than now for the plalnest, but
most loving preaching Of the whole
truth, not only the Gospel that Jesus
Christ died for the sins Of the world.
but the self-evident law that 'the soul
tnut slHnetn, III snhli ult.
Retribution after death is not de-
MED by intelligent universalists nova
days. Indeed. IL is clearly and fore
IDLY proclaimed by them. sometimes
with more seriousness than by some
evangelical preachers. As men look
into the future, not one In scores is
troubled about retributlon. The life
Of the departed may have been thor
oughly bad. vicious and cruel, and he
died as he lived. With many retribu-
ton only lies In the fact that life is
extinct; the man is dead, he has met
his desert. Is that true?
The men who have been guilty OF
the present condition in Armenia, Bel
GUM, and elsewhere. cannot receive
proper retribution by simply being put
TO death. With men that would seem
To be a ripe retribution. but there is
"A settlement In the future, and we
may leave such cries TO an infinitely
merciful. as well as an Infinitely holy
God.
In view OF future retribution. what
Is the duty Of the hOurf Give proper
thought TO the sowing for retributiOn
and escape the fearful reaping In the
future. Remember that sin is malig-
nant; that IL brings death here and
hereafter. As 10 the sins that cry
out for retribution hereafter, lift up
the eyes 10 the one who has born In
his own body all the penalty. How
ever that may reach into the other
world and II the sin by the simple act
Of faith may be laid upon him, the ret
ributlon OF the future, as far as hell
10 concerned, will not be visited.