The Washington herald., 1922-04-22

| said j, Here am /, send me.
like the most of them, his vision
took in all the future. He had the
prophets primary virtue; he be-
lieved in God. The God whom
Isaiah worshipped united in him
self all the qualities that a su-
breme being could possess. and
possessed them to a supreme de-
gree. The Jehovah Of Isaiah was
infinite in power. infinite in intel
Iigence. and infinite in love. He
could plan all that His heart de-
sired and carry out the plan.
Isaiah was loyal to his race; he
was child of Abraham and had
on his heart the destiny of Israel.
Believing in the justice OF God, he
was distressed by the sins tina;
must bring retribution; his was the
love that sought to guard his peO-
pie against the consequences of
sin by pleading against transgres-
sions. Trusting in God and in
Gods power to deliver. he warned
against alliances that would link
his race with those who. by their
conduct. invited the wrath of God.
Isaiah ForetcIIs the savior.
while Isaiah did not ignore the
age in which he lived. his eyes
were on the days to come when a
chosen people" would see a Mes
sish-one OF the seed of Abraham
! who would save His people from
their sins and lead them into the
land Of which the promised land
Listening heavenward, he heard
the song that startled the shep-
herds at Bethlehem and. peering
through the darkness of seven CEN
turies. he saw the light that shone
from Calvary.
Prophecy has been described as
history written in advance"
Isaiah recorded centuries before
hand. and in minute detail as we'll
as in majestic outline. the suffer
ings of the Savior, the sayings of
the Savior's time. The salvation
that He bought with His blood and
the vicarious character of the
atonement are fully set forth and
the completeness of His sacrifice is
accurately described.
The lesson begins with the call
| that came to Isaiah In a vision. In
| the presence of the seraphims he
was overwhelmed with a consci-
BUSINESS of his sinfulness. an atti-
| tude essential to the beginning of
great enterprise by a servant of
| God. heart that is overfowinE
with self-sufficiency has himself
before he can be filled with that
confidence in God which supports
| large undertakings.
"Here Am I; Send Me-"
lsaiah's eyes were opened to his
own sins and to the sinfulness of
| those about him. As long as he
was Indifferent to his own acts, he
was satisfied with his companion
ship: when his eyes beheld his own
shortcomings he became aware of
| the shortcomings OF his associates
1saiah's conversion was as sud-
| den as PauIs and as complete
When by repentance he had quail
fed himself to answer the call, the
call came.
The manner of its coming has
! given to religionists very strik-
| ing phrase, "a live coal from of
the altar" One of the seraphim
| having a live coal in his hand.
which he had taken with the tongs
| from off the altar" flew to Isaiah
and touched his mouth with it,
saying as he did so. 10, this hath
touched thy lips; and thine in
iquity is taken away, and thy sin
| purged"
First, repentance: then forgive
ness and then the call. Isaiah
heard the call of the Lord: Whom
shall l send, and who Will go for
u.s." Isaiah, no longer abashed by
the consciousness of sins unfor-
| given, was ready to bring forth
works meet for repentance. Here
am I; send me-" he answers the
Lord. What religion, save that set
forth in the Word of God, has such
power to transform weakness into
strength?
Christianity "Looks Up."
l asked a Japanese boy who was
old enough to understand both re-
ligions to give me his idea of the
difference between Buddhism and
| Christianity. He promptly replied.
Buddhism looks down, Christian
ity looks up" 1t is a very practi-
cal distinction and one of tre-
mendous Importance.
Buddhism is purely a religion of
works, and one can understand how
it could supplant Hinduism. which
Is woven about the doctrine known
as the transmigration of the soul.
The spirit that wanders aimlessly
through myriad existences-some:
times in an animal and sometimes
in a human being-wearies of the
monotony of endless change.
Buddhism furnished to the Hindu
a ray of hope-the promise that
conscious existence can be brought
to an end. Buddha taught that
after the spirit has committed un-
numbered sins 1t can turn about
and do good with the assurance
that when, in an indefinite number
| of future existence, itt has done
enough good to outweigh the sins
committed II can escape from the