Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-01-11

Never before had he seen himself
In such light, nor measured himself
by such a standard. The light that
makes all things manifest ms searched
him through and through, and forced
from his lips the cry. ,"Woe Is me. for
am undone; because I am q man Of
unclean lips"-a proper utterance for
any man whose heart and conscience
have been penetrated by the light that
streams from the throne Of God.
How highly do men think Of them
selves until they are brought face to
face with God! Then they see them
serves as they are, for the hidden
chambers Of the heart are flung open
and the secret springs Of action laid
bare.
In the light Of Gods holiness, Isaiah
saw himself guilty, ruined, helpless
: sinner at an immeasurable distance
from Him, and with no ability to meet
the claims of that holiness. He heard
the cry Of the seraphim, "Holy," and
the only response was his contrite
one, "Undone!"
But this Is the first step to saliva
tion-the first essential thing for
blessing: to accept Gods estimate of
myself, to give up all pretension be-
fore Him and to receive His sentence
Of utter condemnation upon all the
world. And to this, the light Of Gods
throne brings every soul.
Tho Remedy.
But behold The very instant the
contrite heart gives utterance to the
conviction Of It's ruin, that instant the
mercy Of God provides n remedy. And
the. very light that shows sthe sinners
ruin reveals the perfect remedy. "Then
flew one Of the seraphim unto me, hav-
ing live coal In his hand. which he
had taken with the tOngs from Off the
altar; and he laid It upon my mouth
and said. Lo, this hath touched thy
lips, and thine iniqulty Is taken away
and thy sin Is purged."
Simple, immediate and forever ef-
fectual Is the provision Of grace. On
the sinners part is but the confession
Of the ruin wrought by sin: on Gods
part, oil the rest. No long, laborious
process Of cure; no conditions I'M
posed; no works Of self-help enjoined.
Mark the manner Of itl "Then
FLEW one of the seraphim." How 1t
dlscloses the eager heart Of God to
meet the need that He has revealed.
There can be no delay on His part,
and nothing can hinder the outflow of
His grace to the setf.confessed sin.
ner.
God Himself can find nothing
against tho sinner with whom His
grace has dealt.
But how strange the means that are
used "A live COAL" red.hot with the
fre Of sacrifice. Gods own symbol Of
his wrath and indignation against sin.
"Our God is consuming fire." whose
"wrath is revealed from heaven" and
though He love the sinner. love cannot
change His holiness. All, then, how
can that infinite holiness justify me
when stand In His presence, ruined
and undone through sin? 1t seems as
impossible as that live coal should
purge instead Of blasting. But see
1t is d coal "from the altar" and "a
live coal" still, but being from the al.
tar Of sacrifice. It does not blast, but
pnrges.
And when l turn to the epistle to
the Romans. find the proclamation
Of: the truth that is pictured here:
Gods righteousness does not condemn
the believing sinner, but justifies him.
For the Gross on Calvary, where d.
vine wrath was poured out to the ut.
most upon Another. who was there in
my stead, is the altar where the work
Of righteousness was done. There
Gods righteousness has been declared,
: and though still antagonistic to sin,
1t is not against the believing sinner.
but on his side; because it's claims
have been met by the One who "was
made sin for us, that we might be
made the righteousness of God In
him."
Tho Result.
And here. as everywhere in these
Gospel stories, we are permitted to
see the practical results in the whole
hearted conservation Of the cleansed
and forgiven Sinner to the service of
God. Nothing had Isaiah to do for
salvation. but plenty to do for the
Savior, and in the Joy Of conscious &C.
ceptance, upon hearing Of the need of
messenger, he cries, "Here am I:
send me-" The order, as all else Is
perfect. No service for God until the
throne and the altar have done their
work. The light of the throne must
show you what you are, and the pro.
vision Of the altar must show you
what Christ Is before you can serve.
Then there can be no withhold.
ing Of ones self. Let me but
know what grace has wrought on my
hahalf md tha cru ~ ynu hoo,a q.