Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-01-10

| ~ IN tent or cottage
| ~ the howell or the
/ palace, and its light streams into two
hearts with unprecedented radiance.
But of all the tales of borning babes,
Abraham told one that is unsurpassed.
Its circumstances raise the common
miracle of childhood to it's nth pow
er. The patriarch had Just round
ed out full century, while his wife
was but ten years younger, when the
long hoped-for child arrived. Event
extraorGinary-to account for tim
possible, to human reason and under
standing! Only one word can explain
| God.
! Years of married life for Abraham
and Sarah were crowded with strange
and unique events. Almost every con-
| ceivable experience came to them in
| some form, except that browning glory
| of all home life and welded hearts,
| the birth of a baby. For such an
event they had hoped and prayed and
waited, but in vain, until one day
| Abraham could endure it no longer.
Out of his agony of disappointment he
cried unto God for a son and heir.
Immediately God answered him. He
took the longing patriarch out under
the stars and told him such should
his seed be. With greater expectancy
they prayed and waited-years passed
their hearts grew faint at hope de-
ferred. They could not understand.
They were tortured with disappoint-
ment
Then Sarah planned an expedient.
| She would help fulfill Gods promise
Ishmael was born of Hagar the bond
! slave in Abraham's household. Dark
shadows overspread the sky. They
! cast baleful suspicion into the home
life of this cody couple. The years
continued to go by and the shadows
deepened But one day-at the set
time-the heir of promise came to
Abrahams tent-a boy. Sarah was
his mother. Unbounded joy flooded
these aged lives. So wonderful was
it all that they named him Laughter :"
Faith had prevailed.
Months went by and again joys sky
was clouded-ths light obscured by
darker clouds than ever. Hagar and
her boy shared Abraham's home life
but it could not continue A day came
when Sarah caught Ishmael mocking
Isaac-that was enough-it was the
| last straw. Hagar must CO.
The thing was very grievous to
Abraham. He loved the boy Ishmae.
But there was no choice. Out into
the desert they went. The shadows
one by one disappeared.
This experience has been written in
Genesis for our learning. The Apostle
Paul explains. 1t is a foreshadowing
| of the inharmony of two great princi-
ples-Law and Grace. The one rep
resented by Hagar, the bondwoman
and her son, and the other by Sarah
| the free woman, and her SON. Ishmael
could remain only until Isaac was
born. Both could not live together.
Neither can law and grace live to-
gether in the House of God. The law
with it's "do and thou shalt live con-
tinued until Christ came, bringing the
grace of God to men. He became "the
end of the law for righteousness" so
that all who believe are free from the
law and no longer in bondage Equal
! ly true is it that law and grace can
not live together in the House of
God. The law was given at Sinai
with clouds and darkness, earthquake
and thunder until Israel trembed with
terror. God was revealed as the "All
Terrible-Mighty Avenger," exacting
justice and executing judgment upon
all. Grace came at Calvary-out-
| poured in the crimson stream that
flowed from the wounded side of tie
| Son of God. 1t is grace that has de-
Ilivered from bondage to law keeping.
There Is no condemnation to-: them
who are in Christ Jesus A
/ How many children of God fail to
understand that the finished work of
Christ has brought a perfect salvation.
1t is a free gift. 1t demands nothing.
1t is sufficient. There are those who
teach that we must obey the Ten Com
mandments to keep saved. Others
J emphasize works of obedience as. nee
essary. How contradictory. "Grace is
everything for nothing" To add any
| work of mine is to discount and rem
der imperfect the sacrifice of Christ.
"Hallelujah, it is DONE" Trust is
1.-The open sesame of the believer "Only
believe" sums up the works-God does
the rest. instruments of righteous
ness" for His use. No fear, no worry
| about being saved, but peace and JOY
in believing"
Free from the law, oh, happy condition!
Jesus has died and there is remission
| Cursed by the law and bruised by the
fall