Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1913 — The Main Issue [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Main Issue

By REV. J. H. RALSTON

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TEXT—Rev. s*—For thou wast slain and bast redeemed us to God by thy blood.

For decades after Luther’s refor* mation, in England after the Wesley revival, and in this land and Great Britain just after the Moody evangelistic campaigns, it would not have been difficult to answer the question: "What is it to be saved?” for the answer would have been uniformly: "To be redeemed

from sin through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ”

The goal of salvation with very many, and Indeed, with almost all, is getting to heaven —if a man gets to heaven he is saved. Presuming that the answer is correct, and barring the advent of Jesus Christ which will pre-, elude the necessity of the Christian dying and his soul going to heaven as they now do, we may endorse that position. Let us note here some of the conceptions of salvation that men now hold, and of which we hear them speak, but are a part of personal conviction; in some cases, however, nothing more than feeling. In speaking of this we would not impugn the sincerity of those who bold them, but we are convinced that many of them are fatally m lßtaken - We have only space to note three of these exceptions. I. One man says: "Man is saved through the inevitable operation of evolution. Man has been placed upon earth for the purpose of development, and if he exists beyond this life that development will continue until he reaches perfection.” That is a widely received view, and the recent revival of the evolutionary theory as developed in scientific investigations, has largely strengthened it. Such writers as Alfred Tennyson, who speaks of that period "Far off, at last, to all,” etc., have largely strengthened the idea, and it is known that evolutionary preachers, if they do not generally deny the salvation taught by Paul, as some do, so emphasize evolution that the salvation of man is involved in the principle, and consequently nothing else is needed. 11. Many, indulge the conception that man is saved by right living, but just at this point of right living there is difference of opinion as to what we mean. Many promptly say it means doing what is right, but do not define the word right We must have some criterion of judgment, and we inquire for that Many, if pressed, will say, It is acting in accordance with the teachings of the Bible, but here again there is difficulty, for many only consider the teachings of the Bible with reference to their relationship to their fellow men, and they claim that if. they act honestly in their dealings with their fellow men, or as has been recently said, give every man a square deal, they are acting in accordance with the teachings of the Scripture. But, if a man is honest, must he not {consider more tifim his fellow men? Does he not have God. who is the author of the Bible, to deal with? Is there nothing owing to him, aside from honesty in our dealings with our fellow men? What about high morals that are really personal, and what about the demands that are made upon men as to the worship of God, the dissemination of religious truth, the individual religious life, involving the study of God’s word, etc.?

111. In these days there Is a widespread conception that a church connection, or church life, is the essence of salvation, consequently multitudes are easily persuaded to connect with the church, and to adopt a more or less faithful church life. We have no time to call attention to the master’s well-known denunciations of the churchism of his day, of the tithing of mint, anise and cummin, or Paul’s teachings touching mere churchism in his day. The religion of Christ and the apostles was the religion that must have not only the shell of profession, but it must have the kernel of reality before God. Here is the main issue, and a recent writer has in true and beautiful lines presented the thought In connection with holy communion: “Savior divine! O evermore abide In my cold heart! Redeemer, blessed Lord! 1 - ~ By all the powers in heaven and earth adored; JlVhen flowed the dear blood from Thy wounded side By God forsaken and by man denied— Why was the crimson stream thus free ly poured. It man by love was not to be restored? O! mighty theme! that doth debase my pride: And cast contempt en all the things of earth; If angels are not faultless in His sight. Of what account are we, who. from OUF birth. Wander afar from heaven, and heaven’s dear light? Yet it was not for them. b*t us H» died. And with Him all our sins are erocb> fled!” w *JWvJLWOUs I