Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1915 — “WHAT DOTH THY GOD REQUIRE OF THEE?” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“WHAT DOTH THY GOD REQUIRE OF THEE?”

Tbs Standards of Character Which 6cd JkppronSi

Th« Scope of the Divine Requirement. The Golden Rule the Mereet Justice. The Value of High Ideate — Living Up to Our Ideals—Failure Due te Imperfection Resulting From Inherited Bin. How the Righteousness of the Law Is Fulfilled In God’s People.

New York City. Feb. 7.—Pastor Russell spoke today at the New York City Temple. W. 03d SL. near Broadway. His text was, “What doth thy God require of thee, but to do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk, humbly with thy God?’— Mlcah 6:8.

After a number of heart-searching questions suggested by his text, the speaker called attention to the reasonableness of the Divine requirement as stated in his text, and declared that our Creator could not justly or with self-respect ask less than this of His creatures who would enjoy His favor. The interests of all demand that these principles be required of every creature worthy of eternal life. Whoever fails to come up to these con dlt inns woftkl thus evidence his unworthiuess of life everlasting. His prolonged existence would merely be a prospering of sin aqd a menace to the happiness and righteousness of others. The Pastor then noted the natural division of his text into three parts, ami discussed these in order. He showed that the requirement of justice in all our dealings commends itself to every rational mind, and includes the whole Law of Cod. It Is but just that we should recognize our Creator first, and render obedience to all His righteous requirements that make for our own happiness and that of others. It is also but right that we should rec oguize the rights of others, as we would have them recognize our rights.

Begin Justice at Home. The Golden Rule, he declared, is the barest of Justice. Not a hair's breadth less would come within the require ments of his text He suggested that each one criticise his own words and deeds toward parents, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, and consider whether he treats those who are near and dear to him according to the standards of justice. Do we do toward them as we would have them do toward us? If not, let us—after making a beginning with the Lord, striving to render to Him our homage and obedience — closely scrutinize every word and act of home life a'nfl see to what extent these can be made more nearly just. The majority of people, he feels sure, will be surprised to know how unjust they have been v to those who are of the very nearest and dearest of fleshly relationships. The Pastor suggested that each follow the matter up and consider the justice or the injustice of his words and deeds with his neighbors and his daily associates. Then followed a series of searching questions for the purpose of assisting in the self-examina-tion. Do we invariably speak to others with the same tone and gesture that we would approve if they were in our place and we in theirs? Do we drive a closer bargain with them than we would consider just for them to make with us? De we speak as kindly about our neighbors as we would wish them to speak of us? Etc., etc.

Simple Justice —Nothing Mor*. Should any one begin to see that what God requires is much beyond what the majority have been render ing. and should he declare that it would be Impossible to live folly up to that staudard, the Pastor would agree with him. As St. Paul says. “We canuot do the things that we would.’’ The Scriptures agaiu agree aDd declare. “There is none righteous, no, not one. All have sinned and coine short of the glory of God.’’ —Romans 3:10. 12.

He then showed that because we are unable to lire up to even our own conceptions and standards of justice we are not to abandon those standards. On the contrary, to ignore our best ideals of justice wonld be to permit the downward tendencies of our depraved natures to carry us further and further from God and the standards of character which He approves. We should do nothing less than our very best to live up bfc/our own ideals and to raise those ideals as nearly as possible to the Divine standard. The Pastor then discussed at length the Divine attribute of Justice, and explained how .God has arranged that through the death of His Son He can justly offer life ty the human family condemned in Adam. He declared that possibly God could have arranged some other way of dealing with sin and sinners. but the fact that He adopted this method assures us that no other would have been so wise, so jost. No other method would have so fully demonstrated God's Wisdom. Justice, Love and Power. In the death of Jesns as man’s Ransom-price God has provided for the satisfaction of Divine Justice as resj>ecrs mankind. - For the good of all God feqifires that those who would benefit by His mercy, must cultivate mercy in fheir own hearts, otherwise tttgy Wtir receive TTrMliercy. ---

;W. H. Heiny and wife returned Friday afternoon from Rochester, Minn., where Mr. Heiny underwent a physical examination at the Mayo Bros, sanitarium. He has been given a course of home treatment and it is thought this will prove greatly beneficial.—Montieello Journal.

B. Forsythe offers to help reduce the high cost of living and will give to any who will come to his cold storage plant for them a liberal supply of onions. They are sorted out and are the smaller onions and those with small sprouts but they are just as good as the larger ones. Get a basket and go after some.