Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

14 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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HEREFORDSHIRE FINANCES. I

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THE POSTAL TROUBLE.

HOW DYSPEPTICS CAN EAT WHAT…

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IPROFITABLE POULTRY CULTURE.

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f ACROSS THE TABLE. ]

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[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] I BIBLE…

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[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] BIBLE STUDIES CONDUCTED BY PASTOR RUSSELL. THE GOOD SAMARITAN. I The Lesson.—Luke x. 25-37. I The Text.—"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.Mark xii. 31. I Our Studies since the first of the year relate to the last six months of our Lord's ministry. He knew that his death was ap- proaching-that he must, as the antitypical Passover Lamb, be put to death the follow- ing spring, on the fourteenth day of the first month. His ministry had only begun to awaken the people. The seventy, whose ordination, or commis- sion, we considered a week ago, were sent across Jordan into the district known as Perea, and Jesus himself went thither shortly afterward. The purpose of his ministry was to thoroughly awaken all the Jews to a knowledge of the fact that the time of their visitation had come. Later, the seventy returned, expressing jcy and confidence, and remarking that even the demons were subject to them in the Father's name. The Master took occasion to tell them that they were overlooking their chief cause of joy, saying. "Rejoice, rather, that your names are written in Heaven"— than that demons are subject to your com- mand. So it is with all of us. Salvation is a personal matter with us. and works and preaching are merely incidentals connected with that work of personal salvation. The great time for works will be future. Then, if faithful, we shall be privileged to be associated with the Redeemer in his work of regenerating the world of mankind, break- ing the shackles of Sin and Death, granting deliverance to the captives, even as the Prophets foretold. No matter how praiseworthy are the social uplifts of the present time, they are as nothing compared with the great social and moral uplift which God has planned and which Messiah will institute with his Kingdom. Hence the first work of all Gcd's consecrated people is a personal one-the preparation of their own hearts and cha- racters for Divine approval, that they may have a share in the sufferings of the present time and in the glorious work of the future. TO GAIN ETERNAL LIFE. I At this point our Study for to-day opens. A lawyer thought to entrap the Master by asking the question: "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? In those days, when the only law of Israel was the Law of God, a lawyer was one well versed in the teachings of the books of Moses. Jesus therefore said to this Doctor of Theology: How do you understand the matter? You know what is written in the Law. The lawyer replied. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves. Jesus ap- proved this, saying that it was true. Do this—keep the Law, and you shall live. You will never die. The lawyer was caught before he knew it. He knew that the people of Israel had been dying for centuries, notwithstanding the Law; yet himself and others were out- wardly claiming that they were keeping the Liw. Jesus showed him out of his own testimony that he was not keeping the Law. as he pretended to do and as the Pharisees in general pretended to do. The fact is that no imperfect fallen human being can keep the perfect Law of God, for it is so comprehensive that only a perfect man could keep it thoroughly. The lawyer sought to make the best of a bad argument, and instead of acknowledg- ing his defeat he turned the question to Jcsus again: "Who is my neighbour"- whom I am to love as myself? This was one of the points which Jesus had particu- larly made against the Pharisees—that out- wardly they were pious, reUgious-they prayed, t'asted, etc., yet in their hearts they were unjust, and they would take un- just advantage of widows and orphans—not loving these as themselves. The lawyer sought to imply that the Law of God did not include everybody as his neighbour, but only certain special ones. WHO WAS NEIGHBOUR? t Jesus, however, again outgeneralled him, saying, I will giv(? you saying-, I will gin. you a parable. A certain man went down to Jericho; and on that lonely mountain road be was beset by thieves, who stripped him, wounded him and left him half dead. There happened to pass that way a priest, one of the highest repre- sentatives of the Law; and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Like- wise there passed by a Levite, next in re- lationship to the service of the Law. the ser- vice of God. lie went a little nearer and looked at the poor man, but did nothing. Then came along a Samaritan, an outsider, not a Jew at all and he was filled with com- passion. He bound up the wounds, put the man on his beast and brought him to an inn. There he took care of the wounded Jew, sacrificing his own time and strength in the wounded man's interest. He even did more than this. He paid for the man's keep until he should return from Jerusalem. Now. said Jesus to the lawyer. I put th& question to you: Which of these men acted the part of neighbour to this man who fell among thieves? Which one of these treat- ments of the case would fulfil the require- ments of the Law, according to your judg- ment? The lawyer answered that the one who showed mercy on the man Was the one who had surelv done the neighbourly act. Jesus replied that this should be an example to "ihe lawyer, that he should do likewise- that he should be kind. thoughtful, generous, toward anv human being who was I in affliction-in need of help. LOVE FULFILS THE LAW. I I We do well to remember God's real object 1 in giving laws, commandments, etc. He is not taking pleasure especially in the num- ber of times that we bcw the knee or bow the head, or in the number of timf that we attend Divine worship, or in anything that we can do along the lines of formal worship. The Lorq especially delights to see us culti- vate His own spirit of love, kindness and generosity. "God is love; and. be that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God." (John iv. 16.) As the Apostle John also says, "He who loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he (claim to) love God, whom lie, hath not seen ?"—how could he know that-he would love Gcd? (Jchn iv. 20.) Well does the Apostle Paul tell us that love is the fulfilling of the Lav/ Rom. xiii. 10. W.e arc not to understand the Apostle to mean that simply to have love would fulfil the law of God and give us everlfisting life. No! It is only for those who have accepted Christ that love fiilfils the Law. For all those who become disciples of Jesus, God has made a special arrangement, that the merit of Jesuo' sacrifice shall cover their blemishes, so that if they cultivate and possess the heart quality of love (Gcd-like- ness) it will be acceptable—because Jesus' sacrifice makes good all deficiencies. We are "ac pted in the Beloved." (Eph. i. 6.) "The r; hteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, \10 are walking not after the flesh, but af!'1' the Spirit."—Rom. viii. 4. To whatever extent this high standard of love, sympathy, generosity, kindliness, con- trols onr hearts and rules our conduct, in that proportion shall we he the more God- like, the more Christ-like; and such merciful ones of the Lord's followers shall obtain mo rev li., hands nviuentiy tne great lesson tor Christian people to learn is to put away all these: anger, malice, envy, hatred, strife; and to put on all these meekness, gentleness, long- suffering. brotherly kindness, love. St. Peter tells us that if we do these thing we shall never fall, but that an abundant en- trance shall be granted iiiito us into the evrr'iv'ung Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.—2 Pet. i. 10-11.

CANADIAN NEWS JOTTINGS.

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