our hospitals and ask the number of inmates, men and women, who are there because of their profigacy; ask any reputable physician what per cent of our people, whom we consider the best on earth, are without hereditary taint, caused by the iniquity of their forbears! Is man a fallen creature? It is written upon the race as plainly as the stars are planted in the sky. The man who can't see it, is the man who won't see it. Consider the innumerable, dastardly assaults by beastly men upon decent women frequently involving not only adultery but murder! Consider the number of women who sell their virtue for a mess of pottage! and remember that for every female prostitute there are ten to twenty male prostitutes; And then affirm, if you have sufficient arrogance and impudence, that man is not a fallen creature! If not fallen it is because he had no condition from which he could fall, and his origin must have been the dirt, materially and morally, instead of a pure, exalted creation fresh from the hands of God. The plan of his Creator was to redeem him from this moral and physical demoralization and depravity. The price paid for this redemption indicates the supreme worth of the human soul and body, placed on them by his Creator. Prisoners of previous ages were often allowed to be ransomed; the amount often reaching into the thousands of pounds or dollars.

But man is not redeemed "with silver or gold or any corruptible element, but with the precious blood of Christ". Humanity stamped with the image of his Creator is redeemed by the sacrifice of the only

and well beloved Son of his Creator. All the wealth of the earth could not redeem a man. It was not an angel or an archangel that was sacrificed. It was the Son, the only Son, whose place was at the right hand of ineffable glory and majesty; and He voluntarily became a man, a poor man. "The foxes have holes and the fowls of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." The "Son of Man", not the Son of Mary. He belonged to the race. He was subject to the same desires and passions as we are; subjected to poverty, loneliness, envy, hatred, malice; and the Cross. Yet in all these conditions that try men's souls, without weakness, fault or blame. For what, O reader do you suppose he suffered this humiliation, loneliness and death? A death the most shameful and agonizing invented by human or fiendish malice? For Love!

"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have eternal life". John 3:16. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you". He laid down his life not only for his friends, but for His enemies. Even in the extreme agony of the Cross, He prays: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". and promises: "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out". "God so loved the world!"

So we see the dignity of man emphasized and exalted by the price paid for his redemption. The most precious thing in the Universe, "Love", and

not simply human Love. It is Divine Love in its supreme manifestation. Love giving Life.-The life of the Son of God for man's Redemption. Love is the mightiest force for good. It appeals to the best in human nature, in angelic nature, in the Divine nature. If this fails, hope is lost.

It can only fail through an inhuman and fiendish disposition. Finally, eternally, Love will prevail and triumph. Truth is eternal. As love is the essence of the Divine Life, so Love must be the essence of the Christian Life. It is the Divine Element in the human life. The human life that is not mainly moved and inspired by Love is not Christian. The word of God is simple and emphatic on this subject. "This is my commandment that ye love one another". John 15:12. "These things I command you that ye love one another". John 15:17. Not only are the followers of Christ to love one another but our Lord commands them: "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you". Matthew 5:44. "If thine enemy hunger feed him; if he thirst give him drink, etc". "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is Love". 1 John 4:8. "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us". I John 4:12. "If a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar and the truth is not in him". 1 John 4:20. This is the spirit and life of Christianity. This law of Love has universal application. There are no exceptions of race or creed. Those who claim an exception contradict the word of God. They are simply lying. Saint Peter is not the head

of any church. Christ is the only Head of His Church. St. Peter was never the foundation of

any Church. The original Greek of Matthew

16:18 will not admit of this interpretation. The grammatical construction absolutely forbids it. St. Peter never bequeathed to the Church any sword by which it should defend itself and destroy its enemies. Such teaching is absolutely forbidden by the New Testament, and the spirit and teaching of Christ. It is born of Hell, the child of the Devil, and the sooner it is driven back home, the sooner peace and good will will dwell upon the earth. Man is not only exalted by the inestimable price paid for his Redemption but also by the spirit he is commanded to exercise toward friend and foe alike. It is the purest and most exalted life that is possible to men or angels. How far we are fallen below the standard of life the Creator intended us to occupy!

"Alas! poor man, quoth the pitying Spirit
Dearly ye pray for your primal fall.
Some Flowerets of Eden ye still inherit
But the trail of the serpent is over all."

The whole plan of Redemption recognizes and emphasizes Freedom of the Will, Liberty of Conscience, and Personal Responsibility for its proper and legitimate use.

THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION HARMONIZES WITH THE PLAN OF CREATION

OUR Lord said "Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest". "Whosoever cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out". Of the Jews He says: "Ye will not come unto Me that ye might have life". Thus Christ Himself admits that He will not interfere with the personal independence of any soul but holds it strictly responsible for its choices and actions. The personal prerogative to do as he pleases, written into the human constitution at the Creation, will be recognized and honored. But while each individual soul does as it chooses, each will have to answer for the uses he makes of his liberty, whether it pleases him or not. The doctrine of Justification by Faith, as defined by St. Paul, and in a manner resurrected by Martin Luther assumes personal Faith in a Personal Redeemer. That Faith is voluntary, and includes personal responsibility to a personal God, directly, not through the Agency of any Church or priestly caste, or any other person or power on earth. This teaching is by an independent thinker and writer although an inspired one; yet agrees perfectly with the principles enumerated, namely: Personal liberty in all matters, and Personal Responsibility to a Personal God for the use thereof.

In Revelation 3:20 there is a beautiful reference