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February 1927
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brought to us).” Peace and healing—two most blessed results which accrue to us from the vicarious sufferings and atoning death of our Saviour. Peace zvith God because of His justifying grace on the ground of what Messiah bore and did for us; and peace in our own con science, which can never be at peace until sin is expiated— and “healing.” This, I believe, goes beyond justification, and hints at thè regenerating, sanctifying grace in the souls of the justified, for the work of our Saviour not only procures pardon and reconciliation with God, but is the ground, also, of the work of the Holy Spirit, who accom plishes zmthin us His mission of renewal and sanctifica tion, so that, delivered from spiritual disease and moral blemish, we may become conformed to His own image. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and Jehovah hath laid (lit erally, ‘caused to meet’:) upon Him the iniquity of us all.” It is Jehovah Himself who caused “all this great mul titude of sins, and mass of guilt, and ‘weight of punish ment’ to light upon Him.” The previous verses have shown man’s guilty hand in the case, now we must mark Jehovah’s action. He it was who placed this awful bur den on His shoulders. This was at once His deepest humiliation and His most glorious distinction. “There is a striking antithesis in this verse,” writes one. “In ourselves we are scattered”-ffl“astray”^G“each one turned to his own way” ; in Christ Jesus we are col lected together. By nature we wander and are driven headlong towards destruction; in Christ we find the way by which we are led to the gate of life. Yes, Jehovah hath caused tg meet in Him the iniquity of us all. He was the object on which all the rays collected on the focal point fell. These fiery rays which would have fallen on all mankind diverged from divine justice to the east, west, north, and south, were deflected from them and converged in Him. So the Lord caused to meet in Him the punish ment due to the iniquity of all. How wonderful are God’s, judgments ! to speak to him. But it was better so ; and the promise was given that he would read attentively a short letter on the matters discussed. Is it not a remarkable thing that Mr. Edison should be turning his attention seriously to these great matters at such a late hour of his life-day ? Have we not ground to hope that it may be God’s gracious purpose to enlighten him? And will not our readers unite in prayer to that end ? Mr. Mauro’s letter to Mr. Edison is such a ringing challenge to all who claim to be “honest skeptics” that we take the opportunity of reproducing it. M r . M auro ’ s L etter October 30, 1926. Mr. Thos. A. Edison, Orange, N. J. Dear Mr. Edison: It was a real pleasure to see you and hear your voice again. Moreover, the matters touched upon in our con versation of yesterday gave much to think about. You want facts. So do I. A reasonable man’s belief
varying from mere uneasiness to darkest and intensest remorse. . . A fire smoulders within that may blaze up any hour into fierce misery. Under such conditions, there can be no true peace with God, no true love to Him, no true joy in Him, no true walking before Him; but revolt and aversion whenever His will thwarts and crosses ours. Oh, if only that guilty past were blotted out and made as if it had never been! Oh, if only I could go forward into that unknown future a pardoned man! But the ques tion of blotting out that guilty past is not so simple as at first it seems. The forgiveness of sins is a question of righteousness as truly as of mercy. If God cannot forgive in righteous ness, then He cannot forgive at all. If He were to for give simply because He is compassionate, or because (being sovereign) He so wills it, or out of mere good nature, He would remove the very, ground on which my conscience plants itself in all its moral operations. It behooves that the glory of His character and the rectitude of His government should suffer no eclipse, but, on the contrary, be demonstrated. But now light is thrown on the case—though still deep mystery remains—when it is said, “The chastisement of our peace was upon H im ” Through His suffering for others, they obtain “peace,” in the sense of reconcilement to God. T he B urden L aid on C hrist The phrase, the “chastisement (or punishment) of our peace,” denotes “the chastisement which leads to our peace,” or, as more fully expressed by Von Orelli, “The punishment of our well-being—i.e., by the bearing of which, on His part, our peace or well-being is secured— was upon Him,” i.e., He bore the burden of it in our Stead. The same thought is differently expressed in the last supplementary clause in this verse: “By His stripes” (literally'His wounds) “we were healed (or, healing was I N recent days, according to newspaper reports, Thomas A. Edison has been showing interest in Christian teach ings and has declared himself partially convinced as to immortality. In this connection it is interesting to know of an inter view which Mr. Philip Mauro, an old friend of Mr. Edi son, had with him on October 29. Mr. Mauro felt inwardly prompted, some days pre viously, to write Mr. Edison, giving him a personal testi mony as to the peace of mind and conscience that has come to him through trusting in Jesus Christ. The result was an invitation to visit Mr. Edison at his laboratory in Orange, N. J. “Mr. Edison is now in his eightieth year,” says Mr. Mauro; but his mind is evidently as keen as ever. All his life his attitude regarding things not seen—-God, the human soul, life hereafter, etc.-—has been severely skep tical. But now, in the sunset of his days, he has under taken the investigation of those great matters, with a desire to know the truth, but with insistence upon proof. “I want facts” was the way he expressed the attitude of his mind. Owing to Mr. Edison’s deafness it was difficult
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