find too, in Luke, an account of two
thieves that were crucified at the same time. The other gospels speak
of them. One says they both railed upon Him. Another says nothing
about it. In Luke we are told that one did, but one of the thieves
looked and pitied Christ, and Christ said to that thief:

"This day shalt thou meet me in Paradise."

Why did He say that? Because the thief pitied Him. And God cannot
afford to trample beneath the feet of His infinite wrath the smallest
blossom of pity that ever shed its perfume in the human heart!

Who was this thief? To what church did he belong? I don't know. The
fact that he was a thief throws no light on that question. Who was he?
What did he believe? I don't know. Did he believe in the Old
Testament? In the miracles? I don't know. Did he believe that Christ
was God? I don't know. Why, then, was the promise made to him that he
should meet Christ in Paradise. Simply because he pitied innocence
suffering on the cross.

God cannot afford to damn any man that is capable of pitying anybody.

And now we come to John, and that is where the trouble commences. The
other gospels teach that God will be merciful to the merciful,
forgiving to the forgiving, kind to the kind, loving to the loving,
just to the just, merciful to the good.

Now we come to John, and here is another doctrine. And allow me to say
that John was not written until centuries after the others. This, the
Church got up:

"And Jesus answered and said unto him: 'Furthermore I say unto thee
that except a man be born again he cannot see the "Kingdom of God."'"

Why didn't He tell Matthew that? Why didn't He tell Luke that? Why
didn't He tell Mark that? They never heard of it, or forgot it, or
they didn't believe it.

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into
the Kingdom of God." Why?

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'ye must be
born again.' That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which
is born of the spirit is spirit,"--and He might have added that which
is born of water is water.

"Marvel not that I say unto thee, 'ye must be born again.'" And then
the reason is given, and I admit I did not understand it myself until I
read the reason, and will understand it as well as I do; and here it
is: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
th