Page:The Eternal Priesthood (4th ed).djvu/46

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THE THREE RELATIONS OF THE PRIESTHOOD.

included, and need not be further treated. That any man should be charged with the salvation of another is a relation of the divine order. By the law of nature, fathers have such a charge of their children while under age and unable to care for themselves. In a few years the father's authority is outgrown, and comes to an end. It is also at all times limited, for over the conscience of children parents have no authority. But in the supernatural order it is the will of God that the fraternal hatred of Cain should be replaced by the fraternal love of pastors. "Am I my brother's keeper?"[1] is the voice of the world. "I am the Good Shepherd"[2] is the voice of our Master laying down for His pastors the law of their life. Under the Old Law, God commanded that a watchman should be set over the people in time of war. If the watchman, seeing the sword coming, gave warning by the trumpet, then, if any man did not look to himself and so should perish his blood was upon his own head, and the watchman was free. But if the watchman should see the sword coming and should give no warning, then the divine sentence was, "I will require his blood at the hands of the watchman."[3] No man could be made answerable for another's life

  1. Gen. iv. 9.
  2. S. John x. 14.
  3. Ezech. xxxiii. 2-6.