PREFATORY NOTE

world. Since the Apostles, the followers of Christ Jesus have looked for and expected his second appearing. St. Paul made this particularly prominent in his writings to the church. That he would come again, Jesus himself gave unmistakable testimony in his message dellvered to the disciples on the last night of his earthly existence. Many Christians have thought the Lord would reappear in the body of flesh that was crucified and which did not see corruption. In due time, however, it was made clear to the watchers that the presence of the Lord must be invisible, because he is divine, and the Apostle Paul had clearly stated concerning him: ‘‘Whom no man hath seen nor can see,” with the natural eye. In 1868 Charles Taze Russell, a lad of but sixteen years, fully consecrated to the Lord and a member of the Congregational Church and the Y. M. C. A., began a careful investigation of the Scriptures. His previous training had led him practically into infidelity, because the theories advanced by the churches with reference to the torment of the masses of mankind seemed wholly incon- sistent with the character of a God of love.

In 1870 he was a member of a Bible class, organized solely for the careful and prayerful investigation of the Scriptures, and by 1876 this had grown into a congregation of Bible students to whieh he preached. In October of that year he was elected Pastor of this class of Bible students, and he continued to occupy that relationship to Bible students until his death, in October, 1916.

In 1876 Mr. N. H. Barbour was editing and publishing at Rochester, New York, a sixteen-page monthly magazine under the title, ‘““‘The Herald of the Morn- ing,’’and Pastor Russell became assistant editor of that paper that year, devoting his time to writing and preaching the Bible truths as they were being unfolded to him. His investigation led him to the conclusion that Jehovah has a great plan for the salvation and blessing of mankind, and that the keynote to that plan of salvation is the philosophy of the ransom sacrifice. In 1878, while he was yet assistant editor of “The Herald of the Morning,” Mr. Barbour published in that paper an article in which he erroneously treated the doctrine of the ransom sacrifice. Infact, in that article Mr. Barbour practically repudiated the ran- som. Pastor Russell published in the columns of the same paper his conception of this vital doctrine of the divine plan; and the difference arising between himself and Mr. Barbour on this question resulted in the birth of Zion’s WaTcH

Tower, the first issue appearing July, 1879; the title thereafter being changed to THe WatcH TOWER.

T: WATCH TOWER is unique among all the publications in the

Consistent with its mission and with the great doctrines of truth it has promulgated, Tue Watcu Tower has at all times carried the subtitle, ‘“The Herald of Christ’s Presence.” It is the first paper ever to make announcement of the invisible presence of our Lord and to submit the clear, Scriptural proof to show that since 1874 he has been present, invisible to man, yet exercising his power and doing the preliminary work among the nations and peoples of earth preparatory to the inauguration of his kingdom of righteousness, which soon will administer blessings to all the groaning creation.

Through its columns the features of the divine plan, as revealed, have been ably discussed. It has made clear to Bible students such vital questions as the ransom sacrifice, the doctrine of the atonement, the sin offering, the great covenants, and other subjects vital to the development of Christians and to their in-gathering during the great harvest period of the Gospel age. THE Watcu Tower has never carried any advertisements beyond the mere announce- ment of the publications of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, devoted exclusively to religious purposes. It has always been supplied to the poor free of charge to them, the expense being met by a voluntary fund contributed for that purpose.

Prior to his death, Pastor Russell was the Editor of THe Watcu Tower, since which time it has been edited by a committee of five Bible students, prc- vided according to the terms of his last will and testament.

The readers of THE Watcu Tower have increased from year to year. There has been such a great demand among its later readers for earlier issues that it has been determined to republish the entire series, from the beginning, in July, 1879, up to and including June, 1919, a period of forty years; and to ar- range these in seven volumes.* We believe that this will result in a great blessing to students of the Lord’s Word, and serve as a splendid series of reference books to be used in connection with our Berean Bible. The publishers therefore send it forth with a prayer that this republication may serve as a great blessing to God’s people and as a lasting monument to the untiring energy, zeal and loving devo- tion of Pastor Russell, the seventh and last messenger to the Gospel church.

Your servants in the Lord,

WatcuH Tower Bisite & Tract Society Pittsburgh, Pa., July 1, 1919

*In order to reduce the bulk we have omitted some of the less interesting letters, as well as other unimpor- tant items such as those respecting pilgrim visits, conventions, business notices and publications, but in other respects the record is complete. We have not even excluded articles which subsequently were seen in clearer light, but have endeavored to indicate by footnotes where the later presentations could be found.

For reference purposes we have retained the old page numbers throughout, inserting them in parenthesis at top of each page.

= a o i ad r bee * | a ral FS = i Puree Paro =. £ C ee ’ Bs a r A r . oa eae h S a <$- 2 f, Fy u a Tad A 4 aige d af = * tn f 4 eS. ° £3 Hl Fe ¥ i yf es x 1 de > Fi NN te f, 2 A, ri ~ ws + ? E in ot zu a > oT ze m , re 23 ee a 1 eae i A Dan ai A 2 mn 2 ler ‘ a : * n bd - D

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HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE.

“Watchman, What of the Night?” “The Morning Cometh."—Isaiah xxi. 11.

Vou. I

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE Published Monthly, 101 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. C. T. Russet, Editor and Publisher REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

J. H. PAaTon ‘ : ; ‘ ; Almont, Mich. W. I. Mann . ; : : : ‘ . Allegheny, Pa. B. W. KEItrH : ; : : Dansville, N. Y. H. B. Rice ; W. Oakland, Cal. A. D. JonEs Pittsburgh, Pa.

In no case will the Editor be responsible for all sentiments expressed by correspondents, nor is he to be understood as indorsing every ex- pression in articles selected from other periodicals.

TERMS 50 Cents per Year

In Advance—Includes Postage

All communications should be addressed to “Zion’s Watcn Tower,” as above, and drafts, money orders, etc., made payable to the Editor.

PROSPECTUS

This is the first number of the first volume of “ZIon’s Watch Tower,” and it may not be amiss to state the object of its publication.

That we are living “in the last days”’—‘the day of the Lord’”—“‘the end” of the Gospel age, and consequently, in the dawn of the “new” age, are facts not only discernible by the close student of the Word, led by the spirit, but the outward signs recognizable by the world bear the same testimony, and we are desirous that the “household of faith’ be fully awake to the fact, that—

“We are living, we are dwelling In a grand and awful time; In an age on ages telling To be living is sublime.”

And not alone to help awaken, but to assist them to “put on the whole armor of God, that they may be able to stand in the evil day ;” and, besides all this, that giving all diligence, they add to their faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, self control, [temperance,] brotherly kindness, charity; when, as a result of these indwelling and flourishing graces, they shall be God-like [godly].

But, recognizing the beauty and necessity of these adorn- ments of the spiritual man, they fail not to recognize that the merit toward God lies not in these moral virtues, but in Christ's perfect sacrifice, and though adorned by all these gems of char- acter, we could not be recognized as God’s children now, nor permitted ever to enter His presence without the robe of Christ’s righteousness, the “wedding garment” necessary to our par- ticipation in “the marriage of the Lamb.”

Christians to whom an apology would be needed for directing

JULY, 1879

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No. 1

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attention to these things, should blush and be ashamed. Every- thing desirable, hopeful and precious stands closely and ever connected with them. They embrace nearly all the great mo- tives to faith, watchfulness, obedience, holiness.

If God has given us a revelation, and tells us that ¢¢ is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- tion in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work, where do so many Christians who profess to accept that Word of God as their rule and guide, get liberty to ignore more than one-half of it, thereby virtually saying it is unprofitable? When God has given us “a sure word of prophecy whereunto we do well to take heed,” and when “the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done,” shall those servants feel under no obligation to seek to understand those heavenly messages?

Should they heed worldly men and a worldly church who deem it pious and wise not to bother with these things, who would have us put them aside as empty fables and curious sto- ries, and strange imagery, which could only unsettle our minds and interfere with Christian work; or shall we heed God who declares “these sayings faithful and true’ and says: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein?” Surely He knows what is best calculated to inspire “a zeal according to knowledge,” and what is necessary that we “be not soon shaken in mind,”

“To him that hath an ear to hear what the spirit saith unto the churches,” Zion’s Watcu Tower hopes to give assis- tance and encouragement. It is in bondage to no man, no party and to no creed but the Bible; yet in the bonds of love and sympathy to “all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity.” It aims to represent “the chaste virgins,” the prospective “Bride of Christ,” and with them acknowledges only one master and head—Christ Jesus.

As its name indicates, it aims to be the lookout from whence matters of interest and profit may be announced to the “little flock,” and as the “Herald of Ohrist’s Presence,” to give the “meat in due season” to the “household of faith.”

It issues monthly, and if you desire its visit to your home, address at once as per notice on this page. If you have a neigh- bor or friend who you think would be interested in or bene- fited by its instructions, you might call it to their attention; thus preaching the Word and doing good unto all men as you have opportunity.

The terms, fifty cents a year, (postage paid,) are moderate; but to all interested and desirous of having it, who cannot afford to pay, we will gladly send it free, but you must ask that ye may receive.

IN RE “THE LAST TRUMP”

Bro. H. B. Rice, editor and publisher of The Last Trump, has been obliged by circumstances beyond his control to sus- pend its publication. Knowing that such a course was prob- able, we two months ago proposed to Bro. Rice that we would supply THe Watcn Tower to his subscribers, instead of The Trump, up to the close of their subscriptions, and we invited him to speak to his old subscribers, and others of the body of Christ, through Z1on’s WatcH Tower.

He has accepted both propositions, sent the list of sub- scribers, and in an open letter to them says, “I will endeavor to contribute something to THe Watcu Tower every month,” &c.

As we are much crowded, we have published this letter as a supplement, and sent it to the subseribers of The Last Trump.

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WHY WILL THERE BE A SECOND ADVENT?

That the second coming of our Lord Jesus occupies a prom- inent and important position in the teaching of the apostles and prophets, as well as of Jesus himself, is a fact that can scarcely fail to have been noticed by every Bible student. Yet, from various causes, very many of those who profess to love Him, and who we have reason to believe do, are not much interested in it. A few endeavor to figure it away by applying it to the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; others to the destruction of Jerusalem, &c.; all apparently forgetting the fact that in the last book of the Bible, written more than sixty years after Pentecost, and twenty-six years after Jerusalem’s destruction, He that was dead and is alive speaks of the event as yet future, saying: “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me.” And the inspired John replies: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Quite a number endeavor to satisfy themselves with the thought that it is a spiritual coming—that when any are con- verted, that forms a part of the coming of Christ, and that so He continues coming until all the world is converted—then, say they, He will have fully come.

They evidently overlook the fact that the world will not be converted when He comes; that the Bible, our only guide on the subject, declares that, “In the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” That “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived;” and that Jesus gave special warning to His little flock, saying: “Take heed to your- selves lest that day come upon you unawares; for as a snare shall it come upon all them” (not taking heed) “that dwell upon the face of the whole earth, and they shall not escape.”

Again, we may rest assured that when Jesus said, “All the tribes of the earth shall mourn and wail because of Him” when they see Him coming, He did not refer to the conversion of sinners—Do the tribes mourn and wail because of the conver- sion of a sinner?—And if it refers, as almost all admit, to Christ’s personal presence on the earth, it teaches that all on earth will not love His appearing, as they certainly would do if all were converted.

But, “If I go away, I will come again,” cannot refer to a Spiritual coming again, because, spiritually, He never went away, as He said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world,” [age.] Therefore, Jesus taught His second PEr- SONAL coming. The word

MILLENNIUM

signifies one thousand, and is the term used by Christian peo- ple generally in speaking of a time future, when “the knowl- edge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth as the waters do the sea, and none need to say unto his neighbor, Know thou the Lord? Ali shall know Him,” &c. The time when there shall be no more curse; “when the wilderness shall blossom as the rose,” and “streams break forth in the deserts,” when “the tabernacle of God will be with men and He shall dwell with them,” when Satan shall be restrained and righteousness shall control. “Then nation shall not lift up sword against nation,” “nor learn war any more;” but “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.”

These prophetic pictures and statements are expected to have fulfillment some time by nearly all Christians, and they call it the millennial age because it is said (Rev, xx, 2-6) to be for a thousand years that Satan is bound and Christ reigns.

This far nearly all of the Church are agreed. They are millennialists, but there are post-millennialists and pre-mil- lennialists: post signifies after, pre, before; so the former be- lieve Christ will come after the millennium and the latter that He comes before it.

As these are the only views which contain sufficient truth to make them worthy of our consideration, we shall devote more time to them. All who believe in the second personal coming of Christ, should be interested in knowing what the general teaching of the Bible is on the subject. It is necessary, however, that we come to the consideration with a child-like mind, desirous of knowing how God has arranged the matter, and anxious to have the teachings of His word, and ready to lay aside our ideas and, as God’s children, take His plan. Thus, let us inquire

WHY DOES CHRIST COME?

and examine briefly the arguments presented by both Post- and Pre-millennialists, comparing them with the Word— and Plan of God.

The first expect that through the efforts of the Church, the world will be converted, and thus the millennial age intro- duced, at the close of which the Lord will come, wind up earthly affairs, reward believers and condemn sinners. That to con- vert the world, bind Satan, make “the knowledge of the Lord to

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fill the whole earth,” and “nations to learn war no more,” are the work of the Church without JESUS, and in her present mortal condition. When she has accomplished this great and

‘difficult taek, Jesus comes to wind it up, &c.

They ‘have much Scripture, which taken disconnectedly, seems to favor this view. But even this, we believe, when God’s word and plan are looked at as a whole, will be found to favor the other view, viz., that Christ comes before the con- version of the world; that the Church is now being tried, and that the reward promised the overcomers is, that they shall share in that reign: “To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne.” Rev. iii. 21. “And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Rev. xx. 4.

There are two texts in particular used by our post-mil- lennial brethren, to which we would refer: “This Gospel must first be preached in all the world for a witness. Then shall the end come.” They claim this to refer to the Gospel con- verting the world before the end of the Gospel age. We pre- millennial believers claim that witnessing to the world does not mean converting the world, but as it reads, to witness or testify.

This witness has already been given. In 1861, the Bible Societies’ reports showed that the Gospel had been published in every language of earth; not that all earth’s myriads had received it. No; not one in a hundred of the twelve hundred millions have ever heard of the name of Jesus. Yet it has ful- filled the text—it has been a witness to every nation.

We understand that the object of the present witnessing is “To take out a people for His name’—the Church—who at Christ’s coming are united to Him, and receive His name. Rev. iii. 12.

The second text is, “Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool.” The thought generally gath- ered from this Scripture is, that in heaven God has a throne on which He sits continually, and that when “Christ sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” He sat down also upon the same throne. This is a misconception. The throne of God referred to is not an ivory or golden seat, but refers to His supreme authority and rulership, for ‘Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool,” and Paul says, “God hath highly exalted Him [Christ], and given Him a name above every name.” He hath given Him authority above every other, next to the Father. If Christ sits upon a material throne until His enemies are made His footstool [all subdued], then, of course, He could not come until the millennium was fully inaugurated. But if it means the exalting to power, it would not interfere with His coming and subduing all things unto Himself.

Yo illustrate: King William is on the throne of Germany, we say, yet we do not refer to the royal bench, and as a matter of fact, he seldom occupies it. We mean that he rules Germany.

Right hand signifies the chief place, position of excellence or power, and the words of Jesus to Pilate agree with this thought: “Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Mark xiv. 62. He will be on the right hand when coming, and remain at the right hand during the millennial age.

There are able arguments possible on both sides, yet both are not true. We propose, therefore, to take a glance at the general

PLAN OF SALVATION,

to see which view is in harmony with it. In so doing, we shall find the relation and bearing of both the first and the second comings, and know where to locate.

First, then, has God a plan? Ail must agree that He has, although almost all are inclined to think and talk of His deal- ings as though He were dealing by a rule of chance, and gov- erned entirely by circumstance. No; He that would condemn a man for building a tower without first counting the cost, shall He build and people a universe without counting the cost? No, brethren; “Known unto the Lord are all His ways from the beginning.” God has a plan, a purpose, and we know that “all His purposes shall be accomplished.” But how shall we find that plan? It is revealed to us in His word. “Search the Scripture,” as Paul says, “Compare Scripture with Scrip- ture,”’ for

“God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.”

We are too much inclined to ask, What does my church say about any question, instead of What saith the Scriptures? Too much theology studied, and the Bible not enough. With the thought, then, that “The Scriptures are able to make us wise,” that “the testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple,” let us examine.

Jury, 1879

We will not here discuss the question, Why evil was per- mitted. We take the fact which sickness, death, vice, &c., make so plainly and painfully evident, viz., Evil exists. Its existence is attributed in Scripture to the devil. Evil continues because Satan’s power is continued. It will last throughout the present age, because “the devil is the prince [ruler] of this world” [age]. He will continue its ruler as long as he can, or until he is bound. He cannot be bound until a stronger than he takes the control out of his hands.

God, of course, can control him; and of Jesus it is written, “All power in heaven and in earth is given unto me.”

But while Christ has all power, for wise purposes He has not made use of it, permitting evil to reign and measurably control the world, and permitting the devil to be “prince of this world,” or epoch. But the time is coming when “He shall take to Himself His great power, and reign,” exalting His Church, giving her “power over the nations,” so that instead of, as now, being “subject to the powers that be,” she shall “rule the nations.” But when will He thus assume control? When the Gospel Church, “His body,” Ecclesia, is complete. Evil is now being permitted for “the trial of your faith,” the perfecting of the saints. This time is synchronous with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Rev. xi. 15. Here the mys- tery [church] of God is finished, and “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His anointed” [church]. Now, we inquire, is this transfer of authority

FROM SATAN TO CHRIST

caused by the conversion of the nations to Christ through preaching the Gospel? We answer, No. At this time the na- tions are not converted (vs. 18), “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come.” If converted, they would not be thus hostile, neither would God’s wrath come upon them. On the contrary, God teaches in many Scriptures that a great time of trouble will come upon the nations. ‘Come, behold the desola- tions which the Lord hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth.” This is the way Giod tells us He will make wars to cease. The next clause in- forms us that then He “will be exalted among the heathen and in all the earth.” This chastisement of nations will be for their good, and is necessary to them as is the chastisement which God now inflicts upon His children, and it will have a good effect, for “When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteous- ness.” It is in this new dispensation that, with evil restrained —Satan bound—the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth, as the waters do the sea. The conversion of the world, instead of being due now while “the devil is the prince of this world,” will, David says, be “When the kingdom is the Lord’s and He is the Governor among the nations, all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and the king- doms of the nations shall come and worship before Him.”

During the infancy of the human family—say from Adam to Moses—-God treated his creatures like very young children. So far as we know, they had very little knowledge of their Creator’s power or character. They had scarcely any revela- tion, the exception being the few cases where God favored spe- cial persons, as Abraham, Lot, &c., communicating to them by angels, giving to Abraham and Eve peculiar promises, which they could only vaguely comprehend.

The next age was to the Jewish nation a schooling season, during which God taught them to respect His promises and laws. ‘They were yet minors, under age, therefore not treated as children, but kept under the law, their schoolmaster, Gal. iv.

While the Word of God was being written and committed to the Jews for keeping, &c., the remainder of the world seems to have been left in the darkness of heathenism. They bowed down to wood and stone, destitute of truth as they are today.

In Scripture the period from Adam to the flood is called “the world [age] that was.” From the flood to the second coming of the Lord. “the world [age] that now is,’ and “the present evil world,” [age], and the next is called “the world to come.”

“The present evil world” contains three

SEPARATE AGES.

The Patriarchal, lasting from the flood to the death of Jacob; the Jewish age, lasting from the death of Jacob until the death of Christ, when He gave them up, wept over them, and said: “Your house is left unto you desolate ;” the Gospel age, lasting from the resurrection of Christ, when He became “the first- born from the dead, and the beginning of the new creation,” until the full company of “the Church of the First-born”’ is complete, and IIe comes. The time of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the resurrection and reward of prophets, saints, &c. Rev. xi. 16.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

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We know not how many ages may be in “the world to come ;” but that there is more than one, we are sure, for Paul speaks of “the ages to come.” Eph. ii. 7. The first of these alone is dealt with in Scripture, the millennial age, during which we live and reign with Christ a thousand years. Rev. xx. 4.

Having got an outline, let us look more particularly at God’s doings and sayings, and, first, it will astonish you, doubt- less, until you reflect, when I say, that according to His word, God has not exhausted His resources for the world’s salvation; that, in short, He is not now trying to save the world, nor has he been during past ages. What has He been doing? “Taking out a people—Church—for His name.” Don’t think this won- derful, as it is only putting in a striking form what all Cal- vinists believe, among whom are Baptists, Presbyterians and others, viz., that God is now electing, or choosing His Church out of the world. Yes, and all our brethren who believe in free grace must admit, that if ‘all His purposes shall be accomplished,” and “God’s Word shall accomplish the thing whereto it was sent,” if these Scriptures are true, God did not purpose the conversion of the world during the past six thousand years, else it would be accomplished. Neither did He send His word to convert the world up to the present time, else it did not prosper in the thing whereto He sent it. These two views have been a dividing point in the churches for cen- turies, viz.:

ELECTION VS. FREE GRACE.

We believe the Scripture to teach both, but that it requires the observance of ‘‘Heaven’s first law,” order, to rightly divide the word of truth on this subject.

First we will glance at Election. During the age preced- ing the deluge, there is no Scriptural account of God giving mankind any law, and very little light of revelation. One promise shines out, “The Seed of the Woman to Bruise the Serpent,” and even this required future revelation in order to be comprehended. God had, however, a few patriarchs or serv- ants who had light above the masses, as Jamp-posts in a dark way.

The Patriarchal age had increase of light. It is now re- vealed that this seed is not only to crush evil [serpent], but to “bless all the families of the earth.” Still God’s Churcli i- represented by one man, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, &e., &c.

These patriarchs were elected—chosen. “God called Abra- ham, and said,” &c. Abraham, and not his kin, was called. His parents were idolators. He had “many sons and daugh- ters,” but only one is chosen. “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Of Isaac’s two sons, only one was chosen. “As it is written,” says Paul, Rom. 8, 11 and 12, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (loved less). God chose before they were born, “that the purpose of God according to election might stand.” Now, remember, I do not say that God elected one to go to heaven and the other to hell. No; far from it. That is the common misconception of the Scriptural, and when properly understood, beautiful doctrine of Election.

At Jacob’s death another advance step in God’s plan is taken, and typical or fleshly Israel is formed. From this time one man no longer represents God in the world; but a nation, all the sons of Jacob and their posterity. And now we have an elect nation or church, and God gives all His special bless- ings to it. Other and larger nations—EKgypt, Chaldea, &¢.— are passed by, left without light and without knowledge, while these are given to Israel. “What advantage, then, hath the Jew? Much, every way, chiefly because to them were com- mitted the oracles (laws and testimonies) of God. This is Paul’s statement. God speaking to them, says: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” This people alone was recognized, and thus continued until Christ came. Yes; and after it.

During Christ’s ministry He preached to them, and would not suffer His disciples to do otherwise, saying as He sends them out, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” Why so, Lord? “T am not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” <All his time was devoted to them until death, and here was His first work for the world, and

GOD’S GRANDEST GIFT,

not for Israel only, but for all, for “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man.” And now, also, in the Gospel age, a certain sort of election obtains. Some parts of the world are more favored with the Gospel (which is free to all who hear) than others. Contrast vourself with your privi- leges and knowledge, with the heathen man who never yet heard the call. When this called-out company, (called to be “sons of God,” “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ

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our Lord,’’) is complete, then the plan of God for the world’s salvation is only beginning. Not until then will the seed “bruise the serpent’s head,” and “bless all the families of the earth.” For the seed is not Christ, the head, alone, but the Church, which is His body, as Paul informs us, Gal. iii. 29, “Which seed is Christ; and if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” The same company are to bruise the serpent. Rom. xvi. 20. The very God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

THE GOSPEL AGE

The Gospel age makes ready the chaste virgin (church) for the coming Bridegroom. When ready, the Bridegroom comes, and they that are ready are united. The second Adam and the second Eve become one, and are thus the beginning of the new creation, and then the glorious work of elevating man- kind in general begins. The river of living water flows, and the work of the Church begins. In the next dispensation, new heavens and new earth. She is no longer the espoused Virgin, but the Bride. THEN “the Spirit and the Bride say come, and whosoever will Jet him come and drink of the water of life freely.”

As Adam, the beginning of the fleshly race, was composed of man and the helpmeet taken from his side, as it is written, “Male and female created He them and He called their name ADAM,” Gen. v. 12, so the “Second Adam,” of whom Paul says the first “was a figure,” or type, has a helpmeet taken from His side, and when she is fully formed and perfected, the Bridegroom comes and they go in to the marriage; they become one, “the new creation of God” (read Eph. v. 25, 30, 32), mak- ing in Himself of twain (Jews and Gentiles)

‘‘ONE NEW MAN.’’

(Eph. ii. 15.) This new man we have found to be the seed “to crush the serpent’s head.” “The seed of Abraham,” “in whom all the families of the earth shall be blest.” That the Gospel age, so far from closing the Church’s mission, was only a school of affliction to enable her, as well as her head, to be touched with a feeling of earth’s infirmities, that they might sympathize with mankind, and during the millennial age assist them, when “the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth,” scattering the darkness of sin and ignorance, causing ‘‘wars to cease unto the ends of the earth.” These are the “times of restitution,” which Peter says are due when Christ comes. Acts iii. 17-19. For this “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Rom. vili. 22, 19. These sons are not now manifest. There are in Christ’s flock many ‘‘wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Among the wheat there are many tares; but when in “the harvest” (“the end of the age’), they are separated, then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father—be manifested— and then to the groaning creation (mankind) shall this “Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in His wings.”

But let us leave this bright and pleasant picture of the com‘ng day, of which, with the poet, we could say:

“Haste thee along, ages of glory, Haste the glad time when Christ appears,”

and turning, look at a dark picture. Have you ever asked yourself, while rejoicing in the glorious opportunities to be offered to mankind during the millennial age—What about those who have died before the plan of God has thus reached its fullness? There have lived on earth since creation (six thousand years), about one hundred and forty-three billions of human beings. Of these the very broadest estimate that could be made with reason would be, that less than one billion were Saints of God—the Church—the Bride. What of the one hundred and forty-two billions who died out of Christ? What is their condition?

Atheism answers: They are eternally dead. There is no hereafter. They will never live again.

Calvinism answers: They were not elected to be saved. God foreordained and predestined them to be lost—to go to hell— and they are there now, writhing in agony, where they will ever remain without hope.

Arminianism answers: We believe that God excuses them on account of ignorance, and that if they did the best they knew how, they will be as sure of being a part of the “Church of the First-born” as is Paul himself.

To this last view the great majority of Christians of all denominations hold, from a feeling that any other view would be irreconcilable with justice, on God’s part.

But, we inquire, what do the Scriptures teach on this last point? That ignorance is a ground of salvation? No; the only condition known in Scripture is Fairu. “By grace are ye

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saved, through FaITu.” Justification by faith is the ground- rock of the whole system of Christianity. When, by the jailor at Philippi, Paul was asked, “What must I do to be saved?” he answered, “‘T elieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized, and thou shalt be saved.”

Peter says, Acts iv. 12, “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,” than the name of Jesus.

Paul reasons that a man must hear the Gospel before he can believe: “How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard?” This—God’s plan—that men shall be saved on account of faith, Paul says was to the Jews a stumbling block (because they expected salvation as a reward of keeping the law) and to the Greeks (the worldly wise) foolishness. But, nevertheless, it has “pleased God by the foolishness (in the eyes of men) of preaching to save

THEM WHICH BELIEVE.’’

I want to Scripturally close you in to the thought, that all who have not heard could not believe, and not believing, could not be a part of the Bride of Christ. But, you object, Paul, in the first two chapters of Romans, teaches “that these having not the law are a law unto themselves,” and that this law which their conscience furnishes, is sufficient to justify them. No, I answer, you understand Paul differently from what he intended. Paul’s argument everywhere is, that “all the world is guilty before God.” “For if I had not known the law, I had not known sin. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.”” The law given to the Jew revealed his weakness, and was intended to show him that he was unable to justify himself before God. “For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His (God’s) sight.” As the law thus condemned the Jews, so Paul says it is with the Gentiles also. Though ignorant of the law, they had light enough of conscience to condemn them. ‘That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God,” Rom. iii. 19, in order that eternal life may be seen to be “the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord,” to every one that believeth.

Well, you answer, the Bible to the contrary, I believe and insist that God won’t damn the world for ignorance. Now, let us see. Do you practice what you declare? Why do you assist in sending missionaries to the heathen, at a cost of thousands of valuable lives and millions of money? If they will all be saved—or even half of them—through ignorance, you do them a positive injury in sending a preacher to tell them of Christ, for we know that only about one in a thousand believes when the missionary does go to them. If your idea be correct it were far better that no missionaries should ever be sent. Before, nearly all saved; now, because of knowledge, nearly ell lost. In the same way we might reason, that if God had left all in ignorance, we would all have been saved. Then, instead of the Gospel being good news, it would be more prop- erly named bad news.

No, my brethren; you do believe that “there is no other name given whereby we must be saved.” Your actions speak the louder, and speak rightly.

Now, suppose we look at these things just as God tells us of them, and leave the clearing of His character to Himself.

WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE 142 BILLIONS?

First, we answer, that you may be sure they are not now in hell suffering; because not only do the scriptures teach that full and complete reward is not given to the Church until Christ comes, “when he shall reward every man,” but the un- just are to receive their deserts then also. Whatever may be their present condition, it cannot be their full reward, for Peter says: “God knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished,” and He will do so. But the thought of so many of our fellow creatures at any time being lost, without having had the knowledge which is necessary to salvation, seems terrible, indeed, to all who have a spark of love or pity. Then, too, there are a number of Scriptures which seem hard to harmonize with all this. Let us see in the light of His dealings how shall we understand the statement, “God is Love,’ or ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish.”

Ah, Lord, it seems to poor, frail humanity that if you loved the world so much, you might have made provision, not only that believers might be saved, but also that all might hear.

Again we read: “This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Lord, all our reason seems to say, not so. We cannot see how Jesus lighted more than a few of earth’s billions. Yonder Hottentot gives no evidence of having been so enlightened, neither did the Sodomites and my- riads of others.

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Once more we read: “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man.” How, Lord? we ask, If he tasted death for the one hundred and forty-three billions, and from other causes it becomes efficacious only to one billion, is not his death comparatively a failure?

Again: “Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Surely it is to but a little flock to whom it has been glad tidings, and not to all people.

Another- is: ‘“‘There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.” A ransom, then why should not all have some benefit from Christ’s death?

Oh, how dark, how inconsistent do these statements appear when we remember that the Gospel Church is “a little flock.” Oh, how we wish it would please God to open our eyes that we might understand the Scriptures, for we feel sure that did we but understand, it must all seem clear, it must all declare in thunder tone, “God is Love.” Oh, that we had the key! Do you want it?—Are you sure you do? It is the last text we quoted, “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Due time. Ah, now we see. God has a due time for everything. He could have testified it to this one hundred and forty-two billions in their life time. Then that would have been their due time; as it was not so, their due time must be future. We know that now is our due time, because it is testified to us now. Christ was a ransom for you before you were born, but it was not due time for you to hear it until years after. So with the Hottentot; Christ was his ransom and at the same time was yours; he has not heard it yet, and may not in this life; but in God’s due time he will.

But does not death end probation? one inquires. There is no scripture which says so, we answer, and all the above and many more scriptures would be meaningless or worse,

IF DEATH ENDS ALL

to the ignorant masses of the world. The only scripture ever quoted to prove this generally entertained view, is, “As the tree falleth, so it lies.” If this has any relation to man and his future, it indicates that in whatever condition of knowledge or ignorance he enters death, he remains the same until he is raised up again.

But can knowledge ever reach these billions in their graves while dead? No; God has provided for the resurrection of them all. For “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” As death came by the first Adam, so life comes by the second Adam. Everything that mankind lost in the first, is to be restored in the second. Hence, the age following Christ’s second coming is spoken of as “the times of restitution.”

Life is one of the things lost, and is to be one of the things restored. Mark me! I do not say eternal life is given them. No; Adam never had eternal life to lose; if he had it, he could not have died. He had natural life, lost natural life, and it is to be natural life that the second Adam restores. This is a certain sort of salvation that Christ accomplishes for all; but the eternal salvation, which believers receive, is entirely differ- ent. This enables us to use another text, which is little used except by Universalists, and although not Universalists, yet we claim the right to use all Scripture. It reads: “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of them which believe.” All men are saved or rescued from the loss entailed on them through Adam, by having all those lost things, including natural life, restored to them. He is also the “especial Saviour of them which believe.” For believers who now constitute the body of Christ are the happy recipients of the gift of God, eternal life. While those of the world are raised natural bodies, those of the Church are raised spiritual bodies, “neither can they die any more, but are like the angels of God.”

Now we see that “the testimony in due time” explains all of those troublous texts. In due time it shall be “glad tidings of great joy to all people.” In due time that “True Light shall lighten every man that cometh into the world,” and in no other way can these scriptures be used without wresting. We take them to mean just what they say. Paul carries out the line of argument with emphasis in Rom. v. 18, 19. He reasons that as all men were condemned to death and suffered it because of Adam’s transgression, so also Christ’s righteousness justifies all to life again. Ali lost life, not of our own will or choice, in the first Adam; all receive life at the hands of the second Adam, equally without their will or choice.

When thus brought to life, and the love of God testified to them, their probation,

THEIR FIRST OHANOE,

begins, for we do not preach a second chance for any. But Peter tells us, that “the restitution is spoken of by the

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mouth of all the holy prophets.” They do all teach it. Ezekiel tells us of the valley of dry bones, “This is the whole house of Israe]l;” and God says to them, “I will bring you up out of your graves, and bring you into your own land.” This agrees with St. Paul, Rom. vi. 25, 26. Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles (the Gospel Church, the elect company “taken out of the Gentiles”) be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved, or brought back from their cast-off condition. For “God hath not cast off His people whom He foreknew.” They were cut off from His favor while the bride of Ohrist was being selected, but will return to favor when that work is accomplished.—Vs. 28 to 33. The prophets are full of statements of how God will “plant them again, and they shall be no more plucked up.” This does not refer to restorations from former captivities in Babylon, Syria, &c., for the Lord says, “In that day it shall no more be a proverb among you ‘the fathers ate a sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge;’ but every man shal! die for his own sin.” This is not the case now. You do not die for your own sin, but for Adam’s—‘As in Adam all die.” He ate the sour grape, and our forefathers continued to eat them, entailing further sickness and misery upon us. The day in which “every man shall die for his own sin,” is this Millennial or Restitution day. But when restored to the same conditions as Adam, will they not be as hiable to sin and fall again as he was? No; they will be liable, but not as liable; they have learned in their time the lesson which God designed to teach to all, viz., ‘The exceeding sinfulness of sin.” They will be prepared to appreci- ate the good and shun the evil, and the Gospel Church then glorified will be, “the kings (rulers) and priests” (teachers) of that new age, for “Unto the angels hath He not put in sub- jection the word (age) to come, whereof we speak,” &c. Then through “the second Adam” and His helpmeet they may be begotten into their spiritual likeness.

But are we sure that God intends these blessings for any but the “people whom He foreknew” (the Jews)? Yes. He mentions other nations also by name, and speaks of their resti- tution. Let me give you an illustration that will be forcible:

THE SODOMITES.

Surely if we find their restitution mentioned you will be sat- isfied. But why should they not have an opportunity to obtain eternal life as well as you or the Jew? ‘They were not wicked in the proper sense, for they did not have law or much knowl- edge. True, they were not righteous, but neither were you when God gave you your opportunity. Christ’s own words shall tell us that they are not as guilty in His sight as the Jews, who had more knowledge: “Woe unto thee, Capernaum, for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained unto this day.” Thus Christ’s own words teach us that they had not had their full opportunity. “Remember,” Christ says of the Sodomites, that “God-~ rained down fire and destroyed them all.” So, if their restoration is spoken of, it implies their resurrection.

Let us look at the prophecy, Ezek. xvi. 48 to the close. Read it carefully. God here speaks of Israel and compares her with her neighbor, Samaria, and also with the Sodomites, whom He says, “Il took away as I saw good.” Why did God see good to take away these people without giving them a chance of eternal life through the knowledge of “the only name?” Because it was not their due time. They will come to a knowledge of the truth when restored. He’ll save them from death’s bond- age first, and then give them knowledge. As it is written: “God will have all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” When brought to the knowledge, then, and not until then, are they on trial for eternal life. With this thought, and with no other, can we understand the dealings of the God of love with those Amalekites and other nations. whom He not only permitted, but commanded Israel to butcher. “Slay Amalek utterly—leave neither man, woman or child.” “Spare not the little ones.” How often my heart has ached. and yours, too, as we sought to reconcile this apparent wan- tonness on God’s part with the teachings of the new dispensa- tion. “God is love,” “Love your enemies,” &c. Now we can see that the entire Jewish age was a type of the higher, Gospel age; Israel’s victories and conquests merely pictures of the Christian’s battles with sin, etc. These Amalekites and Sod- omites and others were used to illustrate, or to be “examples” “for our admonition ;” and these people might just as well die so, a8 of disease and plague, and it mattered little to them as they were merely learning to know evil, that when on trial, “in due time,’ they might learn good and be able to discrimi- nate and choose life.

But let us read the prophecy further. After comparing Israel with Sodom and Samaria, and pronouncing her worse, v. 53 says: “When I bring again the captivity [in death, all

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are captives and Christ came to ‘set at liberty the captives and to open the prison doors’ of the grave,] of Sodom and Samaria, then will I bring thy captives in the midst of them.” (These will be raised together.) In v. 55 this is called “a return to

THEIR FORMER ESTATE”’

-—restitution. But some one, who cannot imagine that God really could be so good or just, suggests God must be speaking ironically to the Jews, and saying He would just as soon bring back the Sodomites as them, but has no notion of either. Let us see. Read vs. 61-62. Nevertheless “J will remember my covenant with thee; I will establish it to thee.” “Yes,” says Paul, “this is God’s covenant with them—they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” Rom. xi. 27-29. The 63d verse concludes the argument, showing that the promised restitution is not based on the merits of the Jews, Samaritans or Sodomites. “That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.” When God signs his name to a statement in this way I must be- lieve it. “Saith the Lord God.” And no wonder if they are con- founded when ‘in the ages to come He shows forth the exceed- ing riches of His grace,” (Eph. ii. 7), and many of God’s children will be confounded and amazed also when they see how “God so loved THE WORLD.” They will be ready to exclaim with brother Paul: “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judg- ments, and his ways past finding out!”

But some will inquire, How comes it that this has not been seen long ago? We answer, God gives light and knowledge to his people just as it is due. The world was left in almost entire ignorance of God’s plan until the Gospel age, when Christ came, bringing life and immortality To LicHT through the Gos- pel. The Jews up to that time supposed that all the promises of God were to and for them alone, but in due time God showed favor to the Gentiles also. Christians generally have supposed that God’s blessings are to the church, but we begin to see that God is better than all our fears, and though he has given us the “exceeding great and precious promises,’ He has made some to the world also.

“The path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more, until the perfect day,” and the fact that it now shines so brightly, and that we are able to see more of the beauty and harmony of God’s word, is strong presumptive evidence that we are in the dawn of that glorious millennial day, when “we shall know even as we are known.”

But we promised to harmonize those doctrines of the Church generally supposed to be antipodes, viz., CALVINISM, or Elec- tion, and ARMINTANISM, or Free Grace. Perhaps you already see how they harmonize themselves by simply recognizing the order of the ages and applying each text to the place and time to which it belongs. Let me then point out to you

INCONSISTENCY OF EITHER CALVINISM OR ARMINIANISM

when separated from each other. In doing so I do not wish to reflect on those who hold these doctrines. I shall merely call your attention to features which their warmest advocates must confess to be their weak points.

First—Calvinism says: God is all-wise. He knew the end from the beginning, and, as “all his purposes shall be accom- plished,” He never could have intended to save any but a few— the true Church, the little flock. ‘These He elected and pre- destined to be eternally saved; all others were equally predes- tined and elected to go to hell, for “known unto the Lord are all His works from the foundation of the world.”

This has its good features. It shows, and properly, God’s Omniscience. This would be our ideal of a GREAT God, were it not that three essential qualities of greatness, viz., MErcy, Love and JUSTICE, are lacking, for none of these qualities find place in bringing into the world one hundred and forty-two billions of creatures damned before they were born and mocked

“WHAT IS

This question 1s one which every sincere Christian should ask and seek to answer. We should learn to love and value truth for its own sake; to respect and honor it by owning and acknowledging it wherever we find it and by whomsoever pre- sented. A truih presented by Satan himself is just as true as a truth stated by God.

Perhaps nv class of people are more apt to overlook this fact than the Christian. How often do they in controversy overlook and ignore t:uth presented by their opponents. This is particularly the case when arguing with an infidel. They

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by protestations of love. just ;” “God is merciful.”

Second—Arminianism says: Yes, “God is love,” and in bringing humanity into the world He meant them no harm, only good. But Satan succeeded in tempting Adam; thus “sin entered into the world and death by sin,” and ever since, God has been doing all He can to deliver man from his enemy, even to the giving of His Son, and though now, six thousand years after, the gospel has only reached a very small portion of those creatures, yet, we do hope and trust that within six thousand years more, through the energy and liberality of the Church, God will have so far remedied the evil introduced by Satan, that all may at least know of His love, and knowl- edge of God be co-extensive with the knowledge of evil.

The commendable feature of this view is, that it accepts the statement that “Cod is love.” But, while full of loving and benevolent designs for His creatures, He lacks ability and fore- knowledge adequate to the accomplishment of those designs.

While God was busy arranging and devising for the good of His newly created children, Satan slipped in, and by one stroke upset all God’s plans, and in one moment brought sin and evil among men to such an extent that even by exhausting all His power, God must spend twelve thousand years to even reinstate righteousness to such a degree that man will have an opportunity to choose Good as readily as Evil, and the one hundred and forty-two billions of the past six thousand years, and as many more of the next, are lost to all eternity, in spite of God’s love for them, because Satan interfered with His plans as God had not foreseen. Thus Satan, in spite of God, gets one hundred into hell to one God gets to glory. This view must exalt men’s ideas of Satan, and lower their estimation of Him who “Spake, and it was done; commanded, and it stood fast.”

But how refreshing it is for us to turn from these fragments of truth, as separately considered, and

SEE HOW HARMONIOUS

and beautiful they are when united. How, during the present and past ages God is electing or gathering, by the preaching of His word, the Gospel church. How He wisely permitted evil to come into the world, in order that He might develop His chureh, which, thus “being made perfect through suffer- ing,” might be prepared for her glorious work in the future; and how the mass of mankind, though not now on probation, are nevertheless getting a knowledge and experience by contact with sin which He foresaw they would be the better for; and, furthermore, how he took occasion, in connection with this, His plan, to show us His great love, by so arranging that the death of Christ was necessary to our recovery from sin, and then freely giving Him “to be a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” and then in the next dispensation—“The new heavens and earth” (Rev. xxi. 1-9-10 and xxii. 17)—-when “the Spirit and the Bride say come, and whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely.” He will show us His “Free Grace” in fullest measure.

Is not this the teaching of God’s Word? Men never would have thought of such a glorious plan of salvation. Truly God has said: “My ways are not your ways, nor my thoughts your thoughts.” Hereafter when we address Him “Our Father,” may it call to our mind that His love and compassion are far greater than the pity of our earthly parents, and while we study His Word more and more, and seek to “grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God,” let us ever remember that

No, no. “od is love;’ “God is

“Blind unbelief is sure to err, And sean His work in vain. God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.”

Having seen how much of the great plan of God waits the coming of Christ for its accomplishment, and having, we trust, found why Christ comes, can we help loving His appearing? In our next we hope to examine with you what the Bible teaches of How Christ Comes.

TRUTH?”

feel at perfect liberty to dispute everything he says on religious subjects. This is not the correct principle. Many infidels are honest—as anxious to speak and believe the truth as are Chris- tians—and if in converse with them we ignore truths which they may advance, we not only fail to convince them of our truths, but put an end to all hope of reaching them; for our failure to admit the evident truth which they advance begets in them contempt for the one who is not honest enough to admit one truth because he does not see how it can be recon- ciled to another. Accept truth wherever you find it, no matter

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what it contradicts, and rely for ability to afterwards harmo- nize it with others upon “the Spirit of truth, which shall guide you into all truth,” as Jesus promised.

Truth, like a modest little flower in the wilderness of life, is surrounded and almost choked by the luxuriant growth of the weeds of error. If you would find it you must be ever on the lookout. If you would see its beauty you must brush aside the weeds of error and the brambles of bigotry. If you would possess it you must stoop to get it.

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Be not content with one flower of truth. Had one been sufficient there would have been no more. Gather ever, serk for more.

Weave them together as a garland—‘Bind them on thee as a bride doeth.” “Bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart; so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” ae 3.

HIS THRONE

“Leaning upon her Beloved.”—Songs of Solomon, viii. 5

Upon her loved One leaning ; For thus the Bride appears,

The wilderness behind her, With all its sighs and fears.

For Him in hope she waited And loving tears she wept, E’en in the darksome shadows, She watched while others slept.

She knew He would be faithful, And in His Word she read,

That He was coming quickly, She trusted what He said.

Ofttimes His precious promise She told to those around,

To some it seemed good tidings, To others empty sound.

Now, as the King of Glory, He claims her as His own; With hand for her once pierced, He seats her on His throne. M. R. J., Princeton, N. J.

“GOD IS LOVE”

This is the grand expression of the Bible—the keynote of Christianity. 1t is the foundation of the great plan of creation and redemption, and the underlying principle in the structure of the Word of God.

It is truth, the truth, as God is true, the embodiment of all other truths; so that whatever, rightly understood, is not in harmony with it must be false. “God is love,” eternal and unchangeable. All that He has done or will do can but express His infinite fullness. All His attributes are moved and con- trolled by love.

“God is love.” Many feel, as a result of education, that God hates them, but that Christ loves them; others believe that Christ purchased the Father’s love. Both are answered by Christ’s words: “God so loved the world that he gave his Son,” &e. John iii. 16. Christ’s work is not to purchase the Father’s love, but to manifest it. Practically, if not as theo- logians teach, Christ’s words are true: “I and my Father are one”’—one in purpose and in work.

Christ prayed to the Father that the disciples might be one, “even as we are one.” “As thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they may be one in us,” &c. John xvil. 21. He could thus be called “Immanuel—God with us.” “Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was man- ifest in the flesh.” 1 Tim. iii. 16. God gave his Son. The Son “gave himself for us.” Truly they are in harmony. The love of the infinite God could neither be created nor purchased, but it could be shown. This is one part of the work of the Son of God—to reveal the Father. To reveal his love is to reveal himself, for “God is love.” Without Christ or out of Christ God cannot be known. The Father does not reveal the Son, but the Son reveals the Father, “For no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” No theo- logian need attempt an explanation of the Divine Sonship of our Lord. “But it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell,”—“All fullness of the Godhead bodily.”— Col. i. 19, and ii. 9. He is the Word, the Truth, the personal embodiment of all that is good and true, and emphatically the Revelation of God. “The Word was with God and the Word was God.” “The Word was made flesh.” He took our nature, the “form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” Phil. ii. 7. He of whom it was said, “Let all the angels of God worship him,” [that must include Michael,] and “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever,” (Heb. i. 6, 8), “left the glory he had with the Father before the foundation of the world;” “made himself of no reputation;” “was made a little lower than the angels;” “for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.” Heb. ii. 9.

Great condescension! Glorious love! Whose love? Both the Father’s and the Son’s, but primarily the Father’s. “God so loved that he gave.” The love caused the gift. “God com- mendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. v. 8. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself, by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit: that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them,” &c. 2 Cor. vs. 18, 19. The hymn line, “My God is reconciled,” has well been changed, ‘To God I’m reconciled.” It is man that is out of order—away from home—and God is in Christ to win the wanderer back. God hates sin, but loves the man. One reason why He hates sin is because he loves the man, and sin destroys man’s happiness and if persisted in will destroy the man himself. “Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help found,” saith the Lord. “The grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men hath ap- peared.” Grace is love and favor. God in Christ brings salva- tion to all men absolutely, so far as relates to the recovery of what was lost in Adam. ‘Who will have all men to be saved.” “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Thus, “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of aLr MEN, specially of them that believe.” 1 Tim. iv. 10.

He has not only redeemed man from what was lost in Adam, but has made higher attainments possible, brought salvation near, within reach of all men, and is the “author of cfernal salvation to them that obey him.” Heb. v. 9. He not only “rave Himself a ransom (to buy man back from death) for all." but it is “to be testified in due time.” 1 Tim. ii. 6. Tle not only “will have all men to be saved” (from the Adamic penal- ty), but will also have them “come to the knowledge of the truth.” Ver. 4. Thus. and in “due time” He is the “true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John i. 9. All who have died without the true light. will be enlightened in future, and the words of the angel will be veri- fied: “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy. which shall be to all people.” Luke ii. 10.

The salvation from death is secured to all by the Ransom: the salvation from sin is made possible to all bv the light. and all this is the Father’s arrangement, through the Son, who is constituted Redeemer, and also the “Head’——“‘Firstborn” of a new race. He restores the old to all, and imparts the new to as many as receive and obey the truth.

How true it is, that: “He that Joveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.” 1 John iv. 8. “Love is of God.” Ver. 1. “In this was manifested the love of God towards us. be- cause that God sent his only begotten Son into the world. that we might live through him,” (the Son.) (Ver. 9.) “Herein is love, .... that He loved us,” &c. (Ver. 10.) “We love

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him, because he first loved us.” (Ver. 19.) In view of so much testimony, who can doubt the Father’s love, or believe that it was purchased by Christ’s death? Christ’s death meets a ne- cessity of man in relation to man’s forfeited life; hence He purchased man, and not God. God arranged it as a grand ea- hibition of His love for man. “Ye are bought with a price,

CHRIST'S

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirtspuRGH, Pa.

therefore glorify God,” &c. ‘Thanks be unto God for his un-

speakable gift.” We love the Giver and we love the Gift.

“Whom having not seen, we love.” Who can refrain from join-

ing the grand chorus of the angels: “Glory to God in the high-

est, and on earth, peace, good will toward men?” Luke, ii. 14. J. H. P.

PERSONAL RETURN

By A LUTHERAN MINISTER

To attempt to prove that the Son of Man will really and personally come again to this world, may seem quite super- fluous. It is a doctrine which orthodox Christians universally admit; and yet, perhaps, there is not another article of Chris- tian faith so coldly and indefinitely apprehended. Few men em- brace it as a reality. Few men lay hold of it as an efficacious truth. People deny it not, but neither do they feel it. They have so much preoccupied their minds with imaginary, figura- tive comings of the Saviour, in providence, in His Spirit, in His Word, and in His Church, that His only real coming has well nigh become obsolete—a dead letter.

It no longer comes upon the heart and conscience with its awakening and commanding power. We recite it, and sing it; but we do not effectually receive it. It is in our creed, but it cannot be said to be of our faith. If we entertain it at all, it is

at a great distance off. It cannot, therefore, be a matter of small importance for us to review our position and to en- deavor to ascertain where we stand in regard to this great doctrine.

If we have been unconsciously saying to ourselves, “The Lord delayeth his coming,” it is time that we should wake up to the fact, lest that day should come upon us unawares. Christ bids us “Watch, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.” ‘The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” ‘As a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” And amid the tremen- dous heavings of society in our day, we are most solemnly ad- monished to Jook well to our hearts, and keep close to the directions of our Lord.

THREE WORLDS

The past, present and future of the family of man are all included in the “Three Worlds.” The world that was before the flood, the world that now is, and the world to come.

The Greek word “Kosmos,” translated world, as above, re- lates to the order or state of things, and does not refer to the literal earth, as some suppose. The same word is often used when the people are meant, as “God so loved the world ;” “Be- hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world ;” “The tield is the world” (Christ does not sow the good seed in the ground—mankind is His field of operation) ; “He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.” Kosmos is thus used for the general “order” of things, or for the people, but we have yet to learn that the word is ever translated earth, or has that meaning. The nearest to it, perhaps, is when Peter speaks of these three conditions as three distinct “heavens and earth.” 2 Peter iii. The first “perished” (came to an end), the second is “reserved unto fire,’ and will end also, but the third, or “new heavens and new earth,” is the “world without end.”

These three exist in the order of succession as above, no two at the same time, and the same planet, Earth, is the basis of all three.

The change at the flood was not so much physica] as dis- pensational. The administration of God was changed, but the earth, with its “mountains” and consequent valleys, still re- mained. “The waters prevailed and all the high hills were covered.” Gen. vii. 19. The ark rose above the mountains, carried on the face of the waters, and when the waters abated “the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.” Gen. viil. 4. The waters rose and fell, but there was apparently no change in the form of the earth itself. The trees seem to have re- mained in place, for had they been floating, the dove might have found a place “for the sole of her foot” (Ver. 9), and “an olive leave plucked off” would have been no evidence that the waters were abating (Ver. 11).

A few of these simple things well noted, might help to dis- pel some of the exaggerated expectations of many as to physi- eal changes in the “new heavens and earth” promised. “New” does not necessarily mean absolute perfection.

The first “order” is called “the old world,” 2 Peter ii. 5. Then “This present evil world” must have been new at first. As the second “waxes old” and passes away, another new one comes on, “Wherein dwelleth righteousness.” It has been thought by some that it must therefore be absolutely free from sin from the very first. This is an evil world, but there is some good in it, and when Satan is bound—limited—chained—it will be reversed. Righteousness will be the rule and sin the excep- tion. ‘The sinner being an hundred years old, shall be ac- cursed.” Isa. Ixv. 20. Sin and death go hand in hand, and neither shall be destroyed until the end of the thousand years: “The Jast enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. xv. 26.

These three worlds are the basis of the Bible plan of salva- tion, and may therefore serve as a means of explaining the

Word in reference to the plan. If a statement of the Word belongs to any one of these worlds, it wil! be a perversion to apply it to another, or to what lies outside of them altogether.

To get tne true import of anything revealed by the Spirit of God must be important, in order that the designed effect may be realized. Without an outline of the plan, it is not surprising that men have failed to “rightly divide the word of truth.” If it be remembered that the “world to come” is not the “spirit world,” or state of the departed in any sense, but a future state that does not begin until the second, or “present evil world,” ends, many Scriptures will be plain. “Ye shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” The resurrec- tion is at the last trump (1 Cor. xv.) during which time Christ comes, and the reward is given to “prophets, saints, and them that fear God’s name, small and great.” Rev. xi. 15-18. The rewurd is “eternal life” to them who seek for it “by patient continuance in well-doing”’ (Rom. ii. 7), and Jesus says, “in the world to come eternal life.” This division of the Word, by the plan of the ages gives an intensity of interest in the coming of our Lord, for whatever man’s state in death may be, it is clear that our reward is not due till he comes at the beginning of the world to come. Man does not go to it, but it comes to us. Those who died in the world before the flood did not thus reach the present world, which was then future, so neither can men reach the world to come by dying. Living or dead, we must wait for that period to come before we can be in it, as we wait from one day to another, and when the new period or day has come, those who have not died will be in the world to come as well as those who are raised from the dead, just as Noah passed from the old world into the new, having escaped death. It does not militate against this idea, that the saints are to enter upon a higher state than the nations, being raised in the “spiritual body,” and made equal to the angels at the beginning of that world. The heavenly state of the saints, as the “Bride, the Lamb’s Wife,” and the earthly state of the nations, as the “blessed of the Lord,” are facts of the world to come and in harmony with each other. If the saints are to rule the nations as promised, the nations must be there to be ruled. There are high and low, heavens and earth, in the future as well as in the past. In this present evil world, the angels—unseen, yet real persons—have a great deal of power, as “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Heb. i. 14. “But unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak, but... . what is man, that thou art mindful of him?’

is world is subject to the angels, but the future world is made subject to glorified man, Jesus being the head of the glo- rified body. The above proves that angels are not glorified men, and also that man will supersede the angels in administration of God’s benefits to man in the flesh.

An understanding of much of God’s Word is made easier by first having a “bird’s-eye view” of the plan as shown by the “Three Worlds.” J. H. P.

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GOD’S “LITTLE WHILE”

Because of the shortness of human life, we act quickly ourselves and expect others to act so, and we can scarcely avoid carrying the same thought with us when we go to the investigation of God’s Word.

We read—“Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come.” We think, as we look back at the eighteen centuries which have elapsed since his first advent, that it is not a “little while.’ No, to us it is a long while. Our ideas of long and short periods are drawn from our experience, When you were a child you thought as a child; you impatiently looked at an hour as a long time, and a year seemed an age if it intervened between you and some coveted object or enjoyment. Since you have grown to manhood or womanhood years are short; how quickly they fly. Your plans and arrangements reach out and embrace numbers of them.

We see then that a long time and a “little while” are ac- commodative terms, to be understood in harmony with the standpoint of the one using them. When Paul used these words he was God’s mouthpiece, therefore the word is God’s— and it is from Hig standpoint, in whose sight “a thousand years are but as yesterday,” and “as a watch in the night.” If we remember that He is from everlasting to everlasting, eighteen hundred years are but “a little while” to Him. In His sight it is only “a little while” since He created Adam.

Let us not be so impatient; there is plenty of time in eternity.

If we can get this standpoint of time—God’s standpoint— it will assist us to see how “God is not slack concerning His promises.” When God promised Eve that her seed should bruise the serpent’s head, she doubtless supposed that God’s promise had failed when one of her sons was slain and the other had become a branded murderer; and when Seth was born, as his name indicates, she thought him the promised seed. She came to die, and yet saw not God’s promise fulfilled. Ages rolled on, floods came and went, Moses and Israel read the promise, but saw no fulfillment. Had it failed? No, four thousand years after, Jesus appeared on earth, suffered, died, arose, ascended. Was the promise fulfilled? No, only in part. Satan’s head (vital part) is not yet crushed, he rears it higher than ever; his contro] is greater perhaps than ever before. Does God’s promise mean less than it says? No, give Him more time; it is only “a little while’ since He promised, and “tn the time” it will all be fulfilled. Because He saw that we would wonder whether He is “slack concerning His promises;” and because Jesus counts us His friends, (“I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” Jno. xv. 15,) therefore He kindly gives us through Paul, a clue as to how and when this promise will be fulfilled. Rom. xvi. 20, reads: “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”

This is the same promise made to Eve, and though Christ had died, Paul well knew that Satan was not yet bruised.

But God has not forgotten His promise; He will reform, but when? “Shortly.” Ah, God’s “little while” again. But why say under your feet? What had the Christians at Rome to do with bruising Satan? Had God’s Word not said the seed should do it? And was not Christ this seed? Yes, Jesus is the head over this seed, but we are members of the body under this head, as we read: “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ .... gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body.” Eph. i. 17-22. He is the head, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. Col. i. 18.

Satan was permitted to bruise Jesus, the head. “He was bruised for our iniquity.” He was made perfect through suf- fering,” and we, the members of the body, must suffer with Him if we would be made perfect—must “fill up the measure of the sufferings of Christ.” The Head suffered most, but we must be sharers of the suffering, if we would be glorified to-

ether.

: Therefore, “count it all joy” and “think it not strange con- cerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when (“a little while,” “shortly”) His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad, also, with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet. iv. 13. Yes, we shall share in the “glory that shall follow,” and part of that glory shall be to crush the serpent. Now he bruises our heel (ours are not vital wounds, they will all heal). We shall crush his head (a vital part, indicating the utter extinction of evil—when death shall be destroyed, and “him that hath the power of death, that is the devil”). As this has required time for its accomplishment, so have almost all the promises of God. Take

THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM.

God had promised and sworn to Abraham, that his seed should be as the sand of the sea—innumerable—and Abraham believed it; but as years rolled on he and Sarah thought it a

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long time. They were getting old, and yet had no child. Finally to help God to fulfill his promise, (how many Christians want to FORCE @ construction on prophecy, in order to help God out of a dilemma and help Him to fulfill His word. Wait;

“God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.”

Yes, they would help God to keep His word,) and as Sarah was too old, her maid must bear the promised seed. This was a human way to fulfill, but God waited fifteen years until they were both old, so that both Abraham and Sarah laughed when they were told that they should yet have a son Isaac. “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ But the answer was: “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time APPOINTED .... Sarah shall have a son.” O, that we could learn—

“It may not be my time, It may not be thy time, And yet in His own time The Lord will perform.”

Ages have rolled around, yet the seed of Abraham, although a nation and partially possessing Canaan for a time, have never yet had those promises to Abraham FULFILLED.

“TI will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee.” “And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, ali the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession.”

But Paul shows us how that there was a deeper meaning than the surface promise couched in the utterances of God to the seed of Abraham. Not only the fleshly children but the children of faith have a share.

“Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one. ‘And to thy seed’—which is Christ.” .... And if ye be Christ’s (if you have been “baptised into Christ, put on Christ,” be- come “members of His body,”) then (and only then, no other way,) are ye Abraham’s SEED and HEIRS; according to prom- ise.” Gal, ili. 16 and 29.

Here again we realize that God’s “little while” is to man a great while; but surely and steadily the members of the body of Christ are being developed, and in due time they will be united to their Head, and with Him glorified—constituting in the complete sense “the seed”’—and then, never fully until then, can it be true of Abraham and his seed:—“In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. iii. 8.) Then “A king shall reign in righteousness, and princes sha}] rule in judgment”—[Christ, our Head, the King, and we joint heirs with HimJ—and under that righteous reign and rule “all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” for then “the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth.” But there are

PROMISES TO THE NATURAL SEED,

as well as to the spiritual, they never have and do not now possess Canaan as an “everlasting possession.” The prophets tell us that “the Lord shall yet choose Jerusalem.” Zech. i. 17. “T will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem;” it “shall be called a city of truth.” “The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing.” “If it be marvelous in the eyes of the rem- nant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.” Zech. viii. 3-6. “At that time ....I1 shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.” “Then shal] Jerusalem be holy.” Joel iii. 1-17.

James shows that these promises lacked a fulfillment, Acts xv. 16, after showing the object of the Gospel age to be the taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name—the Church —His body, the seed. After recounting this, James says: “To this agree the words of the prophets, [or this is in harmony with prophecy.”] As it is written, ‘After this’ [after the seed is taken from among the Gentiles,} ‘I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof.” Yes, God has good things in reserve for his ancient people, and as Paul says, though they were “blinded” and “cut off” from the first posi- tion of heirs of those promises, yet “God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel.” How long, Paul? Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. [That is, until the entire Church, which James says God is taking out of the Gentiles, have all been taken out, and gathered into full sonship, as the seed of promise.) And, if they are blinded only until that time, it is evident that at that time the blindness will be removed. But Paul continues, “and so all Israel shall be saved,” [not saved eternally as in- dividuals, but saved—rescued—nationally brought back to power and grandeur]. But Paul goes to the prophets as his

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authority, “as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, [the seed, head and body] and shall turn away un- godliness from Jacob, [{fleshly Israel,] for this is my covenant with them.” Paul then gives us his reasons for speaking so confidently, “For the gifts and calling of God are without re- pentance.” God’s giving us the “high calling,” and the prom- ises on the higher plane, does not interfere with or hinder His keeping His promise to the fleshly seed, but all the more guar- antees it.

Then he explains how it is we, who were once Gentiles, had God’s merey and truth revealed to us when and because nat- ural Israel was blinded; so we obtained mercy through their unbelief; so “these have not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.” ‘Through whose mercy? Yours, the Churech’s. When the Church is all taken out and glorified, she is with Christ, her head, to mercifully and justly rule the world, and then Israel shall obtain your mercy. Rom. ii. 2-25.

O, that we could realize that every promise of God 1s sure,

THE ROYAL

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness unto His marvel- ous light.” 1 Pet. ii. 9.

“Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” Rev. 1. 5, 6.

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.” Rev. v. 10.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrec- tion: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Rev. xx. 6.

The above scriptures clearly teach that a part, at least, of our work in the future will be to officiate as the priests of God. As the work of a priest is one of intercession and of instruction in righteousness, they as clearly prove that the glorious work of evangelization will go on, not only after the first resurrec- tion has taken place, but even all through the “age of the ages.” The fact that these offices of “king” and “priest” will exist, logically implies that there will be subjects to rule and learners to teach; otherwise the names would be meaningless and the titles an empty sound.

It is held by some, that the reign of the saints will consist of a very brief “reign of terror,” during which—with Christ at their head-—they will trample their enemies into the dust and utterly destroy them. We thank our dear Lord for a better hope. Our work will not be one of destruction, but of salvation. We shall rule as kings, even with a rod of iron; but the grand object will be to humble the nations, and so fit them for the reception of truth. “For, when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn right- cousness.” Isa, xxvi. 9.

What a blessed prospect! what a glorious calling! A royal priesthood!

Who that is imbued with the spirit of the Master; who that has but tasted that the Lord is gracious, could desire more agreeable employment than to show forth the praises of our Saviour King to those sitting in darkness? to bind up the hroken-hearted? to proclaim liberty to the captive? to give beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning ?—

“To tell the old, old story Of Jesus and His love.”

To fit us for such an exalted and responsible position we require a peculiar training, and we feel warranted in claiming that the trials, temptations and discipline of this present life are for that very purpose. °

Many a struggling believer, trying hard to overcome, buf- feted by the enemy, tried by friends, weighed down by heredi- tary weaknesses in self, discouraged and faint, has cried out, from the depths of a loving heart: “Why, O! why this suffer- ing? why this severe chastisement?” Let us glance for a mo- ment at the pathway trod by the bleeding feet of the Master— our forerunner—and we shall find the answer.

“So, also, Christ glorified not Himself to be made a high priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son.....

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in His own due time, it would give us childlike trust and con- fidence for everything, and not to accept them as all sure is to make God a liar.

Paul, as he looked forward and realized how in due time every jot and tittle should be fulfilled, and saw the greatness and majesty of God’s plan, breaks forth in ecstasy and ex- claims, “O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” “Who hath known the mind of the Lord?” [Who knew that God’s plan was so comprehensive and full.] And our hearts can say, Amen.

God knows the end from the beginning, and looking at the great clock of the ages, declares to us that the things we so much desire, shall be “shortly,” “‘yet a little while.” Let us look at things from his standpoint, and so

“Tet the little while between In its golden light be seen.”

PRIESTHOOD

Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared: Though He were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which He had suffered, and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.” Heb. v. 5-9.

“For it became Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Wherefore in all things it behoov- eth Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” Heb. ii. 10, 17-13.

“For we have not a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tenfpted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. iv. 15, 16.

The reason, then, that the Church is called on to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ is, that all the body, in like manner to the Head, may be trained to perfect sympathy and to perfect obedience through suffering. In this present time, we in all our troubles come to our compassionate High Priest with boldness, realizing that He, having been par- taker of flesh and blood, can truly feel for us and pity us, so, in the age to come, we, the promised seed of Abraham, through whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed, (compare Gen. xii. 3; Gal. iii. 14, 16, 20;) shall go forth a royal priest- hood, according to the order of Melchisedec, fully prepared to sympathize with the nations, to lead them to the paths of righteousness, and to encourage them in the way of life.

Shall we shrink then from our cross? Shall we seek to put away the bitter cup that is sometimes pressed to our lips? Surely not. ’Tis a loving hand that presents it, ’tis a loving heart (infinitely loving) that sees the need of it. No! It is but the Master fitting us for His work; training us for the priesthood; teaching us to rule ourselves that we may know how to rule others; opening our eyes to the weakness of our own fiesh, that we may have patience with those over whom we are given authority. (Luke xix. 17, 19.)

Courage, then, my Christian brother or sister, seeking with weary step to run the narrow way. Heed not the rugged course; it is all hallowed and sanctified by the blessed feet of the Master. Count every thorn a flower; every sharp rock a milestone, hurrying you onward to the goal. Let every advanc- ing step be a “Nearer to Thee:” every hillock in the road an “upward toward heaven.” Keep your eye fixed on the prize. Soon—very soon—you may wear the Crown.

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with him ; if we suffer, we shall reign with Him.”

The consecrated cross I’ll bear, Till self it bears from me; When Jesus calls, the crown I’ll wear For Him who set me free. W. I. M.

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THE BLOOD

The more enlightened we become in regard to God’s plan of the ages, the more fully we can understand the wonderful love of God manifested in the gift of Jesus Christ. God does nothing without a reason, and only as we understand the rea- son can we rightly value what He does. So we come nearer to the true estimate of the blood of Christ as we understand my Hy shed His blood and the nature of the results to be ob- ained.

Man not only became a sinner by disobedience, but he lost his life also. As through one man sin entered the world (in whom all sinned), and through sin, death, so also death passed upon all men. Romans v. 12. If he remained in that condi- tion, God’s object in creating man to attain finally to His own image would prove a failure.

As there was no law that could give life, it seems that noth- ing less than the death of Christ could place man where he could strive for the higher life.

He said of himself, “This is my flesh which I give for the life of the world.” Besides, we being yet helpless, Christ at the proper time died in behalf of the ungodly. Now, scarcely on behalf of a just person will any one die, though, possibly, on behalf of the good some one might venture to die. But God recommends His own love to us, because we being yet sinners, Christ died on our behalf. By much Mors, then, having been now justified by His blood, we shall through Him be saved from wrath. Romans v. 6-9. So Paul could say, “Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with the blood of His own.” Acts xx. 28. They were sold under sin, but bought with a price. “What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are all bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

Bought, redeemed and ransomed seem to be used in the same sense, and by the use of these terms we are frequently reminded that we are not our own, but belong to one who has the right to command and require implicit obedience; but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, in all manner of conversation, in all your conduct, because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy, and if ye call on the Father, who, with- out respect of persons, judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear; forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter i. 15-19.

For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Rev. v. 9, 10.

We are taught to serve one another, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matt. xx. 27, 28.

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OF CHRIST

He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1 Tim. 2, 5.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will re- deem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. Hosea xiii. 14.

But this is not all. We have this precious invitation: Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. i. 18. Tf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John i. 9.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we speak falsely and perform not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John vi. 7.

It is a singular fact that if a scarlet or crimson object is viewed through a red glass in the light, it appears white; so, though our sins be as scarlet or crimson, when we come where God will view them through the blood of Christ, they are ac- counted as white. Though we have no righteousness of our own, our faith is accounted unto us for righteousness. Where- fore, remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, .... that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God— Godless—in the world; but now, in Christ Jesus, ye who some- oa were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. ph. ii. 11-13.

But Christ being made a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprin- kling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge, cleanse your ae Ne a from dead works to serve the living God. Heb. ix, 11-14.

Therefore, by works of law no human being shall be justified in His presence, for through the law there is an acknowledg- ment of sin; but now apart from law, God’s righteousness has been made manifest, being attested by the law and the prophets, even God’s righteousness through the faith of Christ, to all who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His favor, through that redemption which is by Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a mercy seat by His own blood through the faith, for an exhibition of His righteousness in passing by the sins frequently committed during the forbearance of God, and for an exhibition of His righteousness at the present time, in order that He may be righteous while justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus, Where, then, is boasting? It is shut out. Through what law?—of works? No; but by the law of faith. Rom. iii. 20. (Emphatie Diaglott)

WHY EVIL WAS PERMITTED

A DIALOGUE

B. There are many beautiful truths taught in the Bible, which commend themselves to my better judgment, and if I could only have my mind clear on some points, I would gladly accept the whole. It seems, too, that there must be some way out of my difficulties, if I could only find it; for surely the book is stamped with a wisdom higher than human, and my difficulty must arise from a failure to comprehend it more fully.

A Well, my brother, it gives me great pleasure to meet with an honest inquirer after truth. You are anxious, then, to find the connecting links in the great chain which binds the interests of humanity to the throne of God. We believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and that the Spirit will guide us into all truth. If it should please Him to use me as His mouthpiece, it will be a great privilege. Will you please state one of those points, and when that is made clear, we shall be glad to hear of others?

B. One of these questions is, Why was evil permitted? If God is infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, why did He permit His fair creation to be so marred by sin? After creat- ing our first parents perfect and upright, why did He permit Satan to present the temptation? Or why allow the forbidden

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tree to have a place among the good? Could He not have pre- vented all possibility of man’s overthrow?

A. I see just where your difficulty lies, and I think I can make it very plain to you. It pleased God for the joy it gives Him to dispense his goodness, and to exercise the attributes of His glorious being to create various orders of intelligent be- ings. Some He has endowed with greater capacity than others; but each He made perfectly adapted to his sphere and destiny. We are acquainted with many forms of life in our world, and doubtless many others exist of which we know nothing yet: but above all others, stands man, the masterpiece of God’s workmanship, endowed with reason and intelligence superior to all others, and given the dominion over all. He was made upright and perfect; God pronounced him “very good.” He also made him (Adam) free in the exercise of all his powers—- physical, mental and moral—and though these powers were all perfect in their measure, yet they were each capable of large development. Now, had evil never been agi before him, he could not have resisted it, and, consequently, there would be no virtue nor merit in his doing right. I presume I need scarcely remark here, that not the fruit of the tree, but the act of disobedience caused man’s fall.

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B. But could not God have made man unchangeably per- fect?

A. No; to have done so would have been to make another God. Unchangeableness is an attribute only of an infallible, infinite being—God. He who cannot err must, of necessity, be all-wise, all-powerful and, consequently, eternal—a God and yet a creature—a supposition as absurd as impossible.

B. I had never thought of it so.

A. If an intelligent creature is to be made at all, he must be made liable to change; and, as he was created pure, any change must be from purity to sin. He could not even know the meaning of good unless he had evil to contrast with it. He could not be reckoned as obedient to God, unless a tempta- tion to disobedience were presented, and such an evil made pos- sible.

B. But could not God, with whom we are told “all things are possible,” have interfered in season to prevent the full ac- complishment of Satan’s designs?

A. You say, “All things are possible with God.” I trust you remember that it is all possible things that are possible with him. “It is impossible for God to lie.” Heb. vi. 18. “He cannot deny himself.” 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot do wrong. He cannot choose any but the wisest and best plan for intro- ducing His creatures into life; and we should bear in mind, that the fact of God’s not interfering with the introduction and development of sin is one of the very strongest of reasons for believing that evil is necessary, and designed ultimately to work good.

C. Bro. A, may I interrupt you here to ask, why, if it was proper and wise that Adam should have a trial] under the most favorable circumstances, as a perfect man, should not all his posterity have a similarly favorable trial? We all know that we are born with both mental and physical ailments and imperfections. Why did not God give us all as good a chance as Adam?

A. If you or I had been in Adam’s place, we would have done just as he did. Remember, he had known God only a little while. He found himself alive; perhaps God told him He was his Creator, had a right to command his obedience, and to threaten and inflict punishment, for disobedience. But what did Adam know about the matter? Here was another being at his side who contradicted God, telling him that he would not die from eating the fruit; that God was jealous, because eat- ing of this fruit would make him a god also. Then the tempter exemplified his teaching by eating of it himself, and man saw that he was the wisest of creatures. Can you wonder that they ate? No; as a reasoning being he could scarcely have done otherwise.

C. But he should have remembered the penalty—what a terrible price he must pay for his disobedience—the wretched- ness and death which would follow. If I were so placed, I think I should make more effort to withstand the tempter.

A. Wait, Bro. C.; you forget that Adam, up to this time, was totally unacquainted with wretchedness and death. He could not know what wretchedness meant; he never had been wretched. He did not know what dying meant; he never had died, nor seen any creature die, for death did not enter the world until after his disobedience (Rom. vy. 12), and if you or I had been there, controlled by an unbiased judgment, we would have done just as Adam did. The reason you think you could withstand better is, that you have had experience with evil and have learned in a measure, what Adam up to that time had not learned in the smallest degree, viz., to know good from evil.

C. O! I see. Then it is because we would have done just as Adam did that God is justified in counting us all sinners, that “by the one man’s disobedience, the many were made sin- ners,” and “by the offence of one, all were condemned” (Rom. v. 18, 19). and so “the wages of sin (death) passed upon all,” and through or “in Adam all die.”

B. Do I understand you to say that God does evil that good may come?

A. By no means. God did no evil, and He permitted it only because it was necessary that His creatures should know good from evil; that by being made acquainted with sin and its consequences—sickness, misery and death—they might learn “the exceeding sinfulness of sin,” and having tasted that the bitter “wages of sin is death,” they might be prepared to choose life and live.

B. But did not God implant in His creature that very thirst for knowledge which led him to an act of disobedience in order to gratify it? Does it not seem, too, that He wanted him to become acquainted with evil, and if so, why should He attach a penalty to the sinful act, knowing that a knowl- edge of evil could be obtained in no other way?

‘A. We can see readily that a knowledge of evil could be

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obtained in no way except by its introduction; and remember, Adam could not have disobeyed if God had given no com- mandmert, and every command must have a penalty attached to give it force. Therefore, I claim that God not only foresaw man’s fall into sin, but designed it. It was a part of His plan. God permitted, nay, wanted man to fall; and why? Because, having the remedy provided for his release from its conse- quences, He saw that the result would be to lead man to a knowledge, through experience, which would enable him to see the bitterness and blackness of sin—‘the exceeding sinfulness of sin,” and the matchless brilliancy of virtue in contrast with it; thus teaching him the more to love and honor his Creator, who is the fountain and source of all goodness, and to forever shun that which brought so much woe and misery. So the final result is greater love to God, and greater hatred of all that is opposed to Him. The best armament against tempta- tion is knowledge.

Your reasoning is clear, forcible and would seem to me plausible were it not that this experience and knowledge come too late to benefit the human family. Adam failed from want of knowledge and experience to maintain uprightness of character. His posterity, though possessing that knowledge and experience, fail to attain uprightness from lack of ability occasioned by his sin.

B. I can see no objection to your new view, that evil was permitted because necessary to man’s development and de- signed for his ultimate good, were it not as Bro. C. suggests: Mankind will never have an opportunity to make use of the experience and knowledge thus obtained. But, Bro. A., what did you mean a few minutes since when you said, God had a remedy provided for man’s release from the effects of the fall before he fell?

A. God foresaw that having been given freedom of choice, man would, through lack of knowledge, accept evil when dis- guised as an “angel of light;” and also that becoming ac- quainted with it, he would still choose it, because that ac- quaintance would so impair his moral nature that evil would become more agreeable to him and more to be desired than good. So, permitted to take his own course, man brought upon himself misery and death, from which he could never recover himself. Then the voice of Infinite Love is heard: “Be- hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” This is Christ Jesus, and the death of Christ for man’s sin was a part of God’s plan as much as man’s fall. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” His death for our sins was purposed by God before man fell; yes, before man was created.

B. I begin to see a harmony and beauty connected with the introduction of evil which I had not suspected. May we not reasonably say that God could not have displayed those qualities of His nature so attractive to us—mercy and pity— nor could His great love have been made so apparent, had not the occasion for their exercise been presented by man’s neces- sities?

A. Iam glad that you have suggested this thought. It is true, that though “the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy,” yet neither of these would have been seen had there not been a sinner requiring them; and while “God is love,” and always has been the same, yet it is true that “in this was manifested the love of God,” and “hereby perceive we the love of God, because He (Christ) laid down his life for us.” And do you not see that in the arrangement of the whole plan the wisdom of God is beautifully shown? Let me say further, that as we proceed, we shall find God’s justice made to shine because of the introduction of evil. God might have told His creatures of these attributes, but never could have exhibited them had not sin furnished an occasion for their exhibition.

C. This suggests another thought: Man could not have de- veloped these mora] qualities had God set no example.

A. Another good point, “He hath set us an example that we should walk in His footsteps.” We learn what mercy, jus- tice and love are by God’s illustration of them, and we are ex- horted, “Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love.” Notice, further, that we could not develop mercy, pity, love, etc., unless we had fellow sinners upon whom to exercise them. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”

B. I am becoming anxious to see the outcome. You have suggested that Christ is the remedy for man’s recovery from the effects of the fall, and that it was so arranged and pur- posed by God before creating the race, but you have not shown how the recovery is effected.

A. I am glad that you have not lost sight of the real ob- ject of our conversation. The answer to this question will in- volve the consideration of two points. First, What was the penalty pronounced and inflicted? and, second, What was the

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remedy, and how applied? May 1 ask you to state in Scrip- ture language what penalty God pronounced on Adam’s sin?

B. I believe it reads, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” But he did not die for nine hundred and thirty years.

A. You quote correctly. The marginal reading will help you over the difficulty of his living nine hundred and thirty years. It is a more literal rendering of the Hebrew text: “In the day thou eatest thereof dying, thou shalt die,” ¢. e., from the moment he would disobey God, death would have dominion over man—would have a claim and right to man, and would begin his work. It was only a question of time how long it would be before he should lay men low. Elements of disease infested all nature with which they came in contact since separated from Eden and its trees of life.

We all are in a dying condition, partially dead, mentally, morally and physically. From the moment of birth, and be- fore it, we have been in the clutches of death, and he never lets go until he has conquered. Man, by means of medical aid, attempts resistance, but at best it is a very brief struggle. Adam, because physically perfect, could offer great resistance. Death did not completely conquer him for nine hundred and thirty years, while the race at the present time, through the accumulated ills handed down through generations past, yields to his power on an average in about thirty-two years.

C. We are, then, so to speak, overshadowed by death from the cradle to the tomb, the shade increasing each moment, until it is blackness complete.

A. Yes; you get the thought as David expresses it in the twenty-third Psalm: “I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” The further we go down into this valley the darker it becomes, until the last spark of life expires.

B. I understand you to believe that diseases of the various kinds are but the mouths of death by which we are devoured, since we were placed within his reach by Adam’s sin?

A. Yes; every pain and ache we feel is evidence, not that death will get hold of us, but that he now has us in his grasp. Adam and all his race have been in death ever since he dis- obeyed.

C. We frequently sing of death as the “Angel God has sent,” “the gate to endless joy,” etc., and yet I confess that I could never regard it except as an enemy, and such it would really seem to be.

A. Nowhere in Scripture is it represented as our friend, but always as an enemy of man, and consequently the enemy of God, who loves man; and we are told that “for this pur- pose Christ was manifest, that he might destroy death and him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.”

B. If death is the penalty for sin, has not mankind paid that penalty in full when dead? Might he not be released from death the moment after dying, yet fully meet the demand of justice ?

A. “The wages of sin is death’—not dying, but “death”— forever. As well say that a man condemned to imprisonment for life had received the full penalty in the act of going into prison, as that man received his penalty in the act of going into death. In disobedience man fell into the hands of Justice, and though God is merciful and loving, there can be no war- fare between his attributes. Mercy and love must be exercised in harmony with justice. “God is just” and “will by no means clear the guilty,” Man was guilty, and must therefore be dealt with by Justice. Justice cries, Your life is forfeited, “dying thou shalt die.” Man is cast into the great prison house of death, and Justice, while locking him in, says: “Thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the utter- most farthing.”

B. Do I express the same idea by saying, that man for- feited his right to life by his disobedience, and, consequently, God, in justice, recognizing and enforcing His own law, could not permit him to live again, unless he could meet the claims of justice?

A. The idea is the same. Man is the debtor, and unless he can pay the debt he cannot come out of the prison house of death—cannot have life. He cannot pay this debt, and conse- quently cannot release himself. But man’s weakness and help- lessness gives occasion for the display of God’s mercy and love in Christ Jesus; for “when there was no eye to pity and no arm to save,” God devised a way by which he could be both just and merciful; and “while we were vet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

C. How for them? His death does not prevent men from dying.

A. It does not prevent their dying, but it does prevent their continuance in the prison house of death. He came to “open the prison doors and set at liberty the captives.” This he does, not by opposing God’s justice, but in recognizing it

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and paying that which is due. He has a right to set those prisoners free. In his own death—the just for the unjust— he ransomed us, as it is written, “I will ransom (purchase) them from the power of the grave;” “I will redeem them from death,” “For ye were bought with a price, even the precious blood (life) of Christ.”

C. I understand you to mean, that as Jesus came into the world by a special creative act of God, he was free from the curse which rested upon the balance of the race, therefore not liable to death. As the second Adam, He was tried but came off conqueror. “He was obedient even unto death,” but not having forfeited his right to life, either through Adam’s sin or his own, death had no claim upon him. He, therefore had something to offer Justice for the life of mankind.

A. Yes, as he himself said, “My flesh I will give for the life of the world.” Jno. vi. 51. He must have a right to con- tinuance of life else he could not give it. He did not conquer nor overthrow Justice, but recognizing the Justice of the Law of God in the forfeit of the sinner’s life he purchased it back with his own, and thereby obtained the right to “destroy death”—the enemy who for a time is used as the servant of Justice.

B. Then Justice accepted the life of Christ as a substitute for the sinner’s life. But it seems unjust to make the innocent suffer for the guilty.

A. It would be unjust to make or compel such suffering, but. “Christ gave himself for us.” “He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”

But how could the life of one purchase the life of many?

A. By the rule of

SUBSTITUTION.

As Adam was substituted for the race in trial, and through his failure “death passed upon all men” and all were counted sinners even before birth, so the obedience of death in Christ justified all men to a return to life. Paul so expresses it in Rom. v. 18. [Em. Diaglott.] “For as through the disobedience of ONE man, the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the one the many will be constituted (reckoned) righteous;” and “as through one offence sentence came on all men to condemnation, (condemning them to death) so also, through one righteous act sentence came on all men to justification of life,’—justifying their living again.

B. Shall we understand then that the resurrection of the dead is optional or compulsory on Justice?

A. Christ having “tasted death for every man,” it is cer- tainly compulsory on Justice to release the prisoners held for sin. Christ’s sacrifice having been accepted as “the propitia- tion (settlement) of our sins, and not of ours (believers) only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD,” all must go free because God is Just.

B. Does not this imply universal, eternal salvation?

A. No, it implies the saving or salvation of all men from the condition of death, but as many of them will be liable to the “second death” on account of their own sin, it cannot be eternal salvation. The second Adam will eventually restore to the race all that is lost by the first Adam’s sin. e could not lose eternal life in Adam, because he never had it to lose—he was a probationer for the eternal life.

C. Was eternal life ever offered to Adam?

A. Not directly, but his continuance of life if obedient, is implied in the threatening of death if disobedient.

C. Then this salvation cannot be what Paul refers to, say- ing, “The gift of God is eternal life.”

A. No; the restoration to natural life was not a gift of God, but a thing once possessed and then lost, now to be re- turned, because “purchased”—paid for. Having restored the race, brought them back to sehcee they were before the fall, with the advantage of knowing from actual experience the character and results of that evil which Adam mistook for good, and which is again to present itself for their trial, they will be given an opportunity of accepting this “Gift of God’— eternal life. When thus restored to perfect natural life, pos- sessing the knowledge of good and evil, as perfect obedience will be expected of them as was required of Adam.

C. If ransomed, why do they remain in death and others die, since Christ has paid the price?

A. If you make a purchase, pay the price for goods, it does not follow of necessity that you take them away at once. You may have other things to attend to for a time, and when prepared, you call for the purchased goods. God has a time for everything; man had been in the enemy’s country four thousand years before his release was purchased by Christ. The receipt was signed by God and accepted by justice, and in His “due time,” when He has established his kingdom, all that

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are in their graves shall come forth, for as in, or through, Adam ALL die, even so in, or through, Christ shall aLL be made alive. (Not all at once, but “every man in his own order.”) Jesus saw mankind a “treasure (precious thing) hid in a field, and for joy, He selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field” (Matt, xiii. 44). For the joy set before Him, He bought the earth with man in it, giving all that He had (life) for us. We and the earth are now His “purchased possession,” and Eph., i. 14, informs us that the time is coming for “the re- demption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory.”

C. You seem to say nothing about conditions of salvation, while the Scriptures mention them frequently.

A. There are conditions laid down for the attainment of the “Gift of God—eternal life,’”’ but none for the recovery of the race from the fall, except the righteousness and acceptable- ness of our Substitute. To have a clear understanding of God’s plan, we must recognize the distinction which He makes be- tween the world in general and the church, or called out ones of the present time. God “loves the world,” and has made great and rich provisions, as we have seen, for their coming, in His due time, to a condition of perfectness and happiness; but in the meantime, while they are getting their experience with evil, God calls out from among them “‘a Jittle flock,” to whom He makes “exceeding great and precious promiseés,”” con- ditioned on their living separate from the balance of the world —“overcoming the world’—i. e., that they may become mem- bers of God’s family, and be joined with Him in “blessing all the families of the earth.” Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us (believers), that we should be called the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and JoInT heirs with Jesus Curist our Lord.

B. It is very clear to my mind, that a false idea of sub- stitution has obtained among christian people from a supposi- tion that it represented God as a vindictive, vengeful tyrant, angry because man had sinned; refusing to show mercy until blood had been shed and caring not whether it was the blood of the innocent or the guilty so long as it was bluod. I doubt not, many christians have been led to look upon Substitution as a God dishonoring doctrine, even though there are inany scriptures which are found difficult to otherwise make use of, as, “He tasted death for every man;” “My flesh I will give for the life of the world;” “Without the shedding of blood (life) there is no remission of sins;” “Redemption through His blood ;” “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;” “We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” It was not His leaving the glory which he had, nor His having kept the law, nor by His being rejected of the Jews, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, nor by His resurrection, nor by work He has since accomplished, but, “by His DEATH that we are reconciled to God.”

I now see Him as mankind’s Substitute, suffering death, the penalty which the justice of God had inflicted upon us. I can see “the exceeding sinfulness of sin” in God’s sight, the perfection of His justice, and His great wisdom in so arrang- ing it all, that man’s extremity was made the occasion for the manifestation of “the great love wherewith He loved us” when “He gave His only begotten Son,” and “laid upon him the iniquity of us all,” as well as the love of Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, (buy back to us all we had lost by iniquity). I feel to ex- claim with Paul. “O! the depth of the riches both of the knowledge and wisdom of God.”

C. I have heard frequently your views of restitution, and saw some force and considerable beauty in them, but I never before saw how absolutely certain man’s restoration to life is. T see now that the same justice of God, which could in no case clear the guiity, and could not permit man’s release from death until the price of his ransom had been paid.—The very purity of this justice, as well as the love of God in providing the ransom, assures us that the penalty, or price, having now been paid, every man must ultimately be released from death. Now can we know that all when restored and under favorable con- ditions, with the Gospel church—Christ and the members of his body—for their rulers and teachers, kings and priests— will they not all be melted by the love of God, manifested in their recovery at such a cost as Christ’s death? Will not all accept and be eternally saved?

A. It would seem as though such love, when seen, would beget love and obedience; but we are assured that there is a second death, and while those who become subject to it will not compare in numbers with the saved, yet, there will be a great company “as the sand of the sea,” at the end of the thousand years, who are incorrigible and are cast into the lake of fire, (the second death).

God made provision before our creation for the recovery

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from the first death, but, if after experience with evil and a knowledge of good, they do not appreciate God’s offered gift— eternal life—and refusing it, die for their own sin, (not Adam’s), there is no recovery; Christ will not die for them again. Those “count the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sealed an unholy thing,” and Justice and Love can do nothing more for them.

C. Is not this scripture applied by the apostle to some living in the present age, and do not those christians who, hav- ing once believed that “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from al]! sin,” turn from this and regard the death of Christ as not rescuing us from “the wages of sin—death,” but merely as a channel toward the perfecting of himself, that He might become the head of the spiritual race; do not such ‘count the blood of the covenant (Christ), wherewith they were sealed, an unholy thing”—a thing of small value?

A. This scripture is used with reference to this age, but is applicable and true of the next as well. I hope the class to whom you refer have not filled the picture (Heb. 10) of com- mitting the unpardonable sin; yet, I confess that it looks like a long step in that direction, to deny the statement that “He was cut off, but not for himself;” (Dan. ix. 26.) ‘That we are justified (to life) by His blood,’ (Rom. v. 9-18) and many other plain statements of the Word. The old serpent is still wise to lead astray, and where he cannot keep God’s children in the dark, since having seen and loved the light, he fain would present a false light, seeing they are so enraptured with the true, and, disguising himself as an angel of light. he would seek to lead off into by-paths some of the chaste vir- gins who wait for the Bridegroom and love his appearing, and despoiling them of their wedding garment—the white robes which Christ purchased with his death,—cast them into outer darkness with the world.

B. But there is a sense, is there not, in which, by resur- rection, Christ becomes the Head, Leader, Captain of all on the spiritual plane?

A. O, yes! I think this principle is recognized by all who see any of the “deep things of God.” The world, although pur- chased by His death, get back in Him as their Substitute only what they lost; consequently, will stand where Adam would have stood had he possessed experience or knowledge of evil. Great strides forward must yet be made to reach that full likeness of God and become spiritual bodies. This they could not have done without a leader or captain. We never could have become “Sons of God,” in the full sense, and “joint heirs with Jesus Christ,” without our Elder Brother to help us up. and we never could have entered the “Holy of holies.” All praise for the work accomplished and made possible by His resurrection. A frequent error is, to ignore one truth while giving prominence to another. The death and resurrection of Christ are inseparably joined and equally invaluable. As the death would have done us little good, because we could not without a leader go “beyond the vail,” (the flesh), so, also, had Jesus been ever so perfect a leader and guide, we, prisoners in the pit—the grave—could not follow his leading until he first purchased our release from the “wages of sin’—death.

B. I see a force, then, in Paul’s expression, Rom. v. 10: “Reconciled by the death—saved by the life.”

C. I have a thought: If Justice could not let mankind go free from death, how could he permit Jesus to live if he be- came man’s substitute? Must not his life be forever forfeited ?

A. It was forever forfeitted—he never took the same life again. He was quickened (made alive) to a higher life by the Father. “He was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” to a higher plane, a spiritual body. As we shall be, He, our leader, was “sown a natural body, raised a spirit- ual body.” Had he risen a fleshly being, with fleshly life, we eould not go free. It would have been taking back our “ran- som”’—~our “price.” As Paul says, “He took upon him the form of a servant (flesh) for the suffering of death.” He had no need of it further; he left it. “He made his soul (life) an offering for sin:” “My flesh I will give for the life of the world.” (Jno. vi. 51.) It was given forever. “This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. x. 12), having received a higher sort of life.

B. This change, then, accounts for his acting so strangely after his resurrection—appearing in different forms—as the gardener to Mary, and “afterwards in another form to two of them,” etc. His appearing in their midst, the doors being shut, and anon vanishing out of their sight. I often thought it peculiar. But did not his fleshly body disappear from the tomb?

A. Yes: “His flesh saw not corruption.” What became of his flesh; whether part of the atoms went to form the spiritual body or not, I know not. We do not even know what a

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spiritual body is composed of. “It doth not yet appear what we shall be;” but, remember, it was not the atoms of matter which composed the body—(and which are continually chang- ing)—these atoms did not sin, and were not cursed nor for- feited by the fall. It was the flesh life, and Christ paying it with his flesh life did not affect the atoms of matter which composed his body.

- I know you believe the law to be a shadow of the realities of the Gospel age; do you find this “tasting death for every man,” and, also, “our high calling,” there typified, and are they kept separate and distinct?

A. Very clearly so. To be brief: All Isragl represented the entire race. The select tribe of Levi, which ministered to the Lord as his specia] portion—his servants—represents the entire church of believers and servants of God; while the Priests selected from the tribe of Levi, represent “the little flock,” “the overcomers,” “the bride,” “the Royal Priesthood.”

The priesthood in the tabernacle services, offerings, &c., represent the church in this age. The large majority of be- lievers, like the Levites, are connected with the tabernacle and the Lord’s services, yet occupy more the position of the menial servant, simply carrying forward the Ark, attending to the outward and more common-place affairs. They are necessary as a part of the working machinery, and as assistants to the Priests, yet blessed much above the world in this honor.

As the priests were more clearly related to and associated with the High Priest, and permitted to go into Holy Places, offer incense, etc., so the “little flock” are more closely re- lated to, and mingle more in Christ’s society, than the gen- eral company of believers. These alone, can go into “the deep things of God.” These only, are lighted by the golden candle- stick, and feed upon the bread. These alone—the “holy ones,” vet “little ones,”’—can approach close to the mercy-seat, and before it, offer sweet incense—‘the prayers of the saints.” The High Priest, as is beautifully described by Paul, represented, in all his services, Jesus, the “High Priest” of [our profes- sion] the “Royal Priesthood.”

Now, having the actors clearly defined in our minds, let us look at their work. We will not go into a particular and systematic examination now (we may again) but simply giance at the outlines. The High Priest, to be a perfect type of Christ, should have died—not bulls and goats instead—but himself, then have risen to new life, and taken of his own blood (life) into the Holy Place to make an atonement. But this he could not do, since the giving of his life would have ended his career, therefore an animal] is used as his substitute. The animal, therefore becomes the type of Christ in the flesh: “A body hast thou prepared me.” The value of the death of the type (the animal) represents the value of Christ’s death. The sins of the “whole congregation” were confessed and im- puted or laid upon the head of the victim when put to death, just as God “hath laid upon him (Christ) the iniquity of us all.”

As the death of the sacrifice was not for the priests alone, so Christ’s death is not for the “little flock” alone. As the animal’s life was not for the tribe of Levi alone, but also for the “whole congregation,” so the blood of our substitute was not for believers alone. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the hole world.” (1 Jno. ii. 2.) Some one has truly said, “The animal represented the people, but pointed to Christ.” It did repre- sent the people by dying for and on account of their sins, and it pointed to Christ as the one who would really die for the “sins of the whole world.” ‘He was once offered to bear the sins of many,” and He did “bear our sins in his own body on the tree.” “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man.”

Now, the sacrifice having been made, the High Priest. rep- resenting the risen, spiritual Jesus, takes the shed blood into the Holy of Holies. You see, the life once sacrificed is not given back, but kept a sacrifice, showing that Christ did not take back his flesh life (the sacrifice) when he went into the Holy of Holies, but went in with another, a higher life.

While he is in the Holv of Holies presenting the price of the people’s life, what is their attitude? They are bowed in the dust, waiting, until the atonement work being finished, the High Priest will come out of the Holy of Holies, appear to and bless them. Then they all arise rejoicing, representing by their prostrate condition humanity in death: who, when our High Priest comes forth to “bless all the families of the earth,” will be made to arise from the dust and rejoice.

C. This seems to represent beautifully and clearly Christ

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as the world’s substitute. Now, what type shows the exemp- tions which the Church enjoys above the world?

A. While all are justified from Adam’s sin unconditional- ly, yet, where knowledge of right is possessed, obedience is ex- pected as far as they are able to obey. Failure in this respect is the occasion for their being beaten with many or few stripes in the age to come. While the “little flock” who now believe into and are baptized into Christ, become members of his body, are by their faith “justified from all things” (Heb. xiii. 39), and will not be beaten with stripes in the world to come. True, they now receive “chastisement whereof all are par- takers,” but not as a penalty; only as the “rod and staff” of Christ, the Shepherd, to guide his sheep.

Thus, the sins of the “Church of the First-born” are passed over (not imputed), and she is justified, not from death only, but “from all things.”

This is beautifully pictured in the law by the Passover. Wherever in that night the lamb was eaten and his blood sprinkled, the first-born was passed over—apared. (Ex. 12.)

o, during this night—the Gospel age,—Christ, our Passover (lamb), is sacrificed, and we “keep the feast.” (1 Cor. v. 8.) We feed on our Lamb, with some of the “bitter herbs” of af- fliction to sharpen our appetite. All such are passed over, “counted worthy.” This type shows the special value of Christ’s death to His body, the “Church of the First-born.” Thus, “God is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.” (1 Tim. iv. 10.)

C. Everything seems to be beautifully mirrored in the Law. But there are certain questions put by those who do not believe in Jesus as our substitute, which would still be diffi- cult for me to answer, viz.:

First.—If Christ entered the Holy of Holies as our sub- stitute, then we cannot enter for ourselves.

Second.—If Christ’s sufferings were substitutional, would not we (the church) also be a part of the substttute, or sac- rifice, since “we fill up the measure of His sufferings which are behind ?”

Third.—Does not the race get back in the second Adam spiritual life? Jesus frequently speaks of himself as the giver of the spiritual life.

A. I will answer very briefly in the order given. First.— The substitutional character of Christ’s work was complete in the giving of the flesh life ; consequently, no act after that life was surrendered and a new life begun could be as our sub- stitute. Second.—The sufferings of Christ are not a part of the price of our ransom. “We were reconciled by the death,” not by the sufferings, consequently our filling up the measure of His sufferings has nothing to do with the sacrifice. It is “the offering of the body of Jesus.” “For this man having made one sacrifice forever,” (Heb. x. 10-12) it needs no adding to on our part. See how fully shown in the type: The sacrifice of atonement was offered by the high priest and represents him alone. (See Heb. v. 1-5.) The sacrifices being burned outside the camp represented disgrace. So Jesus suffered out- side Jerusalem, and (Heb. xiii. 11.) those who would be a part of the typical priesthood must share in the services and work of the tabernacle. and in any dishonors as well as honors at- taching to it. They must ignominiously handle the ashes of the sacrifice if they would be honored by being permitted to go to the candlestick, eat the holy bread and offer incense. So we, if we would be antitypical priests, must share the shame. — “Go without the camp bearing His reproach,” if we would have the heavenly food, heavenly light, be permitted to offer sweet incense (acceptable prayer), and spiritual sacrifices (the fruit of our lips, good works, &c.) (Heb. xiii. 15.) “If we suf- fer with Him, we shall also be glorified together.”

Your third query we will talk of at another time. Let me suggest, however, that as Adam did not possess a spiritual life. not even a germ, never having been “begotten by the Word of Truth,” he could not lose it; and if the second Adam restores what the first lost, this spiritual life would be no part of that work. The gift of God, spiritual and eternal life, is given only to believers. Adam, and the majority of his race, will be re- stored in the second Adam to perfect physical, mental and moral power, just what they lost, and from that they will then have the opportunity of going higher. and under the guidance and instruction of the glorified church, of attaining spiritual life. Jesus does speak of himself as the giver of spiritual life, and so He will be. but also of the natural. If the spiritual life and death are aliwcays meant, why should we not suppose that in “tasting death for every man” He tasted spiritual death: and, if so, lost spiritual life; and if He lost spiritual life, of course he could not give it to others, or be their leader to it.

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HOW WILL CHRIST COME?

Having considered in our last the object of our Lord’s re- turn, the manner in which he will come becomes to all who “love His appearing” one of great interest, and now invites your attention.

In order that we may have a good foundation, and as a basis for further investigation, we will first inquire, What is a spiritual body? What powers are theirs, and by what laws are they governed? We are here met by the objections—We have no right to pry into the hidden things of God: and, “Eye hath not seen, ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for those that love him.” To both of these propositions we assent, but believe we cannot find out by studying God’s Word—and our investigation will be confined to it—what he has not revealed. The above quotation of scripture (1 Cor. ii. 9.) refers to the natural or carnal man, and by reading it, in connection with the three verses which follow, the objection vanishes; for, says the apostle, “God hath revealed them unto us by His spirit,” which was given to us “that we might know the things freely given unto us of God;” and in the last clause of vs. 13, he gives us the rule by which we may know, viz.: “Comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” We are very apt to invert this rule and compare spiritual things with natural, and thus get darkness instead of light. Let us now use the apostle’s rule.

There is a spiritual body as well as a natural body; a heavenly, as well as an earthly body; a celestial as well as a terrestrial. They are distinct and separate. (1 Cor. xv. 38. 40.) We know what the fleshly natural body is, for we now have such; it is flesh, blood and bones; for “that which is born of the flesh is flesh.” And since there are two kinds of bodies, we know that the spiritual is not composed of flesh, blood and bones, whatever it may be. It is a spiritual body, and “that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” But of what material a spiritual body is composed, we know not, for “it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we shall be like Him.” [Christ.]

ANGELS ARE SPIRITUAL BODIES

Christ was raised from the dead a spiritual body; this was His second birth. First, born of the flesh a fleshly body—for “as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.” (Heb. ii. 14.) He was “Put to death in the flesh but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit.” He was raised a spiritual body. This resur- rection was His second birth. He was the “first born from the dead,” ‘“‘the first-born among many brethren.” The church are those brethren and will have a second birth of the same kind as His, viz.: to spiritual bodies by the resur- rection, when we shall awake in His likeness—being made “Like unto Chrisi’s glorious body.” But this second birth must be preceded by a begetting of the spirit—conversion— just as surely as a birth of the flesh is preceded by a begetting of the flesh. Begotten of the flesh—born of the flesh in the likeness of the first Adam, the earthly; begotten of the spirit —in the resurrection born of the spirit into the likeness of the heavenly, the second Adam. ‘As we have borne the image of the earthly we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” We may, then, by examining facts recorded of angels, and of Christ after His resurrection, gain general information with regard to spiritual bodies, thus “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

‘First, Angels can be, and frequently are, present, yet in- visible; for, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that are His, and delivereth them;” and “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. i. 14.) Are you an heir of salvation? Then. doubtless, they have ministered to you. Have they ministered visibly or invisibly? Undoubtedly the latter. Elisha was surrounded by a host of Syrians his servant was fearful; Elisha prayed to the Lord and the voung man’s eyes were opened and he “saw mountains round about Elisha full of chariots of fire and horsemen of fire” (or like fire). Again, while to Balaam the angel was invisible the ass’ eyes being opened saw him.

Second, Angels can and have appeared as men. The Lord and two angels so appeared to Abraham, who had a supper prepared for them, of which they ate. At first, Abraham sup- posed them to be “three men,” and it was not until they were about to go that he discovered one of them to be the Lord, and the other two angels, who afterward went down to Sodom and delivered Lot. (Gen. xviil. 1.) An angel ap- peared to Gideon as a man, but afterward made himself known. An ange] appeared to Samson’s mother and father; they thought him a man until he ascended up to heaven in the flame of the altar. (Judges xiii. 20.)

Third, Spiritual bodies are glorious in their normal con-

dition and are frequently spoken of as glorious and bright. The countenance of the angel who rolled away the stone from the sepulcher “was as the lightning.” Daniel saw a glorious spiritual body whose eyes were as lamps of fire, his countenance as the lightning, his arms and feet like in color to polished brass, his voice as the voice of a multitude; before him Daniel fell as a dead man. (Daniel x. 6.) John, on the isle of Patmos, saw Christ’s glorious body, (Rev. i, 14.) and describes the appearance in almost the same language—His voice was as the sound of many waters, His eyes as lamps of fire, His feet like fine brass as it burns in a furnace, (so bright that you can scarcely look at it), John falls at His feet as dead; but He said to him, “Fear not; I am He that was dead; behold I am alive forevermore.” Saul of Tarsus saw Christ’s glorious body. It shone above the brightness of the sun at noonday. Saul lost his sight and fell to the ground, &c. We have thus far found spiritual bodies truly glorious; yet, without a miracle, either the opening of our eyes to see them, or their appearing in the flesh as men, they are invisible. This conclusion is further confirmed when we examine the more minute details connected with these manifestations. The Lord was seen of Saul alone, “they that journeyed with him . Seeing no man.” (Acts ix. 7.) The men _ that were with Daniel did not see the glorious being he describes, but a great fear “fell on them and they ran and hid them-

selves.” Again, this same glorious being declares: (Daniel x. 13.) “The prince of Persia withstood me one and twenty days.” “Daniel, the man greatly beloved” of the Lord, falls

as dead before this one whom Persia’s prince withstands one and twenty days. “How is this? Surely, He did not appear in glory to the prince; no; either He was invisibly present with him, or else

HE APPEARED AS A MAN.

Christ is a spiritual body since His resurrection. During the forty days of His presence before ascension, He appeared some seven or eight times to His disciples; where was He the remainder of the time? Present but invisible. Notice, also, that in each instance He is said to have appeared, or He showed Himself, language never used of Him before His change from a natural to a spiritual body; now, as angels do—He appeared, &ce. Not only so, but He appeared in different bodies—as the gardener to Mary, “after that He appeared in another ForM to two of them as they went into the country.” Notice, it was in another form and consequently not the same one in which he appeared to Mary. (Mark xvi. 12.) After- wards He appeared in a body, either the same or like the one crucified, having the marks of the spear and the nails. “He came and stood in their midst, the doors being shut.” On these various occasions He appeared, talked with them, then vanished out of their sight as the wind; they could not tell whence He came nor whither He went. “So is every one that is born of the spirit.” When we are born of the spirit (at the resurrec- tion) we can do so also. All spiritual beings exhibit this same power. But Jesus said: “Handle me; for a spirit [pneuma] hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have”; and He ate with them. True; I believe it. So did the angels [pneuma] (Heb. i. 7.) appear as men in flesh and bones; they ate also; their spiritual bodies did not eat, nor were they flesh and bones, but the body in which they uppeared was flesh, and it ate. The disciples did not see Christ’s glorious spiritual body, but as He appeared in a fleshly body. St. Paul teaches us distinctly that Christ was raised from the dead a life-giving spirit [pnewma, the same word used by our Lord.] (1 Cor. xv. 44. 45.) But where did He get the various bodies in which He appeared? I cannot answer you; but T believe, and you do also, other things which we cannot understand. I cannot understand how that grain of wheat grows. Yet I know it does. I know not how Christ turned the water into wine, or healed the sick, or raised the dead. Yet I believe that He did these things. Can you tell me where He got the clothes He wore after His resurrection? “They parted His raiment among them, and for His vesture they cast lots”—the old were gone, and the linen clothes lay in the sepulcher. Is it more difficult for spiritual beings, with their powers, to create a covering of flesh than a cover- ing of cloth? No; the same power can and did do both.

Thus we have found Christ’s spiritual body like those of angels; glorious, yet invisible to mortals, with power to manifest the glory; or appear as a man or in any form He may choose. In the resurrection we shall be like the angels; and “like unto Christ’s glorious body.” We shall be like Him; for (not until then) we shall see Him as He is,” for though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hence forth know we Him no more,” [after the flesh.] (2 Cor. v. 16.) Such a spiritual being was Christ, at the time of His

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ascension, and with what we have learned of the powers of that spiritual body, we are now, we hope, prepared to inquire:

“HOW WILL HE COME AGAIN?’’

Briefly stated, we believe the Scriptures to teach that, at His coming and for a time after He has come, He will remain invisible; afterward manifesting or showing Himself in judg- ments and various forms, so that “every eye shall see Him.” But every eye will not see Him at the same moment. A simi- lar statement is made of the Resurrection, “All that are in their graves hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth.” Taken by itself, this seems to teach the resurrection of all at once. Yet we know that there is a first resurrection composed of the “blessed and holy” only.

“Behold, I come as a thief” is the way He frequently spoke to His disciples of His coming. He comes “as a thief” for the church—the waiting virgins, both “they that sleep in Jesus”’—the first resurrection—and “we, who are alive and remain,” “shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air; 80 shall we ever be with the Lord.”

“In that day two shall be in the mill, two in the field, two in bed; one be taken and the other left’’—like Enoch, who was not, for the Lord took him. The world will go on with its affairs, unconscious of the great changes of dispen- sation.

The second advent, like the first, covers a period of time, and is not the event of a moment. The first lasted nearly thirty-four years, and the events connected with it—His birth, baptism, sorrow, death, resurrection, etc., as mentioned by the prophets, all took place at the first advent. The second advent, as we have seen, lasts much longer. Jt in- cludes the millennial reign, and prophecy covers all the prom- inent features of that reign, He comes to reign—must reign until He has put down all enemies; the last being death. 1 Cor. xv. 25.

In the application of prophecy to the events of the first advent, we recognize order. Christ must be the “child born and son given” “before the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.’ He must die before He could rise from the dead, ete. So also in studying prophecy referring to the sec- ond advent we must recognize order; we must judge of the order somewhat by the character of the event. As the wife is the glory of the husband, so the Bride is the glory of Christ, for we are to be “partakers of the glory that shall be revealed,” (1 Pet. v. 1, 10.) and as the “glory shall be revealed in us.” (Rom. viii. 18.) We know that Christ could not come in the glory of His kingdom [church] until He has first gathered it from the world. In harmony with this thought we read—‘‘When He shall appear, we also shall appear with Him in glory.” (Col. iii. 4.)

The prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ {head and body] and the glory that should follow. If the sufferings were of the whole body, so is the glory we suffer with Him that we may be also “glorified together.” (Rom. viii. 17.)

“Enoch prophesied, saying—The Lord cometh with ten thou- sands of His saints,” {Gr. hagios, never translated angel.] (Jude 14.) Again, (Zech. xiv. 5.) we read—“‘The Lord my God shall come and all thy saints with thee.” Thus we learn that when He appears in glory we are with Him, and of course, we must be caught to meet Him before we could appear with Him.

We have further evidence to offer, proving that He comes unknown to the world; but attempt to answer two supposed objections first; viz: “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts i. 11.) and “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise.” (1 Thes. iv. 16.) These texts are supposed to teach that Christ will come visible to every eye, while the air is rent with the blast of the Arch-angel’s trumpet, at which, mid reeling tombstones and opening graves the dead will be resurrected. It certainly has that appearance on the surface, and doubtless was in- tended to be so understood until due; but look at it again; would that be coming in like manner as they saw Him go? He did not go with the sounding of a trumpet and outward demonstration. It does not say you shall see Him coming, nor that any one would so see, but He shall come. When he arrives it will be privately. He comes to organize us—the Church—as His kingdom; to set us up. He comes to be glorified in His saints in that day (2 Thes. i. 10.) The world saw him not after His resurrection; they did not see Him ascend. And “He shall so come in like manner’—unknown to the world. As He said, “Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more,” nor will they see Him at His second advent until His church is gathered, for when He

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shall appear we also shall appear with Him.” What, then does the trumpet mean? Let us see. We are to be re- warded “at the resurrection,” we surely will not be re- warded twice nor resurrected twice. We conclude, there- fore, that the “Trump of God,” (1 Thes. iv. 16) and the “Last Trump,” (1 Cor. xv. 52,) are the same, differently expressed; the same events are mentioned as occurring at each, viz: the resurrection and reward of the saints, and for the same reason we believe the “Trump of God” and “Last Trump” to be the “Seventh Trump” of Rev. xi. 15. 18. Under it also the dead are judged and the prophets and saints rewarded, Then the “Seventh Trump,” is the “Last Trump,” and is called, “The Trump of God,” possibly because introduc- ing the special judgments of God connected with the setting up of His kingdom.

These trumpets evidently are the same, but what? The seventh angel sounded. A sound on the air? No, not any more than the six which preceded it. They are each said to sound, and Sir Isaac Newton, Clarke, and all commentators of note agree that five or six of these trumpets are in the past. They have been fulfilled in events upon the Earth, each covering a period of time. They certainly must all

sound before the resurrection, for that is under the seventh. If

THE SEVENTH TRUMP

were to make a sound on the air, it would be out of har- mony with the other six of the series. That it covers “the great day of his wrath,” the time of judgments upon the kingdoms of the world and of the pouring out of the “seven vials” of His wrath, the “time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation” seems more than probable, for we are told in the same sentence of the wrath of God com- ing on the nations.

We see then, that the sownding of the trumpets, and so coming in like manner, do not conflict but rather add force to the fact that He comes “unawares,” “as a thicf” and steals away from the world “His treasure, His jewels,” re- member too that this is Christ the spiritual body, that could not be seen without a miracle, that was present yet unseen during thirty-three days after his resurrection.

But will the world not see the saints when gathered or gathering? No; they are changed (in the twinkling of an eye) from Natura] to Spiritual bodies, like unto Christ’s glorious body, and in the instant of their change &c., will be as invisible as He and angels. But those who arise from their graves?—No, they were sown (buried) natural bodies, they are raised spiritual bodies—invisible, Won’t the world see the graves open and the tombstones thrown down? A spiritual body (remember we are comparing spiritual things with spiritual, not natural) coming out of the grave will not make any more of a hole in the ground than Christ’s spiritual body made in the door when “He came and stood in their midst, the doors being shut.” But do not forget that only the church are raised spiritual bodies, all others, natural fleshly bodies as Lazarus, &c.

PRESENCE OF OHRIST BEFORE RAPTURE OF CHURCH

Christ’s personal presence and ministry of three and a half years at the first advent, as well as the three and a half years which followed His ministry is termed—“The Har- vest.” It was the harvesting of the Jewish or Law age. Christ was present as the chief reaper. His disciples as under-reapers; their work was separating of wheat from chaff and the gathering of the wheat into the higher or Gos- pel dispensation. That harvest was the end of that age. Jesus said to His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest.” “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor, other men (the prophets) have labored and ye are entered into their labors.” (John iv. 38.) That work was not general, nor for the world. He confined His labors to Judea. and the work to them did not cease until five days before His death, when he rode on the ass into the city, wept over it, guve them up, and their house was left unto them desolate. After His resurrection He sends the disciples to “preach the Gos- pel to every creature, beginning at Jerusalem”; nor were they suffered to preach to the world in general until the seven years of harvest work to that Jewish people was fully ac- complished as God had promised. (Daniel ix. 27.) ‘He (Jesus chief reaper) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, (seven years) in the midst of the week making all sacrifice to cease”’—Himself being offered—the true sac- rifice. But these three and a half years of the Gospel age were a harvest to none but the Jewish church; the Gospel church does not reap but sows the seed. Paul plants,

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Apollos waters, God gives increase, ete. But there is to be a harvest in the end of this age, as illustrated in the parable of the tares and wheat, and taught in the explanation of the same. Notice that both wheat and tares are in the kingdom of heaven,—the church—and that this parable, as also the other six of the series, refers not to the non-professing world, but to two classes in the church.

The Son of Man planted the church pure, good seed. During the days of the Apostles there were special “gifts of the Spirit” such as “discerning of spirits,” ete., by which they were able to prevent tares getting in among the wheat —hypocrites getting into the church. (Instance 1 Cor. v. 3. —‘‘Simon Magus”-—“Ananias and Sapphira,” ete.) but when the Apostles were dead, “while men slept’”—the enemy be- gan to sow tares among the wheat. Paul says that the mystery of iniquity had begun to work even in his day; now, they grow side by side in all our churches. Shall we separate them, Lord? No (we might make some mistake, pull up wheat and leave tares.) ‘Let both grow together until the Harvest.” (Matt. 13.) The harvest ts the end of the world” faion age.] “In the time of harvest I will say unto the reapers—the reapers are the angels—gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Notice, this Harvest is the end of this age, yet like the one ending, the Jewish age, it is a period of time—‘In the time of harvest”—secondly, there is order—‘gather first the tares.” There will come a time, then, in the end of this age, when the reapers—angels—will te present doing some sort of a separating work in the Church; and yet it is an invisible presence, for when the wheat is gathered (after the binding of the tares,)—translated when ‘“‘we which are alive are caught up to meet the Lord”—-when taken they are in the field, mill and bed; would they be so engaged if they had seen angels going about gathering tares? No; it is an in- visible work, done by beings invisible.

Again, before the living are gathered, the dead in Christ must have risen, whether it be but a moment before: “the dead in Christ rise first, then we which are alive,” &e. (1 Thess. iv. 16.) This harvest is not of the living only, but also of “the dead in Christ,” “those that sleep in Jesus.” The angels gather the living, but our Lord, who is the chief reaper here (as He was in the Jewish harvest), gathers or raises the dead. “I will raise him up;” “I am the resurrec- tion and the life;” and in harmony with this thought, we find that in Rev. xiv. 15—‘One like unto the Son of Man, seated on a cloud,” reaps the earth. Here, two harvests, or two parts of one harvest, are shown, the second being the casting of the vine of the earth into the wine-press of His wrath. The special point to which your attention is called, however, is the fact that the harvest will gu on without out- ward demonstration, the chief and under-reapers being pres- ent but unseen.

THE PRESENCE (PAROUSIA) OF CHRIST

Some may have confounded these remarks on the pres- ence of Christ in a spiritual body, with the presence of the spirit of Christ; but they are quite distinct. The latter never left the church; consequently in that sense He could not “come again.” Of His spiritual presence he said: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” We refer to the personal presence which did go away, and will come again—a spiritual body.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

Pitrssurcn, Pa.

The Greek word generally used in referring to the second advent—Parousia, frequently translated coming—invariably signifies personal presence, as having come, arrived, and never signifies to be on the way, as we use the word coming. This fact is recognized by many who are looking for the Lord, but the error under which the church in general is laboring is that of supposing that presence implies sight—manifesta- tion—appearance. In the Greek, however, other words are used to express revelation, appearing and manifestation, viz: phaneroo—rendered shall appear in “when He shall appear, &e,”’—and apokalupsis—rendered, shall be revealed—2 Thess. i. 7. “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed.”

But we have Christ’s own words to prove that He will be present in the world, and the world will not know of it. Matt. xxiv. 37, we read: “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the parousia (presence) of the Son of Man be.” The presence of Christ is not compared to the flood, but to the days of Noah, the days that were before the flood, as verse 38 shows; as then they ate, drank, married, etc., and knew not, so shall also the presence of the Son of Man be. The resemblance here mentioned is that of not knowing— they will not know of the presence of Christ. They may have been wicked then, and doubtless were, and may be sim- ilarly wicked in His presence; but wickedness is not the point of comparison. As then they ate, drank, married— proper enough things to be doing, not sins; so shall it be in Christ’s presence. Now look at Luke xvii. 26, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” Verse 27 tells us how it was in the days of Noah, they were eating, drinking, marrying, etc. ‘So shall it be in the days of the Son of Man.” Surely the days of the Son of Man are not before His days, any more than the days of Henry Clay could be days before he was born. No; the more we examine the more we are convinced that the world will go on as usual, and know not until “the harvest is past, the summer ended,” and they are not in the ark, not with the little flock “accounted worthy to escape.” There will be no outward demonstration of the second advent having begun, and Christ being present, until the church is gath- ered, whenever it takes place—soon or in the distant future.

We think we have good solid reasons—not imaginations —not dreams nor visions, but Bible evidences (known to the majority of our readers) that we are now “in the days of the Son;” that “the day of the Lord” has come, and Jesus, a spiritual body, is present, harvesting the Gospel age; yet, as He had said, the world seeth Him no more; they eat, drink, etc., and know not. This day of the Lord, in which “He will show who is that blessed and onlv potentate. the Lord of Lords and King of Kings,” is already dawning, but the majority of the professing church, as well as the world, are asleep; and to them—‘“The day so cometh as a thief in the night.” “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness. that that day should come upon you as a thief.” ‘We are not of the night, therefore let us not sleep as do others,” This is the signification of our sub-title, “HERALD oF CHRIST’S PRESENCE.” Not the worldly wise but those humble ones, wise from heavenly instruction, are meant when it 1s written: “The wise shall understand,” but “If thou shalt not watch thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” “Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with... . the cares of this life, and so that day come upon YoU wn- awares.” The events of “the day of God Almighty” wil! next be considered.

DO YOU WANT “ZION’S WATCH TOWER”?

We have sent out about 6,000 copies each, of the July and August Nos. of “Zion’s Watch Tower” as samples. This we cannot continue to do, because first, it is expensive, and second, we have no desire to waste truth by sending where it is not de- sired and would not be appreciated. We would like there- fore to hear from all who want the paper regularly before the tenth day of August, that we may know what number of copies to publish for September.

The price is very low in order to suit the purses of the ma- jority of the interested ones, among whom are “not many rich,” (for “God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom”) and unless a good large list of sub- seribers are had, fifty cents will fall far short of paying fer printing, &e.

Do not suppose these remarks to be an appeal for money. No. “Zion’s Watch Tower” has, we believe, JeHovan for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support. When He who says: “All the gold and silver of the mountains are mine,” fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.

Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. If you want the September No. take your pen at once. Remember that the paper is as free to you if too poor to send the fifty cents as though you could afford it and paid for it, but we cannot know your circumstances—You must write also.

Where it is impossible to get paper money, U. 8S. (not foreign) postage stamps may be sent.

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“GOD IS LOVE”

No. II

“Order is Heaven’s first law.” God has a plan, a sys- tematic way of doing His work. All human plans laid in harmony with God’s plan are perfectly safe and certain of success. God’s work reveals Himself, His wisdom, power and love. He can be known in no other way. As “the tree is known by its fruit,” the fountain by the stream, the child by his doings, and the man by his life; so God’s great Gift, and the work executed by Him, reveal the fulness of His love for man. God’s plan is one of both revelation and salvation. He reveals Himself as a means of eternal life to man. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” John 17-3. Jesus Christ is most emphatically the way of God’s approach to us; the channel through which light and salvation flow within our reach, and also the way of our approach to God. He is thus the Mediator—“the way, the truth and the life.’ The glory of Christ’s position and work, and our absolute dependence on Him, will be ap- preciated if we bear in mind that all we know of God is re- vealed in Christ, and “no man cometh to the Father except by Him.” Christ in every stage is called the “Word.” Of the pre-existent state it is said, “In the beginning was the Word.” John i. 1. By whom God spoke all things into existence, and for whom also they were created. Of the first advent—more properly the Incarnation—it is said: ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,.... full of grace and truth.” Ver. 14. And at His future glorious epiphany—‘“the manifestation of the Sons of God,” [Rom. viii. 19]—as the Bridegroom and the Bride “glorified to- gether,” [ver. 17,] when at the head of that glorious “army in heaven,” He goes forth “conquering and to conquer,” He still is called “The Word of God.” Rev. xix. 13. The “Word” is an expression proceeding from God, and going forth to man, and in all the ages of redemption, He is as a stream from the Eternal Fountain; proving that “the merey of the Lord endureth forever;” and as the “Arm of the Lord’? made bare and extended to help, until “all the ends of the earth shall sce the salvation of our God.” Isa. li. 10. “I am the Truth,’ said Jesus. The Word is the Truth spoken or expressed. The Bible is God’s Word, be- cause it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great plan of salvation. It contains and reveals Christ, as He con- tains and reveals the Father; hence, “he that heareth my words and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” &e. John v. 24.

The Lord Jesus is the Spirit of the Word, [2 Cor., iii. 17,] the golden thread of revelation from end to end, even in the writings of Moses, [John v. 46-47,] but hidden by the let- ter as a vail from the unbelieving Jew, [2 Cor., iii. vi. 13-18,j and from all others who cannot “discern spiritual things,” “the deep [covered] things of God.”

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for thev are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. ii. 14. The ability to discern spiritual things must depend on the extent to which our minds are controlled by the spirit of God, [ver. 11.] Christ is not only the golden thread of revelation. but the foundation on which the structure of the Word is built, and of the plan of the ages.

The poet must have had a glimpse of the grandeur of

the plan and of Christ’s relation to it when he penned the hymn entitled “Rock of Ages.”

“By whom, also, He made the worlds” [aionios, ages]. Heb. i. 2. The plan and all things were formed not only by Him, but for Him. (Col. i. 16.) The plan of salvation is truly the plan of the ages which God formed for His Son; and to know God and Christ fully, we must know their plan of work. The work is moved by and expresses their love; therefore, the better we understand the plan and work, the more we will appreciate the love. God’s love known—“shed abroad in our hearts”—produces love to Him in return. “We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John iv. 19. And as God’s love shows itself in his works, so will our love show itself in our works. “If ye love me keep my command- ments.” John xiv, 15. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, &e.” John xv. 10. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. This is my com- mandment: That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” [V. 11-12.] The Lord cares for our joy and comfort. He asks only what is for our good—‘“reasonable service,” and yet He asks all—“your bodies a living sacrifice.’ Rom. xii. 1. Self denial, under the Lord’s direction, is the surest means of happiness. ‘Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John iv. 18. Year is not a good motive to obedience. Loving obedience is an expression involving both heart and life. The unfaithful ser- vant who hid his lord’s money said, “I feared thee.” He be- lieved the lord unjust because he was unjust himself. “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.” Luke xix. 20-22. As fear was the cause of unfaithfulness, so love is the cause of faith- fulness. The one that knows God and His plan of the ayes, cannot be afraid of the Lord, nor believe Him unjust. “Ac- quaint, now, thyself with Him and be at peace.” “Oh, taste and see that God is good! Whoso trusts in Him is blest.” That some love the Lord and serve Him, who know but little of God or His plans, there can be no doubt; and even babes in Christ are dear to the Master; He carries the lambs in His bosom like a tender shepherd. But we are not always to remain babes, but grow up into Christ as men of full stature. Eph. iv. 13- 15. “Leaving the [first] principles, let us yo on to perfec- tion.” Heb. vi. 1. We would not discourage any, however weak or ignorant, who sincerely love the Lord; [and none of us but may yet learn more,] but we would encourage all to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Pet. i111. 18. In order to grow we must be fed, and with the “bread of God.” “I am the Bread of Life.” “Tt am the Truth,” said Jesus, and also, “Man shall not live by bread alone, [natural,] but by every word that proceed- eth out of the mouth of God.” Oh. that we all may search for the truth, eat it, digest it, grow strong, and be faithful in the work of the Lord. Until we are sure that we know all that God has revealed in Christ and His word, there can be no stopping place, or time to stand still. Walk, run, strive, fight, press on in the path “that shineth more and more, even unto the perfect day,” [Prov. iv. 18,] keeping our eyes on “the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” [Phil. iii. 14.] To appreciate which, it will be necessary to know God’s love as revealed in the plan of the ages.

J. H. P.

ONLY WAITING

Only waiting till the dawning Is a little brighter grown, Only waiting till the shadows Of the world’s dark night are flown, Till the shadows all shall vanish. In the blessed, blessed day; For the morn, at last, is breaking Through the twilight, soft and gray.

Only waiting till the presence Of the Sun of Righteousness, Shall dispel the noxious vapors, Ignorance, and prejudice. Till the glory of the sunlight, Of the bright Millennial day, Seatters all the powers of darkness: Lights the gloom with healing ray.

Waiting for the Restitution, Promised in the Holy Word; When a once-lost race restored, shall Know and love their Saviour Lord. When each man shall love his fellow; Justice give to great and small; Dwell in love and dwell in Jesus; He in us, God all in all. —From “Songs of the Bride.”

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THE AGES

The plan of salvation comprehended in the three worlds, is progressive in its character, requiring ages for its devel- opment. There seems to have been but one age definitely marked in the world before the flood, but this present world is sub-divided into three ages. The first, Patriarchal or one-man age, in which only one man at a time represented the Lord as ruler of the family; (in this it was similar to the age before the flood.) The second, Jewish, or the twelve tribe period, for in it, or from Jacob’s death, the last pa- triarch, until the death of Christ, the tribes of Israel repre- sented the Lord’s cause, and were reckoned His people. The third, beginning at Christ’s resurrection and reaching to His second coming, usually known as the Gospel age, during which the Lord turns to the Gentiles to take out a people for His name, i. e., the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, the Church.

This brings us to the beginning of the world to come, which is, in God’s purpose, subjected to the Bride made ready and glorified together with Christ; and it also is divided into ages, the first of which may be the thousand years’ reign, (Rev. 20,) or that reign may include more than one dispensation. We would not speak of the order of future events with as much confidence as of the past, but it is evident that the period after the Lord’s coming and exaltation of the Bride, is not as some say, “One Eternal Age,” for Paul in speaking of that exaltation and the object of it, says it is. “That in the ages (aionios) to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace.” (Eph. ii. 7.) In the worlds and ages we thus have an outline of the plan, a bird’s-eye view of its development, and a glimpse at the glorious outcome. We may thus be prepared for a more particular study of the work of the various ages, and be better able to appreciate the progressive character of reve- lation.

Each age is a step in the plan, and each step higher than the preceding one. “Onward and upward” is a motto based on the spirit of God’s plan. Each age is a period of time, and each period has its own peculiar dispensation, or work of God. The object of the Lord, by the various dispensations of wisdom, power and love, is to reveal Him- self, and so save mankind. God deals with the race in some respects, as with an individual, adapting His truth to the capacity, as in infancy, youth and manhood, which will explain why some things are stated as they must ap- pear to man, rather than the absolute truth, which can only be received by a mind made perfect. Thus the sun is said to rise and set; and the unchangeable God is said to repent that He had made man, as if the work of infinite wisdom had proved a failure.

The Lord spoke to man as parents are compelled to talk to their children, coming down to their apprehension.

Some think this is deception or lying, but we view it differently. It is making a vague impression rather than none at all. Tell a little one that the sun stands still and the earth moves, and he is confused, for he will believe his own sense or what appears true to his own eyes, rather than what is told him.

Revelation is not designed to teach the science of astron- omy, or anything else which man can discover himself by the use of his natural powers. God helps us only when we cannot help ourselves.

It is on this principle of adaptation that God teaches by symbols, figures, types and shadows, representing the real or spiritual truth by natural objects. The truth is in some respects hidden that it may be revealed, contradictory as this may seem at first thought. It is hidden for a season and made plain in due time. He spoke in dark sayings and parables, giving occasionally the key which would open them when applied. With a smoked glass, which obscures the light, we can see the sun better than with the naked eye. God in Christ can be known, but without a mediator he is unsearchable.

Before the Jewish age the Lord appeared as a man; but the law was by the disposition of angels; but “in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” When it can be realized that the incarnation, or “God manifest in the flesh,’ was a culmination of the same principle of teaching spiritual things by the natural, as God had used from the beginning, the unity of the Bible will be vindicated, and confidence in it as a divine revelation established.

However much the stream of truth may be soiled by handling, it but shows the nature of the soil through which it has flowed, while the sparkling jewels it contains reveals its heavenly origin.

The truth is revealed in a progressive manner, accord- ing to the plan of ages. Take one line of thought for ex- ample: when sin, by one man, had entered, and all its

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dark consequences entailed upon humanity, the first ray of light and hope dawned upon our race in the form of a threatening against the Tempter—“Her seed shall bruise thy head,” &c. Here is confessedly the whole plan in a nutshell: The Conqueror, the struggle, resistance, and the final vic- tory. The figure used means death to the Serpent, and in its execution, can signify no less than the extirpation of all that hideous monster represents. It points to a clean uni- verse, when both sin and death shall be no more. But what could Eve know about it? It was not addressed to her, but to the Tempter. It was a threatening, not a prom- ise; though containing, as in germ, the whole plan of sal- vation.

The dimness of that light was the characteristic of the whole age. Let us follow the light and observe its develop- ment. Two thousand years pass before we find the promise, “In thy seed shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed.” This is the same great plan. That was a curse, this a blessing; but curse to the Serpent means blessing to the nations. This is an increase of light on the same subject, and yet how dim. We, living at this late day, know that seed was Christ. (Gal. iii. 16.) This is the Holy Spirit’s definition of the promise. But the wording of the promise made it refer to Isaac or, in other words, “the seed according to the flesh.” It may be said the promise had a double mean- ing—natural and spiritual. True, but the natural was all that could fairly be drawn from the words, and the spiritual was kept out of sight until] the true seed had come. Isaac and Christ are to each other as the natural and the spiritual. Here, as everywhere, the order holds good; first the natural and then the spiritual. The natural is the basis, being first; Christ came through Isaac. The greater in thia sense proceeds from the less. ‘The elder shall serve the younger.” From the lower to the higher is God’s order, and all these facts prove the progressive character of God’s plan.

The Spirit reveals also the fact that the “Seed” compre- hends not one person only, but many persons united as one. Let special thought be given to this fact. It is much neglected. Truths of great value are obscure on account of this neglect.

This many in one is true of the natural as well as the spiritual. The Jews were the natural seed, and the whole age was used for their development. The Christian Church is the spiritual seed and an age is used for their develop- ment. aul contrasts them thus: “They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”? Rom. ix. 8. Not one child, but children! Who are they? Gal. iv. 28, answers: “Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise.” Then it follows that “we breth- ren” are the seed.

During the Jewish age, while the natura] seed was being developed, the law and the prophets bare witness, and the light increased, but only the spiritually minded could dis- cern the deeper truth. The mass saw only the natural, and were led to expect an earthly glory; hence, they re- jected their Messiah when He came. It is true He came in the flesh, as a part of the Jewish nation, and fulfilled such prophecies as related to His sufferings in the flesh, but these were overlooked as not in harmony with their desires; (see Isa. lili.) and to them, in their blindness, it was as if He had not fulfilled them. Christ fulfilled, “First the nat- ural,” and did not enter fully upon the spiritual until he was born from the dead, “quickened (made alive) by the spirit,’ which was in Him before he died.

The true seed, destined to “bruise the Serpent’s head,” and bless the nations, is both spiritual and immortal. Jesus is the Firstborn into that condition, and is appointed Head of immortal mankind—the second Adam. (As shown before, the natural is the basis of the spiritual, and man having forfeited his natural life, it is necessary that the natural man should be redeemed from death to give opportunity for development into the higher life. This redemption is a pre- paratory feature of Christ’s work, and for this purpose He gave His life a ransom. Thus Christ is restorer of the old race as well as Head of the new race.)

During the Gospel dispensation and by the spirit of Christ, the members of the body are being prepared, and during the sounding of the seventh trumpet they will all be rewarded. Rev. xi. 18.

“They that are Christ’s at his (parousia) presence.”

These, made one with Him even as He is one with His Father, (John xvii. 21-22,) constitute the seed.—‘‘Heaven’s conquering army.” Rev. xix. 14. The work of the seed must follow the complete development of the seed. Overlooking this fact has led thousands to suppose God’s plan of sal-

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Aucus?, 1879

vation terminates at the second coming of Christ. From what has been written it may be seen that God does not begin to save the world (proper) until then. The work of ages past has been the calling out of a few, under discip- line, for a high position. Oh, what a responsible place we occupy, to whom the light of the good news has come. Our position in the kingdom depends on our faithfulness. The crown and reign are to those who suffer and overcome.

DAILY

“Give us this day our daily bread,” is the first petition for self allowed by the Saviour. This is fundamental, as “bread is the staff of life.’ We need food daily, to supply the constant waste, and thus sustain the life. This peti- tion is an expression of our conscious dependence on “our Father” as the Giver. He knoweth that we have need of these things, and is constantly supplying the wants of even the prayerless and the unthankful. But the grateful ones know that they enjoy the blessings as they never did until they learned to look up.

If any one supposes that this, or any other prayer, will be answered while we remain in negligent misuse or disuse of the means appointed for the attainment of such blessings, he will be disappointed. God helps us to help ourselves. If God gives the increase, it is also necessary that Paul and Apollos should plant and water. To ask aright, im- plies that we are willing to receive the blessing in the Father’s way, and truly the spirit of prayer will prompt the heart and nerve the arm for needed toil. That the Lord helps the helpless oftentimes, by more than ordinary means, we cannot doubt; and many of the Lord’s poor, but “rich in faith,” have proved to their great satisfaction the value of prayer.

What philosophy may not teach, and philosophers deny, because they can in their sphere deal only with natural or ordinary laws and means, is yet known to be a reality by those trained to a higher sphere of thought and experi- ence, being “led of the spirit of God.”

To deny the supernatural is not uncommon, even by those who would not dare to accept its legitimate conclusion— Atheism. From God’s standpoint nothing is supernatural. All is below Him. What is above our range of thought or comprehension is to us miraculous. Let men deny the miracles who are are wholly unconscious of the existence of spiritual beings. The existence of such beings involves the existence of spiritual laws, which in operation will pro- duce effects as much above the laws with which mortals are familiar, as the Jaws themselves are higher. That the spiritual has power over the natural, is as true as that mind controls matter; and what we call a miracle, is a manifestation of the superiority of the spiritual over the natural in an unusual way; a glimpse of that, which to all who ever enter the higher plane of existence, will then appear simple, and as easily understood at least as the opera- tion of laws on the plane of the flesh. It required no more power to feed the multitude by a miracle, than to produce the same amount of food by the ordinary law of growth. The use of miracles was to show that He who performed them was Divine; the same One by whom and for whom all things were created. Prayer, which is by the spirit, is a connect- ing link between us and heaven; a cause, which, in its sphere, is as effective as plowing or sowing on the earthly plane, and opening the windows of heaven brings the blessing down.

An answer to prayer does not prove that God is change- able, any more than the fact that faithful labor will secure temporal blessings, while the sluggard will suffer want.

There is another line of thought suggested by this peti- tion. As bread is the staff of natural life, so it is used to represent the support of the spiritual life. This use of the term is quite common in the Bible: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God,” said the Saviour in answer to the temptation. “I am the Truth,” and “TI am the bread of life; comparison will show that the truth and bread are used interchangeably. “He that eateth me shall live by me;” “and except ye eat of the flesh of the

One personal struggle and conquest over self will be of more benefit than listening to a hundred sermons or sing-

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (5)

But what an encouragement to endure all—ours is indeed a high calling. Many are the titles given the church of Christ in the Word, but none so endearing as the “Bride, the Lamb’s Wife.”

To realize the glory and excellence of such a position in prospect, must prove the antidote to melancholy and worldliness, and be the strongest motive to faithfulness.

Ji dta os

BREAD

Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” That this is spiritual life, begotten by the word of truth, and sustained by the same word, I think no Chris- tian will deny. While it is true and necessary that Christ should literally take the flesh and blood of man, that He should “taste death for every man,’ and by means of death destroy the captor and deliver the captives from the bonds of the same natural death, or, in other words, restore the natural life; (Heb. ii.) it is also true, that as the natural life represents the spiritual, these same terms, “flesh and blood,” are used to represent the bread of spiritual life.

The Bible clearly teaches the recovery of all from the loss by Adam, unconditionally; as they were not responsible for the curse, they are made partakers of that restoration without their choice, but it is necessary to obey the truth in order to secure the spiritual life, and consequent eternal salvation.

We need daily bread spiritually, as well as naturally. Regular eating, and working too, are essential to either natural or spiritual health. The lack of nourishment brings weakness, sickness and death in either life.

“If ye live after the flesh ye shall die,” (Rom. viii. 13,) spoken, as it was, to Christians, indicates the danger to which we are exposed if we neglect eating and working. That some are what we might call spiritual dyspeptics is doubtless true. They eat, but work not. Like some of old, they spend all their time either learning or telling some new thing. They manifest a greater eagerness for new ideas, than to make a good use of what they have already. Such are in danger, we think, of holding the truth in un- righteousness. But while this is true of a few extremists, the mass of professing Christians take the other extreme and eat not at all, or at best so sparingly that they are dying of starvation. Some use milk freely, 1. e. the “First Principles” of the doctrine of Christ, Heb. v. 12 and vi. 1. 2, which is all right for beginners; as babes in Christ de- siring the “sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby,” 1 Pet. ii. 2, (and it is not improbable that an occasional cup of milk is good even for grown folks,) but grown men need stronger food; (Heb. v. 14,) and the apostle urges the brethren to advance from the foundation, (building on it of course, which no one can do till they have accepted and obeyed the first principles,) going on uwnto perfection. Heb. vi. 1. From the necessary relation be- tween food and its results. we may well infer that the perfection here mentioned has reference to both knowl- edge and character. “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is doubtless much given for milk that savors but little of Paul’s definition; the high sounding essays on scientific subjects, aside from the science of revelation, may tickle the fancy and educate the intellect, “but starve the soul;” they do not feed the spiritual life. Some hungry ones are erying for bread, but the ery reaches not the ear of a worldly ministry; it does reach the ear of the Lord of the poor in spirit, who has said, “Blessed are they that hunger,....for they shall be filled.” But the mass scem more than content to spend their money for that which is not bread. Isa. lv. 2. The satisfaction and joy of those who live by faith on the Son of God is solid, compared to the passing ripple of emotion caused by mere religious excite- ment. Excitement must subside, but truth and its joys abide.

Advancing with the light in the shining way. receiving the truth as our “daily bread,” we can “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Oo. Ae PB,

ing a hundred hymns. It is not so much what we learn as what we practice that benefits us.

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Many friends of the Bible, instead of regarding it as containing a system of truth, look upon it as a compilation of facts, commandments and promises, that are not susceptible of arrangement. Such persons are weak and vacillating, and often at the mercy of the bold unbeliever, who finds in his “God of Nature” the embodiment of law and order. He sees order in Geology, Astronomy and other sciences, but only confusion in the Bible, and he rightly reasons that God’s works should be harmonious. He knows the principles of those sciences, and can read the book of nature, we will suppose (though but few are free from the domination of leaders who give us ideas second hand), but he knows little, if anything, of the plan of the Bible, and therefore cannot read it. One man has as much right to reject Astronomy because he cannot understand it, as another man has to reject. the Bible for the same reason.

What is confusion when not understood, becomes when explained beautiful and harmonious,

Because, while learning, men differ and quarrel over their opinions does not militate against the truth of any system. If men were more fully controlled by the Spirit of Christ, they could differ in opinion without quarreling.

Until absolute knowledge is gained, each ray of light will at least modify former ideas.

To understand any science or book it should be read accord- ing to its own principles of interpretation. “No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Pet. i. 21. Moved by one Spirit it should be taken as a whole, and not disconnectedly. If we would compare scripture with scripture, we would learn that—

“God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.”

We affirm that a piece-meal interpretation is the cause of confusion in the Christian world, and gives rise to the profane proverb that “the Bible is just like an old fiddle on which any tune may be played.” Very few pretend to use much of the Bible; only a few practical precepts, and enough to prove the particular creed, are valued by the many. They virtually blame the Lord for giving a large hook when a small one would have been all-sufficient.

The practice of many in teaching is no more consistent than was that of the old Negro who made Paul vindicate him in theft: “Let him that stole, steal.” The words, “no more,” did not suit his purpose. The writer remembers hearing a minister (Shall I say of Christ?) preach a sermon against the doctrine of justification by faith from the words: “To him that worketh is the reward.” Rom. iv. 4. The perversion will be apparent to all that will read the context.

We do not accuse men, generally, of dishonesty; we are glad to believe that all parties have some truth, and that they defend their errors with sincerity. None of us are per- fect in knowledge, and doubtless all have in the past sin- cerely believed to be truth, and earnestly defended what is now regarded as error. This should make us feel kindly toward all who differ with us, and who cannot yet see all we can see.

The sects are too much like men backing into a corner, and defending themselves with a text.

A text is of no value as proof of a doctrine unless its place in the plan of the ages be understood. The Calvinist, Arminian or Universalist may readily find a text that will

INTERPRETATION

seem to sustain his theory; and the Infidel will say the three texts contradict each other. Each disputant will pass lightly over or ignore the proof-texts of the others, and so sustain his own theory at all hazard.

If the Bible is true there must be a theory which will make use of all these texts, and belittle none of them. There is a theory which claims to do this, and the foundation of that theory is a plan of the ages. Would that all lovers of truth understood that theory, and the plan on which it is based. In the search for truth it becomes necessary to dis- criminate between Bible language and “home made scrip- ture” or pulpit phraseology. The Bible does not claim to be so plain that everybody can understand it. “But if God intended the word for man’s use, why has He not made it plain?” I ask, Why are the gold, the coal and the iron hidden deep in the earth? Why are all things of value made difficult of attainment? There is a question of character in- volved in it. Desire, will, energy, determination and faith- fulness will be rewarded.

Some truths lie on the surface and are easily understood, being adapted to the conditions of childhood physically and spiritually. These properly used are as “milk for babes,” and give strength for work, growth and further search. But to become as men in the knowledge of God, we must cry after it, seek it as silver, and search for it as for hid treas- ures. (Prov. ii, 1-5.) As the word is arranged as food for the individual as babe, young man and aged, so is it of the race in its different stages of development. It will assist