Wmin’f to the land ©f that sturdy iman of God, John Knox, I am remind-?ad of his able contention for to® decline of Election-—Its Scripturalness ®nd its demonstration of the greatness, •majesty and sovereignty of th® Lord ■©ur God. We surmise, however, that the good man’s heart must frequently toive been sorely distressed with the logic of his own argument; that the eternal woe of nine-tenths of ©ur race was as unalterably fixed in advance of their birth as was the eternal joy •of the blessed handful predestinated to.be saints and to share the heavenly glories. We may well thank God, dear friends, thay in the clearer light now shining upon the Scriptures we may fflseern th® wrors handed down t© u® from th® dark ages, without losing our (appreciation of Divine foreknowledge gmd Divine sovereignty.

’ While it is true that it would be difficult t® estimate the value of the doctrine of Divine foreknowledge taught W Brother Knox, not only in this saffian, but also throughout the world, ba-suleating a reverence for the Almighty, It is also true that St would b® difficult to estimate th® amount ©f damag® which has resulted to Ghrlsteadsm throughout the world from his teachings respecting th® Divia® treatment ©f te® n@n-elect. This serious error tms alienated the hearts ©f th@usa»ds from G®d and from his B@@k. Let us took together at th® doctrines ©f Elec-gfon, Predestination and F©re@rdtea-jtton, from th® Scriptural staadpffiat, ►at we may note their beauties and be grawn the nearer to th® L®rd aa< to ills Bosk in true reverence and w®r-ship.

Foreknown and Predestinated.

r

! Our text declares that whom God did igereknow them he also did predestinate; but w® wtic® that the predestiaatte® is stated ©aly as respects th® Church a»< set in respect t® others. This fact dees sot escape th® attention of others, hut they have reasoned erroneously,—that If G@d foreknew an elect Church, for whom h® predestinated, special blessings ant honors, this would imply that ^he remainder ©f mankind aon-elect swere to be tortured eternally. The logic of this position is unsound and fe is quite unseriptural to say, that all bf the non-eleet will be consigned to an teternity of torture at the hands of fireproof demons in fulfillment of a Dipin® predestination fixed before creation. There is no Scripture whatever & this effect, and Brother Knox and pthers were to error- to the extent -that they wove Into their theories matters pot Scripturally stated.

' According to the Scriptures, as well ®s according to human judgment as ex-iPressed in the laws of civilization, the highest, the severest penalty to be enforced, is the death penalty, the taking away of the life not used in harmony with the Creator’s reasonable, righteous requirements. This is the Scriptural declaration to which, for so long a time, we were blind: “The wages of sin is death;” “The soul that sinneth. it shall die;” “All the wicked will he destroy;’* “They shall perish as brute beasts;” “They shall be destroyed with an everlasting destruction” (the Second Death).—Romans vi, 23; Ezekiel xviii, 4; Psalm cxlv, 20; II Peter 11, 12; II Thessalonians I, 9.

Thus seen the very severest results possible to non-eleetion w@uM be extinction—th.® Second Death. But to® Scriptures clearly show that G®< has gracious purposes, not for th® “elect” ©nly, but also for the non-eteet aad that to his due time the non-elect shall be brought to a clearer knewledg® ®f th® Truth and to a full @pp@rtunl||f®f harmony with their Creator and 'through Christ Jesus th® re-attainmmt of all that was lost in Adam, all that was redeemed by the precious sacrifice ©f Christ. Thus, as the Scriptures declare, there is a “common salvation” (Jude 3) la which ail of Atom’s children shall be privileged to h&v® a share. There is also a special salyatiea, a '“high. calling” of God in Christ, which te referred to as “so great salvation (which began to be (preached) spoken fey the Lord, aad was csnfirmed unto h® by them that heard him.” (Meh. 11, k) This oeeial @r great salvatie® is th® one which our Lord has provided tor th® “Elect,” while th® “e@mm@® 'Salvation” is his provision f©r th® n®a-blect

1 Does It net seem strsag® that ►ether Kaox and ethers, his eoadju-feors, in getting away from much @f iffi® smoks^f the “dark ages,” tailed m even think of a salvation of the Ben-elect as a part of Wft’s providence? |teheir eyes, beholding the awful aa< (blighting errors respecting eternal ter-Iment, totally blinded them t® God’s provisions for the n©n-elect; for they Reasoned that if God had predestinated them to eternal torment and had tn advance of their creation prepared a great place of torture and fire-proof devils and fuel enough for eternity, oen surely b® could have no plan ®f salvation ter them. The entire premise was wrong. The death into which- they went was not eternal terment but the tomb, as represented by the Hebrew word S&eol and th® Greek word Hstio, And they oan ’have a© release from the tomb, no return to gtmactousness or yain or pleasure until the Second Coming of the Redeemer in th® morning ®f the Resurrection.

Thank God, then, for th® rolling away of th® mists of darkness and error which permits us to see in th® Bible that the “common salvation,” God’s -provision for the world, will be a Restitution, a restoration to human perfection in the rejuvenated earth, a world-wide Paradise’ Thank Goh for the promises to the effect that then “the knowledge ©f the glory of God shall fill the Whole earth as the waters cover the great deep” and that “the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams;” that “nothing shall hurt or destroy or injure in all God’s holy Kingdom;” that “the wayfaring man, though simple, need not @re therein,” and that a broad high-WylSfii be there as a way of Salva-much traveled way—and that aU th® redeemed @f th® L@rd shall be privileged to g® up th®re@n out @f sin and death g®®diti®»s to e©n-ditions ©f life ©veriastiag. W® thaak God, to®, that th©§® wk© shall w. fuse to make proper progress and |haU fall ®f that “cemsaen a&lvatioa” because ©f willful sin will het be permitted to live endlessly In sin, nor In torment, but will be utterly destroyed in th® Second Death; because God is able to destroy both s@ul and body in Gehenna, th® Second Death. W® thank God ata® that th® elect Church, under Christ, th® Captain of their salvation, ar® promised a share ta that glsrious work of th® Redeemer, tn blessing all th® families ©f th® earth ta bringing te them that common (general) salvation.

Y®ur High Calling.

If one® w® dreaded to think ®f God’s grace toward us la accepting us as members of his elect Church, because of th® ©pposlag thought of the damnation ©f the noaelect, w® may now correspondingly rej©ice th® ®@re in ©ur privilege ©f electisn, seeing that It means our privilege of sharing in th® world’s uplift under th® direction of Emmanuel, ©ur Lord, during his Millennial reign. The Apestl® speaks of the prospect of the elect a® “our High Calling;” and agate, “our heavenly calling.” Th® ttoraght te that w® ar® called to a very high honor and wonderful distinction and that ®n a heaw> enly plane. The Gespel Church Is invited to experience a chaag® of nature from human to divine, fr@na the high-®st of th® earthly natures to th® highest ®f the heavenly nature®-—far above aageta and principalities and powers and every name that is Mamed-—“joint heirs with Christ,” “partakers ®f the Dteta® nature,” members ©f “th® Bride, th® Lamb’s wif®.”

Truly do th® Scriptures tell that not saany would b® able to hear, to appreciate, t® understand, to accept this high calling. The Divine arrangement of th® call te elective, selective. It appeals t® some and dees not appeal to others. It has an attraction tor ®@m® and n@t for others.

If w® had her® n box ®f sawdust and scattered through M a paper. ®f tack® until th® latter wsr® quit® hiddrn from view, surrounded and covered in th® sawdust, w@ know that w© ©ould take a magnet and, by passing it to aad fro amongst the sawdust, th® magnet weuld attract to itself ©very tech. It weight indeed ixercis® a still further attraction, upon gem® ®f the sawdust, but th© hold would be so slight that w® could blow it off, while the tacks would be firmly held by reason of their responsiveness to the magnetic influence. Th® box of sawdust represents tn® world of mankind. The tacks of the illustration represent a small class ®f humanity, zealous at heart f®r God and for righteousness. The' umgurt represents the Gospel invitation-which is now passed up and down, hitter and thither throughout the civilized world, and to some extent, into the beathea world.

It is not th® design of th® Lord to elect, select, choose, gather all mankind (tne sawdust) by the m^nelj merely h® would now gather tbe truehearted, represented by the specks of steel, the tacks. The illustration migWb be enlarged by supposing some otheE tacks of other metallic composition n@t so subject to the magnetic influence ®S tiie steel. The illustration of these Would repi’esent mixed charactara^sudb.

w® see about us in the world everf-Where. Th® illustration might be ex-t®ad®< to teclud® good tacks covered With dirt or other foreign substance Which would hinder them from r®» Broading to the influence of the maghet and this would represent true char« acterg encrusted with the cares of this life, th® deceitfulness of riches, etc. ■ “Elect according to the foreknowb edge ©f God through sanctification of toe spirit and th® belief of the Trflth,” frites th® Apostle. God designed th® election of this Age. He desired to Separate to Mwelf a peculiar people^ to b© tW associates of Jesus, theis Redeemer, in bte subsequent work of Shifting the willing and obedient of the world of mankind. But God ha® hot predestinated nor desired the elec-ffien of any except a sanctified class^ h class not sanctified through stripes, B©t through force ®r compulsion, bufe sanctified through a knowledge of th® Truth. Such are drawn to God in devotion through a knowledge of his glorious purposes and heart sympathy therein, sufficient to induce them to sacrifice their all, s@ far as earthly matters and iatereste ar® concerned. Thea® ar® the elect, who® the Lord has been searching for and testing with the magnet ©f his Truth, and th® manner of their response to it throughout this Gospel Age <©tarmte®a whether “They shall b@ mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I eom® to mak® up my jewels.”

“Whem H® DM KsretasW⁹

It is not f®r us te qutobl® respecting the Dlvla© fewer ®f foreknewiedge— t© question the ability ©f ©nr Creator^ t© have fore&wwn, had h® chosen to d® a®, and f®retel< every member ©f the ©lect class. ^?Ph® Divine is so far above the human that ft is impossible te the human mind t@ measure the Infinite ®r to comprehend his power. W® must merely accegt th© Diviu® statement. Mowever, nothing in th® “Word ©f God teds u® that w® were teeknewn individually - f®ra®mlly» Bather the tetiffihtian te toat G©d pre* desffinated the etectisa < a Church predetermined th® numbs® person® wh® wsuld be accepted as members of that Church, th® Body of Christ, pre-determined what characters they must tav® and what teste of character wwM be necessary to demonstrate Meir loyalty and t© prov® th® Indi* 'fSdual worthy a place la th® fore® ©rdatoad class.

It is in full harmony with this toaf w® read that many ar© called te tow wh® will be chosen, and that ggaln we ar® exhorted te “make ©w ©ailing and our election sure.” W® ar® assured that “Faithful te he that call-sth you, who also will do it”—-do all that he has promised—kee^ his- part of the contract. This being so, all of the Called ones have the determining @f results in their own cases. Ged is faithful. If they are faithful at heart to the terms and conditions of their Cov®» nant they will be of the elect— Wise not.

Ala® Did Fr©d®stsnates®

W® c@m® sow to th® particular ctause of our text which has seemed to fortify the error. “Them he also did predestinate.” Ah, say many, that fixes it! There is a© option, nothing dependent upon ft. God predestinated everything. Not so, w© answer. In the past we hav® been prone t© read our text disconnectedly and thus doing we have overlooked its clear teaching. We thought of it as though it rea& “God predestinated the elecV’ bsffi $$$•

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ii@utaeat@d that all that wwM be of th® ®i®et           b® ®f >fe S ®n.

The pr@d@®tta©tte® @f this vw® relate® wt to ta&ivktaate. b®t to & e®r-t&ta ©Mraeter which aU ®t the elect iMrtijfefes xs«.st att&ta to—©IWwis® they wiH sot b® of the ©feci.

Bow beautifully rim.pl® a®d >teta rasta® it all! N®r w@®M we ok th® matter otherwise. “Jwt aad tree W thy wy«, L@rd G®d Ate.sghty;” Tb® gr-mt fe@B@r, th® M®h ^EMtoettea whteh God prop®®®® to eonfw upon fb® ^isv_W ri^t” I® th® Flr®t reettes at the We@ad O@mtag of Cferfet to gmad that th® very highest g@s-MM® te®t ®f character to thee® wte w@uK be graated ®wh tas» i®m@rtaHty. Ow Lard fes said to hfes dW* »t <®wa first and eo»t th© mt ®f dttgetptegMp sad if you d®terj®iB® that ft is worth ths prte®, ©am®, “fish® yew gross gad follow me." As a reward I presto© y@u that “where I am there rtall w mseipl© be.” ^#4T® him that @v@re©m®tii will I great f® sit with a® fe my thron®.”

Those wk® at tala th® character iike-mss of Christ J®aw will have the ®baraet@r Uk®a«® @f the Fath®?, of Whom the Be® is th® ®xprws image and character likeness. H®ac® th® &p-propriatensm of ©w lord’s words, “B@ y@ like unto year Father which is te B®av®a.”

All Thing® Wark

1® direct an applfeattoa a® w® ar© snaking of ih«® w@«dg may appall gome of th® Lord’® people who Mn Wan thinking carelessly that if iWy ww® one© ta grace they ws’fid always be in grae@--4f oac© elect they would ®®v« fail. I dwir© to awaken sueh to g realisation of th® height® of w call-tag aad of th® n@e@astty of oar ob@dl-g®ee to the t®m® of the ©ailing, if w® Would make our ealMng and our Steelton auro—certain. However, it. is well to remark here that th© perfeetton to-which th® salted one® are ©shorted is to! a perfection of th® fissh, which Would b@ an impossibility beews® of ta natural blemish®®, its hereditary taints and weakness©®. It is th® heart, th® will, that the Lord te iMpsettng, proving, and not the flesh. “Blessed W@ th© pur© i» heart,” ®&id our gav-Sott. And w@ may be rare that th® pnr® in lie-art, the pure In intention, and endeavor, will mak® considerable progress in overcoming the weaknesses ©f the flesh. The Lord will expect them to prove their faith and their loyalty by such good works as are possible to them in their weakness and ®nder their environments.

It is to this class that our text refers. assuring us that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to th® called ones according to Ms purpose.” So we should expect. These called and chosen, begotten of the holy Spirit, are “children of God, and if children, then heirs—heir of God and joint-heirs with Jeeus Christ their Lord” (Boman® vW, 16, 17). .Could we expect less than that their faeaveniy Father would watch ov®r their every interest, temporal and opir« ttaal?

Xngdom Gome

Yes’ a brighter morn is breaking, Better days are coming on;

All the world will be awaking In the new and Golden Dawn.

In the day of coming Glory, Men will show fraternal hand;

Each will tell to each the Story, Till it spreads to every land.

From the earth’s remotest stations, Men will come to hear the Word;

And, in all the world, the nations Shall be nations of the Lord.

•Assuredly ©ur text has usver y@t bad a fulfillment, but just as surely it shall be fulfilled, for th@ mwth ©f th© L@rd hath ©pokaa it; ym, niow, hath <»■ dared that ultimat®ly “every kase shall bow aal wery        coaf®©®”

Mentals, t® th« glory ®f God th® Father. S@m® time ag@ la our Sunday-School hymnals a very popular nwlody was entitled “SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS” and preyed, “Let som® droppings fall upon m®.” This truly express®® th® Ctatetiaa’s exp@ri®nw is the pregeat time. Th® L©rd permits his pespl® t@ hav® gwaaMa®, el@ud aa< gh@w®rs tor their refreshmest, fer their developM&t Nevertheless the skewer® @f refeesAtag sever gee® to come with           fr@tu@»ey, aa<

w© eeattamlly rejete® is th® hope that fetiU there’s m©s® to toU@w.” What a coatesst, therefore, 1®            fey the

wonia ©f. got text—a downpour truth asd grace which will produce a flood @f rifhteeusa.es® sad kaowledga ©f th® Lord w@ri<-wid® and ®cea®« deep!

Wta will this h®, and hew will it ©©me to pass, are the tecr®dule®g ia-quirie®. It g®ew to® geod to be true' that, after a reiga @f sin and death lasting for six Ifiov.gasfi years, s@ wonderful a ehaag® ta to b® brought about! It mms too great & miracle to b® expected that, after th® struggle of Truth with Error, ®f Righteousae®® with Sin for long coatari®®, th® time should ever come whea Righteousness and the knowledge of God should obtain g@ complete a victory, g@ thorough a mastery of the world! When we coasider the united energies of Chris-tendem duriag the last century to spread th© knowledge of the Lord amongst th® h®ath©u aad the results fiuriag- the last century fa spreading th® knowledge of th® Lord throughout heathendom, th© Scriptural statemeat seems incredible. When we reflect that a century age there were six hun dred millions of iwathea and that new there are twelve hmdred millions, w® ask cmrg@Iv@® by what miracle It could ever come t@ page that th© knowledge ©f the Lord should ever cover the whole earth a® th® waters cover the mighty <®@p.

“Thy Kingdom ©saw.”'

Th® Scripture® answer our guery and explain th® entire sitaatioa. They tell us that th® world’s coavergies comes not by might nor by power ef ma®, but “By my spirit, aaith th® Lord.” The Bibi® tell® us that duriag this Gospel Age God hag poured out his holy Spirit upon his servants and upon his handmaids and upon these alone; but they tell us also that with th® end of thii Age and the dawning of the new dispensation the Lord will pour out hi® spirit upon all flesh. “After them days, saith th© Lord, I will pour curt my spirit upon all fi©eh.^w

But what will be th® earn® of this change in the Divin® program, whieft the Almighty has foreknown from of old and foretold through th® prophets t

Evidently it is not a ©bang® of th® Divine purpose or intent, but merely a change in th® Divine operation, for “Known unto the Lord are all his works, from the foundation of th® world.” A lemon we all need to loam is that as, in human op-erattone, time and order are observed, so likewise these ar® elements in ths Divine arrangement. In the construction a foundation ig the first requisite, and the roof or capstone and the finishing touches mark the completion of the edifice. So In the Divine arrangement various ages mark various degrees of development in the Divine purpose and not until the finishing touches shall have been given will the glorie® ©f the architect and .builder of crea-taw’g wonderful temple be manifested. Tfe are., at present to the formative pe-

ri@d. God           tfe® gtegt ww>

of which M prophwted of ©Id.

®iah has @©m, has died for the siM ©f men, tea arise® from th® dmd aaft be®® Whly @xalt®i: th® Church, gpfe^ itual Israel, gathered fc@m Mtaral IA> ra®l aad from all th® families of th® earth, a “little flock” has fees to precess of s@l®eti@® f@r aearly Blnete«, ©©Bturie®. Ss@a it will be eomfteted— th® predesttaated number pe®E®ssis< th® fereordaiaed quality of character “copies of Ged’g dear Son,” will haw been found and tested and developed and polished and fitted and prepared for the gl@ri@us position to which they &ave been called as Messiah’s Brid® and. joint-heir 1® Ms Kingdom. The® th® King a»d Queen ©f the Millenaial Kingdom, beteg to readiness for their w@rk, a great ©bang® ia th® Win® program of earth will take place,

Satars Shall g@ g@uml.

Th® Scriptures meat distinctly teach that we are under the reign of th© “Friaee of this world,” Satan, and that our Lord at his Secoud Coming ia power and great glory will bind or restrain this strong on© Md overthrow his empire, which is not of Divine authorisation, but built upon humaa weaknesses, ignorance and superstition. We are distinctly told that Sataa shall b® bound for that thousand years (the Millmnium) that h® may deceive the people no mor© until th® thousand years shall b© finished.

The question naturally arises, Why did God with all power at his command so long permit Satan to deceive humanity and through their superstitions and ignorance rule them as their Prince? Why was he ©ver given liberty or power at all over humanity? In the light of the Scriptures we may see that as God at times has used th® wrath of man to praise Mb, ®© during this period ©f Satan’s liberty h® has not b®ea permitted to frustrate th® D1y1b@ Plan or. iatentiea but, unconsciously, has co-operated with it and served it Without his blinding influence th® I©wish raters would not hav® crucified ©ur Lord, as St. Peter distinctly shows, “I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Acts ill, 17).

Likewise had it sot been for th® delusions of Satan th® Church would set bav® been persecuted; the way to glory and honor and immortality and ^ctat-hetohip with Christ would not have been mad® th© “Narrow way;” th® saints, th® “jewels” whom th® Lord is now selecting, would not have been pdfched and fitted and prepared for th® glorious places to which th® Lord has called them. Surely, then, th© Lord has used the great Adversary to amfet in th© accomplishing of th® DMn® purposes. Satan may hav® supposed that he wag frustrating God’s plans, but just as surely he was mistaken. The Divin® Word is sure which deciares, “My Word that goeth forth out of my mouth shall not return ®nto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I pleas®, and it shall prosper te that wh©«OTEto X sent it^M

®*Th® S©n ©f Righteousness.®

Attempting to give us glimpses of th© glory that is to come the Scriptures use various figures of speech, telling us, for instance, that the present is a dark night as compared to the future, which will b© a morning of joy. They declare, “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning”—the Millennial morning.

Following th® same figure we read, ^wThe Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in his beams.” From this Standpoint the entire six thousand years of the reign of sin from the time pf Adam’s disobedience in the Garden

Eden to th® time of th® establishment of the reign of Christ has been a night time in which darkness has covered th® earth and gross darkness th® WPle”. (IsaiafeJi^Ik The

pl&e® fo the glorious day of W |res@®e@, the bright shintag of the Suffi M mghteowmess.

Th® spirit of sleep and stupor cam® th® Church during the dark age®. The Lord permitted it to be ©o. W® tost sight ©f the glorious thing© of th® Restitutio® morning and the blostagg then to e©m® to the Church and to th© world in general. These thing® wer® little preached and little believed, although most conspicuous fa the Wor< @f God. Instead we gave heed to th® heath®® theories and more ®r les® mixed and combined them with th® Scriptural teaching, much t© our c®g» taioa. As a consequefic© now th® Truth ®f God’s Word when w@ com® to it Md read with better understand” tag is new to us, strange—verHy_B “Truth is stranger than Action,” b@« cause th® fiction has been drilled iat® as from fefaucy and sung to us from nearly ©very hymn-book in th© w@rML Thus w® have had a hymn-book th®-©!©gy rather tha& a Bibi® theology aad this accounts for the fact that tk® Word of G@d aid. bis character ar® s@ little understood, and that today leading minds ar® repudiating th© Scriptures and taking to Higher Criticlsig. We need to tarn back, to retr&e® our Steps, to inquire for th® old paths (Jer®* mtah vi, IS), for th® doctrine® ©Ider th« Wesley and Calvin, older than Momo Catholicism—the doctrines of Jesus snd ike apostles and prophets. Fra® this standpoint, thank God, w@ can s®@ light in his light and glorify hi® nam@ and appreciate his Word as coutataf®^ th® very essence of wisdom, justice^ love and power.

Th® Qulek ®nd th® 0®®d.

Th© proposition of the Scriptures, a Milleimial Age of blessing, eomtag through th© establishing of God”® Kingdom, for which we pray, “Thy will b® d@n@ to earth as it is don® ia heaven,” strikes people in thre® different ways;

First.—ungenerously will W disposed to rerent th© thought uudw th© supposition that it would imply a mor® favorable opportunity for th® world In general to the next Age to com® into tarmony with God than th® Church of the present age enjoys. Ta, these we answer that their srgumeal is at fault because they fall to rec©^ nte® th® fact that th© reward to b®| given to th® overcomers of this GospeB Age, th® Church class, will be a muc^ higher on® than will go to th© ©bo.' dtent of the world in the next ®g@.. Th© reward of th® Church will be & spirit nature and a share in the heavenly Kingdom with th® Lord Jesus.} Th® reward ©f th® earthly class of faithful ones will be Restitution to th®¹ perfection of human nature lost by Adam and redeemed by our Lord J®«

Surely Wo®® who appreciate th® ^whigh calling” to tlte Divine nature anfi |©tat-h®irehip with th® Lord ta M® Kingdom will see that it is well worthy the additional sacrifices, self da-' atels, ®te., which it will cost.

Seeoad.—Another class, generous audj appreciative, offer the criticism that if I seems unfair on God’s part to givw such a glorious Millennial opportunity] to thos® who will be living at the tim@j ©f th® Second Advent and to deny it! to th® remainder of the race who lived; previously. This also is a mistake, wo answer. God’s proposition Is that all¹ of th© world of mankind who do not; enter Into the trial of this present tim@' —th© judgment or trial of the Churchy the spirit-begotten ones—-will have aa opportunity of entering into the judgment or trial of the world for the prize¹ ©f Restitution and human perfection' ©n the earthly plane. This blessing, this privilege, will bertn with the living nations at the tir-e of the begin-Bing of the establishment of the Lord’s Kingdom, but it will not end with them. The Scriptures declare, “AH nations which thou hast made shall com® and worship before thee.” And again, “In thy Seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Some of those nations and families have perished from the earth, but th® Divine provision of redemption and Jtestitution is meant for a', eventually^’ TM Scriptures .assure u@. of an awak>

of fill the sleeping millions of @ayfh*s population. “The hour Is eom-tag la th® which all that a?@ in their graves shall hear the vole© of th® gon ©f Man and com® forth.” Th® Apostle tells us that they will com® forth, ®®v®ry man in his ©wn order,” ©r glass; thus intimating that from th® Divia® standpoint th@r® ar® numerous ©lasses of th® dead. Thus the Scrip-tares assure us that the first class, th® Messed and holy ones, the saintly, will alone share in th® First Resurrection, and that these shall be priests unto Ged and reign with Christ a thousand year® (Revelation zx, S, 4). The re» ffiatoder ©f mankind will com® from the tomb classified—not all at once.

They will not come forth to M damaed ®r condemned. They were: Condemned already” as children of Adam because of hi® sin. It is on that aceeuat that they were ’’horn fa sin and shapes fa laiqui^.” It wag from that si® and its sentence @r eondemaa-ti®a that Christ died to set them fro®. They will com© forth fre® from that ©cmtoMatien in a jndlslal sew, but, nevertheless, with the weataems of the fall still up@n the®, and they will be required to c©-w@rate with th® Lord ta their m uplifting during that thousand years. Net® that th® great King of Glory, with all power in heaven and earth, could not, if hs ®h©s@, lift item at ©nee from their degradation and all that was lest, beams© th© gradual uplifting and their ©ws co-operation to th® DMa® program, ®@ arranged, will b@ the most helpful way—Means® th© Iwratog ®t righteousness by th® proeogg ©f climb-tag up ©wt of coaditfoEtg of taperfec-ti®a will impress upon the® its principles the mere thoroughly.

Third.-A third class, aa< they ar® net a few, Stecem at ©ace that “tru® and righteous” are the Lord’s ways aal araa®g®m®ats—that those now ©a trial feav® more advantage every way in that to them was granted so high ®a honor and blessing and so great & gttmntas to rifbtto«nw. They rec-Ognls?® al®© that the Lord’s arrange-for the world, the living and th® wUl be glorioug to all, to angels asS to urn. whea all shall have been brought fully to aa appreciation of th®' tacts.

Kswwledf® ©f th© Lord.

^; T© sem® it may appear strange that jit Is the knowledge of th© Lord that is to fill the whole earth ocean deep—not’ th® knowledge ©f mankind, not the knowledge of sla, sot human -phlloso-¹ phy—non© of th®®@ are to fill th® earth and to bring blessings to the world of mankind, but' “th© knowledge of th®' Lord.” Weil did. our dear Redeemer gay, ⁴ritori is life eternal, that th@y_; might know th®@, the only living and true God, aad Jesus Chrirt, whom. then hast gent.” Lif© eternal is not to' b® gained by a knowledge of artrono-, my or geo&igy ©r math®matte® @r_: ehemtotry,          by th® knowledge:

of God. How to Wi®? What is there’ s@ wonderful, so toagnctle in the' kn©wl«lg® of God that it should be' said that men might gate eternal life thereby? W® aa?«w@r that God himself is the very personification ©f those glorious elements of character which b® demands we shall emulate, copy, pattern after. Thus our Lord Jesus said, “Be y® like unto your Father which is in heav®." Not that we can ever be exactly life® him in these respects, whil® w® fem our present imperfect bodies, but his is th® pattern after which w® must copy as best we can now and of him be the exact copy by and by.

f Th® thought is that as we e<w our Heavenly Father’s character each ad-flitional step of progress means a clearer knowledge of’the Father, and only those who attain to the very perfection of love in their hearts will be able rightly, truly to know the Father or the Son. Hence to know him in th® full, proper sense of the word would Imply that we bad attained his likeness in our hearts, and this would imply preparation for life eternal on the' Divine terms. From this standpoint ©nr text implies that all mankind will ultimately be to that condition of th© htotorihto of God_wMeh_ will imply th® perfection of their hearts, imply their acceptance to eternal life, imply that all unwilling to come to this glorious condition under the Divine opportunities will have been destroyed from amongst the

la oui text w® hav® the despairing ®ry ®f th© apostles to th® Lord, in the midst of what must have been a remarkably sever® storm on the Sea of Galli®®. Som® of th® disciples, at least, were experienced fishermen, accustomed to th© sudden squalls for which that sea is noted. For such courageous' men as Peter, James and fthn to appeal to Jesus for superhuttan aid implies that the conditions w®r® critical. It seems rather astonishing indeed that our Lwd could have slept under such strenuous conditions, but he was extremely exhausted from speaking to large multitudes and the Journey was mad® in considerable measure to get away from the people, in order that h@ might have necessary rest But again, ft is possible that our Lord feigned sleep for the very purpose ©f permitting his disciples to reach th® point of extremity which led them to call for his aid; because man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. Th© Master arose and rebuked the wind, saying, “Peace, b® still.” And there was a great calm. Aad he said to th® disciples, Why are y© so fearful? Have y© not yet faith?

This expression constitutes on® of th© great lessons of the Master to his pupils, his disciples, and it has com® ringing down the centuries, speaking peace to his followers ever sine®. The message it brings is that he who is able to control the storms and th® sea' is likewise abl® to govern all the affairs of lif© in th® interests of those ■ who are his consecrated followers, his disciples. Whether w® have had so remarkable an escape from a storm at sea or not, I am sure that some of us have had the .Master’s supervision and intervention for our protection from th® storms of lif®. To som© of our hearts h® has spoken these same words, “Peace, be still. Have y® not yet faith?” And with th® message cam® a great calm, a great serenity, a great rest in th® Lord and his superabundant care. If for a time th© Master seemed unconscious of our condition and asleep to the danger® about us, ft was only seemingly so. His cars and his power were equally With us, and none could really harm our interests as' New Creatures. He whose eye sever slumbers nor sleeps, keeps watch over th© interests of those who are truly his; and he is pledged that all things shall work together for good to them; because they love him; because they have been called according to his purpose; because they are seeking to make that calling and election sure by loving, self sacrificing obedience.

The Province of Faith.

In our judgment the Lord was not specially condemning the apostles for fearing the storm and awakening him to quell it. Indeed, their action indicates that they had faith; that they believed that the Master had the power which could save them. The Lord would have them exercise a still broader faith than this. He would have them realize the Father’s care as he had taught them, saying, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father? * ® ® Fear ye not, therefore; ye are of mor© value . than many sparrows” (Matthew x, 29-81). The lesson sought to be inculcated was this: “The Father has called you to be my disciples and colaborers. You with myself, therefor®, are specially under_pivlne guidance and su-people in the Second Death (Acts iii,23), How wonderful is the Divine arrangement I Blessed are our eyes, for they see and our ears that they hear and our hearts that they now respond!

pertoitoto. And h@ who lias Begun th® good work in you, and who purpose® to use you as his mouthpieces in th® proclaiming of his message and grace, is able to care for all your interests, both temporal and spiritual. Do you suppose that, after calling you to the ministry of his grace, h® would permit you to perish ? To so fear, Implies that you do not realize your calling to have been of God, or do not realize the Divine power, or that you doubt Divin© wisdom and supervision-being of Insufflcient faith.”

Shall we not similarly Judge our* selves, scrutinte© our own hearts, to* quire within, if in the midst of the! storms and tempests of life w® becom® terrified? Would not this imply thaf w® doubt the Divine providences in ©ur own cases in the past and that we are uncertain as respects our calling of th® Lord to be followers of th© Lamb, sharers to th® sufferings of Christ now and heirs of th® glory that ©hall follow? Or would it mean that w® lacked faith,' lacked confidenc® in God? Perhaps no other lesson is more important tor God’s children to learn; to the present time than this—to have absolute confidence in their Father’s Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power.

W® Walk by Faith.

Th® ApostI® remarks of th® Church of this ag®, ^4<W® walk by faith and not by sight” In this respect th® Gos* pel Church is different from th® Jewish Church of th© preceding ag® am| different from th® Millennial Church th® oncomtog ag®. The latter will walk by sight Th® Sun of Righteous-Mas will shin® forth, w® ar© assured, and. scatter all th© darkness of ign©» rauc®, superstition and prejudie®, and good th® world with th® “light of th® knowledge of th© glory of God.” There will b® no more walking by th® Hght of th® lamp, to© Bibi®, so pml©w to us now, so necessary to us now as S lamp to our feet and as a light to footsteps to assist us in walking ta the “narrow way” by faith and not by sight.

The Jewish church of th® preceding age was privileged to walk consider* ably by sight, not so clear and distinct a light as that which win illuminats the world to th© Mfllennium, but, nevertheless, they walked by sight, because th® Divine terms were that it they obeyed God’s Word and walked to his statutes ho would bless them to basket and stor® and flock and herd and in their families and to their hearts. Aad the assurance was that if there was any calamity it would b® because ©f their departure from th® Lord and would mark his disfavor.

But during this Gospel-Ag© how different! Whoever would b® God’s child, a follower ©f Jesus, in th© present time must walk by faith and not by sight H© must believe what h® can-' not se®. H@ must learn that the cost of discipleship in this age, th® cost of sonship in th® Divin® family in this present time means self-saerifiee, a narrow way, opposition and persecution. “Yea, whoever will live godly in this present world will suffesRpersecu-tion.” Instead of being blessed above other men in their temporal affairs the Consecrated^ the sanctified, have the Scriptural assurance that they 'm®t expect th® reverse. Instead of being kept to perfect health many of th® Lord's followers have had sad expert-' ences on beds of sickness and pain. Instead of being wealthy it was foretold that there would be not many rich amongst them, not many great, not many wise according to th® course of this world, but that the riches they must esteem are the riches of God’s grace associated with the exceeding great and precious promises of God’s Word. Instead of being surrounded by . conditions of affluence, wealth and eag® their circumstances are generally the reverse of these. And why is this so? Because the Lord is now choosing or selecting from amongst mankind a little flock of “peculiar people” who h® designs shall eventually be joint-heirs with hfe Son in the Heavenly K-sg-dom.

FA FeeuHar Paa pi®,”

Th© Lord’s people are peculiar to their dress—not as respects their out-jStard clothing, but as respects theta fbb® of Christ’s Bighteousness—theirs by imputation, because of faith in th® blood of Christ, faith in his sacrifice for sins. They are peculiar also in that they have a “wedding garment” which they wear continually and which they seek to keep “unspotted from the world” and which they trust by and by will admit their entrance with theta Lord to the great Marriage Supper when they, as members of the Brid©* Elect, shall become the Queen of Gl®» ry, Joint-Heirs with the Bridegroom.

These are peculiar also in that they lov® Righteousness and hate iniquity? whereas th® majority of people lov® iniquity and are ready to indulge to it to th® extent that they would not b@ ©aught ©r seriously injured. These, m th® contrary, love Righteousness because they have com® to esteem it a® th® character of their Heavenly Father and his will respecting them, an< they have com© to hate iniquity be-cans® they have learned of its injuri® ©usnegs and that the Heavenly Father is not pleased with inequity, injustice^ wrong in any form. These peculiar people ar® s® desirous of pleasing th© Heavenly Father that they are quite willing to be thought peculiar or Strang® to the world to general that they may hear by and by the word^ “Well done, good and faithful servant^ thou hast been faithful over a few ^ings, I will make the® ruler ©vw many things” (Matthew xxv, 28).

Y® ©f LIttte Faith.”

All th® circumstances and affairs Ilf®, its atoms and its calms, its joy® and its sorrows, ite ups and its downs_s its pleasures and its pains, are so or-teed of th® Fatter’s provideace as to give these “peculiar people” the 1^-®ong they mo^t need, primarily to d@» Vdop in them this quality of faith, atol secondarily th® various graces of th® lord’s gpfeta, which can be built only, wm this faith, this trust, this ©©nfl-dene®. And as th® members @f thte class team to take the proper view the Lord’s dealings, learn to have faith to him, feara to not® his provides ms and to trout his promises, proportion'*¹ ately it is their privilege to have poae® and rest in every time of storm anil distress. As the Master declare^ ”T<ea<te I tear® with you, my p®ae® i give unto you. Lot not y©ur heart M troubled, neither let it be afratd’1 (John xlv, 27). Whoever, therefore,! would be most pleasing to th® L@rdi whoever would he most ‘ready for th® graduating exercises at the end of th© af®; whoever hopes to hear th® Mas-tor’s “Well don©, good and faithful servant,” must give diligence to th®* cultivation of this quality of faith. ^aith which firmly trusts him >hat may.”                          ’ >

Qu ®                 Se®. , ^!

havtapplied-individually td theXor®^ peopto'toay "also "be         ,

to them as a whole. Looking bacte ©ver th© nearly nineteen centuries stoee th® tastitattoa of this Church ta _t our Lord at his First Advent, partied { ularly since Pentecost, and marking 1 th© varied ©xyerienees ©f these cen^ tarie®, w® perceive that the Church has passed, over a temptestuous rout® in her journey to th® heavenly horned ; Storms and calms mark the entire ; course, and th® evidences are thicken®-' tag all about us that th® severest and» j darkest hour, the most stormy-period#’ of her entire career, is just‘ahead O'S her—just upon her, we might say. Th®*, sea, th® world, is all about her an^ seeking to enter into her, seeking t® swamp_ her,, seeking to swallow her

Many of the Lord’s followers already are crying to him in terror, “Master, rarest thou not that we per~ fob? Seest thou not how agnosticism®: ander a new name of Higher Criticism,' fe seeking to capsize us, to overwhelm' ®s, to break the cable of faith by which we are anchored to the sure' promises of thy Word! Master, seesti thou not that the very mention of thy precious blood as the Ransom Price for sinners, the purchase price of our roleas®' from sin and death, is reviled, ts belittled, is esteemed a common thing, is repudiated by those who game Thy Name! Master, carest thou act that thy Word has been so m » represented during the dark ages of th® past that today the intellectuals of the world disdain It as the teaching ©f doctrines unworthy of a noble intellect! Master, carest thou not that these have no reverence for thy Book and for thine own Holy Name? Master, carest fhou not that Thy people, thy saintly ones, are perishing fa infidelity, in agnosticism; that they are losing their faith in the precious blood.' and in all the wonderful promises of the Word, because they see not, neither d® they understand the height and length, th® breadth and depth of the love of God which passeth all understanding!’⁸'

P«ac@, Be StiH! g@ 8tHU

T® all such appeals the Master’s re-fly is, “Have ye not yet faith?” Do ye not know that the Word that goeth froM my mouth shall prosper in the thing whereto it was sent?. Do you TOt realize that he who began th© work of selecting the Church will accomplish it? Do you not know that aaught could come to pass without #©ur Father’s knowledge and permission? Do you not remember the words ®f the Lord, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were give® thee from above,” except it were permitted thee ®f my Father (John six, M). Our difficulty has been to som® extent the same that our Lord men-tiosed to the Sadducees saying, “Ye fl® @rr, not knowing th® Scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew xxii, 28). _

But what my the Scriptures on tW subject? We answer that they fore® tell the present condition of things an^ giv® us aa outlook future. They call' our attention to the fact that there is. a Domtaal Church, as well as th® real one, m outward class of considerable numbers which have a form of godll-®^s, but without the power, and a

dock” which has th® Trsth and is m heart relationship with the Lora, begotten of the holy Spirit. They tell n.«s that w® have been mistaken In, the past in supposing that It Is a part of the Heavenly Father's plan to convert the world during this present Gospel Age; that that part of his plan belongs to the next age; that his present work Is the gathering of the “elect,” the “little flock," to be associated with the Redeemer as his Bride in the glorious Kingdom, for which We pray, “Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” They assure us that the storm of Higher Criticism, infidelity and Evolution and general godlessness and faithlessness which we see coming, which is already upon us, will indeed be a terrible storm, the like of which was permitted to the time of trouble which closed th® Jewish Age, and again in the close of the eighteenth century to the French Revolution. The Scriptures show us that th© Lord intends to make a separation between merely nominal Christians and the saints—the pure in heart, the full of faith, the full of zeal, th® lovers of Righteousness, the haters of Iniquity. And his testing and sifting' ®f the true wheat and its separation from the tares will be a thorough and complete work.

But we say, if the Church goes gown, if the storm shall wreck th® Church of Christ, will not the entire social fabric be wrecked? Shall noh We all perish? But the Lord answers, “Nay verily, ^sa .thousand shall fall at thy side, ten: thousand at thy right hand, but it'shail not^come nigh thee’ (to Injure thee)« 'The shaking of th@i social, political and financial fabrtej which is closely" interwoven with th® religious, will b® something awful, according to th® Scriptural pictures, “A time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, nor ever' shall be afterward,” said our Lord (Daniel xii, 1). For a time fierce anarchy will follow' the destruction of faith in God and to his Word—quite Hntrary to the expectations of the* ftW Critics. Then, in du® time to' gave the world from itself, our Lord Will stand forth in power, majesty andi great glory and will say to the ragtag Waves of human passion in that pestuous storm, “Peace, be still!” And] there will b® a great .calm, and that ealm will extend throughout the Milteasial period and give faverabte

rtUBity for th® living to

Question.—-Are th® xsromises to the saints of the' Gospel Age heavenly or earthly promises?

Answer.—“As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." We are “partakers of the heavenly calling.’’— 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 3:1; 6:4; Phil. 3:14; Eph. 2:6, 7; 2 Thess. 1:11, 12; 2 Tim. 1:9, 10.

Question.—Will the elect Church, the “overcomers,” the “saints,” continue to be human beings, “of the earth earthy”?

Answer.™“God hath given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might become partakers of the divine nature”—“new creatures.”—2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:17, 18.

Question.—When will the full ©hang® (begun in us by a change of heart, called the begetting of the spirit) be completed?—When shall we be made like Christ our Lord?

Answer.—-“We [saints] shall all be changed.” . . . “The dead [saints] shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be ©hanged, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye . . . this mortal shall put on immortality.” “Sown a natural [animal] body, it is raised a spiritual body.” “Thus is the [special] resurrection of the [special, elect] dead.”—1 Cor. 15:50-53, 42-44; Phil. 3:11.

Question. — Are full recompenses, either rewards or punishments, to be expected before the resurrection?

Answer. — “Thou sha.lt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” —Luke 14:14; Rev. 11:18: Matt. 18:27.

Question.—What is the hope held out for all except the elect Church of the Gospel Age?

Answer.—“The’ whole [human] creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God [the saints].” Then shall follow “times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by .the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” in which “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” through th® elect “Seed" of Abraham.—Rom. 8:22, 19; Acts 3:19-21; Gal. 3; 16. 29.

Question.—Are the dead conscious or unconscious ?

Answer.—“The dead know not anything.”—Eeel. 9:5; Psa. 146:4; Isa. §8:18, 19.

Question.—Have the departed saints been praising the Lord all along during the past ages?

Answer.™“Th® dead praise not the Lord.”—Psa. 115:17. 6:5; Bed. 9:6.

Answer.™“As I said to the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so now I say to you [apostles]," “I will com® again and receive you unto myself."—? John 13:33; 14:3.

Question.-—Was it proper for th® saints of the Gospel Age, except such as would be living at the time of th® Lord’s return, to expect to be ©r@wn@d at death?

Answer.—-“When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”—1 Pet. 5:4; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 1:4, 5.

Question.—Did the Apostles expect glory at death or at the second coming of Christ?

Answer.—“When Christ who is our' life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”—Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:2.

Question.—-Were the saints to me” in death?

Answer.—“Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, . . . and they that be wise shall shin® as the brightness of the firmament [as the sun].”—Dan. 12:2, 3; Matt. 13:40-43.

Question.—Were the ancient worthies rewarded at death?

Answer.—“These all died in faith, net having received the promises; . . » that they without us should not b® made perfect.”—-Heb. 11:13, 39, 40.

Question.—David was one of the holy prophets: Was he rewarded by being taken to heaven?

Answer.—-“David is not ascended int® the heavens.”—Acts 2:34.

Question.—How many had gone to heaven up to the time of our Lord’s ascension?

Answer.—“No man hath ascended u> to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man.’’—John 3:13.

Question.—-Can he who created man destroy him? Can the soul be destroyed by its Creator?

Answer.—“Fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna [the ‘Second Death’].” “He spared not their souls from death.” “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”—Matt. 10:28; Psa. 78:59; Kxek. 18:4, 20; Psa. 22:29; Joshua 10:35; Isa. 88:17; Psa. 56:13; 30:3; 119:175; Matt. 26:38; Isa. 53:10, 12.

Question.—s-How great Importance did the Apostle Paul attach to the doctrine of the resurrection?

Answer.™“If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is not Christ risen, « < , Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”—1 Cor,

It t§ Mt sufficient that we go back a few centuries for the true light on God’s Word* We must go clear back to the words of Jemts and the Apostles and the Prophets. Their teachings were quickly lost in the great falling away foretold, and only of late have we the Bible-Study Helps necessary to our full enlightenment. These are God’s gifts at the opening of the New Epoch called the Millennium. The electric light and other wonderful blessings of our day are from the same Giver of all good.”

We oommend to the thousands of our readers the careful study of the Six Series of "Studies in the Scriptures'' Many of you must already have them in your horn s, for over three millions of the first series is announced by th® publishers^ The Biblis and Tract Society of Brooklyn Tabernacle, Brooklyn, N.Y.

We urge that you read these Studies, yea that you study them, if you would have the greatest blessing imaginable by a Christian in the present life. Never mind the fact that some dear Christian people speak evil of this work as many spoke evil of our Master and his words. They are prejudiced, blinded, like Saul of Tarsus of old. In ignorance they oppose, not having read. Hearken to the words of C. T. Smith of The Atlanta Constitution, which we heartily endorse:-—

^w This wonderful book makes no assertions that are not well sustained by the Scriptures. It is built up stone by stone, and upon every stone is the text, and it becomes a pyramid of God’s love and mercy and wisdom. There is nothing in the Bible that the author denies or doubts, but there are many texts that h© throws a flood of light upon that seem to uncover its meaning.

^w It is impossible to read this book without loving the writer and pondering his wonderful solution of the great mysteries that have troubled us all our lives. There is hardly a family to be found that has not lost some loved one who died outside the church—outside the plan of salvation, and, if Calvinism be true, outside of all hope and inside of eternal torment and despair.”