Vol. 20

Noble and good in the sight of both God and man are the generous impulses of charity and, sympathy, awakened by great calamities in recent years. And when this is said, it leaves little more to be said favorable to calamities or their influence.

While these charities should not be misconstrued to signify that God’s consecrated saints are rapidly multiplying—for many of the charitable are not the consecrated, and some are even infidels—yet they are an. evidence that at least some of the original God-likness of our race remains; that it has not been wholly obliterated by the degradation of the fall, nor wholly poisoned by the bad theology of the dark ages. While we live in a period, perhaps, as selfish and money-loving as any known to history, yet millions of dollars are generously poured, fp.rth. to ..aid .sufferjng_humanity,_, ..And yeXm.any' who in times “of calamitous distress show that they have a tender spot somewhere in their hearts, would and do at other times lend time and brain and skill to the arts of war, and in designing the most horrible implements of warfare; and on occasions when bitter pas-<ions are aroused would relentlessly and pitilessly laughter a thousand times as many as meet death by the accidents of nature. Yet, for all this showing of the two elements in the same men, we rejoice that the God-like element of sympathy exists, as a partial offset to the devilish qualities of selfishness and heartlessness, which, under the degrading influence of man’s fallen state, have grown strong during the past six thousand years.

Preparatory to looking carefully, reasonably and Scripturally at the question, Why does God permit calamities? let us note some of the absurd views of some Christion people, who should know God’s Word, and character much better than they seem to know' them. Some, whose hearts in the presence of great calamities overflow with sympathy and God-like love (which proves their hearts better and more sound than their theology), declare that God is the director and cause of all disasters and troubles. Hence, whatever men may do to alleviate such distresses would, according to this false view, be so much done in opposition to God'; find whatever love and sympathy they feel, is so much sentiment opposed to God’s sentiments—< which are thus made to appear malicious.

But it seems a yery slight thing to charge the Almighty with causing earth’s calamities—in comparison with the general thought of Christendom, that God had premeditated, planned, from before the foundation of the world, their everlasting torture—the direst calamity imaginable. Tornadoes, earthquakes, epidemics of disease, would be mercies and kindnesses in comparison with such diabolical schemes and preparations as are accredited to the Lord by the vast majority of his children, who suffer still from the superstition, ignorance and blindness of the “dark ages,’’ and its creeds. Alas, that such false conceptions of the justice and love •of our Creator should ever have gained a foothold in our minds—to distort our every conception of every right and good quality. O Lord, grant Thy people a great opening of the eyes of their understanding, that we may be able to comprehend with all saints, the lengths and the breadths, the heights and the depths' of Thy love and mercy toward Thy creatures through Jesus Christ, our Lord!* The difficulty is that men have been led to consider the very Bible which declares God’s true character of love and justice as authority for these devilish doctrines; and these false interpretations were originated in the “dark ages’’ by those who instigated or assisted in burning, and otherwise tormenting, real Bible believers.

God’s Sympathy—How Shown.

When we declare that whatever there is of love and sympathy in man is only the remnant of the original divine likeness in which Adam was created, not wholly effaced by six thousand years of degradation in sin, it

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joy to all the worthy, by eradicating,, forever, sin and and receive death again. This Second Death means* ........ ■ "         - • -                  their utter destruction, without hope of, another redemption or resurrection, for Christ dieth, no more..

all who love it after fully comprehending its character in contrast with 'righteousness. Even his friends and disciples were slow to realize these grand dimensions of his work, though he continually repeated them and bore, witness, saying: “The Soil of Man came to ,give his life a ransom for many’’; “Verily, verily, the hour is coming* when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear [heed] shall live.’’ “The Lord hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives [of death] and recovering of sifeht to the [mentally, morally and physically] blind;

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life to which he was thus proved worthy, redeem the forfeited life Of Adam and of his posterity who lost life through him; for it is written, “In Adam all die,” and “By the offence of one, sentence of condemnation came on all men.”—1 Cor. 15: 22; Rom. 5:12, 18.

।                 The Redeemer.

Since the condemnation to death was thus upon all men, and since another man newly created and. inexperienced as Adam was, though just as favorably situated, would have been similarly liable to fall, God devised the marvelous plan of transferring his own begotten Son from the spiritual to the human nature and thus provided a man fit for sacrifice—“the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all”; “who, though he was rich [though he was possessed of glory and honor and riches and wisdom and power above both angels and men], nevertheless for our Sakes became poor (humbling himself to a lower nature, that of a man, becoming obedient even unto death) that we through his poverty might be made rich.’ ’■—1 Tim. 2: 5, 6; 2 Cor. 8: 9.

Nor could any good reason for their further trial be assigned; for the trial granted during the Millennial, age'under Christ, as Judge, will be a thorough and fair and individual and final trial;—1 Cor. 15: 25.

As our Lord Jesus used the calamities of his time as illustrating the just penalty against al! who. do not flee sin and lay hold upon the Redeemer and Life-giver^ so-we use them. We declare that destruction, perishing, is the just penalty of sin taught in the Scriptures. We denounce as un-Scriptural the eternal torment theory, so generally: believed by God’s children, as one Of Satan’s blasphemous slanders against God’s character..

to set at liberty them that are bruised”—injured by the Adamic fall.—Matt. 20: 28; John 5: 25; Luke 4:. 18;

- The sacrifice of the Redeemer’s all, as man’s ransom -     ..    - - —........          .. ........- —

price, was offered at the time he was thirty years old—• And we proclaim that only by faith in the Redeemer, at his baptism. And there the offering was accepted repentance and reformation, can the gift of God, eternal by Jehovah, as marked by his annointed with the spirit. - life through Jesus Christ our Lord, be obtained, Who-

Thenceforth, he spent the three and a half years of his ministry in using -up the consecrated life already offered ; and this he completed at Calvary. There the price of our liberty was paid in full. “It is finished!’’ It holds good ; it is acceptable by the grace of God, as the offset and covering for every’ weakness and sin of the first man, and his posterity, resulting either directly, or indirectly, from the first disobedience and its fall. All that is necessary since, for a full return to divine favor and communion and to an inheritance in the Paradise of God, which the great Redeemer in due time has prom

ever hears the offer of life is responsible to the extent, that he understands it; and according to God’s promise-and plan all mankind shall, at some time, either during-the Gospel age ,or during the coming Millennial age, be brought to a full, clear appreciation of these conditions, and opportunities, with fullest opportunities for repentance and life.

Calamities, then, arc to be regarded, generally, as. accidents, attributable to human imperfection and lack of experience, or to disturbances incidental' to preparation of the earth for its more quiet and perfect condition during the Sabbath, or Seventh Thousand'years.

ised to establish in the entire earth, as at first in the txxuxvxx uui.as iuc uauuam, u.           xuvuaauu jcaio

Garden of Eden, is a recognition of sin, full repentance, (the Millennium), and for its state of absolute perfec-and a turning from sin to righteousness. Christ will tion forever after the Millennium, during which, underestablish righteousness in the earth by the Kingdom of                        ...... ■     ••   - ■ . .

God, which he has promised shall be established and

for which he has bidden us wait and hope, and for which

he taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will

be done on earth even as it is done in heaven.”

Christ’s direction,

it shall be given its finishing

Thus the one first created, “the first-born of all creation” (Col. 1: 15)_t “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3: 14), the one who had known God’s .   ,    .—

character longer, more fully and more intimately than ceasing to exist, any other being, the one in fact who had been Jehovah’s gression, ”

“YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.’’

Death, in whatever form it may come, is perishing,

touches and be made fully ready for the redeemed; race, which his reign shall prepare also to rightly- use and. enjoy and rule the perfected earth. And man is exposed to these calamities and accidents, and not defended from them by his Almighty Creator, because, first, man is' a sinner condemned to death, and is not to' be- ’ spared from it, but must be allowed to pass through it; and secondly, by the present experiences with. trouble-

. ------- A.11 mankind, through Adam s trans- and sorrow and pain, all of which are but elements of

«.ixy ui..ex        vxxe vuc xxx xceu ».xv xxcxxx Moexx v.vxxwxxxx s> gression, came under condemnation to loss of life, to j[eath, mankind is learning a lesson and laying up in

chief and honored, intelligent and active Agent in the perish, to be as though they had not been.. And _st_ore an. experience with sin and, its awful concomit-

V1UU1 W-uu mksxxwj. V/M.,    UVA115 uu v        w vvx » v     vmj. v     unv   .. x     . ,      - -       -----—a - --------—   " ~ - w ’            JJIUIO Orix VApoiWUCO Will! fiHU . OUIL      ttWiUl UUIIUUIUIL"

creation of angels as well as of men, the one by whom only one way of escape from that condemnation has _ant_S( sorrow,' pain and death, whi^h will.be valuable in all things were made, and aside from whom not any- been provided (Acts, 4: 12.) Because of Christ’s re- Millennial Age, when t - • -              ■ -

thing was made (John 1: 3; Col. 1: 16, 17)-r-this great demptive work all may escape perishing by accepting _choose between good and evil.

being Jehovah’s Prime Minister, and next to himself in                                                           „ . ..      ......

been provided (Acts. 4: 12.)

Because of Christ’s re

that Millennial Age, when each 'shall be required to- ■

■’ t.x----     - ... , -’i. The evil they now learn

—x--- -   -------- -—— --x-- -7= cuuvBv veuwosu guuu auu evil. me evu mey uuw warn

mvxxx_{& v}vx._v.^xx m x.xx~x_V ^xxxxx».~x, — —...            u the conditions of life. iDuring Christ s Millennial reign. fi_rst; the good, and its blessed results and rewards,: but.

dignity, the Almighty entrusted with the great work of those whom Pilate slew, and those upon whom the dimly seen at present, will be fully displayed then— ' redeeming and restoring mankind.                       tower of Siloam fell, and all others of the race, sharers during the Millennium.

m .     . .. .                                          m the death penalty now upon all, will be released            „   . . _   ..      .   .. i                •

To redeem them would cost the sacrifice of the Son s f_rom the tomb, brought to a knowledge of Christ, his           Special Providences for the Saints,

iiTA n si T.n O1P amw irriho with n. I r 1.n ar. in ar         ...              •*       -» n •      •                                     • «     — .                -     .              .

own life aS their ransom price, with, all that that im-

plied of suffering and self-denial. To restore them (such of them as should prove worthy—whosoever wills) would require the exercise of divine power to Open the prison-house of death, and to break the fetters of sin and prejudice and superstition, and give to all the re⁴ deemed the fullest opportunity to decide whether they love good or evil, righteousness or sin, truth or error—< to destroy all who love and Work iniquity, apd to .. develop and perfect again all who love and choose life upon its only condition—righteousness.

ransom work, and their privilege of repentance and full But some one inquires, If this be God’s plan for rerestitution to divine favor—life, etc. Thus seen, the deeming the world by the death of his Son,' and justify -Adamic death penalty was—to perish; but it will be ing and restoring all who' believe in and accept of him¹, cancelled by Christ’s Ransom, so far as it relates to and obey and love righteousness, why did not the Mil-those, who, when. ^brought to, know the Redeemer, shall lennial reign of Christ, with its favorable conditions-x-.   ;    •_ xt. i               .x 1.        T-j __ _       and p_0Werf_ui restraints, begin at once, aS soon as Christ

had given the ransom-price at Calvary ; instead of compelling those who would follow righteousness to “sail

forsake sin. No longer should it be regarded as a perished condition, but as a “sleep” (John 11: .11-14; Matt. 9: 24; 1 Thes. 4: 14; 5: 10), from which the Redeemer will awaken all, to give each who did not have

through bloqdy seas’ ’ and suffer for righteousness’ j sake? Or else, why not have postponed the giving, of

......- __i..... ... „ ... ------,--------„ ----------- the ransom until the close of the six thousand years of’ ever. Yet, finally, all who shall fail to repent and lay - evil and the inauguration of the: Millennial reign? Or, hold upon the gracious Life-giver shall perish; they at least, if the present order of events, is best in thes

it before being overtaken by Adamic death, a full, individual opportunity : to escape perishing and live for-

To know the Father’s plan and his privilege of cooperation in its execution, was to appreciate it and joy- ____        ___ „ ____ .     . ₌..... _______ _______, ______________ „      _____________„„„„     ______

fully engage therein. Willingly our Lord Jesus laid will fail to obtain the full restitution provided; they Divine wisdom, why does not God specially protect from aside the glory of the higher nature which he had had shall never see [perfect] life [full restitution] for the calamities, accidents, sorrow, pain, death, etc., thosq; with the Father from before the creation of. man. (John wrath or condemnation of God will abide on'them, con,- who have fully accepted of Christ and who have sacri-17: 5; 2 Cbr. 8: 9). He was “made fiesh” (John demning them to death as. unworthy of life. As this Seed and are using their all in the^ service of right-1: 14; Heb. 2: 14), became a man at thirty years of will be thfeir second condemnation, and an individual eousness?                /               --

age, and then began the great work of sacrifice, the one, so the penalty will be the Second Death, which will Ah, yes! The subject would be incomplete were this .sacrifice of himself, for the cancellation of the sin of not be general to the race, but only upon such indi- point left untouched. The consecrated saints, the first man, to recover Adam and his race by dying viduals as refuse God’s favor of reconciliation and- life. ~~   '   - -   -    - -            . .    ..

on their behali, as thair Redeemer. By giving Justice the price of their liberty from Divine condemnation, he

The subject would be incomplete were this

the

Church of the Gospel, Age, are a “peculiar people,’’

Under that blessed and wise rule Of Christ as King different from the remainder of the race; and God’s of nations,* all the evil, depraved tendencies inherited dealings with .them are peculiar and different also.. . from the fall and from the six.thousand years of degra- Calamities, great and small, continually involve God’s dation, will be restrained, held in check, by super- saints as well as the worldly, and seemingly as much by human wisdom, love and power; and all being brought accident. But herein the Lord provides, tests for: our to a clear knowledge of the truth in its every phase, all faith—intended’either to turn us back, if'we have not • will be fairly and,fully tested. The lovers of right- sufficient faith to permit further progress, or to develop eousness will be perfected and given control of the per- and strengthen and increase our faith if we have it,- and fected earth, while those loving unrighteousness under will exercise it under Divine direction.

that clear light of knowledge and experience will, as fol- The Lord’s assurance to his truly consecrated, spirit-.

_________ ____ _________________ ______ _____ lowers of Satan’s example, be utterly destroyed in the begotten children is, that all things shall work together first advent wi’-s to die for the race, that he might undo Second Death. The first death is the destruction to for good to them. (Rom. 8: 28.). ■ Cci ..zzzzzzz.

the results of Adam’s transgressions, and to Secure the Which all were subjected by Adam’s sin, but from, which that having entered ip to a new relationship with him, al)

right to resurrect them and restore them, is clearly all will.be recovered by the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice; and °f their affairs are henceforth his affairs and concern. ₍

stated by the Apostle.-—See, Rom. 5: 6-12, 16-19, 21; the Second Death is that destruction which will over- Consequently, they may realize fully, that howevei; the .

secures the legal right to cancel the sentence of condemnation to death against them, and hence the right to resurrect or restore to life and to all the lost estate and blessings, “whomsoever he wills.’’ (John 5: 21.) And he wills to restore all who shall prove worthy. And to prove who are worthy of everlasting life will be the object of the Millennial reign.—1 Tim. 2: 4; 2 PetSr 3:9.

This fact that our Lord’s missidn to earth at the

God assures them ■   ,

1 Cor. 15: 21-24.

By His Knowledge.

xne jsecona ueatn is tnat destruction wmcn will over- vvusequenny, uiey may realize xuiiy, vnar noweveij tne-take those who, though redeemed by Christ from the world may be subject to accidents, incidental tor present first death, shall, by their own wilful conduct, merit imperfect conditions under the curse, God’s “little

Though tempted in all points like as we (his “breth-’ ren”) are, he ignored his own will (Luke 22 : 42; John 4: 34; 5: 30) and all suggestions from others contrary to God’s plan (Matt. 16; 23; Luke 4: 4, 8, 12), and obeyed God implicitly. And therein lay the secret of his success. Temptations did not overcome him, as they did even the perfect inan Adam, because of the fulness of his consecration to the Divine will and plan; and this fulness of consecration and trust was the result of his intimate knowledge of the Father; and his unbounded confidence in his wisdom, love and power. He had knowledge of his previous existence as a spirit being with the Father (John 17: 5; 3: 12, 13). . Our Lord’s success, then, was the result of being rightly exercised by his knowledge of God; as it is written,

first death, shall, by their own wilful conduct, merit imperfect conditions under the curse, God’s “little ones” are his peculiar care. Not a hair of their heads x«. ...           .. ..       , ..   ,       . .. may suffer injury without his knowledge and consent.

*Smaitic MS. omits the words “and now is.” (Matt. 10: 30; Luke 12: 7.) How wonderful! And *Not visible in flesh, however, for he is no longer yet how reasonable when we recall the assurance that,

flesh, having been highly exalted again after he had “Like as a father, pitieth his children, so the Lord finished the flesh life by giving it as our ransom price pitieth them that reverence him.”—Psalm 103: 13.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

“By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify ___   ______

many, while bearing their iniquities.”—Isa. 53: 11. theL ’is"not'Christ raised, and

The suggestive thoughts here are two: First, that even a perfect man failed in trial because of the lack of full appreciation of God’s greatness, goodness and resources. Secondly, the knowledge (as'in Satan’s case)

“He preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrec- we believe the, resurrection to be a very important doe-tion.” (Acts 17:18.) “And when they heard of the trine in its connection with other doctrines of. Scrip-Resurrection of the dead some mocked.” (Acts 17:32.) ture (throwing light upon other doctrines), that we de-“If there be no Resurrection of the dead . . . then sire to call general attention to this subject and to in-

is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain .

ye are yet in

your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.’’—! Cor. 15: 13-18.

When we remember that the word “resurrection” is used no less than thirty-seven times in the New Testament, besides various other words of similar import: and when we remember that all the prominent'creeds of ter’s footsteps.                                             Christendom declare faith in a resurrection as an inte-

Among men he and his mission were not really g^{ral an}/ essential part of Scriptural doctrine and of the -             - •                           ...        hope of eternal life—in view: of these facts, and of the

strong language of the texts above' quoted, whose inspiration is conceded by all Christians, it may seem strange that we¹ should ask any Christian the question, Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? '

would be valueless, if unaccompanied by sincere love and consecration to God’s will. A lesson further, to Christ's “brethren,” is, that knowledge and consecration are both essential to their following in the Mas-

known; even his most ardent followers and admirers at first supposed-that his mission was merely to heal some of the sick Jews, and to advance their nation to the rulership of a dying world, and to be a teacher of morals “they saw not at first that his mission was to lay the foundation of a world-wide empire, which should

vite an examination of our question in the light - of facts and of- Scripture; our hope being that after a careful examination of the subject many more of God’s people will come to believe—consistently, logically, Seripturally-—in a resurrection.

Resurrection Barely Chosen Now as a Subject for Sermons.

“Like priest, like people,’’ is an old adage, which implies that the views of the teaching or clerical class on any subject may safely be considered an index to the views of their parishioners. It is not ^difficult to ascertain the views of the clergy of all denominations on the subject of the resurrection of the dead; for, although that topic is rarely chosen for discmtrse; except upon Easter Sunday, it is, nevertheless, indissolubly attached to every funeral service; and these .

numerous occasions, we believe, amply., justify us in the

, . .. . ____________ ... ..   .     . . - -~  —-------—, - —• ------------—- --    —- statement that, both the clergy of all denominations: and

include not only the living, but also the dead, of Adam’s belief in the resurrection of the dead prevails amongst their people have little or no faith in a resurrection of race, and which should insure everlastingly peace and^ Christians to any considerable extent; and it is because the dead.

Nevertheless, we have serious reason to doubt that' a

. then they

be no resurrection of the dead,

which are fallen, asleep in. Christ are perished.”

Nor is this statement by the great Apostle Paul an exception to or indifferent from the teaching of the Scriptures elsewhere. Their unanimous testimony is that the dead are dead; that “in that very day their

thoughts perish. ’ ’

(Psa. 146: 4.) Of the dead the

Here is a direct conflict between modern teachers and by our own senses as well. And whoever thus re--.....—         — ■ ■      ...    ... pudiates his God-given (though sin-impaired) senses and.

and the inspired Word, the' Scriptures claiming that the dead know not anything, the modern theologians claiming that they know everything. The Bible claims that the dead are really dead, arid have really suffered accordirig to the Divine penalty for sin pronounced against our race—“Dying thou shalt die.” The opposers take up with Satan’s delusive statement to Mother Eve, “Ye shall not surely die,” and attempt to prove that the dead are not dead; that God’s penalty against sin did not go into effect, and that dOath, so far from being the sentence or curse upon our race, is a blessing, a step in a general process of evolution. The two theories are as far apart as the poles, and the two teachers of these two theories, as we have shown, are God, on the one hand, and Satan, “a liar from the beginning,” on the other hand. Which shall we believe?

The entire Plan of Salvation is connected with this question. If death was not the penalty of sin, incurred through Adam, then “life and that more abundant” is not the reward and blessing of God secured through

Christ by a resurrection. Satan’s -proposition, which to mj.se, asues io usucs. xuu uui« me simiicniiy up-has been so widely accepted by the Lord’s people, and tween the death of your friend and loved one and the which exercises so binding an influence upon their death of the brute beast, and your senses can discern minds, is the reversal, in every sense of the word, of no difference between them; and the Scriptures declare, the Divine proposition that death is the curse or.......   .. .. .. ..    ..     ...

.             . . .     .                      ‘As dieth the one, so dieth the¹ other; they h^ve all

thaV Christ died to release man from one [spirit of life] breath.”—Eccl. 3: 19.

penalty of sin;

this sentence or curse, and that the release comes by the resurrection of the dead, who otherwise would never have future life, as say's the Apostle in our text. Satan’s

theory declares death a blessing which brings the fulness of life and liberty and joy, and would make of

and

the

of the monkey, it follows that in that low condition of intelligence he was unfit for trial for eternal life; and it

time—losing his likeness to the monkey and gaining in likeness to God, then it will be consistent also to take the next step, and declare that since man did. not fall he did not need to be redeemed from the fall.

And hence, with all such reasoning upon false Scriptural basis, it appears logical to deny the oft-repeated declaration of God’s Word, that our Lord Jesus is our Redeemer, and that “He is the propitiation for our sins [the Church’s sins], and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,’’ giving for us, as our ransom or corresponding price, His own life, that He might buy back the forfeited life of Adam.

We thus see that the leading lights of Christendom today, repudiate both of the cardinal features of the Gospel, which the Apostle preached of old: “He preached Jesus and the resurrection”—Jesus as the Redeemer

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spark of life has gone the corpse must be buried; ‘dust to dust, ashes to ashes.’ ’ ’ You note the similarity be-

made by the Lord in the beginning-—not by implanting a deathless quality in the man’s constitution, but by

gradually, and he lived out nearly to the end of the first thousand-year day; His posterity, becoming weaker and

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j.           v            j          uvu         wuim, Gospel Age, at a time when the entire Gospel Church

^re^®^mP^tl0n to Sty® tor us the ransom-price, will be completed. This includes the living members, . r ^tl2^lately "⁰ recover all who will accept of Divine whose “change” to spirit mature will be instantaneous, y, -irom.au the consequences of - the fall by a so that the .moment of their dying as human beings _77l"7.7. , ¹⁰¹¹        . ^e dead. But Divine Love could will be the moment of their “change” to perfect spirit

“as^ necessary that beings. Meantime, the Scriptures declare that the <?• ³ T^St’ ^{lf W0}'^a.,^{d be}t ^the         °f them Lord’s people who have died, like the rest of mankind,

.not^jakp void. Divine Justice ;

it was- necess

;sary that

.   - ------------ --------- are really dead, as human beings, and know not any-

-must be paid by our Redeemer, be- thing but inasmuch as God has provided for their resur-> Pfl.SO f) “1 Ci a c +1 + n +1      z»Ari 1 L. n.->•¹-% .        . »            - -            _         .......         .            --

vicinal iiuxmenv was non time of the sentence, for they were then in the loins of — ------- On the contrary, the fact that their father, Adam, so now, since'Jesus laid down His

our Lord Jesus died for our sins, and that the Heavenly ”¹    ~       ..... ”     ” ’ ” ’

Father accepted of that sacrifice of His life on our behalf, proves that it was our lives that were forfeited, by sin; that the full penalty of the Divine Law against us as a race was the deprivation of life. The whole race under sentence of death, has: gone down to the great prison-house of death—the grave, sheol, hades. And so our dear Redeemer, when He gave up His life for us, went also to sheol, hades, the grave, He took

and suffered, for us the penalty for our sins.            which would'include? as a rule, only a

But if Jesus’, death ransoms man from the sentence of those for whom we would be inclined to sorrow,

of death, so His resurrection- from death became the He says, “I would not have you to be ignorant, bre-

. assurance of the justification of all who accept and obey thren, concerning them which are asleep [all our sleep-

Him. The Heavenly Father gave evidence that,the- ing friends], that ye sorrow not even as others, who

Ransom price was entirely satisfactory; and our Lord, "         ’       ”                          ----- ._1:„r.

who was thus obedient to the Father, was raised from the dead .and, as the Father’s Agent and' Representative, will soon 'begin the work of blessing the entire world redeemed by His precious blood.

specting it, and have hopes therein, therefore they are. world, for those who have gone down into death, the spoken of as being merely, asleep—resting from their '       ....... '   •    •    - - - -

labors; waiting for “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only,’’ as the Aspostle declares.

Ths General Resurrection to Be a Raising Up by Judgment.

And likewise the world of mankind, even though they know not of the Lord as yet, are spoken of as being “asleep in Jesus,’ because, as the whole world was under condemnation of death through Adam, and that without knowledge or volition on their part, at the

and hope in the friends who go

^lP -“^{1S     1}°r ^us> down into the prison-house of death and not merely

Me took our place, _ag .respects those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus,

inr sins                     , . , ¹     ...   , .      ..                    _  _____n_________

small proportion

END OF THE AGE-A PERILOUS TIME

"In the last days perilous times shall come; men shall be traitors, heady, of pleasure more than lovers of God.”--2 Tim. 3: 4.

The expression, “the last days,” refers,-not to the end of the world as many expect this event, but is a Scriptural designation of the present time, the end of this Age, when the Reign of Righteousness is about to begin. “The Harvest is the end of the Age.” (Matthew 13: 39.—Diaglott.) The warning given by the Apostle is that, instead of the world’s being converted to God at this time, the reverse condition will prevail. It will be a time of‘great peril for those who have started out to follow Christ. It will npt be so perilous a time for the world.

The only ones who are on trial for life or death are those who have been released from the Adamic condemnation. To these the time described by St. Paul will be one of severe testing. The whole course of the world will be turned aside from the high standard that might have been expected. Meh will be traitors. Only as long as it will be of advantage to them to perform a contract will they do so. It will be a. time when every man’s hand will be lifted against his neighbor. Selfishness will be rampant. There will be manifest headiness and self-conceit. Men will be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” This, condition is to be a sign of the end of the Age.

Prevalence of These Conditions.

Every thoughtful person must perceive that this condition of things is prevailing now. Whenever_ a contract is found to be unsatisfactory—whether it be. a mkrriage contract or a business contract—the dissatisfied contractor is liable to break the agreement. This party to the contract then assumes the attitude of one who declares, Force me to keep it if you can. The Lord’s people will be firm for principle and true to their contracts, even when these prove disadvantageous. This attitude is pleasing to the Lord.

We find headiness of spirit in the world everywhere—■ a loss of respect for authority. . No. doubt there has been too much respect for authority ip the past. Now there is none. This condition has been brought about by a lack of reverence for God—the inevitable result of loss of faith in the Bible as the Word of God. As people lose faith in the Bible, they lose faith in God, and become more selfish and more self-willed. This condition of affairs has been brought about by false doctrine. People -think that God is purposing to do them. harm.

The Higher Critics have been seeking to put away what they consider the absurdities of religious thought, and to this end have done away with the Bible. Bible students see that the absurdities have been brought about by the creeds and not by the Bible. . But the world, losing confidence in God, are becoming more heady than ever before. Even the reverential fear

. The first work of Christ and the Church in the

. lovers

which once held them is departing, and there is a dis>» position to doubt everything. People are in the condition of mind where they say, “Let us eat, drink and be merry”; nobody knows about the future; the preachers are all confused. Everything has come about by evolutionary processes. Let us enjoy the present.. Let pleasure be our aim in life. This would seem to be the attitude of the world. They are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

These conditions of our day make it a perilous time for the Church. Do you ask, Would not the Church, on the contrary, be more than ever led to love God? And would this not guard them and keep them from danger? We answer that some of God’s people are becoming more and more immersed in the world. The spirit of the world surges all around them. With, great difficulty could these come to realize that the whole world is astray in their ideas. and ways. The tendency of all such is to have the mind of the world, even though they be spirit-begotten.

This worldly spirit, the Apostle suggests, will affect the Church to some extent. Consequently some of the Lord’s people will thus come into special peril at this time, because of neglecting their Covenant with the Lord. Others will watch and pray, and, for this reason, develop in mind and heart. But these are few.

The Great Company class, while still loving the Lord, are becoming immersed in the spirit of the world. Even those who are living nearest to the Divine standard will be more or less imperiled through this spirit, unless they continue diligent in prayer and the study of God’s Word. What we see going on about us seems natural to. our minds. The way in which other people spend time and money is a temptation to the Lord’s people which must be steadfastly resisted.

The Subtle Test.

The Lord’s people spend and are being spent in His service, according to opportunity. They are living lives of consecration. The‘world now has an eight-hour day. The Lord’s faithful people would, on the contrary, make theirs a sixteen-hour day. But all these presentday conditions constitute perils. For us to devote to the Lord’s service only what the world considers a reasonable day’s work, would not be fulfilling our Covenant. Those who seek merely to do right will obtain a place in the Great Company.

But the Little Flock will serve the Lord with such delight that they will scarcely know how to cease their efforts. They recognize that their bodies are fully consecrated to the Lord, and, they are daily putting them td death. In view of these perilous times, let each ask himself, To which class do I belong?