The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-11

| in him during the troublesome experiences
that were soon to occur, and divisions among
them might impair their usefulness when
| they should no longer have his counsel and
personal guidance. As he had revealed COP
to them as his Father and their Father, he
prayed that they might be kept in the fellow
ship of that revelation,-united in their faith
| in him, and the Heavenly Father whom be
revealed, and thus become one as the Father
and Son we're united in the revelation COP
was making of Himself to mankind. BY his
personal influence and ministry, JESUS had
SO kept his chosen ones in their allegiance to
him and the truth he revealed that one only
(Judas) had fallen away from his disciple
ship, and that one detection was in accord
ance with Messianic prediction ("that the
Scriptures might be fulfiled''). The aposta-
cy of Judas was an additional evidence that
JESUS was the Messiah of the Hebrew Script
ures and Israelitic hopes. JESUS called at
tention to these circumstances that they
might have due weight in confirming the
faith of the disciples, and that their joy in
believing might be complete (see Peteri. 81.
The reference to Judas as the ''Son of perdi-
ton" or destruction, respects his apostacy
solely, and not his final condition. He per-
ished and was lost only in the sense that all
men are lost; but JESUS came to save the lost,
and finally lost, or irretrievably lost is a con-
dition not contemplated in the New Testa-
ment. The lost piece of money, the lost
sheep and the lost (prodigaD son were all
found and restored. Lost souls are the spe-
cial objects of JESUS mission. He will not
have Finished the work" given him by the
Father, till the last prodigal is brought home
and all souls are in conscious fellowship with
the Divine life and love.
A"Son of Thunder in the New Testament
means an eloquent man, "Son of peace"
peaceable man." so "Son of perdition" de-
notes one abandoned to wickedness. Judas
was lost, was a son of perdition because of
his great wickedness. He was lost out of
the Apostleship, but nothing indicates that
his loss was final. The best critics of all
churches give this view. Nothing is
more distinctly taught than that JESUS, who
came to seek and save the lost, will continue
his work until he finds them. There is no
final loss in the New Testament.-ReU. J.W.
Hanson, "The New Covenant"
JESUS prayed, not that the disciples should
be taken out of the world,-for the success of
his mission depended upon their remaining,
and carrying forward with increased power
from on high which he would confer upon
them, the work which he had inaugurated-but
that they might live above the world while
they remained in it. Called to be apostles
of Divine truth and righteousness they we're
mot of the world and must not be con-
formed to it, but must be transformed by
the renewing of the Holy Spirit which should
be abundantly shed upon them.
1.-THE evil one" according to the Revised
Version, is more than is contained in the
original (toU pOnerou) as the italic IN which
the word Zone" is printed plainly shows. 1t is
impossible to determine the gender of the
Greek form. IL may be either neutral or
masculine, that is, abstract evil, or, an evil
person. Evil in the abstract, or, all evil, is
more consistent with the connection and Cir
cumstances than an evil person. We think
the old version preferable to the Revised.
But, even if the form is masculine, and there
fore personal, it may be personification and
not personality that is meant.
That the disciples might be kept from the
evil of the world, JESUS prayed that they
might be sanctifed in the truth. To sanctify
is to make holy. "The truth as it is in JESUS"
sanctifies the believer by purifying the heart
(Acts XIV. 8; l Peter i. 22). This it does
through the ''unfeigned love of the breth-
rem promoted by obedience of it. He who
betieues Nth all his soul the heavenly truth
is lifted heavenward, and will be stimulated
to prayer and labor for the furtherance of
the Gospel. "Thy kingdom come" is the de-
sire of his heart, and the inspiration of his
life. "Deliver US from evil" is the earnest
prayer, and the whole life is an inspiration
and labor for the heavenly good.
3 For all belieuers.-(20, 81 Finally JESUS
included in his prayer all believers in all
generations who should come to him,-his
truth and life, through the teachings and
testimony of the Apostles. He desired that
they might all be one, have fellowship one
with another and dwell together in faith and
fellowship with the Father and Son who
dwell in each other. The end of all, of prayer,
and fellowship of faith and labors was the
salvation of the world; "That the world may
believe that thou didst send me-" "Whom
thou gavest authority over all flesh that
should give eternal life to all whom thou
gavest me-"