The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-12
READING FOR THE DAY.
sunaay-school Lesson for Dec. 10, 1885,

Sunday-schooi Lesson for Dec. 10, 1886.
THE GREAT IsvITATIoN.-Rev. xsi, e-21.
Golden Text The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen.-Rev. XIII Il.
The visions that follow the last lesson are the
most wonderful in the Bible. They give in sym
bols and successive visions the triumphs OF
Christianity over the powers of evil, the dawn
ing glory of the latter days when Christ comes
back again in triumph, the powers OF the evil
subdued and the millennium ushered in, ana,
lastly, the resurrection and final day OF Judg-
ment The concluding chapter, containing this
lesson has been most appropriately compared
to the closing of great oratorio, that dies away
In softest. sweetest music. The book is finished
In solemn form, and given unsealed to the
church It is to be their Joy and comfort, and
ia in no way to be altered under fearful penal
ties great universal prayer goes up from the
church of all ages Come, Lord Jesus, come
quickly"
The lesson of a week ago is readily recalled.
None have forgotten that splendid incident of
the apostles vision. After that the seventh
seal was opened Then John saw the seven
trumpets, the seven golden bowls. the adjust
ments preliminary to the coming of Christ, the
church as complete victor, the millennium, the
resurrection and the judgment. John was per-
mitted to see the church from her insignificant
and despised beginning, through her laborious
career down to her glorious triumph Through
the vision of the beloved apostle we are per-
mitted to study the inception, progress, and
6nal victory of the agency God has ordained for
the evangelization of the earth. The Book
of Revelation has discharged its mission,
and now we, in the present lesson,
proceed to study its formal close
The mission of the epilogue Is as clear that of
the volume. The Book of Revelation has set
tied, with the authority of inspiration. the fact
of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
He is not coming at the beginning, but at the
close of the millenuial epoch. His purpose in His
second advent is not to evangeliZe sinful men
and reign an earthly monarch, but to close
the gospel dispensation in the general resurrsc-
ton and last judgment. The church, under the
baptism of the Holy Ghost, is Gods appointed
evangelizing agency. Having done her work
faithfully, and having borne the gospel to all
nations. when God sees that all men have had
opportunity enough, He will close the dispense
ton of the gospel, and Christ will come to raise
the dead and to judge the race. Christ will then
surrender all to the Father and be subject unto
the Father, that God may be all In all
THE LESSON PRACTICALLY APPLIED.
VS.. Good only is entitled to human wor-
chip A being is worshiped when he is lovingly
and reverently obeyed. Angels and men are
4ellow-servants.
v. l1-Character is destiny. Men go to hell
or to heaven, and are not sent to either place.
All men freely choose to live inside or outside
of the holy city.
v. i2-Jesus has come or is coming to our
world again No one can say assuredly that this
Is q promise of His premille nnial advent. Eight
cen hundred years is not Quickly"
v. 14-Obedence will surely be rewarded
with heaven. The blessedness of heaven is
owned by the saints. The gates" 81 9pp0rtd-
V. 15-The main misery of hell is the veness
Of its inhabitants; mass of scoundrels. getting
worse and worse forever, are the associates of
she damned.
v. 17-All are diviney invited to enter
heaven. God has no favorites for whose saliva
ton His Son did not provide Holiness first and
heaven afterwar6 is Gods order.
V. 49, 19-Men must let the Bible alone. ex-
cept to study and obey it. God has spoken to
men once and sufficiently. His statements must
stand unmodifed.
v. 19-Mans part In the Book of Life. through
Jesus Christ, is the permission to grow forever
toward Cod When he loses that part he must
grow forever away from Him.
V. 20-The last words of the book Of God are
q model prayer-"Come, Lord Jesus" Come as
thou wilt; come when thou wilt come quickly
we understand 1t, or as thou mayest understand
1t. All we ask is that when thou shalt conceive
may be found waiting and watching.