The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-24

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divided by national lines, especially
by the line between the Jews and the
Gentiles. By the Jews themselves
all who belonged on their side of that
line were considered as belonging to
the Kingdom of God, while all others
were considered as being shut out
from it. None but Jews were admit
ted within the gates of the temple.
AS for the Gentiles, they were regard
ed as uncircumcised dogs, of no value
in the sight of God. In the second
book of Esdras, the author says, 80
Lord, Thou madest the world for our
sakes. AS for the other people, which
also came of Adam, Thou hast said
that they are nothing, but be like
unto spittle; and Thou hast likened
the abundance of them unto drop
that falleth from vessel" Gil. Esdras
vi.55-56). And while that was very
foolish and bigoted notion, it was
true that the Jewish nation had been
specially favored. because, as Paul
says in his Epistle to the Romans,
unto them had been committed the
oracles of God. Rom. iii:2). They had
been in certain sense Gods chosen
people, and had been distinguished
thereby from the rest of the world.
But Jesus taught by this parable
that when he should come and estab-
lish his kingdom, that method of di-
vision should be done away, coming
to an end with the aion to which it
belonged; and that thereafter, in the
Christian aion, the people of the
world should be divided from one an
other, and be rewarded or punished,
not according to their nationalities,
but according to their treatment of
him, through his personal represent
atives-that is, through his disciples,
who are called in the parable his
"brethren."
There is a mistaken idea, quite
widely held, that when Jesus said,
'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these, my breth-
rem, We have done it unto me-" he
meant to say that all men were his
brethren, and that to do kind act to
any person is the same as to do it
unto him. No doubt there is a sense.
very precious sense, in which all
people are his brethren; but that is
not what he referred to in this para
BILE. He meant the same as when he
said to his twelve disciples: "He that
receiveth you receiveth me, and he
that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me-" Matt. x:4O. When he
uttered those words he was about to
send them forth on their first mis-
sionary journey to the cities of Israel.
When he uttered this parable, he was
about to send them forth into all the
world to preach the Gospel to all ma
tions. They were to go forth as his
ambassadors, beseeching men, in his
stead, to be reconciled to God. And
he taught them by this parable that
whatsoever in any nation should re-
ceive them as such, and treat them
kindly for his sake, should be admit
ted to the blessings Of his kingdom,
while whatsoever should reject them
should be excluded from his kingdom
and be punished accordingly.
They went forth in his name,
preaching as he had told them to;
and in the year 70 of the Christian
era, before that generation had passed
away, he came, as he had promised
to, not in bodily form but in spirit
and in power, and in blood and smoke
and fearful carnage the Mosaic oion
came to an end. Jerusalem was de-
stroyed by the Roman army, its mag
nifcent temple was utterly ruined,
and of its people those not slain were
carried into captivity. Since that
time a new order of things has pre-
vailed. The Christian aion has SUI
perseded the one which then closed,
and to-day we are standing, together
with all nations, before the judgment
seat of Christ. 1t is Christ who is
judging the world at this day, not the
Pharisees and the Sadducees, not the
scribes and the elders, nor even Mo-
ses excepting as an assistant to Christ.
That which Jesus foretold in regard
to his coming has taken place on the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are
being divided accordingly.
If it be asked whether any such
signs as Christ mentioned were really
exhibited during that generation
whether the sun was darkened and
the stars fell from heaven-the an
swer is,-yes, in the sense in which
Christ used those words; just as, &C
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