The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-05

for overcoming against such adverse
forcess they are promised high call
ing. They are TO receive immortality,
and to have bodies equal with God and
Christ, and to dwell in heaven. With
Christ as the head and the church
as the body, they are to constitute
the Christ; the Amounted who shall
bless and restore all things during the
day of Judgment and trial (the mel
lenium.)
This gives two places to Christ's
kingdom, a heavenly and an earthly,
or spiritual and fieshly, which is in
full accord with scriptural teaching.
Isa S-14 says He Christi shall be "for
stone of stumbling and for a rock
of offence to both the houses of Is
rael."
The fleshly house Jews failed to
understand the manner and object Of
His first advent and, therefore, were
offended and stumbled.
So also the Spiritual house (nomin-
al christian church) viii fail to under
stand the object and manner of his
second advent, Ito restore all things
Acts SIS, 21) and will likewise be
offended and stumble. They are being
offended and are stumbling to-day, be-
cause this very doctrine, (which God
has spoken by the mouth of all His
holy prophets since the world began"
is being taught as "meat in due sea-
SON.
Fear not little flock for it is your
Fathers good pleasure to give you the
Kingdom" Kingdoms have two es-
sential elements-rulers and subjects.
sentatiyes. together with Christ as the
head, to rule the earthly place Of His
kingdom. do We not know that the
saints shall judge (rule) the world"
To Judge is not simply to pass SEN
tence. Judges in Israel were rulers,
as Kings and priests unto God" and
the chosen few are also referred to as
royal priesthood, etc, thus showing
an elevation above another class in the
same kingdom.
With this view of the two places
we can establish His kingdom at His
first advent. 1t was necessary that
He should "go away" while the sit
tie flock" was being selected. The
first advent was essential in the plan,
to pay the ransom, extend the call, and
show the character that must consti-
tute the elect" for those ''who are
called according to His purpose must
be conformed to the image (charac-
teri of His Son." etc. As this view of
the kingdom widens, we get a clearer
understanding of much scripture that
has hitherto been more or less cloud
ed.
81 pray not for the world" for the
time had not yet arrived for the
world to be brought to him, /" but for
them which thou hast given me-" The
time had arrived for gathering His
church. The Savior also prayed "that
they may all be one, as thou, Father,
art in me, and in u.s." Why? ''That
the world may know that thou hast
sent me and hast loved them as thou
hast loved me-" The world does not
and can know now that God loves His
church, because it often seems the re-
verse as they suffer persecution, etc,
but this shows that the world (masses)
and the church have separate places
in Gods plan, and that the union of
Christ and His church win be the
great power to bring the world into
harmony with God. This union will
not be completed until Christ returns
self His bride, the elected church.
At present the church (consecrabed
ones) is but the chaste virgin waiting
for the coming of the bridegroom.
Thus we understand why nearly all
of the new testament is devoted to the
church, and SO little is said to the
world. ''And this gospel of the king
dom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations;" for
witness to testify, in "due time
But WINE we find the new tesla
ment devoted almost exclusively I'd the
establishment Of the spiritual phase of
the kingdom, the old testament is full
Of prophecies concerning the earthly
phase. The Savior emphasized the
fact that His mission was but partly
filed in His first advent, when He
stopped in the midst Of a prophecy,
even in the midst Of a sentence, and
closed the book. Luke lis, 10. In
Isa 81 read the whole prophecy.
And thus see that the gospel age,
| from the first TO the second advent
/ of Christ. was set apart to take from
among men His little flock and that
at His second coming the great work
Of restitution will begin.
/ With this view we see some meaning
in all the prophesies concerning the
restoration Of Israel and re-establish'
| ing them in their own land forever.
In that day they shall no longerf sa y
that "the Lord liveth that brought uT
the children of Israel out Of the land
| of Egypt But the Lord liveth that
brought up the children Of Israel from
the North, and from all the lands
| whittier he had driven them" (afteI
| their rejection Of the SAVIOR. These
latter blessings will be so much great.
err than the former, that the former
| win cease to be mentioned.
And We shall know that ] am the
Lord, when have opened your graves
| and shall put my spirit in you, and We
shall live, and / viii place you in your
own land. God also says that in that
| day He will write His law in their
hearts, and it will no longer be neces-
sary for neighbor to say to neighbor