Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-06-20
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Hopic For the Week BEGINNING June
24-Com ment by Rev. =. II. Doyle.

AORic For the week BfEtunfnR June
24-Commcnt by Rev. $. II. Doyle.
Torc.-our eternal destny.-Math xiii. 4T-5o.
THE PARABLE.
The parable of the net, which forms
our study, has usually been associated
with that of the tares. The tares
teaches the impossibillty of successful
ly separating the good and the evil in
this world. The net teaches that God
will make this separation at the end
Of the world" Christ in this parable
likens the kingdom of Heaven TO net
cast into the sea. Every kind of fish
are gathered into the net. and when II
Is full 1t is drawn to the shore. The
good are put into vessels; the bad are
cast away. so shall it be at the end
of the world; the angels shall come
forth and sever the wicked from
among the just. and shall cast thcla in
to the furnace of fire: then shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth
THE INTERPRETATION.
The sea is the whole world; the net
Is the church. Those who cast the net
are Christ's apostles and ministers.
The fish are those who come into the
church and profess to lie disciples of
Christ, some good. others bad: some
sincere. others false in their profession.
At the end of the world is the judg
ment, and at that time the angels of
God, with unerring discrimination.
shall eternally separate the good and
bad, the sincere professor and the hyp-
ocrite.
THE APPLICATION.
This parable can be strikingly ap-
piled to our eternal destiny. Ii teaches
great and important truths concerning
our destiny beyond the grave; it teach
es:
First--There is an eternal destiny.
That death does not end all is clearly
the teaching of this parable. The end
of the world is portrayed. But men
are not dead. All are alive, both good
and bad. Science. philosophy and the
ology unite in teaching this great truth
today as never before. The greatest
scientists and philosophers today, as
well as the theologians, firmly believe
in a future life. 1t is not all of life to
live nor all of death to die. We shall
live again. Our destiny is not tempo
raj, but eternal.
Second.-There are two conditions of
existence In eternity. and God Himself.
through His angels, will separate men
for the destiny that awaits them. The
good fish were put into vessels and the
bad cast back into sea: the good men
4 81.
evil cast into the furnace of fire: the
good remained forever with God, and
the evil were east forever from Him.
There are two conditions of existence
in the future, Men cannot here sepa-
rate the good and evil, but the Lord
knoweth them that are His and will
one day bring these confusions to an
end, separating the precious from the
vile, the gold from the dross, the true
kernel of humanity from the husk in
which for awhile it was enveioped."
3. Our eternal destiny is determined
by our relation to Christ In this world
1t is here that we are good or bad,
just or unjust, sincere or false. and 1t
is in this life therefore that we are de-
termining what shall be the character
and condition of our eternal destiny.
What shall it be. viewed in the light
Of our present attitude toward God In
Christ? Are we true or false? Are
we possessors or simply professors?
Upon the answer to these questions de-
ponds our eternal destiny. and we can
not deceive God.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
F Arrange a special programme with
prepared papers or addresses on "a
science and the future, (2l philosophy
and the future aud 81 the Bible and
the future. This is splendid oppor-
tunity to make a comprehensive study
of this great and important subject.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. |, 1-6; xiii. 1-6; Feel. xii, 13, IA;
Dan. xii, 8; Math. XIV, 3146; Rom. vi,
%; xiv, II. 13; Cor. XIV. 51-5S; Pet
l. 1-5; Rev. ii. 10.