Evening journal., 1905-09-18

/ vine Ncdllle ana luIeEn the use OF
medicines altogether, point to this
chapter TO prove that the Lords pro-
lgram of evangelization includes mir
acles Of healing along with the preach
ling of the gospel. 1t seems to have
ESCAPED their notice that the apostles
We're authorized and empowered not
only to heal the sick, but also to raise
the dead. This item in the program is
conveniently omitted.
Now, / have no word Of disparago-
ment as TO medical missions, for I
doubt not that God is pleased to use
these instrumentalities for the spread
of the gospel. and when this great end
/ is kept IN view. there can be no rea-
sonable objection to the means en-
] ployed. Nor would 1 deny the great
truth Of divine healing. for all healing
/ is by divine power, whether with the
use of means or without What 1 am
insisting upon IS that neither the med
| ical missionary nor the divine healer
has the right to appeal to the tenth
chapter of Matthew for his warrant.
THE whole trouble is that somehow,
in studying the Bible. we are always
viewing IL from the standpoint Of the
Church, as If the Church were every
where present and always the center
about which everything else revolved.
Just as the ancient astronomers. be-
ginning with the assumption that the
earth was the center of the material
universe, came to grief: so the modern
Bible reader beginning with the as
sumption that the Church is the CEN
ter Of the spiritual universe is landed
In an ineXtricable maze of hopeless
reasoning. 1t was only after the as
tronomers had discovered that the sun
was the center about which the earth
revolved, that they were enabled to
arrive at satisfactory conclusions con-
corning the movements Of the heaven
lly bodies. Even so, until the believer
sees that not the Church. but the Son
| of God, is the center Of everything I'M
the spiritual realm. he is without the
key 10 the Scriptures, and is unable to
unlock their sacred secrets. And this
discovery does not deprecate the
value or the dignity Of the Church OF
lGod, any more than the Astronomical
discovery deprecated the value oi
ldignity Of the planet upon which we
Hive. Though so small. as compared
with the great sun about which il
NHAWhNNi anu AAANuAA q NEnEAlANMr NiI0N
/ ince in the great universe of God, yet
is the earth greatly honored, for the
Lord of Life and Glory. the Creator
land Preserver of all things, Himself
walked the earth I'm human form and
/ laid down His life TO bring this little
planet back to Himself and deliver II
out of the hand of the enemy. Like
wise the Church Of the Living God
the pillar and ground Of the truth
Though so small and insignificant wher
compared with Him Who loveth he
land hath loosed her from her sins in
His own blood. yet how greatly honore,
is shel The Church rs His workman
lship. His masterpiece. His poem
And just as the earth is yet to be th'
lplace of His dwelling and the seat o
His throne. so the Church win b.
manifested as the bride of the Lamb
lsharing His glory and majesty.
Meanwhile, as to the Interpretation
lof Scripture let it be carefully notel
land remembered:
"First-That the Kingdom of Heav
len and the Church of God are no
identical, but very far from it,
Second the Church was no
lyet IN existence during our Lords per
sonal ministry I'm the earth. It's be
lginning is found in the second chapte
of the Acts.
"Third-That the truth concerning
the church was never made know
until tle beginning of Paurs apostle
lship. (Eph. 3D. We must not. there
fore, expect to find it in Matthew.
"Fourth-That the Kingdom wa
offered TO Israel. and only TO Israel.
'Fifth-That the Kingdom temper
arily rejected by Israel, is now hel
in abeyance until the Church is com
pleted
"sixth-That the twelve apostle
were Israelites before they were Chris
ltians and that their ministry has
ldirect bearing toward the JEWS
people as well as toward the Churc
~ God.
"Seventh-That the Gospel Of tn
Kingdom is not identical with tn
Gospel Of our salvation.
zone Of the best figures OF tn
lChurch of Cod to be found in IN
whole Bible is seen in Acts 10. 9-1
where Peter, falling into a trance. sa'
great sheet let down from heave
ldned with all manner of beasts an
HNNNNNIAAAk o. AAAAAAHH anu ANMAH VI AiAr AI
Peter. the strict riualist, looked upo
these things as unclean, as indee
they were. according to the Levitic,
ordinances. But God had cleanse
. Them and therefore they were no lons
Ter unclean. BY this vision Peter Learn
ed that God was no respecter of pei
sons and that even the unclean Ger
titles were eligible TO the privileges
1.-THE Gospel of Christ-that whosoeve
svhether Jew or Gentle, beheveth
Him shall receive remission of sin
(v. 48) Like the great sheet u
IChurch of God has a heavenly origl
land a heavenly destiny. II has bee
llet down ont Of heaven and IL viii I
lreceived up into heaven.
'But all this was Unforeseen by IN
Old Testament prophets This paref
thetical dispensation OF nineteen cen
turies was hidden from them. an
they searched diligently what or VIII,
manner Of time the Spirit Of Chri.
Which was In them did signify whe
Il testified beforehand OF the SUFFERING
Of Christ and the glory that shoul
follow. q. Peter IL III isaiah criel
Unto US a Child is born. unto us
Son is given; and the governmer
CONTINUED on Page Three.)