Orange County observer., 1905-05-18

by some unseen agency ana iii some /,
unaccOuntable manner was seen to be
detached from the mountain near by |
and to smite the image upon the feet.
breaking into pieces the iron and the
clay Of which they were composed
Nor was this all, for the stone which
had smitten the image seemed to be-
come vast mountain which flied the
whole earth. That the reference is to
the kingdom Of the Messiah and a
vivid prophecy of its power and growth
there can be no doubt, and yet the
vision and its Interpretation date back
to COG B. G. There is to be noticed,
first, the assurance of the establish
ment OF divine kingdom in the world.
mystic stone, but the definite language
OF prophecy. for in his memorable in
terview with the king. Daniel declared
I'm the days of these kings shall the
God of Heaven set up kingdom which
shall never be destroyed" Similar and
confirmative prophecies might easily
be culled from the sacred record. Many
empires in the world have owed their
origin, or at least their eminence, to
successes in war. Britain owes it's
prestige to Waterloo, Germany to
Sedan, the United States to Gettysburg,
Japan to Mukden. Power has been
purchased at the point of the sword
and sustained often through tyranny
and cruelty. The strength of the DOW
ers of nations has been guaged by the
roster of their armies and navies. Ar
senals, fleets and military stores have
been their pride and boast Not 80
with the kingdom whose design, code
and symbols date from all eternity.
It is spiritual and not martial. It hath
weapons before which strongholds
crumble, but they are not carnal. II
wins triumphs, bui on silent, bloodless
battle fields. Not in the catalogue of
nations does this kingdom claim a
place. Alone it stands, without peer OF
counterpart. It bears the name and
owns the sway of the Omnipotent. II
was not to enter into conflict with ex.
listing government. 1t was to be de
vOtiOnal, not political. The cross was
to be its sacred symbol, not crown
Its laws were to be transcribed not il
ponderous statute books, not in legisla.
| tive enactments, but in that precious
book whose very name even has be
seme an inspiration and benedictioA
the Bible. Throughout the Scriptures
Is set forth in terms unmistakable the
divine character of the new kingdom
and when at length the Messiah had
entered upon His holy mission He dis
appointed the common expectation in
His announcement, my kingdom is
not Of this world.'' Again and again
might He have assumed the symbols OF
royalty and won an enthusiastic follow
ing. Indeed, He was compelled to re-
sist the passionate ardor of the people
at times, who longed for crowned
head and a deliverer.
Persistent was His emphasis upon
spiritual truth. He demanded piety
not interpreted by long prayers and
longer robes, but by surrender and 10y
atty to God. mo religion but that o.
Christ has disclosed the innermost ma
ture of God, none but this has lait
bare in it's peculiar centre point th'
moral nature Of man." Man fallel
and dishonored was driven from "Para
disc Lost" The grand design of tn
Kingdom of Christ is to bring him int
such fellowship with God as that h
may be an heir Of Paradise Regained.
At Athens were two temples, "a tempt
of Virtue and a temple Of Honor.
Only through the former could the lat
ter be entered.
Only through the invisible Kingdom
of God on earth-the Kingdom o
Grace"-can we hope for admission a
length into the Kingdom of the Re
deemed"-the "Temple of Glory" Th
subjects of this empire must be i
. harmony with and breathe the spiri
} of the King. We are reminded sex
: ondly of the small beginnings Of tn
: Kingdom of the Messiah.
;, The "stone cut out of the mountai
without hands, was diminutive at frs
as compared with it's subsequent al
= pearance. This is indeed the law {
nature. The trees which fill our fO
n ests were once but tender saplings-tE
f men of the next generation are to-da
G but weakly children. Christianity ws
It indeed complete at the beginnin
l. From its very nature it must hay
d Deen. An imperfect system would ha,
d been witness against itself. In a
s. these nineteen centuries not sing
le principle Of truth has been added.
le was Christs gift to the world. A mil
&c to be worked-a. very bonanza. A ST
g tenn to be studied-a very thesaurus
h truth. Christ in His doctrine WOO !