Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-01
The Kingdom of Heaven.

we tulnR tnaI worry uduy VI tuooo Wno
read the Bible skimmingly and lightly
have received an erroneous idea OF the
phrase that heads this article. There
seems to be to them hazy distance In
it, something far away. They almost
invariably, preacher and people, locate
it above and beyond, when the Scrip
lures distinctly declare that the kingdom
of Heaven is within, and the simple
meaning of it is righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit. That ought
to settle the matter permanently unless
the divine assertion goes for naught.
We once heard Brother Pottle preach on
the subject and we said, "Amen" In
silence and in our heart.
Let the fact of the location and the
truth of its meaning be remembered,
and the last will and testament will be
greatly simplified. John the Baptist
originated the expression when he came
preaching repentance, or at least l CAN
not call to mind an instance Of its use
prior to the days of the crying in the
wilderness. and l doubt II 1t can be
found in all the older Scriptures. And
its plainly evident meaning when first
employed, is the reign of the Messiah,
the Gospel kingdom, the kingdom of
righteousness that the Christ was com.
ing to establish In the earth and to set
up in the hearts Of men. And 1t has the
same Specification all through the tesla
ment, or at least cannot name single
instance where it has taken on new
aud different meaning or changed the
location.
How appropriate the name Kingdom!
For It IL the appointed government OF
the inner man; of Heaven! of God! For
1t is wholly spiritual and not temporal,
and not carnal. The fundamental laws
that are for the government of this
Heaven ordained Republic and Spiritual
Commonwealth, are Numerically op.
F., posed to the laws of carnality that
govern in the kingdoms of this world.
So radically distinct are they that who.
soever would become citizen Of the
great Republic, must be radically chang
ed, must be made every whit clean,
must shake the gathered dust of the
world from his garments, leave his bag
gage outside and enter empty handed.
It is blessed thought that prohibition
was engrafted into the constitution OF
this wonderful government in the very
beginning. There are no dram shops
and no beer gardens In all Its beautiful
borders, and consequently 1t 10 not the
state at all for dram drinkers and beer
suckers. No drunkard can inherit-can
enter in. We have seen drunkards OF
all sorts, sizes and conditions; Of all
grades and in all stages of mellowness;
but never yet have met with one who
had righteousness and peace and joy In
the Holy Spirit. To be sure We have
seen them when they seemed to be feel
ing pretty we'll, but 1t wasn't piety mol
peace.
From observation and from a knowl
edge OF Ourself there are many, toe
many, who wear the badge of citizen
ship, who are aliens from the Common
wealth and who obey the laws OF the
realm where Self governs nearly or quite
as we'll as those who have never worn
the badge. Not all who preach, not al
who pray, are standing inside the
pearly gates of the "New Jerusalem tina,
came down from God out of Heaven
for some who preach and some who pray
have righteousness that does not exceed
the righteousness of the Scribes and
Pharisees, and so they have not entered
10 and "in no case" can enter.
The divine teacher sought to impress
upon the minds of his pupils the nature
of his Kingdom, for they did not under
stand it and were long in learning
They had not fully emerged from the
chill and the shadows of the old dis
pensation. The flavor of the Mosaic
law still chung to them, and they knew
not what manner of spirit they were
Of"
Why is the kingdom of Heaven liken-
ed to seed? Evidently because there IL
within it the principle Of growth, the
germ of life. Why like leaven? Because
evidently there ia within it the principle
Of expansion. The entire ''lOaf" OF
humanity has not yet arisen. That is a
proposition that will hardly be question
ed. He who set 1t to rise is never hur-
ried, having eternity to work In. 1.-THE
Kingdoms of this world shall become the
kingdom of our Lord and His Christ"
The choir will please sing.
JOHN.