The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-05-22

only at the end of life. A desperate
encounter with evil is to be met With.
not only at the time of conversion and
the time of death, but increasingly
through life. There is no thought OF
truce or furlough, no suggestion OF
recuperation Or dress-parade. There
IS to be no day of retreat.
1t is the contest of the individual
against his enemies. The message is
to the church, the task is personal.
The heart is the citadel, and the ap-
proaches are the source of constant
attack. The flesh is weak, even
though the spirit is willing. There is
a conflict between the law of God and
the law of sin in our members. Even
though Christ be cntbroned in the
life, the outposts will be repeatedly
assailed. The success of the church
depends upon the faithfulness of the
individual members.
The seven promises to the churches
as given by Christ repeat the history
of the race up to the founding of the
throne of David, the period of Is
raelitish history most symbolical of
the kingdom of God. The worlds
history begins with the tree of life
which is forbidden to the parents of
the race. Then follows as striking
providences of God the punishment of
death and the promise of the Deliv-
erer, the giving of the tables of stone
and the heavenly mama, the repeated
victories over the national enemies,
the enrolment of the heroes of war,
the building of the great temple and
the establishment of the throne of
David forever. Gods plan is one and
the salvation to be given in the final
award is but the elimination of Gods
eternal purpose. What God will do
for us at last is to be seen in the his
tory of the race in prophetic promise.
The first promise, found in Revela-
ton rs, is: ITO him that overcom-
eth, to him will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is the paradise of
God" Thus are connected the be-
ginning and the end of history even
as Christ Himself is the Alpha and
Omega, the first and the last. Yet
the second Paradise differs widely
from the first. In the passage of the
text, Paradise is Heaven, not the in
termediate state, and it is presented
not as a garden where two human be-
ings are surrounded by the luXuries
of nature, but city throbbing with
life, teeming with multitudes. Not
isolation but association, is the strik-
ing feature. The tree of life is the
fulfillment of the spiritual meaning
of the prayer, Give US this day our
daily bread" AS the tree of life bears
twelve manner of fruits, yielding it's
fruit every month, so life abundant
is the reward of victory. And life is
more than mere existence; it is
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companionship, it is the acme of I'M
seifishness, it is the larger life when
comes the state1ier Eden back to
man." when family, society, govern
ment, national and international, is
children of men.
The second promise is that the VIC
tor shall not be hurt Of the second
death. There is a first death and
second death, though the term second
death is not mentioned in the Gospels
OR epistles. But Christ Himself tells
us not to fear him who can destroy
the body, but rather fear Him who
can cast both soul and tody into hell.
The first death is the heritage of the
race, and is not directly the punish
ment Of individual sin. Even Christ
became obedient unto death, though
He knew no sin. Neither sickness
nor death may mean that either a
man or his parents have sinned. The
second death is the exact result of
sin. 1t is for the fearful and unbe-
lieving and abominable and murder
Gus and who're mongers and sorcerers
and idolaters and all liars. The first
is momentary in it's effects, the sec
ond eternal.
The Smyrna Christians were bit
terly prosecuted, but Christ promises
them freedom from the second death.
The church is challenged because it
makes its rewards future. Wrongs
need present righting, says the critic;
what we want is Heaven on earth.
True, very true, but the ideal for
earth is Heaven. AS long as the sense
of Immortality is in man, as long as
there remain unavenged wrongs on
earth, as long as any individual life
passes out into the great unknown
with present hopes thwarted, as long
as the successes of transitory years
dissatisfy, SO long shall we need the
prospect of a Heaven where neither
the first nor the second death shall
enter.
A third reward of perseverance is
the hidden mama, and the white
stone inscribed with the secret new
name. The very name of mama"
carries the mind back to that period
of hunger when God rained down
from Heaven the sustaining food.
The real meaning of this miracle is
revealed when Christ says: 81 am the
bread Of life which came down out of
Heaven" 1t is ChriBt that sustains.
Not only is His life the ideal but His
companionship the inspiration Christ
is unseen, but His presence no less
real and more vital than the friend
seen at our side. Christ as the bread
of life is hidden mama" because the
process of partaking of Christ is as
unseen as the assimilation # food,
and tie assurance CT salvation is a
matter between the soul and Christ
atone. Blessed are those that hum
ger and thirst after righteousness.
There is nothing that satisfies the
aun.ry soul but Christ.
Then there is that secret name in
scribed on the white stone. There are
many interpretations of it's meaning,
such as that the stone is a ticket OF
admission or vote of acquittal. But,
after all, the believer with his hidden
mama has a new heart. There y;
both a new power Of assimilation and
a new food to be assimilated. The
old law was written on two tables of
stone, but the new law, 50 Ezekiel
declares, is to be written on the heart.
Forced obedience is to be changed
into a second nature that voluntarily
does right. The believer is not free
from the law, but he does naturally
what the law requires. There is but
one secret for this marvellous trans
formation, and that is, Christ. For
me to live is Christ, says Paul. In
stead Of the ten commandments we
have the name of Jesus inscribed on
our hearts. He who lives the Christ
life obeys the law without compul-
sion What better comparison can
we make between the old and the new
iispensation, the old law and the new
grace? Here is the secret of the
Lord"
Human finiteness can only vaguely