The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-11-19
ELECTING KINGS.
Brethren, Give Diligence to
Make Your Calling and Elec-
ton Sure" Gil Peter i, 10y.

and kingship. The elect are to be
priestly kings, or. otherwise styled. "a
Royal Priesthood" Their glorious
service is to be for period of one
thousand years. during which they will
be kings and priests unto God and will
reign over the earth Revelation Xxx. a.;
Peter ii. 81.
They will not reign on the earth" in
the sense of being earthly beings. hav-
ing earthly courts and thrones; their
resurrection change" will constitute
them heavenly or spirit beings; they
will be invisible to mankind, as now
the prince of this world is invisible
and as the holy angels are invisible.
But they will possess heavenly power
and authority and wisdom and grace
BY these glorious attributes they will
be able to serve God and humanity by
a reign of righteousness. whose up
lifting or restitution influences (ActS
iii. 21) will begin with the living gen.
erationS. but eventually extend to ''all
the families Of the earth" who have
been going down for the past six thoua
sand years into the great prison-house
of death-"prisoners of hope" how
ever. because Of the promise of Gods
Word and the redemption sacrifice Of
Jesus.
are not moved by this message Of
Gods grace and this information re-
specting his Kingdom and of your pros
poets of becoming kings and priests in
that Kingdom, it is because you do not
believe the ssage-because your
faith does not properly grasp the Eek
ceeding great and precious promises"
of Gods Word Oil Peter j, A.. l am
aware that this whole message by
Jesus and his apostles has been so
long covered by the rubbish Of 1.-The
dark ages" that it was lost to our
sight for long while. and sadly We
missed its encouragement to faithful
ness. am glad. however. that now
the eyes of understanding are opening
to see the length and breadth and
height and depth in the great Divine
Plan of the Ages.
The Value of Earthly Crowns.
Consider for moment what fabu-
lous prices have been paid for earthly
crowns. Thousands Of lives have been
sacrificed and millions of money. to
gain an earthly crown. And thousands
who paid this price knew well that
uneasy rests the head which wears
the crown" They knew well. too. that
its tenure would be precarious and
that the attainment of it would bring
them lasting hatred from others who
aspired to the same position and who
considered that their right to it was
as good or better.
What comparison should we institute
as between the value Of such crown
and the crown of glory" honor and
Immortality which God has promised
to his elect-to such of them as make
their calling and their election sure!
Has God placed too high a valuation
upon the heavenly crown, in demand
ing that those who would share it
with the Redeemer must prove their
loyalty to him and to the principles
of righteousness, and to the spirit of
love. to the extent of laying down
their lives in his service and in doing
good unto all men as they have OPP
portunity, especially to the household
of faith"
Our Lord asked wherein would be
the profit to any man if he were to
gain the whole world and lose his
own soul-lose his future life. For
the purpose of our present topic we
might ask a modified question, name
ly. If one should gain the empire of
the whole earth and all of its riches,
and if another should gain this heav-
emily election to the heavenly King
dom of one thousand years and to
subsequent eternal blessings with the
Lord, which of these would choose
the real wisdom, and which would be
the foolish one? But the contrast in
creaSeS when we note that the dOmin-
ion Of earth cannot be secured by our
sailing through bloody seas. and that
mere competency of earthly wealth
who strive for it day and night Sure
ly from the standpoint of the Fathers
Word all earthly honors are vanities.
in comparison with the heavenly glo-
ries and blessings which may be sure
ly attained by the "called" of this
Gospel Age-if they will but follow
the Divine directions.
Terms and Conditions of Election.
In our context st. Peter tells us upon
what terms the called and accepted
may make their election sure. After
calling our attention to Gods exceed
ing great and precious promises he
tells us that they were given us to
the intent that they should operate in
our minds so as to influence our lives,
in harmony with the Divine will; and
that thus we may become partakers
OF the Divine nature, after having es-
capped the corruption that is in the
world through DESIRE" = selfishness.
lust (verse A.. He proceeds to ampli-
fly, and urges that such as havs this
hope shall give all diligence to the mat
ter of adding to their faith virtue or
fortitude. That is to say. faith Of it
self is very good as a start. but God
requires more than this AS Il cOndi-
ton of our acceptance for election he
requires that our faith shall be of a
strong kind. giving us fortitude for all
of life's affairs: for all of our Cove