Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-10-29
Grieving the Spirit.

/ WI bAA AnOucduu lNttAH OuH luNlUk
Creator has permitted Adams disobe-
dience to bring upon his family a terri
BILE reign OF sin and death. God SYM
pathizes with the "groaning creation"
| and has promised asslstance-deliver
| ance. But his Wisdom determines that
the lesson of the sinfulness OF sin and
| the bitterness OF its fruit must FIRST be
thoroughly learned. Then the deliver
ance to righteousness and life may be
the better appreciated and all danger
OF a reversloD to sin be avoided, and
an eternity OF righteousness and bless
| ing result
Preparation for this great program
| has not been swift, nor Is haste neces-
sary. The lesson of sin and its bitter
! fruitage has come TO the world during
| six thousand years. though no single
member of the race needed or received
so prolonged lesson. The FIRST step
Of recovery was accomplished by our
Redeemer's sacrifice Of himself. The
second step has been I'm process since
Pentecost dhe calling and accepting
| of the antitypical Levitesl specially
amongst these Of the antityplcal priest.
hood, who now rejoiclngly suffer with
the great High Priest. They lay down
! their lives I'm his service. under the
promise that IN the First Resurrection
| they shall be with their Redeemer and
share his glory and as n "royal priest
hood" under him. rule. instruct. and
every way assist In uplifting the
"groaning creation" during the Mlllcn-
nlal Kingdom OF the great Mediator.
: whose members they viii be. This step
| In the Divine Plan IS spoken OF In the
| Scriptures rs "The Mystery OF Cod"
, that the Church now being selected are
members" Of The Christ. AS soon as
this mystery hidden from ages shhll
be completed and the Church be glorl
| fed. with her Lord, then our prayer
and the prayer OF our Redeemer will
begin TO have fulfillment-"Thy King
4 dom come; thy will be done on earth
as II Is done I'm heaven
Not all who have named the name OF
| Christ; not all who have turned away
from sin; not all who have made full
conservation Of themselves even will
attain TO the glorious things which
God hath I'm reservation for them that
love him" Only such OF the consc-
Grated MS learn IN the School OF Christ
the great lesson of supreme love TO
! God and heart obedience to his will
! (outward obedience also 10 the extent
Of ability only these wifi be accounted
worthy 20 share IN the Kingdom. IL
| Is these that are mentioned In our text
as sealed by the holy Spirit OF prom
| ise and waiting for the resurrection
| morning, the dellyerance day, the day
| Of attainment TO the glorious things
which God has IN reservation for the
faithful. As loving parent watches
| the progress OF his child In school. so
the Heavenly Father is interested in
our progress, aud desirous that we
shall make our calling and our election
sure 10 the heavenly glories. Hence
he pictures himself as pleased with our
progress and as OrieUed when we fail TO
learn the necessary lessons. He has
promised us a place with our Lord In
his Millennial Kingdom Throne, but
the promise is a conditional one. Our
Redeemer expresses 1t thus; TO him
that overcometh will l grant to sit
with me In my Throne" Thus we get
a glimpse OF Gods special interest In
each OF his consecrated, spirlt-begotten
children. They have his love aud favor
| and smile In proportion as they follow
the Redeemer's footsteps. a failure
20 walk IN this way grieves the Lords
spirit or fguratiyely brings his frown
instead OF his smile and tends 10 sep
arate us from his love.
! The child OF God should seek TO ever
| live IN the sunshine OF the Heavenly
| Fathers favor. Whatever clouds arise
between such and their very best
earthly friends will be light Affections
Indeed. II they still abide I'm fellowship
with the Heavenly Father and the Son.
I through the holy Spirit-the spirit OF
love. the spirit Of Truth. the spirit OF
obedience the spirit Of self sacrifice.
Indeed. II earthly friendships and
| earthly loves be entirely severed
through falthfulness 10 the Lord. the
loyal one may reach the place where
he can "rejoice in tribulation also"
Sealed by the Holy Spirit.
A seal Is an authoritative mark.
With a signature a seal implies that
the contract, OF the document Is no
longer open. no longer a mere pro
posal. but an accomplished. finished
agreement or bargain. In olden times.
seals were usually impressed In wax
| while II was yet soft; the seal itself
represented a coat OF arms or some
thing representing the personality OF
the one who used II, The pressure
upon the soft wax was gradually in
creased and then held firmly until the
wax had cooled. hardened. and permit
ted the removal OF the SEAL without
injury 10 the impress which then was
clearly revealed This Is the mental
picture which our text brings before
our minds. God our Creator, our Fa-