Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-20
THE HEATHEN FOR
AN INHERITANCE
"Ask OF me, and shall give thee the
heather for thine inheritance, and the
uttermost parts Of the earth for thy
possession" (Pga. 2g81.)

ABk OF me- ana 4 9na11 give bnco the
heather for thine inheritance, and the
uttermost parts Of the earth for thy
possession" (Psa. 2ss1.)
OAKLAND. CAL, July 1s.-The Bible students
convention of Believers in the Atonem"nt by the
Precious Blood opened here yesterday. Pastor
Russell, Of Brooklyn Tabernacle. New York.
was the principal speaker on the program today.
He made two addresses. We quote one OF
''Our text is from one of the Messianic
Psalms 1t represents our Lord as making
known to His people the Heavenly Father :
decree rewarding him for his faithfulness as our
Rtdeemer, assuring MIN of His exaltaton TO the
kingdom, and that with this Will come the III
heritancc Of all the earth, with power 10 1uily
subject all things to ale Heavenly Fathers VIII.
He to have IL FOR the mere request-ask OF
me. As q matter af fact, this w'orld-wi do
minon mas net Yet come to Messiah; the
heG then are not yet His inheritance; the utter
most parts Of the earth are not yet Hts iOsses-
sion. Indeed, as the prophet deciarea, Iark
ness covers the earth, and gross darkness the
heathen.'
when we remember our Redeemer's love Tor
the race which led Him 10 lay down HIS lite
TO seek and TO recover that which was lost
we Inclined 90 amazement that He has not
yet asked the Father for His inheritance OF
the heathen-we are astonished that He has
permitted the prince Of darkness and the
reign of sin and death for more than eighteen
centuries since He suffered. the just for the
unjust that He might bring US TO God Our
perplexity in the matter might well be an
swered by our Lords words to the Saducees, ie
do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the
power Of Cod AS come to understand the
Scriptures more fully. and to appreciate how
the power Of God will be exercised In bringing
the heather under the domination OF the Re
and enabled to rejoice accordingly.
WHY HE DID NOT ASK.
'Our Lord did not ask for His great power to
reign at an earlier date because He knew the
Fathers plan, and was well contented with the
divine times and seasons; He had no wish Of
change in this He did not ask TO receive the
HAT for fpba n beginning
this gospel age, but has been content to walt
and place that request in its due time In har-
mony with another feature Of the divine program
which must first be fulfilled. That other feat
is the selection Of the church. the bride
Of Christ. the members of His body. 1t pleased
the Father 20 make our Lord not only the
worlds Redeemer. and the worlds King. but
also to make Him the High Priest Of an under
priesthood the bridegroom OF the church. HIS
bride; the elder brother of these saints OF
glory whom the Father is pleased to have de-
veloped during this gospel age as new creatures
in Christ Jesus'-sharers OF His sufferings, and
Meantime the heather have been taking no
damage Born In sin, shapen in iniquity, con-
demned to death, they were having experiences
with sin and death. and going down to the great
prison-house for periods of unconsciousness-un-
til the Redeemer at His second advent shall cali
them and all mankind from the great prison. on;
that are in their graves shall hear the voice OF
the Son of Man and come forth This Will
include not only the church. Of the firstborn
ones. who have been approved OF God, and who
passing trial now. viii come forth unto life
eternal but 1t will include also all the remain
der OF mankind. those who have not had God s
approval all Of whom. because redeemed, shall
come forth unto judgment-trtal. fair trial
will he theirs. TO determine their worthiness or
unworthiness OF life eternal by the manner In
which they will receive reject the Christ Of
God when during the millennium, the same
shalt be made fully known to them.
the whole earth should be filled with people
ard hence the bringing forth Of progeny IS
% the present life. with experience Of sin and
death conditions. will in due time be supple
mented by the glorious period Of the millennium,
with its grand opportunities for lessons "
righteousness and obedience and rewards. Its
corrective stripes or punlshments, TO the care
less will De to the intent that so many As
nosslhle may ultimately be entirely recovered
from death conditions and brought into fun
accord with God in Cnrist. And others. den
onstrating their unwillingness TO come into heart
sympathy with righteousness. VIII De utterly
destroyed from amongst the People. tAets 5;2S.J
THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY.
So. then. our Lords reason Tor NOT aSK ING
the remotest PARTS Of the Garth for His pos
session was because He knew the Father :
plan to be a different plan, and mat II was
the more excellent way, and lie delighted ID
do the Fathers Will. And so with all the
followers Of Christ; so soon as they ascertain
the Fathers glorious plan of salvation, tney
ii TO any plan of their own. 1t Is undevelopeI
Christians whom the apostle designates 'oaoes
in Christ WHO are continuity INV
Heavenly Father for change OF the divine
program, imagining that their wisdom and their
love in respect to the heather are superior 10
those of the infinite Creator. Nearly all chris
tion people have had their experience with sucn
ignorance, and glad TO suppose that me
Heavenly Father laid not the sin OF such pre-
Sumption to our charge, but rather sympatneu-
caIIy appreciated our interest in the heather,
although He must have deprecated our lack OF
reverence, our readiness our niSa ,.G as
I'VE are not saying a word against missions
home and foreign. Quite to the contrary, we be-
.eve that every Christian should labor with
heart and hand to do all in his power to glOrifg
the Father and the Redeemer, and to enlghten
his fellowmen respecting the cross Of Christ,
and the blessings and privileges which 1t Sc
cures. But while gladly, willingly, serving tSe
divine cause instant in season and out Of
season we should learn to labor and to walt.
I've should learn that the laboring under present
conditions is chiefly arranged for our benefit
for the development in the minds Of the royal
priesthood of the sacrificing qualities, and the
graces OF the Holy SpirIt--meekness. gentleness.
patience. faith, longsuffering brotherly kind
ness. love.
''Patience, rightly developed, will prepare W
to see that Gods time and method for reaching
the heather is superior to anything that we
could have suggested. Exercising this patience
in the studying OF the divine revelation, we Will
discern therein that calling is for the very
purpose OF ministering, Of serving the Lord and
(1) Now in connection with the gathering OF
the church. which is the body, or bride, Of
Christ, under conditions or trial, suffering anu
persecution; CO. BY and by the service Of glory,
the blessing OF ell the families Of the earth,
their instruction under more favorable conditions
than now prevail; their assistance on the
highway of holiness which shall then be opened
ND for all the redeemed Of mankind. in con
tract with the narrow way which is now
opened up as the path Of trial for the elect
church.
Co-WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD.
LET us be sure. dear friends, that any theory
cf ours respecting the heather, or any oth~z
feature Of the divine program, which IN anI
degree implies superior wisdom. or superior en-
ergy or superior love. on our part as compared
with our Heavenly Fathers and our Redeer1er.s.
must be wrong. The sooner We learn 70 pray
from the heart. Thy viii be done. the better
for us il will he. the nearer we will be able 10
re. into harmony with our Lord, and the more
will we be used his ambassadors and repre-
eentatives. The wisdom OF man is foolishnesS
with God and the wisdom Of God Is fOOlishness
with mau; hence we must not take the human
standpoint in Investigating or reasoning upon the
divine purposes and program. Rather. we must
20 direct to the Word of God. that we may De
taught Of Him, that may discern the beauty,
the harmony OF His plans.
''It is written that obedience is better than
sacrifice and this being recognized, how careful
II should make to inquire what the viii OF
the ord is TO search the scriptures, that We
NAV there ascertain the divine program, and be
found in harmony herewith. There We find