The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-11-23
ELECTING KINGS.
Ths Value Of Earthly Crowns.


Consider for a 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 1t was
as good or better.
What comparison should we institute
as between the value of such a crown
and the Grown 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 valuation
upon the heavenly crown, in demand
ing that those who would share 1t
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 II 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 better part-which would show
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
a mere competency of earthly wealth
is attained by only one of thousand
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 gIo-
ries and blessings which may be sure
ly attained by the called" of this
Gospel Age-if they will but follow
the Divine directions.
T... .,I ConI;t;on. aE 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" = selfshness,
lust verse A.. He proceeds to ampli-
~, and urges that such as have 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 start, but God
requires more than this. AS a condi-
ton Of our acceptance for election he
requires that our faith shall be Of
strong kind, giving us fortitude for all
Of life's affairs; for all Of our Cove
nants with the Lord; for faithful en-
5,,.ooao ~ ov,noc{ffnn contra diaffo0
ETC.. that thus we might be copies Of
our Lord Jesus Christ as God has or
dained all Of 1.-The elect'' must be Gro
mans viii, 2o).
Not only must we have a strong
faith combined with fortitude, but we
must also add knowledge" We re-
quired some knowledge of God and Of
our Lord Jesus and of the Gospel mes
sage before we could come unto the
Lord at all, but the Apostle Is not re-
ferring to this, our earliest knowledge.
He is addressing Christians who have
already taken the first steps. he as
sures US that they need knowledge to
enable them to go onward in Christian
development-know in addition to
their faith and fortitude. We have
nothing to say against worldly knowl-
edge, scientific knowledge. etc., when
these do not cross or interfere with
the Divine Revelation, but we are con-
fident that the Apostle did not intend
to refer to worldly knowledge, but to
the greatest of all scientific knowledge
-the knowledge of God.
How shall we know God? By study
of his character. Our Lord Jesus it
was who declared, 'This is life eternal,
that they might knoto thee, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent John xvii. 81. This knowl-
edge at the present time is secret
knowledge and, as the Apostle says, a
hidden mystery" which can be known
only by those who put themselves into
a certain attitude of heart and mind
and conduct toward the Lord and his
revelation. We are to study Gods
characterize learn respecting his JUS
tice, his Wisdom, his Love and his
Power, by studying his revelation-th
Bible. In it we see his dealings past.
and his promises respecting his deal
ings future. And a correct apprecia-
ton of these gives US knowledge OF
Gods character as exemplifed therein.
But since this knowledge is not stated
in terms for the world to understand.
1t follows that only those In proper
condition of heart and enlightened by
the holy Spirit can receive this knowl-
edge. 1t is taught only to the pupils in
the School of Christ 1.-THE secret Of
the Lord is with them that fear him;
and he will show them his Covenant
Other Graces to Be Added.
The Apostle continues his advice as
to things necessary to be added by
those who would make their calling
and election sure. They must keep
adding, and the adding must be little
by little and day by day. The knowl-
edge we gain Of God through his Word
should lead US to greater moderation
translated, temperance. in our common
version). Let your moderation be
known unto all men" philippians Nv,
b., moderation or balance in thought.
in word. In action. Gods people may
be called extremists by those who are
not begotten Of the holy Spirit and who
know not 1.-The mystery" But even
they should be able to charge tn1RIod-
GRAFTON only on the one score-our i'm
moderation, our faithfulness to the
Word of the Lord and to our Covenant
of self sacrifice as followers in the
footsteps of Jesus. Our lives should
be so moderate as respects business
and pleasure and food and raiment.
ETC., that we should be examples Of
wisdom and moderation to all-exuem-