Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-26

i OIpaEWUW
"Gricve not the holy Spirit of God, by which
you were sealed unto the day Of deliveranc"'
| (Eph. 4:so.) He said: .
the heather, who know not God. nor to the
masses of Christendom even, but merely 10
| those who come to an intimate acquaintance
| with the Lord and who have received His holy
! Spirit as seal, mark, evidence, proof, that -heS
| by and By will attain the fruition OF thelr
h6pes-the completion Of their redemption, their
| absolute deliverance from sin and death con1 .
| lions. Most assuredly no one could grleVe ire
/ holy Spirit who had not received IL.
The expression, holy Spirit OF God, is here
| used exactly in the same sense as II we were
| speaking to a dear earthly friend, whose SYM
pathy, Fellowship, favor had learned to es-
| teen very highly. OF such we might say IN
very siUuilar language, II you do so ana so II
| would assuredy wound and grieve the spirit
| of your dearest friend. The intImation would De
I that you would no longer have his esteem ara
| fsvor as before; that the reprehended conduct
would cause more less OF a breach between
! YOU and your friend. 1t would not mean ulat
| his acquaintance would necessarily be cut or
| ever and that he would become your enemy. IN
| stead of your friend. 1t would mean, ratner'
| that having been your friend he would esteem
i yOn no longer worthy of the same degree OF
/ fellowship and Condence as before. he Wouil
no longer treat Ycu as a Gear ana mummy III, = Z
! friend, and communicate to you his plans ana
1 arrangements along various lines. de might sun
| speak as he passed by, ana treat you In every
| way kindly, yet there would be difference,
! a coolness separation, a cloud. between. II
/ you esteemed the love Of your friend, mis- lei
lowehip, his interest in all Of your AFFAIRS you
nothing that might wound. offend, grieve MIN
and ALLEVIATE his sympathy and fellowship
| especially II he we're on a higher plane oil
wealth or honor intelligence than yourself,
and one, therefore, whose patronage, advice and
| counsel you needed and desired.
| This. We take IL, is the thought behind the
J Apostles word ''grieve" in text. IL IS
closely allied with the thought OF offending
our best friend, Creator. our Heavenly
tho great Creator OF the Universe could ne
actually caused sorrow, grief, repining' pain:
we are too Insignificant. Yet our Heavenly
! Father takes note Of us as a world OF man
kind. He has provided for our relief from sin
and it's penalty death. He is specially interest
ed in those who have responded to his gra'
eious profters Like as father pitieth ms
! children, the Lord pitieth them that rever-
ence him." (Psa. l03:l3.) His pity extended
beyond this-even to love, when heartily
accepted mis- favor and made full conservation
OF little oil to him. II was then that ne
was pleased to seal us. TO give us the mars
W stamp of sonship. to evidence 10 that we
nave been begotten again to new nature,
10 Immortality, to glory with himself-ir SO
secration.
THE LORDS JEWELS
AS father He watches over the interests or
this consecrated class. Although, as the Scrip
lures say, they are few" he estimates them
very highly and amongst other precious names
gives TO these of God the title of Jewels, "
The experiences Of the present life are intended
TO polish these jewels-to prepare them for a
heavenly setting in the Resurrection morning
in that day when l make up my Jewels
Malachi. 3:17
As the laridary first washes the diamond
which has been picked from the miry clay; as
ne then critically examines ii TO note its best
possibilities; as he then gives direction TO the
workmen respecting its cutting ard subsequent
ly respecting its polishing, we have the Divine
illustration of bow Gods providence through the
Holy Spirit, the holy power OF GOD, overrues
Grated Jewel" class. It is required of them
that they exercise faith ana Iearn TO rejoice IN
tribuations. as well as in more pleasureahie
: experiences, knowing that they in Gods
! hand, and that, II they are submissive 10 hin.
he will work out for them a far exceed
| ing and eternal weight Of glory through the
disappointments, the frictions, the sorrows the
tears, the anguish even of earthly experiences
If these be endured for righteousness sake.
Coming down to human comprehension. the
Lord represents himself as pleased or displeased,
reioieed or grieved, after the manner OF the most
noble of the human family. Because OF His
genseosity, His Benevolence His desire to do
coed unto all, Bnd especially 10 the household
Of filth, and particularly to the fully conse-
Grated, our Creator takes pleasure in the work
! Ing out Of a great plan OF salvation for hui
manity. But the poet has declared
God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps on the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Ellis purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have bitter taste.
Buy sweet viii De the Flower.
For 5000 years our loving Creator has permit
ted Adams disObed!Cnce to bring upon his fam
ily terrible reign of sin and death. God sym
pathizes with the grooming creation and mas
promised assstance-deliverance. But His wis
dom determines that the lesson of the sinrulness
Of sin and the bitterness Of its fruit must first
he thoroughly learned. Then the deliverance to
righteousness and life may be the better appre-
ciated and all danger Of reverslon to sin ne
| avoided ard an eternity Of righteousness and
blessing result.
Preparation for this great program has not
been swift, Is haste necessary. The lesson
Of sin and its bitter fruitage has come to the
world during 5000 years, though no single mem
Der Of the race needed received so prolonged
a lesson. The first step of recovery was ac-
CCmptished by out RcdeCner's sacrifice or HIM
self The second step has been In process since
Pentccost 1.-THE calling and accepting or the anti
typical Lavites) and especially amongst these
II the anti typical priesthood. who now reJolc-
ingly suffer with the great High Priest. Ihey
/ law down their lives in His service, under the
premise that IN the first resurrection tney snai'
be with their Re6eemer and share HIS glory and
, as royal priesthood under Him, rule, IN
struct, anG every way assist In uplifting the
"groamug creation during the Millennial king
dom of INC great Mediator, whose members they
will be. This step in the Divine plan Is spoken
If In the Scriptures as The Mystery or Iodi
that the church now being selected are mem
hers Of the Christ. As soon as this mystery
hidden from ages" shall be completed and the
church be glorified with her Lord then our
prayer and the prayer Of our RedeemeT will DO
Gin to have fulfilment-"Thy kingdom come; tiny
will be done on certa as 1t is done in heaven. "
Not all who have named the name OF Christ;
not all who have turned away from sin; not
al who have made full conservation OF them
selves oven will attain TO the glorious things
Which God hath in reservation for them that love
Him." Only such Of the c0nsecTated as learn
In the school Of Christ the great lesson of SUI
preme love TO God and heart obedience TO Ills
will (outward obedience also TO the extent OF
ability only these will he accounted worthy 10
share in the kingdom. 1t is these that are In an
toned in our text 6s sealed by the Holy Spirit
Of promise and waiting Tor the resurrection
morning the deliversnce day, the day OF attain
ment to the glorious things which God has In
II seryation for the faithful As loving par mt
watches the progress of his child in school, so
the Heavenly Father is interested In our pro-
gress and DESTROYS that we shall make our
calling and our election sure to the heavenly
glories Hence lie pictures himself as pleased
with our progress and as grieved when We tan
to learn the necessary lessons. lie has promised
| us a place with our Lord in His MillennaI king
dom throne but the promise Is 4 conditional one.
Our Rcdeener expresses II thus: ITO him that
overcometh will / =rpnt TO sit with me in my
throne Thus we get a glimpse of Gods spe-
cial interest In each IT Ills conSccrated. spirit
| hegotten children. They have His love and
favor and smile in proportion as they follow the
| Nedcemers footsteps. failure 10 walk In THIS
] way grieves the Lords spirit or figuratlvely
| brings His frown instend of His smile and tends
| TO separate us from His love. This thought was
! expressed by the poet in the beautiful words:
Sun Of my soul, my Father dear
know nc night If thou art near;
o may no earth-bOrn cloud arise