Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-23

terng Gods blessings to the world Of mankind,
mediator OF the new covenant between too
ana MANTLE world
1t seemed wise TO our Heavenly Father that
our Lord Jesus should learn obedience through
sufferings and be tested in respect to His VIII
ingness to endure suffering for righteousness
sake. How appropriate it is that the same
Father should make similar arrangements for
all of the church. who He will receive from
amongst the race of Adam to be members of the
royal priesthood under Jesus, the High Priest OF
our order. We necessity for this, not
ough proof of our own hsart-loyalty to the LORD,
but additionally we see wisdom on GODS part
in thus preparing a priesthood Of the future
The term priest as recognized amongst the Jews
not merely one who offered sacrifice, al
though every priest was Of necessity sacri-
ficer. The special mission of the priestly tribe
amongst the other tribes was that Of instruc-
tton, helping, healing, teaching. And so Goa
is preparing a royal priesthood for the millen-
nial age to bles to heal, to teach, to upltft all
the willing and obedient Of humanity:
The royalty of the priesthood signifies that It
will no longer be sacrificing class, for all
sacrificing will be at end. 1t viii be
glorious class royal, Of the divine mature, and
representatives with our Lord Jesu Of the divine
power. As priests who will have to do with
judging and Christening, healing and helping
humanity, how much sympathy do we suppose
that these royal priests should have? Are they
not to be on the divine plane Of glory, mem
bers of the body Of Messiah, the great kingly
priest after the order Of Melchizedek? And Of
him has not the apostle written that he must
be a faithful and merciful high priest, able
also to sympathize with the people in their
infirmities7 Does he not declare that it was
for this reason that our Lord was touched with
a feeling for humanitys infirmitiesl And is it
not In perfect keeping with this that all those
accepted as members OF His body" should have
such experiences IN this sacrificing time would
demonstrate their loyalty to the Lord and guar
Rntee their deep sympathetic interest in the
world then committed to their care? To such
will be committed the work of human restitu-
ton. upIift out Of sin and death conditions
mental, moral and physical?
THE MORNING OF JOY.
How glad we should be that our Heavenly
Fathers sympathy for us will provide "a morn
ing of joy TO be ushered in in his due time
Additionally He sympathizes with us to the ex-
tent that He has given MS in advance a message
and revelation and explanation to comfort us,
TO sustain US, in the, way! We have already
seen that this revelation is only for those who
have the eyes of faith and the ears Of faith
at the present time. blessed are your eyes. for
they see; and your ears for they hear" He
that hath an ear let him hear"
We recognize the wisdom of God in with
Olaing the secret of His plan from the world
In general. We recognize that for the world to
know the deep things CT God at the present time
would be injurious rather than helpful to them.
1t might possibly work an interference with the
divine program. Nevertheless we are bound TO
sympathze with the poor grooming creation in
its blindness and ignorance. The poor world
knows not why 1t came into being In an ami
NAL fashion, eating drinking, ETC., it seeks to
use the opportunities Of present life and, after
a few short years full of trouble, it goes down
creation, and usually considerably enthralled by
fear respecting the future beyond the portals Of
death.
How we may rejoice in spirit as we perceive
the length and breadth and height and depth Of
the divine program for the future and the bless
ings which It will bring to this grooming Gre
ationH How we long for the time to come
when the church shall be made ready through
the sufferings of this present time for the
glorieO Of the future of the kingdom. No Won
der the apostle declare HE that hath this Hope
Ia himself
is pure" Il John s:3.) He is exemplar.
our pattern. We seek to copy him. Although
we cannot hope TO be like Him in the flesh, we
can be like Him in the spirit of our mind and
thus be Of the character likeness which the
Father will be pleased to honor with a share in
the First resurrection BY that glorious
'change" we shall be made like Him actually
and Him as He is and share His glory.
The morning of Joy. the millennial morning.
of course, cannot be ushered in until the rising
of the Sun OF Righteousness. It's beams OF grace
and truth will flood the earth with the light Of
the knowledge OF the glory Of God to such a de-
gree that it will drive out. expel, all ignorance.
superstition and SIN, which have worked such
havoc IN lace.
But what is this sun of RighteousnessT
Whence comes it? The Bible answers the ques-
ton by telling that 1t symbolically repre-
sents the Lord Himself and the elect church
OF this gospel age. The Sun of righteousness
is a synonym for the seed of Abraham, of whom
il il written. "In thee shall all the families OF
the earth be blessed" The mystery hidden FOR
time from many is the fact that the church
His glorious work. not only in suffering but also
In reigning. Thus we have st. Paul's assur-
ance that the overcomers viii be members or
the seed Of Abraham. (Gal., 3:29) And we
have our Lords own words that this faithful
class will be represented in the great Sun or
Righteousness the great Messiah, the great
prophet. priest, king and mediator between Cod
aud men.-Matt.. 1878.
"WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS"
st. Peter, In viewing the prospects or the
church inquiries as to ''what manner or persons
we ought to be in all manner Of holy living and
gOdliness" He refers 10 us who know that
the present order OF things ts the reign or SIN
and death from which our Lord died to deliver
us What manner OF persons ought we to be who
have heard the Lords invitation to jointheirslip
in His kingdom. and who know that we are
now on trial 10 determine by voluntary
course our worthiness unworthiness Of that
glorious position to which we have been called
BY Gods favori How paltry, how insignificant,
do all the affairs Of the world appear In com
parison to this great prize set before us In the
gospel
And what should be our attitude toward the
world. seeing from this inside standpoint OF III
and Gods sympathy for It? Its own ignorance
should make us very sympathetic, and very
much disposed to lend helping hand OF Keller
In ivory possible manner. We should ever be
ready to remove the scales Of blindness from
the mental vision Of all who give indication or
a desire for God-any who seem TO be Feeling
after God, II haply they might find Him."
acts. 1727.l Only such will be ready for the
kingdom ut for the royal priesthood every
member Of which must be touched with feel
ing" OF earh's infirmties.