Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-04-30


compelled his only begotten Son TO die
for US. but rather. as the Scriptures
inform us, he set before him n great
prize. SO that Jesus counted IL all Joy
to lay down his life that he might be
the heavenly bridegroom to the Church
and be the Mediator OF the New Cove
nant for Israel and the world OF man.
kind. How wise. how just, are Gods
arrangements, Though be possesses
all power. vet he would not infract the
rights or liberties OF even the most
humble OF his creatures. much less the
rights of his only begotten Son, our
Lord.
The Scriptures Inform us that It was
In accord with the Fathers arrange
ment and the giving OF his Son that he
made to him the proposition to become
mans Redeemer and uplifter and the
Head OF the Church. to receive glory,
honor and Immortality. 1t was in
view OF this proposition as a whole
that we read OF our Lord that he, For
the Joy that was set before him, en-
dured the cross, despising the shame.
and Is set down at the right hand OF
God" QHebrews XXI. p. Again, "Who
gave himself a ransom for all. to be
testified In due time' q Timothy IL.
O.. He left the heavenly glory aud
took upon him the human nature and.
as the man Christ Jesus. gave himself
as the Ransom for all.
Whoscever Believeth In Him.
Gods love is not only large and
broad. but 1t is also deep and wide. In
blessing mankind be proposes the lar
gest blessing possible In the wisest man.
ner. He Will not justify the heather
In their ignorance nor justify willful
rebels He limits his favor by two
, conditions:
First-The blessing through his Son
shall go only to those who intelligently
know OF 1t and by faith accept 1t.
Second.-It shall be available only to
those who desire TO come into har.
mony with Divine laws as obedient
children.
This presents a difficulty TO our
minds until we come to understand
! what the Scriptures cali the Divine
: Plan or the Ages. Until we under
stand that Plan, we are inclined to
find fault with the Divine Arrangement
and with ourselves and with fellow
| Christians and generally to be uncom-
Portable and disappointed In proportion
to the largeness OF our hearts and our
interests In Gods character and I'm
humanity. We find fault with our
selves and others that the world has
not long ago been evangelical and
made acquainted with God. We fault
God that he is allowing the heather to
60 down into death at the rate Of nine
ty thousand per day. with no kuowl-
edge or the 'only name under heaven
whereby we must be saved" We
squirm and twist I'm our reasonings in
trying to justify this course and are
still further harassed by the horrible
nightmare OF eternal torment, which
teaches that the heather not only do
not get eternal life In glory, but thai
they do get eternal life In misery.
Alas. how true are the Lords word.
through the Prophet. your covenant
with death shall be disannulled, and
your agreement with the grave shall
not stand. Prom the time that II
goeth forth 1t shall take you; for morn
Ing by morning shall IL pass over. by
day and by night; and it shall be a
vexation only to understand the doc
trine" isaiah xviii. is, 19).
The Plan of the AGES.
The key TO the whole Mystery Is
that God first selects from amongst
mankind a special class OF those able
ana willing TO exercise faith In him.
to receive the Spirit OF Christ, and to
demonstrate their loyalty by walking
In his steps. These. he tells us. he Is
calling out OF the world by what the
world calls the foolishness OF preach
Ing. These he Is testing as respects
their faith and loyalty and using the
trials and oppositions OF this present
time as chiseling processes and burrs
to shape and polish and prepare the
precious stones for their glorious set
ting In the heavenly Kingdom. There
are not many OF these altogether.
Fear not, little flock; for 1t is the Fa-
Tiers good pleasure to give you the
Kingdom" duke XII, 3D.. They are
being selected out OF all denomina-
lions. kindreds and tongues, and
amongst them are not many great. |
wise, noble or rich. They are chiefly |
the poor OF this world. rich In faith, |
heirs OF the Kingdom.
This little fiock'' OF saints" this |
royal priesthood" with Christ their |
Redeemer. their Lord, their Bride
groom. their Head, their Chief Priest.
are to constitute the Kings, Priests,
Judges, Rulers OF the world OF man.
kind. Then In the age to follow this
one. In the Millennium, Gods time
shall come for dealing with mankind |
IS a whole. In cooperation with the
work will be the binding of |
Satan and every evil influence amongst
men, and the letting loose of every
good influence and every helpful truth.
Thus the light OF the knowledge OF the
glory OF God shall fill the whole earth,
Is the waters cover the great deep.
This Is Gods provision for the world
'f mankind, whom he SO loved. Not
merely for the saints, who already
nave the hearing ear. the seeing eye,
md the appreciative heart, is Gods
owing provision, but for poor, de-
graded humanity, which, through CEN
uries OF sin, has almost entirely lost
ne Image and likeness OF its Creator.
me promise for these Is that they
nail be privileged by resurrection
processes to return to full harmony
With the Lord and to repossess the
blessings and favors lost by Father
Adam when he sinned-blessings and
privileges redeemed for Adams race
through the merits OF our dear Re-
sacrifice at Calvary.
who VIII say that this Divine Plan.
outlined In the Bible, does not contain
he very essence OF Divine xytsdov, -