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

Ign Tabernacle, preached today to crowded
house from the above text. He said:
Properly enough the world seeks TO put It's
best foot forward to present as good an appear
ance to others as possible. Properly enough sor-
row and tears are hidden from the public gaze,
as well as is the skeleton in the closet, which
causes these troubles. This is well, for eacn
other member of the race has quite suffieiency
of such things Of his own 1t is Justiflaole
kind of deception which seeks to appear as
cheerful and happy possible, however heaVy
the heart may be-however crushed and broken
and lacerated. Yet there are special times when
those who are near and dear may surnlse each
others burdens and give to each other word
Of cheer and comfort, which viii tighten the
load and heal the wound to considerable de-
gree. Blessed are those who have attained this
degree of Chris-likeness That, instead OF mourn
ing moping their own difficulties, they
make it their chief concern to do good unto All
men, especially to the household Of faith" and
to their own households.
No other book treats the matter OF human woe
and sorrow in the same wise, tender sympa-
thetic, helpful manner of the Bible 1t as
sures that however cold, heartless and disap-
pointing the world may be and our friends may
be. or those from whom we may have expected
better things, we have nevertheless, God Of
sympathy-a God Of love. No heather religion
knows anything of such a God With them
Gods attributes are merely more or less OF
ferocity. Their gods to be placated and
worshiped from fear Of what they otherwise
would do TO their creatures. The God Of the
Bible assures of His love, his sympathy, in
all of our distreses-Eis interest in affairs
and His provision for the ultimate welfare of all
those who will come into the attitude Of loving
Righteousness and hating iniquity-the only
proper attitude OF heart; the only one which He
! can approve and bless with everlasting life.
NIGHT OF SORROW AND DEATH.
Put here is seeming inconsistency The
God of the Bible admits that the world Of
mankind is suffering under a load Of sin and
its penalty Of imperfection, sickness, pain
death. But while we are assured that God is
loving and wise, and that He has all power in
heaven and in earth, the sorrow continues as
though God lacked the love- lacked the wis
dom necessary TO the blessing of the world or
lacked the power to carry out His loving and
wise purposes.
The Scriptures point out to us what we recog-
nize to be the truth--that the world has been
under a pal1 and blight and curse of death for
5000 years. Approximately our text describes
this period as a dark time of hard blighting
In harmony with this figure it declares that
darkness covers the (eivilized) earth and gross
darkness the heathen."
Not alone does this condition affect those who
are in alienation from God through Ignorance
and superstitution and the power Of sin, but 1t
affects also those who have accepted the grace
Of God. who have turned their backs upon sin
and who are seeking to walk in the narrow way,
in the footsteps of Jesus. Well does the apos-
tie say, 1.-The whole creation grOaneth and trav-
aileth I'm pain together until now. And not only
they, but ourselves also, which have the first
fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting for the adoption; to
wit the redemption OF our body" the body of
which Jesus is the Head or Chief and we are
Eymbolical members or an under priesthood
rom. 8:22. 49,
There is difference, however. between the
church and the world In this grooming as sug
gested by the Apostles words. The world
groans aloud without alienation, and even Its
waiting for the manifestation Of the sons Of
God is waiting in ignorance, for, being out of
touch with the Eternal One, they know not
of his gracious purposes and arrangements
for these are kept secret from all except MS
sanctified ones. ''rhc secret Of the Lord is with
them that fear (reverence) him and he win
show them his covenant" (Psa. 2:14) These
VIII N fhp Lord SORROW not
as others who have no hope" q. Thess. Alb.
They "groan' inwardly and wait for the glori 2
cation Of themselves and all the brethren, men,
bers Of the symbolical body OF Christ, by par
ticipation in the First Resurrection. The hopes
Of these must be realized first before the bless
ing come to the ''groaning creation" In gen
eral The latter are waiting for the manifesto
tion of the sons Of God namely the church in
glory So - 49,,
The Bible represents itself being the
candle of the Lord, the lamp Of Divine Truth
and enlightenment. But 1t tells us that It's
light is not for the world-nether now nor at
any time future. Its light is only for those who
by faith and obedience unto conservation seek to
walk in the footsteps OF Jesus. They need the
light God provides 1t for them. These are
represented by the prophet as saying to the
Lord, THY Word is lamp unto my feet, and
light unto my path (foOtsteps)," lisa. us:105.)
This light evidently does not shine far into the
future. but enough for each onward step as It
becomes due.
St Peter ampllfes the same thought. After
telling us OF the assurance which he himself
aud his associates had upon the Mount Of Trans
figuraton when they behald the vision tMatt,
17:1-9) Of the Lord mraculously transformed and
with him Moses and Elijah, and heard the voice
from heaven, It was forceful to their minds as
teaching the coming OF our Lord in glory, in
due time Nevertheless, says the Apostle, hon
oring the Bible above any vision, We have
more sure word Of prophecy; ''whereunto We
90 well that We take heed. as unto light thar
shineth in a dark place. until the day dawn, and
the day star arise" g Peter 1:19.) indicating
that the morning is at hand and that the SUI
of Righteousness will soon fulfill Its mission
Of blessing TO all the families Of the earth.
But WHY is THIS THUS?
why does God permit the reign OF SIN ana
DEATH injustice, unrghteOusness sorrow trou-
bile pain headaches. heartaches, etct why
does he not deal with humanity graclously'
Kindly. lovingly Father-as he deals with
TIE angelic sons of God? Is it Just or loving on
the part of our Creator to bring forth millions
of his creatures under these admittedly untavor'
able conditions ?-beset by weaknesses and SIN
wardness from their birth and surrounded by
others similarly weak. and beset by satan ana
his minioDs in wicked spiritsg is IL Just that we
should thus be in an unequal right supJeeted
to weaknesses and dying and imperfect condi-
tions on account Of the sin Of our first parents
and then, on the same account be In danger
Of an eternity OF torture with nie hundred ana
ninety-nlne chances out Of thousand against
us?
No thank God. that thought Of eternal tor
turp which came down TO us from the dark ages
and which we for a time supposed to be Biblical.
we find now Is quite unscriptural, When Juugeu
In the light OF the Bibles own testlImony, In
NOT ~ the Bible but, as st. Paul declares, one
Of the doctrines OF devils
The inheritance of weaKnesses, blemlshes' sor-
rows main and trouble, to which we were Dorm
Is uuite sufficient and according TO the scrip
tures these are all part of death, ana all feach
their culminatiOn in death, when is the rear
nonnltv for sin prescribed by our creator. Inc
fsct that these blemshes still continue WIN
Inc rsrp proves that their sins are not yet Dlot-
ted ont and TO this agree the scriptures Whlch
noipt ms to the oncoming glorious day OF Dless-
Inc thousand years long, the MHlennlum' IN
witch Divjna blessing will be bestowed upon
eycrv member Of Adams race. The merit OF
Christ's sacrifice the ransom price Tor sinners
which he Laid down, viii by that tlme De maze
,rafIohIe "for the sins of the whole world.
TIL. merit of that sacrifice has ALREADY Desn
snnIicd To the church-'the household of faith'
Isince pentecost 1t has brought TO this class
very sppcial privileges, though very dlfterent
ones from those il will bring TO the world uur-
ing the Millennium. The willing and oDedleht
OF tine world viii then get restitution facts.
9.2Ol The blessing upon the chufch
is different. The promise now Inaue
The church is d!tefrent. The promise now made
10 those who can and will walk by faith ana not
nv Aight is heavenly one. Ihey are 10 nave
a heavenly or spiritual reward and In thelr res
urrec tiop become pertakers Of the Divine nature
and have no share thereafter In human nature
The conditions of the present time are severe,
proportionatery TO the greatness and grandeur
az their heavenly calling. The terms OF ac-
,an+,nce 10 tbe Divine nature include not only
faith and love. but a self-sacrifciIg Will IheSc
sacrifice their earthly restitution rights ana
privileges for the privilege OF sufferlng WIN
christ that they may also reign with him IN
His MnlCnnial kingdom.
These are left with the world IN general,