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

ted machine, Let us get rid of. the
wrong thought that SO long has be-
logged our reason and robbed our
hearts OF the proper reverence for our
Creator. Let US get rid OF the thought
that perish means to preserve in eter-
nal torture. thus confusing the minds
OF the Lords people and the world to
the true teachings OF the Scriptures.
Perishing. OF course. means perishing
Ito lose life. To become extinct. Man.
originally made in Gods Image. was
prepared for eternal life; that eternity
was to he his destiny. But sin for
feited those life-rights. He came un-
der sentence OF death-that he should
perish like the brute beasts. Hence,
his only hope OF n future life is in the
Redeemer and the resurrection which
his sacrifice has secured.
Mans Intelligence and higher organ
ism could avail him only ON condition
that they would be used I'm harmony
with his Makers reasonable and just
requirements. Otherwise he must die
the death. as being even less worthy
of prolonged existence than the brute.
Note how our text points out that God
saw that In the race of Adam there
would be many who. il they under
stood the light and the Truth and had
1t in contrast with the wrong. would
be glad TO return to harmony with God
glad TO accept OF Christ and Restitu,
tion privileges and blessings, and to
come into full accord with the AL
mighty and with Jesus. and to have
back again the life-rights forfeited
by father Adam. Hence Gods pro-
vision for the race as a whole-that thev
might not perish as the brute beast, but
attain to eternal life again, attain to
all that was lost In Adam, all that was
redeemed by Jesus Christ our Lord
eternal life, fellowship with God the
Father and the Son and communion
with the holy Spirit.
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
These words OF the poet are wonder
fully truel Truth is, indeed, stranger
than fictionl The Divine Plan for hu,
man salvation is higher and deeper
longer and broader than any of us
dreamed of! Yet it is most exact; moth
ing about it is slip-shod or irregular,
While the blessed privileges OF recon-
Citation Will be granted all Of Adams
race, they Will be forced upon none.
Blessing and Curslng, Life and Death,
All who, after being brought to a
knowledge OF the Truth. persist In low
ing falsehood shall be accounted as
children of Satan, who have willfully
adopted his spirit of enmity toward
truth and righteousness Tho and ne
such, as the Scriptures declare, is de-
struction. AS the messengers and fol-
lowers of Satan they, with him, and
with the fallen angels, shall be utterly
destroyed (Acts iii, 23).
The test before mankind is not along
lines OF eternal torment or eternal 10Y. but
between eternal life and eternal death.
Thus the Apostle states IL, The wages
OF sin Is death; but the gift OF God is
eternal life. through Jesus Christ our
Lord" (Romans vi, 23). We cannot
change these Divine arrangements, If
we would. We ought not to wish to
change them. II we could. 1t is for us
not TO seek to have our wills done In
heaven and earth. but rather To learn
OF the imperfection OF our Judgment
and to pray to the Father, ",rhy Will
ne done on earth, as II Is done In
heaven" assured that when the glori-
Gus consummation Is attained il will
signify the highest possible blessing
for every creature-eternal life, eternal
JOY, for all I'm harmony with God, and
death eternal. Everlasting destruc-
ton" for all che enemies of God.