The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-10-07

made, just as it was written in the
Law, "On behalf Of all the people," only
that ''all the people" on the larger
scale will not mean merely the Is
raeites outside Of the Levites, but
will mean the whole world of mankind
outside Of the household Of faith, the
antttypica1 Levftes. Forthwith the
whole world VIII be turned over to
Messiah, the antitypical Prophet,
Priest, King. Mediator, Judge. Then
for a thousand years the world win
receive the blessed, uplifting infiu-
enceS
There VIII come In Israel's share In
the great work Of recovering the world
to God They are still beloved for the
fathers sakes and the gifts and calling
of God to them are things he will not
repent of. At that time the great anti
typical Prophet, Priest and King Will
| begin his work as Mediator. At that
time he viii mediate by bringing into
operation the New Covenant which
God promised he would make with Is
rael and judah, latter those days.
after the days Of their humiliation and
being cast off; they shall be reclaimed
and uplifted and blessed and used of
the Lord. This Is Gods Covenant with
them when he will take away their
stns-when by virtue Of the "better
sacrifices" their sins shall be abso-
lutely and forever cancelled by the
anttypical Priest, Of whom the Proph-
ct David wrote, "The Lord hath sworn,
and will not repent, Thou art a priest
for the age after the order Of Mel
chizedek"-a kingly priest on the spirit
plane psalm cx. A..
What Atonement Signifies
The word Atonement or At-one-ment
signifies the bringing of persons alien
ated or estranged back into harmony,
sympathy, union. Many are perplexed
at the doctrine of blood-atonement so
prominently set forth In the Bible. The
shedding of blood is naturally revolt
ing and properly 80. 1t seems strange,
therefore, to those who do not under
stand the philosophy Of the Divine
Plan Of Salvation, why God should
have required a blood-atonement for
sin. Sometimes the very people who
object to blood-atonement believe some
thing much more awful-that an atone
ment for sin can be effected by hun
dreds or thousands of years of most
terrible torture. Some believe even
worse than this-that an everlasting
torment penalty for sin will be exacted
Of all except the sanity few of hui
manity. How inconsistent and illogi-
cal we have all been In our reasoning
upon religious subjects!
In Scriptural usage blood stands for,
or represents, the life. In harmony
with this is our ordinary use Of the
word. We read, "The blood Of Jesus
Christ our Lord cleanseth us from all
sin" Here the word blood stands for
death, or rather, for the merit of the
sacrifcial death of Jesus. His death
would have been equally eflcacious as
mans Ransom-P Price If his side had not
been pierced. 1t would have been
equally meritorious If he had died In
any other manner, except that he was
to take the place Of the sinner to the
very last degree-as the Mosaic Law
declares. Cursed is everyone that
hangeth upon q tree" thus branding
crucihxion as the most ignominious
form of death.
But why should God require the
death Of a victim as q basis for the
forgiveness Of the sins Of Adam and
his race? We reply that Gods Law
was intended to be an illustration Of
the exactness Of Divine Justice. JUS
tice could not punish Adam nor his
children with everlasting torture or
any other of the horrible things we
once imagined The severest penalty |
Of the Divine Law is represented In |
our common law, which, as an extreme |
penalty, requires the death Of the |
transgressor. Adam. having been sen |
fenced TO death, would have had no
future opportunity for life-neither by |
resurrection nor otherwise. Adams |
children, sharing his weaknesses, would |
have had no opportunity TO regain life, |
because justice Is Interchangeable. II it |
was just to condemn sin, it would be
injustice to rescind the penalty and |
set the culprit free. Divine Love has
provided a way by which Adam and |
his children are all to be freed from
death and have an opportunity of eter-
nal hfe-not by violating the require
ments Of Divine Justice, but by fulfill
ing them. Hence in due time, the |
man Christ Jesus died for the man
Adam, to cancel his sin, to satisfy his
penalty. And since his sin and pen
atty have been inherited by his chill
dren. the one sacrifice for sin is suffi-
cient for all.
The work Of atonement is not COM
pleted The first half of atonement
is the satisfaction of Justice. But
even this part is not yet completed.
The Redeemer presents his sacrifice
in two parts, according to the type.
The first effusion of his blood spoke