The Detroit times., 1910-06-29

whom He Is calling out OF the world
OF mankind 10 be associated with Him
In His Millennial Kingdom soon 10 he
inaugurated. Let Us remember that
sometimes this class Is spoken or as
Including, nominally, not merely the
sanity, the wheat class. but also. 70
some extent, the tares. as shown IN
Iour study OF last week. These differ
Iont p parable-pictures represent the
same subject from different stand
points. just as We take a photograph
OF building from the north. the
south, the cas-. and the west, inter
nally and externally.
| AS 4 mustard seed Is very small. yet
produces a large bush. so that the
fowls OF the air may lodge In It's
branches. so this illustrates how the
gospel OF the Kingdom would, from a
small beginning, attain 70 a consid
cradle size The mustard would not
be great among the trees, but great
among bushes or heritage. Thus the
message OF Christ received at first
only by the poor and the few OF Israel
has finally grown TO such important
dimensions that the fowls like 10
gather In its branches. But let ps
remember that the fowls, according
70 our Lords Interpretation OF a
previous parable, represent the ser
wants of the Wicked One. So then the
teaching OF this parable would lead
uc TO conclude that the Church of
Christ, at one time. was so unimpor-
tant IN the world that II was shame
and a dishonor TO belong to il. but that
ultimately II would become honorable
and great and the Adversary's ser
wants would have pleasure In It's
shade. This development the Scrip
lures represent as being Babylon, de-
Clearing that, as a whole, with the vari-
Gus branches and denominations. the
nominal Church OF Christ is Babylon
ish. Hearken to the Lords words
she has become the hold OF every
| foul spirit and the cage of every un
clean and hateful bird" (Revelation
l1S:2) The intimation Is that there
is a large outward development OF the
Church which is not to her advantage
and glory but contrariwise. Neverthe
less. this is, nominally, the Church Of
Christ. However his spirit may have
been misrepresented and there may
have been an improper development
ultimately the great Head OF the
Church will bring order out OF chaos
and confusion and will glorify and use
his elect"
| The parable OF the "1eaven" ". 33)
| illustrates the process by which, az
was foretold, the Church would get
into the wrong condition. As a wo
man would take her batch OF -four fol
baking and put leaven (yeest) In Il
and the result would be that the mas.
would become leavened. so Il woult
be with the Church of Christ: the toot
Of the entire household would become
leavened or corrupted. Every portion
would become more or less vitiatet
with the leaven OF false doctrines
which would permeate the entire
mass. Thus today nearly every doc
trine inculcated by Jesus and His
Apostles has become more or less per
verted or twisted by the errors OF the
dark ages.
The desirability OF obtaining Joint
heirship with Christ in his Millennial
Kingdom, Is pictured in the parable OF
the treasure hidden In the field" The
finder, realizing its value, desired II
for himself and had such faith In II
that he disposed of all of his property
In order TO buy that field, which he be.
lieved to contain the precious treasure
Only those who will appreciate the
Gospel message will gain It's glorious
promises. II We love the present life
with its joys and prospects, its hopes
and ambition, then we will labor for
these, but IL we intelligently hear and
by faith. believe the Gospel offer OF
this age OF share with Christ In
his Millennial Kingdom, then In pro
portion to our faith and appreciation
will be our self-sacrificing zeal to at.
tain that prize. Whoever believes the
message OF the Kingdom will find his
faith an inspiration indeed a necessary
inspiration, to the attainment OF the
prize. for 1t will cost all that he has
OF earthly blessings; and unless he
has faith that he will find the prize
he viii surely be unwilling to sacrifice
all he has for IL. The field belongs ia
God. He has put the treasure there
He offers II for sale TO any willing to
pay the price. The buyer is the Lord
and those who accept His invitation
to join with Him In the sacrifice OF
their earthly interests that they may
be sharers with Him in His heavenly
glories-in the work OF the Millennial
Age, to unearth all that treasure in
the blessing OF the world of mankind.
The hiding OF the treasure Is neces-
sary; as our Lord said, Cast not your
pearls before swine" they Will not
understand you. they will think you
foolish, and In their disappointment
may do you injury. Hast thou faith.
have II TO myself before God" Make
your sacrifice of earthly things to Him
and He who seeth In secret will re-
ward you openly.
Pearls were much more in vogue In
ancient times than now. Pearl buyers
traded In these gems and carried
them TO the market, where they were
highly estimated. The parable repre-
sents one OF these pearl merchants
as coming across III finest pearl he
had ever seen. He considered IL so
priceless that he was quite rejoiced to
sell or trade all of his other pearls
and property, that he might become
the owner OF that pearl
This parable represents the Gospel
offer OF a share with Christ I'm His
Kingdom as being superior to- all other
propositions In the world The honors
OF the world. OF name and fame, posi-
ton and wealth, are indeed desirable
as the Scriptures say. "A good name Is
rather 10 be chosen than great riches"
but when our eyes behold the pearl
oil great price, the Kingdom offer of