Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-26

A4A1ids 4 TO- 4 1os -H
Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle preach
ed twice here today in our largest au-
xiitorium to the Bible Students Con
vention." The large audience seemed
deeply interested. He said
Some apply the first text only and
think of the Divine Program as being
merely an endeavor to rescue mankind
from sin and death to righteousness
and eternal life In the present time.
Such as hold this view are much con
fused, because it must be acknowl-
edged that comparatively little has
been done. or is now being done, for
mans uplift. After six thousand years
IL is still true that The whole world
lieth in the Wicked One;;" Darkness
covers the earth and gross darkness
the heather" In order to have any
confidence at all In this theory those
who hold 1t are obliged to greatly low
-er their standards. They are forced to
hope tina God will admit millions of
unfit people. crude, rude. ignorant and
wicked to eternal life and happiness,
or perchance provide for them Purga-
torial experiences. TO make them mt.
righteous and acceptable for life eter-
nal. AS a whole. Christian people are
greatly bewildered. The tendency of
their "bewilderment is toward doubt.
skepticism. atheism.
The other view briefly stated is that
God never intended the salvation Of
the world. but merely the salvation OF
the Church. elect according to the fore
knowledge of God through sanctifica-
ton of the Spirit and belief In the
Truth. Those who hold this theory
have great confusion also, because 1t
seems ineomprehensible that God
would make no provision for thou
sands of millions OF Adams race. but
arrange for them to be born In sin,
shapen in iniquity. and to go down to
the tomb tor worse) without a clear
knowledge Of God and his purposes
and will respecting them.
As we have already frequently set
forth. both OF the described theories
are The Scriptures set
forth two salvations. entirely separate
and distinct. They are different as re-
spects time, in that the one salvation
began TO be spoken by our Lord" at
his First Advent. and began to be APP
plicable to his Church at Pentecost,
and will wholly cease at his Second
Coming in the end of this Age. The
other salvation peither applied before
our Lords First Advent nor during
this Gospel Age. but will apply to all
mankind, except the Church, during
the Millennium-the thousand years
Of the reign of Christ and the Church,
specially designed for the blessing of
the world and its uplifting out of sin
and death conditions.
These two salvations are distinctly
different as to kind, as we'll as respects
their plan of operation. The salvation
of the Church during this Gospel Age
since Pentecost-means not only a
deliverance from sin and death condi-
tons to eternal life, but provides that
the eternal life will be on the heaven.
Iy or spiritual plane and not on the
earthly or human plane OF existence
Thus the Apostle declares that our lin.
heritance is i~ncorruptible and unde.
fled and fadeth not away and is re
EtINtu III utdN eli III US NJ 4 hNp'
by the power OF God through faith
unto salvation" Il Peter /. 4, ~. our
Lord also told that In the resurrection
we shall be like unto the angels. The
Apostle also declares that ultimately
we shall be partdkers OF the divine
nature and like our Lord and Redeem
er.
Hence. all who participate in this
salvation of this Gospel Age are Scrip
furally spoken of as New Creatures il
Christ Jesus. whose citizenship is II
heaven" II , are assured that a.
the Lords Second Coming they vii
constitute the First Resurrection class
They are guaranteed that only tbs
blessed and holy will have part there
in. and that all participating in tina
First Resurrection will be Roya
Priests unto God and unto Christ, ant
reign with him a thousand years CRev
aation Xxx, O.. They are assured tina
the transformation Of mind whicl
they now experience through the be
getting of the holy Spirit will, in thei
resurrection, result in a complet
transformation, providing them Wit
spirit bodies. Thus it is written o
their resurrection, 1T is sown in weak
ness; it is raised in power; 1t is sow
ia |dishonor: it is raised in glory; 1t /
sown an animal body; it is raised
spiritual body q Corinthians XIV, AZ
a.. OF those who will share In th
Church's salvation the Apostle says
"We shall not all sleep, but must a
be changed" because flesh and bloc
cannot inherit the Kingdom OF God
a Corinthians XIV. 80, 51).
The worlds salvation which will TO
low will be wholly different from thii
1t will not include a change Of natur
from earthly to spirit nature. 1t wi
mean a rescue from sin and death I
the earthly perfection Of the origins
man, in the Image and likeness