The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-16

{ Some might ask, Would not even
that have been better than the Divine
| arrangement as we see it operating
now, that the whole race should suf-
fer for one mans disobedience? We
answer, No! Not according to the tes-
timony of the Scriptures. The Bible
shows us that while this law of retri-
button has worked such terrible havoc
In Adam and his race for now 5000
years-while 20,000,000,0O0 have been
born In sin and sorrow and pain and
after few years of trouble have died
In sorrow and pain, nevertheless In
Gods due time all of these shall have
more favorable opportunities Of know
ing OF Gods true character and of at
tanning to a full character development
In his likeness during the Millennial
| Age. This means that probably more
will gain eternal life and blessing I'M
der the divine arrangement as we have
! 1t than we could reasonably expect
would have been saved had the Lord
not provided this law of heredity and
condemnation Of all, but on the con-
trary had permitted each to be born
In perfection and to stand his trial as
between loyalty to God with the re-
| ward of eternal life or disobedience
punished with death. But we shall
| see that 1t means much more than this.
] Condemned In one-Redeemed by One.
| A great economic law Is connected
with the divine arrangement The
condemnation Of race In one mans
loins because of his transgression
made possible the divine arrangement
that a Second Man should pay the
penalty for the first and redeem both
him and all who were In him at the
time Of his condemnation. This is at
once a demonstration of Divine Wis
| dom and of Divine Justice. Suppose,
for instance. that the law of heredity
| had not prevailed. had not been in
stituted by our Lord, but that each
| individual had come forth perfect and
had been personally placed on trial
! and been personally condemned to
DEATH Would it not have required an
Individual savior for each one con-
demned under such an arrangement?
! Surely 1t would. Hence. had one-half
of the race proven themselves sinners
and been personally condemned it
would either have been necessary to
avoid redemption altogether or to re-
deem the sinner half of the race, by
giving a life for life-a perfect be-
ing's sacrifice for or instead Of each
imperfect life. Estimating the total
number Of our race at 10000, 100000,
Justice would have been obliged to
require 10000,00e.000 Of perfect be-
ings to be offered as the ransom price
for the 1O.OOO,O0O,000 Of sinners.
Under the very best estimate that
we can possibly make, this would
have required the death Of all the
perfect ones of the race as redeemers
for all the imperfect members Of the
race, and what q havoc that would
have implied-with just as many dy-
ing as under present conditions, name
ly, one-half as sinners and the other
half as redeemers, ransoms. Besides,
we perceive that 1t would not have
been just on the part Of the Almighty
to compel the righteous ones to suf-
fer for the unrighteous as their re-
deemers. hence there would have been
no assurance even then that any but
q fraction Of the sinner race would
have been redeemed. On the contrary,
how wise. conservative and ecOnom-
lcal was the Divine arrangement that
by one mans disobedience under the
laws Of heredity the many would be
born sinners and sharers in his pen
atty, death. and that then In due time
one Savior. one perfect one, the imam
Christ Jesus" might redeem Adam
and, redeeming him, redeem all Of
his race from the death sentence, the
curse. the wrath Of God, and as
result of the redemption obtain the
right, the authority, the power during
his MilIennial Kingdom and In asso-
citation with his glorified Church Of
the Gospel Age. to bless all the fam
lies of the earth and to uplift as
many as would be willing out Of all
their ignorance, weakness and sinful
and dying conditions to all that was
lost in Adam.
We have seen that In harmony with
the Divine law it would not have
been just for the Heavenly Father to
obligate the righteous to die for sin
ners and that hence the redemption of
the sinners would, have been prob
lematical-very doubtful. But on the
contrary the Heavenly Father well
knew in advance the loyalty of his
First-Begotten, his only Begotten, who
is declared to have been the "begin-
ming of the creation of God" Revela-
ton iii, 14. He knew not only of Jesus
loyalty but that his experiences with
him in glory would every way qualify
our Lord for the tests and the sacrifices
necessary for the redemption of the
race with his own precious blood.
The Scriptures assure us furthermore
that the Father set before him some
certain joys. certain blessings, certain
promises, in connection with this work
Of mans redemption; as we read,
"Who for the JOY set before him en-
dured the cross. despising the shame.
and Is now set down on the right hand
Of the majesty on high" Qhebrews
XII. p.
Retributive Joys and Rewards.
We are to remember, too, that the
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