The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-20

leased and come forth during the me-
diatorial reign of Messiah to enjoy
share of the blessings then to be pour
ed out upon Israel and the world; and
to have an opportunity of coming into
harmony with God and gaining eternal
life. But we know that straightway
somebody will say, No, Pastor Russell,
that would be a second chance, and
chance to any. Furthermore it would
be be-littleing to the Divine Govern
ment to suppose that God, after giving
one fair trial to man and reaching
decision would conclude to give him
another trial. as though Divine Justice
were unable to determine the worthi-
ness or unworthiness of the individual
for eternal life in one trial or testing.
We fully agree with this sentiment,
but call attention to the fact that the
Sodomites did not enjoy one trial for
life. They and all mankind were
"born in sin, shapen in iniquity; in sin
did their mothers conceive them"
They We're born under the sentence,
dying thou shalt die Neither they
nor anyone else, therefore. could be
placed upon trial for a future life ever
lasting or death everlasting, until re-
leased from the original sentence of
death under which all were born. And
no release from that death sentence
was granted to anybody until the Re-
deemer came and died, "tFle Just for
the unjust" that, "as by man came
death, by man also might come the
resurrection of the dead.
Only those, therefore, who have been
born since Jesus day could be released
from the original penalty, or could be
placed on trial for life or death eter-
nal. Only the church. therefore, ac-
cepts this proposition. To this agrees
the words of the Apostle, eff we sin
wilfully after that we have come to
knowledth of the Truth. there remain
eth no more sacrifice for sin (such hav-
ing enjoyed and misused their share Of
the original sacrifce) nothing but a
fearful looking forward to of judgment
(sentence) and fiery indignation, which
will devour the adversaries of God-in
the Second Death Hebrews x, 26). The
Sodomites, therefore, did not enjoy any
chance of eternal life. They knew not
1.-The only name given under heaven or
saved" Not only so. but the majority
of mankind since Jesus day have never
heard the Gospel in the true sense of
the word hearing Trey have never
understood, never appreciated, it fully,
rightly.
More TolerabIe for Sodomites.
1t may astonish some 10 knssw that
Jesus, speaking of the judgment or
trial of the world during the coming
age, during his Mediatoria1 Kingdom,
declared that that trial would be less
severe upon the Sodomites than upon
some of those people to whom he
preached. who would also have a share
in the opportunities of that great epoch
IAN opportunity. with the SoGolnites, af
reconciliation to God and the attain
ment of eternal life. His words were,
Woe unto you Cnorazzin and Bethsaida,
for if the mighty works which have been
done in you had been done in Soiom
and G0morrah, they would have re-
pented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Therefore I say unto you, 1t shall be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in
the day of judgment Cthe worlds trial
time, the Miliennium) than for you
Matthew ii, o. 23.) What more could
we ask upon this subject? What high
er authority could be invoked than the
Great Judge himself?
It will not do to say that Jesus did
not refer to the same lfcentious Sod
omites mentioned by st. Jude in our
text. It will not do to say that Jesus
meant some Sodomites living in his
day, because there were none The
Master distinctly tells US that "the
same day that Lot went out of Sodom
it rained down fire and birthstone from
heaven and destroyed them alp (Luke
xvii, 29). When our Lord declares
that cit shall be more tolerable for
Sodom in the day of judgment than
for Capernaum'' and the other cities
in which he preached, he implies that
it will still be tolerabIe for those peo-
pie who heard him and who rejected
his message.
"sodom thy sister hath not done
as thou hast done Be
hold, this was the iniquity of thy sis
ter Sodom, pride, fulness of bread,
and abundance of idleness was to her,
neither did she strengthen the
hand of the poor and the needy. And
they were naughty, and committed
abornination before me; therefore
took them away as I sew good. [God
did not see good to take them to he'll
Of eternal torture; but he did see good
to destroy them and to make them an
example of the destruction of all ulti-
mately displeasing to him after enjoy
ing a knowledge of his grace and an
opportunity for eternal 1ife.l
sThou also which hast condemned
thy sister nations bare thine own
shame for thy sins. They are more
righteous than thou (as Jesus de-
clared). When shall bring again their
captivity [bring them from the prison
house of DEATH then will I
bring again the captivity of thy cap
mayest bear thine own shame and
mayest be COMPOUNDED in all that thou
hast done, in that thou art a comfort
unto them. When thy sisters Sodom
and her daughters shall return to their
former estate, and Samaria and her
daughters return to their former es-
tate, then thou and thy daughters
shall return to your former estate
> will remember my covenant
with thee in the days of thy youth
and 1 will establish unto them an
everlasting Covenant 1.-THE New Law
Covenant of which Messiah is the
Mediator and which, under his Media
torial Kingdom shall bless Israel and
all who will come into Israel under