The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-18

stance, the Bible, after telling us of
the completion of the Church now
espoused TO the Lord and after her
marriage or union with him at his
Second Coming, as "the Bride, the
Lambs Wife," tells that then the
| Spirit and the Bride shall say. Come
and wbOsoever will may come and take
OF the water of life freely" Qtevelatlon
xii. III.
All. yes. we failed disastrously to
keep the Apostles command, "Study
to show tbyself approved unto God, u
workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word OF
Truth III Timothy II. l5I. We failed
to thus divide the Truth and TO note
the portion applicable now and the
other portion applicable during the
Millennium. Thank God, we are not
yet too old to learn. We surely have
been thoroughly sIckened by our mis-
taken interpretations of the past,
which made nonsense OF both the doc
trlnes--Election and Free Grace-and
worse than this. DETAINED and villhed
our Heavenly Father, "the God of all
Grace"
In the light now shining we may see
that the terms of the Divine election
of the Church are In every sense of the
word without partia!ity, except as re-
CARDS character and faithfuness.
Those now called with the heavenly
calling TO be of "the elect" are indeed
invited to eternal life on the spirit
plane, to be like unto the angels. but
more exalted. while the opportunities
TO be granted TO the world In general
during the Millennium will be inferior,
earthly, restitutionary-ye grand (Acts
iii, 1921. But this difference of re-
ward is counterbalanced by the Sc
verer trials and teGtlngs of those now
called TO be of the elect. They must
walk by faith and not by sight. They
must take up their cross and follow
the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
They must count their lives not dear
unto them, but willingly sacrifice their
earthly interests that they may be par
ticipators with their Redeemer in glo-
ry, honor and Immortality, and in his
great work of the Millennlum-th
blessing of the world of marSind with
upllft
Cannot we all, CongregationaIists
Presbyterians and Methodists. and all
others of Gods people, unite as one
body upon this Scriptural hypothesis?
Are we not satisfied with the terms of
this election-that they are sufficiently
stringent to exclude ali except the
sanity? Hearken TO the Apostles dec
laration, which we once so grievously
misunderstood: He says of Gods cleo
ton, Whom he did foreknow he also
did predestinate TO be conformed to
the image Of his Son." In other words,
when our Heavenly Father foreknew
and predetermined to gather an elect
Church as the Bride of Christ, he also
predetermined that none could be
members of it unless they attained
through faith and obedience in the
School of Christ character-likeness of
Jesus-heart likeness to him-hence, as
nearly as possible, an obedience of the
flesh to his Law.
Surely no one will claim that any
but little flock has ever attained to
this honored conditions; hence our for
mer ideas respecting the non-elect
would consign the majority of our
families. neighbors, friends aud all
the heather, TO endless woe. But now
how differently we see In Gods Word
that the elect class Is selected In ad.
vance. that In Gods due time, with
the Redeemer. 1t may bless every crea-
ture with fullest opportunity to return
to human perfection In n Paradise re-
gained-restored during the Millenni-
um. This proposition of the Scrip.
lures includes those who have gone
down TO the prison-house of death
into Sheol, into Hadcs, both the evil
and the good. All shall then know,
from the least TO the greatest, that
Jesus Christ, by the grace Of God,
tasted death for every man." They
shall know that the redeeming blood
was not shed in vain. but will secure
TO each member of Adams race, not
eternal life. but an opportunity to at
tain eternal life-elther on the heaven.
ly plane during this Age or on the
earthly plane during the Millennium.
address you, dear friends, not from
sectarian standpoint, hut from a
Federation standpoint; yea, more than
this, from the standpoint of those who
desire to be doctrlnally, as well as out.
wardly, In agreement with the Lord
and with each other. Have we not, In
this beautiful election of the Bible, the
basis for the grandest of all hopes, the
highest of all ambitlons--to be 'heirs
OF God and jolntshelrs with Jesus
Christ our Lord?' Can we want more
than this for ourselves? And does 1t
not enhance the glory of this prize to
have the prospect of conquering the
world for Jesus and for the Father
during the Millennium, in the only
way In which 1t ever can be conquered
Gods way?
Is 1t not for this Kingdom that our
Redcemer taught us TO pray, "Thy
Kingdom come; thy will be done on
an 10 In "A