The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-08-16

because of his glorious character, for
which his namcsake Let me quote
to you this remarkably clear state
ment of the Divine purposes future;
and let us notice that it is emphatic
ally declared that the ones to be re-
stored and blessed are the very ones
who perished in the days Of Lot We
read
"Sodom thy sister hath not done
as thou hast done Be
hold. this was the iniquity of thy sis
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
abomination before me; therefore l
took them away as saw good. [God
did not see good to take them to hell
of eternal torture; but he did see good
to destroy them and to make them an
example of the destruction Of all uld'
mately displeasing to him after enjoy
Ing knowledge of his grace and an
opportunity for eternal life.]
"Thou also which hast condemned
thy sister nations bare thine own
shame for thy sins. They are more
righteous than thou tas Jesus de-
clared). When | shall bring again their
captivity [bring them from the prison
house of DEATH then will l
bring again the captivity of thy cap
tives in the midst of them: that thou
mayest bear thine own shame and
mayest be confounded in all that thou
hast done. in that thou art q 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 | 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
the glorious terms of that New Cove
nentl Jeremiah XXI, 81.
"Then thou shalt remember thy
ways and be ashamed when thou shalt
receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy
younger: and | will give them unto
thee for daughters. but not by thy
| Covenant [not under your present
Law Covenant. but under the New
Law Covenant and its better Media
tori that thou mayest re-
member and be confounded and never
open thy mouth any more, because of
thy shame. when | am pacified toward
thee for all that thou hast done, saith
the Lord God" ezekiel xvi. 1863.
Length and Breadth - Height and
Depth.
How wonderful 1t at first seems to
us to find that we really have a good
kind, loving God, and not an unmerci-
full and vengeful one! So grossly were
we deceived respecting his character
by the traditions handed down from
the past, that we gave him the rev.
erence of fear. rather than that of
love and devotion. The clearer light
comes to us as fresh revelation OF
the meaning OF the Apostles words
when he wrote about lengths and
breadths and heights and depths OF
love of God. which passeth all under.
standing"
The words Of the Lord through the
prophet come to our minds, Fear moi
their fear, neither be afraid" "Thell
fear of me Is not of me. but is taught
by the precepts of man" "As the
heavens are higher than the earth, sc
are my ways higher than your ways
and my plans higher than your plans
oh. Thank God that 1t is SOL To al
eternity we shall praise God that hC
did not allow our forefathers to make
him or change his character. Yes, ant
he Is the same yesterday, today ant
forever. He changes not. The great
wise, just, loving plan for the saliva
ton of mankind which he is now car
rying out was the very one (which h'
purposed in himself before the worlt
was created" The plan of selecting
the Church through fiery trials, through
the stralgh- gate and narrow way, fo
nineteen centuries, was what he pur
posed in advance; for the Apostle say'
that he foreEnew the Church in Christ
Likewise the times of restitution
soon TO come for the world of mankint
he foreknew ana predestinnted, anC
made all the arrangements for, Just al
they are being carried out now. Th,
end will be glorious, His name viii
shine resplendently when the mist
have cleared away, and when the SUI
OF Righteousness shall arise with heal
ing in his beams, scattering all tn,
darkness and degradation of sin ant
superstition,
"Then wen see what God hath wrought
Then Wen praise him. praise him as W
ought"
"To You 1t Is Given"
,, We are we'll aware that only the fey
can see the beauties OF this subject n
we see them. We are aware that onl.