The Detroit times., 1910-07-16

|IMAIlos New IOihs piCoNhSu AAOhh eAAS
above text He said In part:
In order 20 use q telescope 10 ad-
vantage we need first to obtain a
proper focus on the object 10 be ex'
amined. And so IL Is with the Divine
plan and purpose. Looking At II with
the eye OF faith through the telescope
OF Gods word, adjustment OF the To-
Gus Is necessary. This focusing OF the
word, Christian people In the past
4 have very generally overlooked. AS a
result the divine plan has a blurred
and indistinct appearance to our sight.
The various word-pictures, symbols
types, aliegories and plain statements
OF the scriptures without this focusing
together. make a very unsatisfactory
and nondescript matter of the gospel
4 OF Christ, one that is unsatisfactory to
everybody, one that the learned OF our
day have repudiated entirely--an am
blguous collation. that Is a source OF
vexation to millions Of Gods conse-
Grated people. The difflculty Is that
the telescope was tempered with dur
Ing the dark ages and the proper To-
Gus was lost Since then Christian
people have feared to readjust L..
They have gloried In the fact that
they never changed the focus. How
ever. they have overlooked the fact
that some one else did change 1t for
them long ago and that the unsatis-
factory view we have gotten Is the
result OF this and is entirely out OF
accord with the clear and beautiful
vision Of Gods grace and truth and
mercy and love and wisdom and
power as seen by the apostles In
the early church.
International Bible Students Assoeia-
ton.
Some OF us, dear friends, instead Of
throwing away the telescope OF the
word OF God, are taking pleasure In
cleaning the lenses OF the dust of
the dark eyes and adjusting the focus
(. BY careful endeayor to speak where
the word OF God speaks and to be
silent where II Is silent, and to bring,
as the apostle suggests, our every
thought into captivity TO the will Of
God ia Christ as outlined In the Bible.
The result, we all can testify. Is not
only comforting, but happifying; not
only enllghtening. but refreshing.
Truly. as the apostle suggests, we
have come to Times of refreshing
from the presence OF the Lord" And
all this. we perceive, Is exactly what
the scriptures foretold, namely, that a
falling away aud darkening OF the I'M
derEtanding would follow the death OF
the apostles, but that in the end or
the age the darkness would begin TO
scatter before the oncoming light Of
the sun of righteousness, In the morn
ing OF the new dispensation OF Mes
sIah's reign.
Ia accord with all this. note the
y fact that for centuries we have been
overlooking certain scriptures while
accepting others We accepted the
APOSTLES statement In our text re-
srecting the reconciliation of the
church, but we overlooked entirely
other scriptures which speak OF a
still different reconciliation-"God
through Christ reconciling the world
INTO himself" Gil. Corinthians v, 19).
We should have noted the difference
between the church and the world In
this and many other passages of
scripture We should have remem-
bered the Lords words. Eye are not
OF the world. even as I am not OF the
world" We should have seen that
hthe salvation and reconciling OF the
church liz one thing and the salvation
and reconciiing of the world Is quite
another thing: that these are two diff
ferent salvations--the first to heaven
w., spiritual conditions and joint-hear.
ship with Christ In his kingdom: the
other TO an earthly inheritance, to
earthly perfection and life everlasting
and an Eden that is to be worldwide
Paradise restored. Gods footstool
made glorious.
Gods Purposes 20 BE Accomplished.
Nevertheless nothing has been lost.
No feature OF the divine plan has
been thwarted. for these two saliva
tons do not progress at the same
time. During this gospel age, none
are saved, nor DESTROYS to be saved.
except those drawn OF the Father"
called ~ God" These have been
privileged TO approach God through
the Son, whose name is "the only
name given under heaven or amongst
men whereby we must be savedl'
fActs Nv, 12). Only those who take
mp their cross and follow the lamb
through evil report and good report.
faithful unto death. can now be spirit
\ begotten In the resurrection. these
Will be spirit-born. members OF the
Bride OF Christ the lambs wife and
joint-heir with him In his kingdom.
10 does not matter TO the remainder
Of mankind that they have been al
lowed TO remain In ignorance OF the
great fact that God Is about to pour
ont upon humanity a great blessing;
nbout to pour out His holy spirit
lipon all classes; about to establish
the Kingdom OF his dear Son for
which we pray. Thy kingdom come"
about 90 cause the knowledge Of the
Lord to Ill the whole earth; about
20 give 10 every son and daughter OF
Adam one full fair. righteous oppor-
fnnIty to come TO a knowledge OF the
truth that they may be saved.
~ the knowledge OF Gods grace has
proven to be a grand, glorious, inspir-
Ing message TO the sanctifled In Christ
Jesus, the church Of. this gospel age.
called 10 the heavenly calling. will not
the message OF reconciliation TO the
world. insdae, time, likewise bring to
the world comfort, JOY, blessing as
they shall be Invited TO the earthly
portion-@fo full restitution 60 human
perfectiof-tc all that was lost by
Adam and that II to be recovered by
the sacrifice OF Jesus. No wonder the
scrlpturek. assure Us that the night OF
weeping is nearly over and the morn.
Ing OF JOY already dawning! No won