The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-05-26

Divine arrangements. But he mas not
succeeded. God has merely allowed
him to prove, test, separate and mani
fest the saintS-the very elect
A Great Time of Trouble.
1.-THE coming of the light, the loos-
ing Of the letters of ignorance and
superstition from the minds that are
not submitted to God. the Scriptures
show us, will result in a great time of
trouble, in which the passions of men
but partially enlightened will do great
violence to the entire social fab
ric. We see the preliminary steps
already being taken. and. in the light
Of the Scriptures, we see the awful
catastrophe which will result. The
world is rapidly resolving itself into
two mighty powers, selfshly and with
acknowledgements preparing for
headlong collision which will mean
wreck and ruin, tribulation and an
guish, to practically the whole world.
The Bible, in calling attention to this
great time of trouble. warns the peo-
pie of God, so far as possible to avoid
both sides of the controversy, saying,
Seek meekness; seek righteousness,
it may be that we shall be hid in the
day of the Lords anger (Zephaniah
ii, 81. With the wreck of present in
situations comes the end of Satan's
regime. SO terrible will be the heat of
passion and strife engendered at that
time that the Scriptures declare that
if it were not for the Elect there
would be no flesh saved Mark Kit.
20. The interpositiOn of the Elect as
the Kingdom of God under Jesus. the
great King and Head of the Elect. is
the silver lining to that dark cloud.
The moment of mans extremity will be
come the moment of Gods opportunity.
$50 terrible will be that time of trOu-
BILE that the Scriptures symbO.icaliy
represent it as n whirlwind; as a flood;
and as fire. Some have mis-interpret-
ed these Scriptures and are expecting
a literal burning OF the earth, but the
Lord denOminateS it the fire of his ieal-
ousy.' which will dcvour Society. And
then he tells us that following the fire
of trouble he will turn to the people q
pure message that they may all call
upon the name of the Lord to serve
him with one consent Zephaniah iii. 81.
Satan has had much to do with cor
rupting the message originally given to
the Church by Jesus and the Apostles.
The jarring creeds have made dis
cordant sounds which have driven
many noble and logical hearts away
from the Bible Gods assurance is
that the completion of the Church is
near; that her change to the heavenly
glory in the First Resurrection will
soon be accomplished and that then
the reign of SIN and DEATH will end
under the Kingdom of Jesus. Then
the bondage of the world to ignorance.
superstition. etc, will terminate; then
all the blind eyes will be opened and
all the deaf ears will be unstOpped and
the Lords pure message of Divine
Justice, Divt,e Love. Divine Wisdom
and Divine Power eXerted on mans
behalf shall be made known to every
creature.
'FellOw-ChriStians, what an incen-
five to become more and more loyal
and earnest as the servants of so great
and gracious a SovereiTnty-that of
our Father and our Redeemer. And
what an incentive we have to seek
first, in preference to all earthly inter
eSts, a share with our Savior in his
Millcnnial Kingdom and its gracious
work of human uplift--frOm the depths
Of sin and degradation to the heights
Of earthly perfection and eternal life!
Let us, as the Apostle eXhorts. lay
aside every weight. and the sin that
does so easily heset us, and let us run
with patience the race set before us
Hebrews xii. ~ This race is for the
crown of glory as members of the
Elect Missionary Church and for the
glorious opportunities then to be af
fOrded for the realization Of the most
glorious dreams of service for the King
of kings and Lord of lords.
I'VE cannot suppose that Satans
Empire is entirely satisfactory to him
self. Undoubtedly his original thought
was the organization of realm reSem-
bling that Of the Almighty. But the
course Of sin is ever downward To
obtain control Of our first parents they
were misled into steps Of disobedience
-sin-and the Adversary himself. hav
ing started upon the wrong course, can
maintain his own standing and king
dom only by determined opposition to
Jehovah. This is the significance of
the name given him in the Scriptures
Adversary
1.-THE Scriptures set forth that all hui
mainly must, either now or some time,
come to the point of decision between
obedience to God and disobedence.
The obedient will be guided back to
ultimate harmony with the Creator
and obtain the reward of life eternal
On the contrary, the disobedient, the
wilfully rehellious against God and his
righteous arrangement. taking the
course of Satan. will ultimately share
his fate-destruCtion
Responsibility and the decision as
to life eternal and death eternal, come
to each member of Adams race as
soon as he is brought into a clear
knowledge of the Truth. This privi
lege of coming to a knowledge of the
Truth the opportunity of eternal sal