The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-02-07

neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid
Isaiah vii. ~. \
ooO.-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s- -s-.-.-...-.-.-.-.-.-.-s.C
J difrerents; (4) Seekers after god1iness
/ 5) The true Church. 'the sanctified In
Christ Jesus" q Corinthians, /, 2)--
members of the Body of Christ
prospective members of the Church
Triumphant.
Fishtines Without and Within.
Every member Of 'the Church of the
flrst-born" was called ito suffer with
Christ" that he may he also later glori-
fled with him in the Milennihl King
dom. only those who will stand the
test of faithfulness under sufferlngs,
trials, crosses, self-sacrinces, have the
promise of sharing with Christ the
glores of the Church Triumphant.
IF we be dead with him. we shall
also live with him; II we suffer with
him, we shall also reign with him. II
we deny him, lie also will deny us"
QI Timothy II, II, 12).
But why should the Church fight?
Is she not commended to live peace
ably with all? Are not Christians ex-
horted to war not with carnal weapons
and TO be smltten on both cheeks.
rather than to return evil for evil?
Where, then, comes in the fight? Who
are the foes? Surely none would as
sail a non-resistant!
We reply that the facts do not bear
4 .,1 I,t..
apostles Were peacenble and non-re-
sistalr, obedlent TO kings and laws,
and yet they suffered violent deaths,
as well as stripes and Imprisonment.
They had their names cast out as evil.
And those who prosecuted and ma
ligned them verify thought that they
did God service. All who follow I'm
the Lords footsteps must expect siml-
lar treatment, because, as Jesus said,
THE servant Is not greater than his
Lord" Marvel not, IL the world hate
you, ye know that 1t hated me before
1t hated you. III ye were Of the world.
the world would love his own: but be-
cause ye are not of the world, but
have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you" (John
Xviii, Is, 19). The Master slid, "The
darkness hateth the light" which ex-
plains why the chief religlonists of
his time. being of wrong condition of
heart instigated his crucihxion. They
were of the darkness, living outwardly
holy, while in heart they were far
from consecrated to God. The very
holding up of the torch of Truth was
painful to them, reproved them and
excited their animosity. Human ma
ture Is the same today. Notwlthstand-
Ing the fact that heretic-roasting has
become unpopular and intolerable TO
the world, there are methods of pri-
vately and symbollcally roasting,
slashing. wOundlng and killing prac-
tised by those estranged from God,
though sometimes highly esteemed of
men and wearing vestments only
slightly less glorious than those worn
by Caiaphas and PLATE.
who Scourgeth Every SON."
The Scriptures explain that there IN
two-fold reason why Jesus and all
of his followers are required to suffer
for righteousness sake.
(D IL is requisite to their own char
acter-development that they should not
only profess absolute loyalty to God !
and to Truth, but that this loyalty
should be put to the test. Thus we
read of our Lord that though "holy, |
harmless, undefled," he was proved |
perfect in his loyalty by the things
which he endured-by his obedience
even unto death, even the ignominlous |
death of the cross, The same princi- |
pie. the Scriptures assure us, operates
In connection with all whom God is
now calling to be Emmanuel's associ-
ates In the Milennial Kingdom. They
must suffer with him IL they would
reign with him. They must walk in
his steps Galatians v, II; vi, II; III
Thessalonians /, ); III Timothy /, II;
II, 8, -; III, ~.
(2) These experiences are designed
Of God to qualify us to be judges OF
the world during the Mlllennial Age
that the Christ Head and Body, may
be merciful and faithful towards the
people of earth. Likewise 1t is proper
hat the world should know that its
Judges have thus been tempted and
-ried, and are able to sympathlze with
hem in their Weaknesses and In their
'ndea Vors for righteousness- more
willing TO help them up. up, up TO hui
nan perfection than to consign them
o the Second Death.
Although this conflict has lasted for
more than eighteen centuries It has
lot been long for any single individ-
lal. With the Master himself the trial
'eriod was only three and half
ears. On the whole, as compared
With eternity, the entire Gospel Age of
Sacrifice, as the Master said, is but
"A little while" And as for the af-
lictions and testings themselves, St
Paul gives the proper thought, saying,
hat at most they are "light Affections
'ut for moment and not worthy TO
'e compared with the glory that shall
'e revealed in u.s." the overcomers
Romans viii, 1SJ,
The Church Triumphant.
The Church in glory and in power q