Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-05-21

| from amongst men the little focE.7
such as shall be counted worthy of
these honors on the spirit plane. and
the privilege OF participating with Mes
| slab in bis great work Of the next age.
To the Jew First.
Only Jews received the Pentecostal
] blessing. The Gentiles we're excluded
for three and a half years thereafter.
made to the Jewish nation. Then came
the time for a similar privilege to be
extended to the Gentiles. and the rec
ord informs us that Cornelius was
the first Gentle TO be received into
spiritual relationship with God. He
was a good man. and had been a good
man for years; he prayed often. and
gave much aims to the people. but
until then, the middle wall Of partition
separated between Jew ard Gentle
Even then be could not be received AZ
God because OF his works. q prayers
or aims, but must first be instruct''
respecting Christ and his redempliye
work. and must believe and accept The
same. Neither Is there salvation it,
any other; for there is none other
name under heaven given among men.
whereby we must be saved (Acfs iv.
12), either in this age or in any other.
Thus il was that, in harmony with
our Redeemer's promise, st. Peter used
the key" which introduced the Gen
tiles 10 the P~entecostal blessings. As
be used thu first key on the Day Of
Pentecost in explaining to the multi
tudes of Jews the meaning OF the
P~entecostal blessings. and the privilege
that they had of entering into IT, Di-
vine favor thereby. so, at thisSlaier
date. the Lord instructed Cornelius TO
send for Feter. saying. "Send there
fore to Joppa. n call hither Simon.
whose surname is Peter; he is lodging
In the house OF one Simon a tanner by
the seaside who, when he cometh.
shall speak unto thee" Acts Z, 80; XII,
IA, 15). Thus w. the two keys
used by st. Peter. and thus were the
doors Of the Gospel favor-the high
calling of joint heirship with Jesus
thrown open. both to Jews and TO Gen
tiles, through faith in the precious
blood. The doors thus thrown open
are not yet closed: but, as we some
times sing, THAT gate was left aiar
for me-"
/ rejoice with you today, FELLOWSHIP
dents Of the Word of God. that this
great gift of God is still obtainable.
that the time has not yet fully come
when the door Of opportunity to this
high-calling must close. Close it will.
"elect' shall be completed. Thank God
that another door will then open; the
door OF Restitution 10 human perfection
and to earthly life, grand beyond the
power of description.
But the blessed opportunity Of this
Pentecostal favor is still granted. As
st. Peter declares in his epistle,
WHEREBY are given unto us exceed
ing great and precious promises; that
by these We might be partakers of the
divine nature" GI Peter !, A.. The door
to this divine nature is the one that
VIII SOOl smut. dts Jul hCuttillGI mus
trated in the parable Of the "NiSe
and Foolish Virgins" When a sufi-
cient number Of wise virgins shall
have entered TO complete the BRIDE
class, forthwith the door Of opportu-
nifty to that station, to that class, to
that honor. to the divine nature, will
be closed, and the elect of God will be
neither one more nor one less than the
number originally f~oreordained.
my Spirit Upon All Flesh"
st. Paul speaks of this Gospel age
saying, Now is the acceptable time;
today If We will hear his voice.
harden not your hearts" Not all hear
his voice in these days. The great
mass Of mankind have not even heard
of the name of Jesus, and consequent
ly could not harden their hearts
against him, nor against the terms now
offered for return to fellowship with
God. This is the acceptable time or
period of salvation, in the sense h a
God is now willing to accept the offer
ings of believers If they present their
bodies living sacrifices. st. Paul de
clares that this is q reasonable service.
holy and acceptable to God CRom. xii, ID.
The testimony to the Church and the
h%igh-calling have been open during
this Gospel Age. The testimony to
the world and the blessings under that
testimony will be during the Millen-
NAL Age. The death of Jesus is 1.-The
Precipitation satisfaction for our sins
dhe Church'sl. and not for ours only.
but also for the sins of the whole
world"-in due time, during the Mil
lennial Age QeJohn ii, p. For. as