The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-05-26

Of mankind. He thus worked against
Divine arrangements. But he has NOT
succeeded. God has merely allowed
him to prove, test, separate and mani
fest the saints-tbe very elect
A Great Time Of Trouble
1.-THE coming of the light, the loos-
ing Of the letters of ignorance and
not submitted to God, the Scriptures
show us, will result in a great time OF
trouble, In which the passions cf men
but partially enlightened win 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 a
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 SataD'e
regime So terrible will be the heat OF
passion and strife engendered at that
time that the Scriptures declare that
IL it were not for the Elect there
would be no flesh saved CIark xiii,
2O). 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 symbOlically
represent it as a whirwind; as floods
and as n fire. Some have mis-interpret-
ed these Scriptures and are expecting
a literal burning of the earth. but the
Lord deneminates it the fire of his jeal-
ousy,' which will devOur Society. And
then he tells us that following the fire
of trouble he will turn to the people n
pure message that they may all CAN
upon the name Of the Lord to serve
him with one consent tZephaniah iii. %.
Satan has had much to do with cor
rupting the message originally given to
the Church by Jesus and the Apostles
The Earring 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 10 the heavenly
glory in the First Resurrection viii
soon be accomplished and that then
the reign of SIN and DEATH win 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, Divine Love, Divine Wisdom
and Divine Power eXerted on mans
behalf shall be made known to every
creature.
Fellow Christians, what an incen-
| tive to become more and more loyal
and earnest as the servants of so great
and gracious a Sovereignty-that OF
our Father and our Redeemer. And
what an incentive we have to seek
first, in preference to all earthly inter
ests, q share with our Savior in his
Millennial Kingdom and it's 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 SEE that
does so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race set before us
CHebrews xii, ~. This race is for the
crown of glory as members of the
Elect Missionary Church and for the
glorious opportunities then to be at
forded for the realization of the mos'
glorious dreams of service for the kinf
of kings and Lord of lords. C
1--WE cannot suppose that Satan''
Empire is entirely satisfactory to him
J self. Undoubtedly his original though
J was the organization of realm resem
bling that of the Almighty. But tn
|
obtain control of our first parents the,
; were misled into steps of dsobetiipme'
-sin-and the Adversary himself. hav
, ing started upon the wrong course. cal
maintain his own standing and king
dom only by determined opposition II
Jehovah This is the significance o.
the name given him in the Scriptures
Adversary
THE Scriptures set forth that all hu
mainly must, either now or some time
come to the point of decision between
obedience to God and disebedjence
The obedient will be guided back Il
ultimate harmony with the Creator
and obtain the reward of life eternal
On the contrary. the disobedieDt. the
wilfully rebellious against God and his
righteous arrangement. taking the
course of Satan, will ultimately share
his fate-destructiOD.
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 clear
knowledge of the Truth. This priv
lege of coming to knowledge Of the
Truth. the opportunity of eternal sal
walton. is secured to all the families
of the earth. TO Adam and every mem
Der of his race, through the great Re