Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-01-22

| vine election Of the Church. We should
have discerned that the elect Church,
| the seed Of Abraham Galatians ILL
| 29l. is specially intended to be the
channel Of Divine blessing to FALL the
| families Of the earth Genesis xviii.
| IA.
How strange that we overlooked this
and the assurance that with the com-
pletion of the Church Messiah would
exalt her 10 the First Resurrection
to be his Bride and joint-heir in hia
Millennial Kingdom. to be established
for the blessing Of all mankind, How
strange that we did not notice that
every text Of Scripture used by our
Methodist brethren to substantiate
their doctrine Of Free Grace belongs to
the AIillennial Kingdom. As for in
stance. the Bible. after telling US of
the completion of the Church now
espoused TO the Lord and after her
marriage or union with him at his
Second Coming, as the Bride. the
Lambs Wife" tells that then the
Spirit and the Bride shall say. Come
and whatsoever will may come aud take
of the water Of life freely" useyelatioL
xii. Ia.
All. yes we failed disastrously to
keep he Apostles command. study
10 show thyself approved unto God. a
workman that needeth not 10 be
ashamed. rightly dividing the word OF
Truth I'll Timothy ii, l5I We failed
to thus divide the Truth and to note
the portion applicable now and the
other portion applicable during the
Millennium Thank God, we are not
yet too old TO learn. We surely have
been thoroughly sickened by our mis-
taken interpretations of the past.
which made nonsense of both the doc
trines- Election and Free Grace-and
worse than this. DETAINED and vilified
our Heavenly Father. 1.-The God OF all
Grace"
In the light now shining we may see
that the terms of the Divine election
of the Church are in every sense of the
word without partially. except as re-
CARDS character and faithfulDess.
Those now called with the heavenly
calling to be of THE elect" are indeed
invited to eternal life on the spirit
plane. to be like unto the angels. but
more exalted. while the opportunities
to be granted TO the world In general
during the Millennium will be inferior,
earthly, restitutionary-yet grand facts
Iii, 1920. But this difference of re-
ward is counterbalanced by the Sc
verer trials and testings of those now
called to be of the elect. They must
walk by faith and not by sight. They
must take up their cross and follow
the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
They must count their lives not dear
unto them. but willingly sacrifice their
earthly interests that they may be par
ticipators With their Redeemer in glo-
ry. honor and Immortality. and in his
great work of the Millennium-the
blessing of the world of mankind with
mental, moral social and physical
uplift.
Cannot we all. COngregationalists.
Presbyterans and Methodists and all
others of Gods people, unite as one
body upon this Scriptural hypothesis?
Are we not satisfied with the terms of
this election that they are sufficiently
stringent TO exclude all except the
sanity? Hearken TO the Apostles dec
laration which we once so grievously
misunderstood: He says of Gods cleo
ton, Whom he did foreknow he also
did predestinate TO be conformed TO
the image Of his Son." In other words.
when our Heavenly Father toreknew
and predetermined to gather an elect
Church as the Bride of Christ, he also
predetermined that none could be
members of it unless they attained
through faith and obedience in tn
School of Christ character-likeness OF
Jesus-heart likeness to him hence. as
nearly as possible, an obedietce OF the
flesh to his Law.
Surely no one will claim that any
but a little flock has ever attained to
this honored condition: hence our for
mer ideas respecting the non-elect
would consign the majority OF our
families, neighbors. friends and all
the heather. to eudess woe. But now
how differently we see in Gods Word
ludl tue GIeGl NldSS Is StitNl I'll IA az
vance. that In Gods due lime, with
the Redeemer. it may bless every crea-
ture with fullest opportunit. TO return
to human perfection in PARADISE re-
gained-restored during the Millenni-
UNI. This proposition of the Scrip
lures includes those who have gone
down to the prison-house OF death
into Sheoi. into HddeS. both the evil
and the good. All shall then know,
from the least to the greatest, that
Jesus Christ, by the Craze OF God,
tasted death for every man" They
shall know that the redeeming blood
was not shed in vain. but will secure
to each member of Adams race, not
eternal life. but an opportunity TO at
tain eternal life-either on he heaven
ly plane during this Age or on the
earthly plane during the Millennium.
address you, dear friends. not from
a sectarian standpoint, but from
Federation standpoint; yea more than