The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-15
]. The he Vengeance
of Eternal Fne
Even as Sodom and Gornortah
and the eities about them =. are SET
l,rh fof an example, suffering the
vengeance Of eternal FIRE. dude y.

They were born under the sentence.
"Dying thou shalt die" Neither they
nor anyone else, therefore. could be
placed upon trial for a future life ever
lasting or death everlasting. until re-
leased from the original sentence Of
death under which all were born. And
no release from that death sentence
was granted to anybody until the Nc.
'deemer came and died. .the Just for
the unjust" that. ''as by a man came
death. by man also might come the
resurrection OF the dead" tsil' +
Only those, therefore. who have been
born since Jesus day could be released
from the original penalty, or could be
placed on trial for life or death eter-!
nal. Only the Church. therefore. ac-
cepts this proposition. TO this usrecs
the words of the Apostle, IF .ec sin
wilfully after that ,ec have come to
knowledge Of the Truth, there remain
eth no more sacrifice for sin tsuch hav-
Ing enjoyed and misuscd their share.
of the original acrifice,-nothlng but
fearful looking forward to of judg-
nent tscntence) and fiery indignation.
which will devour the adversaries OF
God-in the Second Death Hebrews <.
26,. The Sodomites. therefore. did not
enjoy any chance Of eternal life. They
knew not "the only name given under
heaven or amongst men whereby we
must be saved" Not only so. but the
majority Of mankind since Jesus dry
have never. heard the Gospel in the
true sense of the word hearing They
have never understood. never ,apprc.
ciated.lt fully. rightly.
More Tolerablo For sodomiteu.
It may astonish some to know that
Jesus, speaking OF the -5udgment or
trial Of the world during the coming
age. during his Mcdlatorlal Kingdom.
declared that that trial would be less
severe upon the sodomites than upon
some Of those people to whom be
preached, who would also have a
share in the opportunities Of that
great epoch-an opportunity. with the
sodomites. of reconciliation 10 God
and the attainment Of eternal life.
His words were. Woe unto you Cho-
razzin and Bethsaida, for if the mighty
works which lnve been done in you
had been done In Sodom and Gomor-
rah. they would have repented long
ago In sackcIoth and ashes. Therefore
i shy unto you. 1t. shall be more ;tol;
cradle for Tyre and sidon In the day
OF Judgment 1.-THE worlds trial time.
the Millennium than for you (Aiat-
thew II. 90. 23,. What more could We
ask upon this subject? What higher
authority could be invoked than the
Great Judge himself?
1t will not do to say that Jesus did
not refer to the same llcentious Sod.
omites mentioned by st. Jude In our
text. It will not do to say that Jesus
| meant some Sodomites living III bis
day. because there were none. The
Master distinctly tells us that .the
same day that Lot went out of Sodom
It rained down FIRE md birthstone from
\ heaven and destroyed them all" Guke
4 xvii, 20). When our. Lord declares
| that 1T shall be more tolerablc FOL
sodom in the day Of Judgment than
for Capernaum" and the other cities
in which he preached. he implies that
It viii still be tolerable for those pco
pie who heard him and who rejected
his message.
20 ;'fP "Thus Il Is Written" ~
This Gospel Age which began with
our Lords sufferings and trying expe
riences. and which has continued those
experiences with. bis followers, has fol
its object the preparation. the qualiH
cation. Of those who will be the Judges
4 Of the world In the coming Age. They
must all be developed In the fruits anG
graccs Of the Holy Spirlt-"meekness
patience. brotherly kindness. love-
else that will not be, ct, to be the
4 Judges Of, mankind by and by. 1t Il
4 required that all become copies Of tht
4 Redeemer. Gods dear Son. St Pau
\ tells us this, saying, Know We mo-
that the saints shall judge the world z
and that God has foreordained that al
Of these judges must be copies of hi!
Son? Romans viii, 20; l Corinthian!
VI, q.
| Come back with mo to the Old Tesla
ment Scriptures and note how the Di
vine Spirit dictated this matter Of th,
future trial Of tile Sodomites to one O
the prophets and caused 1t to be writ
ten for our instruction. Alas! as Jesul
said. We have been 'slow Of heart I,
believe all that the prophets havr
spoken duke xiv. 25). Through
Ezekiel the Prophet. the Lord explain
that when the restitution time shal
come at the Second Advent Of gu
Lord in, the glory Of his Kingdom. thel
the Divine blessing win come upol
Israel now cast of. Nor will the bless
ing Of MessIah's Kingdom come upol
Israel only. It VIII extend to all tn
families OF the earth. Through tn
Prophet the Lord specially emphasize
4