The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-12-27

PerplcXed and confused many may
nsk. What. then. Is the hope of the fur
fillment of our text, peace on earth.
good will toward men?" We answer
that our Master. who declared that he
was not the Prince of this age, de-
clared also that his Kingdom OF the
next age will be introduced with pow
er and great glory and that. although
Its initial manifestation will be with
clouds and darkness and a time of
trouble such as never before has been.
nevertheless his reign will be glorious.
triumphant and eternal. HE shall
take unto himself his great power and
reign" until "he shall have put all
enemies under his feet" "the last
enemy that shall be destroyed Is
death" Unto him every knee shall
bow and every tongue confess"
The victory of Emanuel means the
overthrow Of sin--the crushing of the
serpent's head. At the very beginning
of his glorious reign Satan shall be
bound and following its CLOSE he shall
be destroyed I'm the Second Death. to-
gether with all those who love UNI
righteousness. after they shall have
had full knowledge and full opportu-
nifty for recovery from the snares of
sin and death. Then. indeed. the
whole world will proclaim the glory
OF God There will no longer be dis,
cordant sounds. AS the Scriptures de-
clare. There shall be no more crying.
no more signing. no more dying-ali
the former things of sin and death
shall have passed away (Rev. xxi. A..
The Great Restorer Of All.
The great King who. eighteen cen.
turies ago. died. the just for the un-
Just. that he might. judicially. bring
mankind back into harmony with God,
Is to be the Great King of earth. the
great Restorer of all that was lost In
Adam, and he will make all things
new" Revelation XXI 81.
Everything appertaining to this
great Plan Of Salvation outlined In the
Word Of God is reasonable. The cru
cial testing of the elect Church is nee
essary in order TINT. as faithful and
merciful priests of God and of Christ.
associated with him In his kingly
glory. they may be Gods instrument
tality In succorlng mankind from the
fallen conditions which have resulted
from six thousand years of sin, and
from the malignant influence Of the
Prince OF darkness. during the thou.
sand years which the Bible stipulates
as the period of Messlah's reign ulev-
elation XXX. Ga period neither too long
nor too short In which to accomplish
the great work of the worlds salvation.
True, some one might say. If 1t has
required eighteen centuries for the
development of the Church. how much
more time will be necessary for the
uplifting of the world? But we an
swer that 1t il not the Divine Purpose
to uplift the world to the station Of
spirit nature and glory, but rather to
restitution blessings and conditions.
1t Is because of the high exaltation
offered to the Church that such crucial
testings of sacrificial obedience even
unto death is required. With the
Prince of darkness bound and the Sun
of righteousness arising with healing
In Its beams the darkness of sin and
crime and sorrow will soon flee away.
One century of such blessed influence
upon the world will surely work Won
ders, bringing In also inventions and
comforts and blessings, as yet I'M
dreamed Of. Next will come the grad
ual awakening of all who have fallen
asleep In death. They will come forth
from the prlson-house of death, as the
that they may be made acquainted
with the true God and with his glo-
rious Son. the Redeemer, and with
the principles of righteousness In con-
trast with the principles of sin.
We cannot suppose that 1t will re-
| quire the majority OF men, under
those conditions, to sit long counting
the value of the blessings of eternal
life and restitution proffered them
| The upward move, resurrection, uplift
Ing, regeneration, Will go rapidly on
while meantime. generation after gen
Grafton shall come forth from the
tomb and enjoy similar experiences
Finally all shall have come forth, be
cause the love of God made this pro
vision through the death OF our Re
decmer, who delighted to do the Ia
TIERS will and who has already beer
rewarded gloriously with high exalta
ton to the divine plane of glory. honor
and immortality.
Good Will Amongst Men.
The attainment of the condition OF
good Will amongst men will mean the
attainment of human perfection. Goo
is Love. And when our first parents
We're created an earthly Image of God
love must have been the predominant
quality of their characters. What We
see of selishness Is largely matter
of heredlty. and all of llfe's customs
are In line with 1t and continually In
creasing Its weight and Its hold upor
us. hut with the new King and the new
reign of Righteousness will come thu
glorious uplifting and transformation
Gradually. during the thousand year
of Messnhs domination of the world
the evils of selnshness win be made ap
parent and the beauties of holiness ant
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