The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-07-28

(aSI0R RUssED The Pastor said"
Do not n r..
stand me TO teach that the worlds OPP
pOrlunity for life everlasting or death
everlasting is now. God hath ap-
pointed Day in which He will judge
the world" grant the world judg.
ment or trial or test. That great Day
is future. 1t is the Day of Christ. u
thousand years long. 1t will be glo-
rious opportunity. Present right doing
and right thinking, or wrong doing and
wrong thinking will have much to do
with the condition Of every man and
woman at that time He or she will
enter upon that Day Of blessing and
opportunity either from higher or Il
lower standpoint prOportionately as he
or she has acted wisely and conscien-
| tiously in the present time.
But nothing that the world can do
can interfere with Gods great proposi-
ton, that full opportunity for life
or death eternal shall then come to ev-
cry member of the race because Christ
| died for the ungodly. The only class
to whom present life means life or
death eternal is the Church. And by
the Church | mean. not church at
tendants nor outward professors. but
those who have entered into cove
nant with God through Christ and
who have been made partakers of the
Holy Spirit. tasting of the good Word
nf nd Of hn RI
come. If these should fall away, the
Apostle forewarns us, it would be i'm
possible to renew them again unto re-
pentance. And there will be no hope
for them with the world. in the world
trial Day, because they already have
enjoyed their share of the merit Of
Christ's death.
When. therefore. / speak of God and
the home, l am not having in mind a
family composed exclusively Of saints.
who daily and hourly are following
their great Redeemer's footsteps in
elf-denial, in sacrifice. in the narrow
way which leads to GLORY. honor
and immortality" and association with
the Redeemer in His glorious King
dom which is to bless the world for
thousand years.
My thought is that the Bible teaches
that there are many people Of the
world, who are reverential, kind. gen
tie and just to very cOnsidera BILE
degree, who are not saints: who have
not presented their bodies living sac
rificeS to God; who have not been be-
gotten Of His Holy Spirit. who are
not, therefore. members Of that exclu-
sive little flock" to whom it is the
Fathers good pleasure to give the
Kingdom-in joint-heirship with their
Lord and Redeemer and Head. TO
this latter class our Master evidently
referred when He said to His footstep
followers, Let your light SO shine
before men that they may see your
good works and glorify your Father
which is in heaven" Matthew v. l6).
TO live righteously. soberly and god
~ in this present world to the extent
of ones ability is what everyone
should do-no less. To live life OF
sacrifice-to lay down our lives for the
brethren. for the truth. in the service
Of the Lord. is another matter, which
justice does not require and which the
Bible nowhere enjoins upon mankind.
1t IS pointed out as privilege to those
who desire it. and glory. honor and i'm
| mortality on the spirit plane is the re-
ward attached to this invitation or
High Calling. 1t is the selection of
this special class Of consecrated ones
that is the particular order of the D.
vine program at the present time.
Saint and Sinner Interested.
Having clearly defined what we do
not mean to teach. let me now assert
that, nevertheless, every sensible man
and woman. sanity or not must feel
deep interest in the welfare and
moral progress OF the human family.
of which he forms part. All. there
fore. should rejoice in every move
ment and endeavor working to even
temporary enlightenment, blessing and
uplift amongst mankind. The many
benevolent institutions Of the civilized
world attest this general thought. My
only conflict with these humanitarian
efforts is that they do not approach
the subject of human betterment from
what l consider to be the right stand
point. With nearly all Of these efforts.
more or less distinctly stated. arc
those God-dishonoring and love-oppos.
ing intimations of an alternative of
torment. either purgatorial or eternal
| This is the great blight which has
worked and is working incalculab:e
harm--driving intelligent minds into
opposition to the true God and the Bi.
BILE. which is the revelation Of His Wis
dom. Justice, Love and Power.
The Bible freely tells us that many
features Of the Divine plan are now
hidden In mystery, but the last book
of the Bible. which prophetically pic
lures the future. assures US that In
Gods due time The mystery shall be
finished. which He hath declared TO
His servants. the prophets" (Revela.
I ton x. -. The same book assures US
that in Gods due time. when the mys-
terry is cleared. "All nations shall come
and worship before Thee. for Thy
righteous acts have been made mani
fest: Revelation XIV. Il. We are now