The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-03-07

versary. "For we are not Ignorant
Of his snares" QI Corinthians II. II.
We are not TO forget. however, that
these differences between the Church
and the world are fully Offset by the
differences of reward. The overcomers
Of the Church are to be rewarded with
glory. honor. Immortality. "the divine
nature" and be joint-helrs In the
Kingdom as members of the great
Messiah. The world is to have no
such change of nature from human to
spirit, but Is to have the earthly na-
ture restored or perfected In them. IL
obedient, and to enjoy the earthly Eden.
Truly Gods ways are equal. True
and righteous are Thy ways, Lord God
Almighty! Revelation XIV. 3, A.
Humanity's Final Test.
The Church's test takes place In the
present life. And In each member
thereof the matter Of worthiness or
unwOrthlness of eternal life on the
spirit plane for all time is determined
at death. Not so with humanity In
general. AS we have Just seen, some
may live for only hundred years and
then be cut or In the Second Death, be-
cause found unworthy of further op.
portunity. Others. by availing them
selves Of the privileges and rendering
obedience to the laws of the Kingdom,
may live to the very close of the thou
sand years, and be found unworthy Of
eternal life. Still others may so fully
appreciate Divine Wisdom. Justice,
Love and Power and may become SO
obedient thereto that God will be
pleased to grant them eternal life.
Their days, their lives, will be far
more than the days of tree.
The world of mankind. at the con-
clusion of Messiah's reign of righteous
ness, will have attained again the per-
fection originally enjoyed by father
Adam. Like him they will be in Eden,
which then will be worldwide. Those
perfect human beings will be required
to stand a test-to demonstrate, to
prove their absolute loyalty to God
and his righteous laws, as Adam was
tried. tested, proven in Eden. AS
Adam was promised eternal life If his
test proved him loyal to his Maker, 80
his restored race will have before them
the offer of eternal life If they shall
manifest their obedience satisfactorily.
Satan Loosed From Prison.
We are not informed Of the par
ticulars of the test that will then be
applied to mankind. We merely have
the figurative declaration that Satan,
sin and everything which Satan rep
resents will be loosed for n little sea.
son at the close of Messiahs reign
Revelatlon Xxx, 7-10). The world. full
of perfected humanity, "as the sand
of the seashore,H will all be subjected
to the test. But how many. or what
proportion Of the whole, will prove
loyal. and what proportion dislOyai.
we are not informed.
All that we know on the subject,
and all that Is necessary for us to
know. is that the trial will be
thorough and just and that all found
faithful will have eternal life. and all
found unfaithful will be counted as
followers OF Satan and, with him, will
be destroyed In the Second Death.
The test which God win apply will
be so searching, so thorough, that al
though his creatures Will still be free
moral agents. he Is able to guarantee
that thenceforth "there shall be no
more signing, no more crying, no more
dying. because all the former things
OF sin and death shall have passed
away"
The Reward, Life--The Punishment,
Death.
Not word Is said about the hun
dred-year old sinner-ch child-being sent
to eternal torment, just as there is not
word said in the Bible to the effect
that Adam or his children were con-
demned TO eternal torments. The SEN
tence upon Adam, which his race
shares by heredity, was death sem
tence. This just but awful penalty
has wrought havoc with our race
sickness, sorrow, pain. dying, death.
Gods mercy has provided the re-
demption of Adam and his race
through His Son. who died, the Just
for the unjust. The death of Jesus
Is the price which will eventually Sc
cure the release of Adam and all of
his posterity from the death sentence
and give TO them resurrection privi-
leges provided through Messiah's King
dom reign.
But every one who has been enlight-
ened, and brought to IA clear knowl-
edge of God and to the opportunities
provided for his salvation from sin
and death, Is more responsible for the
manner in which he accepts or refuses
the gift of God, eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord" As the will
ful. Intelligent sinner In the Church
now Is sentenced TO the Second Death
IIebrews vi. O; x. 2S-3D. so. our text
tells us. il will be with the masses
OF mankind during the Messianlc reign.
II they wilfully reject reconciliation
to God, they will die the Second Death.
God has provided redemption and
recovery from the first death. but as
sures us that the Second Death win
be an eternal one
Electrocution.