The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-09-18

N@X|I ||I|M NIXON Nultu llt uAhtuSStN
9NzzlA ME89 the permission OF
RASIelR- -RUSstLD evil by the Al
mighty. lie took
no particular text although, as usual
he quoted from the Bible freely through
out his discourse. lie said in part:-
The question of the Ages is. Why
did the Almighty, originally, permit
Evll-Sinf And why has an Omnipo
tent Ruler such as lie, for more than
sixty centuries, permitted Satan tC
continue his reign Of sin and death
Leaving out entirely the unscriptural
theory so prevalent, respecting a pur
gatory of centuries, or n torment ever
lasting, and considering merely the
trials. suffering. sorrow and pain of
humanity during the present life, how
shall We account for their permission
by an All-Powcrful Creator, who knew
the end from the beginning?
why does He permit injustice un.
righteousness. headaches, hcartaches.
etc? Why does He not deal with hui
manity graciously, kindly, lovingly, as
Father-as He deals with the angelic
sons of God? Is it just or loving on
the part of our Creator to bring forth
millions of his creatures under these
admittedly unfavorablc conditions
beset by weaknesses and slnwardness
from their birth and surrounded by
others similarly weak. and beset by
Satan and his minions- wicked spir-
it's? Is II just that we should thus be
in an unequal fight subjected to weak
nesses and dying and imperfect con
ditions on account of the sin OF our
first parents and then, on the same nc
count. be In danger Of an eternity Of
torture with nire hundred and ninety
nine chances out of q thousand against
us?
Our question is surely too deep for
any human philosophy, and those who
reject the Bible as OF Divine inspira-
tion may MS well abandon all hope of
an answer. God Himself, and none
other, could tell us of His own secrets
why He did MS He did. Truly we
read. "Thc secret OF the Lord is with
them that reverence Him: and He will
The light now shining upon the Word
OF God shows us that the Divine pur.
pose In connection with mankind Is a
progressive one. embracing Ages and
Dispen ~tions. Tf we ignore these. we
are thereby blinded 10 the true answer
to our question Accepting these. IT Is
the privilege Of Bible students today
20 see the light in Gods Word-to sec
matters from the Divine standpoint,
TO understand the Mystery of God.
hidden from Ages and from genera
tions. and now made known unto His
saints" namely. that In the Ages "a
come. all the trials and difficulties, all
the sorrows and tears of the past, will
be more than compensated for. and
proved TO be a part Of the great Di-
vine Program which viii work out To
the glory OF God and the cnlighten-
ment and blessing OF angels and men.
Mans Primary Lesson
First OF all, God chooses to have
children possessed Of n quality like
His own-freedom OF will He there,
fore not only created man perfect i'm
mind and body. but He gave TO him n
will, the power OF choicc-libcrty to
choose one course or another. God
foresaw that giving man this liberty
OF will would lead to the seduction Of
Mother Eve, and TO the dlsobedicnco
OF Father Adam. through his love for
his wife. Adams preference was to
die with her rather than TO live In har
mony with God without her; for II
he should disobey he would come nm
der the sentence OF death Although
Adam and the angels were perfect,
they had not perfect knowledge OF
their Creator, of His Love, His Wis.
dom, His Justice, Ills Power.
God. therefore. without Interfering
with Adams liberty. permitted the
great calamity OF death to come upon
him and bis race. From the very be-
ginning God premc1tated the entire
Plan Of salvation, as He has since
been working 1t out: ana lie will COM
pletcly accomplish the same ultimate
~ through Messlah's Kingdom. The
great lesson which viii eventually
cOihe Dolu 70 NHEclS anu Alen VIII
show forth Divine Wisdom, Justice,
Love and Power. fully co-ordinated. In
no other way that we can imagine
could this great Revelation Of the Di-
vine character be SO well made Now
ever. In order 10 comprehend this
Rreaa Program. It Is necessary that
wo follow strictly The Scriptural teach
ines, and avoid wholly the nonsense Of
our crecds, manufactured during the
Dark Ages. we must see that "the
wages Of sin" is not eternal torment
pcr purgatory, but death.
God allowed this reign OF sin and
death from Adam until Moses with
ont SO much rs making an offer OF
terms OF reconciliation and peace
Then an offer was made to the nation
Of Israel, and TO no other nation. The
offer Of lsraels Law Covenant was