The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-02-28


John xviii 81. He said
When. years ugo. believed that an
eternity of torture awaited all who do
not accept Gods cali OF the present
time. had great difficulty with this
text. | asked, Is 1t possible that our
Redeemer was selectively unjust In his
dealings with our racer Can 1t be
true that the Heavenly Father merely
calls and draws predestinated few
to himself and to everlasting bliss?
Can II be true. as our catechlsms re-
cite. that God and Jesus passed by"
the great mass of mankind without
drawing them, without calling them.
without giving them the hearing ear.
without opening the eyes of their un.
derstandingl Can II be that all these
blind and deaf, unsought, undrawn.
uncalled and unprayed for by the
Savior are going down to eternal tor
ment? My heart answered. No! But
my brain was confused by the errors.
the neutrality-suspicious. of the Bible,
which | had received.
John Weslcy's FREQ Grace"
Trained in the Doctrine Of Election
and Predestnatlon |, like hosts of 9th
ers, felt somrhow that Brother Wes-
ley's teaching of Free Grace was more
noble. more God-llke. than Brother
Calvins teaching respecting Election
and Predestinatlon.
Nevertheless, when | reasoned on
the subject | said. Can | think of the
omniscient God preparing n great place
of sufficient size to hold the entire hu-
man family and outfitted with every
devilish appliance for'1their torture.
and yet being ignorant of the cOndl
lions under which they would be bOrnf
Can think that he did not know that
we would be born In sin and shapen
IN iniquity? Can think that he did
not know of the present reign of Sa
tan. Sin and Death and that 1t would
last for six thousand years and inJu-
riously affect our entire race?
Brother Wesley's theory of Gods
Love and good lntentions-0f his en-
deavor to save everybody--seems In
consistent when contrasted with his
teaching that only sanity few reach
eternal bliss and that the thousands
of millions must spend eternity In tor
ture. Thus | was once confused. as
millions are still confused today. In
respect to the Divine Character as OK
emplifed In the Divine plan OF the
ages SO far ns can see, Brother
Calvin had wise and powerful God
such as could admire and reverence
II he had only been kind and loving
instead Of dlabolical. And Brother
Wesley had II kind and loving God
such as ] could admire and worship,
If he had only had the wisdom and
power OF Calvln's theory.
so long ns we have such confusion
in our minds faith and hope and love
and trust shake upon the foundations
of our reason. We recognize that we
know nothing of the, future of our
selves: that we nre wholly dependent
upon Divine Revelation. iiut we can
not expect that our Creator would
give us n Revelation which to sancti.
fed minds would appear Satanic In
stead OF Divine. We must remember
that our Crcntor invites us TO reason,
saying. "Come. let us reason together;
though your sins be ms scarlet, they
shall be white as snow" Surely n
right understanding OF the Divine Rev
elatlon. the Bible, should be II reason
able one TO II sanctiiied mind
ilcarlien To the Word or the Lord
Their fear toward me IN not OF me-
but Is taught 10y the precepts OF men
Nsaiah xxx l3l
Henrken npala; "As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my meth
ods higher than your methods and my
plans higher Than your plans" Us9inl
lv, 81 And No we End, my dear
friends Gods Word liz true Ills
Character Is glorious, Only the mis
and smoke Of the dark ages" have
confused things for us aud mysllhe(
matters and darkcncd the eyes OF on
understanding.
Predestinatiou Of the Bible.
Now as the six thousand years hav,
passed aud we have entered upon To-
Sabbatic Seventh Thousand we ar
beginning 10 reulize that Il marks
New DiSpensation that the night
passed that the dawn IL upon us. Th
wonderful inventions OF our day alon
earthly lines are in full harmony Wit
the clear light now shining upon God'
Word, making It's dark places brIgh
and It's rough places smooth and enr
bling us 10 remove the stumblin
stones from the pathway of the Jus
which shlneth more aud more unto tn
perfect day"
Now we can see why Jesus did nc
pray for the world II wns becnup
the world was not In any danger or
Bery he'll. More than that. II was b.
cause Gods time for dealing with III
world had not yet come. The worl,
however. Is to be dealt with by Il
.ryeat Redeemer. After He shall hay