The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-21

'c ~ hhbo ''ill. .Ntl bl. De- y,
TO be consumed, bat the n,a, .as a..0.
The heavens" will take fire first and
be dissolved
What heavens shall we suppose are
here referred to?-not the literal. starry
heavens, nor even our atmospheric
heavens, nor yet the heaven Of Divine
Presence and glory. The church sys-
tens, the ecclesiastical powers. are
symbolically referred TO as the "heav.
ens,' at the present time, supervising
and ovcrruling the temporal and so
cial arrangements which are repre-
sentcd by The earth" The earth"
represents organized society. as in CON
trast with the sea" which symbollcal.
ly represents dlsorganized society, the
uncivilized and all who are rebelllous
against governments. When the "heav-
ems" Ecclesiastical powers of the
present time shall be dissolved" 1t
will be with great noise, with great
confusion, commoton. Ecclesiastical
Institutions of the present time are in
II very troubled condition. though they
are in no danger of immediate col
lapse. The principal outcry is that
few attend church services, and that
the collections are small.
ST. Peters words indicate crisis in
ecclesiastical affairs still future. The
Scriptures show us that Il great Fed
| Grafton is seemingly bringing Ecclesi-
asticism into greater power than it
has exercised in years. Other intima-
tons OF Scripture lead us to expect
that that Gedcrative organization will
attempt n rigid control of the world
through afiiliation with political and
| civil power, and that n considerable
| measure of success will lead TO intoxi.
/ cation on :he subject and un attempt
TO take away the liberties of the peo-
| pie entirely, the result of which will
be great explosion, or great earth.
| quake" in the symbolcal language OF
Scripture. 1t viii be then that the
heavens will take fire ana he consum-
ed with n great noise, commotion. dis
aster, etc. And the commotlon will
include the social order. The elements
will melt with the intensity OF the
heat. the strife. which viii then bc
engendered. The elements OF society
are those mutual advantages and ms.
sistances of good people, upon which
the stability of government rests.
The Bible clearly intimatcs that the
condition Of affairs symbolized by the
melting Of society and the disintegrat-
ing OF its elements in the great heat
OF strife at that time will be the re-
suit Of superstition and fear. The end
will be anarchy. or as the Bible de-
clares, Every mans hand will he
against his neighbour" Sehshness will
be the predominatlng, ruling principle
The Symbolic Fire Useful.
The question arises. Why should
God permit the fall OF our Christian
systems. which certainly have done
much that Is morally assistful to the
world! And why should He permit
the overthrow of the present order of
things, which certainly is much more
advantageous than anarchy aud dis
order? The Bible answer Is that God
is not forcing this issue, but is merely
allowing mankind TO work out these
results, The trouble and disaster will
come as the natural result of ignoring
the principles of Divine Law. Ecclesi-
asficlsm N Unauthorized to claim that
1t Is Gods Kingdom, invested with
Divine power and authority 10 rule the
world. This fallacious claim and the
attempt TO enforce it will bring upon
1t the fire" which will consume.
The world, neglectfu Of the Golden
Rule, ana obeylng the false standard
that might makes right" will over
throw society by precipltating con
fllct between the two great parties
the capitalists, trusts. kings and princes
on the one hand, aud labor unions and
the masses on the other hand Each
will feel that death struggle has
arrived and that the battle must be
fought. Each will feel unwarrantedly
self-conGdent of victory. According to
the Bible the result will he the com
plete wreck of our present society.
symbolically pictured MS "tire,'
But the Lord through the Prophet
E'PhHiidh lOllllN Oul lnUl, lOllONllH
this time of fire" and trouble. will
come blessing TO the earth. SO also
He declares through ST. Peter. that
following tile symbolic fire, will come
"a New Heaven" aud n new earthly
condition, the basic principle Of which
VIII be righteousness; and the Prophet
Zephanlah says that then Gods Mes.
sage, in its purity. shall reach the
people. Both statements are true
On the ruins of our present civiliza-
tion. when mankind VIII be sick at
heart with the failure OF what they
had considered TO be the Brain Age,
they will look to the Lord. 10 whom
they should have looked sooner. They
VIII perceive the coming reign Of right.
eousness and will say. 10 this is our
God, we have waited for Him and He
Will deliver u.s." 0salah XIV, % Then