The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-06-13

Him more than they love houses or
lands, parents or children, or self,
We can plainly see, then, that with
out this begettlng OF the Holy Spirit,
which belongs, of course, to the serv-
ants and handmaidens Of God during
this Gospel Age, none are able to ap-
preciate the things unseen. And
hence the world of mankind In gen
tral, brought back to perfection-and
GIl the touV back appreciating human
perfection-will be willing not to sac
rifice their earthly. nature to obtain a
heavenly, but win enjoy the earthly,
under perfect conditions, in Para
disc restored isaiah xxxv, Ezekiel
xxxviD.
David Was a Prophet.
On previous occasion we saw the
teaching OF the Scriptures to be that
the first to be blessed by Messiah's
Kingdom will be the Ancient Worthless
-Enoch, Abraham, Moses, David, and
the Prophets-and that these will be
made Princes In the earth. AS one OF
these Princes, the Prophet David will
have very glorious station. His long
career, his "ups and downs" said the
Pastor, show us the lights and shad-
ows of the Prophets character more
particularly, perhaps, than In the case
of any other Bible character. And
they show us noble character, de-
spite Davids human weaknesses and
the frailties of his flesh, augmented
in power by his kingly office and the
misconceptions of kingly prerogatives
which prevailed in his day.
The beautiful traits of the character
of David, on account of which he was
declared to be, not new creature"
not "son of Cod" not an "heir Of
God and joint-heir with Messiah" but
"a man after Gods oion hearf'-these
traits were his loyal obedience and his
repentance of everything which in any
degree was displeasing to God and in
terrupted the fellowship Divine.
Gods Spirit-begotten children may
not, therefore, take the Prophet David
or any of the Ancients as their pat
tern. Only Spirit-begotten ones can
serve as examples to the Church.
They should walk in the footsteps Of
Jesus, and may even take the ApOs~
ties and other faithful brethren for
examples. The Apostle, however, sug-
gests that the Church may look back
with profit upon the Worthless Of the
past, to note their degree of faith In
God and their obedience to that faith.
st. Paul, however, explicitly reminds
us that God has provided some better
thing for uS-the Church--that the An
cient Worthless, without us members
of The Messiahl cannot be made per-
feet (Hebrews xi, 3S4O).
Joint Hoirship With Christ the Better
Thing Reserved For Christians.
The "better thing reserved "for us
who are called of God during this Cos
pei Age is the joint-heirship with
Christ, Jehovah's only-begotten Sor
and heir of ali things, the partaklne
with Him in all His subsequent work
for the blessing Of Gods intelligent ere
alton. Therefore 1t is, as the Apostle
states, that the reward of the Ancient
Worthless tarries until first the over
coming Gospel Church is exalted t
the throne with Christ in the dawn OF
the New Dispensation, now so close a
hand.
AS soon as the spiritual phase of thu
Kingdom Is established In power tn,
setting up of the human phase will be
gin. In humble recognition, therefore
of the Divine purpose and order In th
superior exaltation of the Gospe
Church, we repeat the Apostles state
ment that "they chose noble, loyal
righteous, faithful Ancient Worthless
without us shall not be made perfect,
But as to whether zoe shall be nun
bered among the 'Ns' depends upOl
our successful running of the race sc
before us, Surely, no less faithfnlnes
! and nobility of character can be eS
| pected of as than of those who ran 70
| the earthly prize. And since all tn
: blessings of Gods Plan-the exalts
tion of the Ancient Worthless, the Ill
: GRAFTON of the whole world from tn
, bondage OF sin and death and the finl
, Judgment of angels-await the man
: festation of the spiritual sons Of Goo
D the Gospel Church, therefore the Apo
tie (chapter 12), In forceful metapho
points us back to those AncieI
Worthless as stimulus for faith an
zeal, saying;-
I therefore also we, being compasse
0 about with so great cloud of martyr
D [Greek mdrturOn-who so nobly wi
A messed for God and righteousnessl |,
: us [emulate them andl lay aside ever
t weight and the sin which doth so eas
h ly beset us, and let us run with p
I tience the higher, heavenly race tn,
: is set before as, looking unto Jesus, Il
0 Author and Flnisber Of our faith, VIII
for the JOY that was set before Him, g
y Cured the cross, despising the sham
y and is set down at the right hand
- the throne of God"
J. Jesus, our Ransomer, is also o
Forerunner and Pattern In this rae
. He ran successfully, and, In cons
% quence, Is even now Mt the right haI
= of the throne OF God, whittier we al
|