Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-04-06

at least footstep follower? The an
swer Is that he was not called to the
heavenly plane. but to the earthly.
A Friend Of the Bridegroom.
Jesus had two-fold mission:-
% He came "that the world through
Him might be saved"-that He might
give Himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time"
(2) incidentally His mission was to
proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord-the time in which God was will
Ing to accept the sacrifices Of such as
desire to walk in the Redeemer's foot
steps and to constitute these the Bride
and Joint-heir of Messiah.
John the Baptist referred to the lat
ter feature of our Lords work, saying,
he that hath the Bride is the Bride
groom, but the friend of the Bride
groom heareth His voice and rejoiceth
greatly This, my joy, therefore, is full
filed John iii, 29). 1t was not for him
to be member of the Bride, but he
rejofced to be friend of the Bride
groom. AS His forerupner he announc-
ed the Bridegroom.
Greatest In the Kingdom.
We must remember that the Church
is the Kingdom of God-now in for
native or embryotic state, but in the
end, by "the resurrection" to be spirit
beings and glorious and partakers with
Jesus their Bridegroom in His wonder
full glory, honor, immortality and King
dom work. This Kingdom class is not
reigning now but merely forming. 1t
is Joined on robaton-after the Meth
odist style. If the probationary period
Of the present life be faithfully used
the full induction into the Kingdom.
its glories, honors and immortality. will
surely follow-by participation in the
First Resurrection.
Amongst the faithful followers. of
the Master there will still be differ
ence; as st. Paul explains, las one
star difereth from another star in glo-
~ u Corinthians XIV. AZ. We cannot
know, and it is not necessary for us to
guess, as to who shall occupy the chief
places in the Kingdom. These shall be
given to those whom the Father pre-
fers, as the Redeemer explained to His
two earnest followers. who asked that
they might sit, one on His right hand
and the other on His left hand in the
Kingdom (Matthew Xxx, 2D.
John the Baptist Class.
To what class does John the Baptist
belong. and what will be his share in
the Kingdom, according to our text?
Since the call of God began with the
call of the Church, and since it began
at the First Advent of Jesus. it follows
that no one was called of God to saliva
ton prior to Jesus time-none until
forty-one hundred and fifty years after
sin entered the world Their faith and
obedience were pleasing to God; as st.
Paul relates-"all these died in faith,
not having received the things prom
ised (hem), God having provided some
better thing for us (the Gospel Church).
that they without us should not be
made perfect. (Hebrews ri, IS, 4O).
Moreover these Ancient Worthless.
while not members of the Kingdom.
per Sc, which will be spiritual, will be
members of that Kingdom in its EARTH
~ phase. They will be the Kingdoms
earthly representatives. princes or
rulers, in all the earth. as the Scrip
lures declare psalm xiv. 16). We re-
member the words of Jesus to this eff
feet. Foretelling His Kingdom he de-
clares, ''Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob and all the Prophets in the
Kingdom" but He said not word
about Himself or His disciples being
seen: properly so because they, being
spirit beings. will be invisible to men.
With such glorious hopes before us.
with such appreciation of our heaven
~ Fathers glorious character and won
derful Plan. with such grand view of
our Savior's work, with such hope Of
q share with Him in His Kingdom.
what manner of persons ought we to
be In holy conversation and godliness!
Nor should it be thought strange that
any Of the spirit-begotten now, or the
restored Of the future who would turn
their backs upon the gracious pro-.
visions made for their salvation, would
be unworthy Of further favor or bless
ing at the hands of God and would die
the Second standardization.
VI 49, 4i2 S@