Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-11-02

}NkNAAMISSE1.EAu2Ey tiirc. His text was
ll2Asl0R RUssflD) Kevelation X. 6. 7;
sWare > 4 . that
Pastor Russell declared that his text
| had no reference 10 the end of time-that
| time could never end, must always en-
| dure. The word delayed should have been
| added by the translators to catch the
| proper thought. The time mentioned
| would no longer be delayed. The fulfill
mcnt of delayed promises would he ac-
,oirn,iShed. TIE translation. however. is
in harmony with the generally received
opinlun respecting a coming wreck OF
| matter. crash of worlds. burning OF the
| world, etc. These views in recent years
have been most pronouncedly voiced by
| Christian brethren styled Advcntists, but
! really are to be found i'm nearly all the
crceds of Christendom. The erroneous
theory has been further boistered UP by
the neutrality-suspicious. of the Lords words
translated the end of the world. Our
Lord. said nothing about the end OF the
earth. ge. What He did mention was. the
| end OF the aion or age in which we live.
Various ATOMS or ages nave followed one
| another. each ending in turn and giving
| place to another. So the present a:on or
age we believe will soon give place to
a better aion or age-the afon or age in
which sin and death have reigned will
give place to an aion or age in which
Christ and His Church will reign trium-
plant, overthrowing SIN and death and
uplifting the willing and obedient OF the
| sinners.
Heavens and Earth On Fire.
Those who have not learned that the
bible frequently uses language in a SYM
boiical manner may be excused for taking
literally some OF st. Peters statements
respecting the burning OF the heavens and
the earth. A critical study shows that the
| Apostle could not nave referred to the
literal earth and the literal heavens as
being consumed. He used the term earth
symbolically, as representing society, of
which the mountains or kingdoms are the
backbone, just as he used the word heay-
ems to represent the ecclesiastical powers
which are even now rolling together as q
scroll from the two ends-the one Protest
ant, the other Catholic. The social con-
fiagration is being generally feared. Re-
cent disturbances of social economics
threatened us In London. Liverpool and
elsewhere. Fortunately tho Ares OF pas
SION did not completely blaze forth to i'm
volve the social structure. although they
are still smouldering and, according to
the Scriptures, will burst into q flame be-
fore long.
Ecclesiastical Heavens On Fire.
Although many expect the social con-
fiagrat.on, not man yet fear the religious
blaze predicted by the apostle. It surely
Will m not a jot or little will fail. The
religious heavens and the social earth
Will catch fire together. After the great
institutions, Messiah will establish the
Kingdom of glory and blessing in the in
terests of our poor. dying race. The new
heavens will be the new ecclesiastical
power-the church in glory. The new
earth Will be the new social arrangement
which Messiah's power will ~inaugurate.
He that sits upon the throne declares
that all things shall be made new by His
Kingdom until Gods will shall be done
on earth as It Is lone in ~heaven-until
mankind shall have been fully released
from all the sin, d~epravity, death, result
ing from the fall.
Some Of the. Difficulty.
The early church hoped, in harmony
with the Apostolic teachings. for Mes
stah's kingdom to be established and for
the resulting times OF restitution Of all
things which God hath spoken by the
mouth of all the holy prophets since tho
world began.'-Act ILL.,. 1921.
After the Apostles fell asleep and the
kingdom still delayed. false doctrines
crept into the church. amongst others the
theory that Christ's Kingdom was not to
be waited f0r-tha 1t came at Pentecoat
and the Apostles did not know Of It: that
It must conquer its way to tho throne OF
earth--that converts must be made even
though the assistance OF nquisitionarv
torments were necessary to effect this.
II every knee must bow, then our fore
fathers concluded that II was their dutv
to make them bow. They acted conscien-
tiously, no doubt. The papal throne was
established. The popes IN turn were de-
clared to be reigning as Christ's renre-
sentatives.
False Kingdoms Of God.
When the Protestant Reformation re.
nounced Catholicism and denounced Il ~
anta-Christ. 1t preceded. nevertheiess.
along the same lines. Various Protestant
church did their best to fill the place
4 which Papacy claimed and to get earthly
Kingdoms to support their claims to snir.
itual domination. Thus the cxar Of Rus.
STA u the head OF the Greek church. Em.
peror William IL the head Of the Lutherau
system. King George IL head OF the
Church OF England. theoretically. We
may be sure. however. that non Of these
they are reigning - and for a in.
stead Of Messiah.
None of these Kingdoms Of Christ. mol
all Of them together, called "Christen-
dom. - could hope ever to bring to pass the
glorious things promised OF Mcssiah's en-.
pire-that every knee shall bow and ev.
cry tongue confess to the glory OF God
Indeed. u - becoming more widely known
daily hat h~eAthendom. rs we'll a. Chris.
tendon. y doubling Ia population each
century.
what shall we ray. dear Brethren,
Shall We continue in sin and error or shall
W return to the word OF God and ia
3 teAchings? Lat W accept the fact %
CLEARLY presented In the bible, that ths
Ichurch n the specially called and chosen
clpss designed to b. tho bride Of Messiah