The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-01-10

"there are lords many and gods many,
but to us there Is but one God, the
Father" and one appointed Agent OF
his in dealing with humanity--one Lord
Jesus Christ-"and that every tongue
shall confess that Jesus, Messiah, Is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father"
philippians Ii, 1D.
The Scriptures tell us of "the be-
ginning of the creation of God" hence
there was time before that beginning
of creation when Jehovah God was
alone-"he that inhabiteth Eternity"
Not even the great Michael was with
him. the great Messiah, whom he hath
so highly honored and whom he de-
clares he will still further honor
throughout glorious eternity. He
was not with the Father before the
beginning of creation. because he him.
self was "the beginning of the crea-
tion of God-the first-born of every
creature" Revelations iii, ID; Colos-
slams |. 15). He was the first express
sion or manifestation of the Divine
attributes John 1, 1S).
This mighty God, Jehovah, self-cen-
tered. self-contained, is ours, the same
yesterday, today and forever, he
changes not
Divine Attributes Glorious.
Every attribute of the Divine char
acter was the same millions of years
ago that 1t is today, but that character
was unrevealed Every step of crea-
tion has tended to display the Divine
character more and more, and each
successive step and development Of
creation has brought forth new crea-
lures capable of comprehending the
Eternal One. We deem it not unrea-
s0nable to assume that Jehovahs ere
alive power will continue to be exer-
cised throughout all coming time.
Astronomical photography now re-
veals nearly 125,000,O00 suns, around
which circle systems such US the one
which circles around our sun, and Of
which our earth is a part. We deem 1t
not unreasonable to ASSUME, from the
Scriptures that the great work of or
derlng all those hundreds of millions
of planets stretches forward into eter-
nifty, and that the work Of Divine
grace. begun on the planet "Earth,"
will be continued throughout the Uni.
verse, not only in conjunction with the
planetary systems we can discern.
but probably with millions of plan
etary systems too far removed from
us to be discerned even by photog-
raphy.
Doubtless Divine methods In con-
nection with other worlds and other
Inhabitants will display the manifold
wisdom of God. For instance, we un-
derstand the Bible to indicate that
while the permission of evil in the
earth was wise, 1t will not necessarily
be wise or expedient for any reason
to permit similar reign of Sin and
Death In any other of the millions of
worlds, in connection with their order
Ing or development and their peopling
with glorious creatures who will
show forth the praises of the great
Creator without their passing through
experiences with sin and death such
as have been permitted In connection
with the humanity of earth.
The Permission of Evil.
Can we not see broad reason for
the permission of evil on the earth
for the permission of the reign of Sin
and Death, which for six thousand
years has apparently disgraced the
Creator, degraded humanity. astonish-
ed the angels and constituted our race
a grOaning creation? Only when we
discern that Messiah's Kingdom will
surely bring order out of this confu-
sion. do we begin to get the proper
focus upon our subject and realize
something of the greatness of our God
From the standpoint of the compile
tion of the Divine purposes in connec-
ton with humanity. and from that
standpoint alone. can we see illus.
trated Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love
and Power The primary lesson was
Justice--that sin brings suffering and
eventually death.
The second lesson was that of Di
vine compassion. sympathy-Love
This lesson was manifested In the
sending of the Redeemer and his sub
sequent reward of eXaltation. and his
gathering of an select" Church to be
bis associates In glory and In the
blessing of the redeemed race. The
reign of glory. the reign Of Messiah
soon TO he introduced. will lift up poor
humanity from sin and sorrow. from
degradation and death, and give tc
each and all the fullest opportunity t.
return to human perfection and to Di
vine favor and everlasting life.
In all that work of human restitu
ton. which will include the awakening
of mankind from the sleep of death
the one great lesson will be the great
ness Of the Divine Power which will
~ be exercised through Messiah, the God
ike One the Prince Of Life. vths