The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-09-19

I6#zA H#$4I report the one IN
| W which he discussed
xA the permission OF
| l(PASI0R RUSSEIDl evil by the AL
mighty. He took
| no particular text although, as usual,
he quoted from the Bible freely through
out his discourse. He said In part
The question Of the Ages is, Why
did the Almighty, originally, permit
| Evil-Sin? And why has an Omnipo-
tent Ruler such as He, for more than
sixty centuries, permitted Satan to
continue his reign of sin and death?
Leaving out entirely the unscriptural
theory 30 prevalent, respecting a pur-
gatory of centuries, or torment ever
lasting, and considering merely the
trials, suffering. sorrow and pain of
humanity during the present life, how
shall we account for their permission
by an All-Powerful Creator, who knew
the end from the beginning?
Why does He permit injustice, un-
righteousness. headaches, heartaches,
etc? Why does He not deal with hu
manity graciously, kindly. lovingly, as
a Father-as He deals with the angelic
sons Of God? Is it just or loving on
the part of our Creator to bring forth
millions of his creatures under these
admittedly unfavorable conditions
beset by weaknesses and sinwardness
from their birth and surrounded by
others similarly weak, and beset by
Satan and his mlnions-wicked spir
it's? Is 1t Just that we should thus he
in an unequal fight subjected to weak
nesses and dying and imperfect con
ditlons on account of the sin of our
first parents and then, on the same ac-
count, be in danger of an eternity of
torture with nine hundred and ninety
nine chances ont of a thousand against
us?
Our question is surely too deep for
any human philosophy, and those who
reject the Bible as of Divine inspirn-
ton may ss well abandon all hope Of
nm answer God Himself, and none
other, could tell us of His own secrets
why He did as He did. Truly we
read "The secret OF the Lord is with
them that reverence Him; and He will
show them His Covenant 0's, xiv, y,
The light now shining upon the Word
OF God shows us that the Divine pur
pose in connection with mankind Is II
progressive one, embracing Ages and
DlspensatiOns. If we ignore these, we
are thereby blinded to the true answer
to our question. Accepting these, 1t Is
the privilege of Bible students today
| 10 iu, Tn, tn
matters from the Divine standpoint
to understand the Mystery of God
hidden from Ages and from genera.
tiGns and now made known unto His
saints" namely, that In the Ages to
come, all the trials and difficulties, all
the sorrows and tears of the past will
be more than compensated for, and
proved to be part of the great Di-
vine Program which will work out to
the glory of God and the enlighten-
ment and blessing of angels and men,
Mans Primary Lesson
First OF all. God chooses to have
children possessed of quality like
fore not only created man perfect in
mind and body, but He gave to him Il
will, the power OF choice-liberty to
choose one course or another. God
foresaw that giving man this liberty
OF will would lead to the seduction of
Mother Eve, and to the disobedicnce
of Father Adam, through his love for
his wife, Adams preference was to
die with her rather than to live in har-
| hnp %,
he should dlsobey he would come nm,
der the sentence of death. Although
Adam and the angels were perfect,
they had not perfect knowledge OF
their Creator OF His Love, His Wis
DOM His Justice, His Power.
God, therefore without interfering
with Adams liberty, permitted the
great calamity OF death to come upon
him and his race From the very he
ginning God premedltuted the entire
Plan of Salvation, as He has since
been working 1t out; and He will com.
pletely accomplish the same ultimate
ly through Messiahs Kingdom. The
great lesson which will eventually
come both to angels and men will
show forth Divine Wisdom, Justice,
Love and Power, fully co-ordinated. In
no other way that we can imagine
could this great Revelation of the hi.
vine character be so well made. How.
ever, In order to comprehend this
great Program, 1t IL necessary that
we follow strictly the Scriptunl teach
ings, and avoid wholly the nonsense Of
our creeds, manufactured during the
Dark Ages. We must see that "the
wages of sin" is not eternal torment,
| nor purgatory, but death.