The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-10-20
trast with the "sea." which symbolical-

tTdSC WITH the sea. WHICH Sy IuUOIlCdl.
~ represents disorsanized society, the
uncivilized and oil who are rebelliOus
against governments. When the "heav-
ems" ecclesiastical pOwersl of the
present time shall be dissolved" it
will be with great noise. with great
confusion. commotion. Ecclesiastical
institutions Of the present time are in
a very troubled condition. though they
are in no danger Of immediate col
lapse. The principal outcry is that
few attend church services, and that
the collections are small.
st. Peters words indicate a crisis in
ecclesiastical affairs still future. The
Scriptures show us that great Fed
GRAFTON is seemingly bringing Ecclesi-
asticism into greater power than it
has exercised in years. Other intima-
tons of Scripture lead us to expect
that that federative organization will
attempt a rigid control of the world
through affiliation with political and
civil power, and that a considera BILE
hSQouiC VI SuSSCSS w AL AClA " ihtOAl-
cation on The subject and an attempt
to take away the liberties of the peo-
pie entirely, the result Of which will
be n great explosion, or great earth
quake" in the symbolical language of
Scripture 1t will be then that the
heavens will take fire and be consum-
ed with great noise, commotion. dis
aster. etc. And the commotion will
include the social order. The elements
will melt with the intensity of the
heat. the strife. which will then be
engendered. The elements of society
are those mutual advantages and as
sistances Of good people. upon which
the stability of government rests.
The Bible clearly intimates that the
condition Of affairs symbolized by the
melting Of society and the disintegrat-
ing of its elements in the great heat
of strife at that time will be the re-
suit of superstition and fear. The end
will be anarchy, or as the Bible de-
clares, Every mans hand will be
against his neighbor." Selfishness will
be the predominating. ruling principle.
The Symbolic Fire Useful.
The question arises, Why should
God permit the fall Of our Christian
systems. which certainly have done
much that is morally assistful to the
world? And why should He permit
the overthrow of the present order of
things, which certainly is much more
advantageous than anarchy and dis
order? The Bible answer is that God
Is not forcing this issue, but is merely
allowing mankind to work out these
results. The trouble and disaster will
come as the natural result Of ignoring
the principles Of Divine Law. Ecclesi-
asticism is unauthorized to claim that
1t is Gods Kingdom, invested with
Divine power and authority to rule the
world. This fallacious claim and the
attempt to enforce it will bring upon
it the Sire" which will consume.
The world. neglectful of the Golden
Rule, and obeying the false standard
that might makes right" will over
throw society by precipitating con-
lict between the two great parties
the capitalists, trusts. kings and princes
OH the one hand. and labor unions and
the masses on the other hand. Each
will feel that a death struggle has
arrived and that the battle must be
fought. Each will feel unwarrantedly
self-confident Of victory. According to
the Bible. the result will be the COM
plete wreck of our present society.
symbolically pictured as fire
But the Lord through the Prophet
Zephaniah points out that, following
this time of fire" and trouble. will
come blessing to the earth. So also
He declares through st. Peter. that
following the symbolic fire. will come
"a New Heaven" and new earthly
condition, the basic principle of which
will be righteousness: and the Prophet
Zephaniah says that then Gods Mes
sage, in its purity. shall reach the
people. Both statements are true.
On the ruins of our present civiliza-
ton. when mankind will be sick at
heart with the failure Of what they
had considered to be the Brain Age,
they will look to the Lord. to whom
they should have looked sooner. They
will perceive the coming reign of right
eousness and will say. ''Lo this is our
God, we have waited for Him and He
will deliver u.s." isaiah XIV. 81 Then
the Prophet declares. THE desire of
all nations shall come" (Haggai ii. ~
All nations are desiring blessing,
prosperity. and God desires that all
shall have these very favors, and they
will be obtainable through Messiah's
Kingdom. Then the blessing of man
kind will begin. The Messianic King
dom. invisible but All Powerful, will
be thoroughly manifest in it's dealings
and its righteous judgments will have
control. The blessing will come
through Israel, extending to and in
Guiding "all the families of the earth"
How grand the thought that the
New Heavens will be the new ecclesi-
asticaI powers-the glorified Church
Christ and His Bride in glory and
power. The New Earth mentioned by
the Apostle will be the new organiza-
ton Of human society, along the lines
Of righteousness-the Golden Rule.
We have not forgotten our text.
What we have said is in line with it.
It requires the addition Of one word