, 1912-01-25

made to bring forth in one day: Shall
a nation be born at Isaiah
Xvi. 8
Then l thought of how your island
has been styled the paradise of the
Pacific" The reality surpasSes my
expectations. Yet as | think of the
glorious conditions which the Bible
tells us shall prevail throughout the
whole earth under MeSsiah's KINGDOM.
l perceive that even the Paradise OF
the Pacific" falls far short If the Par
adise of God"
God has declared that the earth is
His footstool. and that in din" time IN
der Messiah's Empire. He will make
the place of His feet glorious.
The Last Enemy Death.
II is because God has already dealt
bountifully with your island and Given
You in advance many of those bless
ings promised 10 the whole earth that
your islam ! is styled a Paradise. New
ertheleSs. you all need TO pray with
the remainder of mankind for the com
ing OF the Kingdom of Messiah and its
blessings-"Thy Kingdom tome. Thy
will be done on earth as il is lone in
heaven"
Your cemeteries were early in evi
dence telling us that here. too. in this
Paradise. men die. Your hospital and
physicians signs tell us that here, too.
men are sick. But in The Paradise
which God has promised to establish
,rnInr Afo,-;,L-, E,r, ,hn ;,baI
itants will not say. Il am sick" Ulti-
ma .c'v .here will he no more signing.
no more dying. and no more crying
because all the former things of sin
and death will have passed away and
He that shall sit upon the throne will
The Holy Nation Born.
Pastor Russell expounded his text.
showing by the context that it refers
to the resurrection of the Church. lie
declared that the begetting Of the
Holy Spirit in the present life consti-
tutes Gods people embryo new crra.
lures in Christ: that this begetting
and embryo development. according to
the Scriptures. concludes in death.
and thai the resurrection moment. the
attainment of glory. honor and immor-
tally as spirit beings beyond tie veil
will be the birth of this new creation
Of God-the elect C~hurch-"the Bride.
the Lambs wife"
Pastor Russell pointed to the declara
ton of the Apostle that Jesus in His
resurrection became the First born
from the dead" the First-born among
many brethren" who attain a similar
resurrection. and who are. therefore,
said to share in His resurrection.
Our text points us down to the
thousand year day of Messiah's King.
dom-the day so long foretold- the day
OF eartb's blessing. in which the "Sun
Of Righteousness" will scatter the
darkness of sin and bring blessings to
all mankind. II is the Psalmist who
tells us hat the Church will be bless
ed OF the Lord in that glorious day,
but In advance of the world. Thus
we read. God will help her right ear
iy In the morning" psalm XVI. ~
That privileged time in which the
Ohe'Nh WIN i' htiItu. III Wultl she
will be passed from earthly conditions
10 heavenly conditions. is in our text
spoken of rs her birthday. st. Peter
tells us that the Church * the Holy
Nation to which God frequently refers
IN the prophecies. Il Peter II. o., The
Head of the Church was born from the
dead NOR" than eighteen centuries ngo:
The Body Is I" rome forth now. the
Holy Nation complete. perfect and full.
ly equipped by the lessons and exueri.
ences passed through In the present
life.
10 this Holy Nation will be given
the control of the world under the su.
pervision of her Lord and Radeemer:
TO him that overcomptb will grant
TO Sit with Me in My throne''-"I will
give him power over the nations he
sha rule them with a rod of iron.
Through this nation blessing is to pro.
coed to all the families of the earth.
Look Now at Our Text.
Verse seven pictures the Church MS
a mother. and pictures Messiah Ms n
mantle Head Of the Church which
Is His Body. This Is the great DeIiy.
erer referred 10 by ST. Paul in Romans
Si' 26' He II is that, coming out of
Zion. shall he the Deliverer 1T Israel,
VINO shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob Verse o connects the rpsurrec-
Ion birth of the Head with the resur-
rection birth Of the Body. Would God
bring forth the Head. Jesus. and then
tah to bring forth the Church His
Bodyf Nay, verify. His faithful shall
share In His resurrection" as prom.
iRed--Philippiaus iii. 10