The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-12-06

Ia be destroyed by lit
lAaoa 9gssEEg sp'l b fire. t ACCORDING rlea,
event OF Christ's Coming will bring
blessing such as we all desire. He
seems to have the Bible and logic on
his side too! ~.
Pastor Russell declared that false
concepts of the Second Coming of
Christ have done great injury. Theview
set forth in all orthodox creeds is that
Christ will come again in the flesh
The resurrection will take place within
twentyfour hours. The sanity will rise
in the air to meet the Lord. Then fire
will come down from heaven and con-
sumo the whole earth. A few-Premil-
lennialists-claim that Christ will reign
in fieshy glory for thousand years to
bless the living of mankind. The ma
jority Of Christians disown all this as
ridiculous nonsense because they be-
liere little or nothing, either Of the
creeds or of the Bible. A minority dis
own it because they perceive it's incon-
sistency with the Bible" Count me
in with this minority" said Pastor
Russell ':a.,.....'
More than three hundred Bible texts
refer to Mcssiah's glorious Second Ad-
vent. Our Inquiry shall be first, Why
does the Master come again? Did He
not properly establish His Church?
Has this Gospel Age been failure
Will He come to rectify matters and to
start His Church afresh in the work
Of world conversion and blessing?
Not at all His work has carried out
exactly as Intended. Not a suggestion
of Scripture implies that the Church is
to convert the world during this Age.
On, the contrary, her mission has been
to act as Gods mouthpiece in calling
out q class to ~be ioint-heirs with the
Redeemer Properly enough Jesus
said. Il pray not for the world. but
for those whom Thou hast given Me-"
He loved the world. He died for the
world. IN due time. by His Messianic
Kingdom. He will bless "a!l the fami-
lies of the earth But the time for
blessing the world is not yet. First.
q special class Is invited to become
separate from the world. to become
sancti6ed or set apart to God and His
service. following in the footsteps of
Jesus. These. like their Master. must
demonstrate their love for God. their
loyalty to Him and to the brethren,
even unto death. Their reward is to be
sharers with their Master in His Heav
Of MI oh q
thousand years will rule, bless and up
lift humanity.
The followers OF Jesus have another
work. i'm addition to witnessing to the
world and calling out faithful saints
to walk the narrow way. That other
work is TO build one another up p
the most holy faith Each individual
Of the sanctified Little Flock Is not
only to do good unto all men. aud
especially to the household of faith"
but particularly to make his own call
Ing and election sure" by personal love,
zeal and loyalty. ..... g..
Tho Kingdom Now In Embryo.
Our Lords many parallels refer to
His Churcl, as Kingdom class,
Royal Priesthood This does not signi-
~ that He intended them to occupy
places of honor and distinction now.
The Master Himself was neither
King nor a Priest on earth. His Is
the Melchisedee Priesthood Of the Mes
sianic Age. Then He will also be the
Great King over all the earth, as we'll
q fhn hot nhnr nd
the Great Judge or Ruler Well did
He declare to PLATE, My Kingdom is
not of this Age" John xviii. So. AS
His sanity followers are to share In
His Kingdom. they also must wait for
its establishment. While waiting they
are to pray. Thy Kingdom come: Thy
will be done on earth as il is done in
Heaven U.s.
OF this Royal Priesthood the Apostle
declares. The world knoweth us not =
We are priests and kings only from the
Divine standpoint which none are able
to recognize except the brethren"
Only In embryo are Gods saints spok.
en- of as the Kingdom class. They are
on probation. Jesus says that The
overcomers will be granted to sit with
Him in His Throne as actual members
of the Royal Priesthood. to reign with
Him q thousand Revelation Ill,
Xxx. g..
ole Must Reign Until"
st. Paul. after telling about the
resurrection Of the dead. explains that
the resurrection Of the Church TO
glory. honor and immortality will be
first on the program Subsequently all
will be resurrected every man in his
own order" and Christ wilI-.sreign
until He shall have put down all in
subordination. Other Scriptures clear: