The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-02-20

OF whose loving. ns.kinduess we cannot
measure -otly such have the nssur-
anccs which enable them TO offset the
horrible theories OF our creeds formu.
lated in darker past and which tod
us more horrible things respecting our
God and His treatment OF mankind
than our poor heather brethren ever
imagined.
The Key Of the Divine Word.
But now the better dag ls dawning!
We are seeing the glorious outlines Of
the Divine character in the Divine
Plan as never before! our hearts first
led the way aud rebelled against the
dctpm of our fallacious reasoning.
And now, in Gods due time, when
nature is yielding up her secrets and
chemistry is making the world anew,
behold, the key to the Divine Word ls
thrust into our hands. unlocking its
mysteries and explaining rs parabolic
symbols TO our astonlshed faith! But
alasl meantime many OF the brightest
minds of the world have rejected the
Bible. many of them even denying the
personality OF the Creator; and so far
have these gone in the substitution of
human wisdom for Divine Revelation
that il seems impossible for them TO
return to the paths Of faith.
Now, however is the time for all of
those who have hungering and
thrsting after God and His righteous
ness TO begin afresh the study of His
Word In the light Of the morning of
this New Dlspensatlon. Not only is
this necessary for our own comfort
and establishment, but II Is necessary
also In the interests Of others before
whom we stand as bulwarks OF the
Truth. having ON the whole Armor OF
God, the Helmet of Salvation the
Shield Of Faith, the Breastplate Of
Righteousness. the Sword of the Snlr-
Unnecessary for self-protection and
for the nid OF all who "are feeling
after God If haply they might find
Hlm."-Acts xvii, %.
Knowing Our God.
Our Redeemer declared, This Is life
eternal, that they might know Thee,
the only true and living Cod, and Je-
sus Christ, whom Thou hast sent"
Evidently the great Teacher had in
mind the thought of our text-not
merely knowledge about God, but an
acquaIntanceshlp icih Him, such as
can come only through fellowship
OF spirit and an understanding of the
Divine Program. None, however, are
N in inf tsa
knowledge except as they shall mani
fest heart-loyalty. Each step of prog
ress In our loyalty TO God brings that
attitude Of mind which Is pleasing to
Him and which, when thoroughly
demonstrated, Will be rewarded with
everlasting life. Thus knowledge Is
intimately bound up with our eternal
prospects.
Eaith's tceming millions know not
God. Even those portions called Chris
tiaH worship the true God with but
slight appreciation of His true charac-
ter. None OF these. therefore, are I'm
the condition TO claim everlasting life
according to the teaching OF the Mas
ter. They are the non-elect, in contrast
with the faithful few, who are Scrip
turally styled Gods Elect" "the Very
Elect" and who are urged 10 make
their calling and election sure by per.
severing loyalty even unto death. .t
In our blindness OF the past, assum-
ing that all the .non-elect would be con
signed to an eternity OF torture, we
have published in our missionary re-
ports that ninety thousand every day
go down into death, into Christless
graves-and, by inference, into eternal
torture. Alas, how misunderstood and
how unintentionally misrepresented
has been our gracious Father, the God
OF All Grace, the Father of Mercies.
Now we read His character IN fairer
lines as we perceive that the fulfil
ment of His great and wonderful
plan for the salvation of the world Is
merely beginning-that the election Of
the Church TO be the Bride of Christ
and joint-heir with Him In His glorl-
GUS Kingdom merely marks the time
for the setting up of that Heavenly
Kingdom, the rule OF which f. TO bring
such blessing and opportunities to man
kind-the non-elect. Now we perceive
that for thousand years the Elect, on
the heavenly plane, invisible to men,
"like unto the angels" will live and
reign with Christ Revelation XIX. d for
the blessing OF the non-elect their
uplifting from conditions Of sin and i'm.
perfection back to the glorious heights
of the image OF God IN the flesh. lost
by Adams disobedience and redeemed
by our Savior on Calvary, aud to be re-
stored to Adam and all his children
found willing to receive it on Divine
terms.
In view OF these things how reason
able that we lind the Apostles and
Prophets exultingly pointing forward
to Messiah's Kingdom as the time when
all the families Of the earth shall be
blessed. How this explains to us the
fact that our Redeemer gave so many
parallels illustrative of His Kingdom
describing the class which wou.a con
stitute the Royal Family ana the trials
aud difficulties OF their way while PROV
Ing themselves worthy to share with
our Redeemer In glory; and the condi-