The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-06-13

SA0E8 IA q IoE0NQ OF LEuln IN Ln0 DOC.
trine oftpurgatory. That thread con-
meets upNw1th our text OF today. In.
deed, our Catholic friends aclnowl-
edge that there Is no positive state
ment In ,the Bible respecting purga-
tory they merely infer it from certain
texts, (which do not use the word, and
our text, which says. Sawed 50 as by
fire." This is one ofjtheir strong texts
supporting the theory Of purgatory. It
certainly does imply that fiery expert
ences \pf some kind Will come to some
of Godts people, and 'that these will be
designeM to have purging effect.
Nothing in the text, however, gives
single( suggestion to the effect that
such punyatorial trials are now in op-
Grafton. On the contrary, the Apostle
points down to the future saying, "The
fire of thai day shall try every mans
work of what sort lit is" Those who
have built with the wood, hay and
stubble, even though upon the good
foundation of Christs redemptive
work, will sufferiloss.' Only those who
shall build with the precious Divine
promises, the gold, silver and precious
stones Of the Divine Word, will pass
unscathed through &the fiery expert.
ences Of that dog.
Nevertheless, ,says>thefApostle, those
who will suffer the loss 'of their entire
faith structure rof wood, hay and stub
! ble-false doctrines and theories of
their owniand of other men-will them
selves be saved. because they built
/ upon the Rock Christ Jesus. But, he
adds, '"They will be saved SO as by
, flre"-sayed through fiery, experiences
Search as we will'we findjno reference
to any such sufferdngs after death and
, before the resurrection. Thus we see
that the Apostle is in full harmony
with what the Bible everywhere teach
, es, that the dead are not consciously
alive to experience either,joy or suffer
ing between the time Of death and the
resurrecton:f = But, on the, contrary,
: they all 'sleep in the dust of the
EARTH" awaiting the awakening Of
their souls in the glorious morning Of
| the New Age.
st. Peters remarks to the faithful in
! his day have been applicable through
, out the Agei and are stilliapplicable to
| us. He says, "Think it not strange
| concerning the fiery trial which is to
| try you, as though some strange thing
| happened unto you" q Peter iv, 12.)
| Here again he Is not speaking Of pur-
, gatorial experience after death, but Of
, a purgatorial experience In the present
life. God could protect His Children
| from every foe, from every trouble.
| from every sorrow, from every one Of
| Satan's darts, but instead Of doing so
He permits these fiery trials to test
! their faith, their loyalty to Him, to the
Truth, to the brethren.
Prrsatory In tho Present Life.
Did not Jesus thus have purgatorial
| experiences mot to purge away sin,
| for He had none-being "holy, harm
less, undefled and separate from sin
, ners'-but to demonstrate His loyalty
| to God; as the Apostle said, "He was
obedient unto death, even the death
Of the cross" And did not the Apos-
ties have purgatoriaT experiences,
which were needed, and which we all
need2 Is it not IN respect to these
purgatorial experiences that the Apos-
tie urges us to remember that God is
| faithful and will not suffer US to be
tempted, tried, more than we are able
| to bear, but with every temptation,
trial, provides also way Of escape?
| he also assures us, my grace is
sufficient for thee, for My strength is
made perfect in weakness" And is
not this the very picture the Scrip
| lures give us respecting our present
trials, namely, that our Lord sits as q
Ref1ner and Purifier Of silver to take
from us the dross and to purify us as
| New Creatures in Christ Jesus, and to
make us ready for the Kingdom?
| 1t Is in full accord with this that the
Apostle declares Of the Church that If
we judge ourselves-judge OUR own
| conduct, and properly criticize our
selves for errors-we will not need to
be judged or chastened with fiery
| trials by the Lord. But If we neglect
| to thus judge ourselves. and become
, careless, the Lord will give us chasten-
! tngs, fiery trials and stripes-purgato
I rial eXperienceS-to the intent that we
| may not be condemned with the world.
Tho Worlds Condemnation.
In this statement, to the effect that
| the Church Is now chastened that she
may not come into judgment with the
| world, we should understand the word
toorld to mean oil outside of the
| Church-both Jews and Gentiles. The
Church Is composed, not Of any sect
or party, but Of all those who have
come into covenant-relationship with
the Father through faith in the Lord
Jesus, and full conservation of their
lives to walk In His steps. The re-
ward Of the Church will be joint-heirship
with the Savior in His Kingdom, for
| which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come"
| The Bible teaches us that shortly
the Kingdom will be established in
| the midst of a prnat .Wtlnn Of troll