Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-03-16

t . .s9S11V zoo natn appoint
ed day in the
which He will judge the world" (Acts
| xvii, 3D. He said
J Enroute to your city visited Athens
AS | stood upon Mars Hill and made
| short address my mind reverted to
the account of Saint Paul's preaching
! there. and | have chosen some of his
words on that occasion as my text.
/ AS St Paul made no impression there
/ it is quite improbable that made any.
| True, it Is not today fashiona BILE
! in civilized communities to worship
images: and yet in another sense it Is
I still fashionable. There is still much
idol worship throughout the civilized
world, but In a different form from
that of old. No longer do we bow be-
fore wooden images, but before inward
images, the images of our minds, our
mental aspirations-with some, wealth
and fame; with others, ease and pleas
ure, and with still others, the creed
idols of our forefathers, miserable
Misrepresentation of the true God.
The Day of Judgment.
Saint Paul on Mars Hill preached
Jesus and the resurrection-Jesus az
the Redaemer from the death sentence,
making possible the resurrection of the
dead by satisfying the demands of Di-
vine Law against the sinner-the res
direction as the means through which
the blessing of the Savior's death will
reach Adam and all his children.
Addressing the Gentiles, the Apostle
explains that for long time God had
''winked" at Polytheism and image
worship, "but now," he says, God
commandeth all men everywhere to re,
pent." How did God wink" at sin and
idolatry? And does He still "wink' at
it2 And why did He change and when
did He begin to command repentance?
We answer: For four thousand years
idolatry prevailed and God took no no
tice of it. He did not "wink" at the
idolaters dying in their ignorance. and
say to the devils, Take these poor
creatures who know no better! Roast
them to all eternity Nothing of the
kind Our forefathers merely imag-
ined that and by false reasoning con-
WINGED themselves, and twisted texts
of Scripture which they did not proper
ly understand in support of this theory.
Let us note carefully what the Apos.
tie says respecting Gods appointed
Day for the judging of the world. He
says that the command to repent now
goes forth to all men everywhere, "be-
cause God hath appointed Day, In the
which He will judge the world" The
Apostle does not refer to that Day as
already begun, but as merely appoint
ed or arranged for In advance. He
means that in arranging that Jesus,
by the grace of God, should taste death
for every man," God was arranging
that every man might have judgment
or trial, to determine whether or not
he will be worthy Of this blessing
which Jesus death provides him an OPP.
portunitJ to secure.
"The Mystery Of God"
The purpose of the nineteen centuries
between the time when Jesus died as
mans Redeemer and the time when He
will take His Throne, as the Restorer
OF Adam and his race, Is spoken of as
q mystery" because the great work
OF grace herein accomplished Is meas
urably hidden from the world.
The Scriptures tell US who may UNI
derstand this mystery" and when 1t
/ Will be finished. They say, "The Sc
cret of the Lord is with them that fear
oh
enant." They tell US that ''In the days
of the voice OF the Seventh Angel
when he shall begin to sound, the Mys-
terry OF God shall be finished" which
He hath kept secret from the founda-
tion OF the world. Revelation K, ~
Saint Paul refers to this mystery. say
ing that 1t was hidden from past Ages
and Dispensations," and sis now re-
vealed to the saints" (Colossians l, e.
27) He explains what it is-that zee
should be fellow-heirs, and OF the same
Body with our Redeemer.-Eph. Ill, 6.
We should notice this wide differ
ence between the reward promised
the Church and that proffered the
world. The difference is as to ma
| ture. The reward for the world will
be earthly, human nature, with ever
lasting life In an earthly Paradise or
Eden world wide. Mankind never lost
spiritual or heavenly condition
| through Adams disobedience, nor in
any other manner. He never had such
a condition or nature that he could lose
1t. He was made man, "a little lower
than the angels" This which he lost
! Jesus paid the redemption price for at
Calvary; aud these things lost are the
very things which Jesus and His elect
Bride will restore to mankind during
the thousand rears of the Messianie
Kingdom THE Son of Man came to
seek and IL 4ye That Uhich tods lost "