Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-06-15

there is a thread of truth in the doc
trine of purgatOry. That thread con-
meets up with our text Of today. In
deed, our Catholic friends acknowl-
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, Saved so as by
Are" This is one Of their strong texts
supporting the theory Of purgatory. 1t
certainly does imply that fiery expert
ences Of some kind will come to some
Of Gods people, and that these will be
designed to have a purglng effect.
Nothing in the text, however, gives
single suggestion to the effect that
such purgatorial trials are now in OPP
grafton. On the contrary, the Apostle
points down to the future saying, "The
fire Of that day shall try every mans
work Of what sort it is.' Those who
have built with the wood, hay and
stubble, even though upon the good
foundation Of Christ's redemptive
work, will suffer loss. 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 day.
Nevertheless, says the Apostle, those
who will suffer the loss Of their entire
faith structure of wood, hay and stub
ble-false doctrines and theories Of
their own and 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"-saved through fiery experiences.
Search as we will we find no reference
to any such sufferings 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
resurrection. 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 Age, and are still applicable to
us. He says, "Think 1t 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
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 Sc
He permits these fiery trials to test
their faith, their loyalty to Him, to the
Truth, to the brethren.
Purgatory In tho Present Life.
Did not Jesus thus have purgatorial
experlences2-not to purge away sin
for He had none-being holy, harm.
less, nndefiled and separate from sin
ners"-but to demonstrate His loyalty
to God; as the Apostle said, HE was
obedlent unto death, even the death
Of the cross" And did not the Apos
ties have purgatorlal experiences
which were needed and which we all
need? Is It not in respect to these
purgatorlal experiences that the Apos
tie urges us to remember that God is
faithful and will not suffer us to bt
tempted, tried, more than we are able
to bear, but with every temptation
trial, provides also a way Of escapel
He also assures us, "My grace il
sufficient for thee, for My strength II
made perfect in weakness" And IL
not this the very picture the Scrip
lures give us respecting our present
trials, namely, that our Lord sits as
Reflner and Purifier of silver TO take
from us the dross and to purify us as
New Creatures in Christ Jesus and t
make us ready for the Kingdom2
1t is In full accord with this that thu
Apostle declares Of the Church that Il
we Judge ourselves-judge our OWL
conduct, and properly criticize our
selves for errors-we will not need t
be judged or chastened with fer
trials by the Lord. But II we neglec
to thus Judge ourselves, and become
careless, the Lord will give Us chasten
ings, fiery trials and stripes-purgato
rial experiences--to the intent that w
may not be condemned with the world
The Worlds Condemnation.
In this statement, to the effect tina
the Church Is now chastened that sh,
may not come into judgment with thu
world, we should understand the Wort
tUorld to mean all outside of tn
Church.--both Jews and Gentlles, Thu
Church Is composed, not Of any sec
or party, but of all those who hay,
come into covenantrelationship will
the Father through faith In the LorC
, Jesus, and a full conservation Of thei
lives to walk In His steps. The re
ward of the Church viii be joint-helrshi
with the Savior In His Kingdom 70
which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come.
The Bible teaches us that shortl!
the Kingdom will be established II
the midst OF a great time of trou
ble," and that through It's blessed
reign OF righteousness the who'll
world, Of every nation and klndre,
and people and tongue, will be blessed
with light, with knowledge, with op
portunity, "rhe Sun Of Righteous