The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-15

pent, and live contrary to your fallen
tastes and appetites," the people might
properly enough have said, "Why, for
what reason should We practice self
denial, selffestraint? Would it bring
us any blessing OF everlasting Life or
harmony with God" The truthful an
swer would have been, ono, because
you are already under a death SEN
tence and alienated from God as sin
ners."
Hence. God merely overlooked or
"winked' at the ignorance and super
stition of the period from Adam to the
close Of the 4161 years. But as soon
as Jesus had died, ''the Just for the un-
just" to make reconciliation for in
EQUITY Immediately the message went
forth--God offered forgiveness and
reconciliation to those who would be.
lieve in Jesus and would accept the
Divine terms. Such have their sins
forgiven. Such may come back to fell
lowship with God. And, in the next
Age, such may eventually attain full
human perfection by restitution proc
esses, up, up to all that was lost in
Adam and redeemed at Calvary.
Gods Appointed Day.
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 a [futurel
Day, in which He will judge the world
The Apostle does not refer to that Day
as already begun. but as merely APP
pointed 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 a Judgment
or trial, to determine whether or not
he will be worthy of this blessing
which Jesus death provides him an
opportunity to secure. The Day was
future in Saint Paul's time, and 1t is
still future, because God has other
work which He proposes shall be ac-
ulSt, ILC " VI III LAY
of Judgment or trial shall begin.
The worlds trial Day or period of
Judgment, or testing as to WorthinesS
or unworthiness for everlasting life,
will be one Of the thousand-year days
mentioned by Saint Peter, who said.
"a day with the Lord is as a thou
sand years" The same period Is call
ed elsewhere the DAY of Christ" the
Day or period of Messiah's glorious
reign. BY the righteous ruling of His
Kingdom, by the suppression Of Satan
and sin and the scattering of dark
ness, ignorance and superstition, by
the shining forth of the Sun Of Right
eousness with healing in it's beams,
that glorious Day will bring blessing
to the world in general-opportunit
for each individual to come into judg-
ment or trial, the result Of which will
be either the reward Of life everlast-
ing or the punishment Of death ever
misunderstanding destruction from
the presence of the Lord and from the
glory Of His power"
That great thousand-year Day Is
still future; and, meantime, the Apos-
ties words respecting mankind are
still true: "The whole creation groan-
eth and travaileth in pain together
waiting for the manifestation Of the
sons Of God" Romans viii, 90, 49,
If the nineteen centuries delay in the
introduction of this great Day seems
long, let US not forget that it Is less
than half as long as the period which
preceded-the period prior to the COM
ing Of Jesus and His dying, "the Just
for the unjust" Nor Is the entire pc
Rod long from the Divine standpoint.
For as the Prophet declares: "a thou
sand years in Gods sight are but as
yesterday" or even shorter, "as a
watch in the night" The six great
Days Of a thousand years each, in
which sin and death have reigned, are
to be followed by great Sabbath Of
rest from evil-a thousand years Of
refreshment, refrigeration. upbuld
ing, restitution.-Acts i'll, 1923.
"Ths Mystery Of God"
The purpose of the nineteen centu.
ries between the time when Jesus died
as mans Redeemer and the time when
He will take His Throne as the Re-
storer of Adam and his race is spoken
Of as a Mystery, because the great
work of grace herein accomplished is
measuraby hidden from the world.
The Jews do not understand it; they
expected that Messiah's Kingdom and
their own national exaltation would
have come long ago. They cannot tell
a0p why they have been for eighteen
centuries outcast from the Divine IA
vor. 1t is mystery to them.
The Scriptures tell us who may
know or understand this Mystery and
when it will be finished. They say.
1.-THE secret of the Lord is with them
that fear Him. and He will show them
His Covenant" They tell us that in
the days of the voice Of the Seventh
Angel. when he shall begin to sound,
the mystery of God shall be finished"
which He hath kept secret from the
foundation Of the world. Saint Pau!
refers to this mystery, saying that it
was hidden from past Ages and Dis
pensations." and that it lis now re-
vealed to the saints" He explains
what 1t is. namely. that we should be
fellow-heirs and Of the same Body
with our Observation-Disclosures ill. 6.
VIA II -, luz