Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-12-26

klul4glb liFDHltNt lVl M WI" Af'F' W.
come intD harmony With God, and d
Just penalty. or stripes, upon OH those
who sin wilfully against light and
knowledge and opportunity. II pro
claims that q New bay Is dawH.ng, iu
which the I.ord will give "beaury for
ashes, aud the oil o. Joy Tor tie gpiIit
Of heaYiness."
The True Gospel includes the Cos
pei Il the Kingdom that the Divine
arrangement now Is for the selection Of
the Kingdom class from amoLgst men
TO be heirs Of God and joIntheirs with
Jesus Christ 10 His Messianlc King
dom. II proclaims the honorable work
OF the Church az the kiDgdom of God
by and by, 10 Judge, rule aud bless AL
the families OF the earth II proclams
also thar the number who will attain
10 this Kingdom glory Is limited
Little Flock, 10 whom II will be the
Fathers good pleasure TO give the
Kingdom. duke XII 32l It exhorts
the making OF "our calling ana elec
ton sure 10 q share IN that Kingdom
Is Gospel Preaching Looiosl2
Let us notice the worlds viewpoint,
which causes the Gospel Message 10
appear foolish TO them. TO the world
ly-wise it looked very foolish, indeed
for Jesus 10 60 about Palestine with
twelve disciples, performing some mir
acles and inviting chiefly the poor 70
become His followers, leaving business
and other pursuits. An says the
world, "how impractical was Jesus
and how foolish YVES HIS message! a
business man would have laid Il good
foundation for his work by making
friends with the Scrlbes, the phorlsecs
and the Doctors of the LAW, and utiiiz.
ing their influence with their hold upon
the people
But we ask, how then would the
Scriptures have been fuld'iedi Who
would have cruciGed Christ, or have
caused His deathf There would have
been no reconciliation possible for man
kind. It IL well Tor us that Jesus did
not follow the suggestions Of worldly
wisdom. Truly the wisdom Of thi+
world is foollshuess with Cod" even as
the Wisdom Of God IS foolishness with
the children Of this world.
II is because worldly wisdom got in
its hold in the Dark Ages that the Cos
pei has been perverted so greatly
Great human institutions have arisen,
mighty and powerful, through mans
cunning. Prlestcraft and statecraft
have made the professed Church OF
Christ one Of the greatest business in
stitutions on earth, Not more, but
less, Of human wisdom Is what we
need; and not less, but more, of Divine
Wisdom and instruction from the Bible.
Why II Seems Foolish.
From the worlds standpoint it seems
foolish that God should invite any to
do right and to be His servants. 1t
seems weak for a God OF all power to
entreat, where He could command and
enforce obedience Earth's kings, hav
ing the power, would enforce their
commands; In fact, everybody, as u
rule, executes his own will How
strange, therefore It appears to the
world that it should be otherwise with
the Almighty!
The Bible. however, gives the infor-
nation. God wishes TO select special |
class Of special servants To test their
loyalty there must be opportunity for
them to resist Him and to refuse obedi |
ence. God causes His Message or IN !
vitation to pass on to others also, that |
thus He may find the peculiar people |
who prefer to do good rather than evil |
to suffer for righteousness sake The |
special work which He designs the |
Church TO accomplish requires such !
loyal, faithful souls as these-men and |
women glad to sacrifice their lives in
the service Of the Lord, His cause and |
His brethren. The class He seeks count !
not their lives dear unto themselves"
God carries the proposition still
further, however, and puts this special
class to peculiar and severe tests, that
the trial Of their faith and obedience.
being more precious than that Of gold,
may be found acceptable unto His
pleasement-eventually.
Prosecutions, tribulations. attacks
from the world, the flesh and the Ad.
versary. are permitted to come against
these to test their loyalty. None of
these things are what the world would
expect; and TO tell the world OF these
is to relate what seems to them fool
ishness. They cannot see why conse.
Grated people OF God should suffer re-
proofs for righteousness sake. for
Truths sake.
But all these matters are clear and
plain to those who are taught of God
TO those who have learned that the
Church is being selected from amongst
mankind for very special work OF
God This makes 1t appropriate that
their loyalty be tested TO the limit, IN
order that they may be counted worthy
Of the glory, honor and immortality
which God has for those who love Him