The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-05-31

(9S!5SzJ largest AUDITORIUM,
the Hippodrsme
next Sunday afternoon, to hear the
report of this committee respecting
its findings. report Of the same will
| be given in these columns.
| Pastor Russell's discourse today was
reminiscent of Arabia as the Cradle of
our Race. His text was: las all In
Adam die, even so all In Christ shall be
made alive; every man In his own or
der."-I Cor. Nv, %, %.
Arabia is accredited with being the
ancient Eden, eastward In which was
the specially prepared Garden wherein
our first parents had their trial-not for
a reward of heaven or Il punishment of
eternal torment, but for a reward of
everlasting life under perfect earthly
conditions, or for a penalty of death.
Here man, created very good, in the
image of his Creator sinned and be-
came subject TO the penalty of sin
1.-THE soul that sinneth, It shall die"
Here also is Mount Ararat, ON which
the ark rested after the flood, and from
which came forth the family of Noah
to people the earth afresh. Thus was
Arabia twice the Cradle of mankind
'Gsrael Hath Not Obtained"
The first declaration of the Gospel
the first mention that Divine favor
would yet rescue mankind from the
reign of sin and death, was made, not
publicly, not TO all of the race, but
merely to one man. the friend Of Cod
Abraham.
But God gave Abraham words only,
Wonderful words of life"-that in him
and in his posterity eventually all the
families of the earth should be blessed.
But there was not n sign OF change SO
far as the Divine dealings were con-
cerned Doubtless it was because God
foreknew that approximately four
thousand years would intervene before
the blessing Of the world that He add
ed His oath to His promise.
In due time, at Mount Sinai God en-
tered into a Covenant with the children
Of Israel, by which He agreed to bless
them and to fulfill in them the Abra
hamic promise that they, as Abraham's
seed, should bless all the nations of the
earth. The only condition connected
with the promise was that they were
to show their fitness to be the Divine
channel. Full of JOY and faith the
Israelites obligated themselves thus.
All. much they knew not. They did
not realize their own weakness and i'm
perfection through the fall and their
inability to fulfill the Divine require
ments. the spirit Of the Law Of their
Covenant. They soon found that while
the Law said HE that doeth these
things shall i've" they were not able
to do those things; and therefore they
were all dying like other men. Had
God deceived them and entrapped
them? No. Gods proposition was SIM
pie enough. He was merely teaching
them great lesson-that sin as dis
ease had taken hold upon humanity
and that, however willing they might
be. all were weak and perverse and
unable to fulfill their good Intentions.
AS consolation God assured Israel
that He would send the Deliverer,
One still greater than Moses. who had
delivered them from the Egyptian
bondage. This great Deliverer would
deliver them from the greater bondage
Of sin and death. so that they would
be able to obey the Divine Law and
be used OF God In blessing and in
structing other nations. This Greater
than Moses, they were assured, would
inaugurate New Law Covenant.
based upon better sacrifices than the
blood Of bulls and goats, and He was
known to them as Messiah. the Mes
senger Of the New Covenant.
Heirs Of tho Promise.
We must never lose sight of the |
kernel Of the Gospel Message. The ul-
innate blessings Of the Messanlc |
Kingdom, through the Seed Of Abra-
ham, will be to all the families Of the
earth. but previously, the Divine work
IL the calling Of the Seed Of Abraham
which Is to do that work OF blessing.
The promise was not made to all the
families of the earth, but to Abraham
and his Seed. Hence the heirs Of the
promise are not all the families Of the
earth, but the Seed of Abraham.
To the saints Of GalatIa, who had
been Gentiles. but had accepted Jesus
and were trusting to become joint
heirs with Gods dear Son In His Mes
sianlc Kingdom as members Of His
Bride Elect, Saint Paul writes, IF
We be Christ's. then are ye Abraham's
Seed, and heirs according to the prom
ise." Galatians III, 20.) How strange
TINT we should have lost sight OF this
great inheritance. With our Lord, as
Abraham's Seed, we shall inherit the
earth; as II Is written, II will give
thee the heather for Thine iuher
lance. and the uttermost parts Of the
sarth for Thy possession"