The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-27
PASTOR RUSSELL'S
 WEEKLY LESSON

All things are possible. Mark ix, 14-
 29--December l.
 And Jesus said unto him. If thou
 canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark ix. 2S When Jesus and the three favored Apostles came down from the Mount
 of Transhguration, where they had
 been enjoying the vision of the com
 ing glory. they found the other nine apostles at the foot of the mountain | surrounded by multitude. They had | made several inefficacious attempts to cast out demon from a boy whose father had brought him for the purpose So with the Lords people. Occasion ally by faith they go up intofthe noun tain, the kingdom; by faith they see the glory of the Lord revealed, and hear afresh that they must suffer with Him | if they would enter into His glory | Then, coming down from the exalted
 heights of contemplation of things glorious. they face the realities of the present time. But if the Master be with them, victory will ultimately be achieved
 The multitude hailed Jesus and I fiocl<ed to Him, but He came prompt | ly to the relief of the apostles and in- | Quired the nature of their trouble The | father interposed and explained: T have brought my son. who is possessed
 of dumb spirit; and whenever it takes
 hold upon him it dashes him down and he foameth and grindeth his teeth and
 pineth away; and l spalke to Thy
 disciples that they should cast it out
 and they were not able"
 And Jesus answered, 70. faithless
 generation. How long shall 1 be with
 you and bear with you2 Bring the boy
 to Me" And they brought him, and i'm.
 mediately the spirit caused him to fall | to the ground, wallowing and foam
 ing. Jesus questioned how long he had
 been thus. The father answered, From | a child" and that often the spirit at-
 tempted to cast the boy into the fire
 or into the water to destroy him; But
 if Thou canst do anything, have com passion and help us."
 "To Him That Belieyeth" | Jesus replied, If thou canst believe;
 all things are possible to him that be- 1 lieveth." How great stress the Lord | lays. everywhere upon the exercise of | faith in the divine power. Without faith 1t is impossible to please God" | Those who cannot exercise the faith
 cannot have the blessing which others may have who do exercise faith; and
 our blessings increase in proportion as | we will exercise our faith. Thus the | Lord puts a premium upon this ele- ment of character and makes it es- | sential to His favor.
 This does not imply that people who cannot now exercise faith will never get any blessing. On the contrary. while
 the Lord has given certain exceeding great and precious promises to those who can and do believe and who fol- low their belief with obedience to the extent of their ability, He has also promised that by and by, during Mes siahs Kingdom. the way of faith and obedience will be made so plain, so simple. that all will be able to follow 1t and to gain a reward-but a lesser one than that now extended to those who can and do exercise faith and obedience.
 The reason for this is manifest God is now seeking a special class of spe- cially faithful and obedient children to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with
 Jesus in His glorious Messianic king
 dom, and whom by and by He will use in bestowlng His blessing world wide.
 and He desires that in this class shall be only such as can exercise absolute
 faith in Him. Hence. now. Gods rule
 for dealing with the church is "Ac-
 cording to thy faith be it unto thee" --Matthew K. 20.
 And in this miracle and others the
 Lord required faith seemingly as the condition of the healing. He thus man ifested forth His coming glory and the power of His Kingdom. During the
 kingdom reign there will be such man.