The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-12-24

will come again to
receive you to My
V 49, self John xiv,
(1AsI0R RUssELD)2, g.
For more than
four thousand years before the Savior
came, no suggestion had been made re-
specting any home for humanity aside
from this earth. The paradise of
Eden, lost through disobedience, and
Gods image in humanity, almost
obliterated by sin and death, God
promised to restore. The right to life
forfeited by Adam for himself and his
race, God purposed to restore to all
the willing and obedient. But all these
blessings were to come through a Re
deemer, the Mediator Of the New Cove
nant, the Messiah.
Humanity knew not the possibilities
of Restitution, but Israel had the fact
typiied in their Jubilee year of Resti-
tuition, which occurred every fifty
years. They also had typical sacri-
fees of a Passover lamb and Atone
ment Day offerings, representing some
means by which God justly met for
them the requirements of His own
Law. They realized not that this
satisfaction of Justice would be ac-
complished by the death Of the very
Redeemer who subsequently would be
the Restorer.
Their minds naturally dwelt espe-
cially upon the great fact that Mes
siah was to be of Jewish stock; and
that Israel was to have the first chance
of the choicest blessings in connection
with Messiah's Kingdom. As they
waited for Messiah and His Kingdom,
they fondly anticipated their own ma
tional blessing. Seemingly, they over
looked the fact that the blessing would
be an individual one, In harmony with
the Divine arrangement. They hoped
for a resurrection from the dead "at
the last day."-in the great Seventh
Thousand Year Day or Epoch, and ex-
pected it to bring them from the sleep
of death back to earthly conditions.
Some of them hoped for a better
resurrection" than the majority, be-
cause of their loyalty to God and their
willingness to suffer for righteousness:
but ever these expected to be, not an
gels, but men. Was not Abraham him
self promised that all the land which
he could see should, eventually, be his?
What could this mean except that he
would be resurrected, as an earthly
being, to enjoy this promised inheri-
lance? st. Stephen points out that
Abraham never received, in fulalment
of Gods promise, as much of that
land "as to set his foot upon" (Acts
VII, 81 Undoubtedly, therefore, the en-
tire promise of the land is future. The
| possession will come to Abraham, and
will be given to his seed, his posterity,
after him.
Heavenly Promlses-"Like Unto An
gels"
Gods plan was allowed to rest as
though forgotten until Jesus began to
accomplish another and different work.
He began to call the Bride class from
amongst mankind-both Jews and Gen.
tiles. Without explaining the full de-
tails, He invited all who desired to be-
come associated in His Kingdom to
take up their cross and follow Him
He promised them a joint-heirship
with Himself in His Kingdom. He told
them that those who attain unto that
Age and the resurrection. would nej
Their marry nor be given In marriage
like unto the Notwithstanding
TX, 80, sc.
No wonder the Apostles were sur
prisedl No wonder Nicodemus hesitat
ed to endorse something so different
from what he had anticipated in the
way of blessing; and he came to Jesus
by night to inquire further! No wonder
the Masters words were p~erplexing
when He said, "Ye must be born
againi" No wonder Nicodemus, In per-
plexity, asked about this spirit birth
and found the answers perplexing.
Jesus did not attempt to give him a
full explanation, but merely said that
If he had difficulty in understanding
earthly things, how could he expect to
understand Heavenly things. John
LII. II.
Restitution Waits, but Not Abandoned.
The whole matter is plain In the light
Of the New Testament teaching. Be-
fore the time for blessing the world.
God is selecting therefrom a class TO
constitute the Bride of Christ. the
faithful Little Flock. The Church is to
be associated with Him in blessing the
human family with Restitution. Bnt
th1 Data ol,.- f4.a1N A..
change of nature from human to spir-
itual This was difficult for the Apos.
ties to understand. Their minds would
continually revert to an earthly king
dom, but the Master repeatedly drew
their attention away from the earthly.
He declared, MY Kingdom is not of
this Age" and told the disciples that
He would come again in power and
great glory, and all the holy angels
with Him; and that then He would sit
upon the Throne of His Glory-upon
which they would sit with Him, If
faithful even unto sacri1cial death.
The Heavenly Mansions.
The. Lord endeavored to draw the
Allluc VI Ills away 1IOul lHt
earthly hopes of an earthly kingdom,
which they held in common with all
Jews. The disciples knew of various
orders Of beings on the angelic plane
cherubim, seraphim and ordinary an
gels. Jesus made no suggestion of
changing His disciples into any of these
ans, l. orders. Rather, He gave them
to ui6erstand thet they would consd-
tute a new order of creatures. The
questions then naturally arose, Is there
a possibility of having a still different
order of beings on the Heavenly plane?
Did not the creation of man a little
lower than angels imply a sufficient "a
riety of creations on the angelic plane
and higher?
These questions would seem proper
enough: and to these our Lords words
make answer: ain My Fathers House
are many mansiOns"-many apart
ments, many divisions. Yet all are
holy, ell are in full accord with Him
and with each other. Il go to prepare
a place for you My followers-a
Heavenly mansion.
st. Peter. discussing the subject, tells
US that in Gods providence the Church
is not only a New Creation, but a crea-
ton on a higher plane than any other
of Gods creation. st. Paul says, that
our Lord Jesus, having finished the
work which the Father gave Him to do,
~'ascended on High" to the right hand
Of the Divine Majesty, to the place OF
chief favor. He declares that this pc
sition is far above angels, p%rincipali
ties and powers and every lame that is
neutrality-suspicious. I, 81.