The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-01-04

the song Of the an.
gels on the morn.
~ ing Of Jesus birth
I(PASIOR RJSSEIM -"Glory to God In
- the Highest: on
earth peace. god
will toward meu."-Luke II. II.
Pastor Russell adverted to the fact that
q few months ago neither he nor his
companions had the slightest thought Of
spending Christmas day on the broad Dos
ON Of the Pacific ocean,. but In Gods
providence here they were on q mission
Of peace and good wfll toward men," and
on an ocean whose name 10 Pacific; and
by circumstances beyond control, Sunday
and Christmas day merged into one. In .
double sense speaking peace and h d.
vine bencdiction upon their mission.
What could DO more appropriate to the
occasion than the song Of the angela
"Glory to God In the Highest, on earth
peace. good will toward men" Surely that
song must ind . responsive echo IN the
hearts of all good people.
"Psaee, Peace, but No Peace"
Nearly 10 centuries have sped since the
Savior was born and the angelic message
Of peace went forth; but still God 10
not gloriied. and peace and good will are
| not exempli1ed amongst men. What
means this delayf
Instead OF peace, We have war; instead
Of disarmament, fresh taxes are levied;
armies are enlarged and freshiyequipped,
new guns Of more deadly caliber take tho
place Of previous types, and nine mors
monster ~dreadnaughts are promised be-
fore another year-all for peace Some Of
US, as bible students. have learned within
the last few years to place greater conn.,
dence han ever In our precious bible.
Wiping from It the smearings of ignor-
ance and superstition accumulated during
the Dark Ages, we find Gods Book won
derfully Respondent, Verify. II shines out
as q lamp UPON the otherwise dark path
way of the worlds trend. 1t reveals to
us the Whole situation. 1t assures US OF
Divine blessing upon all who ave the
spirit Of ~peacemakers; but 1t also assures
us that, not peace. but great trouble lies
Immediately in our pathway-"A time OF
trouble such as was not since there was a
nation. "--Daniel xii. /.
1t explains that this IL the result Of the
great Increase of knowledge amongst
men, in whom the principles Of selfish
ness rather than of love hold control. In
| other words, because the increased knowl-
edge has not brought glory to God In the
Highest" n good will and equity toward
fellowmen, 1t results in the opposite-an
increase Of se1fishness. The bible predicts
! that shortly this will break forth like Q
consuming fire.: Every mans hand will
be against his neighbour" in that reign OF
terror.
A Better Day to Follow.
Thank God! the same scriptures which
tell US of the coming catastrophe point L
the silver lining of the cloud. They de-
clare to us that beyond 1t the Sun o.
Righteousness will rise with healing. bless
ing, In His beams, and hat then, under
the administration Of Messiah's Kingdom
Gods Will shall be brought to pass OF
earth even as in heaven. Then Goo will b.
glorifed in the highest, and on earth vii
be peace, good will. equity, justice ant
love amongst men. ,
but how ~strange!' says one; 1--WE hat
hoped that education would nave made tn
world .holier, nobler, better. We ha
hoped TO establish this peace and goo.
will amongst men by the conversion o
the world" Yea, we once all fooiishl
trusted in the arm of flesh. We are al
to learn the lesson that only the Almight
Arm can deliver us from the snares o
our own weakness n s~elishness. Dow
not see tina the majority of our race ar
not made holy by education, but rattle
made 'lovers of pleasure more h lover
of God?' Do we not see that the prison
and police officers are more numerous an
more necessary in proportion to civiliza
tion?
How long will 1t take us to learn tn
lesson that mankind cannot lift itself ou
of sin, selfshness, degradation and deaf
any more tina a man can lift himself b
his own boot straps! The world mus
learn this lesson before 1t will be prepare
to look to the Lord for the helpful chang
which He has promised to give, Ind b
prepared to appreciate that help when re
ceived. God Is teaching our race-yea, tn
angels also, great lessons, which are I
be useful to all eternity.
In Gods due time-foreknown by Hill
from the beginning-His Divine Power wi
be manifest amongst men. Coming afte
men shall have realized their own impc
tence. the Prophet declares, Messiah
Kingdom will be The desire Of all ma
tions"-aIl peoples. Its necessity will hav
been demonstrated, its rule will be joyful
accepted as the only course whereby ma
can escape from the valley of'the shade
of observation-disclosures, sorrow, pain, trouble
back to the sunshine of Divine favor lo'
5000 years ago, through Father Adam
di~sobedience-the sentence which. b
heredity, has affected all of his race.
But the Redeemer must first gath'
from amongst men a select little compan
to be His companions or the spirit plar
in glory, honor and Immortality. Thes
are styled the Body of Christ '.or, othe
wise "'the Bride, the Lambs Wife,. II
world cannot be dealt with until'this .ele'
tion shall irst be- accomplished. Nearl
10 centuries nave been devoted to the gati
ering Of this sanity. few, who. are GALE
"heirs Of God, joint-heirs with jest
Christ their Lord" TO q heavenly inner
.tance. To our understanding the bib
teaches that very soon the last OF thei
"elect" ones will have been tested an
accepted. Then the First resurrection wi
be completed, the great Messiah Hes
and members. WILDE giorined. all-powe
full but invisible to men.
The first work OF this Kingdom class WI
be the binding of Satan and the restrainin
Of evil: and the great thine Of trouble
amongst men, already referred to. Will
Incidental to this overthrow of Satan
} control-the kingdom o15aarkness. Fortl
, with the Sun of Righteousness will beg
to shine, inc earth's dark clouds OF 81
and sorrow. pain and tears, ckness ar
death, will begin to melt away, 1.-THE gloI
of the Lord will be revealed. and all fes
shall see II together"
- Iowa Authors Eape. .