The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-27

upou tie chunh-of the Father, by
tiieisSn He says; when ne Christi
attended upon High. He led captivity
captive aud gaye gitts unto men.
More literally & reads ae led forth
q multitude ii captises towing
gifts unto men. The Apostle quotes
from the Psalms q poetic description
representing Jesus d great Goaqners
orwh6 had yanqutshed the enemy and
was returning home with the spells.
!, The enemy Is Sin and Death,
Jesus BY his sacrifice gained the
S!ctory aid the right to control the
millions of Adam's stace who were In
bondage to Sin and Death. He had
kshumbled himself. had become a man.
Fhad given His life a Ransom for all.
HID been raised from the dead by the
power Ok the Father. aud had then as
eendet a conquerihg Hero. welcomed
By the Father and acclaimed by the
angele hosts.
The multitude Of capttves In His
train have not; yet come into sight
merely the vanguard. the Church. And
the Church will not be fully delivered
initial Of its members. shall have been
changed to glory, honor and immortal.
ty beyond the veil. as sharers in the
First Resurrection. Soon the Heaven.
~ portion Of the delivered captives
Min hive followed the Leader into the
presence, of the Father.
Then for a thousand years the other
captiyes win be following on. As st,
Paul declares. It will be ''every man
| IN IFS own order" or company, or reg
iment. The ranks will ultimately I'm
clude the entire race Of Adam and
himself. All those willing to be led
forth from captivity will attain again
the full liberty of the sons Of God,
lost through Admins disobedlence, and
the right to recovery Of the same-re-
deemed for them at Calvary.
But the Apostle mentions the trium-
phal entry OF Jesus into Heaven It.
self merely as an incidental, prefacIng
his statement tllat our: Lord imnedi-
Ntetyl began TO give gifts to men. The
Edrst gifts. bestowed ut: Pentecost. were
III the 'chdrch. Indeed. ali Of Jesus
gifts thus fIt SGave been to His follow
ers. The prophecy a0nl which the
Apostle quotes ,takessin the world,
however. declaring that the gifts are
'"for the rebe!fious also"-Psalm 6S:ls.
jesus Gifts to the Church. ".
st. Paul. continuing, tells US the spe-
,cEal gifts bestowed by Jesus upon His
Church: "And He gave some Apostles.
and some prophets. and some evan
geIists, aud some pastors and teach
ers." Jesus tells us about, some false
'apostles. We can readily suppose TINT
there have crept into the Church also
false teachers, false pastors, assoclat-
thg goGt1ness with gain. as the Apes
tie explains. All the same we are to
Iiavei In mind, that there are true Apes
ties. prophets, pastors, aud teachers
appolled by the Redeemer as His spe-
cial@gifts to the Church. as Ills spe-
ciaI representatives in the Church, for
their guidance and blessing.
We further read Of the object ind
purpose Of these gifts: they were for
the perfectfng Of The saints, for the
work Of the ministry. for the edifying.
OF the Body OF Christ: till we all come
in the unity Of tile faith. and Of the
knowledge of the Son OF God. unto u
perfect Man. unto the measure OF the
stature Of the fulness Of Christ"
Only in proportion as Apostles.
prophets. pastors and teachers fulfil
this mission are they really the Lords
gifts to His Church. Consider TINT
these were not appointed for the
world, but for the saInts-nnd not
merely to start them in the way Of
salntsMp. but especially to perfect
them as saints. And this perfecting Of
the saints is not merely an instruc-
ton Of them in knowledge. nor merely
tile bringing of them 10 an apprecia.
tibn Of the joys and the peace Of the
Lord. but a preparation Of them for
tile work Of mlnIstry-the work Of
service. AT the saints IRE to be serv-'
ants. even as the Lord Jesus, tile
greatest Saint, was Servant Of all.
Whoever does not learn to be serv.
ant OF God. a servant of righteous,
ness. a servant Of the brethren. will
not have learned the lessons necessary
for shire in the Kingdom. Besides.
the Kingdom itself will be a service
TO mankind for human qpIlft, and only
those who have, come Il an apprecIa,
tIon Of the, privileges ofsservtee IN the
afre soHd itibps will Be granted a
share;;wlth the Lord IN TIE more gtorti
9us servlce of the ftItures
SgrhS edIfylng OF the Body Of Christ,
IL hSodeIH Language. rteans' the, up
'Bditding; tile strengthening; the deveI!
-;Qitlmeht Of the Church. which is the
Hody Of Christ. Not merely with sin!
nerSS md with the teatben,, therefore,
are: tie pastors and teachGrs to be en-
gagged. 6lt chiefly With; the : Church
.edifying 1t. strengthening II, educating
'lt. With the knowledge Of God, and