Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-20


expect us to be very jealous in striv-
ing to attain the Kingdom? Would
! He give so great an honor to any who
valued it lightly? Surely angels and
cherubim would be glad to accept po-
sltions in the Kingdom If offered to
them. But God has passed by the
angels. and invited members of the
| fallen race. whose hearts have turned
to Him, that they might heroine, not
only justified. from their sins. but
sanctifed through Christ aud heirs of
the Kingdom.
| Is it any wonder that the Lord ha'
| provided that only through muh trih
ulation shall any enter the kinal0r
Whoever is not willing to endure trih
uation for the Kingdoms sake woulC
thereby show that he had not the
proper appreciation and that he is not
worthy Of 1t. If the Master endured
even unto death. how could we eX-
pect that we might be joint-heirS with
Him unless we possessed His spirit.
| His zeal? Thus the Lord tells us that
| all who will attain the Kingdom glo-
ries will be copies Of His Son.
What Must We Endure?
Here the question properly arises.
What is to be endured, what kind of
sufferlngs? And what is the real object
OF these sufferings? Why should God de-
light to make us suffer before he would
! give us place in the Kingdom?
The Bible answers these questions
satisfactorily 1t admonishes that only
by trials and difficulties can character
be really developed; for character is
not merely "A preference for that which
Is good. but u fixed determination, a
loyalty to that which is right God
seeketh such as have firm characters
to be His children on the Divine plane
of the New Creation. He has great
work for them to do for the world of
mankind; and unless their own charac-
ters were properly formed, crystalized,
established. they would not be in
proper condition to be the rulers, in
structors and uplifters of the world
Then He has future work for them
to all eternity.
We can readily see that this class
must demonstrate their loyalty be-
yond peradventure must show their
zeal for righteousness; as was written
of our Savior, Because Thou hast
loved righteousness and hated iniquity,
therefore God hath anOinted Thee with
the oil of gladness above Thy fell
lows" The fellows of Jesus are the
members Of His Body, His elect
Church, Of every nation and denomina-
ton. He is their Head
The Character to Be Formed.
The kind Of character which God
seeks in His people is that which is
like His own He seeks the fruits Of
the Holy Spirit: meekness gentleness
patience. long suffering, brotherly
kindness, love. IF these things be in
you and abound, they will make you
That We shall be neither barren nor un-
fruitful in the knowledge Of the Lord
and thus an entrance shall be minis
tered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ-2 Peter IS, II.
The Cultivation Of the Graoes.
If everything were perfect in our
selves and surroundings, there would
be no real opportunity for cultiyating
these fruits and graces Of the Spirit
for developing and crystallizing char
acter aud for showing our zeal for
right and opposition to wrong. God,
therefore, has taken advantage Of the
existence Of sin, and of imperfection
In others and in ourselves, to use these
for the cultivation Of the graces in our
hearts and the establishment Of char
acter in us
For instance, If there were nothing
to try our patience, how could we
grow in patience? If, therefore, we
feel that we need more patience and
pray for 1t, let us expect the answer to
come in an Increase Of trials and diff
cultles which would tend to increase
patience In our hearts and lives. If
we pray for more meekness. we should
expect our prayers to be answered by
adverse conditions tending to show us
our weaknesses and make US more
teachable. more humble.
II we pray for more brotherly kind
ness, we should expect more trials and
difficulties from the brethren, testing
our love, patience, brotherly kindness.
And so by the cultivation Of all these
various parts OF love, we are gradually
growing into God-likeness Of character.
becoming copies OF Gods dear Son,
who Is the express image OF the Fa-
theirs person and His characteristic.
ness; for God is Love!
These Things Shall Be Added.
The realities with Gods people are
the spiritual, Heavenly things For
these they seek, hunger, thirst. To
them the earthly things In comparison
have no value; for these were conse.
Grated, given up, at the very beginning
Of the Christian way. But although
all earthly rights have been surrender
ed, and all their interests are Heaven.
ly, yet the Lords promise is that these
who seek frst the Kingdom shall have
all other needed things added to them
God will care for their temporal as
well as their Heavenly interests And
to His praise be II said that He gen.
orally gives them abundantly more
than they could have asked or thought