Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-03-17
CONVERSION OF THE WORLD.
Lecture on "HOw and When 1t VIII
be Accomplished"

much out of the ordinary. The
speaker, who, by the day, is a very
young man, surprised many by the
masterful way he handled his sub
ject. The pleasing courtesy he dis
played when touching views differ
ing from his own was in marked con-
trast with the hammer-and-tongs
methods of many speakers on the
public platform. The text was taken
from Isa. 55:11, so shall my word
be that goeth forth out of my
mouth; it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that
which | please, and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto l sent it,"
A Century of Missionary Effort.
1--WE are living" said the speaker,
''at the close of century OF great
missionary effort. in which millions
have been expended and many noble
lives have been sacrificed in an en-
deavor to bring the world to Christ.
Looking back we should expect, in
accordance with our text, that if Je-
hovah had sent His word to convert
the world during the present age,
it would be accomplishing that work
But what do we find? Do we
see millions of heather accepting
Christ and endeavoroing to live holy
lives? We all know that such is not
! the case. For while it may be
claimed that the world is more civil
| lied today than it was one hundred
years ago, yet we must not mistake
civilization for Christianity. Surely
no one will think that because an
untutored heather can be taught to
sit on a stool, and eat with a knife
and fork, and wear proper clothing,
that he. is thereby converted to
Christianity, even though he might
learn those things in a mission
school"
World Nearly TwO-Thirds Heather.
Mr.. Macpherson called attention to
{ the fact that statistics show that the
heather population of the world has
during the last century doubled
from 600,000,000 to 1900, 900,
and this in the greatest missionary
epoch of history.
| Gnh'g uArd fhnr aH
unto Him void? Many have claimed,
and some, no doubt will continue to
claim, that it has, that the great
Jehovah's plan for redeeming man
kind has signally failed. But the
earnest student of the Divine Word
will not so hastily conclude. He will
ask, MAY it not be possible that the
majority of Christian people, though
we'll meaning, have misinterpreted
the Divine Plan and Word?" And
searching the Scriptures prayerfully
and carefully he will find that this
is son.
Common Theory Illogical, Unscrip-
tural.
Those who believe that God has
been doing His best to convert the
world" as some say, must also be-
lieve-since the world is not and
never has been onverted-that most
of the billions who have lived on
] rfh hn 1oia iaritu nf
those who are now living, are or will
be hopelessly lost and that, accord
ing to the common belief, in most
awful and eternal torment. The
speaker declared this view to be not
only horrible, but utterly illogical
and unscriptural. Men are turning
away" said he, from this mon.
strous conception of God. Good men
all over the country are rising ur
against this blasphemous stain upon
Gods Holy Name. The clearest and
most satisfying exposition of this
veXed question that l have ever
seem" he said, ''is contained in Pas
tor Russell's free pamphlet, Food
for Thinking Christians in which
every text of Scripture containing
the word hell is reasonably eX.
planned, together with it's Hebrew OF
Greek original"
The Scriptures Point to a Converted
World.
But though men, in unguarded
zeal, and without knowledge, have
greatly misunderstood Gods plan ol
redemption, it does not follow that
the world will never be converted
On the contrary, the Scriptures tell
of world at peace with God, where
in all will be perfect, happy and use
full; and this will be brought about
during the millenial age, Under the
righteous rule of the great Messiah
when by a system Of corrective pun
ishments and encouraging rewards
man kind will lealn the blessedness
of righteousness in contrast with the
misery of sinfulness as already ex-