The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-08-01

own. But now We are not of the world
because ! have chosen you out of the
world; therefore the world hateth you
Throughout the Gospel Age it has
been sought to keep the Church pure
by keeping the world out of it. ever
though wave after wave SIGHT to I'll
the boat with the undesirable qualities
and to swamp it. Throughout the Age
1t was the proper course for the Church
to realize that the Lord was with hel
in all her Affections. even as He had
promised. "Lo. am with you Away
even unto the end of the Age" Re.
Numbering this, the Lords brethren
should have had full confidence. moth
ing doubling.
The extremity of the disciples in
calling upon the Lord for aid seems to
imply that at the close of this Age
there will be special stress upon all
the followers of Jesus. causing them
to cry ont for deliverance from the
overwhelming powers of the Adver'
sary. Then the Master will seem to
awaken. as though He had not previ-
, OuSly tlOt6u tic VI GudlIS
Then He will arise. and bid the storm
4 to cease: and there will be great
calm.
Storm of Trouble Is Near.
| Bible students are more and more
convinced that the great storm of trou-
BILE upon the Church is very near. OF
Just what character it will be we need
not try to prophesy. We are to re-
member, however, that the majority of
the storms upon the Church have come
from professed people of God. rather
than from the world. 1t was the
Scribes and Pharisees and Doctors of
the Law that really crucified Jesus.
1t was they who excited the mob to
cry out. Cruelty Him! Release unto
us Barabbas" They, and not PLATE.
were responsible for Jesus death;
they. and not the Roman soldiers, real
ly crucified Him; as st. Peter declares,
I'VE denied the Holy One and the Just.
and desired murderer to be granted
unto you; and killed the Prince of
Life"-Acts 3:14. Is.
Our expectation would be that sim
ilarly the Body of Christ. the Church.
in the end of this Age will have its
most trying experiences. not from the
world. but from professed brethren
Do we not indeed see preparation
along these very lines at the present
time? The formation Of Church Fed
Grafton has indeed sincere and inno-
cent look. but is not this really dis
guise?
Is not the purpose and object Of the
Federation rather to fortify and de
fend sectarianism and to hinder any
one outside their own pale of influence
from letting shine any light of Truth
upon Gods Word? Should we not ex-
pect really that when the Federation
shall gain the measure of political in
fiuence and power that the symbolic
the case. then those holding simple
faith In God and in His Word. and
striving to walk I'm the narrow way
and to uphold the banner of Gods
Love. will be evilly spoken of. misrep-
resented. traduced. slandered. ''roast-
ed" and eventually hindered from any
part in the Masters service?
Our consolation is in the thought
that when this shall have been accom-
plished. the chiseling and polishing
and glorifcation of the Church, the
Body of Christ. His betrotbed Bride.
will have been completed. Blessed
and holy are all those who have part
in the First Resurrection On such the
Second Death hath no power, but they
shall be priests unto God and Messiah.
and shall reign with Him a thousand
years. Revelation 20:6.
Next, the Worlds TribuIation.
The Lord seems to indicate that His
special Royal Priesthood will be per-
fected on the Heavenly plane before
the worlds tribulation shall break
upon it in fullest fury. We read.
Watch We therefore. and pray always,
that We may be accounted worthy to
escape all those things coming on the
world, and to stand before the Son Of
Man." True, the escaping of the
worlds trouble may be in the sense of
being enabled to live above it on a
higher plane. as not affected by it. but
we think not. We believe that the
Church will have passed into glory be-
fore the elimination of the worlds
Day of Wrath, just as at the First
Advent all the Jews who were Israel
ties indeed. we believe. were called out
into the new Dispensation before the
wrath of God camp l1nOn thair HOuSa
from the social and political quarter.
But no matter! The Lords will be
done. whether His people will be with
the world in the midst of the worlds
trouble. and yet be protected from that
trouble by virtue of their ease of mind.
or whether they shall be first deliv-
cred, before the trouble comes.
Other Scriptures seem to indicate
that the Church will have something
to do with the authorizing of the trou-
BILE of the Day of Wrath. saying, '"This
honor have all His saints, to execute
the judgments written. to bind their
kings with chains and their mobiles
with letters of IRON In any event.
the Lords people will be quite con-
tent. knowing that all things are work
ing together fo- their good. and ulti-
mately for the glory of our Heavenly
Father and of Him who redeemed us
through His own precious blood
Soon the time will come for the Lord
to arise and say to the raging ele-
ments. Peace; be stil|r' Then will
y.