The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-18
BROOKLYN TABERNACLE.
THE DEATH-CTRSE.
Genesis 3-Jan. 10.

Every one that cOmnitteth sin is
the bond-servant of sfn-"-John S:34-
Adams first sin brought the pen
atty specified in this lesson. The
Bible proposition is that God, having
made Adam perfect, required perfect
obedience as the condition of everIast-
ing life. One act of disobedience
broke the covenant between God and
Adam Hosea 81, Margin-) Imme-
diately he dropped from favor, under
the sentence, Dying, thou shalt die
Nothing that Adam or his children
could do subsequently could recover
covenant relationship with God The
death penalty was the limit
By the law of heredity, Adam trans
mitted to his race a share of what he
possessed, good and bad. As Adam
could not increase his penalty, neither
can his children But as Adam could,
by obedience to the Divine law. pro-
long the process of his dying. so may
wrought by sin has so progressed that
many of Adams children die in in
fancy; and few maintain the strug-
gle for existence for hundred years
Death the Curse-Not Torture.
Our forefathers during the Dark
Ages misunderstood the Heavenly
Fathers character and plan. Mis-
understa 1ding the Bible to teach that
God arranged for the eternal torture
of all except the church, they sought
hovah by torturing their feIlow-crea-
lures Because Gods people have
been gradually getting back to the
teaching of His Word, the horrible
practices of the past are no longer
approved But many have much yet
to learn respecting the true teaching
of the Bible.
The curse which God pronounced
against our race is not eternal tor
ment at the hands of devils; but as
the Apostle says, The wages of sin
is death" The remedy is a resurrec-
ton. secured through the Redeemer's
death at Calvary. The gift of God is
eternal life, through Jesus Christ our
Lord" All experience the death pen
atty All will have opportunity some
time of regaining life through Mes
siah's redemptfve work and His king
dom
For a little flock. who in this age
have obeyed the Masters voice, God
has provided glorious things, far su-
perior TO anything that Adam lost To
those who walk in Jesus footsteps,
God promises share with the Master
in His glorious kingdom
The Lesson of This Study
If our Christian forefatherS could
properly have appreciated today's les
son. they would have known what the
Bible teaches respecting the wages of
SIM and have seen how seriously pub
lie thought had drifted away from the
Divine testimony to doctrines of de-
mons" How distinctly God forewarned
our first parents that eating the for
hidden fruit would bring upon them
the death penalty, After they had
disobeyed. God drove them out of
Eden. that the penalty pronounced
against them might be accomplished.
Had they continued in Eden, eating of
its DEMONSTRATING fruits. they would
have lived indefinitely.
Why Evil Was Permitted.
(Hx1<I fra-e In he .1TI Of h.
fore the foundation of the world, and
provided the Lamb ofo God to take
provided the Lamb of God to take
glorious purpose interviewer with His
permission of sin. which the majority
but family discerned until lately. Jesus
intimated that shortly before the
establishment of His Kingdom His
church will understand features of the
Divine Plan previously kept secret
they will have an appreciation OF Gods
purposes. and His reasons for having
permitted sin and death for six thous-
and years
The Temptation of Eve
How Lucifer and holy angels be-
came disloyaI to God we will inquire
into later. In this lesson Lucifer. or
Satan, is shown as seeking to ALLEVIATE
our first parents from the Creator,
that he might enslaVe them as Serv-
ants A spirit being, he would be I'M
seen to Eve 1t suited his purposes to
possess a serpent. through which to
spoke BY signs: as we sometimes say,
ACTIONS speak louder than words
The serpent ate of the forbidden
fruit IN the sight of the woman and
woman perceived She craved knowI-
edge. Could IT be that God wished to
keep them IN ignorance, and for that
reason had forbidden their eating OF