The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-01
EvERYBODY'S BIBLE BOX.

Q.-IS there more than civil law op-
posed to polygamy? What is the Di-
vine Law on the subject? q. D. W.)
Answer-God's Law was not original
ly written on tables of stone nor print
ed in books. 1t was written in the
heart OF the first perfect man whom
He created. The Divine provision was
one husband for one wife, one wife for
one husband. This the Divine will
was, of course, the Divine Law. At
terward sin entered and God left man.
kind, as condemned sinners, to die, and
to wait for the time when He would
send the Redeemer, and later on,
would begin d work of restitution The
Scriptures tell us that many things of
those past times God winked at''-He
did not attempt to rule the world but
left it in it's degradation for Messiah
in due time to regenerate.
With the New Testament times, how
ever, God began to speak to those will
ing to hear and DESTROYS of coming into
harmony with Him. He does not vet
speak to the world, but to the conse-
Grated Church of Christ To these in
various ways He indicated His will
and Law. No suggestion favorable to
polygamy is found in the teachings of
Jesus or His Apostles. ST. Paul, writ
ing to Timothy and Titus respecting
suitable Brethren to be chosen as
Elders and Deacons, examples to the
flock, stipulated that they should he
the husbands of not more than one
wife. Polygamy may have prevailed
amongst the Gentiles, but it was never
recognized as proper.
ST. Paul empha sizes monoeamy in
his letter to the Ephesians. saying. I
have espoused you as chaste virgin
unto one husband, Christ He pro-
ceeds to speak of Christ as the Church
in the singular and applies the lesson
to one husband and one wife and how
their union constitutes a likeness to
tht heavenly union, as it also cores
ponds to the original union which God
introduced in Eden.
Q.-Since there are six hundred and
more Christian religious sects; how
can a wise man-leaving out the fools
and wayfaring men Usaiah xxxv, 8-1O)
tell which one is the true church :?
They cannot all be right for they all
teach differently from one another
Which is the one to join in order to
keep out of - you know, the place
where the fire and the birthstone is To-
Gated? (Bewildered.)
Answer.-Since all of the RELIGIOUS
systems of the day originated long af-
ter the days of the Lord Jesus and
His Apostles, and since there is not
a single command in all of the Scrip
lures to affiliate with any of the pres
thoritatively say that any of these was
the true church, and that one should
join this or that or the other. De-
nominationalism -"Churchianity''-
coming more and more into disrepute
before the world and this is evidenced
by the rapidly dwind1ing number of
church going people. There are more
than ten thousand country church
buildings which have been vacated by
their congregations in this country
alone. The real estate markets in the
large cities are being loaded with
church properties to the extent of mil
lions of dollars. The enlightened
people of today are disguised with the
doctr1nal errors and confusion exist
ing in the churches and they are gem
what their minds and hearts cannot
indorSe. In view of the decline of de-
ionalism-foretold in Scrip
tures-it would be wise for the honest
truth seeker to remain Independent of
any church system, and to study the
Bible for himself, endeavoring to live
up to the instructions of the Lord
Jesus and His Apostles, and as he has
opportunities, meet with other earnest
Bible students of non-sectarian views.
Q.-What are we to understand by
this Scripture-"Who then is a faith
full and wise servant, whom his Lord
hath made ruler over His household,
to give them meat in due season
Blessed is that servant, who his Lord,
when He cometh, shall find so doing.
Verify / say unto you, that He shall
make him ruler over His goods?''
AnSwer.-In ancient times it was
customary in large households for the
master Or the head of the family to
provide a storehouse filled with food
of different kinds and appropriate for
the different seasons of the year.
Then the master would appoint some
special servant as steward over the
household whose duty it was to take
of the supplies of food in the store
house, and furnish it to the household
in its proper season. The Lord Jesus
was unquestionably referring to this
custom as illustrating the Heavenly
Fathers arrangements in dealing with