Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-07-26

(llASI0R RgSSEllJ day. from the text,
''Woe unto you
dat are rich! for We have received
your consolation And He lifted
up His eyes on His disciples. and said
Blessed be Sc poor: for yours Is the
Kingdom Of God. Luke GO. 81
The Pastor began by declaring that
his address was not intended TO arouse
class luminosity Although not rich
lie could sgnpathize with the rich in
their position. rs well as with the poor
IN theirs God who Is very rich. is
able to sgmpathize with both classes
The Savior is also able. who being
rich for otlr sakes became poor, that
through His poverty we might become
rich in the truest sense Some Of
Gods faithful In the past were very
rich brahanl. for instance Never
theleSs during this Gospel Age, not
many great. rich or learned have been
called to the blessing now offered Its
recipients have been chiefly the poor
Of this world, rich in faith.
The Master evidently included riches
Of wealth, honor. education, etc, in Ills
statement. He implies that all now
possessing my of these blessings will
be more or less hiudered from obtain
lug Gods highest blessing. and more
or less subject TO woes. We are not to
suppose that He meant that at death
the rich would be thrown into ever
lasting torture These woes appertain
to the present life At the close Of the
Jewish Age. this class experienced Sc
we're trials; and our Lord intmatcs
that ut the close Of this Age the same
class will have similar experiences.
Wrath to the Uttermost Upon Jews.
Wrath came upon the Jewish people
TO the uttermost. in the End of their
Age q Thessalonians 2.1GD Those
woes did not belong to a future life
That tribulations come to all in the
present life is, undebatable But the
most terrible forebodings are associat
ed with lima ginary woes of the future
Iife-quite contrary TO Scripture. We
are glad TO set aside this nightmare of
the Dark Ages.
did not realize that they were living in
the End Of their Age, and that a great
settlement was about To come. SINH
larly, we are living In the End of this
Gospel Age, and Il settlement is now
due. Jesus foretod the crisis of the
Jewish nation. His message gathered
ont from that nation all the Israelites
indeed, and then the nation was given
over to itself The Divine Hand which
had guided them loosed its hold; and
human passions accomplished their
overthrow in anarchy. which caused
their downfall. A. d. 20
SO we understand that the End of
this Age has come, and God is gather.
ing His Elect, As soon as this is ac,
complished. God win permit mankind
to wreck their present civilization As
the rich of Jesus day suffered most
keenly. so the rich will suffer most in
the coming time of trouble.
conpensatiors In Nature.
The Pastor then showed that both
rich ana poor have conpensations The
rich have trials and perpleXlties that
the poor know not OF They also have
many more temptations, Ia make them
less likely to seek the priceless things
Of Gods Kingdom But we are not 10
understand that God is partial to the
poor. He is choosing n special clasS
and the conditions surrounding the rich
ana great make them less susceptible
to His message AMI 70 the cultivation
of humility The experiences Of the
poor are most favorable. apparently. to
the cultivation OF meel,ness, gcntleness.
patience and love-qualities God esti
mates greatly.
Some poor. however instead Of be
ing drawn to God by poverty, cultivate
spirit of hatred. malice and strife
such turn away from Him.
The class described by Jesus as I'VE
poor" are those hungering and thirst
ing after righteousness. who have he
come Gods children. These may be
rich or poor in the things of this world:
but all that they have is cOnsecrated
to Cod in order that they may become
joint-hers with Christ.
Thenceforth. the esteem of men,
while not ignored, must be secondary
10 the Lord and His Truth. All that
this class may possess win be used to
His glory, regardless of the fact that
It will all be consumed IN His service.
The world knows not the followers oe
Nazlie cyan rs n knew Him not