Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-01-03

Illustrated the pass.
ing of the Ages. Labor with sweat of
face had eliminated In harvests. Bran.
bles. thorns and thistles had been
gathered and burned. These burnings
are little Gehenna fires, or fires OF de-
struction, by which all things injurious
will be destroyed. In business, the
closing year is marked by taking stock.
reckoning profit and loss. declaring
dividends, advancing faithful servants
and discbarging the unsatisfactory.
The Pastor likened these matters to
the closing of one Age and the open.
ing of another. 1t is his opinion that
we live In the tapping of the Gospel
Age and the Millennium. He believes
that modern inventions are foregleams
of Messiahs Kingdom.
The Day Of Reckoning.
God is bringing Cbristendom to
great day of reckoning. The Gospel
of the Kingdom was preached for the
purpose of gathering an Elect people
to be the Bride of Christ and bear His
name. (Acts Nv. III. Incidentally. q
great mass of professors have associat-
ed themselves with the saints of God.
but have never been begotten OF the
Holy Spirit In the end of the Age,
separation must take place. and the
effect will be general time of trouble.
The Harvest of the Jewish Age pic
tured the closing of this Gospel Age.
rThNfa afxhADtb cd
"chdf" In the Harvest of this Age,
wheat" will be separated from "tares."
The wheat of the Jewish Age, or
"Israelites indeed" were gathered to
the garner of Divine favor, by the be-
getting of the Holy Spirit. The wheat
Of this Gospel Age will be gathered
into the Heavenly garner by the First
Resurrection. The chaff of the Jewish
Age was burned as respects hopes and
prospects. Similarly. all tares. or imi-
tation Christians. will be destroyed In
the sense OF having their hopes and
prospects as the Elect wiped out.
The Pastor said that Messiah will
make all things new by ushering In the
New Dispensation and enforcing right.
eousness by Divine Power. For Ion
time Bible students were confused on
this subject They thought that God,
not content with seeing suffering and
distress in the present life. had pre-
pared an eternity of torture at the
hands of fireproof demons for all the
non-elect.
Now. the eyes of our understanding
are opening to see Gods Love. Now,
we see that Satan, "the prince of this
world" 1.-THE god of this world" is
binding all except Gods Elect-blind
ing them In respect to Gods real char
acter and purposes. QI Corinthians iv,
A. He has taken advantage of human
weakness. and appearing "as an angel
of light" has deceived us, sometimes
using ministers of Christ and college
presidents MS his unwilling tools.
Satan has interviewer with our theol-
ogy what ST Paul styles doctrines Of
demons" Il Timothy iv. IL Many
serve him ignorantly. mot knowing the
Scriptures. nor the Power of God"
Jesus declares that He will bind Satan,
that he may deceive the people no
more until the thousand years" of the
Kingdom be "6nished."
al Make All Things New
The first thing that Messiah win
make new will be the "Heavens"--the
Church in glory. The next thing made
new will be the ''earth"-society recon
structed along the lines of righteous
ness. Evidently the Lord does not mean
Divine abode, or new physical earth.
st. Peter declares that the present
earth" will be consumed by fire.
I'll Peter iii, 10j The heat of angry
passions. already enGendered between
the elements Of society. will before
long break forth in fire.. TO destroy
the present order Of things. This strife
will extend to the ecclesiastical struc.
ture, SO that the present heavens. be.
ing on fire. shall pass away. Then
the Prince Of Glory will establish ''the
New Heavens and Earth the new SO
cial order based on Justice aud Love.
Let US remember, however. that oil
protesting the name OF Christ nov
stand before His Judgment sent. q
give account of our conduct as pro
fessed members of the Church Of the
First-borns. Some with Joy win hear.
well done. good and faithful servant.
Enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.
Others will bear the Masters voice say.
ing. Depart from Me ] cannot recog-
nize you. Ia My Dame ye propheSied
(preachedl. cast out devils aud did mar
velous works But We were servants
Of Satan and accomplished iniquitous
work. even though We called it Mine
Matt. vii. 2l-23; ..rke vi. Al: xiii. 1928