The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-06-21

toiS iht tfnc fOf tue Sthtth dWdkSu-
Ing. Hence they fell asleep again. A
great awakening Day. however, is near
at hand, the Pastor declared.
He carried his hearers back to the
remote past. lie reminded them OF
the record respecting Abraham, that
he slept with. his fathers. He asked
who the fathers were aud where they
slept. and replied that they were hea-
then. He asked whether they could
sleep In Heaven. or whether they
could sleep In SO warm u place as Par-
satory is supposed TO lie. or IN the still
more unreasonable hell. He took 1t for
granted, apparently, that his hearers
agreed with him that sleep under such
conditions would be impossible. and
that the only conclusion must be that
they slept in death.
The Pastor reminded them that sim,
lar expressions were used In respect to
the good and bad kings and Judges and
prophets. They were gathered to their
fathers. they slept with their fathers,
Similarly. when st. Stephen was stoned
to death. we read that ''he fell on
sleep" He cited st. Paul as teaching
that I'LL the Church will sleep. except
those who are alive at the time of the
Second Coming Of Jesus: I'VE shall not
all sleep. hut we shall MI be changed"
He quoted Jesus words. IAN that are
/ In the graves shall hear His ticsHsl
voice ana shall come fOrth"-the faith.
ful. the sanity. to = resurrection OF
life-terfection. honor: the remainder
of mankind unto resurrection of trial.
testing.-l Corinthians 1851.
Without the death Of Jesus. said the
Pastor all Of the race would he per-
ished. and only in the resurrection
have we any ground whatever for be.
lievlns In n salvation from death Only
because Christ died Is there m oppor.
tuHity for the Church during this Cos.
pei Age to respond to II high calling"
to the Divine nature. Likewise only
through the merit Of Cirists death
will the world of mankind be saved
from perishing and have an opportu.
nifty during Messiah's Kingdom to lie
recovered from sin and death condi.
tons, from ignorance, superstition,
etc.-from the tomb.
Gradually they will be raised III, IN,
dip. In the image and likeness Of God
tn the flesh. ultimately to enjoy Him
forever In n worldwide Paradise. from
which will he cut of in the Second
Death all wf'fni evfi-doers. all who pre-
fer sin to righteousness. when the
Truth shallNbc made clear to them and
when the opportunity will he fully
within their grasp. incidentally. the
Pastor mentioned n gross mistransla-
ton OF the inspired Word In John
500, namely, resurrection of damna.
ton" The Greek word here. he said,
IS krfsis. and has not In 1t tie slightest
suggestion of fire or torture or suffer-
Ing. Tho Revised Version renders this
verse properly FL resurrection Of
Judgment"
Only HE That Relieveth."
am lot forgetting. said the speak
or. that our text prolfcrs Divine bless.
lncS only to believers. Neither am !
forgetting that only Il few are belicr.
ers In the Scrlptural sense now. Sta.
tistlcs mention four hundred millions
OF Christians: but, rs We all know. this
includes practically everybody in Eu-
rope and America. with few In Asia
and Africa. 1t includes many Ia priS-
ons and insane asylums, penitentiarics,
etc. And that leaves three times as
many whom we call heather. who have
no knowledge OF Christ whatever
twelve hundred millions. Surely none
OF these are believers In the sense de-
fined by Jesus AMI the Apostles.
Jesus implies that If any one really
believes His Message. his faith will
transform his whole life-lsa;,'ould see
so great Il blessing promised TO the
faithful follower OF Jesus that he
would count all other aims and ambi-
tons rs loss and dross-and run with
patience the race set before him. Only
these are believers. and they are COM
pnratively few. They are fine com
pany. They will get the prize. the
pearl Of great price, the Kingdom
joini-hcirship with the Redecmer In
His glory, honor and immortality.
But nrc no others to be. blessed? II
not, why did Jesus taste death for ev-
, cry man? Does not that expression
Imply that every man will have some
opportunity of profting by Jesus
death? 1t surely does! Those who
now hear. appreciate. believe. in the
Bible sense. alone will have an orpor-
tunity for sharing the First Resurrec.
ton of the blessed and holy. But the
remainder. we are assured. will MI
| come forth from the tomb-to he grant
cd an opportunity then for hearing and
believing and gaining nm inferior bless.
Ing. The blessing now is spiritual
one only: but the blessing to be offered
under Messiah's Kingdom will be an
earthly observation-disclosures per-
fiction In an earthly Harailise cverlast-
ing.
The Bible tells NIL this. says Pastor
Russell II declares that thr god Of