Arizona sentinel and Yuma weekly examiner., 1913-07-31


 llPAST0R lRJSSEIDl arose and rebuked
 ---------- the winds and the
 sea; and there was a great calm. -
 Matthew S:24-26.
 The Bible informs us that all of Je-
 SIS teachings were parabolic. The
 Master explained the significance of
 some of His actions and words to His
 disciples. saying. "To you it is given to
 know the mysteries of the Kingdom of
 Heaven. but to all outsiders these things are spoken in parables and dark sayings. that hearing they might hear and not understand" Jesus did not explain all of His dark sayings even to His Apostles. Indeed, very few of His parabIes were explained. On the con- trary. He said, When the Spirit of Truth is come 1.-the Holy Spirit-at PentecOSt and afterl, He shall guide you into all Truth, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever l have spoken unto you" On another occasion of similar import, He said. What I do thou knOweSt not now, but thou shalt know hereafter"
 Thus we see that it has been pOsSi- ble for all tie followers of Jesus since Pentecost to understand the Masters teachings in a way that His earliest followers could not understand them. The reason for this is plain. It was not expedient that the natural Jews or other natural men should under stand clearly the Divine Plan. For them to understand would have meant that in many instances Gods plans might have miscarried. As, for in stance. St. Peter informs us that if the rulers of the Jews had, known, they would not have crucified the Prince of Life But only by the cruciiXion of Jesus could the Divine Plan be carried out. and therefore it was hidden from those for whom it was not intended.
 Nor was there any injustice in this; rather it was a blessing in disguise for them. If they had done the same things under full light and knowledge. their guilt would have been many fold greater. They are not, therefore. to be punished according to their deeds entirely, but according to the measure of light and knowledge which they possessed. which was very limited.
 And the same principle obtains in re spect to the whole world from then until nOw-little light, little respOnsi bility; more light. more responsibility. He that knew the Masters will and did it not. will have many stripes; he that knew not the Masters will and did things worthy of stripes. shall be punished with few stripes. On the contrary, those who are begotten of the Holy Spirit. and thus accepted as Gods people. into Gods family, have the highest responsibility, because they have the greatest Knowledge. They. and they alone, could possibly commit the sin unto death. as St. Paul ex- plains in Hebrews Gle, and 10:26, 27.
 When the Scriptures declare, ''The wise shall understand the reference is to those who are especially enlight- ened by the Lord through the Holy Spirit and through the deeper under standing which they gain respecting the true meaning of Gods Word. On the contrary, we have the assurance also that none of the wicked shall un- derstand." St. Paul explains the situa tiOn to us. saying, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. neither can he know them. be cause they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things. yea, the deep things of God"
 Here, then. is the secret of demarca ton between the Church and the world. The former have the begetting of the Holy Spirit to new nature, and with that begetting go privileges and opportunities of knowledge of God and of His plans. purpOsely secreted from all others not spirit-begOtten. Hence. in all our attempts to spread the knowledge of God. we should re- member to impress the thought that only the outlines of the Divine charac ter and plan may be clearly discerned and appreciated by those not spirit-be gotten.
 AlIwho desire to go on nnto perfection, and to grow in grace and knowledge | and character. should be informed that | the second step after the primary | study is conSecratiOn. Those who will not consecrate will not have the privi- lege of looking deeply into and discern ing clearly the lengths and breadths | and heights and depths of the Divine character and plan. This also is for their good wise provision of Gods | love. For any having come unto the | begptting of the Holy Spirit can have | no further claim with the world upon