The Pleasantville press., 1913-01-08


sword and fame, by thumb-screw and
rack and stake, the general miscon-
ception turned to an expectation OF
conquering the world by the Gospel
Message. This second mistake is moi
so serious in some respects as the first
lit does not involve horrible atrocities
in the name of God and the Savior.
However, it is equally misleading as
respects the Truth. 1t sets aside the
Word of God and substitutes the hu.
man theory that the preaching of the
Gospel is to convert the world. The
Divine Word is that the preaching OF
the Gospel is for the purpose of select.
ing a Church to be Messiahs joint.
heirs in His Kingdom.
If the Church could convert the
world with the Gospel. it would be
very fine. But it is surely absurd to SO
expect In the face of our experiences Of
the past century and of the plain state
ments of Gods Word to the contrary.
All see that the world is not being con-
verted; and that if Christianity cannot
convert the people at home, it would
be vain for her to expect to convert
the heather abroad If great religious
centers such as London, Rome and
Washington are no nearer to having
Gods will done in them as it is done
in Heaven. what hope would there be
of better results in heathendom?
I am not saying one word against
Foreign Missions. God forbid! In pro-
portion as we are able to send the light
Of Truth into more benighted lands, let
us do so. But, if possible. let us send
the True Light from Gods Word. And
selves may have that True Light in
our favored. land. What we urge is
that Christian people should come back
to the teaching of the Bible In order
to do this, each denomination should
throw away its creedal spectacles,
which have injured the spiritual sight
of all of u.s. All true children of God
should study afresh the Divine Chart
which shows us where we are and the
Port for which we should strive.
f1eirS OF tne Nln9com.
Thus doing, all is plain. The shad-
ows and mists of darkness flee away.
We begin to realize and to see that
the Elect Church are all that are be-
ing saved as yet; and that they are
being chosen out of the world for a
very special high office in joint-heir-
ship with their Redeemer.
The non-elect are not consigned to
endless misery nor to purgatorial tor
ture, but simply sleep, awaiting the
glorious awakening in the morning of
the New Dispensation-awa the
establishment of Messiah's Kingdom
with power for their release from the
chains of sin and the prison-house of
the tomb. If this Message goes to the
heather of the Orient. it will doubtless
deal with them as it has done with
the peoples of the Occident-all will
receive enlightenment; a few will be
drawn to saintship and prepared un-
der the Lords providence for glory,
honor and immortality with Jesus at
His Second Coming, by the glorious
"change" of the First Resurrection.
Let Us Connect UP Our Text.
In the Eighth Psalm we find the
Prophet expressing amazement at the
greatness of the Creator as manifest
ed in nature, especially in the starry
armament. He then expresses amaze
ment that so great a Being should
take heed to humanity in it's present
deplorable, fallen, sinful condition.
Prophetically he implies a knowledge
of the fact that God from the begin
ming purposed a redemption for every
member of the race
The Prophet then answers his own
question as to what man is, explain
ing that as he left the hand of his
Creator he was crowned with glory and
honor, as an earthly image of his Max
scale than the angels. He was made
to have dominion over the earthly
works of God. The intimation is that
Gods visiting of humanity in due time
will mean the reclamation of the earth
ly dominion and its human king from
Slu anu ucdIu. 1NOlIlllss Ill Tic
ecy goes into detail, because it was not
then due time for details to be revealed.
Centuries Later ST. Paul Commented.
st. Paul declares, Now is our sal
vation nearer than when we first be-
lieved.' The greater nearness should
make many features of that salvation
much more conspicuous. Taking up
David's prophecy. he shows that it i'm
plies human Restitution, the bringing
of mankind back to the image and like
ness of God and to the full dominion
of earth-the redemption fully offset
ting the curse. But" the Apostle pro-
ceeds, 1--WE see not yet all things put
under him." (Hebrews 2:S) Do we
see anything? Has any star of hope
arisen guaranteeing the coming bless
ings? Yes. The Apostle declares, I'VE
see Jesus, made little lower than
the angels, crowned with glory and
honor"-just as the first man was-and
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