Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-10-22


lengths, breadths, heights and depths
Of Gods great Purpose. But whoever
has an understanding of the great
Plan of God will ever after be able
tightly to appreciate and to locate not
only the events Of today, but also ev-
erything that is coming; for the Bible
outlines the history of man.
The. Scriptures clearly teach that our
earth is the only rebellious province in
nil Gods fair creation. In this little
planet God has permitted sin to take
its course.-to bud, to blossom. to bring
forth it's fruitage-that both men and
angels may see the dire results of OPP
position to the Divine Government.
The Bible tells us how this world be-
came rebellious. 1t tells us that God
did not create mankind imperfect. as
we are today. Man was created per
feet. an earthly being-in the image
of his Heavenly Creator, in the sense
of having d moral character, but limit,
I'd to earthly conditions. This perfect
nan was placed in Il perfect home. in
every way adapted to his needs This
Eden was especially prepared for him.
and he was to enjoy it. But he was
the king of the whole earth; and there.
fore his Creator instructed him that.
as his family increased, he was to sub
due the earth and develop it. Had
mankind remained in harmony with
God. the whole world would have be-
come as Eden.
God foreknew just what would oc.
cur. however. He foreknew Adams
sin and fall. as we'll as the mental,
moral and physical degeneracy which
would result from the disobedience of
our first parents. He foreknew our
weakness and imperfection, our at
tempts at moral, religious and mental
reform and at mental and physical
health. Yet He permitted all this to
come to pass.
Sin entered the world, and has con-
tinued to rest upon the human family
for six thousand years. This curse of
sin and death is upon mankind. Gods
penalty for sin is death, and whether
it comes through pestilence. famine.
war or by slower processes. matters
little. There is no one so stupid but
that he can see that the whole course
of human history has been reign of
Sin and Death.
Way God Has Permitted Sin and Death.
The Bible tells us that God has per-
mitted this condition to continue for
the past six thousand years as great
lesson on the exceeding sinfulness of
sin and on the utter hopelessness Of
any other help than that which He
Himself has provided. For six great
Days of thousand years each-from
Adams time until now-Sin and Death
have reigned over the race. These
are mans work Week, in which he
has been permitted to try everything
he could imagine for his own relief
from sin and it's penalty-death.
And now, after the Week has drawn
to a close. what do we find? Mankind
are still dying-mentally. morally,
| physically. So far from gaining life
for our race, all our efforts through
doctors. scientists. ETC., have accom-
plished practically nothing. Yea, our
most learned physicians and special
lists tell us that the world is on the
verge of a collapse. They say that at
the present rate of increase there
would not be. in hundred and sixty
years from now, enough sane people
| in the world to care for the insane.
They tell us that various diseases are
increasing SO rapidly as to endanger
| the existence of the race in very
| short time; and this in face of the fact
that sanitary conditions are made a
necessity. even to the extent of provid-
| ing individual drinking cups.
| Our only hope is in God; and He has
arranged that His blessing shall come
through Messiah's Kingdom when our
race shall have reached it's limit.
Mans extremity will be Gods oppor-
tunity. In the great Seventh Day of
4 mans work Week, the antitypical
| Sabbath, Messiah will, in association
with His Church of this Gospel Age,
set up the Divine Kingdom amongst
men-a spiritual Kingdom, not an
i Soi NhAy OAiS, diidS, OACSSlISe anu up
lifting mankind. For thousand years
this work of uplift will progress, I'M
til all the willing and obedient will
have attained again the lost likeness
of their Creator and all the unwilling
and disobedient will have been cut off
from life in the Second Death.
1.-THE Times of the Gentiles."
Another great lesson which God has
been teaching mankind during tho
reign of Sin and Death is the fact that
they are incapable of establishing such
a government as is necessary for real
blessing and uplift of the race. For
a time He appointed the nation of
Israel to be His typical kingdom. Sc
iecting King David and his posterity
to constitute the royal family. The
last king of Dayid's line was Zedekiah
of whom we read: And thou, profane
wicked prince of Israel, whose time
has come that iniquity shall have an
end. Thus saith the Lord God, Re