The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-05-06

@N@&MMk - slams iv, 8.
llRASlOK kUSStLDl This grand ex'
preston respecting
the glorious outcome Of the Savior's
work Is quoted by the Apostle Paul
from the Psalms Qxviii, 49,. The fly
ure thus thrust before our Mental eye
Is that Of a great Conqueror whose vic.
tory is being heralded. With the Ro-
mans we know that it was a custom
that generals returning from u
we're granted what were termed "Tri
umphs"-or triumphal professions.
Let us permit our mental eye to feast
upon the scene Of Il text. Jesus, in
fulflment of. the Divine Program. had
left the heavenly condition and de-
scended to earth, taking a bondman's
form or nature in order that He. by
the grace Of God, might taste death for
every man," that He might rescue
Adam and his race from the death o
dition under Divine sentence and un
der the power Of Satan.
Therefore, the Redeemer counted not
His life precious to Him. but freely de
nvered Himself up. and died. 1.-The Just
for the unjust" that He might brthg
mankind back into harmony Wih God
His humiliation ended in death. but
His triumph began when God raised
Him from the dead by His W power.
and set Him at the right hand OF
His own Majesty-"far above angels
pr~incipalities and powers and every
name that Is named"
Leading Forth tho captives.
With most conquerors, in olden
times, the captives were made slaves
Not so, however, will be the result OF
Jesus victory. First of all in the pro-
cession are the saints-'hc Church OF
the F~irst-born." Then will come q com
pany, more numerous. but less heroic
"a 0reut multitude" uncrowned. but
with palm branches" not antitypical
Priests. but a%ntitypical Levites. asso'
ciates and servants of the Royal
Priesthood. the Bride.
Then will follow (Hebrews xi, 3S-4O'
other faithful ones Of the past, the
ancient Worthless. The Prophet speaks
also of the "rebellious house," The
classes previously specified were not
re~bellious, but gladly and willingly for
sock all to do the will of the Father
and to attain the liberty of sons OF
God, as the frst-fruits Of the triumph
Of the Lamb. .
But during the thousand years OF
ChrIst's reign He will lead forth the
"rebellious house"-the world Of man
kind-not all of them, we may be sure,
for some, the Scriptures positively de-
clare, will die the Second Death. be.
cause, after realizing their deliverance,
they will love sin and will therefore
be destroyed as enemies Of God.
HE Gave Gifts Unto Men,"
In this prophetic reference to Our
Lords ascension 1t Is declared, not
only that He would lead forth a multi,
tude of captives, granting them free
dom. liberty, blessings, but also that
He would confer gifts.
The Apostle proceeds to explain the
matter and tells us what gifts are
meant He says, And He gave some
Apostles, and some prophets, and
some evangelistS, and some pastors
and teachers" 1t behooves us to no.
tice that the Apostle does not intimate
that Jesus gave to some Methodism.
to others Presbyterianism. and to 9th.
ers Roman Catholicism, etc. No. when
we held such thoughts it was because
we failed to see, first, that there IS
but the lone Church Of the Living God,
whose names are written In heaven"
and second, that that one Church is
not any of the various sects and par
ties, but includes the sanity IL all Of
these, For the Lord knoweth them
that are His"
Noting carefully the Apostles argu
ment we perceive that the Master did
not give these gifts for the conversion
Of the world. He does specify, how
ever. what they were for, namely, "for
the perfecting Of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying
Of the Body Of Christ'-the Church,
the Bride. Is it supposab;e that the
Apostle erred In this statement and
that the fact is the re~verse-that these
gifts were provided for the conversion
of the world, and that the Apostle
thoroughly misunderstood the matter?
No! We are to be taught by the Apos-
ties, and may be sure that there Is no
mistake.
The Lord from time to time has rails
ed up e~vangelists, pastors and teachers
for this glorious service Of preparing
the ''chaste virgin" the Church, to be
the Bride in glory, but the Apostolic
Office, as represented in The Twelve,
specially provided by the Father. has
continued and needs no re~plenishment.
We still have their instructions as fully
as the early Church, that the nan OF
God may be perfect, thoroughly fur
uished unto every good work"