Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-12-03
AUNT BELLE"
GIVES VIEWS

Editor News:
Some weeks ago / was asked to give
my views on the 19th chapter of First
Corinthians / have been little slow
about the matter because 1T Is diff
cult subject TO explain and cannot be
fully treated in a short article. To
understand the Word of God, we must
rightly divide it. It seems there were
some special gifts in the early days of
the churoh. The apostle explains that
although there were different gifts to
different members Of the church, they
were all of the same spirit. All Of
these gifts we're evidently necessary at
the inauguration of the church. at the
beginning of the gospel age, but were
not needed after the church had been
fully established and the inspired wri-
tings had been completed. These the
apostle declares, "are sufficient that
the man of God may be thoroughly
furnished unto all good works "a
Tim. 5-17. And although these gifts
were of the Holy Spirit, they were
not the Holy Spirit. We may be hll-
ed with the spirit of God. and vet
have no miraculous gifts, for although
these gifts were possessed and often
exercised in the early days of the
church, it seems the day came, as the
apostle said it would come, when prom
hesy would fail. tongues cease and
special gifts of knowledge would van
ish away. See list. Cor. 1873. The
cessation of these special gifts does not
prove that God is less powerful than
He was in those days, or that the
church Is less favored of the Lord Il
seems that Gods people no longer
have need of those early methods of
instruction and proofs of their accept
ance of the Lord. Now, the operation
of Gods spirit seems to be upon each
of His consecrated people in proportion
to their natural qualifications and
zeal for his service. The apostle
points out that the speaking with un-
known tongues was only sign that
the attention of uubelievers might be
drawn to the church The apostle ur-
ges the church to develop spiritual
gifts, ability, power for the service of
the Lord. These personally developed
gifts are more to be desired than those
that are miraculously bestowed and 80
the apostle says. ~ show unto you a
more excellent way" The fruits of
the spirit should be cultivated more
and more that they may yield full
perfect love to God, to each other, and
sympathy toward the world. / know
that the holiness people, as they call
themselves, claim that those long
discontinued gifts are now being re.
vived, but / fear they are badly de-
luded. The miracles of Jesus were
very wonderful, indeed, but we are
told that they we've performed to show
forth His kingdom and His reign of
righteousness has not yet begun, but
Is to begin very soon, we think. Then
not only few people will be healed
and few of the dead raised, an was
in the days of Jesus, but all who will
obey the laws of righteousness will
walk up the highway of holiness to
perfect life. All who are in their
graves must come forth to judgement,
and they will not be judged by the
hearing of the ear or by the seeming of
the eye, but from the inward thoughts
of the heart. Won't that be a wonder
full time when all the poor. down trod-
den people will get absolute justice,
when the oppressor shall be broken in |
pieces, and the poor and needy deliv-
eredH The whole creation groaneth |
and travaileth together, waiting for
the manifestation of the sons of God,
which ia the church, when it shall be |
changed to the divine nature and be-
come the bride of Christ Then the
Spirit and the bride will say "Come,"
and whosoever will may take the wa
ter of life freely. Then the wonder
full bealing touch Of the Christ will
not only heal the body, but the soul
as we'll, Of all who are obedient to the
will Of God.
Best wishes to "Uncle Tom" and
all News readers.
AUNT BELLE.
Dunlap, Tenn, Nov. 30, 1914