Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-08-20

(lRA1OR RUSsElD go by, continues
both ut home and abroad. The Pas
tors topic was from a text we have
never before heard discussed in the
pulpit-"Then shall appear the sign of
the Son of Man in heaven; and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory. Matt. 24:3O.
The speaker pointed out that various
suggestions have been made by schol-
ars respecting the import of this
prophecy by the Master. Some guess
ed that the sign would be Cross in
the sky. Others thought that it would
be Christ Himself. who would appear
in some wrathful form to humanity.
causing dismay.
The Pastor surmised that his hearers
had read the published reports of his
sermon of last Sunday respecting the
Second Coming Of Christ in its two
phases-the Parousia, or invisible pres
ence, followed by the Epiphania. or
bright-shining in flaming fire. or judg-
ment He asked his hearers to remem-
Der the findings of last week-that we
cannot say that the sign of the Son OF
Man in heaven will be His Parousia.
On the contrary. the Parousia of Christ
will not be known to the tribes, or
families. Of the earth in general, but
will be known only to the most sanity
ones of the Church of Christ. Conse-
quently. the sign Of the Son of Ma1
must in some sense stand related to
His Epiphania or shining forth in the
flaming fire. of judgment, which the
whole world of mankind will recognize.
The hearers were reminded that the
word sign" is of broad meaning;
for instance, crepe is a sign of mourn
ing; the Cross represents Christianity;
the Crescent. Mohammedanism. In
other words. a sign is merely an indi-
cation. So when we read of the sign
of the Son of Man in heaven the
thought might properly be that some
thing will occur indicative Of the pres
ence of the Son of Man-that He has
taken to Himself His great power and
has begun His Reign. Since the Son
of Man is to be revealed in flaming fire.
taking vengeance, it follows that this
sign must be some sign of vengeance,
some indication of righteous indigna
ton against wrong.
The question. then, arises, How would
such sign. or indication, appear In
the sky, in the heavens? The Pastor
replied that this is not the thought. On
the contrary, he urged his hearers to
remember that the Bible repeatedly
uses the words heaven, mountain, sea.
in symbolical manner-the earth rep
resenting organized society; the noun
tains representing kingdoms. as the
backbones of this organized society;
the seas representing the restless
masses Of humanity, continually seek
ing to swallow up the social earth"
In the same symbolic terms the heav-
ems represent the ecclesiastical pow
ers of the ld-churchianity The
sign appearing in the heavens, the
Pastor believes, signifies that the be-
ginning of Christ's judgments will fall
upon the ecclesiastical systems of our
day. The flaming fire of judgments
will first manifest itself in ecclesasti-
cal affairs and circles
Mankind will gradually become awak-
ened to the thought that new Gov
eminent is in control, and that it's pol
Icy will be the law of Judgment to the
line and righteousness to the plum
met" Since unrighteouSness is preva-
lent as a result of mans fallen condi-
hon, the consciences of the whole world
will be awakened, quickened and fear
dread, will come upon all classes every
where. This will be not only because
they will see the primary sign of
Christ's righteous judgments in reli-
gious circles, but because they will see
him cOming-drawing nearer and near
er in Judgment; and they will recognize
that they. too, must shortly be in
volved. Hence there will be mourning
because of Him.
Furthermore. it will be remembered
that all the families of the earth have
very crude and incorrect views of Mes
siah and of the object of His Second
Coming and Kingdom. The doctrines
of devils" brought into the church
creeds during the Dark Ages. have so
made void the Word of God that the