The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-07-14

of this Gospel Age. Just as in the
construction of Solomon's Temple, all
the materials were first prepared, and
then the building began, so it will be
with the antitypical Temple. Our great
Master Workman has been getting
ready the living stones" supervising
their preparation under strict rules as
to shape. size, quality, etc. This work
has been going on throughout this Cos
pei Age, and not until the full number
Of stones shall have been made ready
will the construction of that glorious
Temple begin. This construction will
be the Resurrection change-"Changed
in moment. in the twinkling Of an
eye; for flesh and blood cannot in
herit the Kingdom of God"
Pastor Russell then showed that
since we are now living in the close
Of this Age. the stones for the antityp
ical Temple must practically all be fin
ished. Therefore he inclines to the
thought that the work of construction
of the Temple has already begun.
This does not imply, however, that the
final polish has been given to all or
the stones. Those long since prepared
could be put in place while the last
stones were receiving the finishing
touches. He declared that the Scrip
lures so intimate when they say that
the dead in Christ shall rise first
Newfoundland that then we who
are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds.
to meet the Lord" The fact that some
are not yet caught up to meet the
Lord but are still in the place of pol
ishing and preparation, indicates that
the Temple is not yet completed.
After every living stone has been
placed in the great antitypical Temple.
the glorifcation of the Temple will
follow. In the type. King Solomon.
type of our Lord Jesus. offered the
sacrifice, and God accepted it; then the
glory of the Lord filed the Temple.
So in the antitype, the Church in glory
win not be the Temple of God until
the Heavenly Father Himself shall
have recognized it. 1t is the work of
our Lord Jesus Christ. the great Mas
ter Workman, to shape and polish
these living stones, to remove them to
glorious conditions by the resurrection
change, and to build the Temple. Then.
when all is finished, not stone lack
ing, He will await the Fathers accept
ance. The glory of the Lord God will
fill this living Temple.
"A House of Prayer For All Nations"
The Pastor then showed the purpose
for which this glorious Temple of God
is being constructed. Back in the Law
Dispensation the required information
was pictorially set forth in types and
shadows. The Prophet Isaiah had
foretold that Gods House was to be
called a House of Prayer for all ma
lions. This was what the Temple at
Jerusalem was in particular. 1t was
arranged in different sections, repre-
senting various classes, as it were
First in importance was the Most
Holy, then came the Holy, then the
Court into which Jews might come,
next the Women's Court. last the Court
Of the Gentiies. Thus was depicted the
Millennial Age-after the glorification
Of the antitypical Temple.
God will be in that Temple-the en-
tire Church of Christ glori1ed. The
Divine Power viii operate through it.
and all nations will begin to draw near
to God. But in order to do so, they
must draw near to this Temple; for the
glory of God will be therein displayed
All nations. both Jew and Gentle, will
come to the Heavenly Father through
this Temple.
Another Old Testament picture
which the Pastor explained was that
Of the typical priesthood. The Priests
Of this new Temple of the future will
be Jesus, the great High Priest, and
His Church, the under-priests. Jesus
will be both King and Priest-"a
Priest upon His Throne"-after the
Order of Melchizedek. Our Lord is
not yet upon His Throne. but remains
waiting at the right hand of the Males
ty on High. until the antitypicai TEN
pie is completed. The Fathers right
hand signifies the place of chief favor,
next to the Father Himself. AS it is
written, 'Sit at My right hand, until
make Thine enemies Thy footstool"
During this period of waiting, the
living stones" of the Temple have
been prepared; those who will consti-
tute the Royal Priests have been in
training for the duties of their office
AS yet there is no Royal Priesthood;
for only those who shall be declared
worthy to sit with our Lord in His
Throne will constitute with Him that
Priesthood Again, it is written
Blessed and holy'is he that hath part
In the First Resurrection; on such the
Second Death hath no power, but they
shall be priests of God, and shall reign
with Christ thousand years"
The Pastor then declared that these
future Priests are also Knights of the
Temple. While at present they do not
wear white plumes, yet by and by they
shall wear, not only white plumes, but
white raiment Our Lord has said
''They shall walk with Me in white
for they are worthy"
Other Pictures of the Temple.
Various New Testament references
to the Church of Christ as Temple
were then explained. One of these
was ST. Paul's question addressed to
the Corinthian Church: What? Know
We not that your body is the temple
of the Holy Spirit which is In youy
1t was shown that this question does
not apply to the world; for by nature
the world knows not God. They are
still under condemnation-"ch children OF
understanding to Scripture. God
has not yet begun to deal with them
nor to give them the blessings which
He has purposed for them. During
this Gospel Age He is dispensing bless
ings only to the Church class. to those
who have received of the Holy Spirit
Pastor Russell then pointed out that
beyond the veil the Church class will
receive the Holy Spirit without meas
ure, when all the living stones" con
stituting the Temple of God will have
been glorified. But on this side of the
veil. those who give up their will to
the Lord and who are accepted and
begotten of the Holy Spirit as New
Creatures in Christ. receive that Spirit
in measure: and so the bodies of these
may be said to be the temples of the
Holy Spirit. Wherever Gods Spirit is,
there is n temple, as st. Paurs ques-
ton sets forth. Again. the Apostle de
clares that we have this treasure in
earthen vessels. that the glory may be
Of God. Gods Holy Spirit constitutes
its recipient n Temple of God.
Elsewhere the Apostle calls the bod
les of those begotten of the Holy
Shirt ta hernacles The differenca no