The Washington times., 1914-12-21

the spirit If selfishness has begotten
discomfort, covetousness. which will
shortly eventuate. as the Bible tells,
with every mans hand against his
neighbor and against his brother
Ezekiel S:2l; Zechariah $40.
81 Came Not to Send Peace"
But do the Scriptures contradict
themselves? What did the Great Teach
er mean when He declared. Il came not
, to send peace on the earth, but a
sword?" CMatthe% 10:34). He referred
prophetically to the effect which His
gracious Message of love and faVor
would produce in the world during the
reign of Sin and Death. He well knew
that the Prince of Darkness would OPP
pose all of His followers as well as
himself. He sent forth His followers
unarmed, like Himself, to be peace
makers. to follow peace with all men,
and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord" He counselled his
followers that he that taketh the
sword shall perish by the sword -
Matthew 1852
But their message of peace, love and
the coming kingdom seems to anger
the world-not merely the vicious, the
ungodly, but the worldly professors oi
godliness who have schemes, plans, ana
theories of their own to work out Whlch
are contrary to the Gospel Message.
selfishness, hateth the light, the truth
the love Of God. neither cometh 10 tne
light, lest its deeds of selfishness. sell
fish ambition and hypocrisy should be
made manifest
The Master knew what the effects OF
His Gospel Message would be in. the
world He knew that only those who
would compromise His Message could
possibly live at peace-that all who
, would be loyal and faithful to Him
would be traduced, slandered' perse-
cuted-"beheaded,' either literally or
figuratively. His words. therefore. were
prophecy respecting the tribulations
which all His footstep followers would
surely have.
More than this, His words were a
prophecy respecting the nations. What
is it that has brought us to our present
degree Of civilized savagery? What is
it that makes of every business cor
poration a buccaneer. seeking the de-
struction OF every competing financial
craft? What is 1t that has sharpeneG
: the wits of humanity to such an extent
/ that the majority will find II difficult 10
be honest. because they see so many OPP
portunities for dishonesty. while it Is
impossible for lawmakers to make new
! laws with sufficient rapidity to keep
pace with the intelligent methods OF
! circumvention?
In a certain sense the doctrines OF
Christ are responsible for all this. The
liberty wherewith Christ makes His
followers free and the light which He
and they let shine upon a darkened
world. received in part into unsanctif' ed
hearts and minds, have given wisdom
that. misapplied. We call cunning and
craft. The proof of what We say is
found In the fact that other nations
than those that have received this re-
Elected light of Christianity are still
quite in the background. Only now. as
Christian civilization in a perverted
form is reaching these people are they
awakening and becoming competitors
. with so-called Christendom.
PerpleXed and confused. many may
ask. What. then, is the hope OF the full
| fillment of our text? We answer that
our Master. who declared that He was
not the Prince of this Age. also de-
clared that HIS Kingdom of the next
Age Will be introduced with power and
/ great glory: and that. although its in
itial manifestation will he with clouds
/ darkness and Time Of Trouble such
as never before has been. nevertheless
His Reign will be glorious. ..:smptcni
I and eternal. He shall reign until He
! hath put all enemies under His feet
{ Unto Him every knee shall bow hnd
every tongue confess
! lmmanueIs victory means the over
! throw Of sin--the crushing of the Ser
penis head. At the very beginning of
Messlah's glorious Reign Satan shall be
bound: and following its close he shall
: be destroyed in the Second Death. to-
/ gether with all who love unrighteous-
ness. after they shall have had full op-
portunity for recovery from the snares
/ of SIN and death. Then the whole
world will proclaim the glory of God.
AS the Scriptures declare There shall
/ he no more signing, no more dying-all
! the former things Of sin and death shall
have passed away-Revolation 9l:4