Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-07-04

things OF the Spirit OF God: for they
are fOclishness unto him: neither can
he know them. because they are spirit.
ually disceraed"
Then the Pastor explained that those
begotten Of the Holy Spirit are Scrip.
turally called children OF God, heirs of
God. joiut-heirs with Jesus Christ. IL
faithful unto death. they Will be glorl.
fed IN the First Resurrection. Mean
time they are TO grow In grace, knowl-
edge. love and all other fruits and
graces OF the Splrit-grow by their
trials. by their obedience. by striving
against the world. the flesh and the
Devil. All this must be done before
this class will be ready for their resur.
rection change. In the present time.
however. all who are begotten Of the
Holy Spirit not only belong to the
Church in general. with all others OF
the people OF God. this one Brother.
hood OF Christ on the spiritual plane.
but they are also reckoned as members
Of the Body of Christ ON the feshly
plane-the earthly plane.
From this viewpoint. Christ has been
suffering In the flesh throughout the
Gospel Age st. Peter says that the
Prophets of Israel testified beforehand
Of the sufferlngs of The Christ and Of
the glory TO follow; and hence he urges
the Church to arm themselves with the
cntp., mimi thof Inett., b.1 n.,,,T
speaks of filling up that which Is he
hind Of the aillictlOns OF The Christ
all the members Of His Body. After
these surferings are filed up. then the
glory will follow The sufrerings are
not yet complete
The speaker went on to explain how
trials and discipline are means of de
veloping Christian character. preparing
the child of God for future service in
the Kingdom The privilege of suffer
ing with Christ IN the flesh Is some
thing to bc appreciated Whoever has
trials in the flesh because OF Christ
because Of being Ills disciple, has oc,
casion for rejoicing. Such should con.
tinue faithful in order that by and by
as a polished Jewel he may be ready
for Il glDrluus setting in the immortal
ity of the future. An uncut unpOlShed
jewel is not worth much Its real
worth is brought forth in the cutting
So the Lord gives His jewels the cut
ting aud polishing necessary to en-
able them 10 reflect the glorious light
of the goodness Of God
/ jewels do not all require the same
amount Of polishing, declared the Pas
tor. small diamond can be cut and
polished more easily than can a large
one Those of the people of God who
undergo severe trials and Afiictons
may hope that they will be accounted
large jewels in the hands Of the Lord
The larger the diamond, the more work
in cutting and polishing
Confessing or Denying Christ.
Then the Pastor discussed the terms
upon which one may make his calling
and election sure to position In the
gloTifcd Body of Christ beyond the
veil. From the time wlien ones con
secrntion IS accepted by the Father
and he Is begOtten of the Holy Spirit
4 his name Is written in''tie Eamb'S
Book Of Life us n fnlemler of the Body
Of Christ 10 these our Lord declares
that II they are faithful He will not
blot their naInes from His Book. These
are to remain faithful to what they
agreed to dO-to give their little all In
sacrifice. On that condition they were
accepted and had their names recorded
But II any such deny Christ. He will
deny them II they continue to con
fess Him, lie will confess them. To
confess Christ is to live for Him day
by day-confessing Him in the way in
which one uses time, Influence. money.
talents: conreSSing Him in business. in
everything that IS either said or done
But II any couSecratpd child of God
should deny Christ by seeking to live
after the world, by neglecting the
Covenant Of Sacrifice. such would thus
demonstrate his unworthiness Of q
place in the Bride cIass-the Church IN
glory.
Should any one ask the Pastor why
he lays so much stress upon consecra
ton, he would reply that, according to
Scripture, God Is not now dealing with
the world in general that in order to
bring our petitions to the Throne OF
Heavenly Grace we must get into re.
lutionshlp with Cod and that there Il
only one way by which this can be
done conSeclutiOn. TO emphasize his
point the speaker used the Illustration
of Il wedding in the time of our Lord
On such occasions 1t was customary
for the host TO furnish all the guests
with II plain white linen garment.
which was to be worn over their own
garments Whether the guests wore
rich or poor raiment. the wedding gar.
ment covered everything, and made
them all brethren for the time being.
for they were guests Of the same host
Applying his illustration, Pastor
Russell explained that all consecrated
Christians have accepted Gods invita-
ton to the marriage OF the Lamb-the
Son Of God. But no matter how well
we may arrange our own garments.
each must put on the wedding gar
ment or else remain away from the
feast. The moment Of consecration Is
the moment Of receiving the Robe OF
Christ's righteousness, and only those
Uho contiuua IN waar that roha will