The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-02-01

] w Ito the close OF
n lthe Gospel Age,
and not only tells
~ us that the Lord
t(ESFSP 6ItySfi{tlwiil not gather
e1Z nzn>=nxsoezsAJiia Jewels sooner.
| but also implies
that the only class 90 be gathered AT
that time Will be the jewel class
] He comes 10 make up His jewels. We
. have here contradiction ~ the or.
binary thoughts on this subject. %
That lie has been gathering Ills
! Jewels ali along for the past SIX
I thousand years. evidently an erron-
eous thought. since lie has appoint
ed a Day. in the end Of the age, In
which lie will gather. or make up,
Ills Jewels. and 90 That everybody
who - respectable. halfway decent
IL 20 he gathered 20 the Lord and
share In His Kingdom. our text DIS
tinctiy points out the fact that only
a very exceptional class VIII be
sought for and gathered.
The class here described as jewels
In contrasted in the context with
other cinsses-Hthe proud" who have
much OF the success Of the present
time: and the workers OF wicked
ness" who tempt God and are not
careful 20 please and serve Him.
mankind. Tn. jewel class ~ de-
scfibed as they that feared Jeho-
vah"--that reverenced H,m-~and
that thought upon His Word.
seeking the Jewels.
But we inquire, where are Jewels
usually foundg The answer ir that
they may be found in very uneHpect-
ed places. For instance. the dia-
mouds 81 south Africa are sometimes
mingled with the ordinary gravel
and sometimes Embedded IN BLUSH
black clay They all require 10 be
| aearched after aud TO be washed from
| the mire. before being prepared 10
reflect and reffact tho light 30
some Of these jewels that the Lord
q. now seeking out from the world
are 20 be found In the ordinary walks
81 life. and some came from deep
down In the mire.
In the world OF mankind tho Lord
does not expect TO find tho jewels In
perfect order--shaped. cut. polished
and ready for the setting in glory.
/ ON the contrary, by one class OF His
servants lie liftr them out OF the
mirc OF ain and the horrible pit.
ci~anses them through the merit Of
Ills own precious blood and through
hts word. and then. through other
servants. lie poiisher them with Di-
vine skin. I'm order that they may
reflect and refract the light % the
glory Of God--the Divine character
! - W lhuNHts Live
AZ IN. diamond in fits rough state.
uncut. unpublished. would have no
more value than a common stone for
lordinary purposes. 80 those whom the
Lord IL selecting and preparing as
| Hts Jewels are TO derive their uitf-
mate value from the cutting. shap-
Ing. polishing. OF their characters un-
der bivin. Providence. "A ~ 10 writ
ten. we are His workmanship"
We cannot suppose the illustration
10 be perfect In every particular
yet We may readily ace that while
| Divine Grace II to be credited with
the entire outceme--the beauty Of
tho finished jew~i--nevertheiess Di-
vine Grace operates according TO
principles and conditions. under Di-
vine Law. A. the experienced dia .
mond miners reject the soft clay and
various Of the hard stones in seek
ting for those OF the desirable kind
80 the great Jewel Gathcrer oper-
ates according to principle In seek
ing His Jewels.
"a. Many A. the Lord shall CALI
The hardness OF the diamond may
be used TO represent character. and
we are 20 remember that character
belongs 20 the individual. Each must
have his own character. and only In
proportion as each has II can he hope
10 be accepted finally as jewel: for
those without 1t will not endure the
necessary tests.
A. the diamond-seeker LAYS hold
upon everything in his path that
gives evidence OF having the dia-
mond quality. so Divine Grace. oper-
ating in the diamond field OF the
world. lays hold upon all who have
nything resembling character. The
= n. the pliable. the uncrystalliEed
are not being sought now, and COM
ing in contact with Divine Grace are
passed by. only such as give cvi-
dcnce OF character are thought
worthy OF even washing and test
ing.
The hard capitalization OF the dia-
mond corresponds to willingness to-
ward righteousness In the individ-
uni. and unless there be such willing
ness toward God and Righteousness
there iE mono OF the Jewel quality
which the Lord is now seeking Those
whose Wills are formed. crystailixed.
set, determined for Righteousness. are
those whom the Lord seeks But the
great Jewei-Seeker accepts some in
whom the crystalliKing process IL in
complete, and helps their infirmities,
developing In them by His provi-
dence tho quality of firmness for
Righteousness. at the same polish
ing them.
But even when the rough diamond
has been found, II would be OF no
value except as II could be cut; in
deed. IL would be of less value for
many purposes than are other
stones 40 Il IL with those whom
Divine Grace finds in the mire OF
sin. having nevertheless will or char
acter desiring righteousness, truth.
goodness. tustice-the great f.apldar-
ist must really give them all their
value by His skill in shaping. cutting
and polishing them. Yet. on the
other hand. lie could not cut. shape
and polish that which had not the
quality or character. the will for
righteousness. essential to the re-
ceiving OF such a polishing.
Those who are In the hands of the
great Lapidarist and who are under.
going His polishing process, must
first have passed through the preyt-
GUS experiences OF having been found
of the Lord Jesus Christ, must have
been washed. and must have been
accepted as having Wills DESTROYS
of harmony with the Divine mind
Therefore they may take pleasure IN
all the trying experiences and dir
ficulties through which our Lord
Jesus causes them to pass as vari-
Gus parts OF the process necessary.
to their completion as Jehovah's
jewels. 20 be made mp by The close
OF tho Gospel Age and 70 he set I'm
the gold % the Divine nature. TO re-
fleet the beauties of the Divine char
acter.
IL L. In harmony with this thought
that the Apostle encourages us 10
r.tole. In trlbulation Lnou.t,,. - 4