The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-05-06

The interim between our personal nc
ceptauce ~ the Lords gracious prom
lsos aud our death corresponds ia a
measure 10 tile betrothal period Of The
Jewish maiden, bat the more exact
/ fulnlment of the figure is found Ia the
/ history ~ the Church MS a whole. Our
+ Lords virgin Church WAS esponsed 10
I Him NJ pentecost, and has been await
/ ing the coming Of the bridegroom and
her resurrection change 10 glory, honor
and Immortality the marriage, the
unlon--for nearly nineteen centuries.
The Bride In Kingdom Glory.
| In His last Message 10 the Church,
recorded In the Revelation, our Lord
continues 10 picture the Church as a
betrothed virgin, unmarried, but under
strictest obligations TO purity and faith
fulness down 10 the end OF this Gospel
Age. where she Is represented as max
Ing herself ready for the Bridegroom
coming and for the marriage To be
ready she must have on the wedding
garment, and II must be without spot
or wrinkle or any such thing" (Ephe-
slams 5:27l That robe represents the
imputed righteousness OF Christ, which
covers her every unintentional blemish
and imperfection; and any spot or
wrinkle upon this robe would be a
cause OF such grief 10 the betrotbed
one that the stain would be removed
and the wrinkle pressed out by the
gracious arrangement made therefor
Ny the Heavenly Bridegroom; for He
presented the robe and gave directions
by which It might be kept "unspotted
from the world"
The Revelation shows that with her
resurrection change In the end OF this
Age the "espoused virgin Church will
be no more. She will have passed into
the more exalted state OF the Bride
married or united to her Lord and
Bridegroom Note the symbolical pic
ture by which she is represented-"th
New Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of Heaven" Revelation 21.2,
o, 10) That is, the Heavenly King
dom, the new rulership of the world, is
then pictured as the Bride. The grand
work of the Church In glory is also
pictured as the work Of the Bride
"The Spirit and the Bride say, Come.
And whatsoever will, let him take OF
the Water of Life freely Rev. 2217.
At the present time not only is the
Church not the Bride, but she is not
privileged to say, Come, to whosoever
will for with the calling Of this Age
there Is measure of election Our
Lord declared, mo man can come unto
Me except the Father which sent Me
draw him. John 6:44) Moreover,
here is no River Of the Water of Life |
now. That bountiful provision is for
The future the world during the
Millennial Age. Now, as our Lord ex-
blamed those who become His conse- |
rated followers are granted to have |
n themselves "a well Of water spring |
ng up into everlasting life. John 4:14.
Many Churches Of Christ
The heather and children In Chris
ian lands when they begin to study the
Bible are perplexed and inquire. Which
s the Church of Christi They see
Of various names claiming
o be branches of the Church; and they
sk. Which did Jesus establish? The
answer implies confusion and reproach.
III claim genuineness and originality,
mt none can show any existence of its
resent organization earlier than the
third Century. When we contrast
heir elaborate and formal services
With the simplicity of the early Church,
s described in the New Testament,
re are sure that they cannot be the
anne. When we compare their doc
rines with those Of Christ and the
apostles. as set forth in the New Testa-
lent, their claims fall to the ground
or lack Of support.
10 illustrate: The Scriptures teach
hat there Is but one God. the Father,
nd one Lord Jesus Christ Il Corinth-
ms SO; that the Father, who is above
II, sent His Son TO be our Redeemer; .,
hat when the Son had faithfully ac-
omplished that work, the Father rails
] Him from the dead and exalted Him
} His own right hand, or place OF
lvor-next TO Himself. Our Lord Him
alf said my Father is greater than
" John 14:2s) But the various
hurches. each claiming TO be the orig
lal, unite in telling us that there are ,