The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-01-21

as invited all decent worldly people
into the Church, and made them think
that they were consecrated saints OF
God and heirs OF the blessings prom
ised In the Scriptures. by Inference,
rather than by direct statement the
theory has gone forth that the penalty
for sin will be visited only upon those
who neglect TO say, God forgive me.
a few moments before they die. Not.
withstanding the plain statements OF
the creeds. every funeral discourse
lands the dead In Heaven. so far as
the auditors can understand. A misin-
depreciation OF the Sayior's words 10
the dying thief Is made the basis for
this absurdity.
Let me say, then. with all kindness
toward those who are deceiving them
selves and others. that the vast MAORI
ty OF church members and Of preachers
are not Christians at all. according to
the Bible standards. This does not
mean that the Bible condemns them
to eternal torment. Thank God. no.
IL does mean. however. that these self
deceived ones will have neither part
nor lot In the wonderful blessing pro
yided for Gods elect Church. II
means, further, that Gods Church Is
separate from all human institutions;
and that only sanity persons. regard
less Of UNCONVENTIONAL lines. are mem
bers of the true Church. "whose names
are written In Heaven"
Surrender Self-Saerifce to God.
According to the Bible. no human be
ing is fit for Divine fellowship or eter-
nal life. The reason is given that all
are sinners. The explanation OF the
sin is that 1t was committed by Father
Adam when he was perfect. In Gods
image: and that. cut off from God, the
race deteriorated. passing imperfec-
tons of mind, morals and body from
parent to child. psalm 51:5). I'm
perfect beings would be quite out OF
place amongst the perfect; and so long
as imperfection continues, sin will con
tinue. and with 1t. necessarily. sorrow.
pain and death, sins consequences.
God declares His sympathy for the
sinner and that He has made provision
for mans recovery from his present
deplorable state. Not only so, but
time has been set for the recovery;
and the Bible tells us how it will be oc-
complished-by Messiah and His Mil
lennial Kingdom We pray, Thy
Kingdom come" not with the thought
that God will neglect His promise to
establish that Kingdom, but by way or
giving acknowledgment to the fact
that that Kingdom is the hope of the
world and of the Church.
The Church's hope in the Kingdom
is that Of becoming sharers with Christ
in the glory, honor and work Of that
Kingdom-for the blessing and uplift-
ing of humanity out Of sin and death.
There is no attempt being made at the
present time on Gods part to convert
the world. Few now hear the Gospel
Message, and still fewer believe it.
They are deluded by the Adversary
into thinking that God has been trying
TO convert the world for six thousand
years and has been making misera-
Bile failure of 1t all along; and that
whatever is done, we must do for our
selves. Thus has unbelief been cult
waited, and trust in God and in the
teachings of the Bible thrust aside.
Nevertheless, the Lord declares. MY
Word that has gone forth out Of My
mouth shall not return unto Me void;
but it shall accomplish that which !
Please, and it shall prosper in the
thing whereto sent it." isaiah 55:ll)
Gods Word was sent forth to invite a
very special class of humanity-a class
loving righteousness and hating iniqui-
ty, weary and heavy laden with sin,
ignorance and superstition, and desir-
GUS of coming back into harmony with
God and being blessed of Him.
For nearly nineteen centuries the
Message has been going hither and
thither, quietly. un0stentatiously. The
world and the nominal churches would
say that it had accomplished nothing
that everything great had been accom-
plisbed by them. But we prefer to
stand by the Bible and to recognize
that Gods consecrated ones have in
deed lifted up light which the world
has bated-a light on account Of which
they have frequently been put to death,
or have had their names cast out AS
evil" or have been boycotted. socially
or otherwise.
If their hopes were merely in the
present life. these would be making
miserable failure of their opportuni-
ties. But not 50; they are waiting for
their reward in the future-at the Sec
ond Coming of Jesus-by share In the
First Resurrection. And even now
their Joy, peace and fellowship with
God more than Offset all their trials.
difficulties and ostracism Besides,
ITO them 1t Is given TO know the mys-
teries Of the Kingdom of God" which
to all others are parallels and dark
sayings. hard to be understood
Shepherds Voice. Come Unto Me-"
The trials and difficulties Of life
pressing many today are giving them
a hearing ear for the Great Shepherds