The Washington times., 1915-02-01

Gospel Age. and not
only tells US that the Lord will
not gather His jewels sooner, but
also impNes that the only class to be
gathered at that time will be the
jewel class-He comes to make up His
jewels We have here a contradiction
or the ordinary thoughts on this sub
ject: O That He has been gathering
HIS jewels all along for the past six
thousand years, evidently an erroneous
thought. since He has appointed a Day,
In the end Of the Age. in which He
will gather. or make up, His Jewels;
and '2' That everybody who Is re-
spectacle. halfway decent, Is to be
gathered to the Lord and share in His
Kingdom. Our text distinctly points
out the fact that only a very excep-
tional class will be sought for and
gathered.
The class here described. as Jewels is
contrasted In the context with other
classes-"the proud" who have much
or the success Of the present time: and
the workers of wickedness," who
tempt God and are not careful to please
and serve Him. Such evidently are the
majority Of mankind. The Jewel class
is described as they that feared Je-
hovah'-that reverenced Him-"and
that thought upon HIS Word"
Seeking the Jewels.
But. we inquire, where are Jewels
usually found? The answer Is that they
may be found in very unexpected places.
For instance. the diamonds Of South
Africa are sometimes mingled with the
n IN or1y al o,,l ivvHh
ed in bluish-black clay. They all require
to be searched after and to be washed
from the mire. before being prepared to
reflect and refract the light. So some
of these Jewels that the Lord 10 now
seeking out from the world are to bc
found in the ordinary walks Of life. and
some came from deep down in the mire
In the world of mankind the Lord
does not expect to find the Jewels in
perfect ordcr-shaped. cut. polished and
ready for the setting in glory On the
contrary. by one class Of His servants
He lifts them out Of the mire Of sin and
the horrible pit. cleanses them through
the merit Of His own precious blood and
through His Word; and then. through
other servants. He polishes them with
Divine skill. in order that they may re.
fleet and refract the light Of the glory
OF God-the Divine character-Justice,
Wisdom. Love.
AS the diamond in its rough state
uncut. unpublished. would have no more
value than common stone for ordinary
pun poses, SO those whom the Lord Is
selecting and preparing as His Jewels
are to derive their ultimate value from
the cutting. kaping. polishing. Of their
characters under Divine Providence. As
1t Is written, I'VE are His workman.
ship We cannot suppose the illustra-
ton TO be perfect In every particular;
yet we may readily see that while Di.
vine Grace is to be credited with the en-.
tire outcome-the beauty of the finished
ewel-nevertheless Divine Grace oper.
ates according to principles and condi.
lions. under Divine Law. AS the eX-
pericnced diamond miners reject The
soft clay and various of the hard stones
IN seeking for those of the desirable
kind. so the great Jewel Gatherer oper-
ates according to a principle In seeking
for His jewels.
AS Many As the Lord Shall Call"
The hardness of the diamond may be
used to represent character, and we are
to remember that character belongs to
the individual Each must have his
own character and only in proportion
as each has ii can he hope to be ac-
cepted finally as jewel: for those
without It will not endure the neces-
sary tests.
AS the dia mond-seeker lays hold upon
everything in his path that gives EVIL
dence of having the diamond Quality
so Divine Grace, operating in the dia-
mond field OF the world. lays hold upon
all VINO have anything resembling
character. The soft. the pIiable. the
uncrystallized, are not being sought
now, and coming in contact with Di-
vine Grace as passed by. Only such as
give evidence OF character are Thought
worthy OF even washing and testing.
The hard crystallization OF the dia-
mond corresponds to Willingness toward
righteousness In the individual: and un-
less there be such Willingness toward
God and righteousness there Is none OF
the jewel quality which the Lord Is
now seeking. Thoss whose wills are
formed. crystallized. set determined for
righteousness are those whom the Lord
seeks. But the great Jewel-Sesker ac-
process is incomplete. and helps their
lntrmities. developing in them by His
providence the quality of firmness for
righteousness. at the samo time polish
ing them.
But even when the rough diamond has
been found, 1t would be Of no value ex-
cept as 1t could be cut; indeed II would
be Of less value for many purposes than
are other stones. So 1t Is with those
whom Divine Grace finds in the mire of
sin, having nevertheless will or charac-
ter desiring righteousness, truth, good
ness. iustice-the great Lapida rist must
really give them all their value by His
skill In shaping, cutting and polishing
them. Yet, OH the other hand, He could
not cut. shape. and polish that which
had not the quality or character. the
will for righteousness, essential to the
receiving of such a polishing.
Those who are In the hands Of the
great Lapidarist and who are undergo.
ing His polishing process. must first
have passed through the previous expe.
rences Of having been found of the
Lord Jesus Christ. must have beer
washed. and must have been accepted
as having wills desirous of harmony
with the Divine mind, Therefore they
may take pleasure in all the trying ex,
periences and difficulties through which
our Lord Jesus Christ causes them tC
pass as various parts of the process
necessary to their completion as Jeho