The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1916-05-20
To OBEY is BETTER THAN SACRIFICE

You want Gods keeping you have to be obedl-
ent. That is what the Word of God says.
Now it does not make any difference how willing am
to help you how willing the Elders may be to help you
have to the price yourself if you want Gods bless
ngs IF the people obedent and if they were
delivered the abomnabe spirit of murmurlng, there
would be of the keeping power of God manifested
You know it the spirit of murmurng that caused the
children of Israel to perish.
We have talked too much about whisky and the people
can say, "No whsky!"-yes; and mo tobacco! and mo
doctors and "No drugs -but suppose should put up
buletinboard on the corner for the people to read No
pride; covetousness envy jealousy and so on
and forth what would you think of board OF that nd
You like to that big buetn-board down there by the
Northwestern don't you?-but want to tell you that the
things have mentioned far subtle and far more
damnabe life than the things that mentioned
on that buletin-board The things mentioned on that
outward but the things that have men
tioned-prde envy jealousy coveousness from the
heart and they far destructive than are the other
things named as horrible as they
WHY SOME SUCCEED BLESSING AND WHY
SOME FAIL
There is a reason for the faithful going year
after year enjoying the blessings of Cod and there is
reason why always in trouble and always in
difficulties Some people get along; everything goes
wrong everything that they touch is failure-but tell
you God Amighty Word is true If people imagine that
they do they like with reference to Gods Word they
will find out later that they face to face with
disaster.
IN ZION GREAT LIGHT HAS SHoNE FORTH
ZION people have the greatest light today, that has
ever shone in the world
Christ said to the Apostles in regard to the things that
they and the things that they heard
"For | tell yOu that many prophets and kings have
desired to those things which and have not
Them and to hear those things which hear and have not
heard them'
But the time not due and have greater light,
today than the Apostles had We ought to be better than
the early Church. We have the advantage of the expert
of the early Churchwe have the the Apos
tesand ought to be better Look at the teaching that
zion has had all these years. Look the children Israeli
THE TRUE AND THE TRIED WILL STAND
This of the most interesting situations that the
world has and would rather have the oppor
tuny of watching the outcome of this Movement than to
have had part in anything that has transpred in all other
hstory-eher in socaled secular history or in sacred
history.
If God the Almighty planted zoN if God the Almighty
ZION CITY and ZION is fulment of prophecy the
most interesting thing Gods earth is to watch the out
of this conflict: and will be interesting to see how
people demean themselves during the conflict and the vic
tories Do not think my brother my sister, because YOU
have stood until today that before this conflict over you
may not go like Others God the Almighty out of all
this conflict and chaos will bring His people, true and tried
as gold tried in the fire.
ONE SINNERS CovEToUsNEss DEFEATED ISRAEL
Ah my brothers and sisters, it was the presence of
Achan that defeated the children of Israel at Al was it not
Now the Convocation is drawing nigh, and want to
see the work DONE do not why should not finish
this thing up during the Convocaon Why not? Let us
finish it up. How we do it? By getting right with
Cod Let do what see that every sin is put
outside the camp ~
These non-tthe payers let them repent and 90 and
sell their clothes, and pay up. cannot believe in their
repentance until they pay up have no confidence in the
man who will rob God-none whatever and I'll warrant
you that there thieves sitting right here this
morning That will do for the Methodsts and the Bapsts
but it will not do in ZION.
ZION must be right, and follow Gods every command
ment implicitly This is the important condition to be
met order entte any to claim His blessings upon spirit
soul and body Rich rewards always follow obedience
Let ZION depart from the keeping of Gods COM
mandmens for He will withhold any good thing from
those who walk uprghtly.
(To be Continued)