Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-10-13

- not walk IN DARK
(gAs!2& RQSSElg ness. but sh all
have the light of
life." He said In part:
The Bible tells US about two great
invisible Kingdoms, the Pastor said.
One Of these is Satan's Kingdom of
Darkness; the other Is Christ's King
dom Of Light. Everywhere the Scrip
lures declare that darkness covers the
earth. and gross darkness the people. {"
This condition obtains because Satan
is the prince of this Age. "ruling in
the hearts of the children of dis0be-
dience" Many render him service
without realizing that fact. II they
knew that they are serving Satan, they
would cease to do so. But people have
been deceived. No one is serving God
who has not entered into Covenant
Of Sacrifice with Him through the mer-
it of our Lord Jesus sacrificial death
at Calvary. But Satan's Kingdom is
soon to be superseded by the Mes
sianic Kingdom Of Light. Then the
true Light shall shine worldwide, and
all mankind shall be blessed with op-
portunity of attaining human perfec-
ton and everlasting life.
When our Lord uttered the words OF
the text, He was the Man Christ Jesus,
the prospective King, the prospective
Priest, the prospective Light of the
world. Our Lord has not yet enlight-
ened the whole world. During His
earthly ministry He put His light on
a candlestick, and 1t is still giving light
to all within the Household Of Faith.
It Is not giving light to the world. But
the sin, the jealousy. the misunder.
standing and the pride Of the religious
leaders of His day led them to secure
His crucfAxion; and thus His light was
temporarily extinguished.
So has It been with our Lords true
followers all down the Gospel Age. In
proportion as they have let shine the
light which they have received from
Him. in that proportion have they been
lights to others. But the darkness
still hates the light, and has endeavor-
ed to quench 1t by prosecuting the
light-bearers. So numerous are "the
children of disobedience" that probably
nine-tenths Of the human race are IN
der the control OF the Prince Of Dark
ness. -
Darkness Beginning 60 Disappear.
The Pastor explained that God has
not appointed the Adversary to be the
ruler of this world. but that Satan Is a
usurper. taking advantage Of human
weakness and imperfection due to the
fall Of the perfect man Adam, the pro-
genitor Of mankind. Meantime God
has refrained from restraining Satan,
except when the Adversary's schemes
might otherwise interfere with Jeho-
yah Gods great purposes MAYNARD.
Satan's misrule has brought darkness
over all the earth. People are deceiv-
ed. All nations have drunk of the
wine provided by the symbolic Wom-
m who sat upon the symbolic Beast
Revelation 17:1-6.
All have had more or less experience
with this stupid condition Of spiritual
drunkenness. Some Of us are now get
ting awake and sobered up, although
the majority. even Of professed Chris
tians. are still serving Satan. As we
give careful heed to Gods Word, and
see the terms Of service. we realize
that very few are serving God. are fol-
lowing in Jesus footsteps. Whoever
would render acceptable service to Him
must first become His children through
full conservation to Him and the be-
getting OF the Holy Spirit-all to be ac-
through the merit Of Jesus.
According to the Scriptures we are
now living in the time when the Sun
Of Righteousness (NIalachi 4:2) Is about |
to rise Nothing can be palmer than
the fact that this Sun has not been
shining during the past eighteen cen
turies When 1t arises. all other lights |
will be obscured by its brilliancy. all |
dark places will he exposed. all hidden
things will be brought to light The |
Bible gives beautiful picture Of what |
will take place when the Sun Of Right |
shall have risen. The knowl
edge Of Gods glory will then be ocean.
1l:35: Psalm -: etc.
That will he the time when the true |
Light will tighten every man that |
into the world. John 10y 1t |
has not come during the Gospel Age, |
because this period was set aside in |
he Divine Plan as the time when the |
Church was to be selected from |
amongst Jews and Gentiles. When the |
Church shall have been completed and |
rlorif1ed, then the Sun Of Righteous !
ness viii rise: for our Lord and His |
Church are to constitute this Sum-
Matthew 1895 43.