The Mena weekly star., 1916-06-08

lRASI0R RUSSelLlJ forth the praises
 of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light"--1 Peter 2;9.
 The discourse brought to view sev- eral marked correspondencies between the Jewish Church-"Israel after the flesh"-and the Christian Church 'The Israel of God" Some of these correspondencies open up a fruitful field of thought for every Bible stu dent. The Pastor first briefly re- viewed the history of Natural Israel. God called them tc be His chosen peo- pie, His holy nation. Exodus 19:5, 6) For over eighteen hundred years they were in training under the Law, to demonstrate whether they were worthy to be Gods people. God foreknew however, that even with their best endeavors they could not keep the Law and thus gain the prize of ever lasting life; for no imperfect being could keep perfect Law. But He had arranged for the redemption of Israel and all the world through Jesus death, and knew that the Law would be their schoolmaster to lead the Jews in due time to Christ.-Galatians 3:24.
 Natural Israel hoped that God would make of them great people to rule the world as Gods Kingdom. They were Abraham's seed, and considered it foregone conclusion that the Lords Promise to Abraham Genesis 12:3i could mean no others but themselves They overlooked the fact that the true Seed would have the faith, the heart obedience of Abraham-qualities which they as a nation lacked. When the long respected Messiah came, they re jected and slew Him. Only few. the "Israelites indeed" of humble. teachable heart, received Him. God foreknew the national rejection of His Son, and had pre-arranged that when the faithful few had been gathered from Israel the call for the Seed class should go to the Gentiles.
 In Jehovah's Plan this Abrahamic Seed which would bless the world was to be composed of IA 000-12, GOO from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Hence when the 10000 or more Israel ties who were worthy were brought into the Christian Church. the Gospel Message was sent to the Gentiles to take out a sufficient number to flll up what was lacking from each tribe of Israel The Gentiles thus chosen be- came members of Spiritual Israel-the Church of Christ. All these have had the faith of Abraham.
 Spiritual lsrael-A New Nation.
 Natural Israel having been rejected as regarded the Gospel Call, new na- ton began to be formed, composed of the faithful few from both Jews and Gentiles. God had opened up a new way of life, through Christ. Hebrews 10:19-22) The calling and preparing of this New Nation for their great fu- ture work has been the work of the Gospel Age. The way opened to the Gospel Church has not been failure. as was that opened for Natural Israel The Gospel Church is not under law.
  Christ enables those to succeed who are walking in the new way to life They keep Gods Law in spirit, and the robe of Christs merit covers all their unavoidable blemishes. iInperfections.
 This chosen class St. Peter calls "a Royal Priesthood, holy nation. a peculiar people," The office of king is to rule; that of a priest is to teach, to heal and to bless These two offices will be united in the work which this class will perform when exalted in the Messianic Kingdom. They have be- come separate from allspther peoples. They "are strangers and pilgrims on the earth" They will constitute, with their Head, Christ Jesus, the New Gov ernment to be set up in the earth upon the ruins of the present order. Not as human beings, but as spirit beings. will this class reign, teach and bless the world, after their glorihcation in the First Resurrection.
 The character tests applied to this company of prospective rulers are very rigid They must first learn to govern themselves before they would be fit to govern others. They are placed in the School of Christ to be taught of Him lessons of meekness. self-control, pa- tience, faith, gentleness. sympathy, love-qualities without which they could not properly deal with the sin ful, fallen world. Each of them has entered into an especial covenant with Jehovah--a covenant by sacrifice. as did their Master. This covenant re- quires a full surrender of their wills to God, a conservation to Him of their lives and all that they possess. and