The Washington herald., 1921-11-17
Gives Bible Version.
To the Editor. The Washington Herald:

10 the Editor. The Washington Herald:
/ desire to give our worthy Bible
expounder, Walter l.. Burgan, a few
gentle and kindly hints. l was not
ignorant of the fact that there is
extant such a theory as that con-
tained in his elaboration on the
thoughts l expressed in your issue
of the 4th instant. l omitted IL
purposely. as my study Of the Bible
has not as yet convinced me of its
correctness.
The term "a thousand years" as
used in this connection is very diff
ficult to interpret in an entirely
satisfactory way, because the Bible
informs us that one day Is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day. / may
not know all that Is wrapped up In
this unusually peculiar statement,
but ! am sure 1t means one thing
that the Lord does not consult our
man. made clocks and calendars in
the management of His affairs.
1 am especially glad that the
Bible makes il cleor that we DO
not have to wait until after oeath
or until the ushering In of the thou-
sand-year period to enjoy Heaven.
The righteous have the privilege OF
living in Heaven right here ana
now. The first thing suggested by
Jesus Christ in the line of human
duty is to seek the Kingdom of God,
or Heaven. as the basis OF true
living. The far-away Heaven is OF
no practical value to us now. The
righteous know that day by DAY
,hev live. move and have their
heinp in the material world. win
II. lusts and vices, but that they
are not Of this world; that they are
living in the realm of high ioeais'
though others about them may De
living in the realm of low Ideals
that happiness and harmony, OF
Heaven, are theirs, though their
neiphbors may be suffering In the
hell created by unrighteousness'
The man who knows what Heaven
means today. is he who Will know
| what Reaven means in future I'M
lfoldments. 1t is indeed a sad thlhS
to see people so obsessed with the
idea of an Imaginary hell-some-
where, they know not where-tha'
they become blind to the hell they
may plunge into at any and every
step they take on the journey OF
life
Some years ago 1 came as nea,
going through the experience calleo
death Ss II is possible for any one
To do and escape. During the perio1
I lowered between life and death
caught glimpses OF what is oteen
referred TO as 1.-The Great Beyond
that 1 have never revealed to even
nv most devoted friends. When the
crisis was over and was being re-
stored 70 health, figuratively speak
ing, / signed a declaration Of indie
pendence in which l freed myself OF
all preconceived ideas, opinions ana
doctrines, and became new man
physically, mentally and spiritually.
This led me with an entirely open
and receptive mind. into an ihVes-
tigation Of the Bible from new
view points.
As 1 looked over the Christian
world / saw hundreds of strong anu
useful organizations Of men, women
and children, all claiming to take
the Bible as their guide, ana yet
ali differing in many particular
as to its meaning. Then the
thought flashed through my MIND.
as 1t must through the mind OF
every candid and alert observer
that though the Bible is almost un-
iversally put In a class to itself
as the most valuable book in the
world, yet 1t is the least understood
Of all books that are generally reae
and studied by Intelligent people
In my endeavors to determine tine
reasons for this I have reached
number of fairly satisfactory con-
illusions. two Of which / will SUD-
nit at this time for the considera-
ton Of your readers:
/. A large percentage Of Bible
students are 30 intensely interested
in focusing their attention on what
they expect to occur in the future
that they disregard the plain,
simple Bible truths that they should
be applying to the rounding out OF
more harmonious. symmetrical and
beautiful hives right here and now