The Washington herald., 1922-05-29
iev. M. MacBryde Says
Lines of Gods Plans
Point Toward It.
FED PREPARATION
.reat Work Of Church Is to
Hasten His Coming, He
Believes. .
By EEv. n. y. MACBRYDE.
Grace Episcopal Church.

1e men OF Galilee, why stand We
gazing up into heaven? This
same Jesus which is taken up
from you into heaven shall so
come In like manner as ye have
seen Him go into heaven."-Acts
liza.
These two texts are expressive of
the two greatest epochs of this
worlds history-of the history
which Is past. and OF. the history
which Is to come.
They mark the nrst and second
advents of our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ.
From the time of Adam until the
Incarnation. all history. all move
ments and stages of events pressed
toward the coming of Christ In the
hesh- As we glance our eye over
the worlds progress We see that
all Its purpose IL focused in the
little town Of Bethlehem. when In
the fullness of time Christ was
'orn In great humility. Since that
blessed day. moreover. all things
Dress toward the second coming of
christ In power and glory. The
kise and fall of empires. the de-
bgvelopment and decay of. civiliza-
teilect. and the inventions and de-
vices of science lead up. under the
providence of God. to the second
advent. In this fact We hnd the
deepest meaning In the words of
the poet:
Il doubt not through the
ages one increasing pur-
pose runs"
Let US glance for a moment at
tn Significance OF history and no
tice how II is a preparation for
that great event.
Prepared wsrid.
In a peculiar way the Jewish
people prepared the world for that
event To them God vouchsafed re-
} ngious revelations. to them was
given to know the mysteries Of
Gods plans. So they gave the
world the Old Testament with Its
inspired prophecies relative to the
incarnation. and the great Levitt
ical ceremonial and sacrihcial sys-
tenn. typical of heavenly things,
and of our Lords atonement and
sacrifice upon the cross.
Furthermore. they gave to the
world the idea Of monotheism-that
there Is but one God. and that Him
only should we serve.
When Christ ascended into heav-
en- He commissioned His church to
\ carry the Bible to all the world.
His last command was. 60 ye.
therefore. into all the world and
Areach the Gospel TO every crea-
.ure" This Is our task in prepar-
ng the world for His second COM
lg, before which. the Bible says.
le Gospel must first be preached
nto all nations
second Of Texts.
In the second of the two texts,
70 angels say to the disciples. fe
en- of Galflee. why stand ye gaz-
Cup into heaven? This same Jesus
hfch is taken up from you into
eaven, shall SO come in like man
4 ler as ye have seen Him go into
| heaven" Their task. therefore. was
[ not only to watch and pray. but also
l to spread the gospel to all men.
This work Is among the very high
est that we have to do and Is ac-
tuated by love and gratitude to God
for the great blessing of the in
hasten His second coming In the
Thy Kingdom Come" No man has
a right to pray this who will not
work and give for the spread of
the gospel throughout the world.
for 1t Is by this means that we
hasten His kingdom. AS we have
already said. all history since the
4 Incarnation pressed forward to. and
Is focused in Christ's second coming.
We have seen how the world was
prepared for our Lords first COM
ing-let US see now II Is prepared
4 today for the second coming.
The railroad. the telegraph, the
| steamboat and commerce have open
ed up every portion of the world
for our entrance, not for the in
ease of wealth among men, but
4 spread OF the gospel. The glad
lngs of the incarnation are
ad among all nations and all
lie are receiving the light That
eneth every man" The Eng
language is spoken over all the
ID. and the Bible has been
Ansiated into every tongue.
Notice how this resembles the
pndition Of the world at our
5aviour's first coming! When the
tullness OF time for Christ's second
coming Is near all history will move
quickly toward that great event.
1t may be even now upon us. for
Christ cometh at an horr when we
think not therefore. watch and
rray lest We be found sleeping in
the citv when the Son Of man
cor-eth."
That day will be the second great
epoch In the worlds history. The
lines Of Gods plans point toward II.
This Is Gods will which He would
have done on earth, and He would
have rs do II as II is done in
heavsn-that Is. perfectly.
To hasten His coming Is the great
work Of the church by spreadir z
the gospel throughout the world, IL
Is also Gods will and purpose
therefore. enter into II with heart
and soul and mind.
Give Of thy sons to bear the mes
sage glorious:
Give of they wealth to speed them
on their way:
Pour ont thy soul for them in prayer
victorious;
A,S III fho,, .-.nA..& r-- ~,