Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 194, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1914 — WHY! HOW! WHEN! CHRIST WILL COME [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHY! HOW! WHEN! CHRIST WILL COME

Misapprehensions by All In the Past ' (■ Darkneei Flees From Morning Light. Messiah Comes to Bless —First, His Faithful Church; Seoond, All People. Scriptures Previously Misunderstood. The Man of Sorrows No Longer—He Comes the King of Glory.

August 16.—The Photo-Drama of Creation appears to be the Bible Story, simply .told and wonderfully illustrated by perhaps the most beautiful aggregation of Bible pictures ever presented. The object of the Drama is declared to be the re,-establish-

ment of faith in the Bible. Manifestly It Is well adapted to this end. Few can witness it without deeper reverence for God and great personal benefit Pastor Russell’s text today was, “When Christ * * * shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him In glory.’’-J-Colossians 3:4. The Pastor began by showing how foolish and nnscriptural were many of the suggestions handed down from the Dark Ages respecting the object and the manner of Christ’s Second Advent The Bible declaration that our Redeemer would come again fcnd receive His faithful people to -Himself wgs once surmised to imply that all the remainder of mankind would experience eternal torture. But now, in the blessed enlightenment of our day, we see that the gathering of the Church in the First Resurrection is merely the completing of the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3r16. 29), whose work thenceforth will be the blessing of all the families of the earth, according to the Divine Promise and Oath. The declaration that at our Lord’s Second Coming He will judge the world in righteousness, we once misunderstood to mean that the Redeemer would merely confirm a judgment, or decree, of eternal torment against mankind, the speaker asserted. He then briefly outlined the Divine Plan for human salvation from the sin and death conditions brought upon the race through Adam’s disobedience and extended as a judgment to all his posterity. He showed that since “Jesus Chrisj, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man,” Adam and all his race would have another trial for life—lndividually, however. This new trial has been delayed until the Church class is tried and qualified to be the world’s judges during its trial—during the 1,000 years of Messiah's Kingdom. The Pastor explained that in this trial right and wrong, trfith and error, will be set before mankind with the full explanation that whoever choosey sin will choose the Second Death, but that whoever chooses righteousness will choose life everlasting. He then contrasted this Scriptural view of the Judgment Day with that handed down from the Dark Ages—a tweaty-four-honr day for damning afresh the poor race already suffering from the original condemnation. How Christ Will Come. Next was pointed out the unreasonableness of the unscriptural theories respecting Christ’s Coming received from a darker time. According to these, the Redeenler would come again In the flesh, the only glory of which would be a shining skin. The speaker then quoted Scriptudfe after Scripture to prove that our Lord was put to death in the flesh, but was raised from the dead jt spirit being. Our Lord’s flesh was given for the life of the world; and all His human rights will in due time be given to humanity. It was also shown that since the Scriptures declare that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God,’ the Chqrch must be changed by the power of the First Resurrection—made spirit beings like our glorified Redeemer, whom they shall see as He is. Misconceptions respecting our Lord’s condition have blinded our minds regarding' the manner of His Second Coming, the Pastor declared. Thinking of Him as a fleshly being, we were unable to comprehend the .Scriptures telling of His Parousla (presence) in the end of this Gospel Age and of the twofold work then to be accomplishedfirst, a separating work in His Church, unseen and unknown by the world; second, a manifestation to mankind, not in flesh, but “In flaming fire." Parousia and Epiphania. The speaker then discussed at length two words used In the Greek MSS. in - reference to our Lord's Second Coming. He said that our English translation beclouds their significance. Christ’s I’nrousia, presence, was showq to refer to a period when, "as a thief In the night.” unknown to the world. He will Judge His Church, giving reward to tUe-jTalthful. This includes the resurrection of the dead saints and the-ehange of the living ones. After the Church bns been glorified, the* Epiphania. or shining forth of the Lord in glory, will lake place. This will mean a sudden blazing forth "df God’s righteous indignation against all unrighteousness. Severely awful as these judgments will be, nevertheless they will* manifest tbe Love of God. By the fire of that tribulation mankind will'be uplifted and blessed.