Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1915 — WHY, WHEN AND HOW JESUS'SECOND ADVENT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHY, WHEN AND HOW JESUS'SECOND ADVENT

Billy Sunday’s View Better Than “Orthodoxy's.” Bible Views Long Buried Now Coming to Light—Erroneous Teachings of the Creeds —Reasonableness of Bible’s Presentation — Instead of. WorldBurning, Messiah’s Kingdom Will Bring World-Wide Blessing—Anarchy Destructive as Fire Will Prepare Way.

Norfolk, Va., February 28.—Pastor Russell, ad. dressing a large audience here today, discus sed Christ’s Second Advent, from the text “If I go away, I will come again and receive you.” (John 14:3.) He complimented Billy Sunday by saying that al-

though Billy’s teachings do not come up to the Bible, nevertheless he is far ahead of “Orthodoxy” on this subject. The Pastor agrees with Mr. Sunday in teaching that our Lord Jesus is coming to establish a world-wide Empire which will bless all mankind with fullest opportunity to do right But he disagrees with Mr. Sunday’s theory that the billions who died during the past six thousand years in ignorance of Christ will suffer to all eternity because of that ignorance. Those billions include all who have never truly heard of Jesus, in heathen lands and at home where, according to Mr. Sunday, some were led straight down to Hell by the churches. The Bible thought the speaker declared, is altogether different—that the dead are in neither Purgatory nor a fiery Hell, but in the Bible Hell—the tomb; and that “all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth.” The saintly will come forth to glory with Christ in His Kingdom; others, to a resurrection—a raising up out of sin and death —by judgment —John 5:28, 29. R. V.

Those who have not intelligently heard of Jesus and His salvation are not on trial now. Their death is the penalty of Adam’s sin, not of personal rejection of Jesus. It is to give these the opportunity of a judgment trial, during Christ’s Millennial Reign that they will be brought from the tomb. As all died through one man’s disobedience, all will come forth to an opportunity of everlasting life through the obedience of the other man— Christ. The resurrection of the dead is their only hope. (Acts 24:15.) In view of this the whole world are said to “Sleep with their fathers.” “Orthodoxy” Is Still Worse.

The speaker then showed that those styling themselves “Orthodox” are still further astray from the Bible. "Orthodoxy” declares that there will be no Millennium—no hope for any except the Elect few; that Jesus is coming to burn up the earth and its inhabitants He quoted many Scriptures to refute this teaching. Both Catholic and Protestant creeds declare that at Christ’s Second Coming the earth and its inhabitants will be consumed «dth literal fire. This leads to a literal interpretation of St Peter’s symbolic statements portraying the fiye of anarchy which will destroy our institutions, making way for the Kingdom. They fall into this error because of another formed during the Dark Ages; namely, that the only kingdom of God the world will see will be such as it is now enjoying, while the various socalled kingdoms of God are butchering each other. Each tries to justify its own selfish course, and all unite in saying that the civilized nations are Christendom —Christ’s Kingdom. This theory dates from 800 A.D., since which time Catholics claim that the Church is reigning with Christ, the Pope serving as the world’s kingvicegerent, or Instead of Messiah. Protestants generally, refusing the Pope as Christ’s vicegerent, are much confused when they attempt to explain the Kingdom for which they pray, “Thy Kingdom come,” and the references to its lasting 1,000 years. What Troubles Honest Preaehers.

There are ministers who believe the Bible, yet are skeptical respecting Messiah’s Kingdom. Properly enough they argue that if tor eighteen centuries Jesus has been a Spirit Being at the Father’s right hand, it would be a retrogression for Him to return and sit on a gold and ivory throne.„i These ministers have slipped a few cogs In the Divine Plan of the Ages, the Pastor holds. What they need to note in the Bible is that only Christ and His Church are promised a share in the ' Heavenly blessings—that the. Divine arrangement for the world is an earthly Paradise and human perfection in the Divine likeness; that the Church will constitute an invisible spiritual Kingdom, backed by Infinite Wisdom and Power; and that the Ancient Worthies, from Abel to John the •Baptist, will be resurrected perfect human beings, and made “princes in all the earth”—representatives of that spiritual Kingdom. * ■ We cannot here discuss fully how Christ comes as a thief, but we offer free of charge a booklet which we have-written with a view to making the matter very clear. Whoever will address me—Pastor Russell. Brooklyn. N. Y.—requesting a copy of Parousta Booklet—will receive a copy free.