Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1912 — THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES

A LEGION OF DEMONS. Mark iv, 35; v, 20—Aug. 11. "God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore trill tee not fear, though the earth be changed, and though the mountains be cast into the midst of the sea.” —Psalm xlri, 1, l. CHE forepart of today’s study Is an account of a very severe wind storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, tired from His teaching and healing, in which vitality went out of Him for the relief of the people, had gotten into one of the boats formerly used bv some of His disciples in the fishing business and still owned by them. The purpose was to cross the lake for a season of rest. The Master was soon fast asleep. Suddenly a terrific storm set in which appalled even those accustomed to such scenes. They came to Jesus and aroused Him, saying. “Master, earest Thou not that we perish?” and He rebuked the wind, saying, “Peace, be still.” And immediately “there was a great calm.” The text at the head of this study draws to our attention another storm. It pictures the great storm of trouble which iu the close of this Age will suddenly burst u|*>n the whole-world of mankind and in which “Babylon the’ Great, the Mother of Harlots,” “like a great millstone will be east into the midst of the sea.” This same “time of

trouble,” in some Scriptures, is spoken of as a “whirlwind,” the result of letting lop s e “the four winds of heaven,” ihat will be held until that time. —Revelation xvii, 5; xviii, 21; Jeremiah xxv, 32; Revelation vli, 1. Again, this trou-

ble is symbolized by a “tire,” which will burn riot only the earth (symbolical of organized society), but also the heavens (symbolical of ecclesiastic-ism). This symbolical fire, this great anarchistic blaze, Will leave present institutions in “ashes,” Upon the ruins, the ashes, of the blasted hopes and ambitions of society, political, scientific and religious, will arise the glorious Kingdom of Messiah to bless the world; and it will lie as prophesied: “The desire of ali nations shall come.” Our text pictures that confing “time of trouble” as a great “storm,” which will entirely remove, or change the “earth,” the present construction of society, and carry the “mountains.” the kingdoms of this present time, into the sea of anarchy. God’s people will to some extent be associated with all of these troubles; but they are not to fear, they are to realize that God is at the helm. “Jecus Gave Them Leave.” In the heading we have connected this study with the demons, because the Scriptures intimate that the demons will have considerable to do with stirring up the great “time of trouble" and discontent with which this Age will close and Messiah’s Kingdom be established. On the other side of the Lake, as they landed, a man came running toward them. He was obsessed—that, is to say, demons, the fallen angels mentioned by St. Jude (Jude G( and St. Peter (II Peter ii. 4), had gained access, and were in control of him. It was these that recognized Jesus and spoke through the man's lips. The Bible’s explanation of how some

angels fell from their original perfection and harmony with God. and of why they seek to gain control of humanity and coinm un e with them through mediums, and personate the dead, we have not the space to present in this study; but as there are many

today more or less under the influence of demouism—spiritism—we will send further information upon postcard request. Jesus gave the demons the privilege they requested. The swine, like the man, were crazed by the strange outside influence which took possession of their brains. They ran violently down a steep place into the sea and were drowned. Meantime, the man, released from his obsession, was again in his right mind, and praised God for his deliverance. N Those familiar with such matters claim that probably one-half of all the inmates of our insane asylums are persons obsessed by evil spirits, demons, without aby organic disease of the brain. And alas! we see evidences on every hand that these evil spirits are paving the way for a great onslaught upon humanity. ' Under the title of Psychic Phenomena spiritism is being examined by some of the prominent professor? of aur day: They, like other spiritists, are deceived in supposing that the manifestations which come to them are from their dead human friends. The Bible alone makes the matter -perfectly clear. It assures us that the dead have no power to communicate, and that air such communications come from the demons, who do not dare to tell who they are, for if they dfd, humanity would be on guard against them.

The storm at sea.

A great storm of trouble to end this age.