(302-303) THE be a truce for a time, but there will never be peace between them. Our interests as new creatures are along spiritual lines, while our depraved appetites and tastes go in the opposite direction. Hence the Apostle said, “Ye cannot do the things that ye would!” As new creatures you would follow in the footsteps of your Master, perfectly, but having fallen flesh, you cannot do this! You can only hobble after his at very most. But if we take this position and become his followers, we will be no longer under the judgment according to the flesh, but will be judged as new creatures, perfect in will—rendering the best obedience to righteousness we are capable of, under our handicap of imperfect human organism, THE FRUITAGE OF THE FALLEN FLESH In order that none might make a mistake as to what would constitute the desires of the flesh, the Apostle recites them and declares that they are manifest or openly discernible, namely: “fornication, uncleanness, laseiviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revelings and such like, of the which I forewarn you, that they which practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” These are works of the fallen flesh and antagonistic to righteousness. All of God’s people are to resist them, if they would not lose his favor. They have the seeds of all these iniquitous things in their flesh, received by heredity; but their minds, their wills. have been changed, converted, turned around, to righteousness—to the doing of the will of God. As new creatures they must not practise the fleshly things, else they will not grow in the fruits and graces of the holy Spirit and will not be fit for the kingdom. The Apostle does not here say that if anyone were overtaken in a fault and lost his temper, for instance, and got into strife, that this would bar him forever from the kingdom. He might, indeed, through tears and prayers and divine forgiveness, come back into harmony with God and subsequently hecome a valued soldier of the Cross and follower of the Lamb. But if any practise such things they should know that they are developing and strengthening a character contrary to the one which God will approve—they are going backward and not forward. Let us note the difference between an accidental slip with a penitent THE WATCH TOWER Brookiyn, N.Y, recovery, and a wilful practising of a wrong course. Alas! how many Christians have the evidence in themselves that they will not inherit the kingdom of God—unless they make a fresh start and reverse the order of their living! THE FRUITAGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT If the Apostle led us into a tangled wildwood of human selfishness, thorns and thistles, as a specimen of the fruitage of the fallen flesh, he next leads us in the opposite direction, and shows us the fruits and flowers of sweet odor which belong to the Garden of the Lord. He tells us that these delightful fruits of the Spirit should more and more be cultivated, and should be developed to perfection in our hearts, and, as far as possible, should overrun and cover and choke out the imperfections of our flesh. The fruits of this garden are all the fruits of the Spirit of God—all such as he originally planted in man and which have become vitiated through sin—all such as he now has implanted afresh and would develop in the hearts of his sanctified ones. The fruits of the Spirit. which should he manifest in all of the followers of Jesuts in more or Jess perfection are these: “love, joy. peace, long-suffering. gentleness, goodness, faithfulness. meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” The Apostle explains that those who have become Christ’s followers have crucified the flesh with the passions and desires thereof. They have voluntarily agreed that they will live contrary to the emotions and desires of the fallen flesh. He urges, If we live by the Spirit. by the Spirit let us also walk! It is the Spirit of God which has quickened us and which ultimately is to perfect us. But it can perfect us only if we are led by it and walk in its ways. Otherwise we will not be fit for a place in the kingdom, whatever other place in God’s arrangements we may have. One of the most dangerous hesetments of the Christian is vanity. It leads to more trouble, provokes more quarrels and envyings than is generally supposed. If we are walking after the Spirit of our Master, it will mean that instead of being vainglorious we will he meek, humble, teachable. And only such will eventually be ready for the glory, honor and immortality which God will bestow upon the faithful at the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. TRIAL HOUR Een. 6:10-18. The “hour of temptation” has come to the Church, The time of her testing is here, And storm-clouds of ominous portent roll up, Betokening the tempest is near. The carnage grows fiercer ’twixt error and truth, The hosts of the foe press around As the day waxes late and the shadows grow long, And their tauntings and boastings abound. QO, dear fellow-soldierst O brethren in Christ! Let us gird up our “armor” anew! Let us heed the sure Word of our leader and ‘“‘Head” And be loyal and steadfast and true. The night hastens on—only one hour to fight; No thought now of wavering nor fear; BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 1, 1910 Our Captain calls. “Onward!” then close up the ranks, For the hour of our victory is near. Soon the fight will be over, the conflict be past, And the “roll-call” will sound thro’ the sky, Will you answer your name? Shall I answer to mine? Can we gladly respond: “Here am I!” O, God of the battle, our Father. to Thee With strong supplication we cry! The conflict is deadly and wily our foe, Yet we know that deliverance is nigh. And thou who hast guided and led all the way Wilt guide ’till the victory is won, Till the night is all spent and the glad day has dawned, And we hear thy sweet plaudit, “Well done!” ALICE G. JAMES. No. 19 SIGNS OF RESTITUTION CONTINUE The United States Government is experimenting with a new kind of wheat recently found in Palestine by Dr, Aaronsohn, Vxperiments are being made in the arid districts of the far West, where ordinary wheat failed for lack of moisture. The claim made for the new wheat is that it is really the very oldest of all the various wheats—the original or wild wheat, the parent from which all other wheats have descended. Lost for w long time, it is now coming to the front again. Dr. -Aaronsolin declares his belief that not only wheat, but oats, harley and rve originated in Svria and Palestine. He claims for this parent or wild wheat that it endures the most extreme climatic conditions, enduring more cold and more heat than other varieties, and subsisting with almost no moisture. He claims also that it is not subject to the pest which attacks others. What will our evolutionist friends think of this—that the parent wheat is better than any of its children. Wheat is the great staple of the world, and, used with milk ‘VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER as a diet, it supplies really everything essential to the maintenance of the human system; hence, as the New Dispensation will be ushered in, the matter of wheat will be an important one. Dr. Aaronsohn says, “It seems to me that we are justified in hoping to produce races of wheat better adapted to the semi-arid regions of Algeria, Tunis, Syria, Egypt and Turkestan, as well as to those of America. If we secure races that will enable us to increase the yield by a8 much as one bushel per acre on these vast areas, the world’s total production of wheat will be materially augmented.” Miracle Wheat and Miracle Rye Some years ago we made mention of the miracle wheat discovered in Virginia, which originated with the fruitage of one grain found growing by itself. Two grains of this wheat were given to the Editor, who, in turn, handed them to a brother in the truth, who reported that the two grains produced 1,312, whieh, planted, produced five pounds—one grain having fifty stools of well-developed stalks or straws. The brother planted [4688]
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