Vout. XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 1, 1911 No. 9 From Berlin we journeved northward to Copenhagen. Brother Luttichau and a deputation of Bible students met us at the station. Soon we were in the Society’s Danish headquarters, and in a little while were addressing an assembly of carnest people of God, whose beaming faces indieated that they understood and appreciated our message. Our morning address was to the interested. Amongst other things we endeavored to make clear the subject of the covenants. The Abrahamie Covenant is the comprehensive one, which guaranteed a seed through Isaac and Rebecea, and that a blessing would come as a result to all mankind—and also an antitypieal seed which would have the first place in the blessing of the world, the two seeds being referred to in the promise, ‘‘Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore.’’? This covenant guarantees the blessing of the world, and it guarantees that that blessing shall come through the natural seed of Abraham. At the same time it guarantees the spiritual seed—the Christ (Messiah), Head and body, fully qualified and empowered to give the necded blessing through the earthly seed. We pointed out that Christ and the church constitute the spiritual seed— If ve be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.’’ (Gal. 3:29.) We pointed out that this spiritual seed is not developed under the Law Covenant, because it was not made with us, but with the natural seed—-with Israel, Moses being its mediator. We pointed out that the New Covenant is not the one under which we are developed, because it also is to be made with natural Israel, and is to be merely an enlargement of the Mosaic Law Covenant. We cited in proof of this that the New Covenant is to be made with Israel as per the divine promise. (Jer. 31:31.) We pointed out that that New Covenant will bring blessings of restitution to Israel (and to all mankind through Israel), taking away the stony heart of selfishness and sin and restoring a heart of flesh, of tenderness, sympathy, righteousness and divine likeness, as was Adam’s when he was created in the image and likeness of God. We exhorted the dear friends to faithfulness to their covenant of sacrifice. We pointed out the privilege of service now granted to the chureh, and urged the laying aside of every earthly weight and hindrance and pressing toward the mark for the prize of our high, heavenly calling. The afternoon service was for the public; the topic was ‘‘The Judgment of the Great White Throne.’’ We were surprised at so large an audience for an afternoon service on a week day. Approximately eight hundred crowded the hall, some of them standing during the entire serviee—over two hours. Here Brother Luttichau served as interpreter, as Brother Koetitz had done in Germany. We had most excellent attention. It was a pleasure to wateh the earnest countenances and to note how the Truth seemed to be ahsorbed with eagerness. Our Copenhagen visit was certainly much enjoyed. Some of the friends accompanied us to the station as we proceeded to Stockholm. The Danish friends more than ever impressed us with their warmth of heart and loving devotion to the Truth. ONE DAY AT STOCKHOLM Our night journey brought us in the morning to Stockholm. Brother Lundborg, the Society’s representative in Sweden, boarded the train before we reached Stockholm. As we passed through the station we were greeted most cordially by about a hundred of the dear Swedish friends, with whom we shook hands. Unable to speak their language, or they to speak ours, except through the interpreter, we nevertheless exchanged very cordial greetings, and the expression of the eve told us, as truly as could the mouth, that the ‘‘fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.’’ Here our address to the friends was along the same lines as at Copenhagen. We emphasized the fact that the church (The Christ) comes into relationship with God’s Plan, not under the Law Covenant of Moses, which still continues with the Jewish people, nor under Israel’s New Law Covenant, which has not yet supplanted the Old Law Covenant, and whose Mediator will be the greater Prophet, Priest and King, the spiritual Messiah, Head and body. We pointed out that this Gospel age is for the special purpose of developing the great Mediator—-the great Messiah through whom the New Covenant of restitution will be inaugurated with fleshly Tsracl for the blessing of all the families of the earth. We emphasized the faet that all those who suffer with Christ are to reign with him, and only those who now become dead with him to earthly hopes and (131-132) THE GOOD TIDINGS ABROAD—NO. 2 interests will live with him as members of the bride on the spirit plane of glorv. We exhorted the dear friends to an earnest appreciation of this wonderful privilege, this special salvation granted to the church in advance of the earthly salvation which God has promised to the world during the ‘‘times of restitution of all things, spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.’’ —Acts 3:19-23,. At the evening service the hall was jammed; about a thousand were present, and probably as many more were unable to gain admittanee. We greatly regretted that a sufficiently large hall or auditorium could not be obtained on 2 week night except for a larger sum than the friends and the Society felt justified in spending. About a hundred stood in the aisles for two hours while an overflow meeting was held in another hall in the same building. To these we sent the promise that we would address them a few words later. Fulfilling our agreement, we addressed the second audience of about three hundred for over half an hour, after 10 p. m. Surely such deep interest and close attention indicates that earnest Christians amongst the Swedes are awakening to the fact that they have enjoyed only a part of the ‘‘good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people.’’ ONE DAY AT OREBRO We took an early morning train for Orebro and arrived in the Society’s Swedish headquarters at about 11 o’eclock. The afternoon meeting was held in a little hall generallv used by the friends on Sundays. This time it was taxed to its capacity, many standing during the service or exchanging seats with each other. Here we addressed the friends along the same lines, believing that a elear understanding of the Covenants signifies a clear understanding of the divine plan, and the very best preparation for a life of consecration in harmony with that plan. We emphasized the fact that The Christ is the Vine— that Jesus is the Root, and his faithful members branches in him. We reminded the friends that at the present time our membership in the Vine is tentative; that only those who bring forth the fruitage of the Vine will be allowed to remain in it. We quoted the Master’s words, Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, my Father, the Husbandman, taketh away, and every branch which heareth fruit, he pruneth, that it mav bring forth more fruit. Thus the trials and difficulties of the narrow way of self-sacrifice are seen to be the methods by which the Heavenly Father fits and prepares his holy ones, his consecrated church, for the completion of the divine nature in the first resurrection. Thus he fits and prepares them as members of the great Prophet, Priest, King, Mediator for the glorious work to which he has called them in the Anointed One. From this standpoint alone can the trials and difficulties and sacrifices and the drinking of the Lord’s cup of suffering be appreciated. As he was, so are we in this world. Here, as at other places, our discourse to the interested was followed by a question meeting. The questions indicated a very intelligent grasp of the divine plan and the interested faces showed that even the deepest features of consecration were appreciated, and that nearly all of those present were fully submitted to the Lord and anxious to know and to do his will—even unto death. The public meeting was held in a large hall, which was crowded to the very limit. Notwithstanding the fact that a minister of the city had made an attack upon us through the public press, slandering us, and saying various evil things against us falsely, because of our faithfulness to the cause of Christ, and probably because of envy, hundreds of people were unable to gain admittance, and many in attendance stood for the entire two hours, and more, of our discourse. We have the satisfaction of believing that many of those who were present understood and appreciated our message respecting the Two Salvations, one for the church, on the heaveuly plane, and another yet to come for the world, on the earthly plane, by a judgment and restitution. We pointed out the judgment or trial of the church and the things necessary for her testing and proving as to her worthiness of the divine nature in association with her Redeemer. We also pointed out the very different judgment of the world under the Messianie kingdom, when all mankind will he separated as a shepherd divideth his shecp from the goats, as described in Matthew 25:32. We pointed out that the sheep at the end of the Millennial age will get the earthly kingdom, Paradise restored, and that [4806]
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