(239-243) terms, as gradually they are learning that our conventions are quite worth their while—larger than the majority of conventions and always up to advance statements. If some of our enemies did seek to poison the minds of the public in advance, the prejudice easily broke down as the hosts became acquainted with their visitors. There is a power to the truth, and it gives the spirit of a sound mind, which surely commends itself to all thinking people. It gives moderation, meekness, gentleness, brotherly kindness, love. These graces of the Spirit are growing, developing, ripening amongst the Lord’s people, and proportionately their influence is stronger, deeper, better. We fee] sure that the people of Asheville have received a quiet testimony from their visitors which will be helpful to them, just as at the other convention places. We feel confident, too, that the inhabitants in all these places would make us very welcome should we desire to return at a future time. This convention was a model one in every respect. Brother C, J. Woodworth served as chairman, and a fine corps of speakers gave, approximately, fifty addresses. They were spiritual, Biblical, uplifting. The hearers were certainly refreshed, and undoubtedly carried with them to their homes a blessing to be poured in turn upon those who were not privileged to be in attendance. As was expected from the first, it was especially a southern convention. It gave opportunity for some of the dear friends, who had never before had such a privilege, to attend a convention. Indeed this was true respecting all of this year’s conventions. On the whole we feel sure that the Father was THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. glorified, that the Savior was honored, and that many of his followers were refreshed, as Bible Students, in grace, knowledge and truth. The Editor remarked that at one convention this year he shook hands with three men the same day, who at one time in their lives had been sadly blinded and were under the control of the adversary. Now they were all clothed in their right minds—safe and sane, saints, jewels, children of the Highest. Two of them are church elders and leaders of Berean Bible study classes; the third may be one also, but of this we are not positive. The brief history of these three men shows the transforming power of the truth. One was a highway robber. The truth reached him in prison. Another was an atheist and his wife a Catholic. He kept a liquor saloon in connection with a railroad contractor’s gang. The third was also at one time a saloon keeper and his wife was a Catholic. of all three are with them fully in the truth. The wives ““Tt may not come to us as we have thought, The blessed consciousness of sins forgiven; We may not hear a voice that shall proclaim Our title clear to the sweet rest of heaven. ‘*But like the winter merging into spring, Or gently as the trees put forth their leaves, May come to us the impulse of that life Which God bestows on those sin truly grieves.’? AN INTERESTING LETTER Dear BrorHer RUSSELL :~— When passing through Dayton the other day, I was delayed in the station long enough to serve the people going out on two trains. With one or two exceptions all seemed very glad to get the Brete Srupents Monruty. The thought occurred to me, Why could not every station in the large and small cities in the country be served at every train time? In some of the cities I have observed Methodist Deaconesses rendering assistance to incoming and outgoing passengers. Maybe railroad companies would grant such privileges to Deaconesses of the I. B.S. A? When at last winter, Sister told me about the successful work done at a booth conducted by the I. B. 8. A. at the big Fair held in that city. The booth was rented at a nominal sum and was under the immediate charge of that very zealous and clever sister. The booth was made very attractive by great piles of Scrrprure STUDIES in the various bindings, Mannas in many styles, Bibles galore and tracts treating a variety of subjects. In this way everybody entering the Fair grounds could be served with some memento of the I. B. 8. A. Would it not be a good thing if every Fair in the country could have an I. B. 8. A. booth, conducted by either a local or a nearby class or by some representative of your selection? I am still serving the trains with good success. Conductors have occasionally objected, saying something like this: ‘‘A tule of the company prohibits the distribution of advertising matter on trains.’’ A ready reply to this effect, has with one or two exceptions silenced the objection: ‘‘This is not advertising matter—it is a little religious paper.’? I have always gone on then, as if that settled the matter. The opposition of one of the two hardest conductors I have run up against was turned into friendly support when he observed my zeal in getting out at every station in a run of over 100 miles on a local train. I gained the impression, from a very fine conversation I had with him toward the end of the journey, that he had sneakingly read something he liked in one of the tracts. My stop was the end of his run and he invited me to his hotel to have supper. Much love and many prayers for you and for all the Madison conventioners. In His dear name, R. H. Hirsu. Von. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y,, AUGUST 15, 1918 No. 16 “GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH” ‘‘Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels.’’—1 Timothy 3:16. God, the great origin, or fountain, of life, is pleased to manifest himself in various creations. And all of his intelligent ereations which he recognized as sons were in his likeness. The Logos, the beginning of God’s creation, was in the divine likeness. Not only was he a spirit being (and God is a Spirit), but more than this, he was a spirit being in the character likeness of his Father, his Creator. Moreover, when the Logos became the active agent of the Father in ereating the various orders—angels, cherubim, seraphim—they were all created in the image of the Father. The angel sons of God sang together and shouted for joy as they saw the different creations. When it came time to make a still different order of creatures, an order that had never before existed, namely, human beings, God carried out through the Logos his purpose of creating man in his own image, his own likeness. And God declared himself well pleased with man. A deseription of the first man is given us in the eighth Psalm: ‘‘Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast erowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hasb put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea.’? Adam was the master or king of all these. He represented something that the angels did not represent; for none of them were ever set over anything. God himself is the ruler of all, and Adam and the Logos were the only ones who were in any sense of the word set over anything. When God made man, he made him like himself in this particular—that he had a dominion. When the angels were created, they were God manifest in different orders of beings —cherubim, seraphim and the lower orders of angels. When it came to the creation of man, he was made in God’s image. God was manifest in flesh. But we cannot say that God is manifest in fallen flesh now. The original likeness to God has been obliterated by sin. The reign of sin and death has to a considerable extent erased these traces of God’s image. And the Scriptures plainly show us that we have lost this image and likeness of the Creator. Adam was called a son of God because he was in covenant relationship with God; but when he became a sinner, he lost this relationship, None of the Jews were sons of God. Abra ham was styled a friend of God. Although God had approved of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets and others in Israel, and indicated that a great blessing would be theirs, they could not be treated as sons. God said, in substance, when speaking to Abraham, my friend, I will make with you my covenant. ‘‘TIn thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’’ But everything must wait until that great antitypical seed of Abraham should come. We have the record of how this [5290]
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