The Siege
of the
Seven Suitors
By
AlEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyrlbt 1910, by Meredith NIcUoImmi
CHAPTER XVI.
Lady' Slipper.
M SI recall it she was very much
i at her ease. ' She sat on one
foot and the other beat the
trunk lightly. She was bare
Leaded, and the candle light was mak
ing acquaintance with the gold in her
hair. She wore her white sweater, as
on that day in the orchard, and with
muca gravity, as our eyes met, she
thrust a hand Into its pocket and drew
out a cracker. I was not half so sur
prised at finding her there as I was at
her manner now that she was caught
She seemed neither distressed, aston
ished nor afraid.
"Well, Miss llezeklah," I said, "I
half Buspected you all along."
"Wise chimney man: lou were a
little slow about it though."
"I was indeed. You gave me a run
for my money."
She finished her cracker at the third
bite, slapped her hands together to
free them of possible crumbs and was
about to speak when she Jumped light
ly from the trunk, bent her head to
ward the door, and then stepped back
again and faced me lmperturbably.
"And now that you've found me, Mr.
Chimney Man, the Joke's on you after
all."
She laid her hand on the door and
swung it nearly shut I had heard
what she had heard. Miss Octavia was
coming upstairs. She bad exchnnged
a few words with the Swedish mnld
on the second floor landing, and Heze
klah's quick ear had heard her. But
Ilezckiah's equanimity was disconcert
ing. Even with her aunt close at hand
she showed not the slightest alarm.
She resumed her seat on the trunk,
and her heel thumped it tranquilly.
"The Joke's on you, Mr. Chimney
Man, because now that you've caught
me playing tricks you've got to get me
out of trouble."
"What If I don't?"
"Oh, nothing," she answered Indif
ferently, looking me squarely In the
eye.
"But your aunt would make no end
of a row, and you would cause your
sister to lose out with Miss Octavla.
As I understand It, you're pledged to
keep off tho reservation. It wns part
of the family agreement"
"Mr. Ames, If you are ghost hunting
in this part of the house"
It was Miss Octavla's voice. She
was seeking me and would no doubt
find me. The sequestration of lleze
klah became now an urgent and deli
cate matter.
"You caught me," said Hezekliih
calmly, "and now you've got to get
roe out, and I wish you good luck, and,
besides, I lost one of my shoes some
where, and you've got to find that"
In proof of her statement she sub
mitted a shoeless, brown stockinged
foot for my observation.
"The one I lost was like this," and
llezeklah thrust forth a neat tan
pump rather tho worse for wear. "I
was on the second floor a bit ago," she
began, "and lost my slipper."
"In what mischief, pray?"
"Mr. Ames," called Miss Octavla, her
voice close ut hand.
"I wanted to see something in Ce
cilia's room, so I opened her door and
walked ln-thafs all," llezeklah re
plied. "Wicked llezeklah 1 Coming into the
house is bad enough In all the circum
stances. Entering your sister's room
la a grievous sin."
"If. Mr. Ames, you are still seeking
an explanation of thnt chimney's be
havior" It was Miss Octavia. now Just out
side the door.
"Don't leave that trunk. llezeklah,"
I whispered. "I'll do tho best I can."
Miss Octavia met me smilingly ns 1
faced ber in the ball. She had switch
ed on tho lights, und my candle burn
ed yellowly In the white electric glow.
Miss Oefavin held something in hor
hand. It required no second glance to
tell me that she had found Ilezckiah's
slipper.
"Mr. Amps," she began, "ns you have
absented yourself from the library nil
evening I assumo that you have been
busv Html lug my chimneys and sock
ing for the ghost of that British sol
dier who was so wantonly sin in upon
the site of this house."
"1 am irl:id to sny that not only
is
your surmise correct. Miss llolllstcr,
but that I lmvo made great progress In
both directions."
"Do you mean to say that you have
really found traces of the ghost?"
"Not only that. Miss llolllstcr, but 1
hnvu met tho ghost face to face-even
morn, I have hud speech with him!"
Her face brightened, her eyes flash
ed. It was plain that she was Im
mensely pleased.
"Ami hid yon able to say from your
bi.riiiiiiler, that lie Is in fact a British
object,, uneasily . hauntlng..thls house
i. -.- ) S
rnr.zyg'7 An
InrSmerlcFTong after" tbT declaration
of Independence and Washington's
farewell addresB have passed Into lit
erature?" "You have never spoken a truer
word, Miss Holllster; but by means
which I am not at liberty to disclose,
I have persuaded him not to visit this
house again."
"Then," said Miss Holllster, "I can
not do less than express my gratitude,
though I regret that you did not first
allow me to meet him. Still, I dare
say that wo shall find his bones bur
led somewhere beneath my founda
tlons. I'lense assure me that such is
your expectation."
"Tomorrow, Miss Hollister. I shall
take pleasure In showing you certain
hidden chambers In this house which
I venture to say will afford you great
pleasure. I have tonight discovered
a link between the mansion as you
know it and an earlier house whose
timbers may Indeed hide the bones of
that British soldier."
"And as for the chimney?"
"And as for the chimney, I give yon
my word as a professional man that it
will never annoy you again, and 1
therefore beg thnt you dismiss the sub
ject from your mind."
I saw that she was about to recur to
tbe shoe she held in her hand and ut
which she glanced frequently with n
quizzical expression. This, clearly,
was an Issue that must be met prompt
ly, and I knew of no better way than
by lying. llezeklah herself had plain
ly stated on the morning of thnt long,
eventful day, when she walked into
the breakfast room In her aunt's ab
sence and explained Cecilia's trip to
town, that it was perfectly fair to dis
simulate in making explanations to
Miss Ilolllster-that. In fact. Miss Oc
tavia enjoyed nothing better than the
Injection of fiction into the affairs of
the matter of fact day. Here, then,
was my opportunity.
"Miss Hollister," I began boldly, "the
slipper you hold in your hand belongs
to me. and If you hnve no Immediate
use for it I beg that you allow me to!
relieve you of it."
"It Is yours, Mr. Ames?"
A lifting of the brows, a widening of
tbe eyes, denoted Miss Octavla's po
lite surprise.
"Beyond any question it U my prop
erty," I asserted.
"Your words Interest me greatly, Mr.
Ames. As you know, the grim hurd
life of the twentieth century palls upon
me, and I am deeply Interested In ev
erything that pertains to adventure
and romance. Tell me more, If you are
free to do so, of this slipper which I
now return to you.'
I received Hezeklah's worn little
pump into my hands as though It were
an object of high consecration.
"As I am nothing If not frank, Miss
Hollister, I will confess to you that
this shoe came Into my possession In
a very curious way. One day last
spring I was in Boston, having been
called there on professional business.
In the evening I left my hotel for a
walk, crossed the common, took a
turn through the public garden, where
many devoted lovers adorned the
benches, and then strolled aimlessly
along Bencon street
"I was passing a house which I have
not since been able to Identify exact
ly, though I have several times revis
ited Boston In the hope of doing so,
when suddenly aud without any warn
ing whatever this slipper dropped at
my feet. All the houses in the neigh
borhood seemed deserted, with win
dows and doors tightly boarded, and
my closest scrutiny failed to discover
any opening from which that slipper
might have been flung. Tho region Is
so decorous and acts of violence are
so foreign to Its dignity and roposo
thnt I could scarce believe that I held
that hit of tau leather in my hand.
Nor did its unnecountalilo precipita
tion into the street seem the act of a
housemaid, nor could I believe that a
nursery governess hud thus sought di
version from the roof above. I hesi
tated for a moment, uot knowing how
to meet this emergency. Then I bold-
Iv attacked the bell of the houso from I
which I believed tho slipper to have!
proceeded. I rang until n policeman,
whoso speech was fragrant of the Ir
ish coasts, bade mo desist, informing
mo thnt tho family hnd only the pre
vious day left for tho shore. The
house, ho assured me, wns utterly va
cant Thnt, Miss Holllster, is all there
Is of the story. But ever sinco I hnve
lu uiy pin -ket "Tonight" as traversed
i
the upper halls of your house, seeking
the ghost of that British soldier, and
hnd Just discovered my loss when I j
hoard you calling. In returning it you
have conferred upon me the greatest
Imaginable favor. I have faith that
some time, somewhere, I shall find the
owner of thnt slipper. Would you not
Infer from its diminutive size and the
fine, suggestive delicacy of its outlines,
that the owner Is a person of aristo
cratic lineage and of breeding? I will
confess that nothing is uearer my
heart thau the hope that one day I
shall meet the young lady I am sure
she must be young who wore that
slipper and dropped It, as It seemed,
from the clouds at my feet there in
sedate Beacon street, that most sol-
emu of residential sanctuaries."
"Mr. Ames." began Miss Holllster In
stantly, with an assumed severity that
her smile belled, "I cannot recall that
my niece Hexeklab ever visited In Bea
con street, yet I dare say that If she
had done so and a young man of your
pleasing appearance had passed be
neath her window one of hor slippers
might very easily have become de
tached from Hezeklah's foot and fall
en with a nice calculation directly In
front of you. But now, Mr. Ames, will
you kindly carry your candle Into that
trunk room?"
The foundations of the world shook
as I remembered the compact by which
llezeklah was excluded from the house
and realized what her Impending dis
covery would mean to Cecilia, her fa
ther and the wayward llezeklah too.
But I was In for it Miss Octavla In
dicated by an Imperious nod that I was
to precede her into the trunk room, and
I strode before her with my candlo
held high.
But the sprites of mystery were still
abroad at Hopefield. The room was
unoccupied save for the trunks. lleze
klah hnd vanished. Instead of sitting
there to await the coming of her aunt,
she had silently departed without leav
ing a trace. Miss Holllster glanced up
at tho trapdoor In the ceiling, and so
did I. It wns closed, but I did not
doubt thnt llezeklah hnd crawled
through it and taken herself to the
roof. Miss Octavla would probably or
der me at once to the battlements, but
worse was to come.
"Mr. Ames," she said, "will you kind
ly lift the Ud of that largest trunk?"
I had not thought of this, aud I shud
dered at the possibilities.
She Indicated tho trunk upon which
llezeklah had sat and nibbled her
cracker not more than ten minutes be
fore. Could It be possible that when
I lifted the cover that golden head
would be found beneath? My life has
known no blacker moment than that In
which I flung back the lid of thnt trunk.
I averted my eyes in dread of the Im
pending disclosure und held the cnndle
close.
But the trunk was empty. Incredibly
empty! My courage rose again, and I
glanced at Miss Octavla triumphantly.
I even Jerked out the trays to allay any
lingering suspicion Why had I ever
doubted llezeklah? Who was she. the
gouten tinned oiuurnier or kings, to be
en. i; in i.i .i mini, : mio ii.iu suppou up
nip wooer wnne , imikpu to nor num. ; f Ctt)il ,mt nftpr ,n) no ono W!19
and was even now hiding on the roof. ( 8tr0(1 Ron of (3()d nntll -osU3 Dr-
bin It wiis not for me to make so tre.i ( Ing nil thnt time. Abraham alone was
Bonable a suggestion. Miss O tsv!:. styled n friend of God, because of his
might press the matter further if slu devotion, his faith. But a friend Is
liked, but I would not help her to tnp'iot n son, and none other thnn Abrn
llezeklah. j ham had even so high n title ns friend.
Miss Holllster did not, to my wiii i r:- The Jews had tho honorable title of
tind relief, suggest an Inspection of tV servants of God. attaining thnt through
roof. She nodded her head gravely the Law Covenant, under Moses,
and passed out Into the hall. j Not only do the old Testament Scrlp-
"Mr. Ames, if I Implied a uioinent tures not refer to the Jews as sons of
ago that 1 doubted your story or tin-' God, but the Jews themselves have
dropping of that tan pump from a never claimed such a relationship. On
Beacon street roof or window. I now the contrary, after Jesus had received
tender you my slneerest apologies." j the Holy Spirit and had begun Ills
She put out her baud, smiling charm- ministry. lie spoke of Himself as be
ingly. ' Ing tbe Son of God, and this the Jews
"Pray return to the occupations which1 resented, taking up stones to stone
were engaging you when I interrupted . Him. They declared it blasphemous to
you. You have never stood higher In claim so close a relationship to Jeho
my regard than nt this momeut. To-! vah. Again, we read of the disciples
morrow you may tell me nil you please , before Jesus' death, "The Holy Spirit
of the ghost and the mysteries of thls( was not yet given; because that Jesus
house, and I dare sny we shall find the, was not yet glorIfled."-John 7:30.
bones of that British soldier some- From these testimonies of the Bible,
where beneath the foundations. As ( the Tastor deduced thnt it was neces
for that trlfliug bit of leather you hold : sry for Jesus to finish nis sacrifice
In your hand. It's rather passe for for lns. nnl to ascend on High, into
Beacou street. Tbe next time you tell
mat story i suggest tnnt you ptay your
game of drop the slipper from a win
dow of RIttenhouse square, Philadel
phia." llezeklah on tho roof was safe for a
time. Miss Octavla's gentle rejection
of my Beacon street anecdote and her
intimation that llezeklah bad been an
unbilled participant of the comedy of
the ghost had been disquieting, and in
my relief of her abandonment of the
search I loitered on downstairs with
my hostess. I wished to impress her
with tho Idea that I was without. .ur
gent business. llezeklah would, beyond
doubt, amuse' herself after her own
fashion on the roof until I was ready
to release her. As I had quietly locked
the trunk room door and carried the
key In my pocket I was reasonably
sure of this. Humility is best acquired
through tribulation, aud as llezeklah
sat among the chimney crocks nursing
one stockinged foot and waiting for
me to turn up with her lost slipper It
would do her no harm to nibble the
bitter fruit of repentance with another
biscuit.
!T Ho Continued.)
II would surprise ymi to know
of the great Kood thai is being
don
by Chamberlain's Tablets.!
1 arius Downey, of Novvber June- !"rc wou,u ,H1 cul" i
, v ., :. ,, , . Jesui had appeared In the presenco or
ion, N. 11. . "tiles, M- wife has;Go(i nm) mm1o 8ntlsfacUon for
I : . . r. 1 I. . I - , r. i i i 1
Hi-en imiiK v.ii.iiiiiH'naiii s lanicis
and finds them vcl-rffitiial anil
rloinc her lots of good..'' If you
have any trouble with your stom
ach or bowel give thorn a trial.
For sale hv F. fi. I'ricko & Co,
PENTECOST NOT
SREAT JUBILEE
Still Greater Blessings Com
, ing, Says Pastor Russell.
GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
What the Day of Pentecost Signified.
It Wat but a Foretaste of Greater
One to Come Why It Came When It
Did Why the Greater Bleating Will
Come, and When Are There Sign
That It la Near? Time of Refresh
Ing Times of Restitution "I Will
Pour Out My Spirit Upon All Flesh."
Boston, Mass.,
May 11. Pastor
Russell gave two
addresses here, un
der tho auspices
of the Interna
tional Bible Stu
dints Associa
tion. We repoft
one of these, from
the text: "Upon
the servants aud
upon the hand
maids in those
days will I pour
out My Spirit. After Ibis 1 will pour out
My Spirit upon ull flesh."-Joel 2:28.20.
Tbe Pastor called attention to the
fact that be bad transposed the two
parts of this text to make their mean
ing more uppareut. lie declared that
the Prophet unquestionably taught
two outpourings of the Holy Spirit
only one of which has yet come. The
one generally commemorated today by
Catholics and Episcopalians is the first
of these the pouring out of tbe noly
Spirit ou Hod's faithful servants and
hundmnldens. The second one Is not
to be upon tho same class, but upon
all flesh not upon tho Elect, but upon
all mankind, the non-elect.
The Pastor remarked that Pentecost
was a Jewish festival celebrating the
harvest. On that day, nearly nlncteeu
centuries ago, God. poured out His
Holy Spirit upon His waiting servants
and handmaidens, in tho upper room
at Jerusalem. That event was Impor
tant not only to those who then par
ticlpated, but to nil of God's people
from then until now. Prior to that
day of Pentecost, no one except Jesus
bad ever received spirit begetting tho
Holy Spirit of sonshlp. Prior to that
date, God held nil humanity nt a dls
tance from Himself, declaring that
because they wero sinners Ho could
not accept them ns sons, that first
their sins must be atoned for.
Pastor Uussell pointed out that this
i alienation from God had continued for
mort, t,nn fonr thousand years before
j ,,, 0llIGi A(1mil wns cnn0(j n Bon
the presence or Jeuovau ooa. ana pre
sent the merit of Ills sacrifice on be
half of tbe Household of Faith, before
the Apostles or any of tbe Church
could be recognized of God. Tho de
sire which Jesus bad awakened In
their hearts wns that they might be
come His footstep followers in doing
the neavenly Father's will even to
the extent of laying down their lives
for the Truth, for rlKhteousness. And
so nis disciples declared that they had
tert aft to follow Ulm.
Before leaving them, Jesus admon
ished that they should not attempt to
begin their work until after receiving
tho Father's recognition of them as
sons. He said, "Tarry ye In the city
of Jerusalem until ye bo endued with
power from on High." While He was
Mth them. He breathed upon them
and gave them of Ills Holy Spirit nnd
power, by which they healed the sick,
cast out demons, etc. But when Ho
left them they hnd not this power, or
authority, and must wnlt until the Fa
ther gnve It to them directly, even ns
lie gave it directly to the Lord Jesus,
nt tho time tho Holy Spirit came upon
Ulm nt His baptism.
"When Pentecost Was Fully Come."
For ten days tho Apostles nnd other
faithful brethren tarried, praying In
tho upper room, waiting for tho prom
ised demonstration of Divine neecpt-
ll A I 1 I.. A . il,.l llw.
their sins, nnd that tho Heavenly Fa
ther had accented Jesus' snorlflCj on
their behalf, and by the begetting or
the Holy Spirit would recognize them
ns sins of God -not ns human sons,
however The sonshlp to which Jesus
feOR-gUSSEfL)
aud the C lunch have beta begotten
during tliih Gospel Ago Is ou u tur
. higher than human plane -far above
the augelic. also. St. Peter explains
that our begetting is to the "Diviue
I nature."-2 Peter 1 A.
Without the begetting there could be
no ultimate birth to the Divine nature
in the resurrection. Thus It was wtlb
Jesus. He was begotten of the Holy
Spirit, quickened by the Spirit, and
gradually developed during the three
and a half years of His earthly min
istry. Bat He was not bom of tbe
Spirit until Ills resurrection, as we
read: "He was tho First-born from
the dead" "the First-born amongst
many brethren." The Church are be
gotten of tbe Holy Spirit under the
same Covenant of Sacrifice, that If
faithful they may attain to the same
Spirit birth by a similar resurrection.
St Teter explains that while the gift
of the Holy Spirit was from the Fa
ther, It would not come to the Church
direct as though Ignoring the Lord
Jesus. He says of Jesus, "being by
the right hand of God exalted, and hav
ing received of the Father the promise
of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed this
forth." (Acts 2:33). Again he says.
Who is gone Into Heaven, and is on
the right hand of God, angels and au
thorities and powers being made sub
ject unto Him." (1 Teter 8:22). The
Pentecostal blessing, therefore, was a
double attestation. It proved that Je
sus as the great Redeemer accomplish
ed, in a manner pleasing to the Father,
the work the Father gave Ulm to do.
It proved that those who received the
Spirit were accepted as sons of God.
their original slu belngcanceled through
the merit of Christ's sacrifice.
And although tho miraculous mani
festations of God's favor have not been
repented during this Age, we know
that all of tho same class are partlcU
pants In the same blessing. "The God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
which according to Ills abun
dant mercy hath begotten us again."
(1 Peter 1:3.) While we are required
to "Walk by faith and not by sight."
nevertheless our faith has its sure
footing In thnt original Pentecostal
manifestation. We, as well ns the
Apostles, can realize that tho sacrifice
of Jesus was acceptnblo to the Father,
and that we have been accepted
through our Redeemer as members of
nis Body, which Is the Church.
It Is because tho Church Is one Body.
although of many members, that no
repetition of Pentecost has been neces
sary. As soon as wo by consecration
come Into tho ono Body, wo aro sharers
In all tho blessings that belong to that
Body, tho start of which came on the
memorable Pentecost Dny. "By one
Spirit ye wero all baptized Into one
Body, which Is Christ" Jesus tho
Head of The Christ. The Messiah, first
got His blessing, which wns completed
on the plane of glory. Then He mnde
application of Ills merit for all those
who desire to become members of His
Body, of tho Brido of Christ.
This was tho foundation necessary
for Divine acceptance of tho Church.
On this basis, tho gathering of tho
t Church has progressed for now nearly
nncteen Uundrcd years. Soon, we bo
lieve, It will be completed. Tho last
member proving faithful and passing
beyond tho veil, the Body will bo com
plete In glory united to tho Ilcnd, or
under the other figure, tho espoused
virgin Church, united to her Lord, will
bo tho Bride, tho Lamb's Wifo.
The Greater Jubilee.
Tentecost represents to the Church
liberation from the thraldom of sin
nnd death, as well as introduction Into
tho family of God. Thus It signifies
tbe beginning of all the blessings which
the people of God have known as the
fruits of the Spirit meekness, gentle
ness, patience, long-suffering, brother
ly-kindness, love, Joy, peace-fellow
ship with God and our Lord Jesus
Cbrlst-Galatlans 5:22, 23.
Nevertheless, tho Tnstor explained.
those wonderful blessings are not com
pleto. Tho resurrection that glorious
change from imperfections In the flesh
to perfection on the spirit pluno will
bo the consummation of nil the
Church's hopes, and thnt consumma
tion, although near, we believe, hns not
yet been attained.
God has purposely deferred the sec
ondary outpouring of Ills Holy Spirit
thnt upon tho world, "all flesh" until
the establishment of Ills Kingdom.
That will be a great Jubilee. It was,
by Dlvino appointment, typified In Is
rael's experiences. During the fiftieth
year, every Israelite was set freo from
bondage and debts of every kind, nnd
had n fresh start Thus was pictured
how during Messiah's glorious reign as
Mediator of tho New Covenant, God
I on account of Jesus' sacrifice will cancel
tho sins of the wbolo world, and grant
release from nil weaknesses, and as
sistance back to tho fulness of Divine
favor. In other words, tho Jubilee of
Israel typified tho coming Times of
Restoration of nil things, when Jesus
the Head nnd the Church the Body, as
Tho Messiah, will reign for a thousand
years, for the purpose of blessing nil
tho families of the earth nnd uplifting
them out of sin, weakness, deptavlty
mental, moral nnd physical.
Oh, what a Jubilee that will be! No
wonder St. Peter, in describing it and
telling us that It will begin nt the sec
ond coming of Jesus, also tells us that
it will bo Times of refreshing from
the Divine presence! It will be the
world's Pentecost The Holy Spirit
will then bo poured out upon all flesh
We are not to understand, however.
that It will lie done unconditionally.
Rather, wo may surmiso that the con
ditions on which it will bo open to all
flesh will be that only those who do
sire tho blessing will receive It But who
would refuse such n favor when fully
enlightened respecting it. when fully
nware of Its Import and possibilities?
We cannot, of course, know in ad
vance how tills outpouring of the Holy
Spirit upon all flesh will he manifest
at the beginning V merely assume
that the first nnuiititatiou wiil be ia
connection with Vtn z worthy patri
archs, Abraham. Isaac, Jacob and all
the Prophets. They have already been
tested and proven loyal to God. They
have merely been waiting, "sleeping"
until tbe completion or the Gospel
Church. As St. Paul says, they can
not be perfect, nor enter upon their
reward until we first are perfected and
euter upou our higher reward, as tbe
Spirit Kingdom. Hebrews 11:39. 40.
The Elect and the Non-Elect
Our text is In full harmony with all
the Scriptures in Indicating that God
has special blessings for His Elect
Ills servants and handmaidens of this
Gospel Age. Not only do these receive
the Holy Spirit first but to them Its
manifestation is different from what
it will be with tbe non-elect, by and by.
As already pointed out, the Holy Spirit
fits and prepares tbe Church for glory,
honor and Immortality on the spirit
plana But the Holy Spirit's operation
upon the world in tbe next Age will
be totally different Then Its work will
be the perfecting of all who will of tbe
human family an earthly blessing.
We are not to forget that God was a
well pleased to make Father Adam an
earthly being, perfect, in nis own im
age and likeness, a little lower than
the angels, as He was pleased to make
the angels of a higher order. In nis
own Image and likeness. The Church,
now being begotten of the Holy Spirit
to the Divine nature, Is to be far above
angels, but It is tho same Holy Spirit
which operated in all God's creative
work, whether of angels or of men, or
of the Church of the First-born.
Adam undoubtedly hnd the Holy
Spirit of God In his perfection. Man
kind in general, during tbe thousand
years of Messiah's Kingdom, will be
receiving more and more the Holy Spir
it of God. Its operation in them will
be the perfecting of their flesh. Thus
the Lord declares it, "I will take the
stony heart out of their flesh, and will
give them an heart of flesh." (Ezeklel
11:10.1 Tho Scriptures speak of Adam
in his perfection as crowned with glo
ry nnd honor, nnd set over tho beasts
of tho field, as earth's underlord, or
king, responsible only to the Almighty.
(Psalm 8:4-0.) Sin disarranged all this,
as we have seen, but God has provid
ed the Redeemer, nis work of a thou
sand years, tho pouring out of the
Holy Spirit upon the world of man
kind, will result In bringing all the
willing and obedient back to human
perfection to that which was lost in
Adam, and redeemed at Calvary.
What This Does Not Mean.
This does not mean, said tbe Pastor,
that tbe Holy Spirit will be forced
upon any; but merely that God's Spirit
will be ovallablo to all flesh, even as
In the present time it Is available to
all nis servants and handmaidens, In
proportion to their love and real. So
the world's progress back to perfection
will depend largely upou tbclr appre
ciation of the call of God and of tha
privileges extended to them.
"Tho gift of God Is everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord." This
gift will not be given to any except to
those who demonstrate their desire for
it, on God's terms. The wicked will
not be grnuted everlasting life nt alt
On tho contrary, we rend, "All the
wicked will God destroy." "It shall
como to pass thnt every soul that will
not obey that Prophet Messiah shall
be destroyed from amongst tho people.
Neither does this great generosity on
God's part in tho forgiveness of sins
and provision for the return of human
ity mean that sins of the present life
will go unnoticed. We may be sure
that It Is because we are Incompetent
to judgo ns respects the guilt aud re
sponsibility of others that the Lord has
bo strenuously guarded Ills people,
saying, "Judgo nothing before the
timo." We may be sure, therefore,
that any Judgment we might form, or
other men might form, would be more
or less defective, proportionately dif
ferent in God's Judgment.
In God's Judgment respecting wick
edness, we perceive that He takes Into
account all the circumstances the Ig
norance, the superstition, the heredi
tary taints and weaknesses, etc. From
God's standpoint any transgression of
His Law Is sin, but tbe serlousuess of
the slu depends upon tho wilfulness
with which it is committed. The Lord
will deal Justly with nil of our race;
and tho Church, associated with Him
In glory and In tho work of Judging,
will then be fully competent for that
appointed work. So we rend. "Do ye
not know that the saints shall Judge
the world ?"-l Corinthians 0:2.
Tbe Scriptures, therefore, warn ev
erybody, "Whatsoever a man soweth
that shall he also reap." Tblj Indi
cates thnt our words, our thoughts, our
jeeds, all have a bearing upon the
Aiture life. While only the spirit-begotten
are yet on trial for life or death
eternal, nevertheless the world's words
and deeds have either an elevating or
degrading Influence upou their con
sciences. Accordingly their opportuni
ty in tho future will find them either
lower or higher, with more or less
steps to retrace. In order to attain tho
perfection of character In tho flesh.
Surely nil who rightly appreciate the
Church's Pentecost of nearly nineteen
centuries ago will rejoice to bco the
Divine arrnngement for tho world's
Pentecost, under Messiah's Kingdom.
Nor can it do harm to let tho Truth
bo known. Tho lack of the knowlcdgo
of the Truth nnd crecdnl misrepresen
tations hove doubtless led many to de
spair, and robbed others of peace as
well as Joy. By these means tho neav
enly Father's character has been slan
dered. It is time to tell the world about
tho Love of God. It Is time thnt Chrls
tlnns should remember that It was
not fear that drew them to God. but, as
St. Paul declnrcs, "Tho love of Christ
fonstrninoth us."-2 Corinthians 5:14.
