, MOV DAY, JANUARY 11, 1915.
PLATTSMOUTII SEMI-WEEK LY JOURNAL.
rACE 3.
Copyright, 1914, by
CHAPTER 111.
The New Gentleman's Man.
Ff?r.F the time the wind blew a
13 gale and Smoke Bellow stag
i. gercd against it alone the
lake beach, in tf.e gray of
dawn a do7en boats were brim loaded
with the precious outfits packed across
Chiikout. They were clumsy, home
made boats, put together by ir.en who
were not boat builders out of pianks
t'i.y had sawed by hand from ren
bliuce trees. Que boat, already loaded,
was just starting, and Kit paused to
watch.
Tills wind, which was fair down the
L.ke. here hiew in squarely ou the
beac h, kicking up a nasty sea in t!ie
shallows. The men of the departing
boat waded iu high rubber boots as
they shored it out toward deeper wa
ter. Twice they did this. CJ.unbering
aboard and failing to row ciear, tlie
boat was swept hack :nd grounded.
Kit noticed that the spray on the sides
Df tin? boat quickly turned to ice. The
third attempt was a partial su-cess.
The last two men to climb in were wet
to their waists, but the boat was atloat.
They strutted awkwardly nt the
heavy oars and slowly worked off
shore. Then they hoisted a sail made
of blankets, had it carried away in a
just and were swept a third time back
on the freezing beach.
Kit grinned to himself and went on.
This was what he must expect to en
counter, for he. too. in hi new role of
gentleman's man was to start froiu the
beach in a similar boat that very day.
Everywhere men were at work, and
at work desperately, for the closing
down of winter was so Imminent that
It was a gamble whether or iot they
would get across the great chain of
lakes before the freezcup. Yet when
Kit arrived at the tent of Messrs.
Sprague and Stine he did not tind them
stirring.
By a fi.e. mider the shelter of a tar
paulin, squatted, a short, thick man.
Hello!" be said. "Axe you Mr.
Sprague s new manr
Kit nodded.
"Well. I'm Doc Sline's man." the
other went on. "I'm rive feet two inch
es Jons, an' my name's Shorty .lack
Short, for short. Sit down an' have
some grub. The bosses ain't turned
out yet."
Thomas Stanley Sprague was a bud
ding mining engineer and the son f a
milliunar e. Dr. Adolph Stine was also
the sou of a wealthy lather, aud
through their fathers both had been
backed by an investing syndicate in
the Klondike adventure.
"Ob. they're sure made of money."
Shorty expounded. "When they hit
the beach at Dyea freight was 70 cents.
Lut no Indians. There was a party
from eastern Oregon, real miners,
that'd managed to get ai team of In
dians together at TO cents when along
comes Sprague an Stine. They of
fered SO tents an" 00. an artt dollar
a pound the Indians jumped the con
tract an took off their straps. Stir.e
an Sprogue came through, though It
cost them three thousand, an" the Ore
gou bunch is still on the beach. They
won't get through till nest year.
"Have another cup of coffee, an'
fake it from me that I wouldn't travel
with no snch outfit If I didn't want to
get to Klondike so blamed bad. They
ain't hearted right Did you sign u
contract?"
Kit shook his head.
"Then I'm sorry for you. pardaer.
They ain't no zrub in the country, an'
they'll drop you cold as soon as they
hit Dawson. Men are going to starve
there this winter. What's your name,
pa nicer?"
"Call me Smoke," said Kit.
"Well. Smoke, you'll Have a run for
your verbal contract just the same
They can sure shed mazuma. but they
can't work or turn out of bed in the
mornin. We should have been loaded
an' started an hour ago. It's you an'
rae fur the big work. What d'ye know
about boatin on the water? I'm a
cowman an a prospector, but I'm sure
ter.derfooted ou water, an" they dou't
know punkins. What d'ye know?
"Search me." Kit answered.
It was H o'clock when the call for
coffee came from the tent and nearly
0 before the tw. employers emerged.
"Ilel'o." said Spragne. a rosy cheek
ed, well fed young man of twenty-live
"Time we made :i start. Shorty. ou
anil" Here tie glanced interrogative
ly at Kit. "I didn't quite catch your
name last evening."
"Smoke."
"Weil. Shorty, you and Smoke hail
Letter lieg'.M loading ftie ho.tt "
Sprague stro.-l away among the
tents, to be lbowed by Hi. Mine, a
fc lender, pali'cS vo-ing icmi.
I'o move .'.K) pen ml on the sli'im
di'ls KXj yar t-- :i t:o !l:tl !:iK. anl
t tlo It in h:::t a v .:'.' tvais fi tciuM ing
Tie-:! .::. t;:e I .!!:;:.: A.- t::e to.U
i-f.'.lt-d it !,;,! f !- C.iVel tartliet
ii.d ij4tlirr out. increasing tlie dis
tho Wheeler Syndicate
tance they had to wade.
By 2 o'clock it had all beeu accom
plished.and Kit was weak with the
faintness of hunger. His knees were
shaking nnder him. Shorty, in similar
predicament, foraged through the pots
and pans and drew forth a big pot of
cold boiled beans In which were em
bedded large chunks of bacon. There
was only one spoon, a long handled
one. and they clipped, turn and turn
about, into the pot.
Sprague and Stine arrived in the
midst of this pleasant occupation.
"What's the delay?" Sprague com
plained. "Aren't we ever going to get
started?"
Shorty dipped in turn and passed the
spoon to Kit. Nor did either speak till
the pot was empty and the bottom
scraped.
"Of course we ain't been doin" noth
InV Shorty said, wiping his mouth
with the back of his hand. "We ain't
been doin nothin at all. And of course
you ain't had nothin' to eat. It was
sure careless of me "
"Yea. yes." Stine said quickly. "We
ate at cue of the tents friends of
ours. Hut now that you're finished let
us get started."
They waded out. and the employers
got on hoard while Kit and Shorty
shoved clear. When the waves lapped
the tops of their boots they clambered
In. The other two men were not pre
pared with the oars, and the boat
sweot nneb and grounded. Half a
ozen times, with u great expenditure
i f energy, this was repeated.
"If you'll take my orders IU get her
3ff," Sprague finally said.
The attempt was well intended, but
befare he could clamber on board he
Aas wet to the wahst.
"We've got to camp and build a
lire." he said as the boat grounded
ngain. "I'm freezing."
"Don't be afraid of a wetting,' Stine
sneered. "Other men have gone off
today wetter than you. Now, I'm go
ing to take her out."
This time it was he who got the
wetting and who announced with chat
tering teeth the need of a Ore.
"If yon give me a shot at it I think
1 can get her off," Kit said.
"IIow would you go about it?" Stine
snnpped at him.
"Sit down and get a good rest till a
lull comes in the wind and then buck
!n for all we're worth."
Simple as the idea was, he had been
the first to evolve it. The first time it
Before He Could Clamber on Board He
Was Wet to the Waist.
was applied it worked, and they hoist
ed a blanket to the mast and sped
down the lake.
Sprague struggled with the steering
sweep for a quarter of an hour and
then looked appealingly at Kit. who
relieved him.
"My arms are fairly broken with the
strain of it," Sprague muttered apolo
getically. Kit steered the length of Lindeman.
displaying ,au aptitude that caused
both young men of money and disin
clination for work to name him boat
6teerer.
Between Lindeman and Lake Ben
nett was a portage. The boat, lightly
loaded, was lined down the small but
violent connecting stream, and here
Kit learned a vast deal more about
boats and water. But when It came
to packing the ordtit Stine and Sprague
disappeared, and their men spent two
days of back breaking toil Id getting
the outfit across.
They came to the rapids first the
Box canyon and then, several miles
below, the White Horse. The Box
canyon was adequately named. It
was a box. a trap. Once in It, the
only way out was through.
On either side arose perpendicular
walls of rock. The river narrowed to
a fraction of Its width and roared
through this gloomy passage in a mad
ness of motion that heaped the water
in the center into a ridge fully eight
feet higher than at the rock 6des.
The canyon was well feared, for it
had collected its toll of dead from the
passing gold rushers.
Tying to the bank above, where lay
a score of other anxious boats. Kit
and his companions went ahead on foot
to investigate. They crept to the brink
and gazod down at the swirl of water.
Sprague drew back, shuddering.
"My God!" ho exclaimed. "A swim
mer hasn't a chance in that."
Kit scarcely heard. "We've got to
ride that ridge." be said. "If we get
off it we'll hit the walls."
"And never kuow what hit us. was
Shorty's verdict.
"That's what I say," a stranger,
standing alongside and peering down
Into the canyon, said mournfully.
"And 1 wish 1 were through it. I've
beeu here for hours. I am not a boat
man, and 1 have with me only my
nephew, who is a young boy. and my
wife. If you get through safely will
vou run my boat through?"
Kit looked at Shorty, who delayed
to answer.
"lie's cot his wife with him." Kit
suggested.
"Sure." Shortv alhrmed. "It was
just what 1 was stoppin' to think
about. 1 knew there was some reason
1 ought to do it."
Again they turned to go. but Sprague
and Stine made no movement.
"Good luck. Smoke. Sprague called
to him. "I'll or I II Just stay here
and watch you."
"We need three men in tlie boat. tw
at the oars and one at the steering
sweep." Kit siid quietly.
Sprague looked at Stine.
"I'm cursed if 1 do." said that gen
tiemnn.
"We can do without them." Kit said
to Shorty. "You take the bow with a
paddle, and 1 II hand.e the steering
weep. All you'll have to do is just to
lieln kee: her straight. Ouee we're
started you won't be able to hear me.
so just keep on keeping her straight.'
They cast off the boat and worked
out to middle in the quickening cur
rent- From the cauyou came the ever
growing roar. The river sucked in to
the entrance with the smoothness cf
molten glass, and here, as the dark
ening walls received them. Shorty took
a chew of tobacco and dipped his pad
die.
The boat leaped on the first crests
of the ridge, and they were deafened
by the uproar of wild water that re
verberated from the narrow walls and
multiplied itself. They were half
smothered with Gj ing spray. At times
Kit could not see his comrade at the
bow. It was only a matter of two min
utes. in which time they rode the ridge
three-quarters of a mile and emerged
in safety and tied to the bank iu the
eddy below.
Shorty emptied his mouth of tobacco
juice he had forgotten to spit and
spoke. "Say. we went a few. didn't
we? Smoke, I don't mind tehin" you in
confidence that lefore we started I
was the gosh dangdest searedest man
this side of the IJocky mountains
Now I'm a bear eater. Come ou an
we'll run that other boat through."
After running the stranger's boat
through Kit and Shorty met his wife
a slender, girlish woman whose blue
eyes wore moist with gratitude. Breck
himself tried to hand Kit $50 and then
attempted it on Shorty.
"Stranger." was the latter's rejection.
"I come into this country to make
money cuta tlie ground an' not outa
my fellow critters."
Breck. the stranger, rummaged in his
boat and produced a demijohn of whis
ky. Shorty's hand half went out to it
and stopped abruptly. He shook his
head.
"There's that blamed White Horse
right below, an' they say it's worse
than the Box. I reckon 1 don't dast
tackle any lightnin'."
Several miles below they ran In to
the bank, and all four walked down to
look at the bad water. The river,
which was a succession of rapids, was
here deflected toward tlie right bank
by a rocky reef. The whole body of
water, rushing crookedly into the nar
row passage, accelerated its speed
frightfully and was upSung into huge
waves, white and wrathful. This was
the dread mane of the White Horse,
and here an even heavier toll of dead
had been exacted. On one side of the
mane was a corkscrew curl-over and
suck-under, and on the opposite side
was the big whirlpool. To go through
the mane Itself must be ridden.
As they watched a boat took the head
of the rapids above. It was a large
boat, fully thirty feet long, laden with
several tons of outfit and handled by
six men. Before it reached the mane
It was plunging and leaping, at times
almost hidden by the foam and spray.
Shorty shot a slow, sidelong glance
at Kit and said: "She's lair smokin".
an she hasn't hit the worst. They've
hauled the oars in. There she takes it
now. God! She's gone! No! There
she Is!"
Big as the boat was. it had been
buried from sight In the flying smother
between crests. The next moment, in
the thick of the mane, the boat leaped
up a crest and into view. To Kit's
amazement be saw the whole long bot
tom clearly outlined. The boat for the
fraction of an instant was in the air.
the men sitting idly in their places, all
save one iit the stern, who stood at the
steering sweep. Then came the down
ward plunge Into the trough and a sec
ond disappearance.
Three times the boat leaped and
buried itself. Then those on the bank
saw its nose take the whirlpool as it
slipped off the mane. The steersman,
vainly opposing with full weight on
the steering gear, surrendered to the
whirlpool and helped the boat to take
the circle.
Three times it went around, each
time so close to the rocks on which
Kit and Shorty stood that either could
have leaped on board. The steersman,
a man with a reddish beard of recent
growth, waved his band to them.
Tlie only way out of the whirlpool
was by the mane, and on the third
round the boat entered the mane ob
liquely at its upper end. Possibly out
of fear of the draw of the whirlpool
the steersman did cot attempt to
straighten out quickly enough. When
he did it was too Jate, Alternately in
the air and buried, the boat angled the
mane and was sucked into the stiff
wall of the corkscrew on the opposite
side of the river.
A hundred feet below boxes and
bales began to float up. Then appear
ed the bottom of the boat and the scat
tered heads of six men. Two manag
ed to make the bank in the eddy be
low. The others were drawn nnder.
and the general flotsam was lost to
iew. borne on by the swift current
around tlie bond
(To Be Continued.)
Farms For Sale
ICO acres, 5 miles from postofiice,
good house, several barns, graneries,
corn cribs and outbuildings, two good
springs and never failing running
water. Not a foot of waste land,
and all land gently rolling.
Not an acre of land adjoin
ing this quarter can be bought for
$150 per acre, and 200 per acre
would not buy the majority of it.
I WILL OFFER THIS 160
ACRES FOR A LIMITED TIME, at
.$125 per acre, or $20,000, with reason
able payment down, balance on long
time to suit purchaser.
This is positively the biggest snap
in Cass county, and the lucky pur
chaser can make from $3,000 to $5,000
on the increase in value in one year.
170 acres, 5 miles from Platts-
mouth, 2l2 miles from Murray, 50
acres in fall wheat, splendid house,
good barn, graneries, corn cribs and
outbuildings, running water, school on
land near dwelling; land adjoining
sold a month ago for $150 per acre.
Price, $140 per acre; terms to suit
purchaser.
1C0 acres, G miles from Platts
mouth, 2 miles from Murray, splendid
new land, 45 acres in fall wheat, good
buildings of all descriptions, all in
lirst-class repair; entire 1G0 acres in
closed with new woven wire hog-tight
fencing. A bargain. Price, $125 per
acre; terms to suit purchaser.
80 acres, 7 miles south of Platts
mouth, 3 miles from Murray, good
land, usual improvements, land roll
in.?.
Price, $125 per acre.
Several good residences in Platts
mouth at prices much less than re
placement value, most of them strict
ly modern. Farmers expecting to re
tire and move to Plattsmouth should
investigate these bargains in City
property.
40 acres of good hay land for sale
cheap.
The Theodore Boedeker homestead
of 190 acres, one and one-quarter
miles south of Louisville. Bargain
Ask for price.
For full particulars on any of the
above tracts, call at my office.
T. H. POLLOCK,
Tel. No. 1.
Real Estate, Farm Loans and
Insurance.
Coates' Elock, Plattsmouth, Neb.
12-1 4-2 tw
Chamberlain's Cough Remedy.
This remedy has no superior fof
coughs and colds. It is pleasant to
take. It contains no opium or other
narcotic. It always cures. For sale
by all dealers.
Wall Taper. Gering & Co. Phone
-BLAC!(S1TH!N8-
I3AHDE
HORSESHOEING!
I am now prepared to look
after all general blacksmithing
and horseshoeing. Shop 4 1-2
niles west of Murray.
JOHN DURHAM.
Ill IS A V
in i an
"The World Knoweth Us Not,
Even as It Knew Him Hot."
Putting on Christ" "Th Very Elect."
Their Citizenship In Heaven "Chris
tian World" a Misnomer Civilization
Not Christianity "Kingdoms of This
World" Basis of Membership In the
Church of Christ Covenant Relation-
ship With God Through the Precious
Blood Character-Likeness to Christ
a Necessary Acquirement.
Providence. R. 1.,
Jan. lO-Pastor
Russell delivered
a very interesting
discourse here to
day on the text
"Almost thou per-
1 7l
euadest me to be
a Christian." (Acts
i
.0:28.) He said
In part:
A Christian Is a
person who Intel
r
(PASrOg. gUSSLLLJ
ligently believes
that he is by na
ture a sinner, that by Divine grace
.lesus Christ the Righteous died for
Ids sins, and that through faith in the
atoning blood and obedience to the Re
ueemer s teacnings ne nas become a
.New Creature in Christ Jesus." For
such, "Old things have passed away.
and all things have become new.
Such New Creatures are separate and
distinct from all other members of the
race. Instead of earthly aims, ambi
tlons and hopes, theirs are Heavenly.
Getting Into Christ's Body.
It is not sullicient that these should
make the proper start of faith in Christ
and full consecration to do God's will
and not their own wills. It is incum
bent upon them, after having made
such a start and after having been be
gotten of the Holy Spirit, that tbey
shall grow In grace, knowledge and
love. (2 Peter 3:1S. This is styled
"putting on Christ"; that is to say.
adding tlie graces of character which
God will accept and reward with as
sociation with the Lord Jesus Christ
In His Kingdom. For these God has
made provision of spiritual food in the
Ulble "meat In due season for the
Household of Faith." (Matthew 24:45.)
iiieoB aie ici'itraeuieu s hi ursl ouoes
in Christ," requiring "the milk of the
Word." but If faithful gradually at
taming full stature "strong in the
Lord and the power of His might.
Snch spirit-begotten Christians must
needs "fight a good Gght" not with
others, but with themselves overcom
ing the weaknesses and besetments of
their own fallen flesh, the allurements
of their environment and the wiles of
the Adversary. Such as are faithful
in these respects are Scriptnrally
styled "overcomers." "the very Elect."
The promise to them is that they shall
have part in the Chief, or best. Resur
rection, and thereafter be no longer
humans, but spirit beings of the high
est order "partakers of the Divine na
ture." These in death are "sown in
weakness," "in dishonor," human be
ings, but are raised from the dead "in
glory," "in power," spirit beings. 1
Corinthians 15:43.
Jesus' promise to these overcomers
reads. "To him that overcometh will I
grant to sit with Me in My Throne.
even as 1 overcame and am set down
with My Father in His Throne" "1
will give him power over the nations,"
etc. Again He says, "Blessed and holy
are all those who have part in the
Chief Resurrection: on such the Sec
ond Death hath no power, but they
shall be priests onto God and uuto
Christ, and shall reign with Him a
tbousana years." Rev. 3:21; 2:26; 20:0.
All Jesus' teachings are applicable to
this special class; namely, those who
become His disciples. His followers.
His pupils. He did not assume to be
a Teacher of the world, but merely of
those who leave the world, sacrificing
all to become His disciples. To these
He said. "Ye are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world." Again.
-If the world hate you, ye know that
It hated Me before it bated you." The
great Teacher did not include the nom
inal church as His disciples, but rather
counted them in with the world. In
evidence of this, we note the fact that
the world which persecuted Him was
the Jewish nation, professedly God's
consecrated people; and that those who
have persecuted the followers of Jesus
have likewise been nominally people
of God, but really of the world.
Duties, Rights and Privileges of Chris
tians.
These are the Christians addressed
by the Master, saying. "I say unto yon.
That ye resist not evil; but whosoever
shall Rmite thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also. And if
aav man shall sue thee at law, and
take away thy coat. let him have thy
cloke also. Aud w hosoever shall com
pel thee to go a mile, go with him
twain.'-Matthew r:.10-42.
The thought of non-resistance is
here, vet not to the extreme degree
supposed by some. The turning of the
other cheek, as illustrated by Jesus'
own conduct, was a figurative expres
sion, signifying the willingness to have
both cheeks smitten rather than to do
Injury to another. Christians are to be
law-abiding, whether they consider
the laws Just or unjust. If. therefore.
the law deprive them of a coat, they
are to yield it up. If it go still further
aud deprive them of their cloak, they
I'
are still to be non-resistant to the law
but submit to it with good grace, know
ing that hereunto they were called.
15e it noted that neither the coat nor
the cloak was to be given up upon de
mand merely, but only after the law.
justly or unjustly, had so decreed".
Similarly with respect to the compul
sory walking of a mile: the Christian
is not to submit himself to every whiui
of everybody; fcut, seeking to do the
will of God. he Is to go about his own
business, unless the opposition to bim
amount to a compelling. And this com
piling, under ordinary circumstances,
would mean a legal compelling; for
the protection of the laws of the land
in which he lives may be sought to
protect his rights and liberties, as St.
Paul appealed to governors and kings
Christians Live For the Future.
Christians are to love their enemies
in the same sense that God loves the
world sympathetically. They are not
to love their enemies in the sense of
affectionate love and tenderness, such
as they bestow upon their families,
friends and lovable persons. Their
love for their enemies, as defined by
Jesus, should be such as would lead
them to feed their bitterest enemy If
he were hungry, to clothe him If he
were naked. They should not pray
against their enemies, but for their
enemies in the sense of wishing, desir
ing, for them enlightenment and true
wisdom, which would turn them from
beiug enemies and evil-doers, to make
of them followers of Jesus or, at least,
well-doers.
Christians are not to lay up for them
selves treasures on earth; for they
have renounced the earth and all hopes
of a future life upon earth. Their
walk in the footsteps of Jesus signifies
that as He cast aside earthly ambi
tions, hopes and aims, so would tbey,
taking instead the Heavenly ambitions,
hojes and aims. In other words, they
live for the future. This will not hin
der them from the ordinary pursuits of
life to the extent that may be neces
sary In "providing things honest In the
sight of all men" in providing for
their families, etc. But. with these
Christians, any overplus above life's
necessities represents so much oppor
tunity for serving the Lord and His
Cause; and in so doing, these are lay
ing up treasure in Heaven a future
reward.
This does not signify that they must
live "from hand to mouth" nor that,
if they have possessions, they must
riotously distribute these to others. On
the contrary, they are to seek In all
things to have the mind of the Lord
to do Gods will. God's mind Is a
souud mind; and these Christians, in
seeking to do God's will, are said to
have "the spirit of a sound mind."
This dictates that they should live
wisely and economically.
Christian Stewardship and Citizenship.
To these Christians, everything that
comes to them or that they possess by
nature U considered a thing of God,
because in becoming followers of
Christ, they made a full consecration
of their wills their all to God. Hence
from that moment forward, these
Christians are stewards of God's mer
ciesstewards of their time, their tal
ents, their inuueuce. their property.
their all. According to the way they
use their stewardship, investing their
talents to the Master's praise, will be
Ilis commendation of them, as repre
sented in the parable. Whether many
talents are possessed or few, the com
mendation is to those who have done
well, have been good and faithful In
the use of their talents, not for self-
aggrandizement or show, or worldly
accumulations of treasure, but faithful
in the service of God. showing forth
God's praises In the assisting of others
and themselves to the knowing and do
ing of the Divine will.
Christians are to "lend, hoping for
nothing in return," and not, as the
world, merely to be willing to do good
and to lend to those who would do as
much or more in return. Christians
are thus to illustrate the fact that they
are children of the Highest, that they
have been begotten of God, that they
have His Holy Spirit and disposition.
and that it is shining out more and
more in their words and conduct as
they grow in the character-likeness of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians are not to go to war.
Their tight is not to be with carnal
weapons, but with "the Sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God."
They have the most powerful weapon
known in the world for their warfare.
This does not signify that they may
not put bolts and bars upon their doors
to prevent robbery. It does not signify
that they may not call for police pro
tection; for this Is h thing they pay for
in taxation and are entitled to accord
iug to the laws of the world. They
may uot claim of their own nation any
thing that an alien might not claim:
but they may claim all that an alien
may claim, indeed, L.uristians are
styled aliens, strangers, foreigners, so
far as the present government of the
world is concerned. Their citizenship.
according to the Bible, Is the Heavenly
one, which they will fully enter Into
when they shall have shared the Chief
Resurrection.
No Christian Nations.
The Bible knows nothing of Chris
tian nations or of a Christian world
lae Bible puts the Christian as sep
arate and distinct from the world aud
from all nations. Christians are a na
tion, or people, by themselves. In the
same sense that the Jews are a nation,
or people, by themselves. "Ye nre a
Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, a pe
culiar people" a people for a purpose.
(1 Peter 2:9.1 The term Christian na
tion comes from a serious doctrinal er
ror which crept Into the Church about
ch' a., n. At mat time rope Leo in.
began to reeosnlze as Christian nation
all the nations which recognized his
Pontificate. The custom has prevailed
and is still In vogue amongst Protect
ants and Catholics; but it is wholly
uu scriptural.
A Christian conscripted to the army
or the navy would be "subject to the
powers that be," aud obeying the Mas
ter's words would go. as iu. Matthew
5:41: "Whosoever hall compel thee to
go." The Christian compelled to enter
the army or the navy mi-ht properly
request service as a nou-couibataut in
the Quarter-master's Department or In
the Uospitul Department; but If re
quired to kill, he is to oley God nitlicr
than man, aud not kill. lie may com
ply with his orders to the extent of
going Into the trenches aud being shot
at, but no further.
Is it urged that such a view of Chris
tianity would wreck our present civili
zation? We reply that mlhing in the
Bible Implies that our civilization is
Christian or that the I,ord ever ex
pected it to be Christian. God's time
for saving the world from its t;n nnd
weakness has not yet come. The pres
ent is merely the time for calling, find
ing, testing and delivering the Fleet.
The Fleet, when glorified, will consti
tute Messiah's Kingdom, and with Him
will be empowered fully uith spiritual
control for the government of the eu
tlre world.
Then will come the time for the en
lightenmeut and uplift and blessing of
the whole world of mankind the uon
elect Theirs will not be a blessing of
the same kind that the Fleet will se
cure, but a blessing which they will
appreciate equally. Tl world's bless
ing and salvation will not signify a
change of nature from human to Kpirlt,
but a Restitution to human perfec tion.
-Acts 3:ll)-23.
What are today styled "Christian na
tions" are in the Bible styled "king
doms of this world"; ami their com
plete disintegration is Sfilptmally out
lined as incidental to the establishment
of God's glorious Kingdom under Mes
siah, for which we pray, "Thy King
dom come; Thy will be done on earth,
even as in Heaven."
Some may wonder how It ever came
to pass that all the people of civilized
lands are enumerated as Christian
except Jews and professed Infidels.
Statistics tell us that all the inhab
itants of Paly are Christians; that
more than ninety-nine" per ceut of the
population of Great Britain, France.
Germany. Belgium, etc.. are Christians;
and that the total number of Chris
tians thus reckoned Is nearly five hun
dred millions. Surely it is time that
intelligent people realize that some
great mistake has been made, and that
more than nluety-uine percent of these
"Christians" make no pretense of leiiig
followers of Jesus.
The error arose In the now long ago.
When Pope Leo III. recognized a kin
as a Christian king and his kingdom
as a Christian kingdom, he recognized
that king's subjects as Christian. There
we have the matter in a nut shell. The
whole thing was a mistake. Tbf kin
was not a Christian, did Dot know the
meaning of Christianity cud was not
taught it. His kingdom was not a
Christian kingdom, and his people were
not Christians.
Meantime, here and there, obscured
to the world, there have been true
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in
every denomination. They have been
out of accord generally with the gnat
leaders of the church systems as well
as with the fwlltical lenders of tho
world. It has beeu true of them as tho
Apostle wrote: "The world knoweth
us not. even as it knew II im not."
(1 John 3:1.) The world dm3 not yet
Know, understand or appreciate that
the Church of Christ Is n-t to le found
in any one of the professed churches
of various names Roman, i-.nghsh.
Lutheran. Presbyterian. Methodist.
Baptist, etc. The Church of Christ is
composed exclusively of those who
have made a covenant with the Ird
through faith In the precious blood,
who have been accepted of the Lord
by the begetting of the Holy Spirit,
and who are seeking to walk to the
best of their ability In the footsteps
of Jesus 1 Peter 2:21.
Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.
The theory that Christiana only are
saved from eternal torture has had
much to do with the error of counting
all civilized iepple Christians. The
creeds save Chiitins only Jew, Mo
hammedans, heathen, all ' to Hell
to roast eternally. Roman Catholic
provide a Second Chance for member
of their church. In Purgatory; and
many Protestants hold b a Swond
Chance for the heatheu who have nev
er heard of Christ. All the while,
however, the Bible declares fur only
one chance, but that a full one for ev
ery member of the humsn family.
The only chance offered during this
Gospel Age is the opportunity of Up
coming a member of the Church a
true follower of Jesus. Such are t
get the Heavenly inheritance, but not
until the Resurrection. The remainder
of the world will be offered an earthly
future; aud this offer will begin witti
the establishment of Messiah's King
dom of n thousand vears.
The Bible nowhere teaches that l
ther saints or sinners pass to a run
scious condition at death. The Blbln
declares that they all t.leep," and tint
the awakening: time will I at the Sec
ond Coming of the Redeemer to estab
lish His Kingdom. The First Resur
rection will be the Church, and mj!
sequently "every man In tils own or
der." When once the fact Is grasped
that the Bible Hell Is the grave
Sheol. Hades then all is plain.
The great Divinely arranged Purgn
tory." to last a thousand years, will t
plorlous. All the heathen and the lgti -rant,
superstitious millions of Chris
tendom, who were taught to call them
selves Christians, but who Knew that
they were not. will have the opportu
nity of corolnz t a kn-'wllue f tlu
true God and of Uh gracious provision
for them.