BEHOLD A NEW AGE ALREADY DAWNS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 December 1913, Page 3

BEHOLD A NEW AGE ALREADY DAWNS.

THE WONDERS OF THE PAST CEiSTURY REHEARSED.

(Inserted by Arrangement.)

September 21.st.~Pii.stpr Russell's-, topic, "The Dawn of the Golden Age of Prophets and Poets," was based on the text, "He that sat upon Throne said, Behold 1 make all things new" (Rev. xxi. 5). He said: The promise of a New Day has long been before God's people—in the Bible. It was hinted to our first parents six thousand years ago, that eventually , the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head. This is understood to mean "that Satan's power will be crushed, and mankind will be delivered Jron the reign of Sin and Death wlych has prevailed since Ine disobedience of our first parents. A second promise, still more explicit, made by God to Abraham, says,' "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." For centuries Abraham's posterity waited for the Messiah of promise, anticipating that he would use them in his work of blessing all peoples. The Prophets of Israel foretold the earning King of David's line. He would be a great Triest, a reigning Priest, after the order of Melchissedek. To him "every knee should bow and everv tongue confess" ; and through him a "Blessing Vroulfl . extend to all nations as a feast of fat things" (lsa. xlv. 23; xxv. 6). Even Jesus' disciples, who recognised 'him as the "Sent of God," were disappointed that his glorious kingdom was hot immediately revealed ; and'-that in answer to their question he declared, "It is not for you to know the times/and the 'seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." The..prqphe'eies respecting Messiah's Kingdom, were repeated and amplified in Jesus' parables, finally and graphically in the last Book of the Bible—the sey. ■elation. ,Even the heathen poets sang of the Golden Age to come—quite probably their thought from the? Hebrew Scriptures, and quite probably realising in' -some measure that a gracious God would not for ever permit a reign of Sin and Death, but would somehow, some.,time, and through some agent, bring to earth blessings to supplant the curse.' \ '. "ARISE, LOOK AROMIS THEIE,"

After all these centuriesof hoping and praying "Thy-\Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as in Heaven," God's people : to-day are awakening to a realisation of the facttlutt we Are Jiving in the very dawn of the glorious epoch for which all have waited. These blessings haye come clown like a gentle shower, so quietly that we scarcely realised that the earth has entered upon the foretold times of refreshing and, restitution mentioned by St. Peter' (Act* iji. 19-21). Many are still asleep. Some are confused, and.know not to what the blessings should be attributed. Having, lost faith in the Bible, many are seeking a solution of the wonderful things of our day along the lines of evolution, claiming that a Nature god operates by blind force, under a law of. the survival of the fittest. Surely they Overlook the fact that in the past there were great, characters Vith whom few to-day may,be com-, pared—Shakespeare,. Socrates, Plato, St'. Paul, Moses, Job, etc. v A far better explanation is fuYn:shr ed us in the Bible.• It explains that the wonders of to-day are foregleams of Messiah's kingdom, and that we are in the Day of Jehovah's preparation for the kingdom ofjiis. Son. : We have numerous scriptural' declarations pointing to'tlie end of this. Age and the dawning of a new Age, arid assuring us that at this time many would run to and fro, knowing would be increased, and .the wisiv would understand (Daniel xii.). ;

"IN THE TIME OF THE END." This prophecy of Daniel is worthy of careful note, not only because Daniel was a prophet gr.eatly beloved of ■ the Lord, but because the Redeemer' especially quoted a portion of this prophecy, thus attesting its genuineness. The running to and fro could seemingly .refer to nothing else than the wonderful travelling which is a feature of our day and no other. Who knew, at the time of Daniel's'prophecy., of these wonderful, facilities for. : trateportation P | Only the Almighty! •.; ;., *•> •'..''/' j • Look at the second proof—the in-, crease of knowledge. Who would have .dreamt, a century ago, of con-, ditions as they are to-day, when practically, every human being in civilised lands, froni ten years old and tipward, can ; read and ; 'write?.- Who would have dreamt of, such, persistency to fulfil the prophecy as would lead to laws of education in all civilised lands? j The increase of knowledge is a proof of the inspiration, of Daniel's prophecy, and equally! proves that we are now in the day of God's preparation for the Age.V ■ ' _ " Daniel's next statement is that, the wise of God's people shali understand. And now,, in the appropriate time, all over the world classes of Bible -students are forming, regardless of denominaftibnal'lines. to study the Heavenly Word. The wise, trimming their Bible lamps, and having them well- supplied with theoil of the Holy Spirit, are receiving light—are understanding things kept secret from past ages and generations. ■ ' • \ "The Mystery of God shall be finished,'* of the Scriptural promises respecting the .present time; and surely it is having fulfilment! Not all are yet awake, but the joy of those who are awake, and their singing of the ;song of Moses/and the Lamb, are awakening all the virgin class. Another token of the dawning of the New Age God declared tq the prophet Daniel; namely, "There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." The Pastor did not dwell on this sad feature, but regretted the unprepared-

HCS.S for God's blessings makes necessary a groat flay of" trouble, to prepare men's lioarts for the kingdom He thon reminded his hearers that the Redeemer mentioned this time of trouble which looms up on every hand, threatening tho very foundations of society—political, social, and religious. Jesus bade his followers rejoice even amidst the trouble—because :t mark*; the day of deliverance from the power of Sin and : Death (Luke xxi. 28). j KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S GLORY. The Bible declares that a prominent feature connected with the New Age will be the binding of Satan, the father of lies, who lias deceived poor humanity for these six thousand years. Continually has he misrepresented God's character and plan so as to turn humanity away from God in fear and distrust. He has blinded their minds to God's glorious goodness, which, to His people, is now shining clearly, in the personal character of our Redeemer and in the Bible promises. • Every preparation is being made for the dissemination of knowledge world-wide. Telegraph- wires and cables connect the civilised world, and now.wireless telegraphy and the later improvements upon this means of communication seem destined to bring it shortly to a plane of worldwide usefulness. The printing-press is one of the wonderful preparations • of God for the general dissemination of knowledge. ; < In agriculture, other wonders ai ! b being performed, fulfilling the Scriptures, ands seeming almost as miracles. Yast" areas of wilderness and arid lands are being fertilised. The promise of the Lord through the Prophets, that the earth should yield her increase, is being fulfilled. These blessings are none ,the less wonderful because they are coming in a, seemingly natural way. Everything in nature is really a miracle until we come'to understand it; arid then it is no less a wonder, but merely seems, less bo because commonplace and usual.