Lord.” James 5:7. While writing on the
same theme, Peter testified: © Wherefore
gird up the long of vour mind, be sober, and
hope to the end for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus
Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13. “And when the
Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall re-
ceive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away.” 1 Peter 5:4.
In the letters that Paul wrote to churches
and individuals, he frequently mentioned
that blessed hope, and the glorious ap-
pearing of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ.”
“IFor the Lord Himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the Archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead m Christ shall rise first: then
we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians
1:16, 17.
Christ appears the second time to resur-
rect the righteous dead, to translate the
righteous living, to unite the family of earth
with the family of heaven, and to destroy
the finally impenitent. Nineteen hundred
vears ago, He ascended to heaven to pre-
pare a place for His people; soon He will
return to consummate the purpose of the
ages. “And He shall send His angels with a
great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.” Matthew 24: 31.
Christ’s second coming will be personal,
visible, and glorious. False christs may
arise, do arise; but no child of God need be
Millions for a Pearl
(Continued from page 4)
vou that already. If you have any doubts,
vou can easily have them dispelled; all you
have to do is to ask. You can buy a Bible
for fifty cents, in which you will find
all needful spiritual information, and
if you do not understand all that
vou read there, ‘‘ Ask, and it shall be given
vou.” Is there anything unreasonable or
difficult about that? Certainly not, so why
go on being pessimistic and ignorant when
the same means are open to you of which
others have availed themselves?
You will then find that the spiritual are the
real things, and the material, the movies,
dances, cards, and other so- called pleasures,
are of no importance whatsoever. And so
do not laugh at Christians because they
have something that vou have not vet dis-
covered! Do not take ny word for it but
that of Him who said, “The kingdom of
heaven is like unto tr casure hid in a field;
the which when a man hath found, he
hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth
all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a
merchantman, seeking goodly pearls: who,
when he had found one pearl of great price,
went and sold all that he had, and bought
it.” Matthew 13: 44-46.
AUGUST, 1942
deceived: for even Satan himself will be
unable to counterfeit or camouflage the
glorious majesty of that event. When our
Lord appears, no newspaper, telegram, or
racho broadeast, will announce His arrival;
“for as the heghtning cometh out of the
east, and shineth even unto the west; =o
shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
: And then shall all the tribes of the
arth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming im the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory.” Matthew 24: 27
30.
Ax the amazed disciples stood upon the
crest of Olivet looking intently upward tor
the last ghmpse of their departing Lord,
suddenly two shining angels stood by their
side to convey the comforting, cheering
promise:
“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing
up into heaven? This same Jesus, which 1s
taken up from vou nto heaven, shall so
come 1n like manner as ye have seen Him
go nto heaven.” Acts 2: 11.
He went away bodily; He will return “in
like manner”; “for the Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven.” He ascended up-
ward in a cloud; and of His return it is
written, “Behold, He cometh with clouds;
and every eye sh all see Him.” Revelation
1:7. Angels formed His cloudy escort to
heaven; and when He returns in glory, “all
the holy angels are] with Him.” Matthew
25:31. Once He came as a babe in Bethle-
hem's manger; He comes again in sovereign
majesty. Once He came to bear the burden
of sin and to die for sinners; soon He will
appear “without <in,”” to bring eternal life
to all ths people. In the closing chapter of
AY
Holy Writ, the promise 1s three times re-
peated: Behold, I come quickly.” Revela-
tion 22:7, 12, 20),
Yes, this « came Jesus who walked and
talked with men nineteen hundred years
ago, who healed the sick, who opened
<ichtless eyes, who loved little children and
comforted the poor, who courageously set
His face toward Calvary, and who tn-
umphed over death will lead the host of
heavenly angels, ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands,’
as they sweep nearer and nearer the earth.
Though crowned ax King, He will still bear
the sears of the nails that pierced Hix hands
and feet. But best of all © this same Jesus”
who loved us and died for us will then wel-
come us to association and fellowship with
Himself and the angels forevermore.
Do vou ask the time when the consum-
mation will be realized? The word of God
warns us that all attempts at time-
setting are futile and pernicious. Said the
Master, © But of that day and hour know-
eth no man, no, not the angels of heaven,
but My Father only.” Matthew 24: 36.
Infinite wisdom withholds the exact time of
our Lord's return, and bids every believer
wateh and be ready.
Christ's second coming 1s not at death, as
some affirm, for He returns as the Life-
giver to abolish death and destroy him who
has “the power of death.” (1 Corinthians
15: 26; Hebrews 2: 14.) That event 1s not
merely a “secret rapture,” or an outpour-
ing of the Holy Spirit, as others teach; for
“this same Jesus’ returns personally, and
in like manner as He ascended. His coming
(Continued on page 17)
fre
¥ Persistently reported by the Japanese lo be dead, Manuel Quezon, President of the Philippine
Commonwealth, arrived safely in San Francisco on May 8. His family and his executive staff
accompanied hum from Australia.
NEWS PHOTO
Pr catdent Quezon is here shown seated beside his wife.
them are their children (left lo right), Aurora, Manuel Jr.,
Cottrell says about Another, once accounted dead, who
Behind
Read what Mr.
and Maria Zeneuda.
Lever liveth.”
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