Views of Evangelist on the Book of Revelation — What He Said

1903

Wight on Bible

Third Series of Union Studies Began Tuesday at the Baptist Church

The third series of union Bible studies under the direction of Mr. Wight begun yesterday afternoon. By way of a short review the lecturer called attention to Christ who is represented in the tenth chapter of Revelation as a mighty angel standing with one foot on the land and one foot on the sea. It is quite characteristic of human nature to want to stand in with those who have great influence. Surely then it is the part of wisdom to be on the most intimate terms with Christ, for full power is given unto him in heaven and in earth. Christ's attitude in this picture is that of ownership. This will indeed be his attitude when he comes again. Some Christians are saying these days that they don't want Christ to return while others are saying that they don't believe he will ever come back anyway. But he will come just as he said he would when his time comes. If we want to have an influential person as a friend of ours we better trust in Christ. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes" — even merchant princes.

In the evening Mr. Wight took up the twelfth chapter of this book. The chapter opens with the wonder of the woman which appeared in heaven clothed with the sun. This was shown to be all Christendom united as it will be at the time of the second coming of Christ. The man child of which the woman was delivered was shown to be typical of those who are prepared to go into heaven when the Lord comes for his own. It is easy to identify the man child from the fifth verse, which says that he shall rule all the nations with a rod of iron. From other parts of the Bible we are taught that those who are the overcomers during the time when these things occur, will sit with Christ in his throne and shall rule with him. Moreover we are taught in the book of Ephesians of the oneness of the believer with Christ.

In being delivered of the man child the woman was in pain. The reason is evident. The woman represents Christendom, not as we see it to-day but as it will be after the union of churches, evidences of which are seen on every hand even to-day. We see it in the commercial world where the watchcry is Combination. We are seeing the formation of great trusts. We are seeing it in the international affairs. Great nations are combining against other great nations. We see this thing also going on in the religious world and already there is a good beginning toward the federation of the churches. As these great corporations are being formed even, there is great distress in the industrial world as seen in the endeavor of the working men to resist the cruelties of corporations and vice versa.

This same thing is beginning to be seen in the churches which are made up of spiritual and worldly people. The worldly are distressed because of the presence of the spiritual in their midst. The godly element in the churches are pained, because of the presence of worldliness. There is no agreement between these two elements, therefore there is being felt distress. In our day too, we are seeing the godly pastors being distressed because of the worldly people in the church, and many of them having to go elsewhere because they are faithful to God. On the other hand we are seeing pastors who are catering to the worldly in the churches, and this worldly thing on the part of ministers is distressing to the spiritual people. The church cannot remain half godly and half worldly and Christ has made provision for taking the godly element out of the professed church and out of the world at his second coming, which taking away is typified by the birth and flight of the man child.

These lectures are free to all in the lecture room of the First Baptist church at 3 o'clock every afternoon and at 7:30 in the evening.

—Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, Jan. 7, 1903, p. 8.