OUR READERS’ OPINIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11539, 16 January 1932, Page 3

OUR READERS’ OPINIONS

THE COMING OF THE LORO IN THE CLOUDS. ’ (To The Editor). Sir,—ln Paul’s first epistle to tlio Thessalonuuis 4th chapter, verses 15, 10, 17, wc road those words: “For "tills wo say'unto you .by the'word ol tlid Lord, that wo which'arc alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Hiulsatf shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shad rise first. 'Jlion wo which are alive and remain shall he caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we. ever be with the Lord.’’’ The above saying, or prediction, of. Paul, -which; in another place he calls a mystery,‘has been a boue of contention ‘with theologians for many past decades. It lias remained a mystery in the minds of ‘thousands of Bible students and theologians, because. of all the writers in the Bible. Paul is the only one that mentioned such things -will take place. - Iherofore, while 1 cannot attempt to deny the statement’, 1 cannot accept it m a literal sense. I think it has some connection with what is spoken ol in Revelation, 21st chapter,.and think the same thoughts were in the mind of that good poet. Montgomery, when he wrote, the following words Throned in mid-air with clouds ol glory spread He’ll sit in judgment on the Quick and dead. To read the text in a iiferal sense would imply a- belief in the doctrine of the elect: that is to say only the 111,000 out of the billions who have lived and died, including those who are still alive on flic earth, will he saved; Such a thought is not very encouraging, but I think we can set aside mil such Thoughts, and remember the glorious invitation, "Whosoever will ma y come and take of the waters ol life freely without monos or without price.” If any Bible student can throw any light upon the above mentioned subject, 1 shall be exceedingly pleased ns 1 confess I myself know nothing about the sub jeet.—l am. yours etc.. A. HAWESANTICHRIST. (To The Editor). Six-—1 see “Truth” is not quite clear on the question. 1 would remind him that the ‘Tradition of the elders” is not always reliable, but the Word of God is infallible. There arc only two points in his letter that aie worth attention. He says “The power to give life belongs to God alone, and I know of no recorded instance where this Divine prerogative has been delegated to Satan to further his rebellion against God.” Will “Truth” please turn to Revelation T 5 Jo. Jlv Bible reads thus: “And lie bad power to give life to the image of the beast.” Surely that is plain enough and clearly Satanic f I would be obliged if lie would fell us where “it is written” that Rome is the seat of flic beast. The '‘written word” for mv statement is in Daniel Jl. 4-j. “And he shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.” That is the mountain of Daniel’s people, and the pouring out of the tilth vial conurnis it. —I am, ours etc., TERTIUS.