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Jerusalem, the redeemed church in the evening time "shall be holy"-so much so that "no strangers [sinners] shall pass through her any

more.

May God raise up many thousand witnesses to go forth with the righteous indignation of Josiah and the thunderbolts of heaven's truth, and take away the high places of pride and idolatry, and abolish the abomination of sectism out of the hearts of the people. Amen.

Christ is today gathering his church out of all the sects back to Zion. They return on the highway of holiness; namely, he sanctifies and cleanses them from all sin and traditions, and thus prepares his church, so she may be presented to himself "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing," a holy church without blemish. True holiness adorned the church in primitive days. Had she but retained this glorious truth and experience, this globe today would be girdled with a belt of light and salvation. But instead, an apostasy came. The light of truth was soon extinguished by dark clouds of superstition and of false doctrines. Holiness is really the mainspring of all gospel truth. To retrograde from it would be to throw

open the doors to every species of false doctrine and error.

It was in this manner that the way was paved for the great apostasy. At a very early date true holiness was lost sight of, and was hid from the general masses of the people. Had it ever been retained by the church, there would never have been an apostasy. Mark you! By retrograding from true holiness the church went into apostasy, and was defiled. By returning to the true standard of holiness the church is brought out of the apostasy, and cleansed. The fire of holiness and truth restores a pure church. The result is, "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" As the judgments of truth are executed and the fire of holiness accompanies the same, sinners and hypocrites are surprised and made afraid to profess among us. None can dwell in this devouring fire, only those who walk righteously. "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." Psa. 1:5. "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall

stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Mal. 3:2-6. "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Verse 17.

While Mal. 3:2, 3 was fulfilled when Christ came in his personal advent to this world, yet the same work he then effected, he is now effecting in this evening time; namely, purifying

unto himself a holy church. These scriptures beautifully portray the present holiness work. Christ sits, a refining fire. He sits upon "the throne of his holiness." His throne is "like a fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire." This throne of grace and holiness is "within us.' 99 Thus he suddenly comes to his temple. "Ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them." He purges and purifies his church; even as gold and silver, our hearts are purified by faith. The result of this cleansing is realized by the people of God offering unto the Lord" an offering in righteousness." Such offerings are "pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years [apostolic times]."

Glory to God! we have reached its fulfilment. Since he is dwelling in his church thus cleansed, he executes judgment against all sin and corrupt religions, and is a swift witness against men who would dare to profess among us and be guilty of the things enumerated in verse 5. Thus sinners can not stand in the congregation of the righteous. As we return to the apostolic plane, we are enabled to "discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that

serveth God and him that serveth him not." Thus "the righteous are taken from among the vile"-a pure church is gathered and cleansed; and of them he says, "They shall be mine, when I make up my jewels."

We cooperate with Christ in this great work. What his Word accepts we accept; what it rejects we reject. Thus the rebels are purged out from among us. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." Zech. 13:8, 9. That which cuts off two parts in all the land is the judgments written. God's ministers lay "judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet." The whole truth which they preach is "sharper than a two-edged sword" and cuts off all who will not obey. The third part left is the remnant who walk in the light and obey the whole truth. These are refined by the fire.

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and

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