The King is glorious in his majesty, perfect in his righteousness, and one can say, without fear of exaggeration, that he is able to do anything.   Moreover, from the greatest castle to the tiniest insect, he sees and knows everything that goes on throughout his realm, even to the movement of the atoms.   In fact his power and knowledge are beyond our comprehension.

     The King is perfect in purity and holiness, and all his realm was perfect, until a servant of his, in pride, and jealousy, rebelled and began plans to harm his master.

     Now, the King had a barrel of beautiful apples that he greatly loved.   That evil servant, knowing of this love, slipped in, and placed a germ of rottenness in one of those apples.   From that one apple, the whole barrel became totally rotten.

     According to the law of that kingdom, a law made by the King himself, and which he was bound to keep, anything rotten became the property of the garbage man, Mr. Justice, by name, who must take it to the dump to be burned and destroyed.

     It happened that the King, and his Son, his only Son, and very dear to him, were passing by, when this barrel of rotten apples was about to be carried off by the garbage man.   "Stop!" said the King.   "What are you going to do with my apples?"

     "These apples are all rotten," he replied.   "You know, Sir, that by your law, all things rotten belong to me, and I am to take them to the dump to be destroyed."

     "Yes, I know that," said the King, "But these apples have been my special pride and joy.   Each one of them has a precious soul, that will never be destroyed in the dump, but will suffer forever.   I also gave them eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to reason and understand, and hearts to feel joy, pain, love and compassion, such as I do.   I gave them each a spirit, through which to fellowship with me.   Before they became rotten, there was much of my own likeness in them."

     "However, as I look into them all, I can see that they are, indeed, totally rotten.   Their flesh is putrefying.   Their hearts are shriveled and mean.   Their spirits are completely dead, as far as any sensitivity, to their King, is concerned.   I can no longer have any fellowship with them, so, out to the dump they must go.

     At this point, the Son, who had been examining the barrel of apples, exclaimed, "Wait, Father!   I can see that the evil rottenness has penetrated all of the apples, and I can see that they are almost all satisfied with their rotten condition, even glorying in it.   But among them, I see a few that are grieved with their filth, who thirst for something better.   Is there some way that we can help these, and save them from their awful fate?"

     The Father replied, "I, too, have seen those grieving souls, and my heart goes out to them, even as it does, to all poor souls, doomed to such a terrible place.   However, as a consequence of their rottenness, they are all condemned by law, and rightfully belong to the garbage man, who will burn them up.   One of them became infected with rottenness, and so has infected them all, therefore, they all must be destroyed."

     "If it were possible to find just one perfect apple among them, without any rottenness, that apple, would not belong to the garbage man, nor would it be subject to the condemnation of the others.   If it wished, it could redeem another apple from its fate, by sacrificing itself, to go to the dump, but, it could only redeem one apple.   And, as you see, there is not even one perfect apple among them, no not one.   They are altogether rotten, only fit to be destroyed."

     "O, Father," cried the Son.   "I know what you can do.   You can take me, and make me into an apple.   You can place me into the barrel among those rotten apples, and then tell the garbage man to take me, and throw me into the garbage pit, in place of this barrel of apples.   I will take their suffering upon me, and as your son, I will be of more than enough value to redeem all of them.   O, Father, will you let me go?"

     With joy, and pride, the Father answered, "Yes, my Son, you may go, and I'll love you, and be with you.   By my power, I'll surely bring you out of that horrible place, and I shall love and glorify you for ever."

     Then, the Father said to the garbage man, "We are buying back this barrel of apples.   I am giving my Son for it.   My Son will go into their midst, and become one of them, and in their place, he will be turned over to you to die and go into the garbage pit.   This, I promise, he shall do."

     "All right," said the garbage man.   "I know you keep your word.   Here is your barrel of apples.   Do with them as you wish."

     "This is your barrel of apples," Said the King to his Son.   "It is your responsibility, to judge the apples."

     Immediately, the Son chose certain ones, of the apples, to give out the good news, of the King's wonderful promise, to the other apples, and to record the wonderful promise in their books.

     Some believed the promise, and were filled with joy and hope, but others turned against the witnesses and mistreated them, even to the extent of putting them to death.

     The time at last came.   The King changed his beloved Son into an apple, and placed him in the midst of the barrel of rotten apples.   There, in the stench of that filthy mess, the Son was even made to have the outward appearance of the rotten apples; however, his inward purity and perfection could not be marred.   Like a star, he shown out among them.

     He taught them with a heavenly teaching, and his power was revealed in the comforting of hearts, and the healing of diseases.   The Son also plainly proclaimed his identity as the Son of the King, who had come out of the King's love for the apples, to save them from the consequences of their rotten condition.

     Some believed in him and immediately found in him a life and hope, they had never known before.   They had thirsted, but now they had found the water of life.   They had hungered, but now they partook of the bread of life.   They were once lost and undone, but now they were found, by the shepherd.   Their spiritual eyes were opened, and now they had fellowship and harmony with the Great King.

     But the greater portion of the rotten apples hated this one who claimed to be the Son of the Great King.   His perfect purity made their filthy rottenness stand out as it had never done before, so they plotted his destruction.   By false accusations and by mob violence they, at last, were able to bring about his condemnation, and death.   In the agony of his dying, Justice, the garbage man, dumped him into the fires of the garbage pit, and was satisfied.   The promised payment had been paid in full.

     But the Son came back!   Three days later, he arose from the dead.   The King, in his mighty power, had brought his Son back from the pit.   He returned to visit his followers, among the rotten apples; those who had learned to love him.

     He told this little band to go, with his word, and with his spirit, and with their testimonies, to all the rotten apples in the barrel.   By his command, they were to give out the good news, to all those rotten apples, that if any of them would repent of his rottenness, and trust in the King's Son as his redeemer, he would receive eternal life, and be born again, a child of the King.

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     Elder Clyde Jones, pastor of Bible Missionary Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon, reports that the tent revival meeting, in Skamokawa, Washington, was a success.   While there were no known professions of faith made, there was a spirit of fellowship and more importantly the community knows that the Lord has a work in Skamokawa.   We, at Bible Missionary Baptist Church, covet your prayers for this work.

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      Yes, things are progressing, things are being accomplished, and we appreciate the help we've received this summer.   But we've been reminded today that our permit to work on camp will NOT be extended past Nov. 15.

     There will be a work 'week' at camp over Labor Day weekend.   Beginning Thursday Sept 2 thru Monday, Sept 6 we will try to build the shower house and finish up the biggest jobs left.   So, please come help us if you can.   Every weekend someone will be there.

     Pray for the Lord's guidance and strength in the camp's final push to the finish.

     They were also, to give forth the promise, that the Son would surely come again, and take away all their filthiness, and make them beautiful like unto himself, and carry them away to the King's beautiful palace, and there to live with him forever.

     Meanwhile the Son returned to his Father's palace, to receive glory and praise from all his Father's servants, and to sit in a place of honor at his Father's right hand.   Whenever an accusation of rottenness is brought against any of those apples who trust in him, he stands to his feet and says, "Behold these marks in my hands and feet and in my side."   And pointing to the blood, that is sprinkled on the altar, he says, "And there is the blood that I shed in my death.   It covers all the rottenness of those who have put their trust in me."   Thereupon the rottenness of the accused is no longer seen.   In its place, is the glory and perfection of the Son of the King.

     When the thirsty soul and sad heart, among the rotten apples has, heard the good news, and believed on the Son, and drunk of the water of life, the Son will then take up the other work, which the Father had assigned to him; that of judge of the barrel of apples.

     He will sit upon his white throne, and all the remainder of the rotten apples will be brought before him.   To them, he will say, "Your judgement is in my hands.   I bought you from the garbage man, and I must judge you righteously."

     The books and records of sinful hearts, and all rottenness, will be opened, also, the book of the King's law, and of those witnesses to the barrel of rotten apples, will be read.

     The record of the born again ones, will be opened, to show that none of the condemned are listed there.   Then the Son will say to them, "He that believeth on the Son is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of the King.   Here is my accusation against all of you.   You have trodden underfoot, the Son of the King.   You have counted his blood, that was shed for you, as an unholy thing.   You have meanly treated his loving spirit which tried to bring repentance to your hearts.   What, Therefore, shall be your doom?"

     Then, these words shall be read from the book of the King, who is perfect in justice, and righteousness:   "THEY SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH."   AMEN!

     I was just one rotten apple, in a barrel of rotten apples, stinking, filthy, and hopeless, but I heard the good news, and I trusted in the Son, who died for me.   His spirit entered my heart, and made me a child of the King.   Now, I talk with the King every day, and know that he loves me.   Some day soon he'll send for me.   I'll leave all my rottenness behind, and be carried to His beautiful palace, to live with Him forevermore.

Letters To The Editor

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