STUDY XVI.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS. OUR DUTY TOWARD THE TRUTH. ITS COST, ITS VALUE, ITS PROFIT. m
TN the preceding chapters we have seen that both the light -* of nature and that of revelation clearly demonstrate the facl: that an intelligent, wise, almighty and righteous God is the Creator of all things, and that he is the supreme and rightful Lord of all ; that all things animate and inanimate are subject to his control ; and that the Bible is the revela- tion of his character and plans so far as he is pleased to disclose them to men. From it we have learned that though evil now predominates among some of his creatures, it exists for only a limited time and to a limited extent, and by his permission, for wise ends which he has in view. We have also learned that though darkness now covers the earth, and gross darkness the people, yet God's light will in due time dispel all the darkness, and the whole earth will be filled with his glory.
We have seen that his great plan is one that has required ages for its accomplishment thus far, and that yet another age will be required to complete it ; and that during all the dark ages* of the past, when God seemed to have almost for- gotten his creatures, his plan for their future blessing has been silently but grandly working out, though during all those ages the mysteries of his plan have been wisely hidden from men. We have also seen that the day or age which is now about to dawn upon the world is to be the day of the world's judgment or trial, and that all previous prepara-
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