INCREASE AND THE PROMOTION OF WHAT IS GOOD
[p. 554] INCREASE AND THE PROMOTION OF WHAT IS GOOD
My thought is not to follow on what our brother has been speaking of, nor do I think much of consecutive or suggestive thoughts, in that sense, in a meeting like this; but rather that we should have something direct.
What has come to me now is based on these verses about Adam’s generations. It is a thought that is full of suggestion. The idea begins in the first chapter of the Bible and runs right through. But what is in my mind, mainly, is to call attention to the peculiar situation that arose immediately in the facts recorded in the Bible, as Moses was directed to write. Peculiar circumstances arose almost immediately as to man, but why is it that these circumstances did arise? What was the divine mind in them? Why should it be, for instance, that man’s creation should be so recent; that is, so comparatively recent? And why should there be male and female? All these thoughts are in my mind and what I have to say about them will be brief, but presented in the form of suggestion as to these meetings. They are peculiar meetings and, I believe, very opportune. Our brethren have been well advised, under God, to invite their brethren from elsewhere to meet together in this way, and what has been before us has been opportune in meeting existing need, as I fully believe.
Well then, as I have said, why should this situation at the beginning of the Bible be — why should there be creatures, male and female, called the lower creation, and why should they be made before Adam, and why should they be made subject to Adam? And then, why should there be creatures made much earlier than man, not marked by male [p. 555] and female? For the angels are not marked by male and female. And so with these things in mind I have read these two verses which call attention to Adam’s generations. The passage goes on to say, “In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created”. We are told about this incident — a great incident — in the first chapter of Genesis: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over the whole earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. And God created Man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26). Now you will note that this is repeated, in part, in the passage we have read, only our passage distinctly gives us the creation of man and woman, whereas chapter refers to the creation of Man, mentioning the woman only by inference: “Let them have dominion”, and again, “male and female created he them”. Man was to rule as male and female over the lower creation.
And now I am enquiring in my mind for our good, I trust, why all this was, and why it was that angels were not created male and female. No such thing is mentioned. God waited and created man in His own image, which it does not say of the angels. Man was created in God’s image, after His likeness, and He created them male and female. So that we have to inquire as to the bearing of all this as we are here in this city — in this hall. We have been here, happily together, male and female; and it seems to be a happy arrangement. It creates peculiar exercises and leads to peculiar thoughts and decisions. No doubt some good has come out of it, but the point would be, immediately, to make it more so; to [p. 556] make the results more in keeping with the divine design, that good should be in it. Evil began immediately — in Genesis 3 — but then, redemption has come in in the meantime, and the question now is if we can promote God’s primary thought as to man in creating him male and female, and how this can be brought about. And that was why I have ventured to speak; just to put this in our minds, dear brethren, that we may make the most of the situation — making a way for good in it — that nothing harmful may grow out of these meetings, but rather good. God had in mind to create man in His image, and He made them male and female, having in mind also that there should be the development and expansion of good.
And so, one may inquire what is the hope of increase in these circumstances. The great need is for good — the promotion of good. It is said that God blessed them, and if He blessed them He did so to promote good in them. And so we have young people here — young brothers and sisters — and the question now is, Why are they here? What is the motive that has governed us in coming to these meetings? Is there any good coming out of the occasion from each of us? We shall soon be separating, but in the meantime we shall have the first day of the week and we are hopeful that there will be something for God. If there is not something for God coming out of these meetings, dear brethren, we cannot look for much otherwise; we cannot hope for any increase; we cannot hope to reach God’s design in the creation of man as male and female. But there is good hope that there will be good results from these meetings — results for God — better conditions; better understanding of the divine service, and that brothers and sisters will have a greater part in it. We have part in it together, as has often been said, and there is a readiness to be [p. 557] subject to the principles that govern us as together, so that the sisters are to learn in silence. I am not going to say much to the sisters; my desire is simply to bring out this — one question as to why certain conditions existed at the beginning of the Bible, and whether we understand why it was left to man to be responsible to promote the good. And then we are to look for the promotion of good amongst us — increase in numbers of brothers and sisters in the fellowship, and increase in meetings, too, with better conditions and better quality in the meetings. It was this thought that led me, and I believe rightly, to bring up this point of why things were ordered so at the beginning, and whether we are promoting what was in the divine mind and design in ordering them thus.
And so, we might ask, What is going to come out of these meetings in Chicago? I regard them of very great importance. We have spoken of the spiritual history of Chicago in the past, and of the present history and circumstances, and now the burning question is, How are conditions to be met and are they going to be improved, so that there will be better conditions, increased betterment? That is what is in mind. And so I ventured to put these things on the brethren in this brief way, but, I trust, in a way that will affect our hearts, so that there will be the promotion of good.