1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

R210 : page 4What poor despised companyOf travelers are these,Who walk in yonder narrow way,Along the rugged maze?Ah; these are of a royal line,All children of a King.Heirs of immortal crowns divine,And lo, for joy they sing!Why do they, then, appear so mean?And why so much despised?Because, of their rich robes unseenThe world is not apprised.But why keep they that narrow roadThat rugged, thorny maze?Why that's the way their leader trod;They love and keep His ways.What! is there, then, no other road?To Salem's happy ground?Christ is the only way to God;None other can be found."====================J. C. S.NUMBER THREE.PART III.Many of our readers are familiar with the outline of God's planas embodied in three worlds,--The world that was before theflood, the world that now is, and the world to come. This is astriking example of the fundamental character of number threein the structure of the Bible plan of revelation and salvation.Each of these worlds, or orders, is spoken of in succession ashaving its own "heavens and earth." 2 Pet. 3. Here we have thefoundation of the idea of the third heaven. The third earth andthe third heaven are the final and perfect, wherein "thetabernacle of God is with men," (Rev. 21:3) and "whereindwelleth righteousness." 2 Pet. 3:13.Be it observed there are heavens, as well as an earth in eachorder. They seem to exist in relation to each other as cause andeffect, the outer, lower and visible as an expression of the inner,higher and invisible. The heavens rule and the earth is subject.This is at least clearly so of the second and third orders. In thesecond, called "This present evil world," the "powers ofheaven," (by permission and with limitations of course, as nocreature can outwit the Creator) are "wicked spirits," all