The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-14
DAWN OF THE MILLENNIUM
A oNE-DAY CONVENTION Is HELD IN
INDIANAPOLIS.
The Principal Address Mt the PrOpy-
Iaeum Meeting Made ny Chas. t.
Russell. of PennsyIVania.

''MiIlennial Dawn, addressed a large au-
dience at the Propylaeum yesterday after
noon on the topic, ''AIfllennial Hopes and
Prospects" His text was from Rom. viii,
1922: "The whole creation groaneth and
travaileth in pain together until now wait
ing for the manifestation Of the sons or
Cod" The teaching of a millennial age Is,
in short, a reign Of Christian government
under divine direction that will supplant
all material administration after a period
Of anarchy has wrecked the institutions or
government. Mr.. Russell says that man is
not capable of bringing about this Chris
tian era, and that the anal disruption of all
nations and classes is inevitable; then
Christ will manifest himself in spirit and
one great brotherhood of man will be
tabhshed.
The text the speaker pointed out, ap-
piled to a hope regarding a future of bless
ing for the world Of mankind in general-a
hope fulfilled in the scriptural expressions
regarding the millennium period of
thousand years. detailed in the twentieth
chapter of Revelation, in which Satan
would be restrained and the nations up
lifted ard blessed. He applied to this fu-
ture period the expressions OF the Lords
prayer: ''Our Father who are art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy king
dom come. thy will be done on earth as it
is in heaven" and pointed out that the
sentiments of the prayer have never yet
been realized in full. Although a fair pro-
portion of the worlds population enjoys
many comforts and some luXuries, yet all
realize that the golden age Of immunity
from trouble and distress is yet in the flu
ture, in time when sorrow, suffering
dying, shall have given place TO JOY, free
dom from pain and fuilneSs or lie. Never
theless, the world In general has but dim
conception of what the glOries OF the future
shall be At present a clear conception OF
what Gods purpose is for the world IN
general is confined to those who have faith
TO accept the teachings of the Scripture
wherein is made clear Gods provision for
mankind, and only these properly realize
that the present period of sorrow will
cease ultimately in everiasting peace
through the establishment OF Gods own
kingdom Of righteousness.
A GREAT SABBATH
The speaker suggested that the millen-
MUM will be the great Sabbath day of rest
and refreshment. 5000 years of sin being
followed by the seventh thousand years of
righteousness. and that the Scriptures
speak of the former as a night time, fol-
lowed by the glorious day of light. So the
prophet David said, Weeping may endure
n
In the present night time the Christian has
the lamp Ohe Scriptures for his guidance
but in the future age, when those who
have been faithful to the Lord in the pres
ent time of evil and opposition are glOrifed
in His kingdom, they shall constitute a
great light for the profit and blessing of
the world; "Then shall the righteous shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of their
Father" This Signified, according to the
speaker, that the faithful ones of this time
will be given special powers, as associates
with Christ. in the administration of the
millennial blessings 10 the world, scatter
ing darkness, ignorance, misery and DEATH
and lifting up the poor and needy, both in
mental and moral ways as well as physical
ly. These blessings are characterized in
the Scriptures as restitution" favors, and
the speaker cited Acts iii, 1921 in support
Of his thought that Christ and His church
would accomplish this work at His second
advent In this text the apostle points out
that every holy prophet who was instructed
OF God spoke of the millennium and its
work, and hence the prophecies are found
TO contain abundant references to it.
CONDENSATION OF DEATH.
Answering the question. how the world
needs restitution and lifting up to better
conditions, the speaker drew attention to
the condemnation which passed upon the
whole human race through our original
parents-a condemnation of death, which
included with il all the aches and pains
grooming and distress which would lead to
that elimination. The theory of eternal
torment as penalty was touched upon
and shown to be out of harmony with the
Scriptures, which declares that death is
the wages of sin 1t was claimed that
hell. as place of torture. was a product
or the ignorance and superstition of the
dark ages, and not a part of Gods plan
but that Gods character had been griev-
ously misrepresented thereby. mo reason
able person, especially a Christian. could
believe IL TO be just the part of our
Creator TO bring into being a race now
totaling $4,000, O00, 600, and to provide in adj
vance for their torture. Such an Injustice
could never be offset by the provision of
Christ as savior even If one-half of the
race were saved-or even nine-tenths. For
nlne-tenthS OF humanity to suffer through
all eternity would be blot upon the divine
character, which mercy to the remainder
could never compensate. He deprecated
the present tendency 10 throw away the
scriptures because they were assumed to
be the source of this awful theory and
onered freely pamphlet examining every
text or scripture which seemed To SuDnOrt
the doctrine of torture, and showing IFS
proper and harmonious significance in con-
nection with the remainder OF the word
Much stress was laid upon the fact thar
Jesus Christ came to be the prOnitatiOn for
sin, and the declaration of Scripture that If
was his death. and not eternal suffering.
which constitutes the release of those who
believe on Him. The gospel age Ga period
intervening between Christs sacrifice and
his second advenD was shown to be the time
Will be associated with Lord Jesus In the
future work of blessing the world in general.
and quoted the statement. know We not
that the saints shall Judge the world p"
In order 10 perfect this class it is per-
mitted to have special trials and difficulties
common with the world in general that
through these, under Gods grace, they NAV
be specially fitted and prepared for the
special honors which will be theirs in the
kingdom. These are the sons" of God
Tor whose shining forth the world waits
ana longs, although ignorant of the exact
nature OF the condition they long for. The
| speaker claimed that il was this class
Nhlcn was referred to when God intimated
70 Aoraham that future blessing was in
ms plan: In :hy seed shall all the families
81 me earth be blessed" and drew atten-
uoh 10 the Apostle Paurs application of
the matter, when he said, IF We be Christ
theh are We Abrahams seed. and heirs
according 20 promise" (Gal. iii 1921
various prophetical statements Indicative
| OF the character OF the blessing TO be be-
slowed by this seed class considered
| lsaiahs prophecy. 1.-The wilderness shall
blossom as the rose: streams shall break
Iortn In the desert, and the solitary places
shaII be made glad" THE knowledge Of
| the Lord shall I'LL the whole earth as the
waters cover the sea" N me shall need
| 70 say unto his neighbor Know thou the
| Lord, for all shall know Him from the
| least unto the greatest" Daniels portrayal
| evil world, and their sUpplanting by
government OF Righteousness stone cut
out or the mountain without hands. which
nled the whole earth. and the kingdom I'M
| der the whole heaven shall be given unto
| the saints Of the Most High. and they shall
possess II forever.
NEARNEss OF TIME.