Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1909-12-11
Sermon by
CHARLES T..
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

lyu Tabernacle. He took for his text
the words of the Savior. mo man hav-
Ing put his hand to the plow, and look
In. back. is lit for the Kingdom OF
God" luke ix. 62,. The discourse fol-
lows:
The Great Teacher did not use the
methods of modern revivalists to Sc
cure following. He did not ask the
multltudes TO raise their hand II they
would prefer TO go to heaven at death
and then publish them as converts
Christians, Indeed his methods were
the very reverse of this, avoiding all
kinds of sensational appeals to pride,
selfishuess. vanity, etc. He set forth
in plain terms the difficulties to be ex-
pected by all those who espouse bis
Cause aud become bis disciples. He
forwarned them that it would mean
the taking up of a cross and the bear
ing of it in his footsteps in the mar
row way of self sacrifice. He warned
these, saying. Marvel not, if the
world hate you. Ye know that it hated
me before it hated you. If ye were of
the world. the world would love his
OWN; but because ye are not OF the
world, but | have chosen you out of
the world, therefore the world hateth
you" Il John iii, 49, John XIV, Is, 19,.
Instead of trying to produce all eS-
citement which would balance the
Judgment of his hearers and lead them
TO profess what they subsequently
would not be able or willing TO prac-
tice ihe Great Teacher, on The cou-
trary, said to those contemplating dis
cipleship, sit down first aud count the
COST Instead of attempting 10 sway
lbe multitudes, our Lord took q diff
ferent course aud attempted 10 make
disciples of only a special class-uot
the poor, not the rich, not he learned,
pot the iguoraut, but, irrespective ct
these class lines and distinctions, his
cull was 10 all those who loved right
eousnesS aud hateu iniquity. All those
who were weary aud beavy-laden, up-
pressed by sin and lis peDalty TO them-
selves aud their trieuds-theSe lie
c2l!ed 10 earn of him and find rest of
soul
TheDceforth that class. having been
brought in touch With the Redeemer,
gan make further progress oniy
through faith in him and SubmiSSiun
to his guidance into all Truth and into
fellowship with the Father. The class
thus influenced we believe 10 he snlal
as compared to humanity as whole =
only that portion which in honesty Of
heart derlores sin aud lppgs for
Righteousness aud fellowship with God.
These. like the remainder Ot the race.
are hy nature fallen. imperfect, sinful.
condemned. but i'll these still persists
some trace of the image OF God, IN
the perfection OF which father Adam
was created. 1t is this trace or strain
of the Divine character represented
By conscience aud faith which ieadH
them to recognize their fallen aud siu-
full cOtidilion. as compared with tue
Divine standard of perfection, and this
becomes the basis Ut their calling or
drawing o. God, their ear" lie that
hath au ear. let him hear Ntevelatiun
it, q. 1t will be observed that we are
not specially blaming OF conhemliIIS
those who have not tue hearing ear.
On The contrary we remember the
gracious words of Scripture, that i'll
Gods due time, "All the blind eyes
shall he opened; all the deaf ears shall
be uustopped'' Isaiah xxXv, 81. We
are glad of this promise of God that
ultimately all shall see aud all shall
hear and all shall know Him. from the
least To the greatest. We rejoice, too,
that when they know Him truly. they
will rejoice, even as do we now. That
will be their time of responsibility,
their time OF tlinl or Judgment for life
Or death eternal GU The earthly plane.
Fhe Kingdom of God.
Our text speaks OF the Kingdom Of
God And it is important that we
first of all notice that these words have
in the Scriptures Il two-foId signih+
canoe. For instance. our Lord Jesus
taught that we should pray to the Fa
ther, Thy Kingdom come; thy will
be done on earth as it is done III
heaven" The reference of this prayer
is to the Millennal reign or govern
mcnt Of Christ. which st. Paul de-
clares will begin at the Second Com
ing of our Lord. aud continue until he
shall have put down all insubordina-
tim. all sin, everything contrary TO
Divine character and Law. 1t will be
the Kingdom of God which will SUBJ
due all things. It will be tue Kingdom
Of God amongst men perfected when
oil things shall have been subdued.
Aud when Christ's mediatorial King
dom shall be, at the end Of the Mil-
lenniQm, delivered back to God. even
the Father, Gods Kingdom will have
fully come In the earth. Gods will
then will be possible of accomplish
ment by men. because all will have
reached perfectioD; and Christ's media
toriaI Kingdom will end because it will
be no longer necessary. IT viii nave
accomplished the great purpose ZOE
which it was intended.
II was not. however. respecting that
MiIleunial reign, that InediatoFlal