Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-08
~ ~ ,PLYMOUTH-BETHEL
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PASTOR RUSSELL HoMEwARD BOUND
sea-Master carest Thou Not That We Perish?
ark
PASTOR RUSSELL HoMEwARD BOUND
J." Master carest Thou Not That We Perish?"-
A Storm a
Mark 4, SO.

Mid Ocean, Mauretania, June 6.-Pastor G.
7. Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle ana asso-
ciatts are on boald returning from LONDON
Bible stud nts convention.
! In text have the despairing cry OF
the apostles TO the Lord, in the MIDST Oh
what must have been remarkably severe
storm on the sea of Galiloe. Some OF the aus
ciples, at least, were experienced f1shermen'
accustomed TO the sudden squalls for Which thAt
sea is noted. For such courageous men as
Peter. James and John to appeal to Jesus Tor
superruman aid implies that the conditions were
critical. II seems rather astonishing lhueea
that our Lord could have slept under suCn
| superhuman all implies that the conditions were
hausted from speaking to large multitudes ana
the journey made ia considerable measure
| 10 get away from the people In order that nc
might have necessary rest But, again, II is
possible that Lord feigned sleep TOT tue
very purpose Of permitting His dlselPies "
ireaCh the pOnt of extremity which led theh
to cnll for His aid, because mans extremity
is Gods opportunity. The Master arose ann
rc6uked the VIVID, saying unto tire sea, feacF,
be stll." And there was n great CALM AM
He said TO the disciples, Why are We so iear-
full? Have We not yet faith?"
This expression constitutes one OF the great
lessons Of the Master to His pupils, HIS ais
ciples, and it has ringing down the cen
turtles speaking peace to HIS fO hDt Ss wSo
is able to control the storms and the sea Is
.,ylse able to govern all the affairs OF life
in the int les,s OF .hvse MO are Ills cohSe-
Grated followers His disciples. Whether we
have had 50 remarkable an escape from storm
at sea or not, l am sure that some OF us
have had the Masters supervision and inter
| ventlon for our protection from the storms Oh
life To some Of our hearts he mas spoken
| these same words, Peace, be still. Have We
not yet faith" And with the message came
great calm, great serenity, a great "est
in the Lord and His superabundant care. y
| for a time the Master seemed unconscious OF
our condition and asleep to the dangers ABOUT
| u.s. it was only seemingly so. HIS care anu
His power were equally with us, and none
| could really ham our interests new crea-
i lures. He whose eye never slumoers nor Sleeps
| keeps watch over the interests OF those VINO
| 3c drnd hat n
shall work together for good TO them; because
they love Him; because they have been called
| according to His purpose; because they are seek
ing &c make that calling and election sure ny
loving self-sacrificing obedience.
THE PROVINCE OF FAITH.
In our Judgment the Lord not specially
condemning the apostles for fearing the storm
and awakening Him TO quell it. Indeed, thelr
! action indicates that they had faith; that they
believed that the Master had the power which
could save them. The Lord would nave thenl
exercise still broader faith than THIS ne
would have them realize the Fathers care
as He had taught them, saying, Are not Two
sparrows sold for farthng and one OF tnen
shall not fall the ground without your fa-
tbor. -. Fear We not. therefore; We are OF
more value than many sparrows (Matt. lu'zs-
81 The lessons sought to De lncuca'eu w voS
this: ''The Father has called you 10 De my
| disciples and co-laborcrs. You with myself
therefore, are specially under Divine guidance
! and supervision. And He VINO mas oegun tns
| good work In you and who purposes to use you
! MS His mouthpiece in the proclaiming OF ms
message aud grace Is aozie 10 care ir,,n IoI 1,o
; you' snnnose that. after calling you 10 me
ministry Of Ills grace, He would permit you
| 10 perish? To so fear, implies that you 90 not
| realize your calling 10 have been OF you "s
! do not realize the Divine power, or that you
doubt Divine wisdom and supervislon-oelns Vi
Stall we not similar judge ourselves scru-
| tinize our own hearts, inquire witnln III
! The midst of the storms and tempests OF IRE
| we become terrified? Would not this imply
! that we doubt the Divine providence IN our
own cases in the past and that we are Un I'M IT
I call ~
|, followers % the Lamb, sharers III the surfer
! ings Of Christ and heirs OF the glory
that shall follow? Or would 1t m mean asod1 per-.
hans no other lesson is more important Ior
Gods children to learn in the present th btne
than this--tO have absolute confidence IN '"eNi
Fathers Justice wisdom love and power
WE WALK BY FAITH.
The apostle remarks of the church OF this age,
eve vail nv faith and not by sight" In this
, resnect. the gospel church is different from the
. Jewish church Of the preceding age ana olIier-
emf from the Millennial church OF the oneoming
egs The latter will walk by sight. The Sun
OF righteousness will shine forth, we are as
sured and scatter all the darkness ., tSn voTd
with the flight Of the knowledge OF the glory
} OF God" There will be no more walking Dy tne
now so necessary to us now lamp to our
feet and as a light TO our footsteps, TO assist US
in walking in the marrow way oy rain anu
The Jewish church of the preceding age was
privileged to walk considerably by sight NOT
I
NINA re the world in the millennium, but, never
theless. they walked by sight because tne
divine terms . Mere La MS stOntes He wour6
bless them in basket and store and flock and
herd and in their families and In their hearts.
And the assurance was that II there was any
r calamity II would be because of their departure
from the Lord and would mark His disfavor ~.
whoever boe would be Gods child. a follower OF
Jesus, IN the present time must walk by Iatn
and not by sight He must oeheVe Wn "a di ne
: cpleshfp In this age, the cost OF sonslNp In
the divine family in this present time means
self sacrifice, a way, opposition and per
secution. ''Yea, whoever will live gOdly in this
present world will suffer persecution" Instead
! OF being blessed above other men In their TEN
? poral affairs the eOnsecrated, the sancu1ied
. have the scriptural assurance that they must
, expect the reverse. Instead of being kept in
: perfect health many Of the Lords followers
have had sad experiences on beds OF sickness
3 and pain Instead of being wealthy, 1t was
: foretold that there would be not many rich
amongst them, not many great, not many wise
according to the course of this world, but that
the riches they must esteem are the riches OF
Z Goods grace associated with the exceeding great
2 and precious promises Of Gods Word. Instead
! of being surrounded by conditions OF affluence
. wealth and ease their circumstances are gener
ally the reverse of these. And why Is this so?
l Because the Lord is now choosing or selecting
5 from amongst mankind little flock OF 'peeyu
be join heirs with His Son in the heavenly
"a PECULIAR PEOPLE"
. The Lords people are peculiar in their dress
. NOT as respects their outward clothing but as
respects their robe of Christs righteousness
: theirs by imputation, because Of faith In the
blood Of Christ, faith in His sacrifice for sins
: These are peculiar also in that they love
5 wedding garment" which they wear continu
ally and which they seek to keep 'unspotted
: from the world" and which they trust by and
! by will admit their entrance with their Lord
| ! to the great Marriage Supper when they, as
members of the Bride-elect shall become the
Queen Of Glory Joint-heirs with the Bride
groom.
= These are pecundar also in that they love
righteousness and hate iniquity, whereas the ma
tority Of people love iniquity and are ready to
, indulge in II to the extent that they would not
be caught or seriously injured. These on the
contrary, love righteousness because they have
come to esteem 1t the character Of their
heavenly Father and His will respecting them,
and they have come to hate iniquity because
: they have learned OF its injuriousness and tina
7 the Heavenly Father is not pleased with in.
= EQUITY, injustice, wrong in any FORM These
] peculiar people ars 80 DESTROYS Of pleasing the
! Heavenly Father that they are quite willing 10
be thought peculiar strange to the world IN
general that they may hear by and by the
words. ''Wen done, good and faithful servant
thou hast been over few things, / will make
thee ruler over many things. Matt. 25:23.
! 20 YE OF LITTLE FAITH"
All the circumstances and affairs OF life, its
storms and its cams, its Joys and Its sorrows,
its ups and its downs. its pleasures and Its
4 pains are so ordered Of the Fathers providence
as 10 give these peculiar people the lessons
they most need primarily to develop in them
{ this quality OF faith and secondarily the va
rious graces Of the Lords Spirit, which lie