The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-09-24
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Sunday. Sept. 19.-Some time soon
we must consider for the benefit of
fellow-Christians what the Bible has
10 say respecting the Day of Judgment.
For the present we suffice ourselves
with the general explanation that this
term Day of Judgment has been seri-
ously misconstrued by theologians and
by the public. 1t has been used out
of harmony with the Scriptural usage.
1t has been used out of harmony with
reasonable, logical deductions. The
term Day of Judgment is generally
understood to mean Day of Sentence
or Day Of Doom. In fact, Doomsday
is frequently used as synonym with
out the slightest warrant. The term
Day of Judgment signifies the Day Of
trial or testing; as in our text we read
that men shall give an account in the
Day of Judgment for every idle word.
The proper thought on the subject of
Judgment from the Bible standpoint
is this: God created our first parents
innocent. perfect. and placed them on
trial. Their Day of Judgment was in
Eden. How long it would have lasted
had they remained faithful to God we
are not Informed, but as soon as they
had disobeyed the Divine command.
their day of trial or judgment was
ended. and the sentence. dying thou
shalt die" began to be inflicted. The
Judgment or trial of Adam was over.
and since all of his posterity share his
imperfections and are equally I'M
worthy of life on that account, there
fore the sentence of sin. dying thou
shalt die" rests upon every member
of the race, just as though each indi-
had lost in the trial with father Adam.
This matter st. Paul clearly enunci-
ates, saying. "By one mans disobedi-
ence. sin entered into the world and
death as the result of sin. Thus death
passed upon all men. because all are
sinners" (Romans V, 12).
This being true. how comes it that
there is any mention made in the Scrip
lures of another judgment day. If
all mankind already are judged un-
worthy of eternal life and worthy of
death everlasting. why should there
be any further Judgment? The Bible
answer to the question is that there
would have been no reference to flu
ture judgment day had it not been
that God had provided a Redeemer.
Christ Jesus, by whose merit the first
penalty against our race through Adam
will eventually be abrogated. set aside.
In consequence of the setting aside of
the first sentence of death a second
trial or Judgment will be opened to
every member of the race. The first
trial or judgment was of one man
(Adam) for all Of his race. A second
trial or judgment. secured by the Re-
deemer. will treat Adam and all of
his race individually; granting them
each an individual or personal trial,
hence unlike the first trial in Eden.
which was Of one man and for the
race This second trial has not yet
been provided for our race. except in
the sense that it has been prepared for
and promised-"God hath appointed a
day in which he will judge the world
the Millennial day-a thousand years
in length. 1t Till be the worlds trial
day or time of individual testing.
Whoever of the world comes to
knowledge of the fact that God has
provided such a future trial, such a
future opportunity of obtaining eternal
life. is on notice at once that every
intelligent act of his in the present life
will have bearing upon his prospect
for eternal life in the future. If now
he uses wisely the opportunities of the
present life he may upbuild for him
self a measure of character. self-con-
troll. etc, which will prepare him for
a more honorable place during the Mil
IenniaI Kingdom and make his prog
ress there the more rapid and the more
easy. Or. on the contrary. by degrad-
ing himself in the present life he may
undermine his character and, during
the Millennial Day Of Judgment CriaD
find himself so much lower in the hui
man scale and have so much further
to advance out Of sin and death con-
ditions into the condition Of perfection
and everlasting life.
The Church has her Judgment day in
the present life-during this Gospel
Age. All consecrated believers, begot-
ten of the holy Spirit. are now on
trial for everlasting life or for ever
lasting death as new creatures In
Christ Jesus" If such do not comply
with the conditions of their consecra-
ton, but draw back to sin. their trial
will be in one sense useless and the
sentence of utter destruction will rest
upon them-.'the Second Death"
Idle Words-Perniciou Words.
The context shows that our Lord in
our text addressed, not his disciples,
but the worldly. the Pharisees. Doubt
less the same principle applies to the
Church. Every idle or pernicious word
of ours has it's weight, has it's influ-
ence with ourselves and with others.
Those who are rightly Informed re-
specting the Lords will in such mat
tiers. the Lords consecrated people,
have great responsibility RESPONSE
bility of what effect their words and
influence have upon others. Our words.
whether written or spoken, exercise
an influence upon the minds and
thoughts of others. Frequently they
go from one to another and thus. IL
pernicious. evil is spread far and near
and the word onca utterpd cannot he