The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-14
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

ASSuredly our text has never yet had
fultillment, but just as surely it shall
be fulfilled, for the mouth Of the Lord
hath spoken it; yea, more, hath de-
clared that ultimately every knee
shall bow and every tongue confess
Messiah, TO the glory Of God the Fa-
ther. Some time ago in our Sunday
School hymnals very popular melody
was entitled SHOWERS OF BLESS
INGS" and prayed, LET some drop
pings fall upon me-" This truly ex-
presses the Christians experience in
the present time. The Lord permits
showers for their refreshment, for
their development Nevertheless the
showers of refreshing never seem to
come with sufficient frequency, and
we continually rejoice In the hope that
''still there's more TO follow" What a
contrast. therefore. is suggested by the
words of our text-a downpour Of
truth and grace which will produce a
food of righteousness and knowledge
OF the Lord worldwide and ocean
deep!
When will this be, and how will 1t
come to pass. are the incredulous in
quiries. 1t seems too good to be true
that, after reign Of sin and death
lasting for six thousand years, so won
derful change is to be brought about!
1t seems too great miracle to be ex-
pected that. after the struggle of
Truth with Error, of Righteousness
with Sin for long centuries, the time
should ever come when Righteousness
ard the knowledge Of God should OBJ
tain so complete victory. so thorough
mastery Of the world! When we
consider the united energies Of Chris
tendon during the last century to
spread the knowledge OF the Lord
amongst the heather and the results
during the last century in spreading
the knowledge of the Lord throughout
heathendom, the Scriptural statement
seems incredible When we reflect
that a century ago there were six hun
dred millions Of heather and that now
there are twelve hundred millions, we
ask ourselves by what miracle it could
ever come to pass that the knowledge
Of the Lord should ever cover the
whole earth as the waters cover the
mighty deep.
Thy Kingdom Come"
The Scriptures answer our query
and explain the entire situation. They
tell us that the worlds conversion
comes not by might nor by power OF
man, but ''By my spirit. saith the
Lord" The Bible tells us that during
this Gospel Age God has poured out
his holy Spirit upon his servants and
upon his landmarks and upon these
alone; but they tell US also that with
the end of this Age and the dawning
Of the new dispensation the Lord viii
pour out his spirit upon all flesh.
AFTER those days, saith the Lord.
will pour out my spirit upon all flesh"
But what will be the cause Of this
change in the Divine program, which
the Almighty has foreknown from Of
old and foretold through the prophets?
Evidently it is not change of the
Divine purpose or intent. but merely
a change In the Divine operation. for
known unto the Lord are all his
works, from the foundation Of the
world" A lesson we all need to learn
is that as, in human operations. time
and order are observed. so likewise
these are elements in the Divine ar
rangement. In the construction q
foundation is the first requisite, and
the roof or capstone and the finishing
touches mark the completion Of the
edifice. So in the Divine arrangement
various ages mark various degrees Of
development in the Divine purpose
and not until the finishing touches
shall have been given will the glories
of the architect and builder of crea-
tons wonderful temple be manifested.
We are at present In the formative Pc
riod. God has begun the great work
of which he prophesied Of old. Mes
siah has come, has died for the sins
of men, has arisen from the dead and
been highly exalted: the Church. spir-
itual Israel, gathered from natural Is
rael and from all the families Of the
earth, little fock," has been in
piStcSo VI ScItCllOu LUZ ucdTiy uIuctccu
centuries. Soon it will be completed
the predestinated number possessing
the foreordafned quality of character.
copies Of Gods dear Son." will have
been found and tested and developed
and polished and fitted and prepared
for the glorious position to which they
have been called as Messiah's Bride
and joint-heir In his Kingdom. Then
the King and Queen Of the Millennial
Kingdom, being In readiness for their
work, great change In the Divine
program Of earth will take place.
Satan Shall Be Bound.
The Scriptures most distinctly teach
that we are under the reign Of the
prince of this world" Satan. and
that our Lord at his Second Coming
in power and great glory will bind or
restrain this strong one and overthrow
his empire, which is not Of Divine au-
thorization, but built upon human
weaknesses. ignorance and supersti-
ton. We are distinctly told that Satan
shall be- bound for that thousand
years 1.-THE Millennium that he may
deceive the people no more until the
. thousand years shall be finished. ~
The Question naturally arises Why