Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-03
IN THIS MOUNTAIN

cents convention Is In session here. Pastor
Russell of Brooklyn tabernacle, addressed the
convention twice today. One of his dlscourses
was follows:
las you are all undoubtedly aware, the word
mountain throughout the Scriptures is used as
the symbol for Kingdom. Earthly governments
are represented as mountains and hills WhIe
the Lords government is represented as being
established in the top of the mountains
at is this mountain or kingdom of God that
is referred to in our text. 1t has not yet been
established in the earth; and hence the blessed
work foretod In our text is not yet realized
We stlll properly pray Thy kingdom come thy
will be doAe earth as II is done In heaven.
True a beginning has been made; For more
than eighteen centuries since our Lords ascen
sion, and the bestowment of the holy spirit AT
Pentecost, the church has been In process OF
selection, and the church is sometimes styleu
the kingdom because its members when glorl-
fled will constitute the kingdom class-the bride
who. with the heavenly bridegroom, VIII snare
the kingdom honors and services Tor the WOrlu'
ut is true also, that our Lord is exalted
Prince and a Saviour. and that shortly, at ms
second advent, He is to take to HimSeI ms
great power as King of Kings and Loru OF
clared at His resurrection, All power in heaven
and in earth is given unto me; YET ne also III
Ills message to the church distinctly pointed
out that the time for taking possession OF his
Kingdom was future and that the time will
surely come when lie will take unto Himselr
His great power and reign, because the time 10
reign will then have come.
more than this the signs OF the times rea'i
In the light Of the lamp of truth, the WORD OF
God, seem clearly TO indicate that the time Is
night at hand for the setting up or christ 5
kingdom How glad we all should he. what re-
tocing II should cause to the whole world OF
mankind, to know that the reign OF SIN anu
death is nearing its conclusion; that satan; tne
prince Of this world. will shortly be bound Tor
A thousand years that he should deceive the ma
lions no more until it's termination How We
should rejoice that the night is far spent and
the dsv Is At hand:' that the millenI 81 morning
Is already dawning; that the Sun OF Righteous
ness is already rising; and that soon tne who n
earth will be full Of the knowledge OF the glory
Of God as the waters cover the great Deep
A FEAST IN THIS MOUNTAIN.
'Orbe bare announcement Of the Kingdom Oh
God would strike mankind variorsy IN pro pro
norton as the character OF the kingdom and
its work might be understood or misunderstood
mus today, to many the mention that the king
dom of God is right at hand would carry tn ne
thought of a wreck of matter and the crush OF
worlds Not only our second advent friends be-
lleye but the creeds Of practically oil denomlha-
lions of Christians recite. that our Lor9 sec
ond advent and the establishment Of His king
dom will signify TO mankind the end OF prooa-
tion the end Of hope and usher In TO all except
the elect few a great burning day.
"Far too long we have allowed these tradi-
tions of men to becloud our Judgment, TO come
between our hearts and the great oiessls $3.50 pc.
forth in Gods Word now due to the churcn
and to the world. 1t is very proper that tnose
who are living in alienation from Coo IN wh L
sin should realize that the establishment Oh ms
kingdom will mean q reign OF righteousness
which will be strictly opposed to their PERM
cious ways-opDosed to every form OF lnmorall-
~. ODDOSed every form OF injustice anu
idui,y; opposed to every form of trickery, ana
sham and false pretense. But surely Christlahs
who are seeking to live in harmony with the
divine law OF love for God, for the nelghOor'
for the brother, for enemies, have every reason
to look forward, 10 long for, to hope Tor, the
coming Of the Lords kingdom as the most Gesl d
able thing possible to be imagined lnueeu'
1T is thus described In Bible language; Inc ue-
sire Of all nations shall come '-Hag. 2:I.
However much the few favored by. oy PreSehI M
as they are the masses Of mankind II they
were but converted from ignorance and super
stition and brought to knowledge OF the truth
as Gods Word presents II, would be glad and
rejoice in the salvation which Is to come to the
world through Gods kingdom. The God OF TINS
Of mankind and put darkness for light, and
under the terrors OF the words 'dooms DAY,
has obscured the glorious blessings which pc
long to the day OF the establishment Oi tne
kingdom of he Lord.-2 Cor. "A.
| True the kingdom OF the heavens viii be IN
troduced. the Scriptures tell US, Dy time v Oh
will be afterward time OF trouble which VIII
! involve all nations. and peoples, and kinoreos,
and tongues, and every part OF the world; a
time OF trouble from which there will be no
escape except for those who have made the
Lord. even the Most High, their refuge and
habitation.-Psslm 91:s. But then, even that
plowshare Of trouble the Lord proposes shall
be overruled 50 thai it Will constitute chan-
mel Of blessing to mankind. ny preparing 'nS lt
grace. conferred in Christ and His redeeming
work at Calvary.
WHAT SAY THE
''Turning from the Ignorance and supersti-
| ton and darkness and terrors or the dack
J ages let us look still further-to the inspired
| Word of God through the apostles and prom
cts From these let us hear some description
of the blessings which God intends His king
dom shall bring to our sin-cursed race. Inc
Scriptures tell us that God has prepared q
| great feast for humanity; they intimate figu-
| ratlvely that mankind has been starving 1or
the message Of divine grace-that the millions
Of our race have gone down In Ignorance anN
superstition, famished for lack Of the Word Or
| God The bread which came down from heaven
the message of truth and grace wnicn our
dear Redeemer brought and exemplified-has
| indeed been supplied lavishly to some. some
| Of us have Toasted upon the good things OF
| our Fathers Word and plan. But the great
mass of mankind has been so deaf and SO blnn
| that they not, neither do they understand
/ or receive the grace of God under present con-
ditions. How glad we are that all the Dlhd
eyes shall be opened, and all the dear ears
| shall BE- unstopped' lisa, $500, and that thS
whole world will thus be prepared for the tru'
| knowledge of God, whose goodness and loving
| Kindness and tender mercies Will undoubtedly
| have a softening and mellowing effect upon
hard hearts At all events the divine program ran,
| be established amongst men; they Will nave
| the opportunity of contrasting the reign OF
! righteousness with the reign Of sin and death.
| So many as will be rightly influenced by this
! knowledge ,may lay hold upon eternal life BY
| accepting the divine arrangement Truly II ls
! the goodness of God that leadeth TO repent
| ance and Of this 1t is that mankind needs to
| learn.
| BLESSED THE HUNGRY.
There arc many hungry hearts In the worif
| many whose bodies are well nourished have
famished hearts which cry out for love and
| sympathy. He who reads the hearts, who
/ Knows what IS in them, has prepared this feast
| which will surely satisfy every legitimate,
righteous desire. Those who already are the
Lords people, and who have already Toasted
! at the bountiful table spread for the church.
can Approximate to some extent the bounty
| that will be spread before the world IN this
great feast foretold through the prophet, In our
text There will be several differences now
ever, between our present feast and that one
| for the world.
1.-THE present feast is merely a feast OF
| promises which must be partaken OF by me
J exercise of faith. The feast described in Gun
! text will be very actual one; the realities
| mental, moral and physical will there be bonn
! tifuly supplied, to be partaken or freely BY
! all who appreciate them.
| "2. The present feast spread for the church Is
a spiritual relating TO a heavenly kingdom
glory and honor-things not seen yet, except
! by the eye of faith. To the contrary, the feast
for the world, referred to in our text, will con-
sst of earthly bounties and blessings most tang
ible in kind as well as excellent in quallty-all
that was lost in Adam will be rendered to such
Of his children will accept the mercy. The
! prophet in attempting to describe the bountIes
OF that feast highly symbolical terms, anu
describes II as "a feast Of fat things, full OF
marrow and Of wines on the lees. well refined. >
Assuredly no language that could could
fully and properly set forth the riches of God s
grace provided for the world Of mankind under
the ministration of His Kingdom. The earth
shall yield her increase streams shall break
som as the rose, the solitary place shall be
clad lisa.