Milford chronicle., 1909-05-28
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

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tor Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle
preached here today to a large congre
cation, composed chiefly Of those ac.
quainted with him through bis books
on Bible Study. He spoke through an
interpreter He said in part:
AS many of you are aware we have
Just passed the anniversary of Christs
ascension. We recall that following
our Lords crucifxion he arose from
death on the third day. He remained
with his disciples during forty days,
although he manifested himself to
them only a few times and then very
briefly probably seven manifestations
in all, and Of but a few moments each.
The work of those forty days was
primarily to demonstrate to the Apos-
ties, and through them to his follow
ers throughout the Age, that he who
redeemed us through the sacrifice Of
himself is not a dead Saviour but
risen one. Secondly he wished them
20 understand that as he had left the
spirit condition and humbled himself
to take the bondman's form for the
suffering of death. he resumed his
spirit nature in the resurrection and
was no longer flesh and blood. He
wished them to know that flesh and
blood could not inherit the Kingdom,
and that the Divine calling to them as
his disciples was that they lay down
their lives in his service so that in due
time they also might experience
share in his Resurrection to spirit ma
Tn, "a Is no
son he illustrated what the Apostle
explained will be the experience OF all
the faithful saints of this Age-he died
and was buried in weakness, he was
raised in power; he died and was bur
led in dishonor, he was raised in
glory; he died and was buried 2 nat .
ural body human, he was raised a /
spirit body, Divine q Corinthians XIV, /
S2-44
These great lessons required time /
and evidently the forty-day period was /
none too long The apostles were con /
WINGED at once that their Lord was no .
longer dead He had appeared to them. /
he had manifested himself at various
times and in various forms-as trav-
eler, as a gardener. with wounded
hands and feet, and otherwise; but, as
he declared, 'They were slow Of heart
to believe all things written in the
Law and prophecies concerning him.
They were disappointed that he did not
stay with them as previously when he
was "the man Christ Jesus" They
were amazed when he came into the
room where they were assembled, the
door being shut and securely barred,
They knew that no human body could
thus come in, and yet so he appeared
And when the interview was ended be
vanished He walked not away, but
vanished Ehey looked for him fire.
quently. but he disappointed them-not
manifestlng himself for more than a
week several times. They could not
understand spiritual things because
they were but natural men. even
though consecrated to the Lord they
had not yet received the holy Spirit
and hence were slow to learn spiritual
lessons John vii, 39).
without Me Ye Can Do Nothing"
Toward the close Of the forty days
the apostles were not only perplexed 5
but dispirited. The Messiah with Z
whom they had hoped to reign had not .
only been crucified. but now, in Resur |
rection. he had been so changed that {
they were at loss how to understand I
matters They concluded to give up {
the entire proposition and to return to /
their secular business. The leaders &
were the first to so decide-Peter {
James and John. They took back their |
boats. nets etc. and resumed the old {
business partnership on the Sea OF c
Galilee Now came the opportune mo- c
ment for our Lord to teach them 9
great lesson respecting his power as a t
spirit being; that It was no less than L
that which he exhibited to them when C
as ''the man Christ Jesus" he had fed r
the muttudes and miraculOusly filled I
their nets with fishes at the beginning 0
of his ministry. il
It was a part Of the Lords provi- e
dence that they caught nothing on the
first night. In the morning they saw II
a man upon the shore who inquired II c
they had fish They replied that they v
had toiled all night and had caught f,
The stranger suggested drop p
ping the net on the other side Of the J
boat and. without specially reasoning I,
that the little boat was continually e
turning about anyway, they obeyed d
him. FoRttwith they found their net e
choked with fishes. The lesson was W
sufficient The apostles knew at once p
hat the stranger on the shore could be Il
lone other than their Master, wbc had
adopted this new form Of manifesting
himself They could scarcely wait to nl
reach the shore. st. Peter impatient =
II delay. swan to his Master fearful
hat he would disappear again before
be could reach him. When ashore
hey found that the Master had mirac
nously provided fire and fish and
hut their breakfast was ready. We