The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-12-29
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES +.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
T abenacle.


Sunday, December 10 Pastor Rus
sell spoke today from the above text.
Brooklyn Tabernacle was crowded
with an attentive audience. as usual.
We report the discourse. as follows:
Only those who come to an advanced
degree of knowledge of Gods Word
can realize how Divine judgments are
all good-all blessed. Under the in
fuence Of the fog of superstition, not
understanding Alright the teachings or
the Scriptures, suppostng that they
taught eternal torment for the great
majority of our race. We feared God.
rather than loved him. We dared not
say that such Judgment was wrong.
malicious. devilish. yet we were unable
to see 1t In any other light; hence the
general pcrplexity Of Christcndom, and
the general alienation Of heart. and
many intelligent minds driven 10 In
fidelity. and the dislike to think about
God and his supposedly terrible pur-
poses respecting our race and the gen
eral awe respecting the Bible and the
fear of Its misunderstood teachings.
But now In the dawning of the New
Dispensation the Word of God Is shin
ing as never before; one passage ilu-
minatlng another. our fear gives place
to reverential love and filial awe. We
begin TO understand that the torment
doctrines which we received are who'll
ly foreign to the Divine character.
which. on the contrary, is distinctly
marked by Wisdom. Justice, Mercy
and Love toward all We find our
selves now In agreement with the
Scripturai declaration that Gods judg-
ments are righteous altogether and
we delight In them. Instead of judg.
ment of eternal torment as penalty
for sin, we find judgment or sen
tence of denth. We agree to the right
eousness of that verdict or Judgment.
God had the right to demand of his
creature the obedience he was able TO
render. He had perfect right 70 de
stroy him In death WHEN he refused
The blessing If HE eternal On tine
terms Of obedience Seeing this, how
rei5ieed We are to aole the Divine
Mercy 10 the Plan of redemption for
the sinner aud his offspring through
the sacrifice OF Christ. AS a result we
have good hope In his Judgments: for
him who once Judged us worthy OF
death has with equal Justice redeem
ed us and granted us The opportunity
Of eternal life through the resurrec-
tion.
1t was another part OF the Divine
Judgment against our raee that, IN
stead of the death penalty coming In
stantly upon Adam and Eve. II came
gradually, that through the processes
of gradual dying they might the better
learn the lesson OF the exceeding SIN
fulness of sin"-to the intent that, when
granted the new trial secured by the
merit of Christ's sacrifice. they might
profit by 1t the more. The same princi-
pies apply to all of Adams posterity.
'The whole creation groaneth and ira
vaileth In pain together until now y 80
waiting for the manifestation of the
sons of God" (Romans viii, -. 10l. They
are waiting for the establishment of
Christ's Millennial Kingdom under
which they shall have full opportu-
nifty of coming to a knowledge of the
Truth.
This IL Gods provision for the world
In general. What God did for the lit
tie nation OF Israel durlng the Jewish
Age. and what he has been doing for
Spiritual Israel since pentecost, in this
Gospel Age. nre matters separate and
apart entirely from his general deai-
Ing with the world of mankind. The
natural and the spiritual Seed of Abrn-
ham are exceptions to the rule. They
have been granted special privileges
and blessings not granted to the world
In generai-natural Israel under the
Law Covenant and spiritual Israel UNI
der the Abrahamic Covenant. From
these two nominal israels special over
Corners" have been chosen or elected,
These shortly. In association with the
Redeemer. will constitute the Kingdom
of God. The overcomers of spiritual
Israel. becoming the Bride OF Christ
by resurrection change to the heav
emily nature. will be like him and share
his glory and constitute the Kingdom
class In the highest sense. The over
corners Of natural Israel. resurrected
to the perfection of earthly nature
will constitute the earthly phase of the
Millennial Kingdom. Mankind may
see and have intercourse with these
but will not see nor have direct inter
course with the gloriied Christ. Head
and Body--the King OF Glory.
God Will Judge His People,
So far as the world is concerned. Il
has been under the one general sen
tence Of Divine Justice. dying tho,
shalt die" But so far as natural anf
spiritual Israel are concerned, they hav,
been dealt with as freed from the orig
inal sentence and on trial for life cl
death afresh under Gods Judgments
or dlsciplines. Thus II It written, lie
hoyah WITH judge his people" Not Al
under these Judgments have under
stood them-not ail were in the eondi
ton Of heart TO receive their lnstrue
lions. THE secret of tho Lord IL witt
them that fear him; and he will SHOW
them his Covenant" d'salm XIV. a.
Thus, during the Jewish Age. israe
often lapsed into mere ur less Of dark
ness and idolatry aud failed Ia Sc
their special privileges and relation
ship to God under their Covenant. Ru
amongst them were Az few falthfn
who with the eye of faith discerne
the Righteousness OF Gods dealin
with them. OF these were the propl
cts who rehearsed the Divine dealing
and rewards aud punishments. tina
they were true aud righteous altogett
er and merciful in the extreme.
Similarly during this Gospel Az
Christendom as whole has not bee
In the condition of heart to hear. to IN
derstand. to appreciate. the Judgment
Of the Lord. But some have been rs
raelites indeed who possessed the Sc
cret Of the Lord and who were able t
rejoice In his judgments-h righteou
dealings. They realized by faith God
love for them. 1.-THE Father himsel
IL.