The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-11-02

PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached to-
day from the text, "Grieve not the
holy Spirit Of God. by which you were
sealed unto the day of deliverance"
Ephesians Nv, 30). He said:
Most evidently our text is not ad-
dressed to the heather, who know not
God, nor to the masses of Christendom
even, but merely to those who come to
an intimate acquaintance with the
Lord and who have received his holy
Spirit as q seal, mark, evidence. proof,
that they by and by will attain the
fruition of their hopes-the completion
of their redemption, their absolute de-
liverance from sin and death condi-
tons. Most assuredly no one could
grieve the holy Spirit who had not re-
ceived It,
The expression, holy Spirit of God, Is
here used exactly In the same sense as
If we were speaking to dear earthly
friend, whose sympathy. fellowship.
favor we had learned to esteem very
highly. OF such we might say In very
similar language. If you do so and so.
it would assuredly wound and grieve
the spirit of your dearest friend. The
intimation would be that you would no
longer have his esteem and favor as
before; that the reprehended conduct
would cause more or less of breach
between you and your friend. 1t would
not mean that his acquaintance would
necessarily be cut forever. and that he
would become your enemy. instead OF
your friend. 1t would mean. rather,
that having been your friend he would
esteem you no longer worthy of the
same degree Of fellowship and conf
dence as before. He would no longer
treat you as dear and intimate
friend. and communicate to you his
plans and arrangements along various
lines. He might still speak as he
passed by, and treat you in every way
kindly. yet there would be difference,
a GOODNESS, separation, cloud. be-
tween. If you esteemed the love Of
your friend. his fellowship. his inter-
est IN all of your affairs. you would
assuredly be continually on guard to
do nothing that might wound. offend.
grieve him and ALLEVIATE his sympathy
and fellowship-especi If he were
on higher plane of wealth or honor
or intelligence than yourself. and one,
therefore, whose patronage, advice and
counsel you needed and desired.
This, we take it. is the thought be-
hind the Apostles word "0rieue' in
our text 1t is closely allied with the
thought Of offending our best friend.
our Creator. our Heavenly Father. We
are not to get the thought that the
great Creator of the Universe could be
actually caused sorrow. grief. repin-
ing. pain. by any conduct of ours. He
Is too great and we are too insignifi-
cant. Yet our Heavenly Father takes
note of us as a world of mankind. He
has provided for our relief from sin
and its penalty. death. He is specially
interested in those who have responded
to his gracious proffers. Like as a ia
Their pitieth his children, so the Lord pit
ieth them that reverence him" psalm
ciii. 13,. His pity extended beyond
this-even to love. when we heartily
accepted his favor and made full con-
secration of our little all to him. 1t
was then that he was pleased to seal
us, to give us the mark or stamp Of
sonship. to evidence to us that we have
been begottsn again to New Nature,
to immortality. to glory with himself
If so be that we continue faithful to
our VOW of conservation.
The Lords Jewels.
As father he watches over the in
terests of this consecrated class. AL
though, as the Scriptures say, they are
few" be estimates them very highly
and. amongst other precious names,
gives to these sons of God the title of
Jewels" The experiences Of the pres
ent life are intended to polish these
jewels-to prepare them for heavenly
setting in the Resurrection Morning.
'sThey shall be mine, saith the Lord of
hosts. in that day when make up my
Jewels (Malachi iii. ~.
AS the lapidary first washes the dia-
mond which has been picked from the
miry clay; as he then critically exam
ines it to note its very best possibili-
ties; as he then gives direction to the
workman respecting its cutting and
subsequently respecting its polishing.
we have the Divine illustration of how
Gods providence through the holy
Spirit. the holy Power of God, over
rules and guides in all the experiences
of this consecrated "jeweP class. 1t is
required Of them that they exercise
faith and learn to rejoice in tribula-
lions. as well as In more pleasurable
experiences. knowing that they are In
Gods hand. and that, If they are sub
missive to him, he will work out for
them a far more exceeding and eter-
nal weight Of glory through the dis
appointments, the frictions. the sor-
rows, the tears, the anguish even, of
earthly experiences-if these be en-
dured for righteousness sake.
Coming down to human comprehen-
sion. the Lord represents himself as
pleased or displeased, rejoiced or griev-
ed. after the manner Of the most noble
of the human family. Because Of his
generosity. his beneRolence. his desire
to do good unto all. and especially to
the household of faith. and particular
" to the fully consecrated. our Crea-
tor takes pleasure In the working out Of
a great Plan of Salvation for humanity
ror SIX thousand years our loving
Creator has permitted Adams disobe-
dience to bring upon his family terri
Bile reign of sin and death. God SYM
pathizes with the grooming creation"
and has promised Observation-Disclosures
ance. But his Wisdom determines that
the lesson of the sinfulness Of sin and
the bitterness of its fruit must first be
thoroughly learned. Then the deliver
ance to righteousness and life may be
the better appreciated and all danger
of a reversion to sin be avoided, and
an eternity Of righteousness and bless
ing result.
Preparation for this great program
has not been swift. nor is haste neces-
sary. The lesson of sin and its bitter
fruitage has come TO the world during
six thousand years. though no single
member of the race needed or received
so prolonged lesson. The first step
of recovery was accomplished by our
Redeemer's sacrifice of himself. The
second step has been in process since
Pentecost Che calling and accepting
of the antitypical Levitesl specially
amongst these of the antttypical priest
hood, who now rejoicingly suffer with
the great High Priest They lay down
their lives In his service. under the
promise tina. in the First Resurrection
they shall be with their Redeemer and
share his glory and, as a royal priest
hood" under him. rule. instruct. and
every way assist In uplifting the