Milford chronicle., 1909-06-25
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.


New Britain, Conn, June 2O.-PastoF
Russell, Of Brooklyn Tabernacle. ad-
dressed large audiences twice here to-
day. The topic for one was, where
are the deadY' We report the other
one from the text given. He said:
The figures Of Scripture are forceful
as well as true. Our Creator speaks
Of the whole world being dead-be-
cause under sentence Of death. More
than this. through the fall our reason
ing faculties are more or less unbal-
Rnced, some IN one particular, others
In another. Some have Hope dispro-
portionately large, and are continually
overestimating their possibilities.
Others have the quality Of Hope pro-
pOrtionately small. and are continually
discouraged and hindered from making
the best use Of their faculties. And
thus It is with all of our talents. None
Of them could really be too large If
the others were proportionately large.
It is the mental balance, or pOise, that
constitutes a sound mind and judg-
ment.
Viewed from the Creators stand
point, our race IS sadly unbalanced
greatly changed through the 5000
years Of the fall. Originally in the
divine likeness, many Of its gracious
qualities and much Of its balance have
departed, and hence the scriptural as
sumption that the world is nine-tenths
dead as respects Its best qualities Of
mind and heart. And since death is a
condition without consciousness. well
illustrated by sleep, the Scriptures
frequently refer to the world as being
asleep. The gospel of Christ is a mes
sage for the awakening Of some who
are not too profoundly asleep. And /
even those awakened by the gospe' 1
message are intimated to be in danger I.
Of becoming overcharged - drowsy /
with the spirit Of this world.
Awake, o slesperl"
In one sense Of the word, the world /
IS very much awake-very full Of activ-
ity-today as never before Looking back
a century, It is evident that the world
was more asleep then than now. And
yet this awakening has affected chiefly
what might be termed the middle
brain. The lower organs Of the mind
have never been idle. The higher or
gans of the brain are still dormant
with the majority. Indeed It would
appear as though the activities in the
middle brain and In the animal pas
ElOns Of the lower brain have rather
detracted from the upper or higher
qualities of mind. Hence to all ap-
pearances mankind are more stupidity
asleep today in respect to spiritual
things than ever in the past. We are
seeking to sound forth the message Of
the Lord, Awake thou that sleepest"
especially desiring to awake spiritual
and responsibility and
activity. Nevertheless, the Scriptures
and experience forbid us to hope that
q majority, or even very large mi
nOrity, will be awakened by anything ,
that we can utter.
It is not for US to alarm, or threaten, ,
Or shake the world with fear Of eter- Z
nal torment. 1t Is not for US to do ,
svil that good may follow. It is not /
for us to awaken by such false alarms !
those who cannot be awakened by ;
the Truth-by a truthful presentation ,
of the divine character and the divine )
plan, and the duties and privileges
proclaimed through the Gospel. 1t is :
Cor US to speak the message Of the ]
Lord, knowing that none will receive :
Il except such as have the hearing :
lar" Of faith-that none viii be able to :
zee the beauties Of the message except
hose who have the eye Of faith. =
@Arise From the Dead" v
Our Lord defines the second step to (
Do that those who are awakened a
Ihould arise from the dead-should (
Ieparate themselves from the world, II
tn aims, its objects, its methods. Our o
signifies our coming to a
Consciousness Of the actualities Of our e
.ondition as individuals and as a race. 4
Is consciousness comes to us we look b
bout and see the pell nell rush Of p
and ask ourselves, Why? d
Vhat7 Whittier? We soon discover Fl
hat the majority Of those about US g
re practically unconscious as respects a.
future life-conscious only Of their II
resent existence, and worried and Of
retted because they cannot attain all "
( their ambitions, which are prac- N
lcany limited to the few years OF the Il
resent life. As we become awake to g
be Lords message we say with the
oct
Life IS real, life Is earnest, "a
And the grave is not Its goal.
We begin to look beyond the grave, :.
, realize that our Creator had a great M
1rpose IN our creation as a race, and r,
lat the present life consequently can n
} nothing more than a vestibule to
le future possibility Of life eternal. ~
Te note the tendency OF our day to de- a
ote at least the first fifteen years of NJ
iildhood to education In order to ft IN
ID prepare for the few remaining m,
sars Of the present life. We conclude II
at II this be reasonable then surely 20
Of the present life can be none too bo
az for d course OF schooling, and N,