The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-12-17
Sermon by
CHARLES +.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

a large attendance today at the Brook
Ign Tabernacle. He took for his text
the words of the Savior, mo man hay
ing put his hand to the plow, and look
ing back. Is fit for the Kingdom OF
God" duke TX. G2). The discourse fol-
lows:
The Great Teacher did not use the
methods of modern revivallsts to Sc
cure following. He did not ask the
multitudes to raise their hand If they
would prefer to go to heaven at death
and then publish them as converts
Christians Indeed his methods were
the very reverse Of this. avoiding all
kinds OF sensational appeals to pride,
seltishness, vanity, etc. He set forth
in plain terms the difficulties " be ex-
pected by all those who espouse his
Cause aud become his disciples. He
forwarned them that 1t would me
the taking up of cross and the bear
row way of self sacrifice. He warned
these, saying. Marvel not, IL the
world hate you. Ye know that it hated
me before it hated you. IL We were of
the world. the world would love his
own; but because ye are not Of the
world. but | have chosen you out of
the world. therefore the world hateth
you" Il John iii. 10; John XIV, Is, 19).
Instead of trying to produce an ex-
element which would over-balance the
Judgment of his hearers and lead them
to profess what they subsequently
would not be able or willing to prac-
tice. the Great Teacher. on the con-
trary, said to those contemplating dis
cipleShip, "Sit down first and count the
cost" Instead of attempting to sway
the multitudes, our Lord took diff
ferent course and attempted to make
disciples of only a special class-not
the poor, not the rich, not the learned,
not the ignorant. but, irrespective of
these class lines and distinctions. his
call was to all those who loved right
eousness and hated iniquity. All those
who were weary and heavy-laden, OPP
pressed by sin and It's penalty to them
selves and their friends-these he
called to learn OF him and find rest of
soul
Thenceforth that class. having been
brought in touch with the Redeemer,
can make further progress only
through faith in him and submission
to his guidance into all Truth and into
fellowship with the Father The class
thus Influenced we believe to be small
as compared to humanity as whole
only that portion which in honesty of
heart depores sin and longs for
righteousness and fellowship with God.
These, like the remainder of the race,
are by nature fallen. imperfect, sinful,
condemned. but in these still persists
some trace of the image of God, in
the perfection of which father Adam
was created. 1t is this trace or strain
of the Divine character represented
by conscience and faith which leads
them to recognize their fallen and sin
full condition, as compared with the
Divine standard of perfection. and this
becomes the basis Of their calling OF
drawing o: God, their ear" He thai
hath an ear. let him hear" (Revelatior
Al. u, 1t will be observed that we are
not specially blaming or cOudemninl
those who have not the hearing ear
On the contrary we remember the
gracious words of Scripture, that II
Gods due time, "All the blind eye:
shall be opened; all the deaf ears shall
be unstopped" isaiah xxxv, 81. We
are glad of this promise of God tina
ultimately all shall see and all shall
hear and all shall know Him, from thu
least 10 the greatest. We rejoice. too
that when they know Him truly, the.
will rejoice, even as do we now. Tha
will be their time of responsibility
their time of trial or judgment for lif
or death eternal on the earthly plane
The Kingdom of God.
Our text speaks of the Kingdom o
God And it is important that W
first of all notice that these words hav
In the Scriptures two-fold signif
canoe. For instance. our Lord Jesu
taught that we should pray to the Fla
ther, Thy Kingdom come; thy wi
be done on earth as it is done il
heaven" The reference of this praye
is to the Millennial reign or govern
ment of Christ, which ST. Paul de
clares will begin ut the Second Con
ing of our Lord, and continue until
shall have put down all insubordini
ton, all sin. everything contrary
Divine character and Law 1t will b
the Kingdom of God which will sui
due all things, 1t will be the Kingdol
of God amongst men perfected whe
all things shall have been subdueC
And when Christ's mediatorial KIM
dom shall be. at the end of the Mi
lennium, delivered back TO God, eve
the Father, Gods Kingdom will hay
fully come in the earth. Gods wi
then will be possible of accomplish
ment by men. because all will hay
reached perfection; and Christs medi
torial Kingdom will end because it wi
be no longer necessary. 1t will hay
accomplished the great purpose Il
which it was intended.
IL was not, however, respecting thi