Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-01-12
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
7 abernacle.

u. L. RuSSell OIL brooklyn 1dDerndcle,
New York. preached twice here today
to large and very attentive audiences.
We report one of his discourses from
the above text, as follows
The word '',oinked' in our text is
used in a figurative sense to signify
that God took no notice Of, paid no
from the food to the First Advent of
our Redeemer. During those twenty
five hundred years the world of man
kind lay in ignorance and weakness
and vice. but. as our text declares.
God took no notice of it as a whole
He gave his attention entirely to the
little nation of Israel, the descendants
of Abra ham. with whom be made a
special Law Covenant. Israel entered
upon a great schooling period; first
in a condition of peonage in Egypt;
and later, under the command of
Moses. passing from Egypt to Canaan,
with wandering of forty years in
the wilderness; still later under judges,
not wink at sin amongst the IsraeliteS.
whom he adopted as his peculiar peo-
pie" under the Law Covenant mediat-
ed by Moses. We read that every dis
obedience received lust recompense
of reward" (Hebrews ii, p Stripes.
punishments, captivities, under Divine
supervision and predicted through the
prophets, was the portion Of the cho-
sen people of the Lord. Obedience on
their part brought blessing and dis
obedience and idoatry brought chas-
tiSementS-GOd winked at nothing as
respects his chosen people.
At first glance this is perplexing
Not understanding the Divine Plan I'VE
would be inclined to expect that the
favored nation would be excused more
than others-that it would be the peO-
pie whose imperfections would be
winked at. But not so; Israel was
chosen for purpose. And in order to
prepare them for their mission and to
fit them to fill it. the Lord chastened
and scourged them for their sins, and
thus educated and assisted them more
than others out of degradation. AS a
result. when our Lord came into the
world to be mans Redeemer, Israel,
under the chastising, scourging, in
structing experiences of many centu-
ries, was by far the most advanced
nation in the world along religious
lines.
Thus it was that when the Redeem
er presented himself. some, "a rem
nant," were "Israelites indeed and
ready to receive him-five hundred
during his earthly ministry and sew
eral thousand more at the following
Pentecostal season. 1t is but reason
able to suppose that no other nation in
the world would have furnished any
such numbers ready Of heart for Mes
siah. and consecrated fully to him
Note. for instance. that ST. PauI's
preaching to the Athenians on Mars
Hill apparently touched not a single
heart nor head
The Justice of the Wink
The Almighty informs US that Jus
tice is the very foundation of all of his
dealings. He cannot be less than just
although through Christ he has pro
vided to be more than just-that is
loving and merciful. There must have
been justice in this winking men
toned by the Apostle. What was it?
The Apostle explains that owing tt
a death sentence that was upon the
world in general, and no provision hav
in do
from that death penalty and a resur
! rection delWerance, it would have beer
illogical for God to give laws to the
world of mankind commanding repent
ance. etc. Why? Because they were
already condemned . to death, the ex
IRENE penalty of the Divine Law. NJ
more could be done to them than de
stroy them. however badly they lived
And nothing that they could do would
make them deserving Of eternal life
So long as that death sentence rested
upon them and no prospect was of
fered even of release from it. God le
them alone, and justly enough wink
ed" at their imperfection and did no
lay it specially to their charge.
| w I'LL Tie Jew IL was Ulu0I0uL. 6Ot
instructed that nation through thu
Law and the prophets and the chasten
ings for their wrong doings, and thu!
prepared in them little fock'' o.
"Israelites indeed" ready for spiritua
things. Additionally he wished to ust
them and their experiences as type:
or lessons for Spiritual Israel yet flu
ture. These types. under the guidance
Of the holy Spirit through the New
| Testament. have constituted very help
full lessons to the Church Of this Cos
pei Age-Spiritual .Israel-''For the
Law Covenant was a shadow Of goot
things coming after 1t"
But before having this dealing witt
Israel. God made Covenant will
them, promising them life-eternal i
they would obey. They gladly &C
cepted the proposition and strove tt
i live righteously. strove to keep TIT
Law. They did not gain eternal lif'