The Detroit times., 1910-08-20
PREACHING TO THE DEAD.

JAMESTOWN. n. Y. Aug is.--Pas-
tor Russell. OF the Brooklyn Taber-
meeting OF bible students in ceioron
auditorium. The occasion was gen
erai convention OF bible students. the
audierce was estimated at nearly 1000.
|. Iaking Tor his text the above WORDS
the speaker said:
The bible. 10 be understood. must De
viewed from Its own standpoint. This.
~ bible students. we are learning more
ana more particularly every day In
the past we have read our bibles up
side-down." Many read as duty; 9TH
ers as sort OF charm that would pla-
cate divine Justice and bring US divine
fsvor. Now we are learning to read
the blble In common-sense way ana
10 use our reasoning faculties In con-
nection with It's statements and pro
phecies As consequence, while otn-
ers are falling from the faith--some
into inidelity styled higher criticism
and evolution; others into fanciful
wrestings 81 the word OF God-we are
coming To appreciate the bible az the
most safe and sane book In the world
creases-falth In His wisdom, JUS.
tice. love and power 10 accomplish all
the good purposes which he purposed
I'm himself before the creation OF our
race. Correspondingly. too, we are
coming To appreciate more than ever
the value OF the great Rcdeemer ana
accomplished at Calvary. We are com
Ing to SEQ the truth Of what we once
considered poetic license when we
sang
There's wisdom in Gods mercy
Like the Wilderness of the sea"
We are seeing more clearly as the
ture which declares that eventually
the Redeemer shall see OF the travali
or His soul and he satisfied. We per-
eeive now that the little handful OF
steps from Pentecost To His second ad-
vent and sharing I'm the first resur-
rection" Is not the end OF divine Iove
for our race. but mertly Its beginning
"A first-fruits unto God OF His crea-
lures" Games l. 49,. We are now see
Ing that according to the divine pur-
| church TO the spirit nature. 10 the al
vine natuse. must be completed before
the second step I'm the great divine plan
OF salvation begins-the recovery OF
. the world from sin and death condl-
lions. TO human perfection and Para
disc restored.
"Iet Dead Bury Their Dead"
No bible topic requires more carefu'
discrimination In it's study than does
the subject OF. death This is mainly
because OF the general confusion OF
during the long centuries OF the
| churchs comparative darkness. when
bibles uhe lamp Of God upon the Chris
tian's PATH were scarce. and when rev
could read the truths OF priceless value
that were chained to lccterns. In con-
sequence Of this confusion we hear In.
stupidity respecting death. They make
confusion worse COMPOUNDED by tell.
ing us OF Adams spiritual death and
death that never dies" etc, etc
| To get the bible view OF death we
reed to brush away such foolish bah
Language and the rational thought con-
nected Herewith. For instance, ac-
cording TO the bible. there Is no nat
ural dcath"--it is not natural for
ma m la
bible arrangement and mans nature
that he should Twelve eternally. as
do the angels. II obedient to the d.
unnatural thing! Do we think of an
sells as dying and OF heaven as filed
With cemeteries? Have they doctors
Yet II would be just as proper TO speak
OF natural death amongst the angels
as In respect TO men.
~ used respecting Adam and his fall
10 wholly unscriptural No such ex-
Epression is found In the bible; neither
q spiritual death. because he was not
a spirit being. He was an earthly be-
ing-not an angel, but man. AZ tine
fmadest him little lower than the an
gels and crownest him with glory and
Ehonor. and didst set him over the
OF the feid. the hsh OF the sea and
|thc fowl of the air" (Hebrews II. Z;
fpsalm viii. .. 90.
continue longer TO speak OF Adam dy-
Firg a spiritual death. while admitting
fthat he was not spirit being: II was
simply the man Adam that died. us
5death. however did include the grad
fual processes OF decay. and affected
|not only his bones and muscles. but
also his prains--his every mental and
tthou shalt die" took hold OF him as
\ ian entirety hence we find. as the
4 scriptures declare, that there is none
Riy. morally or physically right. All
glory of God fte which Adam was Gre
Edienre and divine condemnation Adam
Hand his race have been Judicially dead
and gradually going down. down.
down. in degradation and Into the
Speaking OF the dying race from the
4 judicial standpoint our savior called |
4 has even a reckoned life. except such
as by faith accented Him as their life
giver---Savior His words are. He that
hath the Son hath IRE. ne ,,,a tha at. hatn
wrath OF God abideth on him" (John
| III. 36). Speaking to one who believed
on Him. the sayi9r said Let the dead
. the gospel (Matthew WILL % From the
right standpoint His meaning is evil
dent. Let the dead, the condemned
Its own affairs. You become one OF NV
Followers and carry My message OF life
and hope 10 as many as have ears to
hear!
"Dend IN Trespnsses and SIN"
Thus the whole world of mankind
Through heredity. through inherited
weaknesses. through participation In
the sentence that came upon father
Adam justly. are al judtcially dead In
Ntrespasscs and in sins-not one OF the
race Is worthy OF eternal life upon the
only terms and conditions which God
lean offer--namely perfection and ODE
dience to the divine standards.
n Jesus preached the gospel amongst
those tudicially dead through trespass-
81 and sins. few had the hearing ear
and accepted the good message and
gave their hearts to God and accepted
II the terms OF discipleship--to walk In
\ the Masters footsteps I'm the narrow
4 way faithfully unto death--willing ly
n ofrerins. Specifically. their little all in
4 the service OF God. His truth. His
rtghteousness, His people. These few,
az we have seen, the Savior recog-
nized as having life--as having pass
"A from death unto life" John V. 2D:
nevertheless their change was only a
\ iegsI one Actually. according to the
/ desh they were still imperfect, fallen,
dyin1 But by divine arrnn gement
! their new minds their new Wills. were
accepted OF God I'm Christ and their
h flash ignored aS dead, and they were
1 begotten by God OF the Holy Spirit as