The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-12-29
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle

T~--a&.-> =ea.--a1 - Pastor Russell
of Brooklyn Tabernacle today address
ed an audience of nearly four thousand
people from the above text. His hear
erS were of all classes and very intel
ligent appearing. He had closest at
tention He said in part
God has messages for those who
have hearing ears at each great Dis
sensational change in earth's affairs.
These messages have generally been
in the nature of forewarning Of com
ing distress and the reasons therefor.
Such message was given to our first
parents when they were expelled from
Eden-accursed would be the ground
for their sakeS. Thorns and thistles
it would bring forth unto them. In
sweat of face they should eat bread
thereof until they should return to the
ground, from whence they came. An
other great message went forth at the
time of the flood; another before the
destruction of Sodom and GOmOrrah;
another at the close of the Jewish
Age, when Jesus and his Apostles call
ed attention to the prophecies which
foretold the Divine rejection Of the
nation of Israel for a time and de
clared that all things written in the
Law and the Prophets concerning
them would have fultllment, quoting
the prophecy which declared that
their house would be left desOlate;
that they would have neither prophet,
nor vision, nor priest, nor ephod for
many years. but that eventually Gods
favor would return to ISrael-that he
would gather them again and fulfill to
them everlastingly the blessings prom
ised both to Abraham and to his de
scendants-"the sure mercies of Da-
vid."
A week ago we considered the pro
phetic message. Comfort We, comfort
ye, my people, saith your Cod isaiah
Il, IL. We noted then that the due
time has arrived for the fulfllment to
Israel of this comforting message
that as a people the appointed time
for the return of favor to them is ac-
complished because their tWo-fOld dis
ciplines for sin have been fulfilled.
Thus our present day is clearly mark
ed and the words of our text follow
ing imply that now is the time for a
special message to all. in proportion
as each may have the hearing ear.
1t is the voice of God which calls
now through various channels and
agencies. 1t cries not from the City
Babylon the Great" 1t cries not from
the citadel of ChriStendom; but from
the wilderness, from those who are
more or less separated; from those who
have heard the voice of the Lord say
ing, Come out of her, my people, that
We be not partakers of her sins, and
that We receive not of her plaques
Revelation xviii. A..
Prepare the Lords Way.
The message of the hour to every
hearing ear is. The Lord whom ye
seek shall suddenly come to his TEN
pie" OIalachi iii, y. For centuries you
have been praying, THY Kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it
is done in heaven Now your prayer
is about to be answered, whether you
prayed in sincerity or in hypocrisy.
The glory of the Lord is about to be
revealed. All flesh shall see it to-
gether" 1t will not be revealed mere
ly to one nation, nor merely TO one
holy class. His glory will be revealed
in flaming fire-in judgments. All flesh
shall see 1.-THE rich and the poor,
the learned and the ignorant, the
holy and the unholy. But, as the
Prophet Malachi declares, "WhO shall
abide the day of his coming, and who
shall stand when he appeareth; for he
is like fuller's soap Qn its attack upon
grease and dirt, and he is like a re-
finer's fire." as it meltS and separates
the dross of sin and iniquity (Malachi
iii, q.
The coming Of great earthly king
to a city is the signal for general
cleaning up everywhere. And so the
Lord declares that the message of his
disappointing Kingdom should in
fuence all who have the hearing ear
to make preparation. To each nation
it means, Set your house in order An
inspection is at hand See that your
laws are just and equitable and that
they are administered justly. The
same message comes to each self-g
erning city, and lastly, and most i'm
portant of all, this message comes to
each individual, and especially to all
who have named the name of Christ.
Or, as st. Peter declares, this inSpec-
ton of the King of kings and Lord of
lords must begin with the house of
God q Peter iv, 10. And If the in
spection be so searching that it must
begin with Gods saints, what could
we expect of it when it reaches those
who are merely nominal Christians
and then the world in general. All!
we may expect just what the Bible ad-
vises US will come, "a time of trouble
such as never was since there was
nation" Daniel xii, y. The message
of this hour, dear friends, elsewhere
stated in Holy Writ, is, Seek meek
ness; seek righteousness. 1t may be
that We shall be hid in the day of the
lords anger" (Zephaniah ii, g.