The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-07-11
RI sermon BY
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor BsooHyn
Tabernacle.

( Sunday. July 10.-Pastor Russell OF
Brooklyn Tabernacle. New York.
preached today from the above text,
He said in part:-
In order to use telescope TO i'd.
vantage we need first 10 obtain a
proper focus on the object to be ex.
amined. And so II is with the Divine
Plan and Purpose. Looking ut 1t with
the eye Of faith through the Telescope
of Gods Word, adjustment Of the 70.
Gus is necessary. ThiSfocusing of the
Word; Christian people in the past
have very generally overlooked. As a
result the Divine Plan has blurred
and indlstinct appearance TO our sight.
The various word-plcturcs. symbols,
types. allcgorIes and plain statements
of the Scriptures without this focusing
together, make very unsatisfactory
and nondescript matter OF the Gospel
Of Christ. one that is unsatisfactory to
everybody. one that the learned of our
dry have rcpudiated entirely-an mn.
biguous collation. that is source of
vexation to millions of Gods conse-
Grated people. The difficulty Is that
the Telescope was tempered with dur.
ing the dark ages and the proper 70.
Gus was lost. Since then Christian
people have feared TO rcndjust It. They
have gloried In the fact that they never
changed the focus. However. they
have overlooked the fact that some one
else did change 1t for them long aEo
and that the unsatisfactory view we
have gotten is the result of this and
Is entirely out of accord with illr rirul
and beautiful vision OF Gods Trace
and Truth and Mercy md Lave and
Wisdom and Power rs seen by thr
Apostles in the early Church.
international Bible Students Assoeia.
ton.
Some of US. dear friends. instead OF
throwing away the Telescope of the
Word Of God. are taking pleasure in
cleaning the lenses of the dust OF
the dark ages and adjusting the focus
by careful endeavor TO speak where
the Word of God speaks and to b.
silent where 1t is silent. and to bring
as the Apostle suggests. our every
thought Into captivity to the will OF
God in Christ rs outlined In the Bible
The result. we MI can testify. is mol
only comforting. but happlfying: moi
only enlightening. but refreshing
Truly. us the Apostle suggests. we
have come to "rImes of Refreshing
from the presence OF the Lord" And
all this. we perceive. is exactly what
the Scriptures foretold. namely. that q
falling away and darkening Of the nm
Outstanding would follow the death 0i
the Apostles. but that in the end Of
the age the darkness would begin t
scatter before the oncoming light Of
the Sun OF righteousness. In the morn
ing Of the New Dlspensation Of Mes
siah's reign.
In accord with all this. note the fac
that for centuries we have been over
looking certain Scriptures while nc
cepting Others We accepted the Apps
ties statement In our text respecting
the reconciliation of the Church. bu
we overlooked entirely other Scriptures
which speak of still different recon
cillation-."God through Christ recon
Cling the world unto HIMSELF III Co
rinthians V. 19l. We should have notet
the difference between the Church ant
the world in this and many other pas
sages of Scripture. We should hav,
remembered the Lords words. aye ar
not of the world. even us l am not o
} the world" We should have seen TIM
the salvation and reconclling of tn
Church Is one thing and the salvation
and reconcillng of the, world is quit
another thing: that these are two dit
ferent charlottesville first to heaven
ly. spiritual conditions and jolnt.heir
ship with Christ in his Kingdom: tn
other TO M earthly Inheritance. {
earthly perfection and life everlasting
and an Eden that is to be world.wld
Paradise restored. Gods footstoo
made glorious.
Gods Purposes to Be Accomplished.
Nevertheless nothing has been lost
No feature of the Divine Plan ha
been thwarted. for these two saliva
lions do not progress ut the same time
During this Gospel Age none ar
saved, nor DESTROYS to be saved. excer
those drawn of the Father "callc
of God" These have been privilege
to approach God through the Sol
whose name Is "the only name give
, under heaven or amongst men whereof
We must be saved" (Acts ". 12,. On.
those who take up their cross and 70
low the Lamb through evil report an
good report. faithful unto death. ca
now be splrit.bcgotten: In the resul
rectlon. these will be spirit-born. men
bers of the Bride of Christ. the Lamb
, Wife and joint-heir with him in hl
I Kingdom. 1t does not matter to til
, remainder of. mankind that they hav
!, been allowed TO remain in ignorauc
of the great fact that God is about I