The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-05-03
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Rome, May 1.-Pastor Russell OF
Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York,
preached here today to a large and at
tentive audience. Speaking through
an Interpreter, he was heard by all.
His address was delivered under the
auspices of the INTERNATIONAL
BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION.
A profound impression was evidently
made, and Bible study surely received
a considerable impetus. Many inclined
to scoff Mt religion and the Bible, as
interpreted in the past, said reverent-
ly, "If this be the Gospel Of Christ
it is worthy of all acceptatiOn." The
speaker said:
We, dear friends, are living in day
in which the leading minds of the
world are rejecting the Bible and its
message in all the great colleges of
the world yea, in the theological
semnaries also, the Bible is classed
as antique. Professed faith in the
Bible, as the inspired Word of God,
today calls forth sneers of ridiculc and
the comment that such believers arc
"unlearned." But, my hearers, | am
before you today to contend that it Is
not the Gospel of Christ that is be-
ing rejected by the intelligence of the
world, but another Gospel that came,
not from Christ, neither from the Apos
ties, neither is it taught in the Bible.
I am here to claim, and to endeavor to
prove that the Bible Is eminently log
ical, thoroughly reasonable, and that
the message it bears to those who have
Gears to hear" is the most wonderful
message that could possibly be pre-
sented to human heads and hearts.
We are not here to claim new rev.
elation, making void the Word of God
through Jesus and the Apostles; we
are not here to twist and turn their
words to make them appear TO mean
what they do not say. We are here
to show that the Bible taken in its
simplicity. and allowed to interpret IL
self, Is the most wonderful book in the
world, and that the Divine Plan of Sal
walton therein set forth is soul-satisfy-
ing and, as the Scriptures declare, suf-
licient. that the man Of God may be
thoroughly furnished unto every good
word and work"
Theories of the Ozark Ages"
We are not here, my friends. to set
forth any sectarian views Of the Scrip
lures, nor to advocate new theology.
BY no means; we have already too
many theoogics; we have already too
many sects or divisions of Christ! We
want no more! Chrstendom is awak-
ening to the fact that the various con
dieting creeds cast dlscrcdt on the Bi-
BILE. The crceds of Christcndom uni
versally discredit each other by their
interpretations, and universally they
discredit the Bible, which would be
surely IL most ridiculous book, II il
taught all the various conflicting dog
mas.
However, ! should not be misundcr-
stood as making an attack upon any
creed, or upon the adherents OF any
NltNus NhNh'l, pNBStNl Nlul We may
well look with sympathy upon all the
various creeds aud sects realizing that
Gods people have been in Bubylonish
confusion for now many centuries
Did not the Apostle tell that great
falling away would come? QI Thessn-
lonans ii, 81 Should we then be sur
prised il we find his words have come
o., Al q.
Church of Christ has been deeply en-
tangled with errors and superstitions.
which make void the Gospel of Christ?
Let us not then stop TO find fault with
our fOrefathers. and to upbraid them;
let us rather, so far as possible. as
sumo their honesty. their sincerity.
Let us take the Bible standpoint and
realize that the difficulty has been the
power OF our Adversary, the Devil,
and that he has deluded aud enSnared,
not only the heather world but to Il
considerable extent Chrstendom.
Mark st, Puul's words, THE god OF
this world hath blinded the minds OF
them which believe not lest the glo-
rous light of Divine goodness should
shine into their hearts" Ql Corinthians
lv, n. The lntimatlon Is that our great
\Grcrsary, Satan, Is interested in de-
ewing mankind, respecting the glo-
rlous character OF our God and his
wonderful Plan of Salvation through
Christ, Satan uses as his tools the
very best OF humanity that he can
bring under his control. and nothing Is
more evident than that he has com
plctely deluded the heather world
with what the Apostle terms, doc
trincs OF devils" Not only so. but
to the extent that he was able to do
so, he has evidently worked mischief
with the various reformatlons and
crceds of Chrlstendom. Thank God
| that he did not gain entire control OF
any OF these. Thank God that there
Is Il center or nucleus OF truth in each
| OF these creeds, aud around that ker-
mel Of truth, terminating power may
/ be felt IN every denomination, but the
| Adversary has wrapped these creeds