Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1910-12-03

Ill tsRs& &s.sss MI tho hlppOuEOilt-
iii $S iii where his topic was
Ill THEREAFTER"
Ill Ai We report his other
Ill - MI sermon OF the same
U.s. - date based upon
SS==Ss===5 - = S5STTSA Mark xvi i. l6
&GsA9 l9NS 49, lAsz2Sz7S The speaker
launched Immediately into his subject.
declaring the wisdom OF the ProveTb
which says that dead files cause pre-
cious ointment To stink lie remarked
the truthfulness OF this in respect TO the
Bible. II Is precious ointment or sweet
odor, but certain flies have gotten into
II whose corruption have destroyed the
perfume or tie Divine records in the esti-
nation OF many-an intelligent and grow
ing number. Some OF these dead files
were mistranslations: some OF them mis-
interpretations. and some OF them. includ-
ing his text. were interpolations-mlau
thorized additions TO the Scriptures as
originally written.
Many Use Spurious Texts.
Speaking of his text he remarked that
all OF the sixteenth chapter OF Mark from
the ninth verse 20 tho end is now well
known to all scholars as an addition mado
TO what ST. Mark wrote. II has been
known for years TO all Bible scholars that
the two oldest Greek manuscripts known
to the world end the Book OF Mark with
oldest manuscripts belong TO the Fturtn
Century. Evidently. therefore. this addi
ton TO the Scriptures was made about
four hundred Years after St Mark
death. Why ;he ministers of Christendom
fail TO inform the Christian pubic or villa
they all know or should know, Pastor
Russell did not pretend to say. Why
many of them use these spurious verses
as texts to sermons without explainins
that they are spurious was not for him
20 Judge lie would say, however, that
some used these verses because they SUIT
Cd their theories as no other verses IA tho
Bible would do.
Pastor Russell noted also how some
Jealous Christians used his text as q ciun
upon other Christians, claiming that J;
they arc not baptized with water they
viii surely be damned, millions OF them
even claiming that 1t must be by an i'm
mersoa in water. And BY damned they
mean eternaay, evcrlastingly tOfmented
by lge-proOf devils. luey so furtncr ana
make tlia spurious addition 10 God
Word tla basis Of the theory that the
Churca is responsible FOR the Christian
zatiou OF the world. ana that every
heatHcn who does rot believe ana who Is
NOT bapuzed-some say, immersed-wil be
damned to eternal torture for their unbc-
lief and lack Of baptism. Thus this spur
GUS statement dishonors God, antasont&e5
all sensible minds. and makes narrower
and harder those who can and do believe.
Ability to Drink Poison.
Pastor Russell declared that many
Christian people had their faith shaken
in respect 10 their own Relationship 20
God because of the statements following
his text-to the effect that all believers
would have the power to cast out devils,
to speak with new tongues 10 handle
serpents without injury, 10 drink deadly
poison without injury, and TO lay hands
on the sick and cause recovery. Many
worldly minded people. reading these
statements, declare them to be buncomb.
or else that the Church OF Christ has lost
a power which II should still possess. And
yet intelligent ministers quote these spu-
rious words instead OF informing the peo
pie that they are TO part OF GOD $Mes-
sage and thaS they are not true. Pastor
Russell admitted that the Scriptures do
teach that miracles OF tongues, healings.
etc. were permitted in the days OF the
Apostles for the purpose Of establishing
the infant Church. But he claimed that
such powers were communicated. accord
ing TO the Scriptures, by the laying on or
the Apostles hands; hence that, as soon
as the Apostles were dead and those upon
whom they had laid their hands, and
consecutively those who had received the
Apostolic blessing and gifts of the holy
Spirit were dead. all those miracles and
healings naturally ceased. as St. Paul
foretold q Corinthians Kill, s..
"Let Him That Hath an Ear Hear"
Coming back to his text the speaker
declared that the Gospel was to be
preached in every nation, not with
view TO converting all OF mankind, but.
as many Scriptures show. as a witness
to the world and for the selection from
among the world of a little flock" OF
saints-"called. chosen and faithfuf'-to
constitute Messiah's associates in his Me
diatorial Kingdom. which shortly is to
bless humanity with glorious opportuni-
ties OF knowledge and uplifting influences,
which viii restore the willing and obedi-
ent 10 full harmony with God, full re-
lease from sin and death. sorrow and
pain, 10 life eternal as perfect men In
worldwide Paradise restored"
Pastor Russell declared that the object
and purpose of the Gospel everywhere
not to the Jew only. but to every people
could be easily demonstrated TO all haF-
ing faith in God. To claim that God 80
tended the Gospel to convert the worlu.
and TO know that 1t has not done 50. !s
TO destroy faith in God ard 10 G@st.oE
hope in respect TO any glorious outcome
10 the Divine Plan OF Salvation: foi thos-
who claim that God intended the preach
ing of the Gospel to accomplish Tie
worlds conversion must admit That II D.
accomplished no such purpose. and
Gods plan has been failure for eighteen
centuries what hope could any one have
that It ever would be a success
On the contrary. however, the Scrip
lures declare that the purpose and object
OF the Gospel Is 10 gather out an elect
or select class from amongst humanity
10 test and approve this little flock as
TO their willingness to follow in the foot
steps OF their Redeemer. and 10 glorify
these by the. power OF the First Resut-
rection' in the end of this Age, whea
the foreordained number shall have beea
selected. This. the proper view Of the
Gospel OF Christ, is fully upheld ard sub
stantisted as true By the history OF eight
cen centuries. Thus we are seeing fli-
filed the Divine Message through the
Prophet. MY Word that has gone forth
ont OF my mouth shall not return unto
me void Il shall prosper in the thing
wheTeto I seat it." IL Is sent TO gather
the elect ana it viii accomplish the Di-
wire intention.
Then. said Tic speaker. after the Gospe.
Message sha.. have selected the saint
and after Cod shall have gloriGed them
s0int-heirs with ChrlzE in his Kingdom,
totally different salvation viii begin ard
operate along quite different Hnest 10
longer VIII matters be left TO the stalu-
mering tonz-fsg and to the duh ard deaf
ears ard blinded eyes OF understandinEi
10 longer VIII sin and death reign 10
longer Will darkness. Ignorance and supe3
stitIon cover the earth, On the coDtIaaS.
then the Sun Of Righteousness shall arise
with healing IN his beams. The whole
earth shall be filed with a knowledge ~
the glory Of God. The King shall reign
v-s-fs x.f~s -