The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-06-28
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

PASCo VI lAC dScO(AdlAOAs 11C Aa0 NAOWQ
ed houses and earnest attention. On
the above text he said in part:
I address you, dear friends, as Chris
tians, students of Gods Word, and not
as sectarians Although the world is
full Of denominations, each claiming to
De the Church of Christ, we all admit
that there is but the one Church Of
the firstborns whose names are writ
ten In heaven" Rebrews xii, 23). This
conviction is being borne In upon US
more and more as the days go by, and
as the eyes of our understanding open
more widely to the teachings of Gods
Word. We realize increasingly that
our division means our shame In the
eyes of the world, and that our Creedal
contradictions imply that we are not all
led in all things by the Holy Spirit, the
teachings of which cannot be Yea and
Nay upon the same subject. 1t is this
sentiment which is taking hold of the
ministry of all denominations and max
ing them anxious for an outward show
of Unity In Church Federation, which
will shortly be effected. The Christian
public, however, and especially Bible
students. are not deeply sympathetic
with the Federation idea. They real
lie that at most 1t would be gloss Of
deception so far as doctrinal oneness
Is concerned; and that otherwise 1t is
but business or worldly combination
Bible Students are more and more
coming to prefer the Lords way-the
Scriptural way. They are coming to
realize that what Gods people need is
not more organization but less organi-
cation, not more explicit creeds but
the one standard of fellowship which
the Bible sets up. They are learnin,
that this simple creed is:-a turnin
from sin and acceptance of the Lord
Jesus as the Redeemer from sin and
death and the full conservation of the
believer, mind and body, to know anG
to do the Lords will to the best of his
ability, under the Lords Providential
guidance. We all see that this simple
bond Of fellowship is the only one laid
down in Gods Word, and that whatso-
ever is more than this is Injurious
bondage to men and to systems. We
all see that "the Church of the Living
God whose names are written in heav-
en-" is composed exclusively of such as
conform to the terms of this simple
creed-that these alone will constitute
1.-THE Body of Christ which is the
Church'-"the Bride, the Lambs wife,"
whom he will accept and unite to him
self in the end of this age We all see
that this class alone is referred to in
the Scripture as "the elect" who are
to be associated with the Savior in his
gloriors Spiritual Kingdom, which, in
visible to men, is shortly to be estab-
lished in power and great glory for the
blessing of natural Israel and through
her for the blessing of all the families
of the earth-livin0 and dead.
"Workmen Not Ashamed"
Let us consider the latter part of our
text first: The Apostles suggestion is
that Timothy and all the ministers of
the Gospel of Christ are professedly
soorkmen, laboring under the guidance
Of Gods Word. III the larger sense
every Christian Is a minister of the
Gospel, or, as St. Peter declares of all
the consecrated, "Ye are a Royal
Priesthood, Holy People, Peculiar
Treasure" In the end of the age will
come reckoning time. a showing of
results, EVERY mans work that he
hath wrought shall be made manifest
q Corinthians iii, 49,.
Our text urges that Timothy. and
every faithful servant of God should
be so loyal to God and his message
that In the great time of examination
In the end of this age preparatory to
the introduction of the Kingdom the
showing shall be one of which we need
not be ashamed Let US, then, as Chris
tian Bible Students of all denomina-
lions gathered here today, ask our
selves respecting our own work in the
world, and how it must appear to God.
to ourselves, and to our fellowmen-
yea, how it must shortly be made
manifest to all!
Let us call the roll Baptist breth-
rem, What have you to show as work
men who need not to be ashamed.
rightly dividing the Word of Truth !?
Methodist brethren, what say you?
Presbyterians, next. Congregational
lists, Lutherans, Catholics-all!
The answer of one is practically the
answer of all: 1--WE have-so many hun
bred Churches. They cost-so many
millions of dollars. Their steeples are
so high. Their cost of maintenance
is-so much. The number of ministers
is-so many The Church collections
amount to so much. The amount col
lected for foreign missions is-so much.
The amount expended on fine choirs
and elegant organs is-so much. The
aggregated debts of all our churches is
many of these debts is-so much. The
time and energy expended In fairs
bazaars, etc. TO help pay the expendi
lures is-so much. The number Of
Church membership is-so many. The
number In Sunday Schools is so
many"
many OF our dear Christian friends
say, What lack we yet? Have we not
really attained the goal of our Church
ambition? Should we build finer edi-
fees or pay larger salaries? Are we
not straining ourselves with collections
at every turn? What more could God
ask of us? I'VE are rich and increased
in goods and have need of nothing"
Revelation Lii, 1919.
In reply we may suppose the Lord to
ask, Where did l give you instruction
respecting these things? Where in my
Word did you find the suggestion that
what desired you to do In the world
was to erect great church edifices,
piles of stone and iron and mortar,
polished woods and stained glass?
You are not rightly reading my Word.
However good in intention, you have
failed to rightly diDide the Word of
Truth" The Temple respecting which
l gave instruction is the spiritual one,
the Temple of the holy Spirit-the Body
Of Christ which Is the Church /
fear that you have forgotten the
true temple of God while rearing
terials. Concerning the true Temple
instructed you that ''the temple
Of God is holy, which temple We are
living stones" being shaped and pol
ished "for the habitation Of God
| through the Spirit" Show me what
you have accomplished in this way.
Show me to what extent you have
rightly divided my Word. and prop
erly instructed mankind respecting my
| glorious character and my great Di-
vine Plan of the AgesI Show me
frI1ita 90 of the Qlnrfnns MESA pei