The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-01-31
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

ffederation was held today. The spa
cious Brooklyn Academy of Music was
crowded with Christian people of all
denominations to attend the third
OF the series of four meetings called
by the Peoples Pulpit Association.
Pastor O. II. Russell of the Brook
Iyh Tabernacle addressed the large
audience for an hour and half.
The deep interest felt was evidenced
by the profound silence, as well as by
the eagerness of face The text was
the same as on the two previous occa-
sions, Say We not, A Federation, to
all them to whom this people shall
!. say, A Federation; neither fear ye their
) fear, nor be afraid" 0saiah viii, 12).
{ The speaker said:-A
We meet today to consider what sac.
y rifices would need to be made IN the
interests of Federation by the three
Oldest denominations of Christendom.
or these Lutherans have least to sur
render. Their tenacity for the Word
OF God they may still maintain, even
though others OF the federated bodies
might more and more abandon the
/. Holy Scriptures, under leadership of
the Universities, Colleges and Semi
naries teaching Higher Criticism.Infi.
deity and the evolution theory. The
! Federation nevertheless would still
: permit Lutherans and others to love
and reverence the Word of God and
yet be In Fellowship. Almighty God,
the Son OF God and the Holy Spirit,
hrmly believed In by Lutherans, would
all be acknowledged with more or less
OF mental reservation by all the de-
nominations associated In the Fedora
tlon. Nothing along these lines would
need to be abandoned Even Luther's
plea OF consubstantiation in the Eu-
charist may be held without objec-
Y tion. Even the honor OF being the first
denomination of the Reformation
might still be held. We conclude then
q that Lutherans would not be required
TO sacrifice anything.
u Some Things In Common.
Episcopalians and Catholics have
some things In common. They each
Claim to represent the original apos-
tolic Church. They each claim
Through their bishops in the laying on
! OF hands, apostolic authority. Their
common claim is that all other denom-
. inations OF Christians whatsoever are
false churches without Divine author
fly and hence not to be recognized or
, tolerated Accordingly no minister OF
another denomination would be per
niitted to preach either In Catholic
or an Episcopallan pulpit. And If by
nischance such circumstance should
occur II would be considered neces-
sary TO purge the sacred spot by a
Kind OF re-consecration. From the
standpoint of these denominations all
Others are heretics; but, they say, not
willingly so, but ignorantly so.
Here note the fact that a cleavage Is
IN process amongst Episcopalians. A
minority, termed high-churchmen, are
gradually separating Romeward while
the majority are sharing the senti- |
ments of other Protestants, to the eff |
.sfect that the matter of apostolic sue
cesslon" is probably less important ]
than their forefathers supposed. For |
the purposes of this discussion we |
may without offense ignore the high |
church minority and say that the
Scriptures which plainly foretell the |
perfecting Of Church Federation indi- |
cate that 1t will include Episcopallans,
but will not include Catholics. Never
theless the intimation Is that while
the Federation will be a ProtestantI
one, 1t will not be anti-Catholic. On
the contrary the two great systems.
Catholic and Protestant, will frater-
nize and cooperate along various lines
especially In the manipulation Of So
cial and political influences
The breadth Of the Episcopal creed
will not call for particular sacrifices
in Federation, If only their pride on
I. the subject OF apostolic succession can
be satisfied. They are all prepared to
admit that no particular wisdom or i
holiness has been communicated from |
generation TO generation, from bishop |
TO bishop and from bishop to lower |
clergy through the laying on Of hands.
They are willing to admit that there |
have been men as wise and others as
foolish outside as inside their Com |
munion. They are willing to admit |
that no greater light upon the Word |
Of God aud its meaning has come
down TO humanity through its chan |
nels than through outside channels. |
They are willing to admit that their
clergy have no more of Divine Grace |
and Truth, Wisdom and Power than |
I have others OF Gods people, both cler-
gy and laity, outside their boundaries. !
Hence they are willing. nay anxious,
for Federation, and ask only that their |
race be saved by some acknowledg-
ment OF the long idolized thought that |
ability to expound the Scriptures and |
the Grace OF God In expounding them
could be had only through their chan
pel. They have no desire to prove
their claim to superior grace and truth
fby measuring swords OF the Spirit with
I ether ministers
"A Up TO the present time Episcopalians
= decline 70 be parties TO the Federation
unless their special claim be in some
,eense or degree recognized. Pride says
~ would never do to retract now all
.Vfat the denomination has stood for
IN separation for centuries. They