The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-06-30
sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
I abaa 1e-

Chicago, June 2G.-Pastor Russell oil
the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached here
twice today In Orchestra Hall a.
usual he had large and attentive au
dience. We quote one OF his discourses
In part as follows:
All men who have any knowledge oil
Jesus esteem him-Christians Gentiles
and Jews. All men whatever their
religious convictions are ready to admit
the surprising personality Of the great
NaZarene and his wonderful words Of
life. It Is as respects his Messia hship
that they differ. However, we sub
NIT that II he were not the special serv-
ant Of Jehovah, the Son OF God. as
he claimed. sent into the world on a
special mission. then he must Of neces-
sity have been either a deceived man
Or a wicked impostor. His wonderful
personality and words OF justice and
wisdom and love contradict the
thought that he was either ignorant or
a decefVer. Hence the only tenable
ground Is that he was q deceived man
or else that he was indeed the Son Of
formed miracles under Divine direction
and power. We hold that the evi-
dences OF his teaching overwhelmingly
corroborate the truth of his claims
But here we make a distinction be
tween the claims which our Lord Jesus
made for himself and other claims
which have been made for him with
out his sanction and without apostolic
or other inspired confederation.
Let it not be supposed that we are
forgetting the length and breadth of
Jesus love for all humanity and spe-
cial love for all of his disciples. yea.
Tor all who loved righteousness and
sought, as he did, to do the Fathers
Will. In keeping with this was his
prayer for his disciples on the night
before his crucifxion, In connection
with which we read, Jesus having
loved his own, loved them unto the
end" John xiii. u. And again his
statement Greater love hath no man
than this, that man lay down his life
Tor his friends" John XIV, 49,. And
again his statement, "Who Is my moth
he stretched forth his hand to his disci
pies, and said, Behold my mother, and
my brethren! For whatsoever shall do
the will Of my Father which is In
Heaven, the same is my brother and
sister. and mother" CMatthew xiii
1850. These expressions give us
glimpse Of the length and breadth of
the love Of Jesus But for the present
occasion let us consider those persons
whom Jesus is said to have speciaIly
loved.
Jesus BehoIdins Him Loved Him."
The rich young nobleman who came
to the Lord said, Rabbi, what good
thing shall do that I may inherit the |
Kingdom Of God? Jesus saith unto
him. Thou knowest the command
ments and he said unto him.
Master. all these have 1 observed from |
my youth. Then Jesus beholding him, |
loved him. Jesus lovingly admired |
the young man who was thus DESTROYS |
OF being In full accord with the Heav- |
emily Fathers will. That young man
had very much Of the Masters own
spirit. He wanted to do right and he |
desired to have the gift Of God, eter
nal life. He thought that he must |
have merited this by his faithful atten |
ton to the Law. Yet he knew that he
had not attained to eternal life. tina, |
the death sentence was still upon him
He sought counsel of the greatest !
Rabbi. the greatest Teacher. That
Teacher loved so earnest a spirit and
profered him advice on what he still
lacked of coming fully up to Gods re-
qu1rements OF those who will be grant
ed place In the Messianic Kingdom.
which in "due time" is to bless Israel
and, through Israel, all the families of
the earth.
In no uncertain terms the Master
gave the young man to see that while
he had been keeping, probably to the
best OF his ability, the commandments
Of the decalogue, he had only imper-
fectly discerned the meaning Of the
Divine requirement of love for his
neighbor as for himself. The young
man was very rich. And to fulfil the
requirements OF the Law to love his
as himself would have meant
not the boarding Of wealth, nor neces-
sarily the distribution Of it all. but
the wise use of it In the interest of his
fellowmen. But to gain a share In the
Kingdom would require even more
than this He must take up his cross
and become follower Of Jesus-walk-
Ing In the steps Of full obedience to
The Divine will The price was too much
for the young man, and he went his
way. Jesus merely answered the cues
lion but did not urge the young man
TO thus present himself living sqcri-
fee to God and his service. Indeed In
no case did Jesus ever do more than
nvite-never did he urge. On the con- .
rary he advised, Sit down first and
count the cost Of discipleship.
What could we surmise respecting
he eternal destiny Of this young man ,
who had been striving so earnestly to
Keep the Law and to gain eternal life. ,