The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-07
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Chicago, Jan. 2.-Pastor Russell Of
Brooklyn Tabernacle, New York
preached here twice today to large au
dienceS. The Auditorium of world
wide celebrity for its size and excellent
acoustics, afforded the immense audi
ence superior opportunity to heal
Pastor Russell's discourse In the after
noon. We report his evening discourse
based on the foregoing texts. He said
The opening of New Year is like
the opening of a new ledger 1t is q
favorable time for determining what
should be disposed of in the profit and
loss account and for putting into effect
resolutions governing the New Year
The fact that thousands of resolutions
Will be made at this season only to be
broken later under the impact of temp
tation, should not discourage us from
making such resolutions ourselves and
advising the course to others. The
man or woman who makes no Resolu-
tons or Vows makes little progress In
building. Poor, fallen human
nature needs all the bands and braces
and supports which q well-directed will
can give it. We are not advocating
hasty, and sometimes unreasonable,
vows and resolutions and pledges
thoughtlessly taken. What we do adj
vocate is thoughtful, rational sitting
down and counting the cost, and then
and there resolving with the full
strength of the character, with the full
determination of the mind, to pursue
the way which deliberate judgment
tells one is the proper course.
A Christmas Vow or Resolve.
A Christian, like other men, can be
benefited by such Resolves to himself,
which should be sacredly kept, in pro-
portion as he respects himself and
would be respected. These Resolutions
may apply to sundry affairs of life
his home. his business, his personal
habits, etc. But when the Christian
comes to consider his highest interests,
he at once recognizes that they are
those by which he is related to his
Creator and his Savior. At the very
beginning of his Christian experience,
after he had longed for righteousness
and turned from sin; after his eyes
had seen Jesus as his Redeemer; after
his ear of faith had heard that he was
of his Son and had forgiveness of sins
through faith in his blood-then came
to him the most important moment of
his life. For God, through his Word,
invited him to make full cOnSecra-
ton of himself Qncluding every earth
" interest and affair." to the Lord and
his service.
The proposition, in the language of
the Savior, was that he should take up
his cross and follow Christ; and that
as a reward he should have in the
present life tribulation from without
but the peace of the Lord within, and
in the future life experience a share
in the First Resurrection. That change
TO glory, honor, Immortality, the Di-
vine nature, means joint-heirship with
his Redeemer in his great Office ard
work as the Mediator between God
and the world during the Millennial
Age. The terms are clearly stated
self-denial, cross-bearing, service for
Christ, faithfulness unto death. The
rewards also, as clearly stated, are
crowns of life and membership in the
Royal Priesthood, a seat with the Lord
in his throne, an opportunity of being
one of the judges for helping and up
lifting mankind during the Millennium.
While stating the conditions clearly
and distinctly, through his Word the
Lord did not urge conservation, but
said rather that each should sit down
first and count the cost. After having
counted the cost, whoever chose to ac-
cept the proposition did so by making
Vow unto the Lord-a Conservation
Vow OF full submission-the full sur
render of the will. This was to the
intent that thereafter not only the
conduct of life, but the words of the
mouth and the meditations of the heart
should be acceptable to the Lord. This
comprehensive Vow is symbolized in
baptism, which, rightly understood, us
explained by st. Paul, is baptism
into membership in the Body of Christ
(the church,, and this by baptism or
immersion Unto Christ'S death"
Only such as make this Vow are AZ
cepted at all as members of The Christ.
and amounted with the holy Spirit 1t
is respecting this Vow that st. Paul
urges, IN the words Of our text, Il be-
seech you, justified brethren, by the
mercies of God, that We present your
bodies living sacrifices, holy, accepta-
BILE to God, and your reasonable serv-
Ice" Our contract with the Lord is
entered into, made secure, by the Vow
Of Conservation, and the remainder OF
life is merely testing Of the cOnse-
Grated one, to determine to what de-
gree he really meant the Vow; to what
degree he uses his every endeayor to
be dead to the world, dead to self, dead
to all earthly things and Glire toward
God and the interest Of the Millennial
Kingdom to which he has consecrated
himself as member Of the Body Of
the Mediator Of the New Covenant
Jeremiah XXI, 81; Galatians, iii, 29).
81 Will Pay My Vows"
Let no one lightly undertake a Vow
unto the Lord. 1t carries with it
weighty responsibilities. 1t would be
better every way that none should
take the Vow without first understand
ing the matter and entering fully into
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