The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-07-12
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

preached today from the above text.
He said in part:-
In order TO use q telescope to ad-
vantage we need first to obtain a
proper focus on the object to- be ex-
amined And so 1t is with the Divine
Plan and Purpose. Looking at 1t with
the eye of faith through the Telescope
of Gods Word, adjustment Of the TO-
Gus is necessary. This focusing Of the
Word, Christian people In the past
have very generally overlooked AS a
result the Divine Plan has a blurred
and indistinct appearance to our sight.
The various word-plctures, symbols,
types, allegories and plain statements
of the Scriptures without this focusing
together, make a very unsatisfactory
and nondescript matter of the Gospel
Of Christ, one that is unsatisfactory to
everybody, one that the learned Of our
day have repudiated entlrely-an am
biguous collation. that is source Of
vexation to millions of Gods conse-
Grated people. The difficulty Is that
the Telescope was tampered with dur
ing the dark ages and the proper TO-
Gus was lost Since then Christian
people have feared to rcadjust It, They
have gloried in the fact that they never
changed the focus. However. they
have overlooked the fact that some one
ali ahn ~ rA lnnu
and that the unsatisfactory view we
have gotten is the result of this and
is entirely out of accord with the clear
and beautiful vision Of Gods Grace
and Truth and Mercy and Love and
Wisdom and Power as seen by the
Apostles in the early Church.
international Bible Students Associa-
ton.
Some of us. dear friends, instead of
throwing away the Telescope of the
cleaning the lenses of the dust of
the dark ages and adjusting the focus
by careful endeavOr to speak where
the Word of God speaks and to be
silent where Il liz silent. and TO bring,
as the Apostle suggests. our every
thought into captivity to the will OF
God In Christ as outlined In the Bible.
The result, we all can testify. Is not
only comforting, but happifying; not
only enlightenlng, but refreshing.
Truly, as the Apostle suggests, we
have come to "Tlmes of Refreshing
10 .F \ nrI ~ nd
all this, we perceive, Is exactly what
the Scriptures foretold, namely, that n
falling away and darkening of the I'M
derstanding would follow the death of
the Apostles. but that In the end OF
the age the darkness would begin to
scatter before the oncoming light OF
the Sun of righteousness, In the morn
ing OF the New DispensatiOn of Mes
siah's reign.
In accord with all this, note the fac
that for centuries we have been over
looking certain Scriptures while ac
ceptlng others, We accepted the Apos
ties statement In our text respecting
the reconciliation of the Church. bu
we overlooked entirely other Scripture
which speak of n still different recon
ciiation-"God through Christ recon
cling the world unto himself" Ul Co
rinthians " 49, We should have note'
the difference between the Church an,
the world in this aud many other pas
sages OF Scripture. We should hav
remembered the Lords words, "Ye ar
not of the world, even MS | am not o
the world" We should have seen tina
the salvation aud reconclllng OF tn
Church Is one thing and the salvatlo
and reconciling Of the world Is quit
another thing; that these are two dli
ferent salvatiOnS the FIRST to HEAVIER
IS. spiritual conditions and joint-heiI
ship with Christ In his Kingdom; tn
other 20 ,Nn earthly Inheritance, I
earthly perfection and life everlastin
and an Eden that IL to he world Wild
Paradise restored. Gods footstoC
made glorious.
Gods Purposes 10 Be Accomplished
Nevertheless nothing has been los
No feature Of the Divine Plan ha
been thwnrtcd. for these two snlvi
lions do not progress ut the same tim
During this Gospel Age none M
saved, nor DESTROYS TO bc saved, eXccI
those drawn of the Father" "cnlle
of God" These have been privilege
TO approach God through the so
whose name Is "tllc only name give
under heaven or amongst men whereof
we must be saved" (Acts iv, l2), On
those who take up their cross and fc
low the Lamb through evil report IN
good report, faithful unto death. Gu
now be splrit.bcgottcn; in the rcsu
rection, these will be splrlt-Dorn. mel
hers OF the Bride OF Christ, the Lamb
Wife and jointhelr with him In h
Kingdom. II does not matter TO q
remainder OF mankind that they ha
been allowed TO remain In ignoran
of the great fact that God Is about
pour out upon humanity great bleS
ing; about to pour out his holy Spll
upon all classes: about TO establish {
Kingdom OF his dear Son for which \
Nrau tuubt IFfnnInn. onuaa.s uhnnt