The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-07-22
PEOPLES
sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.


hvered two addresses to the Interna-
tional Bible Students Association, in
the Auditorium. He had fine audiences
and excellent attention. We report one
of his discourses from the text forego-
ing. He said in part
Although the words Of our text were
not addressed by st. Paul to the world
", they would. nevertheless. be excel
lent advice and very profitable to all.
In a general way all civilized people
recognize that cleanliness is next to
godliness." In general way the pure,
the clean, are recognized as the beauti-
full And impurity and filthiness are
detested even by the impure and the
filthy. Outwardly at least We are in
time when water is plentiful. when
soap is cheap. and when filthiness OF
the flesh is almost inexcusable as re-
spects the outward man. But filth
ness Of the spirit cannot be touched,
cannot be cleansed, with ordinary soap
and water and this is undoubtedly the
reason why the Lord and the apostles
nave uOl uuulCSSCu lhSSC NOhuo W tLC
world.
"Havina These Promises"
Our text tells the difference between
the well-intentioned worldly person
and the thoroughly consecrated Chris
tan. The latter has heard through the
Word of God certain exceeding great
and precious promises" which the
well-meaning worldly class have not
yet heard-heard in the true sense Of
hearing, in the sense Of approaching,
understanding. The whole civilized
world. In one sense, has the same BIZ
BILE, the same Word Of God, the same
precious promises, but it has not ap-
preciated these 1t has not understood
them. 1t has not accepted them and
made them its own by surrender to
the Lord. The Church. on the contra
~, is composed of those individuals
who have heard the Lords promises
intelligently. and who have accepted
those promises upon Gods conditions
Those promises of God constitute the
power of God. which works in the
heart of each of the Church, first to
will Alright. and. secondly to do. to the
extent of ability. the Lords good pleas
ure philippians ii. 49,.
This is the class addressed in our
text-the followers of Jesus These
have heard of the grace of GOd-that
1t is the Divine intention to bless Adam
and his race through the great Media
tor-the Messiah, the Christ. They
have heard that Jesus left the glory
with the Father and humbled himself
to human nature, In order that he
might redeem the human race. They
have heard that the application of the
merit Of his sacrifice, when applied in
due time, will be sufficient for the sins
Of the whole world, and that then the
Heavenly Father will turn over the
world to the Redeemer. They have
learned that the Redeemer. backed by
Divine authority, will put all things
into subsection under his feet, will in
stitute heavenly Kingdom or rule in
the earth, and for a thousand years
reign as King of kings and Lord of
lords. They have heard that when he
shall thus reign. his Kingdom shall be
under the whole heavens" although
Glory on the spirit plane, 'far above
angels. principalities and powers and
every name that is named" Ephesians
l. Ply.
They have heard that his Kingdom
will prevail from sea to sea and unto
the ends Of the earth and that eventu-
ally unto him every knee shall bow
and every tongue confess allegiance and
obedience, and that all refusing thus to
submit to that reign of Righteousness
will be destroyed from amongst the
people in the Second Death (Acts lii.
%, 23). They have heard that this
great Kingdom will not only lift up,
raise up, resurrect humanity from its
fallen condition. from sin and death,
but that it will also bring the whole
earth to the condition foreshown in
the Garden of Eden, making God s
footstool glorious and every way fit to
be the eternal habitation of such of the
human race as will be saved by that
glorious Kingdom for which we pray,
"Thy Kingdom come: thy will be done
on earth as it is done in heaven"
But these have heard something
more-something that belongs to the
present time. They have heard that 1t
is the Divine purpose to select from
amongst mankind a Royal Priest
hood" to be associated with the great
Redeemer in his Mediatorial Kingdom.
They have heard that call went forth
to this effect eighteen centuries ago, in
viting, first of all, the Jews who were
ready and willing to accept this very
highest favor of God-joint-heirshir
with his Son in the spiritual Kingdom
which is to bless mankind in general
by and by. They have heard that to
attain membership in this Royal Priest
hood means the attainment of the
likeness Of Jesus, to become
copies of Gods dear Son Romans viii
s9). This implies. as its cost. the sacri.
fee of earthly interests. They have
heard the message Of the Lord. not
only inviting to the glories of the King.
dom. but also informing them that the
way to that crown Of glory is narrow
and difficult one. They have heard the
voice of the Master. saving "Sit down
first and count the COST before yot
undertake such. a conservation of YOU
life, such sacrifice of your earthly in
terests. s.Noyman having put, his hani