Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-03-17
CHOOSE We THIS DAY BETWEEN
TRUTH AND ERROR.

5s ~
Washington, D. C. Pastor Russell
Of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, New
York, preached here twice today to
splendid audiences. One of his dis
courses was entitled. 1.-THE Overthrow
Of Satan's Empire" We report the
other one from the text above quoted.
Pastor Russell said
As Christians in the light of this
wonderful Twentieth Century we
stand at the parting of the ways and
must decide for right or for wrong,
for truth or for falsehood, in respect
to our religious convictions. With
out questioning the sincerity Of. our
forefathers, we all object to their
theology. 1t Is in vain that min
listers and Bible class teachers longer
deny the facts of the case. Nor will
intelligent and honest people agree
that it is right that through their
creeds they should profess one thing
and in their lives and general con-
versation they should ignore or abb
solutely deny the teachings OF those
creeds, Yet this is the position Of
practically all the thinking people
of Christendom. Their consciences
will not stand for this much longer.
II, they refrain from telling the Truth
and taking their stand for it, they
will not only scar their consciences
Il Timothy w. 81 and correspond
ingly seperate themselves from Gods
favor, but additionally their course
will sooner or later bring upon them
the disapproval and contempt Of all
honest people. For although the
masses are not yet aroused on the
subject. they are rapidly getting
awake. - IT..
Do you wish me to illustrate what
I mean? Do you wish me to show
you in what respect all denomina-
tons are ashamed of their ereeds and
anxious to hide. the fact that they,
ever professed them or were anxious
to give them some new interpreta-
ton more consistent with the broad
er thought and more generous
sentiment common to the civilized
man in this Twentieth Century? !
will do it.
Our Methodist friends are ashamed
of that feature of their creed which
declares that the Almighty Is now
doing everything that Divine Wisdom
and Power can accomplish on be-
half of our poor race to bring all
to a full knowledge of Christ and
to opportunity Of faith and obedience.
ness in this argument. And when
they protest that God must work
through means, and hence that the
responsibility lies at the door Of
Christian believers to carry the Cos
pei to the heather. they realize that
this is an illogical argument too.
For why should our Great Creator
send to eternal torment millions
of his creatures, because Of an in
sufficiency Of zeal on the part of
some of their more enlightened fell
low-creatures? Acknowledging the
inconsistency of such a theory our
good Methodist brethren tell US that
they hope that God has some other
way Of saving the ignorant of hea+a
then lands and, perhaps; of civilized
lands.
We appreciate the loving heart
which prompts this answer and we
agree that it is true-that God has
another way for these. But when
we attempt to point out what that
other way is, some of these dear
friends inquire, Is it Methodism? Did
John Wesley preach it? Our answer
is No. Brother Wesley did not preach
it and did not know of it. Not be-
cause it Is new, but because It is
SO very old and was lost sight OF
during the clark ages" for fifteen
centuries before Brother Wesley was
born. He was feeling after it, yearn-
for it, but the due time" for 1T to
be made known to Gods people had
not yet come in Brother Wesiey's
day. He preached the eternal tor
ture of all mankind, except the sane
titled believers In Jesus the savior.
But in his preaching of the love OF
GOD he was used Of the Almighty to
wondrously prepare the hearts OF
Christendom for the broader mes
sage of the Bible now due to be seen
and understood. Wesley's Gospel
Of the love Of God has mellowed the
heart of Christendom, which once
was frigid under the cold teachings
of Foreordination, Predestination,
etc., of the Westminster Confession
of Faith-once the basis of nearly
all Protestant Communions. a
If we and our Methodist brethren
could maintain the same degree OF
spiritual warmth that Wesley and
their forefathers enjoyed we might
do without further instruction. But
we cannot do this! None can stand
still! Christians today are losing
their holiness, their sanctifcation--
their zeal for God is giving place to
zeal for q sect.
The light for the Millennial morn
ing which for q century has been
gradually been breaking upon the
world, stimulating thought in every
direction. makes it necessary for our
Methodist brethren, as web as for us
all, to awaken to the wond Erful priv
fleges OF our day for Bible study;
to ascertain the real teachings OF
Gods Word, which, in the dark past
we ali seemingly misunderstood and