The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-02-25
Sermon by
CHARLES 7.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

tampa, tla., rep. ZU.-Ed Stor ~ l.
Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle preach
ed twice here today in our largest au
ditorium to the "Bible Students Con
vention." The large audience seemed
deeply interested. He said
Some apply the first text only and
think of the Divine Program as being
merely an endeavor to rescue mankind
from sin and death to Righteousness
and eternal life in the present time
Such as hold this view are much con-
fused. because it must be acknowl-
edged that comparatively little has
been done, or is now being done, for
mans uplift After six thousand years
it is still true that 1.-THE whole world
lieth in the Wicked One;" Darkness
covers the earth and gross darkness
the heather" In order to have any
confidence at all in this theory those
who hold it are obliged to greatly low
err their standards. They are forced to
hope that God will admit millions of
unfit people, crude, rude, ignorant and
wicked to eternal life and happiness,
or perchance provide for them Purga-
torial experiences, TO make them fit,
righteous and acceptable for life eter-
nal. AS whole, Christian people are
greatly bewildered. The tendency of
their bewilderment is toward doubt,
skepticism, atheism.
The other view briefly stated is that
God never intended the salvation of
the world, but merely the salvation Of
the Church, elect according to the fore
knowledge of God through sanctifica-
ton of the Spirit and belief in the
Truth. Those who hold this theory
have great confusion also, because it
seems incomprehensible that God
would make 10 provision for "thou-
sands of millions" of Adams race, but
arrange for them to be born in sin,
shapen in iniquity, and to go down to
the tomb Tor worse) without q clear
knowledge of God and his purposes
and will respecting them
As we have already frequently set
forth. both of the described theories
are erroneous. The Scriptures set
forth two Salvations. entirely separate
and distinct. They are different as re-
spects time, in that the one salvation
began TO be spoken by our Lord" at
his First Advent, and began to be APP
plicable to his Church at Pentecost,
and will wholly cease at his Second
Coming in the end of this Age. The
other salvation neither applied before
our Lords First Advent nor during
this Gospel Age, but will apply to all
mankind, except the Church, during
the AIillennium-the thousand years
of the reign of Christ and the Church.
specially designed for the blessing Of
the world and its uplifting out of sin
and death conditions.
These two salvations are distinctly
different as to kind. as well as respects
their plan of operation. The salvation
of the Church during this Gospel Age
since Pentecost-means not only a
deliverance from sin and death condi-
tons to eternal life, but provides that
the eternal life will be on the heaven
ly or spiritual plane and not on the
earthly or human plane of existence
Thus the Apostle declares th" t our ''in-
heritance is incorruptiblc and unde-
filed and fadeth hot away and is re-
served in heaven FOR us. who are kept
by the power of God through faith
unto salvation q Peter i. 4. 81. Our
Lord also told that in the resurrection
we shall be like unto the angels. The
Apostle also declares that ultimately
we shall be partakers of the divi,'r
nature and like our Lord and Redeem
cr.
Hence. all who participate in this
salvation Of this Gospel Age are Scrip
turally spoken of as New Creatures in
Christ Jesus, whose citizenship is in
heaven" These are assured that at
the Lords Second Coming they will
constitute the First Resurrection class.
They are guaranteed that only the
blessed and holy will have part there
in. and that all participating in that
First Resurrection will be Royal
Priests unto God and unto Christ, and
reign with him thousand years (Rev-
a!ation TX, %. They are assured that
the transformation of mind which
they now experience through the be-
t>Nt'ihS VI tut iipl. CpltlI VIII, III lutlI
resurrection. result in complete
transformation, providing them with
spirit bodies. Thus it is written Of
their resurrection. ut is sown in weak
ness: it is raised in power: 1t is sown
In dishonor: it is raised in glory: 1t is
sown an animal body; it is raised Il
spiritual body" q Corinthians XIV. A.
Al. OF those who will share in the
Church's salvation the Apostle says. !
eve shall not all sleep. but must all
be changed" because "6esh and blood
cannot inherit the Kingdom of Cod
q Corinthians XIV. 80, Oh.
The worlds salvation which will fol-
low will be wholly different from this |
1t will not include q change of nature |
from earthly to spirit nature. 1t will |
mean rescue from sin and death to !
the earthly perfection of the original |
man, in the image and likeness Of
his Creator. and surrounded by cv-
cry necessary blessing for his COM
fort. Human perfection and the Eden |
home were lost through disobedience !
to God. The Divine arrangement is |
that the merit of our Lords obedi- |
ence unto death. when ultimately APP |
piled for mankind, shall fully can
Gel the death sentence upon him. More