The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-05-20
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES +.
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
| abernacle.

ing capacity or ten thousand, was
crowded this evening to hear Pastor
Russell, of the Brooklyn Tabernacle,
New York, who delivered an address
on THEREAFTER" under the au-
spices Of the international Bible Stu
dents Association" Taking the above
text, nc said
Mankind instinctivcly look for and
believe in future life; to the majori.
ty OF minds II does not seem logical
that death ends all. SO surely as wo
believe our Creator to be all-wise, we
must assume that he has some pur-
attained rs yet, something beyond the
capacity of attainment in the present
life, under present conditions. Even
without Divine revelation, therefore,
we would be justified in anticipating
a life beyond the tomb but specula-
ton upon such an important subject,
of such vital interest, is not necessary.
We are glad that our Creator has
given us in the Bible clear intimatiOns
mankind in the future. Nevertheless
these purposes were kept secret, not
revealed until the first advent OF our
Redeemcr. Thus the Apostle declares
that Christ brought life and immor-
tality to light through the Gospel" 1t
was invisible before, not brought to
light, and its terms and conditions
could not be clearly discerned.
Without any Divine revelation, we
see suticiency on every hand to
cause establishment and to call anx-
iously for explanations. We see the
world of mankind weak and depraved,
signing, crying and dying "Transi-
tory" is written upon everything hui
man The Scriptures assert that we
of today are living under "a reign OF
has lasted for over six thousand
years. Why are these things so? Is
1t not true that there is but the one
God? Is 1t not true that his creatures
on the spirit plane are perfect that in
heaven there Is neither signing, nor
crying, nor dying? There is no reign
Of sin and death there no hospitals,
no asylums, no jaiIs, no penitcntiaries
all is harmony, perfect, pure, in full
accord with the Almighty. Why are
conditions so different on this earth OF
ours?
Because One Man Disobeyed.
The Bible alone offers us an eXplana-
ton of the situation. 1t tells us that
God created our race as pure, as per
feet, as holy, as happy as the angels,
and that he placed our first parents in
Eden, surrounded with everything
beautiful and desirable. 1t explains
that our fall from that perfection into
mental moral and physical decrepi-
tudc came as Il result of diSobedience
to God. 1t explains that the wages
Of sin is DEATH" that the soul that
sinneth, it shall die" that all the souls
produced by Father Adam and Moth
er Eve are dying souls. in consequence
of our sin-inheritanCe. This is bad
enough, sad enough; and, as was in
tended, our hearts cry out after the
living God. for his mercy and compass
sion, that he would save us from death,
save us from destruction. The answer
of Divine Justice is, that we are unfit
to live-that our Creator graciously de-
signs that sinners shall not be immor-
tai. But, hcarkening, we hear a mes
sage assuring us that God has looked
down in compassion and heard the
GroanngS of the prisoners" lie fore,
knew our helplessness under the reign
of sin and death. and in his Plan made
provision for our case in advance-"be-
fore the foundation Of the world"
After four thousand years OF this
reign of sin and death, exhibiting Di-
vine Justice without mercy, our Gre
atOr revealed the wonderful features
OF his Program. He sent forth his
Son, that he, by the grace of God,
might taste death for every man
not for the Eject Church merely. but
for all the families Of the earth.
Hence it is written that Jesus gave
himself ransom for ALL" and again,
that He is the Precipitation lsatiSfac-
tom for our sins the Church'sl and
not for ours only, but also for the sins
Of the whole world"
SO, then, the death penalty pro
noUnced against our race, which would
nave reduced Adam and his posterty to
the hopeless condition Of beasts, as
respects eternal life, God had already
intended to set aside through the sac
rifce OF Christ. Nevertheless. he al
lowed sin and death to reign from
Adam to Moses, and from Moses to
Christ, and from Calvary to the pres
ent. He has contented himself with
laying the foundation for the world
wide blessing, in the death OF the Re
decmer. He intends ultimately, the
Bible assures us. to offer complete de-
Everance from sin and death. to Adam