Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-15
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

New YORK, pfedcueu TWICE mere LOuuy
to large and very attentive audiences.
we report one of his dlscourses from
the above text, as follows:
The word "t0inked' in our text is
used in a fgurative sense to signify
that God took no notice of, paid no
attention to, that long period of time
from the food TO the First Advent of
our Redeemer. During those twenty
FIVE hundred years the world Of man
kind lay in ignorance and weakness
and vice, but, as our text declares,
God took no notice of it as a whole.
He gave his attention entirely to the
little nation of Israel, the descendants
of Abraham. with whom he made
special Law Covenant. Israel entered
upon a great schooling period; first
in condition Of peonage in Egypt;
and later, under the command Of
Moses, passing from Egypt to Canaan,
with a wandering of forty years in
the wilderness; still later under judges,
and then under kings, etc. God did
not wink at sin amongst the Israelites,
whom he adopted as his peculiar peo-
pie" under the Law Covenant medlat-
ed by Moses. We read that every dis
obedience received lust recompense
Of reward" (Hebrews ii, 2) Stripes,
punlshments, captiyites. under Divine
supervision and predicted through the
prophets, was the portion of the cho-
sen people Of the Lord Obedience on
their part brought blessing and dis
obedience and idolatry brought chas-
. tisements--God winked at nothing as
respects his chosen people,
At first glance this is perplexing.
Not understanding the Divine Plan we
would be inclined to expect that the
favored nation would be excused more
than others-that il would be the peo-
pie whose imperfections would be
winked at. But not SO; Israel was
chosen for purpose. And in order to
prepare them for their mission and to
ut them to I'll 1t, the Lord chastened
and scourged them for their sins, and
thus educated and assisted them more
than others out of degradation. AS
result when our Lord came into the
world to be mans Redeemer Israel
under the chastising, scourglng, in
structing experiences of many centu-
ries, was by far the most advanced
nation in the world along religious
lines.
Thus II was that when the Redeem
er presented himself some, "a rem
nant," were "Israelltes indeed" and
ready TO receive him-flve hundred
during his earthly ministry and sew
eral thousand more at the following
Pontecostal season. II is but reason
able to suppose that no other nation In
the world would have furnished any
such numbers ready Of heart for Mes
siah, and consecrated fully to him.
Note, for instance. that st. Paurs
preaching TO the Athenians on Mars
Hill apparently touched not single
heart nor head.
The Justice Of the Wink.
The Almighty Informs us that JUS
tiee is the very foundation OF all OF his
dealings. He cannot be less than Just,
although through Christ he has pro-
vided to be more than just-that is.
loving and merciful. There must have
been Justice In this winklng men
toned by the Apostle. What was It?
The Apostle explains that owing to
a death sentence that was upon the
world In general. and no provision hav-
ing yet been made for n redemption
from that death penalty ana a resur-
rectlon deliyerance. Il would have been
illogical for God TO give laws to the
world OF mankind commanding repent
ance, etc, Why2 Because they were
already condemned 10 death, the ex.
treme penalty OF the Divine Law. No
moro could be done 10 them than de
stroy them, however badly they lived.
And nothing that they could do would
make them deserving OF eternal life.
So long as that death sentence rested
upon them and no prospect was Of
fered even of release from 1t, God let
them alone. aud justly enough wink
ed" at their imperfectlon and did not
lay IL specially to their charge
with the Jew IL was different. God
instructed that nation through the
Law aud the prophets and the chasten-
ings for their wrong doings, and thus
IN them 'llttie tloek" OF
'Israelites indeed" ready for spiritual
things. Additionally he wished 10 use
them and their experiences as types
Dr lessons for spiritual Israel yet fu-
lure These types. under the guidance
n the holy Spirit through the New
Testament have constituted very help
'ul lessons TO the Church OF this Cos
,el Age Spiritual lsraol-"For the
..aw Covenant was shadow OF good
hings coming after H."
But before having this dealing with
srael, God made Covenant with
hom promising them life-eternal II
hey would obey, They gladly ae-
epted the proposition and stroye 10
i've rlghteously. slrove 10 keep the |
.aw. They dld not gain eternal life
nder tho Law. because they could |
ot keep It: not that the Law was de-
ectlvo but that they Ike all other