The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-04
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

2 9taasanta.aLt
O-s-.-.-s-.-.-.-s-.-.-.-.-.-
Chicago. Jan. 2.-Pastor Russell of
Brooklyn Tabernacle. New York.
preached here twice today to large au
diences. The Auditorium OF world
wide celebrity fer its size and excellent
acoustics afforded the immense audi
ence superior opportunity to hear
Pastor Russells discourse In the after
noon. We report his evening discourse
based on the foregoing texts. He snid:-
The opening of New Year is like
the opening of n new ledger II Is Il
favorable time for determining what
should be disposed of in the profit and
loss accoun and for putting into effecl
resolutions governing the New Year
The fact that thousands OF resolutions
will be made M this season only to be
broken later under the impact of temp
tation. should not discourage us from
making such resolutions ourselves and
advising the course to others. The
man or woman who makes no Resolu
tions or Vows makes little progress In
character building. Poor, fallen human
nature needs all the bands and braces
and supports which well-dlrectcd will
can give 1t. We are not advocating
hasty, and sometimes unreasonable,
vows and resolutions and pledges
thoughtessly taken. What we do ad
vocate is thoughtful. rational sitting
down and counting the cost, and then
md there resolving with the full
strength of the character. with the full
determination of the mind. to pursue
the way which deliberate Judgment
tells one ls the proper course.
A Christmas Vow or Resolve.
A Christian. like other men, can be
benefited by such Resolves to himself
which should he sacredly kept In pro
portion as he Respects himself and
would be respected. These Resolutions
may apply to sundry affairs Of life
his home. his business, his personal
habits. etc. But when the Christian
comes to consider his highest Interests
he at once recognizes that they are
those by which he Is related to his
Creator and his Savior At the very
beginning OF his Christian experience,
after he had longed for righteousness
and turned from sin; after his eyes
had seen Jesus as his Redeemor; after
his ear of faith had heard that lie was
reconciled TO God through the death
of his Son and had forgiveness Of sins
through faith In his blood then came
TO him the most important moment OF
his life. For Cod through his Word.
invited him to make full consecra.
tlon of himself Including every earth
ly interest and affair to the Lord and
his service.
The proposition, In the lnngunge OF
the Savior. was that he should take up
his cross and follow Christ; and thnt
as reward he should have In the
present life tribulatiOn from without,
but the peace of the Lord within, and
In the First Resurrection That change
to glory. honor, Immortality, the Dl-
vine nature, means joint t-helrshlp with
his Redeemcr IN his great ONCE and
work as the Mediator between God
and the world during the Allllennial
Age. The terms urc clearly stated, -
selfdenlal. crOss.bearng. service for
Christ. fnlthfulness unto death. The
rewards also, rs clearly stated, are
crowns Of life and membership la the
Royal Priesthood, "A seat with the Lord
In his throne an opportunity of being
one OF the Judges for helping and up
lifting mankind during the Millennium
While stating the conditions clearly
and distinctly. through his Word the
Lord did not urge conservation, but
said rather that each should sit down
first and count the cost. After having
counted the cost. whoever chose TO nc
ccpt the proposition did 30 by making
Vow unto the Lord-a Consecratlou
Vow OF fun suDmissiOn-the full sur
render OF the viii, This was 10 the
intent that thereafter not only the
conduct of life, but the words of the
mouth and the medtntions of the heart
should he acceptable to the Lord. This
comprehensive Vow IL symb1lized IN
baptism. which, rightly understood, as
explained by st, Paul, Is II baptism
into ~" IberBhlp In the Body of Christ
dhe Church,, aud this by baptism or
immersion Into Christ's death"
Only such as nuke this Vow are ac
cepted At all ns members of The Christ
and anoInted with the holy Spirit, II
IL respecting this Vow that ST. Pau
urges, In the words of our text, II be
seech you, Oustincdl brethren, by III,
mercIes Of God. that ye present youl
bodies living sacrifices. holy ncccpta
blc 10 God, and your reasonable serv
Ice" Our contract with the Lord /
entered into, made secure. by the Vow
Of Conservation, and the remainder o
life II merely testing of the consc
Grated one 10 determine to whit Dc
gree he really meant the Vow; To WIN
degree he uses his every endcayor {,
be dead to the world. deld 10 self dedC
10 all earthly thirUs and dlirc tuwnr,
God and the interest of the Allllcnnia
Kingdom to which he has cousecrUte,
himself az "membcr" Of the Body o
the Mediator Of the New Coycran