The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-01-10
Sermon BY
CHARLES IT.
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

-
Toronto. Canada. January D.-pastor
g. T. Russell OF Brooklyn Tabernacle.
New York. preached twice here today
to large md very attentive audiences.
We report one OF his discourses from
the above text. rs follows:-
s The word "lrinked' in our text is
used in a dgurative sense to signify
that God took no notice of. paid NC
attention to. that long period OF time
from the food to; the First Advent OF
our Redeemer. During those twenty.
I've hundred years the world OF man.
Kind lay In ignorance and weakness
and vice. but. US our text declares,
God took no notice OF 1t as whole.
He gave his attention entirely to the
little nation OF Israel. the descendants
OF Abraham. with whom he made Il
special Law Covenant. Israel entered
upon q great schooling period; first
In u condition of peonnge In Egypt;
and later. under the command : Of
Moses. passtng from Egypt to canaan.
with wandering Of forty years lii
the wilderness:,still later under judges.
and then under kings. etc. God did
not wink at sin amongst the lsrnelites,
whom he adopted as his peculiar peo-
pie" under the Law Covenant medlat-
ed by Moses. We rend thnt every dis
obedience received n '.just reconnense
OF reward" Hebrews II. -. Stripes.
punishments. lcaptivitfes. 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.
rtisements-God winked ut nothing as
respects his chosen people.
Z AT first glance this is pcrnexing.
Not understanding the Divine Plan we
would be inclined to expect that the
favored nation would be excused more
than others-that 1t would be the pep
pie whose imperfectIons would be
'Wlnked ut. But not SO; Israel was
chosen for purpose And In order to
prepare them for their mission md to
z 1T them to Gil It, the Lord chastenel
and scourged them for their sins, and
thus educated aud assisted them more
than others out Of degradation. AS
result. when our Lord came into the
world to be mans Rcdeemer. israel
under the chastEsfng. scoursing, in
structing experiences Of many ccntu-;
rtes.' was by fur the most advanced
nation In the world Along religions
lines. -. ~ 500 ,.Uti..i5s-,s s. :,
Thus 1t was that when the. Redeem
er presented himself. some. Al REM,
nant," were "Isrnelltes indeed" and
ready to receive him-hve hundred
during his earthly ministry and sew
crni thousand more ut the following
Pentecostal season. It is but reason.
able to suppose that no other nation iu
the world would have furnished any
such numbers ready of heart for Mes
slab. and consecrnted fully to him.
Note. for instance. that ST.. Pauls
preaching to the Athcninns on Mars
Hill apparently touched not a single
heart nor head. ,tl.r. t-t.:s
Tho Justice of tho Wink.
The Almighty informs us that Jus
tlcc is the very foundation of all Of his
dealings. He cannot be less than just.
although through Christ be. has pro-
vldedrto he more than just-that Is,
loving aud nercffui. There must have
been justice In this winklng men,
toned by the Apostle. What was 1t?
The Apostle explains that owing to
death sentence that was upon the
world III general. and no provision tlnv-
Ing yet been made for redemption
from that death penalty and n resur-
rection deliyeruncc. 1t would have been
illogical, for God to give laws to the
world OF mankind commanding repent
ance, etc. Why? Because they were
already condemned to death. the ex
IRENE penalty OF the Divine Law. No
moro could be done to them than dc
stroy them. however badly they lived,
And nothing that they could 10 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'thelr imperfection and. did not
lay 1t specially to their charge. s5a-'
With the Jew 1T. was different. God
instructed that nation through the
Law and the prophets and the cllasten.
ings for their wrong dolngs. and thus
prepared In them ''little flock" Of
"1sraelites indeed ready for spiritual
things. Additionally lie wished to use
them md their experiences rs types
or lessons for Spiritual Israel yet fu-
ture, These types. under the guidance
Of the holy Spirit through the New,
Testament. have constituted very help
full lessons to the Church OF this Cos
pei Age-Splritual Israel-"Tor tue
Law Covenant was Il shadow of good
things coming inter It."
But before having this dealing with
Israel. God made a Covenant. with
them. promising them llte'eternal II
: they would obey. They gladly nc.
cepted the proposition and strovc to
live rlEhteously. strovc to keep the
law Thnv din unt rain atnrpnI 1Efa