The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-03-19

Sermon BY
CHARLES 7.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
I~abernade


today TO splendid audiences. One Of
his ~discourses was entitled, The Over
throw Of SataE's Empire" We report
the other one from the text above
quoted Pastor Russell said
AS Christians in the light Of this
wonderful Twentieth Century we stand
at the parting Of the ways and must
decide for right or for wrong, for
truth or for falsehood, In respect to
our religious convictions. Without
questioning the sincerity Of our fore
fathers, W. all object to their theology
1t is In vain that ministers and
Bible class teachers longer deny the
facts Of the case. Nor viii intelligent
and honest people agree that it is
right that through their creeds they
should profess one thing, and In their
lives and general conversation they
shug.d ignore or absolutely deny the
teachings Of those creeds. Yet this is
the position of practically all the think
ing people of Christendom. Their con-
sciences will not stand for this much
longer. If they refrain from telling
the Truth and taking their stand for
1t, they will not only seal their con
sciences q Timothy iv, p and CORE
spondingly separate themselves from
Gods favor, but additionally their
course will sooner or later bring upon
them the disapproval and contempt Of
all honest people. For although the
masses are MOI yet aroused on the sub
ject, they are rapidly getting awake.
Do you wish me to Illustrate what
meang DO you wish me to show in
what respect all denominations are
ashamed OF their creeds and anxious
to hide the fact that they ever pro-
fessed them or were anxious to give
them some Dew Interpretation more
consistent with the broader thought
and more generous sentiment common
to civilized man In this Twentieth
Century, | will do it.
Our Methodist friends are ashamed
Of that feature of their creed which de-
clares that the Almighty is now doing
everything that Divine Wisdom and
Power can accomplish on behalf Of
our poor race to bring all to a full
knowledge Of Christ and to opportu.
nifty Of faith and obedience. They real.
lie that there is a weakness In this
argument. And when they protest
that God u work through means,
and hence that the responsibility lies
at the door Of Christian believers to
carry the Gospel to the heather, they
realize that this is an Illogical argu-
ment too. For why should our Great
Creator send to eternal torment mil
lions Of his creatures, because Of an
insuflciency Of zeal on the part of
some of their more enlightened fel-
-low-creatures? Acknowledging the
inconsistency Of such a theory u
good Methodist brethren tell us that
they hope that God has some other
way Of saving the ignorant of heather
lands and, perhaps, Of civilized lands.
We appreciate the loving heart
which prompts this answer and we
agree that it is true-that God has
another way for these. But when we
attempt to point out what that other
way is. some Of these dear friends In
quire, Is 1t Methodism? Did John
Wesley preach 1t? Our answer IS, No.
Brother Wesley did not preach 1t and
did not know Of It. Not because 1t is
new. but because it Is so very old and
was lost sight Of during the dark
ages" for fifteen centuries before
rother Wesley was born. de was
feeling after 1t, yearnlng for It. hun
gering and thirsting for 1t. but the
due time" for 1t to be made known
to Gods people had not yet come in
Brother Wesley's day. He preached
the eternal torture Of all mankind. ex-
cept the sanctiied believers In Jesus
the Savior. But in his preaching of
the love Of God he was used Of the
Almighty to w%ondrously prepare the
hearts Of Christendom for the broader
message Of the Bible now due to be
seen and understood. Wesley's Cos
pei Of the love Of God has mellowed
the heart Of C~hristendom, which once
was frlgid under the cold teachings
Of generalization, Predestination, etc,
Of the Westminster Confession Of
Faith-once the basis Of nearly all
Protestant CommuniOns.
II we and our Methodist brethren
could maintain the same degree Of
spiritual warmth that Wesley and their
forefathers enjoyed we might do with
out further instruction. But we can
not do this! None can stand still!
Christians today are losing their holt
ness, their sanctihcation-their zeal for
God is giving place to zeal for a sect
The light Of the MlllenDial morning
which for a century has been gradual
" breaking upon the world, stimulat-
ing thought IN every direction, makes
It necessary for our Methodist breth-
rem. as well as for us all, to awaken
to the wonderful privileges Of our day
for Bible study: to ASCERTAIN the real
teachings OF Gods Word. which. IN the
dark past we all seemingly misunder-
stood and misrepresented Already the
most intelligent one-fourth Of Meth
odfcm not onIv rofoofo npofbor Uoo