The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-07-07
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Brooklyn, July 3.-Pastor Russell Of
the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached to-
day in Brooklyn's largest Auditorium.
the Academy of Music, from the above
text, to a crowded and attentive audi
ence. He said:
Tomorrow will be celebrated as Lib
erty Day" by Americans in all parts
of the world. To some, of course. it
means a holiday, time of recreation,
but to others of us it speaks eloquently
of Liberty enlightening the Worldp
Even the enemies of the Republic must
concede that an influence has gone
forth from these shores to the utter
most bounds of earth-an influence
against tyranny, and in a broad, gen.
eral way in line with the Golden Rule,
which respects the liberties of others
as it desires its own to be respected.
1t is difficult to estimate the weight
of influence attaching to the numerous
letters going from these shores to
every country under heaven, to every
hamlet and village and city. 1t is diff
fcult to estimate the influence of the
newspapers and magazines which go
forth from this land breeding the love
of liberty. And yet, dear friends, every
day and every year, as our ideas ma
ture, we come to see more and more
distinctly what constitutes true Glib
erty," and to distinguish this from
license" which sometimes steals the
livery of liberty, to grossly misrepre-
sent it.
1t is not surprising that many who
come to our shores from lands where
personal liberty is almost unknown are
inclined to expect more liberty than
we can safely accord them. They are
obliged to learn gradually the lesson
| that social liberty signifies, not per-
sonal license, but the permission to do
only those things which will not inter-
fere with the rights and liberties Of
others. Indeed, this is the lesson
which all must learn in order to be
| good, useful citizens Of this Republic;
q lesson therefore to be learned by all
who would enjoy true liberty. 1t is
! the lesson of self-control; the lesson of
minding ones own business; the lesson
of speaking evil of no man; the lesson
Of doing good unto all men as we have
opportunity; the lesson of intruding
on the proper rights and privileges of
no one else. But alas, how few of the
world have come to rightly view the
| liberty of which we boast!
In the School of Christ.
1t is in the School of Christ that the
! pupils or disciples of the Lord Jesus
may learn of him. the Great Teacher,
the important lesson of self-control and
the proper exercise of our own lib
erty, without encroaching upon the
rights and liberty of others. Alas,
dear friends, we must concede that re-
markably few of the Lords people
have learned this lesson and are quail
fed to graduate along this line! Many
followers of Christ continually prac-
tise injustice in the little things of life
neglecting to regard the liberties and
rights of others. In the Church. in the
home, in business, the rights of Others
are all too frequently ignored or only
partially recognized. 1t is more i'm
portant that we learn TO recognize the
rights and liberties Of others than to
insist upon our own rights. The for
! mer course tends to make us GOdlike
the latter cultivates selfishness and
frequently gets us into difficulty I'M
necessarily. The Apostles instruction
! Is that so far as possible, we should
live peaceably with all men. which
often necessitates the voiding of oul
own rights for the sake Of peace.
This matter of insisting upon rights
and liberties is moving the world more
and more toward contention and strife
and Fastening it toward the great time
of trouble which shall engulf the
whole social structure. Doubtless the
great majority will be claiming theiI
individual rights while almost totally
disregarding the rights of others. We
urge. therefore. that kind of love OF
liberty which is willing to sacri
fee as respects its own privileges
that it may be helpful to others in
maintaining their proper liberties MOI
does this signify that the people OF
God should ignore their own liberty
and fight for the liberty of others
Rather we should stand for the prin
ciples of Righteousness, and both by
word and preccpt refrain from stirring
up violence. or jeopardizing the inter
ests of others. Liberty of conscience
we should maintain in ourselves and
should encourage in Others
Liberty of Children of God"
st. Paul speaks in our text of the
liberty of the children of God" This
primarily. signifies our desertion FROM
our taskmaster Sin. and the surrender
Of our wills to God and righteousness
1t means Il Reputation Of liberty tC
do wrong and the grasping. through
Christ, of liberty from bondage to Sin
But, as the Apostle elsewhere explains
we find it impossible to conquer fully tho
fallen flesh We will find it impossible
| rs New Creatures" TO attain the full
liberty of Sonship under present condi
tiOns. because as st. Paul declares
"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit
and the two are contrary the one tC
the other" Galatians V. ~. We have
constant fight TO resist the enslavine
influences of Sin-to maintain our lib
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