The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-29
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Jerusalem, April 24.-My friends. we
meet today for the worship of God in
traditionally one of the most renowned
meeting places in the whole earth.
Tradition has it that this is the same
upper room which was owned by one
friendly to our Lord and his disciples
and who granted it as their meeting
place on several occasions most init
mately associated with the Inaugural
ton of Christianity. Tradition also
has it that this is the room mentioned
by st. Mark in our text, where the
disciples with the Lord partook of
the last Jewish Passover Supper. after
which Jesus instituted the Eucharist
or Lords Supper as an antityplcal me-
mortal. taking the place Of the Pass
over to all who accept Jesus as the
Passover Lamb-"The Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin Of the
world John i, 29); Christ our Pass
over is slain. therefore let us keep the
feast q Corinthians V. Z, 3.
Tradition assures us that this is the
same room mentioned in the Book Of
Acts ii, 49, as the place where the
Apostles resided and assembled for
worship during the ten days following
the Lords ascension-the same upper
ROOM" therefore. in which was mani
tested the acceptance Of all the con-
secrated followers Of Jesus into Cove
nant relationship with God as "mem-
bers of the Body of Christ, which is
the Church" OF course, our permits
sion to use this room for public serv-
ice today was obtained only by pre-
arrangement with those having it in
charge. True, traditions are not al
ways reliable. Surely. in almost every
other part Of the world it would be
the identity of house like this for
more than eighteen centuries. But
here we have most peculiar condi-
tons. Tile inhabitants of this land
seem to have been content to leave
things just as they found them from
generation to generation. merely max
ing such slight repairs as were from
time to time found necessary. Here
visitors come. look and depart. filed
with a sacred awe. and have done so
for centuries, and the inhabitants,
each intent upon his own business.
have ignored this in manner hardly
imaginable by Europeans. 1t is posi-
BILE therefore that tradition in this case
and in other instances herea bouts. has
located correctly. just as in Rome the
prison in which Paul was confined is
indicated by tradition with apparent
accuracy.
Christ Our Passover.
We are favored not only i'm respect
to the use of the room. but additional
ly in respect to the time of our visit
and our use Of it. This, according to
Jewish reckoning. is the first day Of
Passover Week-it began last evening
at 6 o'clock. The three hours preced-
ing that marked the time of our Lords
death and the begging by Joseph Of
Arimathea for the privilege of bury
ing his body in his new tomb and the
hasty taking of our Lord from the
cross and getting him only partially
embalmed and the tomb closed and
sealed before 6 o'clock-this day be-
ginning at 6 o'clock being amongst
the Jews. as the Apostle declared. an
high day." Sabbath day Of special
sacredness as the beginning of the
Passover Feast-Week.
As we look back to that memorable
occasion we can sympathize with the
Apostles and early believers in the
blighting Of all Of their hopes by the
apparent failure of Jesus to make good
his claim of Messiahship. We can i'm
agine better than we can describe their
detection, their disappointment. On
the next day. corresponding to to-mor-
row, the two with whom Jesus met on
the way to Emmaus said sadly. I'VE
had trusted that it had been he who
should have redeemed Israeli luke
xiv. 2D.
They had hoped that his miracles,
corroborating his teaching. when he
"spake as never man spake," were
evidences that he was the Mes
siah They had built their hopes. as
Jews. that now finally Gods promises
to their nation would be fufilled-that
Israel should be exalted in the earth
in name and fame and power and au-
thority to bless and to instruct 'all the
families Of the earth" They had
hoped that Messiah would be the great
King under whose benefcent reign. as
the great Mediator between God and
men, the Compromised blessing would
come to the earth They had hoped
also for personal share with him in
the glories Of his Kingdom. according
to his own words-"Ye shall sit with
me on twelve thrones. judging (rulingl
the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew
xix, oS). His death as a malefactor
as blasphemer against God. seemed
TO cast shadow over every hope and
Wilkin Post Will Continue to Hold SEES.
IL.