The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-09
Pastor RUSSELL
Discourse
On jerusalem

Is the second part of the "double;"
with the fulfilment of that double"
their blindness will begin to vanish,
and "All the blind eyes shall be open
ed" OF that time the Lord declares
that "He who scattered Israel will
gather them"
We are impressed, not by fancy, but
by the Word of God, that Israels
double" is now fulfilled, that Israel's
blessing has already begun, that the
opening of Israel's eyes is now in
progress. For this reason we have
chosen for our text. Comfort We, COM
fort we my people, saith your God.
Cry unto Jerusalem and say unto her
that her appointed time is accomplish
ed, for she hath received at the Lords
hand double 1.-THE two parts Of her
chastisement] for all her sins" Be
cause the double is completed, we
may speak the words Of comfort.
Thirty-four years ago we called at
tention to these facts, but few had
ears to hear. When eighteen years
ago we visited Jerusalem, having in
mind chiefly the fact that the time for
the regathering of Israel was nigh at
hand, and that the set time to favor
Zion had come, we found no hearing
ears amongst the Jewish people; and
Zionism had not then been dreamed
of. Our communications with the rep
resentativee Of the Baron Hirsch I'm
migration Fund, and also with the ex-
ecutors of the Sir Moses Montefore
Jewish Relief Fund met with scant
recognition. Nevertheless, we felt sure
that Israel's double" had been full
filed, and that her morning of joy
would soon break.
Meantime how much has happened
during those eighteen years! Zionism
has risen and engendered the hope Of
the chosen people" in every land, and
turned their eyes toward the land of
promise; not that all are thinking Of
returning thither, but that every Jew
who retains faith in the God Of his
fathers. and in the Abrahamic prom
Use, is now looking and hoping for the
time of blessing, long foretold. They
know not about their double; they
have not been studying the Holy Scrip
lures, but the teachings of their an
clients, as presented by the Talmud.
They have been making very similar
mistake to that of Christian people,
who have been studying the creeds Of
the dark ages" instead Of the Word
Of God.
The Three Doubles"
Glance with me at three different
statements by the Lord through the
Prophets of Israel respecting Israel's
double of experience: the first, an
experience of Gods favor; the second,
an experience of equal length without
divine favor Notice first Jeremiah's
prophecy Jeremiah xvi, 49,. After
telling of Israel's disfavor, and then
of their regathering, the Lord declares,
"And first | will recompense their in
Equity and their sin dOuble'-some of
the recompense with favor, and some
without favor Jeremiahs prophecy
looks down to the double" from his
own day, which was more than six
hundred years before the second part
of their double" began.
Turn now to Zechariah's prophecy,
and note that propl etically he takes
his standpoint at the very time when
the second part of the double" be-
gan. His words are, Even to-day do
declare that | will render double unto
thee (Zechariah tx, 12).
Come next TO our text, and note that
the Prophet Isaiah stands with us, and
views the matter from the standpoint
that the double" of experience has
been fulfilled: Speak comfortably unto
Jerusalem. cry unto her that her APP
pOinted time is accomplished, because she
hath receiped at the Lords hand double
1.-TWO equal parts] for her sins" 1t is
our understanding that this double"
reached fulfilment in the year 1873
A. D., and since that date we have
been declaring to the best of our abil-
ity, as the Lord granted opportunity,
these comforting words TO Israel, as
surfing Gods chosen people that their
period Of disfavOr has ended, and that
.hey are gradually returning to pros
perity; that Divine favor began with
them in 1878. Yea. more than this,
our sermons which to some extent re-
fleet this feature of the Divine program
relating TO Israers restoration to Di-
vine favor, are being read to a consid-
cradle extent by Hebrews as well as
by Christians; their eyes are gradually
opening, as the Scriptures foretell they
shall do.
But how may we know when the
turning point of Israel's double" took
place? How may we know that the
double" was completed in 1878? We
reply that the answer to the question
necessitates an acknowledgment of
Jesus as the Messiah. lsraers rejec-
ton of him as their King, marks the
turning point of Gods favor, as the
prophecy of Zechariah, just quoted
distinctly shows. Neither Christians
nor Jews have appreciated the full i'm
port of the incident mentioned in the
Gospel; that five days before his cruel
the manner of Jewish kings. into the
city of Jerusalem. multitude sur
rounding him. and going before him,
shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of Da-
vld, Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of Jehovahw The Prophet
Zee haTiah called attention to this in