The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-01-22
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle

the Academy of Music, under the aus
pieces of Peoples Pulpit Association"
The topic for the day was:-
What COagre0GtiOnqiists, ~Presbytert
iaMs and MethOdiSts must surrender in
the interests Of Church Federation"
Pastor c. L. Russell of Brooklyn
Tabernacle delivered the address. The
spacious and elegant Auditorium was
crowded so that an overflow meeting
with another speaker was deemed ad-
visable. On the platform behind the
speaker were several hundred men. in
GLIDING a number OF ministers. The
audience as a whole was a very in
telligent one. The Honorable j. f..
Rutherford, Attorney-at-Law, intro
duced Pastor Russell, who said:-
take for my text the Word of the
Lord through the Prophet, Say ye.
not. A Confederacy, to all them to.
whom this people shall say, a Con
federacy; neither fear ye their fear.
nor be afraid" isaiah viii. ~.
The disturbances Of oneness in the
Church of Christ is beyond dispute.
The improperly of sectarianism Or d.
vision is now generally conceded, al
though twenty years ago many de-
Tended the divided condition of the
Church as being helpful. They point
ed to our Lords words, ! am the Vine
and We are the branches; every branch
in me that beareth not fruit my IA.
ther. the Husbandman, taketh away.
And every branch that beareth fruit
he pruneth. that il may bring forth
more fruit John XIV, l-5l. They claim.
ed that the denominations were the
branches. The evident teaching Of
the Master here is that his people are
related to him in an individual sense
and not as parties, sects or denomina.
tons, and that they are dealt with
from the individual standpoint as one
Church and not many.
st. Paul enunciated the same great
truth Il Corinthians xii. 49,, declaring
that the Lord Jesus is the Head of the
Church. which is his Body, and that
as the human body has many mem.
bers under the full control Of the head.
except when diseased. so the Church.
as members In particular Of the Body
Of Christ, are all to be subject to the
Lord as their Head. They are all to
be so connected with their Head. and
thus with each other. that when one
suffers. all suffer with 1t. and when
one rejolces, all rejoice with 1t. be-
cause they all have fellowship In the
one spirit Of the Head. Hence the
eye cannot say to the hand. nor the
hand to the foot, | have no need Of
you, for every member is necessary to
the prosperity Of the Body as a whole.
And as the joint supports and strength
ems the limb and Is Joined thereto
by sinews. ETC.. so individually Gods
people are united to each other In
the bonds Of grace and truth and love.
1t must be conceded that Church
Federation or Confederacy is In many
respects quite n different thing from
the Church's oneness illustrated by OUT
Lords parable Of the vine, and the
Apostles Illustration Of the human
body. Nevertheless since q Federation
Is proposed as the nearest possible ap
proach to the spiritual enjoined Onion
1t is proper that we and all Christians
everywhere should enquire carefully
the cost and the gain implied In the
Federation movement. AS the pro
gram shows. this series Of meeting
will consider impartially the s o.
Federation to the creeds Of the mos
prominent denominations. First In thu
list today we consider the sacrifice,
OF Congregationallsm. Presbyterianlsn
and Methodism.
~ AS TO church government yer!
slight concessions will be required O
any Of the f%ederating denominations
Deuominational liberties as respect
forms OF worship and methods of gov
eminent and discipline are to be permit
ted very loose rein. The Federation pre-
poses chiefly the regulation OF HON
and foreign mission work and n genera
watch-care over the interests OF th
federated systems along the lines 0
political influence. The expectation !
that the political power Of the Fedora
ton viii have considerable to do wit
moulding OF legislation favorable 10th
Federation. and later On. pnfavorabl
to the smaller denominations not ass'
clated In the Federation.
C2l II Is along dOctrinal lines that th
sacrificing Ia the interest Of Federatio
will be chiefly demanded.
Doctrinally Congregatlonalists an
Presbyterians are one; hence we ma.
consider their sacrifices Of doctrine 4
the Interests Of Federation as tn
same. They both accept the West
Minister Confession Of Faith with II
Ca1ylnistic foundatlon-that God. b.
fore the foundation OF the world. fore
ordained whatsoever comes TO pas.
that be predestinated an elect. suintl
few TO heavenly glory. aud equal
f~oreordained that the remainder G
thousands Of millions OF non-eleg
should be maintained IN eternal III
to all eternity. In order that they Nigh
suffer %excruciating pains. both menti
and physical. never ending. as a pal
- tbo .nnroand r.onalfv az fhn iiOrfr