The Mankato free press., 1910-06-10
PULPIT.
PASTOR RUSSELL
HOMEWARD
BOUND
"As the Waters Cover the
Great Deep" isaiah XII, o,


ged. and we no more than others
Some of us probably tried to satisf
our minds by saying that those fea
lures of our creeds which dishOnoret
God. and implied his lack Of wisdom
or worse. his willingness but lack o
justice. or lack of power-that thes,
things were mysteries which must b,
believed, although they could not bt
reconciled with human reason ant
common sense. Some of us even trie(
to persuade ourselves that we were
exercising extraordinary faith in these
matters. but in reality we We're mere
ly ignorant of Gods Word. and cred
ulous of the wisdom of our creed d-mak
ers of the past.
True Light Now Shining.
But now. thank God. "The night is
far spent, and the day is at hand
(Romans Kill, 12) Now is our saliva.
tion nearer than when we believed
(Romans xiii. III. The evidence that
we are in the morning of the new dis
pensation multiplies on every hand
We are evidently i'm the period which
the Bible declares as 1.-The day of
Gods preparation" God is preparing
to usher in the long promised period
OF blessing and refreshment, which he
has foretold through all the holy
prophets. The wonderful inventions of
our day along the lines of chemistry.
steam and electricity are fulfilments
of the wonderful "Day of Christ"
which is nearing. Gods people have
failed OF great blessings in not sooner
noticing this fact. We stood, as it
were, with our backs toward the East.
looking for the sun to rise i'm the West:
we were looking to our own efforts TO
convert the world, rather than looking
to the Lord from whom alone must
come the help. Hence the glow i'm the
East had assumed considerable proper
tons before we noticed it-and many
Of our brethren are still looking to the
West. and angrily refuse to turn and
follow the dawn Of the New Dispensa-
ton. which now may be so clearly
seen by the eye of faith.
Let us note we'll the Apostle Peters
words. assuring us that the vision he
had on the Mount of TRANSPORTATION
made deep impression upon him. He
tells us. nevertheless. that I'VE have
also more sure word of prophecy:
We do well that We. take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a
dark place. until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts"-the
"parOusia" presence) of Christ, the
Morning Star"
knowledge a Necessity.
But admitting the promise of the
Scriptures that the knowledge of the
Lord shall be worldwide and ocean
1eep-that every creature shall be
brought to an accurate knowledge of
the truth, in due time Q Timothy ii.
f-6), wherefOr is the necessity for this?
Is knowledge really indispensable to
salvation? Is it not written in the
Scriptures of the Apostles Peter and
John, that 'The people perceived that
hey were ignorant and unlearned
nen?' If their ignorance and lack of
earning did not hinder them from hav-
ng Gods favor, and obtaining saliva
ion through Christ. and even obtain
ng Apostleship, why should so much
stress be laid upon knowledge? Does
God really care for knowledge? Has
10 n6 hot oil II
De in his favor must be educated. and
hat he cares naught for the ignorant?
Do we not read to the contrary that.
Not many wise men after the flesh,
lot many mighty. not many noble, are
,alled; but God hath chosen the fool
sh things of the world to cOnfound the
wise" Il Corinthians i. 26, 20. Hath
lot God chosen the poor of this world
ich in faith?" Games ii, 81
Very true, we answer With God
he wisdom of this world is foolish
less, and with this world, the wisdom
# God is fOOishness. Knowledge may
therefore, be viewed from two stand !
'oints. So far as worldly knowledge |
ommending any man or woman to
iOd. or making any man or woman
more fit for divine favor, we believe
he contrary to be true. Unwillingly !
We are forced to the conclusion that |
he great colleges Of the world are the !
nost destructive agencies in the earth, !
S respects the Divine revelation, the
bible. and the true knowledge of God. |
Which is essential to salvation and |
ternal life. We therefore sharply dis
riminate between earthly knowledge
nd heavenly knowledge, and between
he wisdom of men and the wisdom of
'od.
Our Lord Jesus gave us the key to
his question Of the Importance of
in relationship to our at
iinment of eternal life He said. in
raying to the Father. "And this is
fe eternal. that they might know
lee. the only true God. and Jesus
hrist. whom thou hast sent (John
vii. 81. Only such as attain to this
NAV have eternal life Con-
we see at glance tnat re-
few of our race have thus
If attained to the degree of knowl-
lge which God would be pleased to
'cognize. At first this might seem
ocular to US; we might say to our
Ives or to others. Why does not God
We 1t out freely to all? The reply of
le Scriptures is that God is giving
s knowledge freely now to certain
ass. and that by and by he will give
to all the families of the earth. This
'sential knowledge is promised to
e faithful in the world. He that seek
h findeth. and to him that knocketh