The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-26
Pastor Russell llSernOn

ne referred propheticalIy to tho effect
mnicn yo ms gracious message OF love and
favor would produce in the world dur
ing the reign OF sin. He we'll knew that
the Prince Of Darkness would oppose all
OF his, followers, we'll as himself. He
foreIold that whosoever would live godly
would suffer persecution-apd so IL has
peen. eighteen centuries have proved It!
He sent forth his followers, like himself.
unarmed to be pcacemakers, to be help:
holiness, without which man shall
sec , the Lord" He counsced his fol-
lowers. He that taketh the sword
message OF peace and love and tho
coming Kingdom which shall bless the
whole world and fultill the angelic
prophecy OF our text--thesc things seem
TO anger the world-not merely the
vicious, the ungodly, but the worldly pro-
1essors OF Godliness. who have schemes
work out which arc con,rarv to the Cos
pei message. The darkness, more or less
mixed with selfshness. hnteth the light,
the truth. the love OF God. neither com
eth to the light, lest its deeds OF dark
ness, selhshness, selfish ambition and
hy,nnocrisy should be made manifest. :,
his gospel message would be in the world
and that only those who would compro-
mise bis message could possibly live at
peacc-that all who would be loyal and
faithful to him would be traduced. SLAM
dered. Observation-Disclosures either
literally or :isuratiycly, His words
tribuations which all his footstep fol-
lowers would surely have.
But more than this. his words were
prophecy, respecting the nations. What
is II that has brought us 10 our present
degree of civilized savagery? What is il
that makes of every business corpora
tion buccsneer seeking the destruction
Of every competing financial craft? What
Is IT that thus sharpencd the wits OF
humanity TO such an extent that the ma
jority find it difficult to be honest. be-
q ,rrt tttDlt i.cf f.nr
dishonesty. while ii is impossible for
lawmakers TO make now laws with suf-
ficient rapidity TO keep pace with the in
telligent methods OF circumvcntiou?
The laws. doctrines. OF Christ are, in
"A certain sense, responsible for all this.
The liberty wberewith Christ makes free
his followers and the light which he and
they let shine upon darkened world,
received in part into unsanctfied hearts
and minds: have given wisdom that.
miSapplied. VIC call cunning and craft.
The proof OF what We say is found in
tbe fact that other nations than those
which have received this reflected light
OF Christianity arc still quito in the
background, Only now. as Christian
civilization in perverted form is reach
ing these peoples arc they awakening
and becoming competitors with so-callcd
Christcndom.
In our advanced conceptions OF III
nance. warfare. etc, a pertinent ques-
tion worthy of deep thought, Is, VIII
ii be possible To live In tho world at all
after the greatest financial minds shall
have "lrusllfied" all Of the worlds bust
ness. and after the labor organ izailons
shall have had their say as 10 who shall
and who shall not earn living. and
after the teeming millions OF China and
Japan shall have become thoroughly
civilized and Christianizcd after the
nominal sort? Would not the hordcs OF
tho far cast oycrwhelm tho comparatively
little handful OF Europe and America?
What is the prospect OF the ulfillneut
of the prophecy OF our text-"Pesce on
earth good Will toward men, There is no
prospect from the earthly sources to-
| ward which We have been looking. II
that prophecy is ever TO be fulfilled II
| must be by some divine Intervention in
human affairs.
Desire of All Nations Coming.
Notwithstanding the eighteen cen
turics OF delay our text q prophecy
will surely be fulfilled, and be fulfilled.
| angels announced and whose birth is
| very generally celebrated today. Tho
| Great Teacher, questioned By Pilate. an
| swered that he was born 10 he king
the king OF the Jews; but he also added,
| 'My Kingdom is moi OF this age How
trUe' Many OF us have gotten tho wrong
impression-tha our Redeemer has been
wagiug as the great King of Glory. an
| unsuccessful warfare for eighteen cen
| turies against Satan, sin and death. But
here VIC learn from the Great Teachers
own lips that his Kingdom is not OF this
age. II belongs 10 the world to come
the age To come.
| do We inquire. lhen, WHO mas peGn
the ruler of this world this age? The
answer OF The Master is that Satan is
the prince OF this world. He iS usurp-
er. The dominion of Garth WAS given
10 man. But Satan, deceiNing our race.
putting darkness for light, has become
thereby the real ruler using humanity
merely as his tools; He is styled the
god Of this world. end the ''prinee OF
This world or age. And we told
again that He now worke,h in the
hearts of the children of dsobedieDce."
When we, reflect how many OF human
ity are disobedtent, We see the vast
| ness OF the empire controlled by the
prince OF darkness. And when We see
the few, comparatively, who arc SOL
| diers of the cross and followers OF the
lamb we perceive that. the Master
said his following during this age is 10
be little flock
Perplexed and confused many may
ask what. then, is the hope OF the full
fillment OF our text. Peace on earth,
good will toward men," We answer that