The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-02-07
7rI Laialf.
Sermon BY
CHARLES r..
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.
sS-Srsa-l.' 49, I
l S7F! y

Brooklyn, Feb. G.-The fourth and
Hnnl meeting for the consideration
OF doctrinnl surrendcrs necessary to,
Church Federation was held today.
Brooklyn's largest auditorium, the.
Academy Of Music. being crowded.
Pastor G. T. Russell, of the Brooklyn
Tabernacle. delivered the. address rs
! fDllows:- II.
!, Having viewed during. the past three
Sundays whit the leading lcnolnina-
lions wonll need 10 sacrifice In the In.
tercst OF Federation, we como today to
the final discussion of this series-Thc
Church Militant and Triumphant and
her Interest in the Federation move
ment. Let us endenvor to Take SO
brond view of this subject that there
| Will be no room for disagreement on the
part OF. true, Christians of amy denomi-
: nation. ;.s-,s-
Unnecessary. Us 1t may. be to explain
to this large and intelligent audience
the Significance OF our topic. The
Church, Militant and The: Church Trf.
umphant, must. think beyond the
| thousands present of the millions who
tomorrow will receive reports of this
discourse from that. great channel OF
the worlds progress, the secular Press.
Hence explain that the term, Church
Militant signifies the, Church in war
fare. struggling with the powers Of
evil. while the Church triumphant sig.
niles the. Church victorious, glorious.
Joined with her Lord. the Heavenly
Bridegroom. as his Bride and Queen
In the great Afilienniai Kingdom soon
to bless and upllft the world of man.
I kind. should further add that while
|. the various denominations of Ctristen-
dom aid their creeds. we must today
/ ignore oil human systems and creeiis.
We must take the broad, general
/ ground of the Scriptures and recos-
nize only one Church.
|. Nor may we make the mistake OF
! saying that the one Church Is one Sect.
No sect. no denomination, however
great and influential and numerous
and rich, either In sordld or historic
wealth, can he conceded the right to
appropriate the M me which our Lord
gave to oil truly his disciples. Surely
none OF us Is sectnrian enough to dis
pute this premise We must learn to
recognize the Church of Christ from
the same viewpoint rs does the Head
of the Church! We must learn the
force of st. Peters words to Cornelius.
''Of a TRUTH perceive that God is llo
respecter of persons; but III every M
tl0n lie that fearcth him and worketh
righteousness Is accepted with him.
tActs <. 81, So.
Taking, therefore, the scrlptural
view of the Church. we recognize 1t
as the "Budy of Christ" Of many meln-
beers, over which he is the Head. 1t
Is composed of consecrnteu followers
Of Christ irrespective OF nll denominu.
tlonal lines-tlose who. turning FROM
sin. accept Jesus rs: their Redcemcr.
through whom they have forgiveness
of sins and reconciliation to the Father
those who have become disciples OF
Christ. taking up their cross to follow
him and WHO have received the beget-
ting of the holy Spirit. Who could
dispute that these are the Church of
Christ? Who shall say that they must
belong to this Communion or that or
/ lose their relationship to the Head.
Christ Jesus? The apostles never re-
ferred to Baptist Christians. Methodist
/ Christians. Catholic Christians. Pres
/ byteriln Christians. ETC.. but merely to
these whom we hare described md
whom thry styled snints-"the Church
OF the living God. whose names are
written In heaven" tHebrews xii. %:
i Timothy iil,915}. Let us keep strictly
within the lines of Gods Word and
avoid tho errors OF the. past Let US
today consider this Church rs the
Church Militant and prospectlvcy the
Church, Triumphant.
Tho Church Militant. =.
II we all agree that We have before
our minds the real Church, the Church
Of the New Testament. let US notice
that there IS nominal Church also
and that we are not competent to fully
determine which are the real and
which are the nominal Christians cx,
cept by the test which our Lord has
giren-'by their fruits We shall know
them While the real Church OF fully
consecrated believers. faithful to the
Lord and his Word aud the principles
of righteousness. Is represented by n
very small number. there liz Il nominal
Church RENTED thereto his Is II shelf til
tho kernel OF IN nut The nominal.
Church includes 'tiiosef whose manner
or whose attendance ON worship implies.
n relationship to. Christ without having
gone the length. of n. full ,fnith.nccept-'
ance Of him in sacrifice. perhaps with
out having fully.turned from sin even
In their hearts. and without having
made full conservation to serve tho
Lord. This nominal class may be SUBJ
divided into believers who are favor
ably disposed toward Christ and right