The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-07-29
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

ing. He said I'm part
Although the words OF our text were
not addressed by st. Paul to the world
ly, they would, nevertheless. be excel
lent advice and very profitable to all.
In a general way all civilized people
recognize that cleanliness is next to
goodness" In general way the pure,
the clean, are recognized as the beauti-
full. And impurity and filthiness are
detested even by the impure and the
filthy. Outwardly at least we are in a
time when water is plentiful, when
soap is cheap, and when filthiness OF
the flesh is almost inexcusable as re-
spects the outward man. But filth
ness of the spirit cannot be touched,
cannot be cleansed, with ordinary soap
and water and this is undoubtedly the
reason why the Lord and the apostles
have not addressed these words to the
world.
"Having These Promises"
Our text tells the difference between
the well-intentioned worldly person
and the thoroughly consecrated Chris
tian. The latter has heard through the
Word of God certain exceeding great
and precious promises" which the
wellmeaning worldly class have not
yet heard-heard in the true sense of
hearing, in the sense Of approaching,
understanding. The whole civilized
world, in one sense, has the same BIZ
BILE. the same Word of God, the same
precious promises, but it has not APP
preciated these. 1t has not understood
them. 1t has not accepted them ana
made them its own by surrender to
the Lord. The Church, on the contra
who have heard the Lords promises
intelligently, and who have accepted
those promises upon Gods conditions.
Those promises of God constitute the
power of God. which works in the
heart Of each of the Church, first to
will Alright, and. secondly. to do, to the
extent Of ability, the Lords good pleas
ure philippians II, 49,.
This is the class addressed In our
text-the followers Of Jesus. These
have heard Of the grace Of God-that
1t is the Divine intention to bless Adam
and his race through the great Media
tor-the Messiah, the Christ. They
have heard that Jesus left the glory
with the Father and humbled himself
to human nature, in order that he
might redeem the human race. They
have heard that the application Of the
merit of his sacrifice. when applied in
due time will be sufficient for the sins
of the whole world, and that then the
Heavenly Father will turn over the
| world to the Redeemer. They have
| learned that the Redeemer. backed by
Divine authority, will put all things
into subsection under his feet, will in
stitute heavenly Kingdom or rule in
the earth, and for a thousand years
reign as King of kings and Lord of
lords. They have heard that when he
shall thus reign, his Kingdom shall be
under the whole heavens" although
the King himself will be the King of
Glory on the spirit plane, ''far above
angels, principalities and powers and
every name that is named" (Ephesians
1, 81.
They have heard that his Kingdom
will prevail from sea to sea and unto
the ends of the earth and that eventu-
ally unto him every knee shall bow
and every tongue confess allegiance and
obedience, and that all refusing thus to
submit to that reign of Righteousness
will be destroyed from amongst the
people in the Second Death (Acts Iii,
%, 23). They have heard that this
great Kingdom will not only lift up,
raise up, resurrect humanity from its
fallen condition, from sin and death,
but that it will also bring the whole
earth to the condition foreshown in
the Garden Of Eden, making Gods
iootstool glorious and every way fit to
be the eternal habitaion Of such Of the
human race as will be saved by that
glorious Kingdom for which we pray,
''Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done
on earth as 1t is done in heaven"
But these have heard something
more-something that belongs to the
present time. They have heard that 1t
is the Divine purpose to select from
| u
hood" to be associated with the great
Redeemer In his Mediatorial Kingdom
They have heard that call went forth
to this effect eighteen centuries ago, in
viting, first of all, the Jews who were
ready and willing to accept this very
highest favor of God-joint-
with his Son in the spiritual Kingdom
which is to bless mankind in general
by and by. They have heard that to
attain membership in this Royal Priest
hood means the attainment of the
character-likeness Of Jesus, to become
copies Of Gods dear Son Romans wifi,
29). This implies, as its cost, the sacri-
fee, of earthly interests. They have
heard the message OF the Lord, not
only inviting to the glories of the King
dom, but also informing them that the
way to that crown of glory is a narrow
and difficult one. They have heard the
voice OF the Master, saying, "Sit down
| first and COunt the cost" before Won