Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-09-10
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle.

Brooklyn. Sept 4.-Pastor Russell
preached today in the Academy of Mu-
sic, our largest Auditorium. the TAB
ernacie' being Of insufficient capacity.
He had very attentive hearing.
There were many Hebrews in the
large audience. He said in part:--
Coming events cast their shadows
before" Startling shadows are all
about US. A great change in the af-
fairs of men is indicated and acknowl.
edged BY all thoughtful. intelligent
people The worlds pace during the
past fifty years astonishes everybody.
New conditions meet us on every hand.
1'he mujority of books written half a
century ago along scientific lines are
considered rubbish today Rules and
customs and theories of the past, sup
posed to be immovable and absolute
are abandoned as worthless-in chem
istry, in manufactures. In art, In
finance and commerce All these
changes necessitate new view of so
cial conditions and a re-examination of
the relationship of religion and the
Bible to man and his conditions, as
seen from the present viewpoint. The
business and social world have been
compelled TO keep pace with the steps
of progress. some of them gladly and
some of them reluctantly. But reli-
gionists have been placed in most
awkward position. Religion and NOR
fber of the best progress in civiliza-
ton. The perplexity Of religious
thought. and its manifest inability to
adjust itself 10 the changed conditions.
Is worrying u serious disadvantage to
all disposed to look to the Almighty
for guidance in life's affairs
The increase in worldly wisdom, the
improved human conditions. the ad-
vancement along scientific lines in ma
tertal prosperity have turned many of
the worlds brightest inteilects away
from God and from the Bible. Many
of these, still protesting Christianity
in pan outward. formal manner have
really abandoned 1t In favor of a theo-
ny of civilization" They have wan
dered from the Divine Revelation. the
Bible, into paths Of speculation-th
own and other mems. They have cogi-
tated that the reverse of the Bible
statements is the Truth-that instead
of man falling from the image of God
into sin and death. he Is rising from a
brute or monkey plane upward. grad
ually, to Divine heights. Instead of
looking for great Deliverer, Messiah,
Savior. Life-Glver. they are hoping to
be let alone by any outside influence,
that certain fancied laws of Evolution |
might help them upward and onward
to glory, honor and immortality.
The result Is that religious thought |
today everywhere and In all denomina-
tions is chaotic. The whole of Chris
tendon has practically become Agnos-
tic--admitting that they do not know
the Truth nor how TO adjust their rea-
Boning faculties to present consecra-
tion. They are in an expectant atti-
tnde-seeking light Nevertheless many
fear the light lest 1t shall make mani
fest cherished errors or selfish hopes
and ambitions which must be abandon
ed. But they are still pretending to
know many things which we and they
know that they do not know. But
daily the strain becomes more intense.
Gradually everybody is recognizing
that there Is great crisis along every
line-that the people are awakening
and thinking and win no longer re-
ceive their errors.
Converting tho World TO God.
Fifty years ago Christian people. full
OF faith in the Bible which they seri-
Onsly misunderstood and read with
sectarian spectacles Of various colors,
were fully agreed that God had given
his Church the commission 10 convert
the whole world aud to establish Mes
Siah's Kingdom. when the nations
would learn war no more. but beat
heir swords into plowshares and their
spears into pruning hooks, Jealous
Christian people urged that the hea-
hen were going down 10 a hell OF
sternai torment at the rate OF ninety
thousand every twenty-four hours
And noble men and women sacrificed
heir earthly interests for the assist
.nee of the heathen-to prevent that
lwful catastrophe, to help thwart the
gery program of God which some
'ther Christian people OF an earlier
hay had declared was predeslinated
md foreordained as unalteabe. Good
gas certainly attempted. We trust
hat some good was accomplished. We
know that some harm was done. In
hat fallacious conceptions Of the char
,cter and plan of the Creator were
amongst the heather.
which have hardened ana emblttered
I0me Of them
But by and by practical people
iought for statistics. and now know
hat there are twice as many heathens
n the world as there We're century
lgo OF course, there are unthinking
md unstatislieal people who refuse
and who are today claim /
ng with cOmmeudable zral. but a
ignorance. that mrge con ,
rlbutlous Of money would enable I
hem 10 capture the whole world for /
] 4