The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-07-07
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
7 Tabernacle.


the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached to-
day In BrookIyn's largest Auditorium.
the Academy Of Music. from the above
text. 10 a crowded and attentive audi
ence. He said:
Tomorrow will be celebrated as LIB
erty Day" by Americans In all parts
Of the world To some. OF course. IL
means n holiday. a time OF recreation.
but TO others Of III II speaks eloqueatly
OF Liberty enlightening the World"
Even the enemies Of the Republic must
concede that an influence has gone
forth from these shores TO the utter
most bounds Of earth-an influence
against tyranny. and In a broad. gen
eral way In line with the Golden Rule,
which respects the Liberties Of others
as 1t desires It's own TO be respected.
II is difficult to estimate the weight
of influence attaching TO the numerous
letters going from these shores 10
every country under heaven, TO every
hamlet and village and city. 1t Is diff
fcult 10 estimate the influence Of the
forth from this land breeding the love
of liberty. And yet. dear friends, every
day and every year. as our ideas ma
ture, we come TO see more and more
distinctly what constitutes true lib
erty," and to distinguish this from
license" which sometimes steals the
livery of liberty, to grossly misrepre-
sent IL.
1t is not surprising that many who
come 10 our shores from lands where
personal liberty is almost unknown are
inclined to expect more liberty than
we can safely accord them. They are
obliged to learn gradually the lesson
that social liberty signifies. not per
sonal license, but the permission to do
only those things which will not inter
fere with the rights and liberties of
others. Indeed. this Is the lesson
which all must learn in order to be
good. useful citizens of this Republic;
a lesson therefore to be learned by all
who would enjoy true liberty. 1t is
the lesson of self-control; the lesson of
minding ones own business; the lesson
Of speaking evil of no man; the lesson
Of doing good unto all men as we have
opportunity; the lesson Of intruding
on the proper rights and privileges of
no one else. But alas. how few of the
world have come to rightly view the
liberty of which we boast!
In the School of Christ.
1t Is in the School of Christ that the
pupils or disciples of the Lord Jesus
may learn of him. the Great Teacher
the important lesson of self-cOntrol and
the proper exercise Of our own lib
erty, without encroaching upon the
rights and liberty of others. Alas.
. dear friends. we must concede that re-
markably few of the Lords people
have learned this lesson and are quail
fed TO graduate along this line! Many
followers of Christ continually prac-
tise injustice in the little things of life.
neglecting To regard the liberties and
rights of others. In the Church. in the
home, in business. the rights of others
are all too frequently ignored or only
partially recognized. 1t is more i'm
portant that we learn to recognize the
rights and liberties of others than to
insist upon our own rights. The for
mer course tends to make us GOdlike:
the latter cultivates selfishness and
necessarily. The Apostles instruction
Is that so far as possible. we should
live peaceably with all men. which
often necessitates the voiding of our
own rights for the sake Of peace.
This matter of insisting upon rights
and liberties is moving the world more
and more toward contention and strife
and fastening it toward the great time
of trouble which shall engulf the
whole social structure. Doubtless the
great majority will be claiming theil
individual rights while almost totally
.disregarding the rights of others. We
urge. therefore. that kind of love Of
liberty which is willing to sacri
fee as respects its own privileges
that it may be helpful to others IL
maintaining their proper liberties. No
does this signify that the people o
God should ignore their own libert,
and fight for the liberty of others
Rather we should stand for the prin
.ciples of righteousness. and both b,
word and precept refrain from stirrin!
up violence. or jeOpardizing the inter
ests of others. Liberty of conscienc
we should maintain in ourselves ant
should encourage in others.
Liberty of Children of God"
st. Paul speaks in our text of tn
liberty of the children of God" This
primarily. signifies our desertion fror
our taskmaster. Sin. and the surrende
Of our wills TO God and Righteousness
1t means a Reputation of liberty t
do wrong and the grasping. throug
Christ, of liberty from bondage to Sill
But. as the Apostle elsewhere explain.
weflnd it impossible TO conquer fully tn
fallen flesh. We will find it impossible
as New Creatures" TO attain the flu
liberty Of Sonship under present cond
tons, because. as ST. Paul declares
THE flesh lusteth against the Spiri
and the two are contrary the one t