The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-05-02

Rome, May LSPastor Russell Of
Brooklyn 1abefAaelt New York
preached here today, to large and ats
tehtiSe audience speaking through
an interpreter, be vas heard by all
His address was delivered Under the
auspices Of the INTERNATIONAL
BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
4 profound impression was evidently
made. and Bible study surely received
4 considerable impetus. Many inclined
to seof at religion and the Bible, as
Interpreted In the past. said retere4t-
". III ,tllis be the Gospel of Christ
It Is wdfthy OF all aceeptatIOp." The
speaker said:
We. dear friends, are living in q day
In which tie leading minds OF the
world are rejecting the Bible and its
message in all the great colleges Of
the world; yea, in the theological
semiharies also. the Bible Is classed
IIds antique. Professed faith in the
Bible. !as the inspired Word Of God,
today calls forth sneers Of ridlcule and
the comment that such believers are
'unlearned." But. my hearers, | am
before you today to contend that 1t Is
not theS"GospeI of Christi that is be-
ing rejected by the intelligence Of the
world. but another Gospel that came.
not from Christ. neither from the Apes
ties. neither is It taught IN the Bible.
/ am here to claim, and to ehdeavor to
Prove that tlie Bibletis emfnently log
lcai, thoroughly reasonable, and that
the message It bears to those who have
"ears to hear" is the most wonderful
message that could possibly be pre-
sented to human heads and hearts
We are not here to claim a new rev.
elation; making void the Word Of God
through Jesus and the Apostles; we
are not here to twist and turn their
words to make them appear to mean
what they do not say. We are here
to show that the Bible taken In its
simplicity, and allowed to interpret It.
self, is the most wonderful book in the
world, and that the Divine. Plan Of Sal
yation therein set forth is sofl-sQtisfyS
Ing and, rs the scriptures declare. suf-
ficlent. chat the man Of God may be
thoroughly furnished unto every good
word, and work. u
Theories efsths 4oark Ages" gl
Wear not here, my friends. to set
forth any sectarian views otsthe Scrip
lures, nor to advocate new theology.
By no means; we have already too
many theologes; we have already too
many sects or divisions Of Christ! We
want no, more. Christendoui is awak-
ening to the fact that tteSfdtious CON
fIcdlg creeds cast dfscredfsop the Bl.
BE. The creeds OF TChristendom uni
yersally discredit each other by their
interpretations, and universally they
discredit the Bible, which would be
surely a most ridiculous book. fit
taught all the various conflicting dog
mas.
However, ! should not be misunder,
stood as making an attack upon any
creed. or upon the adherents OF any
creed. Rather. suggest that We may
well look with sympathy upon all the
various creeds and sects, realizing that
Gods people have been In Babylonish
confusion for now many centuries.
Did not the Apostle tell that a great
falling. away would come? QI Thessa-
lonlans H. 81 Should we then be sur.
prlsed II we find his words have come
true, that for fifteen hundred years the
Church OF Christ has been deeply en-
tangled with errors and superstitions.
which make void the Gospel OF Christ?
Let us not then stop to find fault with
ourforefathers. and to upbraid them;
let us rather, so far as possible, as.
sumo their honesty. their sincerity.
Let us take the Bible standpoint, and
realize that the diffculty has been the
power OF our Adversary. the Devil,
and that be has deluded and ensnared,
not only the heather world. but to q
considerable extent Chrlstendom.
Mark st. Pdul's words, .The god of
this world hath blinded the minds Of
them which believe not. lest the glo-
rlous light Of Divine goodness should
shine into their hearts" III Corinthians
", Al. The lntimation is that our great
Adversary, Satan. Is Interested in de.
celving mankind, respecting the glO-
riods character Of our God, and bis
wonderful Plan Of salvation through
Christ. Satan uses as hfs tools the
very best Of humanity that he chm
bring under his control, dnd inothlnglis
more evident than that he has com.
pIetely deluded the heather world
with what the Apostle terms, doc
ttihes OF deyfIs." Not only So, but
to the extent that he was able to DO
so. he has evidently worked mischief
,,I.hr tho vorihna feRhrTnAtionG and