The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-07-08
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle.
.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.Oo o

Brooklyn, July 3.-Pastor Russell of
the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached to-
day in Brooklyn's largest Auditorium,
the Academy of Music, from the above
text, to crowded and attentive audi
ence. He said:
Tomorrow will be celebrated as Lib
erty Day" by Americans in ali parts
of the world. To some, of course. it
means holiday, a time of recreation.
but TO others of us it speaks eloquently
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 broad, gen.
eral way in line with the Golden Rule.
which respects the liberties of others
as it desires its own to be respected.
1t is difficult to estimate the weight
of influence attaching to the numerous
letters going from these shores to
every country under heaven, to every
hamlet and village and city. 1t is diff
ficult to estimate the influence of the
newspapers and magazines which go
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
1iuarxr Of lihortv 70 0rOcSlu u1icrpnrn-
sent it.
1t is not surprising that many who
come to 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
fled 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 selishness and
frequently gets us into difficulty I'M
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 their
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 in
maintaining their proper liberties. Nor
God should ignore their own liberty
and fight for the liberty Of others
Rather we should stand for the prin-
ciples of righteousness. and both by
word and precept refrain from stirring
up violence, or jeopardizing the inter
ests of others. Liberty of conscience
we should maintain in ourselves and
should encourage in others.
Liberty of Children of God"
St Paul speaks in our text Of the
liberty of the children of Cod" This.
primarily. signifies our desertion from
our taskmaster. Sin. and the surrender
of our wills to God and righteousness.
1t means q reputation of liberty to
do wrong and the grasping. through
Christ. of liberty from bondage to Sin
But. as the Apostle elsewhere explains.
wefind it impossible to conquer fully the
fallen flesh We will find it impossible
as "New Creatures" to attain the full
liberty of Sonship under present condi-
tons, because as st. Paul declares,
''Tbe flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the two are. contrary the one to
the other hGalatians Y, III. We have
a constant fight to resist the enslaving
influences oe Sfn-to maintain our lib
erty as sons of God. The victory will
not be fully attained until our resur-
Candidate for County. Attorney.