The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-11
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Toronto. Canada. January 9.-Pastor
C. 7. Russell OF Brooklyn Tabernacle.
Eew York, preached twice here today
70 large and very attentive audiences.
We report one of his discourses from
She above text, as follows:--
The word "toinked' in our text Is
used In q 0guratlve sense to signify
that God took no notice of. paid no
attention to. that long period Of time
from the Good to the First Advent of
eur Redeemer. During those twenty
Gve hundred years the world of man
Kind lay In ignorance and weakness
ana vice. hut. as our text Declares
God took no notice of 1t as Il whole
He gave his attention entirely to the
Attle nation OF Israel. the descendants
Of Abraham. with whom he made
Special Law Covenant. Israel entered
upon q great schooling period; first
hn condition of peOnage in Egypt:
and later. under the command of
Moses. passing from Egypt to Canaan,
with wandering of forty years In
the wilderness; still later under judges.
and then under kings. etc. God did
mot wink at sin amongst the lsraeliteS.
whom he adopted az his peculiar peo-
pie" under the Law Covenant mediat-
cd by Moses. We read that every dis
obedience received II Just recOnpense
OF reward" tHebrews ii, y. Stripes.
punlshments. captivities. under Divine
supervision and predicted through the
prophets. was the portion of the cho.
sen people of the Lord. Obedience on
their part brought blessing and dis
obedience aud idolatry brought chas-
tisements-tlOd winked at nothing as
respects his chosen people.
At first glance this is perplexing.
Not understanding the Divine Plan we
would be inclined to expect that the
favored nation would be excused more
than others-that Il would be the peo-
pie whose imperfectiOns would bp
Wlnked at. But not so: Israel was
chosen for purpose. And In order to
prepare them for their mission and to
fit them to fill 1t. the Lord chasiened
and scourged them for their sins. and
thus educated and assisted them more
than others out of degradation. AS
result. when our Lord came into the
world to be mans Rpdeemer Israel
under the chnstising, scourging. In
structing experiences of many centu.
ries. was by far the most advanced
nation In the world along religious
lines.
Thus 1t was that when the Redeem.
er presented himself. some, "a rem
nant." were "lsraelltes indeed" and
ready to receive him-tve hundred
During his earthly ministry and sew
eral thousand more ut the following
Pentecostal season. 1t Is but reason
the world would have furnished any
euch numbers ready of heart for Mes
slab. and cOnsecrated fully to him.
Note, for instance, that st. Pau's
preaching TO the Athenians on Mars
Hill apparently touched not q single
heart nor head.
The Justice of the Wink.
The Almighty informs us that JUS
lice IL the very foundation of ali of his
Dealings. He cannot be less than Just.
although through Christ he has pro-
V!ded - be more than just-that is.
loving and merciful. There must have
been justice in this winking men-
tioned by the Apostle. What was iti
The Apostle explains that owing to
death sentence that was upon the
world In general and no provision hav-
ing yet been made for redemption
from that death penalty and resur-
rectiOn deliverance. 1t would have been
illogical for God to give laws to the
world OF mankind commanding repent
ance. etc. Why? Because they were
already condemned 10 death. the ex.
treme penalty of the Divine Law. No
more could be done to them than de-
stroy them. however badly they lived.
And nothing that they could do would
make them deserving of eternal life.
So long as that death sentence rested
upon them and no prospect was Of
fered even Of release from Il. God let
them alone, and justly enough ''wink-
ed" at their imperfection and did not
lay 1t specially to their charge.
Win tue Jew IL was Nlueleul. 1OQ
instructed that nation through the
Law and the prophets and the chasten-
ings for their wrong doings. and thus
prepared in them "lttle flock" Of
"Israelites indeed" ready for spiritual
things. Additionally he wished to use
them and their experiences as types
or lessons for Spiritual Israel yet fu-
ture. These types. under the guidance
Of the holy Spirit through the New
Testament, have constituted very help
full lessons to the Church of this Cos
pei Age-Spiritual lsrael-"For the
Law Covenant was shadow of good
things coming after It,"
But before having this dealing with
Israel. God made Covenant with
them, promising them llfe-eternal IL
they would obey. They gladly nc
cepted the proposition and strove to