The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-07-05
Sermon BY
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

otooAiJu' Juiy o.-tUStOt Russell OF
the Brooklyn Tabernacle preached to.
day III 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 all parts
Of the world. To some. of course. It
means holiday, time of recreat ton,
but to 'others Of us 1t speaks eloquently
OF Liberty enllghtening the Worldr'
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
US 1t 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 so
forth from this land breeding the love
of liberty. And yet, dear friends. every
day and every year, us 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 1t.
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 nre
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;
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 untoall men us 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 tho 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 encroachlng upon the
rights and liberty Of others. Alas.
dear friends, we must concede that re-
markably few Of tho 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 10 make us Godlikc:
tho latter cullivates selfshncss and
frequently gets us into difficulty un.
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
dlsregarding 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 1t mny be helpful TO others In
maintaining their proper liberties. MOI
does this signify that the people OF
God should ignore. their own liberty
and fight for the liberty of others
Rather we should stand for the prin