The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-03

their hearers. Hence they still
wardly lend their influence to the
trines of eternal torture, which Il
do not believe, and feel angry tOwaI
us because we teach the people
Truth upon the subject which til
know will bring to them hundreds
questions difficult to answer or dodg
Coos Love Constraineth Us.
ask you, dear readers, Were you
constrained to become children of God
and to render to the Lord the homage
and the obedience of your lives
through fear or through love? | am
not asking you whether you never
have feared; but | am asking you
what brought you to the point of con-
Becrating your life to God? Surely
that was not fear! l am aware, Of
rourse, that there is a proper, cody
fear, reverence, and that the Scrip
lures declare 1.-THE fear (rever-
enceD of the Lord is the beginning Of
wisdom" psalm cxi, 10l. But this is
not the fear of eternal torment. which
tends to drive out love How could
we love or esteem or truly worship a
God purposing the eternal torment Of
his creatures from before their crea-
ton?
l could give you many proofs of the
power Of love over the human heart, Z
in contrast with the ungodly fear Of
the error. God says to us in so many
words, Their fear toward me is not
pf h11f 10 ~ b.. -
men" as an Illustration: At a Bible
Students Convention not long ago in
Ohio a well-dreSsed gentleman in at
tendance told me of how his heart had
been touched with our presentations Of
the
Love Divine, all love eXcelling."
He said, For years l have been
| member of the Presbyterian Church
without being really a Christian at all.
Occasionally l went on sprees some
| times | gambled and drank, etc, etc.
Not until | received knowledge Of
the true character Of God as set forth
in your Scripture Studies did my
heart ever come to the proper attitude
Of surrender to the Lord. Then | was
glad to give him my little all and
$50. $50 =, VIZ ny nc He4' u"y'
-. 'n'
~ q, ~ ms t-ii'
-, ~ CUP VI p"Poi -"'o NY
Ll''''N' VIZ, SulPoSeu was ques-
IN anu e"' uNI i.''o my coat PoeNe''
On the platform l drew it forth as one
Of the questions to be answered and
10 my 4SlonlsnllehL iouNu 1t was
.HeCA AoI St'VVV' Inc man had not
"eeh asked TOT one cent but the Love
oI 'od had captNaIed ms heart ana
Eotleh coh'roI-hoJ only OF IT, but OF
ms pochet-oook and all. lie wished 10
show the Lord his appreciation Of the
Love Divine, the length and breadth
and height and depth, If which he now
Compensated, as never before.
Another case; | met with COnven-
tion Of Bible Students in Chattanooga
some five years ago. \ gentleman at
tended who introduced himself to me
! saying that he was from Mississippi
/ and that he had become deeply inter
eSted in my presentations Of the har
mony Of the Word Of God. He said
IN substance: Brother Russell | viii
not attempt To tell you how wicked a
man ! was before | got your literature.
My dear wife here, an earnest Metho-
| dist, said to me, John, John. you will
surely 20 to hell" l replied to her.
| Mary, l know it, l know it, And.
| Mary, l am determined that | Will de-
serve all that | get. | am not going
10 hell for nothing One Of your tracts
came TO my desk in my store. l said
that this was different from anything
| | ever understood respecting the teach
ings OF the Bible. 1t seems more God
Ike and more rational l sent to you
Tor various Bible students Helps. The
result dear Brother Russell. Is that the
Love of God has constrained me, has
conquered me, In way that the doc
trines OF deyillsh torments could not
influence me. Now | see the true
teaching Of Gods Word. I can honor
him and worship him and take pleas
ure In laying down my life in his serv-
Ice. l have made a full conservation
Of everything. For a time | sent you
900 Check every month; but, Brother