Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-08-05


Of bliss.
The thought Of their responsibility
In connection with the thousands Of
millions blanched their cheeks and
made their hearts quail. They looked
at each other IN terrified bewilder-
ment. Their noble, generous hearts
led them to desire TO put the whole
mass directly into heaven but, as they
searched the Scriptures on the sub
ject. they found. as they had always
believed as Catholics. the Bible teach
ing that only the sanity. the footstep
followers OF Jesus. the "overcomers"
Of the world. are ct for the Kingdom
Of Heaven. In despair they said to
each other. This leaves nothing for Us
to do but enlarge hell many times
and stuff the entire mass therein,
writing over the doorway. Who en-
ters here abandons hope" They did
It. but 1t was a sorrowful matter,
quite contrary to their generous
hearts.
Greatest Theoloaian-John Calvin.
II was when the Reformers were
feeling very sad for what they felt
they had been obliged to do with the
heathen and with their neighbors and
friends and the vast majority Of their
own families. that Brother Calvin ap-
peared. "Cheer up" said Calvin. "Of
course we all are sorry. but It is not
our fault. The shame Of such a con-
clusion IL not ours. | will show you
the way out Of the dilemma: charge
the whole terrible business upon Al
mighty Cod Say that He foreordain-
ed and predestinated things thus, and
that we cannot help itP'
Pastor Russell said that these good
men hesltated for a time about charg.
ing against God what they had been
ashamed TO acknowledge as their own
plan and doing; but seeing no way out
Of the difficulty they finally agreed,
and then extolled John Calvin as the
greatest theologian the world had ever
known. Calvin arranged the entire
matter into a philosophy and his doc
trine became the basis Of all creeds Of
the Reformation period. including the
Westminster Confession Of Faith,
which is generally acknowledged by
Presbyterians, Baptlsts. etc. Thus,
said Pastor Russell, we PrOtestants got
our diabollcal theory respecting the
dead. We "must confess that It is
much worse than the theory Of our
Catholic friends. II we could not ac-
cept theirs because it was unloving,
unmerciful, unjust and ungodly. surely
we cannot accept any longer our own.
Brother Weslsys Gospel Of Love.
The blessings Of the Reformation
were considerably oyershadowed and
handicapped by the great Calvlnlstlc
error Of an all-powerful God, destl-
tute Of love, vlndlctive and devilish
to degree never approximated by
any human degenerate. Centuries
later that good man, John Wesley, ap-
peared His soul cried out against
the injustice and lovelessness of Cal
vlnlsm; and his claim that God is lore
has permented Christendom to such an
extent that even those denominations
which profess the Westminster Con-
fession Of Faith and Cavinistic theo-
rles do not really believe 1t. We must
love Brother Wesley for his largeness
Of heart even though we must con-
fess that he had less logical head
than had Brother Calvin.
Brother Wesley and the majority of
his followers failed to see the incon.
sistency OF his claim that God Is love,
and yet that nine hundred and ninety.
nine out OF every thousand are to be
eternally tormented-b because the mass
OF them had never heard Of "the only
name whereby we must be saved" and
because Others who had heard did not
live contrary to their tendencies; did
not live sanity livesl
Pastor Russell declared that Wesley
and Calvin put exactly the same saint.
ly few into heaven. and put all the re-
mninder into eternal torment Hence
II was a mere question between these
two men as to Whv this was no, and
not us to the fact. Calvin said. at is
Gods will and He forpordained It
thus" Wesley said, mo. God Is love,
and love would never do thus, Ii was
the result Of Divine lack OF wisdom In
their creation, and lack Of power to
help after their creation. Hence the
fate of the masses"
Brethren, We % Not So Believed
Pastor Russell said, There is a great
mistake None OF these theories satls-
fy your heads and hearts. nor mine.
The difficulty is that we have been try.
Ing to accept the errors OF the Dark
Ages instead of going clear back and
making our theology afresh from the
words OF Jesus, the Apostles and
Let us do this now and find
the beauty OF the Divine Plan in the
Bible, and glorious Divine character
such as we know II should have-far
beyond human wisdom, justice, love
and power SO the Lord says; "As the
heavens are higher than the earth, 80
are My ways higher than your ways
and My plans higher than your plans"
Where Are the beadH
The Bible confirms the ablest find.
lngs Of science when It tells us that
tue dead are dead and not alive at all.
anywhere. The Scriptures declare.
"rhe dead know not anything" their
sons come TO honor and they know It
not; they come to dlshouor but they
.'ercelve Il not OF them" Again the