Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-06
Pastor RusseIl's Sermon

nently the equality Of all men before
the Almighty God. This thought once
grasped breaks all fetters Of the mind.
But all are not prepared for such lib
erty-some evidently would enjoy great
peace and would be more quiet, more
reverential and more submissive If they
continued bound with a measure OF
superstition. than II the truth should
make them free.
The only persons who can rightly
appreciate aud properly enjoy full lib
erty are those who have made full
conservation Of themselves to the
Lord-those who have given over all
earthly ambitions and favors to the
one great ambition Of the Gospel Of
Christ-to become heirs Of God and
jolnt-helrs with Jesus Christ their
Lord Those only can be fully en-
trusted with liberty who have realized
the lmperfectlon Of all human Judg-
ment, and who have accepted instead
Of their own the Divine will. This is
the class Of whom st. Paul spoke,
saying, eve have the mind of Christ"
and this he declares ls the only spirit
Of a sound mind" In the world at the
present time.
Nevertheless. some Of the sanity
people are dlsesteemed by many Of
the worldly-mlnded who are moving
heaven and earth at home and abroad
to amass wealth, power and fame for
themselves, their families, their friends,
their names, none of whom are con.
tent, none Of whom are satisfied, none
Of whom are at peace, either with God
or with themselves. Who can doubt
that the carrying Of our western civil
llzation to the people Of the east will
carry to them similar discomfort, un-
rest. unhapplness, anger. malice, envy,
hatred and strife which Is peculiar to
the 0ccident7 But most likely the
effect of the Western civilization Of
the Chinese will be to wake up her
hundreds Of millions to discomfort and
strife. and possibly bring anarchy to
her doors sooner than 1t will come to
Europe aud America.
"ASk. and / viii Give the Hsathen,"
But our text declares that If Mes.
siah will ask Of the Father, He will
be given the heather for an inner.
itance, and the uttermost parts Of the
earth for His possession. VIII He
ask for them? Why has He not al
ready asked for them, and what would
He do with them, and would not His
dealing with them have much the
same influence that the Gospel Mes.
sage now produces-to make them dis
satlsaed2
Our Lord lntlmates most distinctly
His reason for not asking for the
heather at the first advent In His
prayer the same night In which He
was betrayed to death He said, 81
pray not for the world (the heathenl.
but for those whom thou hast given
Me"-the household Of faith, His foot
step followers, "the Church Of the
Flrst-born, whose names are written
In heaven"
The Redeemer knew the Fathers
will and prayed only In harmony
Herewith. He knew that the first
work Of the Divine Plan was to be
the calling and testing Of an elect
"llttle flock" to be His associates In
the Kingdom, His Bride, to share with
Him His glory, honor and Immortal.
ty, He asked not then for the world,
knowing that the Fathers time had
not then come. Hence we read that
He ascended up on high and sat down
at the right hand Of the Divine Mai.
esty, henceforth waiting for the time
when His enemies would be made His |
footstool, and the GentIles be given to |
Him for an Inheritance; and He knew
that this time would not come until
first His Church had been developed
At and shortly after Pentecost all the
faithful OF the nation Of Israel, Israel. |
ties indeed, were begotten OF the Holy
Spirit that they might become mem
ber Of spiritual Israel, the Bride class
AS there was not sutllciency of such
Jews, the Divine Plan. as previously |
arranged, proceeded to call and test
such Of the heather as were feeling
after God and seeking after His right
eousness. The entire work has re-
Quired the intervening time, and now
at the close OF the six great days of hu
man labor and sweat Of face and sor
row and dying the great seventh thon
sand.year day Is about to be ushercd
IN. II is the period already appointed
Of the Father for Messiahs reign Of
righteousness, In which the Bride Of
Christ Will reign with him
The End Of the Matter.
My next question was, What will
be the end Of this long reign OF lgno
rance, superstition, sin and deathY
The Bibles answer came quickly to
my mind; The Divine promise Is that
Messlah's Kingdom will be successful.
that It will bring In an abundance Of
peace, that TO Him every knee shall
bow and every tongue shall confess"
Moreover We are assured that this will
be bowling OF sincere loyalty aud obe
dlence, because the context SAYS that
It shall be to the glory Of God, aud no
other kind OF bowling and confesslng
would glorlfy God Then came the
further assurance Of the Bible to my
mind st Peters declaration. that
Times OF refreshing shall come from
the presence Of the Lord, aud lie shall
send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached unto you, whom the heavens