Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-05-17
PASTOR
RUSSELL
REPLIES

9TH | charged that the Christian min
istry is hiding the key Of divine
knowledge from the people, as did
the doctors Of divinity Of Jesus time.
This has aroused much comment.
am asked in substance: Why, Pastor
Russell did you not specify the par
ticular subject on which the pulpit is
seeking to keep the pew in ignorance
hiding the key of knowledge? If
what you say is true, the laity must
awake to this unsuspected danger
But prove to us that it is true!
Sad am that it is true that the
ministers Of all denominations with
some noble exceptions) are the chief
foes to real Bible study. Christians
of all denominations love and reyer-
ence the Bible as the word of God.
Under the light now shining from
one page Of 1t to another, they would
soon discard the creeds of the darker
past and become one united church
with "one Lord, one faith, one bap-
tism," were 1t not for the ministers
The preachers having lost faith in
the inspiration of the Bible are high
er critics." They do not wish to
show their unbelief, hence avoid Bible
discussion. They await the ripening
of unbelief when they can publicly
say, I'VE educated ministers have
not believed the Bible inspired for
many long years. We Kept quiet un-
til you would not be shocked by the
statement" But to the proofs:
O The preachers know that the
only Hebrew word translated hell"
in our Bibles has no reference what
ever to a great torture-chamber such
as their people believe contains near
ly all humanity. Privately they will
admit that "sheol" means the tomb,
and that its equivalen in the New
Testament Greek is "hades." They
will admit, too, that "Gehenna" is
the name of valley outside Jerusa-
lem where rubbish was consumed and
explained Biblically to symbolic the
Second Death.-Rev. 20:14.
(2) I charge Rev. Halderman, D.
D., with attempting to throw dust
into the mental eyes of Baptists by
horribly misrepresenting my teach
ings, to hinder his people from study
ing Bible teachings to which call
attention, by cracking over their
heads the whip of fear. When he de-
clared my teachings to be "the bias
phemous religion which teaches the
annihilation Of Jesus Christ" he in
tended his untruthful words should
scare timid sheep" and hinder Bible
study. He not only helped to hide
the key of knowledge" but in this
INSCRIPTIONS way he tries to keep
the Lords people from finding It. I
am positive he would not think for
a moment of defending his own
church creed in public. The misrep-
sentatlon of my teachings is to rally
the old spirit of the dark ages the
spirit of hatred and sectarlanism.
His followers will not so closely ex-
anime their own creed II they are
busy fighting supposed enemy, and
DR.. Haldeman misrepresents me to be
that enemy Alasl what a heavy PEN
atty we may fear at the hands of the
Lord upon those who, posing as light
bearers, are serving the cause of
Misunderstanding the light and mis-
representing II.
l might multiply facts, but these
may suffice for the present. II Chris
tian people once realized the extent
TO which they are being hoodwinked
by the clergy they would soon find
abundance Of proof, II they ask for
Bible instruction along simple lines
Cbread) they will be given a stone of
evasion If they ask for stronger
meat (ish) they will get a serpent
stinging rebuke, for meddllng in
matters theological as though they
doubted that the peacher knew every
thing, and as though they supposed
that the laity were capable Of under
standing anythingl Abraham Lincoln
we'll said, you can fool all the peo-
pie some Of the time, and some Of
the people all of the time, but you
can't fool all the people all the time. -
Faithful to the morning light q
Pet 1;1O.
G. T. RUSSELL,
|