The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
Pastor Russell Replies

In my sermon of May 9th I charged that the Christian ministry Is hiding the key of divine knowledge from the people, as did the doctors of divinity of Jesus day. This has aroused much comment. am asked in substance; Why, Pastor Russell. did you not specify the particu- lar subjects on which the pulpit is seek
 ing to keep the pew in ignorance-hidng the key of knowledge? If what you say is true the laity must awake to this un- |, suspected danger! But prove to us that it is true!
 Sad am that it is true that the min isters of all denominations (with some noble exceptions) are the chief foes to real Bible study. Christians of all de- nominations love and reverence 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 baptism were it not for the ministers. The preachers having lost faith in the in- spiration of the Bible are higher critics They do not wish to show their unbelief. hence avoid Bible discussion. They await the ripening of unbelief when they can publicly say, we educated ministers have not believed the Bible inspired for many would not be shocked by the statement.
 But to the proofs:
 1. The preachers know that the only Hebrew word translated hell in our Bibles has no reference whatever to great tor ure-chamber such as their people believe contains nearly all humanity. Privately they will admit that "sheol'' means the tomb, and that it's equivalent in the New
 Testament Greek is "hades.' They will admit, too, that "Gehenna' is the name of a valley outside Jerusalem where rubbish
 was consumed and explained Biblically to symbolize the second death.-Rev. 20If 2. l charge Rev. Haldeman, D. D. with
 attempting to throw dust into the mental eyes of Baptists by horribly misrepresent- ing my teachings. to hinder his people from studying Bible teachings to which I call attention, by cracking over their
 heads the whip of fear. When he de-
 clared my teachings to be "the blasphe- nous religion which teaches the annihila- tion of Jesus Christi he intended his un- truthful words should scare timid sheep and hinder Bible study. He not only helped to hide the key of knowledge"
 but in his interruptions way he tries to | keep the Lords people from finding it.. l am positive he would not think for a moment of defending his own church creed l in public. The misrepresentation of my l teachings is to rally the old spirit of i the dark ages" the spirit of hatred and sectarianism. His followers will not
 so closely examine their own creed if
 they are busy fighting a supposed enemy,
 and Dr. Haldeman msrepresents me to be l that enemy Alas! what a heavy penalty we may fear at the hands of the Lord upon those who, posing as light-bearers,
 are serving the cause of darkness-hating the light and misrepresenting 1t.
 l l might multiply facts but these may 1 suffice for the present If Christian peo-
 pie once realized the extent to which | they are being hoodwinked by the clergy
 they would soon find abundance of proof.
 If they ask for Bible instruction along simple lines tbread) they will be given
 stone of evasion If they ask for stronger meat tfishl they will get serpent-a
 stingng rcbuSe. for meddling in matters i theological, as. though they doubted that
 the preacher knew everything, and as
 though they supposed that the laity were
 capable of understanding anything. Abra- l ham Lincoln well said, You can fool all
 the people some of the time. and some of l the people all of the time. but you can't | fool all the people all the time''
 Faithful to the morning light-C2 Pet.
 119).
 1 c. T. RUSSELL.