Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-01-27

llRASIOR RUSS6LL)J ing more attention
to one and others
to another phase of missionary inter
est. Pastor Russell's address to the
Chinese in Hong Kong In their fine
City Hall Auditorium was both helpful
and encouraging He directed special
attention to the words of ST. Paul, ap-
plicable to humanity in general and at
the present time specially to the Chi
nese: 1.-THE whole creation groaneth
and travaileth In pain together until
now-waiting for the manifestation of
the sons Of ."-Romans viii, %.
China's war experiences in recent
years have been severe trials, particu-
larly to people Of their temperament
-peace-preferring gentle. courteous to
each other and to foreigners. He had
been told that their courtesy of man
ner arose. not from love and sympa-
thy, but from law and custom cen
turtles old. He could not judge the
heart, but had sincerely wished that
some of the favored race of so-called
Christendom possessed in a larger de
gree some of the admirable traits OF
the Chinese--their respectful demeanor,
their courtesy. civility and energy.
The God of All Grace.
1t shall not be my mission. said Pas
tor Russell, to urge you to become
identified with any seets of Christen-
dom. nor to recommend to you any OF
their creeds. Nevertheless, in all of
those creeds there is more or less of
the most wonderful truth that ever
came to the ears Of humanity; but,
alas in a darker period 1t became so
mixed with human tradition as to be
today dishonoring to God and offensive
to the intelligence Of many. 1 can
readily see reasons why you have not
been more influenced by Christianity
Very properly your heads and hearts
refused adherence and worship to One
whom you were told had foreordained
the eternal torment of your ancestors
and all mankind except favored few.
may never again have the opportu-
nifty of addressing you: let me, there
| fore, tell you now Of another Chris
tianity (of which probably you have
never before heard from the same Bi
BILE used by the missionaries here and
confessed by all to be Gods Message
but a very different Message from that
which my brethren here confess.
waiting For the Sons of God"
| My text declares that the relief for
I the groaning creation waits for the
manifestation of the sons of God
Jesus. as the pre-eminent Son of God
died for our sins and assembled to the
right hand OF Divine Majesty, where
He is waiting; and meantime the
grooming creation must wait also fol
! the same thing-for the manifestation
of the sons of God. Here is matter
which seems to have been for a time
hidden under the rubbish of the Dark
| Ages-the fact that God not only fore
ordained Jesus. the great Son of God
| to be the worlds Messiah to deliver
them from sin and death. but that he
! foreordained also the selection of a
special class from amongst mankind to
be the Redeemer's associates and joint
heirs in His Kingdom.
Surely all will admit with me that
no god of any people has ever mani
| tested such a love and interest in his
creatures as has the God of the Bible
the God of Christianity. 1t Is the Love
of God which constrains us-draws us
mot the threat of eternal torture, which
has no foundation in the Bible). And
His exceeding great and precious prom
Uses work In our hearts both to will
and to do His good pleasure.
| 1t is my understanding of the Scrip
lures that the time for making our
calling and election sure" to this
Kingdom class is now very short. II
| therefore behooves all who desire this
glorious relationship with Messiah &c
"give all diligence" and to run with
patience the race set before us" in the
Gospel. looking unto Jesus. the Author
of our faith.
The Non elect Also Exhorted.
The wonderful blessings of our day
! which make 1t so different from any
I other Epoch In the worlds history
have reached even here to China. and
what we already see appears to be only
the beginnings of wonderful things
Evidently Divine Power has within the
past century been lifting the veil OF
ignorance and superstition. We are
just on the threshold Of the New DIS.
pensation. The Church (the elect sons
of Cod is about complete. The mani
festation of the sons OF God for the
aid of the grooming creation is at hand
and Messiah's Kingdom Is about to be
ushered in, The blessings Of the pres
ent are only foretaste Of those glori
Gus blessings for the world Of man
kind.