, 1912-01-25

IIaoIOk kUCOILDI ing more dllelllph
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 Hal Auditorium was both helpful
and encouraging. He directed special
attention to the words of st. Paul. APP
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 God."-Romans viii. %.
China's war experiences in recent
years have been severe trials, particu-
larly to a people of their temperament
-peace-preferring. gentle, courteous to
zach other and to foreigners. He had
been told that their courtesy of man
nsr arose. not from owe 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 sects 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 n darker period it became so
mixed with human tradition as to be
today d~ishonoring to God and offensive
to the intelligence of many. | can
readily see reasons why o 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 n 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 Ri
Bile used by the missionaries here and
confessed by all to be Gods Message.
but II very different Message from that
which my brethren mere confess.
waiting For the Sons of God"
My text declares that the relief for
the grooming creation waits for the
manifestation of the sons of God.
Jesus. as the pre-eminent Son of God.
HinH fnr nuy SipS and aSrnnRa1 IN tho.
right hand of Divine Majesty. where
He is waiting: and meantime the
grooming creation must wait also for
the same thing-for the manifestation
of the sons of God. Here is a 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
f~oreordained 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 nan
Tested such n 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 Biblel. And
His exceeding great and precious prom
lses 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. 1t
therefore behooves all who desire his
glorious relationship with Messiah to
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 ii SO different from any
other Epoch in the worlds history,
have reached ever 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 1.-THE elect sons
Of Cod is about complete. The mani
of the SOM of God for the
aid of the grooming creation is Mt hand.
and Messiah's Kingdom Is about to be
ushered in. The blessings If the pres
are only a foretaste of those glori-
aus blessings for the world OF man.
kind.