Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-28
Pastor Russell's Sermon

ness, will be coming nearer to human
perfection. Thus will be fulfilled,
through Christ, the gracious promise
that "God shall wipe away all tears
from all faces" and there shall be no
more curse, neither sorrow, nor sigh
ing, nor crying; for the former things
shall have passed away
Many Stripes and Few Stripes,
The Bible clearly indicates that the
Adamic condemnation against our race
will be fully Offset by the merit OF
Chrlst's sacrifice. But on the other
hand, 1t tells US that every transgres-
sion which is not purely Of inherited
weakness Is charged to the account OF
the transgressor and must be met by
him. Jesus emphasizes this lesson,
saying, HE that knew his Masters
will and did II not, shall be beaten
with many stripes; but he that knew
II not and yet did things worthy OF
stripes, shall be beaten with few
stripes" Some of these stripes, or
punishments, may indeed come to the
transgressor in the present life; and
II 30, he does we'll to profit by them.
But whether In the present life or In
the future life, every wiful transgres'
sion will receive "a just recompense of
reward" The difficulty with our theO'
ries Of the Dark Ages on this subject
has not been that they taught pun;
ishment for sin; but that they taught
an unjust penalty. dishonoring to the
Creator and stultlfyIng to the believer
Tho Records Of WiIfuI Sin.
II isa mistake to say that increasing
sins would increase the pangs of CON
science and that thus each would be
punished. We know to the contrary
that many, as they become STEPPED Ia
sin, lose all sensiblIity. st, Paul cor
roborates this thought, saying Of some
that their consciences become scared
-callOused.
God provided that each individual
shall keep n record in himself or his
own moral obiqulties. Each violation
of conscience weakens the character.
Character weakened, degraded, can be
reconstructed only with proportionate-
" great difficulty Thus some, during
the period of Messlah's Kingdom, will
be struggling against weaknesses
which they brought upon themselves
aside from those Of Adamic heredity.
The assistance from the Royal Priest
hood will be proportionate to the
Adamlc weakness, contrary to the hui
man will. outside temptations will
be gone. Full knowledge will be there;
but character will be the thing Of para
mount Importance as determining who
will attain everlasting life.
Our Redeemer gave suggestion
along this line when He said to the
Pharlsees, "How can We escape the
condemnation of Gehennap Matthew
xiii. 33) The Valley of Hinnom (Ge-
henna) outside Jerusalem, where the
offal was finally destroyed, symbollcal-
ly represented the Second Death, as
explained in Revelation Xxx, n, Jesus
did not condemn the Pharisees to the
Second Death. His mission to the
world was not TO condemn mel; for
they were condemned already-under
the Adamic condemnation. The Son
OF Man came mot to condemn the
world; but that the world through
Him might be saved" John Ill, III
At the time He spoke these words re-
specting the Pharsees, He was laying
down His life on behalf OF all the chill
dren Of Adam They could not forfeit
their share in His resurrection work
until that work had been completed
and they had enjoyed their share Of
the Redeemer's favor
The Import Of the Redeemer's words,
therefore, was that He perceived IN
them 80 much OF dishonesty and hard
ness OF heart that He prophesied that
they would have hard time to reform
character, even under the favorable
conditions of the Millennium They
had seen the Master. heard His teach-
ings, witnessed His miracles and must
have been reasonably convinced that
It was holy power which operated In
Him, When. therefore, in bitterness Of
spirit they declared that His miracles
and teachings were inspirations Of Sa
tan, they were well nigh without excuse.
Il could hardly be supposed that such
pcrycrslty Of spirit was the result
either of ignorance or Of Adamlc weak
ness. Evidently there was grcut viii
fulness associated with II. Hence the
Master declared that persons who
could thus attribute To Satan things
which they recognized MS good, pure
and holy. must have greatly perverted
! their ConscienCes. They will he ohllg.
ed to suffer stripes accordingly. and
will have proportionately great dlhicul-
ty In bringing themselves into harmo-
ny with the requirements OF the Mes.
sianIc Kingdom.
"Preaeh the Wordr
All Of Gods people are preachers.
The bcgetting influence Of the Holy
Spirit Is the only ordination necessary,
and without 1t no one has Divine au.
thority to preach. Preaching, In It's
broad sense, means 10 declare 10 make
knolcH Gods Book makes no division
OF Ills people into clergy and lalty,
He that hath My Word. let him speak
NV Word foIthfullv " saith tho ord