The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-12-27
Pastor RuSsell's Sermon

all tears from off all faces" isaiah
XIV. 81 II proelaims. as Jesus did. q
glorious prospect for al who desire to
come into harmony with God: and g
just penalty. or stripes. upon all those
who sin wilfuIly against light and
knowledge and opportunity. 1t pro-
claims that New Day is dawnlng. In
which the Lord will give beauty for
ashes. and the oil Of joy for the spirit
OF heaviness.''
The True Gospel includes the Cos.
pei OF the Kfngdom"-that the Divine
arrangement now is for the selection of
the Kingdom class from amongst men.
10 be heirs of God and jolnt-heirs with
Jesus Christ in His Messianic King.
dom. 1t pRoclaims the honorable work
Of the Church as the Kingdom OF God
by and by. to judge. rule and bless all
the families OF the earth. 1t proclaims
also that the number who viii attain
!; to this Kingdom glory is limited--a
Little Flock. to whom 1t will be the
Fathers good pleasure to give the
Kingdom. Luke xii, 32) 1t exhorts
the making of ''ouY calling and cleo
ton sure to q share in that Kingdom.
Is Gospel Preaching Logical?
Let us notice the worlds viewpoint.
which causes the Gospel Message to
appear foolish to them. TO the world
E-wise it looked very foolish, indeed.
for Jesus to go about Palestine with
twelve disciples. performing some mir
acles and inviting chiefly the poor to
become His followers. leaving business
and other pursuits. All" says the
world. ':how Impractical was Jesus.
and how foolish was His message! A
business man would have laid good
foundation for his work by making
friends with the Scribes. the Pharisees
and the Doctors Of the Law. and utiliz-
ing their influence with their hold upon
the people.
. But, we ask, how then wonld the
Scriptures have been fulfilled? Who
would have crucified Christ. or have
caused His death? There would have
been no reconciliation possible for man
kind 1t Is we'll for US that Jesus did
not follow the suggestions OF worldly
wisdom. Truly .the wisdom of this
world is foolishness with God" even az
the Wisdom OF cd is foolishness with
the children OF this world.
It is because worldly wisdom got In
it's hold in the Dark Ages that the Cos
pei has been perverted so greatly.
Great human institutions have, arisen,
mighty and powerful. through mans
cunning. Priestcraft aud statecraft
+; have made the professed Church OF
Christ one Of the greatest business In
stitutiOns on earth. Not more. bnt
less. of human wisdom Is what we
need: and not less. but more. of Divine
Wisdom and Instruction from the Bible.
Why It Seems Foolish.
From the worlds standpoint it seems
foolish that God should invite any to
: do right and to be His servants. 1t
seems weak for God of all power to
entreat, where He could command and
enforce obedience. Earth's kings, hay
Ing the power. would enforce their
commands; In fact. everybody, as q
rule. executes his own will. How
strange. therefore, 1t appears to the
world, that 1T should be otherwise with
! the Almighty.
The Bible. however. gives the infOr-
/ nation. God wishes to select a special
class OF special servants. TO test their
loyalty. there must be opportunity for
, them to resist Him and to refuse obedi-
ence, Cod causes His Message OF in
vitation to pass on to others also. that
thus He may find the peculiar people
who prefer to do good rather than evil
to such an extent that they are willing
to suffer for righteousness sake. The
special work which He designs the
, Church to accomplish requires such
loyal. faithful souls as these--men and
women glad to sacrifice their lives in
the service of the Lord. His cause and
His brethren. The class He seeks .'count
not their lives dear unto themselves"
God carries the proposition, still
further. however. and puts this special
! class to peculiar, and severe tests. that
! the trial OF their faith and obedience.
being more precious than that of gold
may be found acceptable unto His
| leasement-eyentually
| Prosecutions. tribuIations attacks
f, from the world. the flesh and the Ad-
versary. are permitted to come against
these TO test their loyalty. None of
| these things are what the world would
expect: and to tell the world of these
| is to relate what seems to them fool
ishness. They cannot see why conse-
Grated people of God should suffer re-
! proofs for righteousness sake. for
Truths sake. s.
But all these matters are clear and
| plain to those who are taught of God
! to those who have learned that the
Church is being selected from amongst
mankind for a very special work of
: God. This makes it appropriate that
! their loyalty be tested to the limit. In
order that they may be counted worthy
Of the ''glofy. honor and immortality"
; which God has for those who love Him
BY and BY 1t Will Be Different.
The Divine Plan outlined in the BIZ
bic is different The procedure under
Messiah's Kingdom and dealing with
the world will be exactly what the
{ world will concede to he a wise pro-
gram. iDsthat time. all darkness. il.
norancee land superstition will speedily