Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-08-27

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zllllA - city several times,
| llPASlOR RUSStllJJ this Is my first op-
portunity for ad-
dressing you publicly, on the Invitation
of your local class OF the International
Bible Students Association. Indeed, II
am rightly informed. Bible students
have not been very numerous In your
gay capital. Splcndors and pleasures
you have undoubtedly had or sought
10 have. but the great pleasure, the
great Joy and inspiration which come
from an intimate knowledge OF the Di-
vine Word. the masses Of your people
The present Pope, ! understand, Is
not so highly appreciated amongst you
as were some OF his predecessors, but
let me spepk one good word for him.
namely. that more than any of his pred
ecessors he has sought to uphold the
Bible, and In America at least he has
urged upon the people Bible study. ]
am sure that he Is right in this and
that the greater knowledge we have Of
the true teachings Of the Bible the
greater win be our blessing and Joy,
both individually and nationally.
| have chosen for my topic on this
occasion what believe Is an impor-
tant, yea. vital question OF deep In.
terest TO all humanity: What is MANI
This great question the Bible alone an
swers distinctly and satisfactorily, az
hope shall be able TO demonstrate
The answer Of Science TO our query Is
at least in one respect right and In full
accord with the Bible Science tells us
that man Is an animal OF the highest
order-genus homo The Bible agrees
with this and declares man distinctly
different from the lower animals, and
also distinctly separate from angels
and spirit beings. He Is terrestrial, "of
the earth earthy"-he IL not spiritual
not celestial or heavenly The earth
not heaven. was made for his home.
The Bible does tell of mans fall from
Divine favor and Of his Divine condem
nation. but his fall was not from II
! heavenly condition to an earthly con
dition, but from an earthly condition
Of perfection TO a dying condition Of
! imperfechon. The Bible teaches thai
! II man had not sinned his life would
! have been everlasting. in earthly per
| fectlon, and that his home would have
been an earthly Paradise In which he
would have enjoyed the blessing and
fellowship Of his Maker.
The death sentence did not alter OF
change his nature, but merely forfeited
| his life and all of his blessings and
| rights which were dependent upon his
life The penalty was not, ITO eternal
| torment shalt thou go, to suffer eternal
| ly at the hands OF demons" but. "Dy
| Ing, thou shalt die" "Thorns and this.
ties shall the earth bring forth unto
thee" "ln the sweat OF thy face shalt
| thou eat bread until thou return unto
the ground; for out Of II vast thou
taken, for dust thou art, and INTO dust
shalt thou return" And OF the faith
fu execution Of this Divine penalty
against the sinner we are all witnesses
And Yet How Grand 10 Mani
As | stood by the ruins OF ancient
Memphis, where Joseph rose from be
Ing snve 10 being the Governor, next
to King Pharaoh, wns impressed with
some OF the mighty monuments which
persist despite the ravaging hand Of
time said to myself. What Is man.
What king Of earth he is, and has
been, Notwithstanding his deteriora
ton through sin and the fall AS ]
noted the sculptures OF thirty-tlve hun.
dred years ago said. Truly the Bible
Is right when II declares that God
made man in His own image-that to
man. the highest earthly creature, the
great Creator, Himself a Spirit, I'm.
parted an impress Of His own charac-
ter and measure Of His own power,
40 that man really was created god
OF earth toward the lower creatures
which were put under his ctre. as his
Creator Is the God Of the Universe.
My admiration for our race and It's
skill was greatly enhanced as | thus
cogitated. The pyramids, and espe
cially the Great Pyramid of Gizeh,
near Cairo. impressed me similarly
When | considered the wonderful ac
complishments OF that long-ago period
and reflected that we could scarcely do
more today with our most improved
machinery. my appreciation Of our an
cestors was enhanceda and said. II
would be very difficult for many to &C
Mpt the modern scientific theory that
our forefathers but short time ago
we're cousins to the ape
Some Of the temples OF India and
China similarly impressed me- Athens
too. with Its museums OF ancient struc
ture. similarly said to me. Truly man
In his original perfection must have
been created In the image OF his Crea.