Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-07-13
Pastor RusseIl's Sermon

where our treasures are there will our
hearts be also And thus, says the
Apostle, we will be able 10 LAY hold on
eternal life now proffered TO US.
Like Unto Your Father.
II helps Gods intelligent children to
follow in the marrow way and to
learn the lessons OF the present life, II
they can see the principles involved,
and how the lessons In the School Of
Christ are advantageous. For instance,
many at first are inclined to say, II do
not see how 1t will make any differ
ence to the Lord what do with my
money. my talents my influence. He
Is rich. He needs nothing. Moreover,
If any are needy. He Is quite able TO
supply their needs without In the
slightest degree impoverishing Himself.
Why, then, should He desire His chill
dren, who are far from rich In the
worlds estimation, to use their little
talents Of time and money and inhu'
ence. and why make this a test for
them, which will determine whether or
not they shall attain to the Kingdom at
all, and II they attain at all, whether
they shall be amongst the greatest or
amongst the least in the Kingdom2
What is the philosophy Of III"
The philosophy is this; Man as orig
lnally created, In the Divine likeness.
was tender-hearted, sympathetic. 1t
was after sin entered the world and
the strife for living began that self.
Ishness gradually became the FREEDOM
lnant influence, producing hard-heart-
edness-ca of the interests Of
others-self-love
Take Away the Stony Heart.
God proposes that during the thou
sand years Of Messlah's reign the hard
heartedness Of our race shall gradual
ly be dissolved. Satan will be bound
and his alurements will he ended.
The curse will be lifted, the earth will
yield its increase. the thorns and this
ties VIII give place, and so will the
pests. The stress being lifted from
mankind it will I've easier for him to
learn the lessons of love and brother
hood. and to rise up out Of his present
condition of meanness aud hard-heart-
edness. selfshness-back to the gO-
rious image Of God in which man was
created. This will mean the dlssolyIng
Of the stony y-heartedness of our race;
or. as the Scriptures put it, the Lord
will take away the stony heart out OF
their flesh. and give them heart OF
nesh-a heart of sympathy. All under
that favorable condition who will re-
fuse to return to harmony with God.
and to the likeness of God, will be de-
stroyed from amongst the people in
the Second Death.-Acts III, 1923.
But while such n restitution under
the favorable conditions Of the Mes
sianlc Kingdom is Gods provision for
the world. He has different provision
for the Church. now hping called. test
ed. proven BY nature our hearts are
hard and selfish; and. MS the Apostle
says, I'VE were children OF wrath,
even az others" The fact that God
has called ns to ointhelrshlp with
His Son In the glorious Kingdom that
is shortly to bless the world does not
signify that He will accept MS IN on
present condition Of hard hartedness
and seashness
On the contrary, II we are to he the
kings. priests and judges of the world
In association with our Lord and Head.
the great King, we cun readily see
that we ourselves must get rid Of this
condition before we could be properly
capable Of helping the world up out OF
its hard.heartedness
I'VE Walk by Faith"
In various respects the Lords deal
lngs with Ills called Church at the
present time are different from what
His dealings will be with the world
by aud by This Is because ours IL 80
high an honor; and. correspondingly,
It is appropriate that we should mani
fest the more love, the more zeal than
will be expected Of the world
To illustrate; We must walk by
faith and not by sight and volun-
tarily accept the Lords providences,
and voluntarily undertake to coop
ernte In putting away the stony heart
accepting Instead the Spirit of the
Lord. and the Spirit OF the Father
a spirit OF love. kindness, gentleness,
meekness, patience and long suffering
toward all. Moreover, during the thou
sand Years OF the worlds recovery
from sin and selashness and hard
heartedness, doubtless each individual
will have several centuries for hiS
gradual development, but the Father
seeks In the Church class such as will
manifest so much zeal for Him, and
such as will give such heed TO His IN
structions. and show such purnestneSS
TO copy His character, that they will
succeed In attaining a heurt condition
OF tenderness. sympathy aud love like
unto the Heavenly Fathers, Ia the
present years Of their Christian ex'
perieuVe
And II we shall ultimately demon
strate this fXity OF our hearts, the Lord
will own MS as His children In the FRS,
Resurrection and grant ms perfect bod
les on the spirit plane, when it will he
possible for us to be absolutely Hike