The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-10
Pastor RuSsell'S Sermon

| sword aud dame. By thumb-screw an
rack and stake. the general miscoI
ception turned to an expectation ,
couqueriug the world by the Gosps
Message This second mistake is II,
So serious ia some respects as The frs
1t does not involve horrib!e atrocitie
! in the uauIe OF Gud and the Savior
Z; respects the Truth. IT sets aside tn
! Word Of God and substitutes The nv
mau theory that the preaching Of tn
/ Gospel is 10 convert the world Tn
Divine Word is that thc preaching u
! the Gospel is for tho purpose at Se!ect
| ing church TO he Mcssiah's joint
heirs III Ills Kingdom .
lf the Church could convert the
| world with the Gospel. il would be
very fine But it is surely absurd 10 81
expect in the face of our experiences Of
the past century and OF ths plain state
mCn;$ of Gods Word to Inc contrary
All >cp that the world is not being con
vcrtcd: ~ / HAT if Christianity cannon
convert the people at home. it would
be vain for her 10 expect to convert
The hcatheu abroad. II great religious
centerS such as London. Rome and
Washington are no nearer to having
Gods will done in them as ii is done
in Heaven. what hope would there he
OF better results in heathendom?
am not saying one word against
al fNytt In,
portion as we are able to send the light
OF Truth into more beniehted lands. let
us do so. But, if possible. let us send
the True Light from Gods Word. And
let us trim our lamps that we our
selves may have that True Light in
our favored land. What we urge is
that Christian people should come back
10 the teaching of the T:ihlc In order
to do this. each Discrimination should
throw away it, rrs'eIul SpectacleS.
OF all OF us. All true children Of God
should study afresh the Divine Chart.
which shows us where we are and the
Port for which We should strive.
r1eFS OF tHe Nin9com'
Thus doing. all is plain. The sbad-
ows and mists Of darkness fee away.
We begin to realize and TO see that
the Elect Church are all that are be.
ing saved as yet: and that they are
being chosen out of the world for
very special high office in joint.heir.
ship with their Redeemer.
The uon.elect are not consigned to
endless misery nor to purgatorial tor
ture. bnt simply sleep, awaiting the
glorious awakening in the morning Of
the New Dispensation-awa the
estS bliNhmcnt of Messi3b's Kingdom
with power for their release from the
chains Of sin and the prison-house Of
the tomb. If this Message goes to the
heather Of the Orient. it will doubtless
the peoples of the Occident--all will
receive enlightenment: a few will be
drawn to sainfship and prepared IN
der the Lords providence for glory.
honor and immortality with ;lesus Mt
His Second Coming. by the. glorious
tuhiSS W Iit list
Let Us Connect Up Our Text.
In the Eighth Psalm we find the
Prophet expressing amazemept OF the
greatness Of the Creator as manifest
cd in nature, especially in the starry
He then expresses amaze
mcnt that So great Being should
take heed 10 humanity in it's present
fallen. sinful condition.
Propheticsllr be implies n knowledge
" the fact that God from the begin
ming purposed a redemption for every
Vt the race
The Prophet then answers his own
question as TO what man is. explain
ing that as no left the hand OF his
Creator tie was crowned with glory and
honor. as an earthly image of his Max
sr. only little lower in graGaticu or
scale than the angels He was rnade
10 have dominion over the earthly
works OF God. The intima ton is that
Gods visiting Of humanity in due time
will mean the reclamation Of the earth.
y dominion and its human king from
sin and death. Nothing in the proph-
,cy goes into detail. because it was not
hen due time for details to be revealed.
Centuries Later st. Paul Commented.
st. Paul declares. Now is our sal
ration nearer than when we 6rst be- '
ieved." The greater Dearness should
make many features Of that salvation
much more conspicuous Taking up
Oarid's prophecy. be shows that it i'm.
plies human Restitution. the bringing
II mankind back to the image and like
less Of God aud to the full dominion
II earth-tbe redemption fully offset
ing the curse. But" the Apostle pro-
'eeds. I'VE see not yet aIi things put
IDder BIN" Hebrews 2:Sp Do we
zee anything: Has any star of hope
risen guaranteeing the coming bless
ngs: Yes: The Apostle declares. I'VE
zee Jesus, made little lower than
he angels, crowned with glory aud
ionor'-just as the first man was-and
his III order that He might suffer
leath III order that He might be the
iedeemer or Ransomer of the first
nan and his family. humanity
Thus we see that the foundation has
,een laid for Gods return OF favor to
Sin-0ffering and Atone
nent, covering Adam and all of his
ace What grand superstructure of
blessings will ultimately be erected
lpon this broad and gracious fouuda.
ion. But we ask. Why the long delay
II more than eighteen centuries land