The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-17

chronology proves that we nave been
living under some of its blessings for
the past thrty-eight years; and that
our modern convenienccS and progress
are attributable TO the beginning of
the rolling away of the curse, and the
substitution of the Divine blessing.
The reign of Messiah for a thousand
years will not only bind Satan and
hinder his further deception of man
kind. but will also bring light. knowl-
edge. iilumina ton. to every corner OF
the earth The speaker pointed out
the beginning of these blessings as al
ready with us; but they are only the
faint ola VIKINGS OF the greater light
which will flood the world when the
great sun of Righteousness. Emman-
uers Kingdom. shall he manifested
above the horizon.
Yet we must not expect all sunshine.
A great cloud is Immediately before
us. with a terrific storm, which will
.cOnvulse the present order of things
social financial. political and religious.
The mOmentary chaos will yield to the
Prince of Peace. who will then take
to Himself His great power and reign.
He will say to the raging winds of
strife and the billowy waves Of trou-
bic. Peace, be stillr and there will
be great calm. even as was illus
trated on the Sea Of GaIilee.
The storm. the Pastor stated, is some
times spoken Of as a manifestation OF
Divine wrath and Indignation: but he
explained that the great Jehovah is the
synonym for Justice. and Messiah is
;he synonym for Mercy. Justice Oper-
ates alou" the lines of cause and effect.
Whosoeyer sins shall suffer. From this
viewpoint, he explained. the trouble
which will prccede the establishment
Of Messiah's Kingdom will be the nat
ural. logical result of the operation of
the laws OF Justice.
Humanity is not using the blessings
of this Millepuia Morning in that no
Bile and generous manner i'll which they
should be used Seltishness prevails
eYeryw here amongst rich and poor
The earlhs present abundant supply
for meu's needs should bring content
ment to high and low. rich and poor:
but it is bringing the reverse. because
the natural heart is full of seltishness,
depravity The noble image of the Gre
ator has been considerably lost, though
no one is totally deprayed
God will allow this ferment of self
ishness to lead Oh to its natural results,
in order to demonstrate to mankind the
fallacy Of that principle-in order to
prepare men TO appreciate the reign Of
righteousness, equity. mercy and love.
about TO be inaugurated The lesson,
he said. will be a terribly severe one
but not too severe, if it teaches man
kind The purposed lesson Of the sinful
ness Of sin. sellishness, meanness aud
harmony with God.
"The Desert Shall Blossom
Pastor Russell took as his text Isaiah
35:1. which declares. The desert shall
rejoice and blossom as the rose" This
prophecy is having literal fulhlment
now in our Western States. He told
of what he had seen in Oregon and
Washington-beauti groves bearing
delicious fruits growing where once
nothing but sage brush grew-on land
supposed at one time to be practically
valueless The application of water
has wrought marvellous transforma-
ton, or miracle 1t might be described
just as the Prophet portrays. Streams
break forth under the guidance of hui
man intellect. operating the marvellous
machinery and implements of our day
He witnessed further transformations
in Colorado and California.
Our Government is cooperating with
our intelligent fellow-citiZeDs of the
West in the fulfilment Of the Divine
prophecy. Although the work is only
in it's infancy. the results are already
marvellous. Some OF the fruits are so
beautiful so luscious. that we may well
| wonder if there was anything superior
! 10 the Eden of old. or if the Paradise
promised to be established in all the
| earth will be able to bring these fruits
TO fuller perfection.
| A similar work of recla NATION of the
desert is going on in old Arabia. Short
iy the land OF the Arabian Nights
| will realize in natural way far greater
wealt and far more wonderful ctanges
than those of the fairy tales which en-.
traDced our childish imagination.
The great Sahara Desert. too, has