Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1913-06-26

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llRASI0R- RUSSELLll God? His text
was, I'VE have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the RighteouS."-1 John 2:1.
Impressively the Pastor reminded us
that humanity is so constructed as to
have longing for God and for
superhuman care and guidance. es-
pecially in life's difficulties. He de-
clared that, phrenologically, venerl-
ton and spirituality are located in the
crown of the head, as though they
properly should dominate the entire
being. Notwithstanding the impair
ment of our race through the fall OF
man, humanity still wOrships, however
much misled into worshiping unworth-
ily-an image, an idol, creed, another
human being.
The Pastor showed conclusively from
the Bible that Satan. mans great enc
my, has in various ways attempted to
separate us from God and the Bible,
and proportionately to darken our I'M
Outstanding with human traditions,
creeds, superstitions. In the light of
our wonderful day, however. Gods
time has come for binding Satan and
liberating his prisoners.
Here We Meet a Danger.
The moment we begin to exercise
our reason, the Adversary seems to
redouble his energies to hold us
back from the truth. AS st. Paul
points out, Satan is an adept at put
ting eight for darkness and darkness
for light" When his dupes begin to
think and inquire, his method seems
to be to pose as a reformer, to mis-
lead them into theories, speculation, or
into occult systems. Thus many today,
the Pastor declared, have stepped out
of ignorance and superstition merely to
be entrapped by other superstitions, or
by Agnostcism, Evolution, Higher
Criticism. He urged his hearers to
hold fast the Word of God.
The-Pastor declared the trend of
modern thought to be away from the
Bible, from thought of personal sin,
personal condemnation, a personal Re
deemer and personal salvation. The
tendency is to think of and discuss civ
ic righteousness, outward moralities,
political progress-a social salvation.
to be accomplished by moral and intel
lectual forces The Pastor would not
be understood as opposing any human
itarian work. He declared that even
unwise efforts prove beneficial to their
movers, even though failures in them
selves, on the principle that no man
can attempt a good work for another
without being himself blessed.
A Personal God and Savior.
The Pastor then showed that modern
education has not only undermined the
Word of God, but has in many instances
destroyed faith in a personal Creator,
and abolished the thought of the souls
need of personal Savior, in the Bib
lical sense. Hence many pose as Chris
tians and declare their faith in god
of Nature'.-whateve that may be,
Similarly. their highest conception is
that Jesus was great Teacher, with
an uplifting, civilizing message.
All this is unsatisfactory to a hungry
soul-mere chaff. We need to get back
to the Bible We need the Bible pres
| entation that God can have no sympa.
thy with sin, and no dealings with sin
ners, In the way Of recognizing them
! giving them everlasting life, etc.
We need also to see something of
the Love of God, manifested through
Jesus. From Him we hear the Mes,
sage of the Kingdom-that God intends
that ultimately Messiah shall become
the great King of earth, authorized ia
lift mankind up out of sin and degra
dalton, and to restore all the willing
and obedlent to human perfection I'm q
worldwide Eden.
| Then comes the Gospel invitation to
all believers. to become joint-heirs In
that Kingdom which Is to bless all the
! families Of the earth. This. the Pas
! tor said, Is what St. Paul calls "auI
high calling OF God In Christ" Jesus
assures us that this class will sit with
/ Him in His Throne and share HIS
! glory, in the First Resurrection.
am convinced, said the Pastor, TINT
many hearts are longing for God II
Is one thing to know about God and