Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-03-22
Pastor Russell's Sermon

the education of the heart and the re-
ligious proclivities of the human mind
has been seriously neglected. Would
that l could impulse here in this col
lege city a revival of Bible study, of
reverence for God and holy things, but
not reverence for superstition! said
the Pastor
"AIl Taught Of God"
Speaking of the blessings Of the Mes
sianic period-the thousand years Of
Christ's reign-the Scriptures declare
that the people shall all be taught Of
God. Messiah and the Church in glory
will be the teachers of the world of
mankind. In the Scriptures this dou-
BILE function Of the Church is set forth
in the promise that the Church shall be
kings and priests of God and Christ
and shall reign with Him thousand
ars.-Revelation 20:G.
A Kingdom they shall have, with
full authority to rule the world, for
the good and uplifting Of the subjects
mankind. As priests they will not
merely be dignltaries and commanders,
but sympathetic instructors Of the peO-
pie. The double office finds its full
filment in Jesus, the Head Of the
Church, and prOpOrtionately in all the
members of His Body. The whole is
described as the Melchizedek Priest
hood. Melchizedek was priest upon
his throne-a reigning priest, type Of
Messiah, the antitypical Priesthood.
The success Of that institution is
abundantly affirmed by the Bible. The
knowledge of God shall fill the whole
earth, until none will need to say to
his neighbOr, Know thou the Lord; for
all shall know Me from the least Of
them to the greatest, saith the Lord.
isaiah 11;9; jeremiah 81 :34) With
that knowledge will come the RESPONSE
bility-their trial for life everlasting or
death everlasting; for eternal Para
disc or eternal destruction. Meantime
they will no longer walk by faith, but
by sight; for the things promised will
then have come. Then mankind shall
see out Of the obscurity, and realize the
truthfulness Of Gods promises, when
in process Of accomplishment
Some Taught of God Now.
The Bible tells us that some are
taught Of God in advance of the world
"A special class, under private tuition.
as 1t were These are called Little
Flock. We are distinctly told that
they are constituted chiefly Of the
pOor-not many great, not many wise,
not many rich, not many learned are
pupils in this class. receiving this spe-
cial instruction. In order to enter this
class for special, advanced instruction
In the Wisdom from Above, two par
ticular matters are requisite a. The
pupils must be introduced, recommend
ed, and all their course guaranteed by
One who stands as their Advocate
Jesus. (2) They must make a complete
surrender Of themselves to God, prom
Using that as they learn the Wisdom
from Above they will use 1t in har-
mony with the Divine will.
This class, beginning with the Apos-
ties, has been in process of develop
ment for nearly nineteen centuries and
is almost completed we believe. Who
ever would still join this class should
make haste to be enroled-to have his
name written in the Lambs Book Of
Revelation 3:5; 21:27.
This might be termed a special nor.
NAL School; for the graduates of this
School are to be the instructors OF the
world Of mankind in the next Age-the
Royal Priesthood. But in addition to
the privilege they will have in giving
the world THE Wisdom from Above,
the noblest science and best instruc-
ton" they will receive qualification
for that work by change of nature.
i"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the
Kingdom Of Cod" hence these must
all be changed by the power Of the
First Resurrection. Their change is
represented by the Apostle when he
says, speaking Of the First Resurrec-
tion class, "It is sown in dlshonor; 1t
Is raised in glory; 1t is sown in weak
ness 1t is raised in power; 1t Is sown
a natural body; 1t is raised a spiritual
body Corinthians 15:43 A.
Our High Calling.
The great honor to be conferred upon
the Church - namely, joint-heirshlp
with the Redeemer in His Kingdom
and glory-is the Bibles explanation
Of the Church's special trials To test
our loyalty, our love, our zeal for God
and for righteousness, the way to glory
now is permitted to be n narrow one.
The lessons which the Church must
learn are to be learned under clrcum-
stances Of greater difficulty than the
world will experience in its trial. The
world will be required to prove obedi-
ence merely by abstainlng from every.
thing that Is wrong, sinful, contrary to
Gods will. The Church is required TO
do all that and more-to sacrifice earth
ly interests-everything-in the service
Of God and His cause.
This is the same lesson Jesus, the
Master Himself, learned, AS we read
"Yet learned He obedience by the
things which He suffered; and being
made perfect He became the Author OF
eternal salvation to all those who obey
Him"-to all followers In His foot
steps. whom lie graclously assists by