Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-04
Pastor RusselPs Sermon

. Corinthians 4:4.
Now, properly enough, comes the
query, If Satan is ruling amongst man
kind as a god or prince, Of this world,
where did he get his authority and
power2 Did God turn over the control
of mankind to demons2
The Bible answers all our queries.
God did not give the dominion Of earth
to Satan, but to man. In proportion as
man lost his perfection and became
weak In mind and body, he became the
slave of sin and Satan. Satan and the
fallen angels have exercised-especially
for the last forty centuries-all their
power and ingenuity for the ensnare-
ment and degradation Of man. Their
influence would have been all-powerful
for mans overthrow, had not the Al
mighty provided humanity with will
power and to a large extent forced the
evil spirits to respect It,
AS a result we see that human de-
pravity has made much less rapid
progress than 1t might have done.
I Man still possesses to some extent
traces Of the image Of God in which
he was created. Many still pos
sess a natural appreciation Of truth
and righteousness, and considerable
will power, which under Gods ar
rangement the fallen angels are not
able to overcome, II mankind realized
the true situation, undoubtedly the
human will would be more persistent
ly than ever exercised In opposition to
the wlles Of the Devil. AS 1t is, these
evil spirits hide their identity, and
through spirit mediums personate the
dead, who, according to the Bible,
know not anything" being asleep In
death until the resurrection morning.
~ Mako kll ThingB Now"
The Redeemer Of men, by the Fa-
TIERS appointment, is to be the great
King Of Glory, who will reign for a
thousand years, and "make all things
new" Repeatedly He tells us that the
first work of the New Dispensation
will be the binding of Satan. Not only
is this referred to In Revelation 20:2.
but also in our Lords parallels.
Jesus declared that when the time
should come His Second Advent would
take place. He likened 1t to the com.
ing Of thief in the night, when men
In general would be Off guard, not ex-
pectant OF a change in the rulership Of
earth. He intimates that His loyal
saints will first be taken, while man
kind will be in ignorance Of the fact
that the time has come for the Reign
of Righteousness. Next the Son of
Man will bind the strong man, and
then He will spoil his house"-over-
throw present arrangements.
This picture implies struggle, for
the strong man-SatHn-has a great
host serving him, ignorant of the fact
that he Is n usurper, and that many of
his laws are unjust,
Many of them have never under
stood that He who redeemed the world
by the sacrifice Of Himself, holds a
Divine appointment to be King Of
Earth, to overthrow the rebellion and
to bring back into harmony with God
all the willing and obedIent. Many do
not know that this Messlanic Kingdom
will be Gods fulhment of the Redeem
er's prayer, "Thy Kingdom come! Thy
will be done on earth, even as 1t Is
done In Heaven" Many therefore do
not know that all things are to be
made new, and that the time appoint.
ed by the Father for this great work is
period Of thousand years, now
chronOlogically due to begin.
Not knowing these things, many will
be found fighting against God, think
ing that in supporting the institutions
Of the Prince Of this world they are
doing God service. The Rcdeemer in
timated most distinctly that some of
these ignorant ones will be prominent
In the ministry in His own Church.
They will be surprised that when the
honOrs Of the Kingdom are distributed
they will receive none, but will suffer
humiliation and tribulation as unfaith-
ful servants The Masters words re-
specting these are, "Many will say to
Me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied preached In Thy
name? and in Thy name have cast out
dcyIsY and in THY name done many
wonderful works."
But the new King will say to these,
depart from Mc'-come not near TO
share in My Kingdom. Instead Of
working righteousness, you have been
workers of lniQuity lnstcud Of serv.
ing Me as ambassadors for My King
dom and properly representing Me be-.
fore men, you have done the reverse
You have upheld unrlghtcousncss, pro.
mulgated doctrines of demons, and
have been My Ndvcrsarlcs, not My
servants Depart with weeping, wall
ing, gnashng of teeth, expressive Of
your disappointment, to he sharers
with the world in It's great time Of
trouble, from which My faithful Bride
class will be delivered.
Whatever reformation your share in
that trlbulation shall effect will deter.
mine what may do for you or with
you In the future, in harmony with the
Divine arrangements, But cannot
recognize you rs In any sense worthy Of
the glory, honor and immortality which
shall be accorded to the Bride clnss.-
Pnrnphrase on Matthew 7;22, %; 1870.
10; 23l3; 25;30; Luke l3;25.2S; 12:45.4s
Destruction OF Old Things.