River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-25


He spoke without
notes as usual,
I(PASIOR RUSSELL)I saying in part:
Since shortly aft
er the Second Century the Christian
Church has been gradually led into a
total misconception of the Divine char.
acter as manifested in the Divine atti"
tude toward humanity. Little by little
heathenish doctrines respecting an
eternity Of torture for all except the
sanity. favored few, were preached.
Gradually men with fervent spirit en-
larged upon the errors until today the
most horrible descriptions of the AL
mighty God are printed in Christian
publications, creeds, commentaries, etc.
No heather people have ever pictured
their god in SO devilish light. Ugly
fierce. devilish. though their idols be-
they cannot compare with the Satanic
descriptions which Christians in the
creeds of the Dark Ages have given of
the God of all Grace and Father of
Mercies.-1 Corinthians 70.
The nobIest and best people in Chris
tendon have abandoned the horrible
teachings OF their fathers. and are
more and more worshiping the God of
Love. the Fountain of blessings. But
the world still judges our God by our
printed misrepresentation of Him. In
heather lands, the missionaries are
more blinded, perhaps, than ministers
in the home land The rein of ortho-
doxy is more tightly drawn on them.
No wonder they can make little i'm
preston on the heather, who openly
declare that they could not worship so
unjust and vicious a God as the mis-
sionaries present-a God who has al
ready sentenced their fOrefatherS to
everlasting torture, because of their ig-
norance of Jesus, in whose name alone
is salvation!
It appears to me- therefore, that to
whatever extent any intelligent Chris
tan today 81 open or secret sup
port to these s.anderous, blasphemous
statements. of the creeds he is RESPONSE
BILE. Nor does it seem to be sufficient
that either a Christian or cOngrega-
ton here and there should privately
diSOwn these doctrines. Denominations
al names stand as representative of
the doctrines which led to the forma-
ton of these denominations Would
not the only honorable way of rectify-
ing matters now be either as denom-
nations. publicly, openly and in round
terms, to repudiate the ISLANDERS OF the
Deity; or, since this would be tedious
work, should not each individual set
himself straight by as public with
drawal from such creeds as was his
endorsement in joining? The latter
surely is the surest and quickest meth
cd Of rectifying the difficulty. More
over, it is the right method; for the
Bible never authorized any one to or
ganize various sects and parties.
The Bible recognizes only the one
Church of Christ-"The Church of the
First-borns, written in Heaven" Ev-
cry one who has accepted Christ as
his Savior and consecrated his life to
be a footstep follower of Jesus-all
such. begotten of the Holy Spirit. are
members of the one true Church.
Their names are written in the Lambs
Book of Life. and they have the prom
Sc that they will be granted abundant
entrance into His Kingdom in the
i First Resurrection-if they abide faith
full. BE thou faithful unto death, and
l will give thee a crown of life
Seducina Spirits-Doctrnes of Devils.
Let me not be misunderstood. / am
not charging that these blasphemous
doctrines were Intentionally brought
in to misrepresent God or to deceive
the Church or the world. | prefer to
take the Apostle Pauls explanation.
He wrote prophetically. II fear, lest
by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtlety. so your
minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ e Corin-
thians 11:3l This is exactly what has
happened. The Church of Christ has
been beguiled by earthly favors. not
3nly into a wrong attitude toward the
kingdoms of this world but. as st.
Paul declares. from the simplicity Of
the Truth into a mass Of confusing
and blasphemous error.
First came the beguiling of the bish-
ops into thinking that they were sue
| eeSSorS TO The Twelve Apostles and
equally inspired authorities and mouth
pieces of Christ. Thus the doctrine of
Apostolic Succession was gradually es-
tablished. Jesus prophesied of these,
describing them as false apostles.
which say they are apostles and are
not but do lie. Revelation 2:2.) AS
the bishops received credit as being
living Apostles. the inspired words of
Jesus and The Twelve Apostles whom
He appointed took second place, and
with the masses Bible study ceased as
wholly unnecessary.
Upon this foundation. the great AID
versary built, item by item. the ter
rible- doctrines Of pgrgatory and q