Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1913-08-28

(lRASI0R RQSSElLl have everlasting
life."-John 3:1G
The Pastor declared that the doc
trine of total depravity is totally
wrong. The likeness of God, which
was perfect in Adam, still persists in
Adams children, sadly fallen though
they be. Apparently none is so fallen
as not to have some conception of his
own debaSement, and to feel worthy
of punishment. In every human breast
there is also q sentiment of pity, and
an appreciation Of pity from others,
and feeling of the need Of Divine pity.
Many Christians are benevolent,
sympathetic, ready to help the unfOr-
tunate, to sing them songs of Gods
love, and to place before them texts
telling of Gods sympathy and pity
But these helps are discounted by the
great central thought-supported by
all creeds-that God is angry with hui
mainly, and busily engaged in sending
nearly every member of our race to
an eternity of torture-ninety thousand
per day being the present schedule.
creeds Drive Away From God.
Then the Pastor showed that while
the Christian forgets the atrocious
misrepresentation given by the creeds,
and remembers chiefly the loving
words given by the Bible, the sinners
eternal torment is his DOOM Anxious
to forget God and the future he es-
capes best from all religious thought
in the bar-room, at the gaming table.
and in general surrender to sin. He is
miserable in the presence of the pure.
and fears the Bible
After quoting st. Paul's words, 1.-THE
god of this world hath blinded the
j inds of those who believe not" the
Pastor declared that Satan had intro
duced atrocious misrepresentation of
Gods character into the creeds of
Christian people during the Dark Ages,
and that the blindness resulting from
these doctrines of demons" is found
everywhere, even among believers
Few see anything respecting God and
the everlasting future clearly; few can
give a reason for their hope.
Let us not forget, said Pastor Rus
sell, that Satan has used Christian
| tongues and pens to blind the world
We owe it to ourselves, our families
and the world in general to destroy
these blasphemous misrepresentation
of the Divine character and plan.
Since our eyes are opening to see the
situation, how can we be otherwise
than indignant, and jealous for the
honor of our God and for the influence
of His Truth amongst our fellowmen!
The PASTORS Personal Experience.
The Pastor then related his personal
! experience in learning to know God.
The child of believing parents, he was
indoctrinated along Calvinistic lines to
/ believe that only the Elect would
| reach glory, and that the nOn-elect
would be eternally tormented. He was
! accustomed to think of himself as one
( of the Elect and to appreciate the love
of God In providing for their salvation.
/ AS a boy of seventeen, member Of
! the Y. NJ. c. A., he engaged in what
was called Gospel preaching. Like
/ the others, he pictured He'll and shook
his hearers over it, Finally reason as
/ serted itself. He stopped preaching
and examined the creeds, He found
the differences between them trivial;
and that all taught the salvation of
the few, and eternal torture for the
remainder Feeling sure that real
God could not have made such plan,
he threw away the creeds, and with
them the Bible, believing IL to be the
basis of them all.
But having once known God as his
Heavenly Father, his soul hungered
for Divine love and care. After long
study he became convinced that the
I Creator, whose Wisdom and Power are
, everywhere manifest must also be a
God of Justice and Love. With the
eyes of his understanding he saw the
great God of the Universe, Then he
began search for Gods Message to
humanity. Having, as he supposed,
sufficiently examined the Bible. he
turned to heather RELIGIONS only to