The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-07-11
Pastor RuSsells Sermon

IllItteS- were SCilt " " ihNuiiC -
.auld not stay longer. assuring me of
audiences of the higher caste natives.
They explained that us much as they
appreciated fhe intelligence of the
white man and his Christian religion.
they could not receive it because 1t pic
tured God so terrible and so unjust
as to he repugnant TO their minds.
Why said they. our gods. and our
religion. teach us to be kind. even TO
the dumb brutes. and to cause them no
unnecessary pain How. then. could
we worship the God of the mission
aries? They tell us that He has con-
signed our forefathers from the remot-
est generation to everlasting torture
because they did not believe in Jesus.
whose name is the only name by
which any can be saved. We cannot
believe In SO unjust a God, The slight
est degree of justice would have obi
gated Him to send our forefathers the
Message in no uncertain terms.
felt it obligatory to apologize, not.
only for myself. but for all Christen-
dom. We said. We Christians have
erred We neglected our Bible. and
thus brought on the Dark Ages. Since
then we have been trying to get near
err to the light as the days so by. and
some of us have made little more
progress than others. am preaching
the God of the Bible. 1.-THE God of all
grace. the Father of mercies." whose
name Is Love.
We said. Certain parallels and SYM
bolic phrases have been misunderstood.
misapplied mistranslated: and thus.
while we had the best of intentions,
the great Adversary. Satan. has kept
Christendom considerably in the dark.
and has led us to picture in our creeds
a God who is fierce, unjust. unloving.
unwiSe. and who is using His Power
contrary to, every principle of right
eousness Now the dawn of the New
Age is about upon us. The thousand
years of Christ's Reign Is shortly to
begin God is getting ready for 1t by
sending blessings Of every kind.
We said. further. We are In the Day
Of the Lords preparation. and His
faithful people are finding a better
light shining on the Bible. and are
gradually coming to better under
standing of It, Cling to the Bible! We
are endeavoring to arrange so that your
selves and all people who are hunger
ing for God of Righteousness. JUS
tice. Wisdom and Love may get a
view of what the Bible really teaches.
Missionaries Oppose the Truth.
lam sorry to say that although the
missionaries are free to confess that
the conversion of the world is an alb
surd proposition. they are not ready for
the Bible teaching on the subject. Al
though they know there are twice as
many heather today as there We're one
century ago. they are bound. fettered
by their creeds. True, they are seek
ing federation. cooperation; but the
cooperation includes only those who
are colaboring to get the heather to
cast away his craven and molten I'M
ages. and to take instead a written
creed image that is worse. OF course.
few of the missionaries believe in these
creed idols themselves: but they were
sent to foreign lands to put these fet-
tiers upon the poor heathens. and they
are not at liberty to do otherwise.
One would think that even then they
would rejoice to have somebody else
proclaim the Message of a God of Love.
and one chance of salvation to every
member of Adams race. But they do
not: they oppose our teachings at every
step. We cannot read their hearts: we
must therefore imagine some of them
are still fettered by the ignorance and
superstition of the Dark Ages and are
thoroughly conscientious in their en-
deavor to put these letters on others.
Others, we must assume. feel their
responsibility in respect to the reports
they will make to the home Boards of
| Foreign Missions. Their reports in the
past have been colored to the very lin
it to show progress and to encourage
! contributions to the missionary funds.
The very thought brings terror. that
any of their followers would get more
| light. more knowledge of God. and
/ thus cease to be counted in as worship
ers at the shrine of the creed idol.
Apparently for the past few years
| missionary activity has been chiefly
with the native children. Apparently
very little religious information is be
ing impaired. If only the missionaries
had read the Bible to the people. many
more in heather lands would know
about Messiah's Kingdom and appreci
ate the import Of the prayer. Thy
Kingdom come: Thy will be done on
earth. as 1t is done in Heaven"
Good Tidinss to Every Nation.
| My visit to foreign lands was not a
| pleasure jaunt but strictly in the In
terest of the true Gospel, of which the
angels sang-"Good tidings of great
| Joy. which shall be unto all people,
had heard reports which led me tc
believe that there were sincere people
! in heathendom who were feeling after
the true God. if haply they might find
Him believe that God wishes us to
carry the Message to these. have fal
| greater interest in such. whether al
home or abroad. than in the vast ma
jority of people. who are utterly care
less. utterly Indifferent. utterly faith
less. and who do not wish to end Goo
or to know Him.
Christ's Millennial Kingdom vii
& deal with all such. and open their eyes
of understanding. and through chas
tisements develop the peace of God II
all who will. The present 80 is mere
| w FOR tbo oioctino IF these, who bYroo,