The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-06-21

tSsS@sSdzs,hS M&Zly AFTERNOON II u u
llasl0R RUSSELD evening here, Civ
ing Friday and
Saturday to San Diego and Los An
geles. Pastor Russell addressed thor
oughiy representative audience. His
afternoon topic was. beyond the
Grave His evening topic we report
His text was. God so loved the world
that He gave His Only Begotten Son.
that whatsoever bclicvcth in Him
should not perish. but have everlasting
life.'-.Iohn 3:lG.
Forccfully the Pastor pointed out
that once Christian people. even Bible
students. misunderstood this text and
read into it Il conflicting thought, dis
honorlng to God-rcnd 1t rs though 1t
said that God so loved the world MS to
keep them from perishing. in order
that the few. the sanity Elect. might
nttain TO glory ana look over the bat
Elements of Heaven and see all the re-
maindcr-.IewS. heather and the mass
es Of Christendom-writ hing In tor
ment to all cternity-unahlc to perish
forced to live. in order that they might.
by their sufrcrings. entertain the more
fortunate, who were guaranteed bliss
to the full.
What right did we ever have. said
the Pastor, to thus put into the mouth
of our Savior. rs our crecdS have done.
words which He never uttcrcd-wordS
which are very untruc-indced, Il bias.
phemy against our Maker.
Light Shines Through tho Fog.
We are not faultfnE orr forefnti Tiers
Had we been in their place. doubtless
we would have been rs confused MS
were they, and We might hnvc INDUCED
In hereto burning, etc. And had they
lived In our wonderful day Of great
light, knowledge. privilege. orportnHi.
ty. education. Bibles. etc. doubtless
they would have had MS noble IDEAS Ms
ourselves respecting the ttrdprictics Of
Christian conduct and Divine conduct
and Love and Justice. The Bible tells
us that Satan and his fallen angels are
responsible for those terrible doc
trincs Of demons" which have given
thinking people such horrible night
mares. and driven so many of them
AWAY from God and the Bible into M.
belief, asfioStiefsm. and even atheism
Let us rejoice In the light of the bet
ter Day which has dawned. Let us he
come Bible students III the highest
sense of the term. Never before has
there been such an opportunity for
knowing the real teaching OF Gods
Book-what 1t does contain aud what
1t does not contain. We have the Ri.
bic. cohcdrlaHccs and helps. and we
have the general education which per.
mits lis to study them. Our forcfa.
theirs laborcd against lack of education.
time. lack Of Bibles, and lack of good
artificial light.
What the Word Perish Means.
When We come to think OF 1t. the
word perish contains not the remOteSt
suggestion OF fire or torture. In our
ignorance we read all that into the
text and into other texts Of similar
import; for instance, the statement
that God Is not willing that any should
perish. but would that all should come
unto Him and live: and the statement
Of St. Peter that the wilfully ignorant
shall perish like brute beasts. made to
be taken and destroyed: and the state
ment through the Psalmist, ".All the
wicked will God destroy" How lurid
these simple words became before our
intlamed and perverted imaginatIOnS.
How some OF us rang the changes on
these Bible terms In vain attempt to
drive men toward God through fear.
when God declares that lie does not
want such to come and has no pleasure
whatever In their worship or service.
! Md not Jesus tell us that the Father
seeketh such TO worship Him rs wor-
ship Him In spirit and In truth? Gohn
! i:22l And our pcrverSIons Of the
Divine Word and T'Tan only hctpcd
men away from God to such miSlin.
Outstanding Of Him that they could
not wcr-tlip Him In spirit and IN truths
and. ut most. could worship only in
form and ceremony
Tire Pastor told Of mn experience he
had IN India. Some Of the higher
caste lIindoos. wholly unappronclinb
by the missionaries. heard that he was
preaching more reasonable message.
They came. cntreating him for further
meetings. declaring their respect for
the intelligence Of Christians. but that
they could not believe the doctrines
usually preached They could not he.
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