The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-24
Pastor RuSSell'S Sermon

Liberty EnIiehtening the World.
Alas, n change came. as the pcrsecu-
tons gradually relaxed. and millions
espOused the name of Christ without
having received the true Gospel Mes
sage to make them free. So for cen
turtles there followed Il period of dark
ness. ignorance. superstition. Yet God
was not without His witnesses.
few retained the spirit of the Truth,
and were. esteemed fanatical, peculiar,
and had trying experiences amongst
their brethren. The cause Oh tnis gen
aral lapse into darkness was that the
Word of God was no longer the Torch.
Instead, the word of bishops became
the standard, and later the DEGREES of
councils
BY and by. in Gods Providence. the
Torch of liberty again was lighted.
Huss in Germany and Tyndale in
Great Britain. became leaders in
movement to bring forward the Word
of God The darkness hated the light
and almost extinguished it. Those
who lifted the Torch persisted as mar
tyrs. and Tyndale's Bibles were burn
ed ut St Paul's Place. London.
For time it seemed as if the Torch
had been quenched. but later it bazed
forth again. Luther and his associates
held it up. The bishops who bad burn
ed Tyndale's Bibles were themselves
forced ultimately to produce transla-
ton. Two Catholic versions of the BIZ
BILE and our common English version,
and Luther's version followed.
The Torch flared up. and the whole
world began to be Influenced by it,
The British. the Germans. Scandina-
VANS and Dutch. became potent intiu-
ences Of civilization and enlightenment
throughout the world. Today these na-
tons are still in the forefront. Ameri-
ca with them. while the nations which
neglected the Bible. have until now
made little progress Now all nations
are being Influenced by this wonderful,
Book, although they know it not. The
doctrines which the Bible inculcates
! have given to the civilized world its
high conception Of human liberties. hui
/, man rights. human equalitics.
Danger Now. as to the Jews,
What we point out respecting the
Jews and the influence of their Law
upon them, we must now point out
| with respect to Christendom and the
influence Of Gods Message today. To
the sanity Jews the liberty granted
helped them 10 appreciate the privilege
OF LAYING down their lives in God S
service But TO the remainder OF the
! ma ton the liberty led Oh TO greater dis
| content aud strife.
SO it is today. The sanity Of Chris
tendon, blessed by the great promises
| of God and inspired by the Truth re-
specting the redemption from sin and
| death, are most courageous. But these
| having become the servants OF God
! manifest their courage by their faith
fulness and loyalty TO the principles OF
righteousness. laying down their lives
in the interest Of Gods Truth.
| Here also we find. as with the Jews
shat others having the same knOwl
edge. but not being sanctiled by the
| Truth. are made the more discontinued
In other words. independence and lib
erty not under the restraints of sancti
| ficatiou TO God and His service. are
dangerous to the peace of the world
| Thus we see that the most dangerous
elements Of society are those people
| who have had more or less contact
! with the Gospel and its liberty -inspir
ing Message Not having received the
Truth into consecrated hearts. they are
disposed to use their liberty according
TO their own judgment merely. ign0r
ing the Divine arrangement outlined
in Gods Word.
Thus we see around us today STRIFE
Strife in business. and along sOcia
lines, aud in general massing Of in
terests amongst .the lower classes.
massing of wealth among the uppe
classes and q general preparation to de
stroy one another in sanguiDary
struggle for supremacy. The TrutI
has begotten spirit of liberty: but th
Divine Word having been neglected
liberty is in danger of becoming Ii
cense, leading to anarchy and th'
wreck of our present civilization.
Became Christ's Bond Slave.
st. Paul gives the true conception o.
liberty. It is freedom to do right. l.
all could so use liberty, what bless
ing it would be! St. Paul voiced thu
sentiments of Gods truly cODsecratet
people from bis day until now. He ex
planned that through accepting Chris
he became dead to other masters ant
free from the authority Of sin. Satal
and DEATH But this release wa
granted to him on condition that h'
would fully give up his own will aDt
accept, instead, the will of Christ, Fl
accepted the proposition aud declares
that thus he became Christ's bond
slave.-1 Corinthians 7:22.
We perceive his thought The will
is the lever which governs and con
trolls the mind. Having given up hi
will to Christ, ST. Paul was thus NOR
fully bound to Christ than any earthi.
slave has ever been bound.
All accepted by Christ give first thei
wills, and thus bind every act. WORE
and thought into subserviency to Tn
will of God in Christ This was 81
Paul's experience. and must be the ex
perience Of all those who. like st. Paul
hope to be of the Royal Priesthood
who will be jOint-hcirs with Jesus.
To some it might seem a terrible cap
tivity to be thus bound as respect
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