River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-06-04

markable things in connection with
thirty cities and witnessed by about
10000 people daily, is that the best the
aters are used-and all seats are free
and no collections lifted.
Asked for an explanation. Pastor
Russell declared that the Photo Drama
Of Creation merely presents the Cos
pei of the Bible, which ought always
to be free. He said he has no objec-
ton to other people taking up collec-
tons, but has found no authority in
the Bible for doing SO himself.
The Photo-Drama of Creation, he
said, is financed by Christians who by
it desire to re-establish faith in God
and in the Bible as a Divine revelation.
Pastor RusselTs address was In the
forenoon. The Drama was presented
afternoon and evening and is to con
tinue for some time. The text Of the
Pastors discourse was:
Christ our Passover is slain for us;
therefore let us keep the feast" Il
Corinthians 5:7, 81 He said:
For thirty-fve centuries Gods hottest
people, Jewish and Christian, have
with more or less directness, and more
or less understanding, celebrated the
Passover. But while many have rec
OgniZed the form, few have looked
deeper-into its real import. Those
who see the real meaning Of the Pass
over have great cause for gratitude to-
ward God and for confidence In the
Bible, "the Word of God, which iveth
and abideth forever" To understand
the Passover means to understand the
Plan of God in respect to humanity.
st. Paul reminds us that Gods first
limitations respecting His glorious
purposes of mercy toward our race
were given to Abraham. After God
had tested his faith and obedience, He
called Abraham His friend. and reveal
ed to him in part things to ome The
essence of the Divine Message OF Peace
was, II will bless all the families Of
the earth through thy Seed"-thy pos
terity. Galatians 3:8.) This, Coos
sure Word of Promise, was afterward
confirmed with an Oath, because the
time would be long, and therefore it
would be necessary that the heirs Of
salvation should exercise faith In 1t.
The First Passover In Egypt.
Pastor Russell reviewed to his hear
ers the institution Of the Passover.
He reminded them that the children of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were in
bondage to Egypt, and God command
ed Pharaoh to let them go, sending
chastisement after chastisement upon
the Egyptians, to compel his obedi-
ence. Gods mercy in lifting one
plague after another merely hardened
Pharaoh's heart, until the final, the
tenth plague. By this plague all the
irst-born of Egypt died In one night;
while the frst-born of the Israelites
living in Egypt escaped because passed
over. The Passover, therefore, me
morializes the favored Of God.
The irst-born of Israel were subse-
quently exchanged for the tribe of
Levi, which thereafter was counted
especially the Lord's-some of the Lee
vites serving as priests, sacrificing at
His altar, and some of them doing an
inferior Service-aSSisting the priests In
the work of instructing and blessing
all the other tribes. Moses and Aaron
were members of this priestly tribe, all
of whom became leaders Of Gods
chosen people in their subsequent ex-
periences, particularly in their cross
ing of the Red Sea and, later, in cross
ing the Jordan-both typical events.
The Pastor explained that before the
first-borns of Israel could be passed
over. a certain sacrifice was necessary.
according to the Divine arrangement.
A lamb without blemish was sacri-
ficially killed, and its blood used to
sprinkle the d~oor-posts and lintels of
all the dwellings of the Israelites.
Each family or group repeated the
same picture, sprinkling the blood of
the lamb upon the door-posts and lin
tells. roasting the flesh, and later eat
ing it with herbs and unleayened
~bread-ready for departure from Egypt
for the land of Canaan. AS the morn
ing broke, the journey out of Egypt
began. Later. all the host crossed the
Red Sea, the waters of which return