Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-08-04
BEFORE GODS JUDO.
MENT BAR.
weighed in the Balance and Found
Wanting"

Wanting"
Judgment Day of Nations Begun.
Professedly Christian Kingdoms Mani
Testing Their True Character. Respon-
sibility Proportionate to Light and OPP.
portunities Ignored.
Newport, R L., July 16.-Pastor
Russell delivered forceful address be-
fore the l. B. S. A. Convention here
today. His text was, 1.-THE Lord your
God proveth you, to know whether We
love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your SOUL"
(Deut. 1881 A report follows:
Whoever looks out over the world to-
day can perceive that God is judging
the nations, especially those that have
been greatly blessed with His favor.
He is permitting the nations of Christ
endom to pass judgment upon them
selves, to manifest their real heart con-
dition, to show whether they have profit
ed by their opportunities and blessings.
The Almighty is bringing to light the
real condition of humanity; and the
nations are manifesting the fact that
SELFISHNESS is the root from which
spring the evil fruits of jealousy, envy,
hatred, strife. The whole world is
being crazed as the angry passions of
the race are being aroused. Just as
the Master said to the Jews, Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate,"
so now desolation is coming upon
Christendom. But mans extremity
will prove to be Gods opportunity.
Messiah's Kingdom is just beyond the
trouble, and will bring everlasting
peace and prosperity.
The world has come to esteem itself
to be Christian, the speaker said. The
European nations are generally styled
Christian nations" Nevertheless the
Bible declares that the world is not
Christian, has not the spirit of Christ
in its activities. Therefore the world
is self deceived. To the extent that
nations have had light, to that extent
they are responsible. The Bible does
not credit the world with full RESPONSE
bility, however. Only those have full
who have taken the step
of entire conservation to God through
Christ. Having been begotten of the
Holy Spirit these have an amount of
light that brings a life or death re-
sponsibility.
WORLDS JUDGMENT BEGUN.
The worlds responsibility is proper
tionate to its light. Surely God would
expect more of the people of Europe
than of Asia and Africa, who have lit
tie knowledge of Him! So just at this
time, when Bible chronology shows
that Gods lease of power to the Cen
tile governments has expired, we see
exactly what we should expect that
God is permitting the nations to pass
judgment upon themselves, to demon.
strate whether or not they have made
proper use of their opportunities for
development in righteousness.
These nations have had much to say
about the Lord; they have held aloft
the Cross of Christ; they have many
places for prayer and worship, hosts of
priests and preachers of all denomina-
tons. With all these advantages for
we might have expected that
Europe would be in much better con-
dition than it is-that the people would
have learned what is the spirit of
Christ and what is not. St. Paul de-
clares that the Lords spirit is mani
tested in meekness, gentleness, pa.
thence, goodness, self control, love.
With the exception of Turkey, the
people of Europe claim to be Christian.
The Lord is now proving them. Not
having been taught Gods way, the
masses are demonstrating that they are
not His children. Not having passed
from condemnation to justification by
faith in Christ s redemptive sacrifice and
~ full conservation t. God, they are
still in their sins. Seemingly they have
no proper conception Of their privilege
If presenting themselves living sacri-
ices to God. (Romans 12:l, 2.) Judg-
ed by what people themselves declare,
very few have taken these steps. While
in all these nations, God has truly
people, yet the great mass
are only outwardly protesting Christ
ans. Now He is bringing to them the
of their true condition.
The Pastor fears that our own coun-
try will not escape in the impending
Judgment. There is much of Christian
profession here-a form Of goodness
IL IS i