Graham guardian., 1916-06-30

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give Il synopsis;
s The Pastor holds
sS8 ss-, $z2<$$Iy that the CrCCdS for.
llPASlC)R RUSSELl)l mulatpd during the
Dark Ages 50 mis-
represent the true character of God
that many noble souls are rCpcIed
from the Bible, and are vainly search
Ing elsewhere for TRUTH He declares
that those who. turning from all man
made CrecdS, are looking into the Bible
| for themselves are finding there God
whom they can reverence and adore, n
| God whose loving kindness is beyond
human comprehension. Il God who is
practically unknown by many who pro
fesS to worship Him.
1t is difficult for lis to realize how
| much harm has been done by the pro
mitigation of doctrines which miGrpp
resent the Divine character. Although
many people call themselves Christians.
yet only few profess to be fully con.
s"crated to God. For the most part the
majority are mere professors, knowing
little enough about Our God and His
Christ. After all these centuries of
preaching. one would naturally expect
to see better results than what we see
But the trouble is that daring all this
time there has been very lRtle real
Gospel preached. Early in the history
Of the Church. the "dOctrineS of de
mons" entered. and subvcrted the sim
pie Truth as taught in the early
Church, when thousands of Jews and
Gcntiles turned to the Lord.
Noble Christians they were. not
merely formal professors of religion
st. Paul tells Of some who endured a
great fight of atllictiOns, who suffered
great loss for ChriSt'S sake and others
Decame companions of those thus mis-.
treated Hebrews 1O:32-34l Under
the Emperor Nero and others, many
Christians suffered for loyalty to God
1t requires strong character to suffer
willingly even unto death for righteous.
ness sake. Had this spirit continued,
where do you suppose Christianity
would he today? the speaker Queried
The Great Apostasy.
Experience has taught the Pastor
that many people in both sO-caled
Christian lands and heather lands are
feeling after God and wishing to find
Him, but are bcwildered by the creedaI
misrepresentation of the God of the
Bible. False doctrines have driven peo.
pie away from the Lord; and Chris
,ion people, under the uoluSiOn of these
'alsc doctrines. have shown anything
but Il proper Christian spirit AS In
the case of St James and st. John,
they have not known of what manner
Of spirit they were.-Luke 9:51-56.
Like these disciples. Christendom has
had wrong focus. We have not un-
derstoOd our Heavenly Father nor His
Plan for human salvation. We had a
dcviliSh idea, engendcred by the doc
| trineS of demons, During the Dark
Ages millions were burned at the stake
and put through various forms of tor.
ture, all in the name Of religion. What
a terrible mistake! Such proceedings
did great injury to those who perpe-
tratCd the crimes as well as to the
world at large. All this resulted from
lack of knowledge Of Gods character
But now, by, the grace Of God the
light Is shining clearly upon the Bible,
We have come to a time when our con.
CeptionS Of God are more reasonable
We are awakening frsm the sleep of
the past We are getting our eyes Of
understanding open. But while some
of us are looking in the right direction.
many others are looking in the wrong
dirCCtion-away from Gods Word, and
toward Evolution. Theosophy, New
Thought, Christian Science, etc. They
are searching for Truth, not knowing
where to 90 to obtain it.
In all these theories God is regarded
as principle. not as person. To
those who accept them, God is merely
a great law of nature, principle of
good which operates everywhere and
In everything They worship the prin
ciplc. instead Of the great Source Of
the principle. They adore the Law.
not The great Author Of Law. In such
II god there is neither intelligence nor
loving sympathy.
But we who are looking in the right
direction see in the Bible 4 living, per
srnal God, whose heart responds to
ours, whose love and sympathy 90 out
to US, ana to whom we can 20 in every
time Of need Gods people. whether
learned or ignorant according to the
worlds ideas. are looking in the right
dirrCtion-to the East. for the sunrise
Of Gods great Plan. when Messiah
shall inanguratC His Millcnnial King
dom for the blessing Of all the families
VI the earth Only through the Bible
T~an any know Of the loving kindness
Of our G~Nk That loving Kindness has
provided. through Christ Jesus. fu.
| tWrC life for us far bCrt0r than tho