The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-07-12
Opening Service of lions
Nineteenth Feast of Tabernacles
&C. B. WI

large attendance.
The service was opened by prayer by the
General Overseer, after which the hymn,
"Christ Liveth in Me-" was sung.
The greater portion of the service was
devoted to the. reading of Gods Word, the
General Overseer taking various passages
and commenting upon them at length, show
ing what it means to be true Christian
and have Christ dwelling within us.
He first read the first eight verses of the
Fifteenth Chapter of ST. John.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the
husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit
he taketh away: and every branch that bear
eth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring
forth more fruit.
Now We are clean through the word which
l have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and in you. AS the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide
in the vine; no more We, except We abide
in me.
I am the vine, We are the branches He
that abideth in me- and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me
We can do nothing.
If man abide not in me, he is cast forth as
| a branch, and is withered; and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they
are burned.
you, We shall ask what We WILL and it shall
| be done unto you
| Herein is my Father gloriied, that We bear
much fruit; so shall We be my disciples.
| St. John 1918.
The thought was emphasized, among
many others, that Christ is not our Saviour
standing on the outside of us, but living
within us; also that it is possible for per-
son who has once been a branch in Christ
to allow himself to become so absorbed in
the things of the world that he fails to
! bear fruit, and then he is gathered as
| deaG branch and cast into the fire. 1t was
| shown that when a man is once saved, there
is only one way for him to lose salvation,
i, and that is through his own fault - that
SO far as Gods covenants and promises
are concerned, no man can ever snatch
| them out of his hands.
| It was emphasized that no man can save
himself, and that self-reformation and re
generation are as poles asunder. There is
no such thi0e as salvation through works
A man must be born anew, and there is no
| salvation, healing or hope for any man in
any other direction Man has inherited
natural and physical life and polluted ma
ture and Christ must be born within him
the Hope of Glory
The first thirteen verses of the Eighth
| Chapter of Romans was read; also the
Second Chapter Of Corinthians, beginning
| with the ninth verse. The first three verses
of the next chapter were read.
The Scripture reading closed with the
third and fourth verses of the Fourth
Chapter of II Corinthians.
The General Overceer then caid in ri
"Ghis night begins the Fourteenth Feast
OF Tabernaces which I have conducted
Dr. Dowe conducted five Feasts Of Taber-
there have been many times when I liter
ally died in the work - when | poured
OFT my last ounce of strength.
1--WE must have people who are willing
to pour out their lives and their strength
willingly and unselfshly. You can never
build Zion City with selfish men and wo
men. If you were to try to do that, it
would have its own element of overthrow
and destruction. If a man comes here and
asks, We'll, if buy lot or farm or
residential property, how much pecuniary
advantage will I get out of it?' He had
better stay away He has failed to catch
the true spirit of sacrifice and devotion to
the cause which seeks to help in, every
way possible - which seeks to put all pos
sible into the work, instead of getting all
possible out of it.
The carnal mind is enn1ity against
God. Let us make this city what it ought
to be - place for Gods saints Let God
have the right of way in our hearts and
lives
II am very glad to see this congregation
tonight, and | want you to read these pas
sages Of Scripture and study out the deep
Things of God.
"Now we meet tonight under very I'M
usual world wide conditions Do not think
that things will get any better. They will
continue to get worse. The world is steadily
merging toward the rule Of the Antichrist,
and the time of the Great Tribulation. It
means something today to be a Christian,
but it means nothing to be a church mem
ber One minister down here, the other
day, had a Jazz band in his church, and
it played all the popular vaudeville songs.
lust think of it All the way he could
get a crowd was to have Jazz band.
"Let this Feast of Tabernacles see every
saint in Zion wholly consecrated. | think
this is about the largest attendance we have
ever had on the opening night of Feast,
and let us have no discord or friction. Let
us have harmony as Christians. Let us
live in the spirit of God and He will give
US great results. Let Our citizenship be in
the heavens.
Nov. beloved in Jesus the Christ, let
us be kind to everybody Let us be
courteous Zion is on better foundation
hofo Ca1I