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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1910)
Ooo PEOPLE'S Sermon by CHARLES T. astor Lrooklyn abcrnacle. t Ooo Brook I j' u. N. V., January 16.-Today began a series of Cbristlau Mass Meet ings, which are to coutiuue during four successive Sunday afternoons lu tbe largest Auditorium ol Brooklyn, tbe Academy of Music, under tbe aus pices of "People's Pulpit Association." The topic for tbe day was: "What VongreuaUonaliati, frubyteri iatu and Utthodist must turrender in A interest! of Church federation." Pastor C T. Russell of Brooklyn Tabernacle delivered tbe address. Tbe spacious and elegant Auditorium was crowded so tbat an overflow meeting with another speaker was deemed ad visable. On the platform behind the speaker were several hundred meu, In cluding a number of ministers. Tbe audience as a whole was a very In telligent one. Tbe Ilouorable J. K. Rutherford. Attorney-at-Law, Intro duced Pastor Kussell, who said: 1 take for my text tbe Word of tbe Lord through tbe Prophet. "Say ye not, A Confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A Con federacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid" (lsatab rill, 12). The desirableness of oneness In the Church of Christ is 'beyond dispute, The impropriety of sectarianism or dl vision Is uow generally conceded, al though twenty years ago many de fended tbe divided condition of the Church as being helpful. They point ed to our Lord's words. 1 am the Vine and ye are the branches; every branch in me that bearetb not fruit my Fa ther, the Husbandman, taketh away. And every branch tbat bearetb fruit he pruneth. that It may bring forth more fruit (John xv, They claim ed that the denominations were the branches. The evident teaching of the Master here is that his people are related to 111 in in an individual sense and not as parties. Beets or denomina tions, and that they are dealt with from the individual standpoint as one I Church and not many. St. Paul enunciated the same great truth (1 Corinthians xll. 13). declaring that tbe Lord Jesus Is the Head of the Church, which Is his Body, and that as the human body has many mem bers under the full control of the bead, except when diseased, so the Cbureh. as members in particular of the Body of Christ, are all to be subject to tbe Lord as their Head. They are all to be so connected with their Dead, and thus with each other, that when one suffers, all suffer with it. and when one rejoices, all rejoice with It. be cause they all have fellowship In the one spirit of the Head. Hence the eye cannot say to the hand, nor the band to the foot. I have no need of you, for every member is necessary to the prosperity of the Body as a whole. And as the Joint supports and strength ens, tbe limb and Is Joined thereto by sinews, etc.. so Individually God's people are united to each other In the bonds of grace and truth and love. It must-be conceded tbat Church Federation or Confederacy Is lu many respects quite a different thing from the Church's oneness illustrated by our Lord's parable of the vine, and tbe Apostle's Illustration of the human body. Nevertheless since a Federation is proposed us the nearest possible ap proach to the spiritual enjoined Dnion. it Is proper that we and all Christians everywhere should enquire carefully the cost and the gain implied in tbe Federation movement. As the pro gram shows, this series of meetings will consider impartially the cost of Federation to the creeds of the most prominent denominations. First In the list today we consider the sacrifices of Congregationalism. Presbyterlanlsm and Methodism. (1) As to church government very slight concessions will be required of any of the federating denominations. Denominational liberties as respects forms of worship and methods of gov ernment and discipline are to be permit ted very loose rein. The Federation pro poses chiefly the regulation of home and foreign mission work and a general watch-care over the Interests of tin federated systems along the lines of political influence. Tbe expectation is that the political power of the Federa tion will have considerable to do with moulding of legislation favorable to the Federation, and later on. unfavorable to tbe smaller denominations not asso ciated In the Federation. (2 1 It Is along doctrinal lines tbat tlx snerlflclng In tbe Interest of Federating will be chiefly demanded. Doctrlually Congregatlonnlists and Fresbyterlans are one; hence we may consider their sacrlllces of doctrine In the Interests of Federation as the same. They both accept the West minster Confession of Faith with Its Calviulstlc foundatlon-that (lod. be fore the foundation of the world, fore ordained whatsoever conies to pass: that he predestinated nn elect, saintly few to heavenly glory, and equally foreordalued tbat tbe remainder of thousauds of millions of non-elect should be maintained in eternal life to all eternity, lu order that they might suffer excruciating pains, both mental and physical, never-ending, as a part of the supposed penalty of tho "Origi nal Slu" committed by our first par ents In Eden. 1.4V A coo PULPIT... THE COST OF CHURCH ' FEDERATION TO CONCREGA710NAL1STS PRESBYTERIANS METHODISTS ooo Evidently there will be few people in these highly Intelligent Christian bodies ready to Insist, us our fore fathers did. that this element of faith Is essential to salvation. Few of us would agree with Brother John Calvin, the great architect of this creed, that fellow-Christ lu us rejecting this doc trine should be burned at the stake, as Brother Calvin decided In respect to Brother Serve! us. No. thank Cod: We have outgrown some of tbe nar rowness , which . so terribly fettered some of our bretbern during tbe dark ages. Few any longer believe that there are "Infants lu bell not a span long," because non-elect.' Even where the doctrine of Election Is still blindly j held, few have the temerity to state their belief that any innocent infant was predestinated to everlasting tor ture. But Brother Calvin's conten tion expressed In the Westminster Confession Is tbat there are no innocent Infants thut tbe condemnation of Original Sin, was to eternal torture aud that Adam's children, "born in sin and shapen in iniquity." were therefore not Innocent, but guilty born under the sentence of eternal torment and sal vable from It only through membership In the Church of Christ. Indeed we may say that this theory was still older than Calvin, for did not St. Au gustine first declare tbe danger of in fants to eternal torture and the neces sity of their being brought Into the Church of Christ by baptism In order to escape eternal torture? And Is not tbe force of this teaching still maulfest amongst both Protestants and Catho lics, as evidenced by their fear to have nu Infant die unbaptlzcd so that some. In extreme cases, even practice "baptism In uteroV" Doctrlually Methodism Is Indirectly opposed to Calvinism in every seuse of the word. Possibly Methodists will have less to coueede than Cnlvlnlsts. because, although In Wesley's day the doctrlue of Free Grace was eonilmtted on every hand. It Is uow the tacit faith of the vast majority of Christendom. The doctrlue that (iod had premedi tated 'aud Irrevocably foreordained t lie eternal torture of our race except a handful of the Elect was too borrlhle a one to stand. So the Methodist doc trine of Divine Love for ail und Free Grace as respects salvation has ap pealed more and more to the growing Intelligence of mankind. Nevertheless we cunuot do otherwise than concede tbat it will matter little to the thou sands of millions which all "orthodox" creeds consign to eternal torture whether they shall suffer eternal agonies as a result of Divine loveless ness in foreordaining their sufferings or to Divine inability to outwork for tbelr benetit tbe supposed advantages of Free Grace arranged for them by Divine Love. The More Excellent Way. Our suggestion Is that now. In the lupping time of this Gospel Age with the- oncoming Millennial Age, as the arc electric light casts the candle of the past Into the shadow, so the clear er light now shining from the pages of God's Word casts Into the shadow all the doctrines of the "dark ages," relieving us of the horrible nightmare which once beclouded our hearts and lives aud made us fearful of our Cre ator as an all-powerful, but merci less sovereign, in this blessed light now shining from God's Book have we not a basis for Christian vnionf Let us see! If we can And in God's Word that the doctrine of Election and the doctrine of Free Grace are both true, both Biblical, but that one belongs to the Church In this Gospel Age and the other to mankind In general lu the coming Millennial Age, will not this solve our problem and give us doc trinal union instead of a mere federa tion based upon the Ignoring of doc trine? We can all assent to this, there fore let us examine the facts. The Bible assuredly declares a Di vine election according to a Divine purpose foreordained but not such an election as Brother Calvin outlined. God foreordained the selection of a Church, predestinating tbe number who would constitute its membership and the choracter of each one who would be acceptable as a member. He foreordained tests of the worthiness of these members and the glorious re ward that should be theirs aud a great work which they shall be privileged to do for manklnd-IIrnltedly now. fully during the Millennium. Accustomed to the electlou of fellow-citizens to the Presidency, to Congress, etc., where they will have the opportunity for blessing the nou-elcct. we should have carried this same thought to tbe 1M vino election of the Church. We should have discerned that the elect Church, the "Seed of Abraham" ((Jalatlans 111, 101, Is specially Intended to be the channel of Divine blessing to "all the families of the earth" (Genesis xxvlll, Hi. How .strange that we overlooked this and tho assurance that with the com pletlon of the Church Messiah would exalt her In the "First Insurrection to be his Bride and Joint-heir In his I Millennial Kingdom, to be established for the blessing of all mankind! llow strange tlirt we did not notice that every text of Scripture uet1 by our Methodist brethren to ulit.i"tl:if T heir docti liu- of I-ri lirai immiiii i the Millennial K!ti::i!.in . A fl i'i Mtaiii-e. the ItiUr. afler telling us the eniiipMiuii ot tli Church u espoused in Hi Lord miii' a Per niarriauc n1 onion with him hi m Second Coming, as "I he Itriile. in Lamb's Wile." tells i hat itien "i in spirit and i tie p.ride shall a,v. Come and whosoever will may come and tnKe of the wnler of lite freely" lltevelailoii xxli. 17. Ah. yes. we failed' disastrously f keep i he Apostle's command. "Study to show thyself approved uuto God. a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word ot Truth" (11 Timothy II. 15. We failed to thus divide the Truth and to note the portion applicable now aud the other portion applicable during the Millennium. Thank God. we are not yet too old to learn. We surely have been thoroughly sickened by our mis taken Interpretations of the past, which made nonsense of both tbe doctrines-Election and Free Graceand worse than this, defamed and vilified our neavenly Father, "the God ot all Grace." In the light now shining we may see that the terms of the Divine election of the Church are In every sense ot the word without partiality, except as re gards character aud faithfulness. Those now called with the heaveuly calling to be ot "tbe elect" are Indeed invited to eternal life on tbe spirit plane, to be like unto tbe angels, but more exalted, while the opportunities to be granted to tbe world in general during the Millennium will be Inferior. earthly, institutionary yet grand (Acts III. 19-21). But this difference ot re ward Is counterbalanced by the se verer trials and testings ot those now called to be ot the elect. They must walk by faith and uot by sight. They must take up their cross and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goetb They must count their lives not dear unto them, but willingly sacrifice their earthly Interests that they may be par ticipators with their Redeemer in glo ry, honor and immortality, and in his great work ot tbe Mllleunium-the blessing ot the world of mankind with a mental, moral, social and physical uplift. Cannot we all. Congregationalism. Presbyterlaus and Methodists, and all others ot God's people, unite us one body upon this Scriptural hypothesis? Are we not satisfied with the terms of this election that they are sullicletitly stringent 'to exclude all except the saintly? ' Hearken to tbe Apostle's dec laration, which we once so grievously misunderstood: He says of God's elec tion, "Whom he did foreknow be also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of bis Son." in other words. when our Heavenly Father forekuew I and predetermined to gather an elect I Church as tbe Bride ot Christ, he also I predetermined tbat none . could lie members of It unless they attained j through faith and obedience In tbe School of Christ character-likeness ot Jesus heart likeness to blin- ueuee. as nearly ns possible, an obedleiiceot the flesh to his Law. Surely uo one will claim that any but a little (lock tins ever attained to this honored condition; hence our lor mer Ideas respecting the non-elect would consign the majority ot our families, neighbors, friends aud all the heathen, to eudless woe. But now bow differently we see lu God's Word, that the elect class Is selected in tiu- vanee. thai In God's due time; with the Redeemer, it may bless every iva lure with tiniest opportunity to lennn to tin inn ti pcrlectioii In ii 1'ai niHsc ie gained-restored during the Millenni um. This proposition ot the Snip tures includes (hose who Have gmie down to the prison-house ot death -Into Hhent, Into iitutr. both the evil aud the good. All shall then know, from the least to the greatest, tbat "Jesus Chrl.u. by the grace ot (iod, tasted death for every man." They shall know that the redeeming blood was not shed in valu. but will secure to each member ot Adam's race, not eterual life, but uu opportunity to at tain eternal life either on the lien veil ly plane during this Age or on tbe earthly plane during the Millennium. I address you. dear friends, uot from a sectarian standpoint, hut trout a Federation standpoint; yea. more than this, from the standpoint ot those who desire to be doctrlually, us well as out wardly, lu agreemeut with the Lord and with each other. Have we not, in this beautiful election ot the Bible, the basis for tbe grandest of all hopes, tbe highest of all ambitions to be "beirs of God aud Jolut-betrs with Jesus Christ our I.ordY" Can we want more than this for ourselves? And does It not enhance the glory of this prize to have the prospect ot conquering the world for Jesus aud for the Father during the Millennium, In the only way In which It ever can be conquered God's way? Is It not for this Kingdom that our Redeemer taught us to pray. "Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as It Is done lu heaven?" is It not for this Kingdom that be taught us to wait, saying. "Fear not. little flock; It Is your Father's good pleasure to give you Hie Kingdom'' (Luke xll. II2t? Is It not for thU Kingdom thai the world waits? "Unto hltn every knee shall bow and every tongue con fess. l'lie knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole eu.-th." "All shall know him from the least to the great est." "And it shall come to pass Unit every soul which will not bear that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people" (Acts III, 1:!i. Shall we. then, stop merely with an outward federation or confederacy? Shall we not rather unite our hearts and heads and bauds along tbe lines ot tho Divine promise given to us-"ln thee and In thy Seed shall the families f the earth be blessed?" (Galutians lit. !!').) E The Town Recovering From It's Recent Disasterous Confla gration, and Grit' and Energy Prevails. bn Saturday morning last the writ er preceived the idea ot spending the day In Union, a visit he has long con templated. It has heretofore been his custom to visit this flourishing village about twice a month, but sickness In the Journal family has prevented him from paying his usual visits to the friends of the Journal in Union. Our previous visit to the town was last fall during the Old Settlers' reunion, and we found many changes even in that short time. The fire demon has displayed his well known ability in way of destruction of property, and but one lone building now adorns the west block on the south side of Main street. But with the vim and energy usually displayed by the residents ot the town, perhaps a year bence this block will be built up with more mod ern and up-to-date business bouses, and the eye-sore thus remedied. We always felt welcome in Union, because the Journal has bo many staunch friends in and around the town, and when we meet them it Is like meeting home folks. We first dropped in to see our friend Roy Upton, and found him feeling fairly well, and enjoying a fair business. Roy Is a genial fellow and gets his share of the business when there Is any business doing. He is making arrangments to remove to bis new brick store room In about one month, where he will have one of the finest hardware stores In the county, Here we also met Gabe Austin, who Is the chief clerk, and he gave us that Bmlle of greeting that never wears off. Gabe is "a hale fellow you will met, If he likes you, but If he don't the smile don't go. We met Senator Banning, but he was as busy as bees around honey suckles In summer time, and our vis- It was very brief with him. lie is In to res ted In nnn nf the new tmildlncs that has Just been completed on the 80utn sldo of the upper biock on east Main street, to be used as a drug store. And by the way, we desire to says that Mr. W. C. Carrahler, who is putting in the new stock of drugs, will have one of the finest rooms for a store of this character In any town in eastern Nebraska. His furniture Is right up-to-date and matches well with the fine finishings of the room W. C. Carrahler Is a fine druggist and well known in Union and surround lng country. Union will hereafter boast of two drug stores. Alva Stltes, who was burned out Is occupying one-half of the Joe Banning building and when verythlng Is arranged tohlsnoltno, he will have a fine place for business .lr. Stltes, previous to the fire, was enjeying a splendid business, and he being very popular, he no doubt will retain much of his old trade. Joe Banning, the only furniture dealer in the town, has a fine store and his stock o f furniture is all up- to-date. While In his store we no ticed one of our young Union friends pricing different pieces of furniture, no doubt with the view of soon pos sesBlong some handsome young lady who resides in or near Union as his bctterhalf. He made us promise to omit his name for the present, and If the writer Is not mistaken, wedding bells will soon peal forth the Joy ous note of "Two souls with but a single thought two hearts that beat as one." As ever, we dropped in to Inter view our good old friend Judge Reu ben Foster, and while away a few moments. We found him hard at work in his wagon shop, but not to busy to once and a while chat about events past and present. Uncle Reu ben knew the writer back in Ohio when he was ablt of a boy and where our old friend, then a young man, would drive us away from the build ing upon which he was at work, where we had gone to gather blocks. We never thought about him driving us away for fear of getting hurt. Oh, no, we thought he was an awful mean man. But when we got bigger we learned more about him as a man. Uncle Reuben as a man with a mind of his own, and generally speaks right out In meeting. Everybody likes him, and he Is very popular, even with the ladles. We never go to Union without cal ling on Bob Frans and we found him enjoying fairly good health. Mr. Frans Is a progressive citizen and he and his son Rny have one of the largest and finest equipped stores In Cass county, and both being very popular with tho masses, they sell the goods. They are reliable business men and tho people can depend upon getting the goods Just as represented. SEE PLATTSMOUTH SUCCEED Our January Clearance Sale is moving out our winter suits and overcoats, pants, shirts, &c mighty fast. It's to your interest to get some of these good bargains while they are going. They'll soon be gone and they "cannot be duplicated. MEN'S WINTER SUITS MEN'S OVERCOATS $79 $, m MEM'S ODD PANTO BOY'S KNEE PANT SUITS 01.39 BOY'S ODD PANTS 29c Men's Wool Sox igc Men's Work Shirts 39c Men's Dress Shirts, worth up to $1.50, to close. .C9c' Men's Re versa ble Four-in-Hands, all shades, see our west window -jgc These are "clean up" prices and are not guaran teed beyond the present stock in hand. Buy now and save money. THE HOME OF SATISFACTION We made a brief call at the office of Dr. Newell, the dentist, and found him the same as ever, with the glad hand extended. Mr. Newell Is one of the finest dentists in eastern Ne braska, and while he is doing fair ly well, he will soon remove to his new quarters across the Btreet, where he will have fine dental parlors, ar ranged to his own notion. Union Is now without hotel facili ties, the Resthaven closing last Sat urday night, and the new hotel will not be ready for business for at least a month. Ed. Leach will then have one that will reflect great credit upon the town. It will be modern In every particular, with steam heat, and handsomely furnished, it will contain welve or fourteen sleeping apart ments, and will be right up-to-date. Union has long needed a good hotel and Ed. Leach is the man who will furnish the accomodations for the While In the village we made our headquarters mostly at the Ledger office where the latch-strlng was al ways dangling on the outside for our entrance. The Ledger now possesses more commodious quarters than it had before the fire, and we believe the arrangements for business are far better. Harry Graves, the editor, Is a hustler and Is making good. He Is a young man who has just en tered the state of matrimony and with such an cglclent helpmate, he has gathered under his protecting wings, he cannot help- but Bucceed. Here's hoping, Harry. Union will enjoy something out of the ordinary on Saturday night, Feb ruary 12 a fiddlers contest. Charley Graves is at the head of the amuse merit department, and If the enter prise does not succeed, It won't be his fault. He already has twenty-five who have signed up to enter the con test, and still more to come. Rome of the oldest fiddlers In Cass and Otoe counties haxo enrolled their names, and they can play "Moneymusk," "Uiu Dan Tucker," and "Arkansas Traveler," to a fare-you-well, and don t you forget It. The contest is open to Otoo and Cass counties, and old and young alike aro Invited to enter. Thero will bo fun galore, and the man, woman or child who falls to attend. Tho contest will como of In tho Woodman hall, which has Just been tilted up In fine shape and can bo made to seat about COO peoplo. everyone Bhould Ret themselves ready for an evening of enjoyment and lots of fun. An Unfortunate Case, The insanity commission this af ternoon Is engaged In hearing a com plaint filed before them charging Vern Riser with Insanity. There ar soveral witnesses present from the vicinity of Mynard who testified to various queer phases of the young man's conduct, It appearing that he has terrorized the school in that neighborhood and that he has threat ened the pupils and the teacher. Ser eral witnesses testified thnt they would not let their children at tend the school for fear of Injury to them. It seemed hard for the commis sion to get testimony from the wit nesses who seemed Intimidated and the hearing will doubtless be nro- longed for several days to procure the attendance of other witnesses. It Is said to be a most unfortunate case. Clerk of the Court Robertson, Attor ney D. 0. Dwyer and Dr. B. F. Bren del, the commission, were all present at the hearing. President Helps Orphans. Hundreds of orphans have been helped by the President of the In dustrial and Orphan's Home at Ma con, Ga., who writes: "We have use Electric Bitters In this institution for nine years. It has proved a most ex cellent medicine for Stomach, Urer and Kidney troubles. We regard it as one of the best family medicines on earth." It Invigorates the vital or gans, purifies the blood, aids diges tion, creates appetite. To strengthen and build up thin, pale, weak child ren or run-down peoplo it has no equal. Best for female complaints. Only 50c at F. G. Fricke & Co. W. H. Hell from near Cedar Creek, was a business visitor In the city to day. Do you want an AUCTIONEER? If you do, get one who has Experience, Ability, Judgement. Telegraph or write ROBERT WILKINSON Dunbar, Neb. Dates made at this office or the Murray State Bank. Good Service, Reasonable Rates. ft-'