Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 1910)
i Ooo PEOPLE'S Sermon by CHARLES T. RUSSELL, Pastor Brooklyn Tabernacle. Ooo Lynn, Mass., August 14. rastor Etussell of Urooklyn Tabernacle spoke liere twice today to large and atten tive audience. We report one of Lis discourses from the above. He said in pert: My text In one of the strongest of those which once we erroneously mis understood to teach the eternal tor ment of the non-elect. Coming to the text with our mluds filled with the wrong impressions respecting the character of the Almighty Creator and resisting his purjHiHeH toward hu manity It In eiisy for us to misunder stand the word of St. J tide. So deep ly were the it roneous thoughts Im presscd upon our minds from child hood that, Irrational though they were, we considered them fundamental the ology. In like manner we wrested to our own confusion and Injury many Hcriptures, reading into them what they do not say and ignoring what they do nay. As, for instance, the messages of Holy Writ to the effect that "all the wicked will God destroy"; that "the wages of sin is death"; that "the soul that slnueth, it shall die"; that there is no eternal life out of Christ. All these and others we warp ed and twisted away from their beau tiful and simple, teaching, and made out of them "doctrines of devils' with which we alarmed ourselves and those committed to our Instruction. We thank God that gradual!; the eyes of our understanding are open ing to discern the great Truth that tho testing of the Church in the present Age and the testing of the world at large In the coming Age will be as to worthiness for eternal life or worthi ness of eterul death everlasting de struction the Second Death from which there will be no redemption, no resurrection, no recovery. As St I'eter declares, Those who enter Into it will be, like brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed annihilated. Sodom's Quilt and Punishment. Hodom and surrounding cities were profligate and licentious to the extreme and lilvlne Justice decreed that their course must not continue, but that they should e made an example of a lesson to others of the Divine dis pleasure against all such licentious ness. Accordingly we read that fire ud brimstone were rained from Leaven to the utter destruction of those Titles, the place of which la now mark ed by the Dead Sea. The Sodomites were obliterated and only their name and history have come down to us. Their utter destruction by eternal fire or heavenly fire rained upon tbem was complete destruction. Their experi ence pictures forth the utter destruc tion of all whom God will dually re ject as unworthy of eternol life. Not that fire and brimstone would be rain ed upon all, but that utter destruction will come upon all disapproved by the Almighty. Who thinks that St. Jude meant that the fire that destroyed the ttodomltes was an eternal one? Who ever thinks that it Is still burning as a literal bffile should take a look at the picture of the Dead Sea and note that there are no Area there. The thought IN that the fire, which la a symbol of destruction, did its work thoroughly, completely, leaving not a vestige of these condemned to destruction. The Sodomites all went to hell to the Rlble hell to the state of death. But they did not go to the hell which was manufactured by our forefathers during the dark ages a hell of eternol torture. We have Itlble testimony on the subject, which we will produce. They are unconscious now like the re mainder of the dead, waiting for the resurrection. And the resurrection oi portunlty will come to them, as well as to all the remainder of Adam's ruce; because they, as well ns all oth ers, are rodenied by tho precious blood of Christ by the sacrifice which he finished at Calvary. This la not spec ulative. We have the words of tho Master himself on the subject. Let us take our Information, our wisdom from the proper quarter. Then our doubts and fears will speedily lice nwny. Not a Sscond Chsncs. Wo will produce the Itllile testimony showing that the Sodomites will be re leased and come forth during the me diatorial reign of Messiah to enjoy n sbnre of the blessings then to be pour ed out upon Israel ami the world; and to have an opportunity of coming into harmony with God and gaining eternal life. Hut we know that straightway Homebody will say, No, Pastor Hussell, that would be n second chance, mid God has nowhere, promised a second rhance to any. Furthermore It would be be-llttlelng to the Divine Govern ment to suppose that God, after giving one fair trial to a man and reaching a decision would conclude to give him another trial, as though Divine Justice Were unable to determine the worthi ness or un worthiness of the individual for eternal life In one trial or testing. We fully agree with this sentiment, but cull ntU'iitlon to the fact that the SodomlMs did not enjoy one trial for life. They and all mankind were "lrn In sin. slinpen In iniquity; In sin did their tiuitlii'm wvolvo ' ' OOO PULPIT... The Vengeance of Eternal Fire "Even a Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them ... are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7). ooo " 1 Tbey were born under the sentence, Dying thou sbalt die." Neither tbey nor anyone else, therefore, could be placed upon triul for a future life ever lasting or death everlasting, until re leased from the original sentence of death under which all were born. And no release from that death sentence was granted to anybody until the Re deemer came and died, "the Just for the unjust," that, "as by a man came death, by a man also might come the resurrection of the dead." Only those, therefore, who have been born since Jesus' day could be released from the original penalty, or could be placed on trial for life or death eter nal. Only the Church, therefore, ac cept this proposition. To this agrees the words of the Apostle, "If vt sin wilfully after that ire hare come to a knowledge of the Truth, there remaln eth no more sacrifice for sin (such hav ing enjoyed and misused their share of the original sacrifice) nothing but a fearful looking forward to of Judg ment (sentence) and fiery Indignation, which will devour the adversaries of God in the Second Death (Hebrews x, 2(1). The Sodomites, therefore, did not enjoy any chance of eternal life. They knew not "the only namo given under heaven or amongst men whereby we must be 8aved." Not only bo, but tho majority of mankind since Jesus' day have never heard the Gospel in the true sense of the word hearing They have never understood, never appre ciated, It fully, rightly. Mora Tolsrabla For Sodomites. It may astonish some to know thnt Jesus, speaking of tho Judgment or trial of the world during the coming age, during his Mediatorial Kingdom, declared that that trlul would lie less severe upon the Sodomites than upon some of those people to whom he preached, who would also have a share In the opportunities of that great epocb-an opportunity, with the Sodomites, of reconciliation to God and the attainment of eternal life. His words were, Woe unto you Cho- razzln and Rethsnlda, for If the mighty works which have been done In you had been done In Sodom and Gomor rah, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Therefore I say unto you, It shall be more tol erable for Tyre and Sidon In the day of judgment the world's trial time, the Millennium than for you (Mat thew 1L 22, 23). What more could we ask upon this subject? What higher authority could be Invoked than the Great Judge himself? It will not do to say that Jesus did not refer to the same licentious Sod omites mentioned by St. Jude In our text. It will not do to say that Jesus meant some Sodomites living In his day, because there were none. The Master distinctly tells us that "the same day that Lot went out of Sodom It rained down Ore and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all" (Luke xvil, 20). When our Lord declares that 'It shall be more tolerable for Sodom In the day of Judgment than for Capernaum" and the other cltiea In which he preached, he implies that It will still t tolerable for those peo ple who heard hlro and who rejected hla message. Thus It Is Writt.n." This Gospel Age wfclch began wKh our Lord's sufferings and trying expe riences, and which has continued those experiences with his followers, has for its object the preparation, the qualifi cation, of those who will be the Judges of the world In tho coming Age. They must all be developed In the fruits and graces of the Holy Splrlt-"meeknens, patience, brotherly kindness, love," else that will not be fit to be the Judges of mankind by and by. It Is required that all become copies of the Redeemer, God's dear Son. St. Paul tells us tills, saying, "Know ye not that the suluts shall Jmlne the world T nd that God has foreordained that nil of these Judges must lie copies of his Son? (Romans vIU, 21; I Corinthians U 2). Come bads with me to the Old Testa ment Scriptures and note how the Dl vlno Spirit dictated this matter of the future trial of the Sodomites to one of the prophets and c aused It to be writ ten for our instruction. Alas! as Jesus said, we have been "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken" (Luke xxlv, 2."i. Through Kzeklel the I'rophet, the Lord explains that wheu the restitution time shall come at the Secoud Advent of our Lord In the glory of his Kingdom, theii tho Divine blessing will come upoa Israel now cast off. Nor will the bless ing of Messiah's Kingdom come upon Israel only! It will extend to all the families of the earth. Through the Prophet the Iord specially emphasized to Israel her two sister nations, Sodom and Samaria. The Lord pointed out that lu tho day of their pride and pros perity they dNdnlned these sister na tions us being far beneath them and unworthy of their uotKe In every way. ftut In tho restitution times (Acts ill, U they will be glad to hnve a share of the Dl lne favor In conjunction with those nation formerly despised. The Lord declare that It is not be- fnese of the worthiness of any of these that he proposes their restitution, but Una use of his glorious character, for which his namesake. Let me quote to you this remarkably clear state ment of the Divine purposes future; and let us notice that It Is emphatic ally declared that the ones to be re stored and blessed are the very ones who perished In the days of Lot ..We read, "Sodora thy sister hath not done as thou hast done He hold, this was the Iniquity of thy sis ter Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abuudance of Idleness was to her, neither did she strengthen' the hand of the jioor and the needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me; therefore I took them away ns I saw good. God did not see good to take them to a bell of eternal torture; but ho did see good to destroy them and to make them an example of the destruction of all ulti mately displeasing to him after enjoy ing a knowledge of his grace and an opportunity for eternal life. "Thou also which hast condemned thy sister nations bare thine own shame for thy sins. They are more righteous than thou (as Jesus de claredi. When I shall bring again their captivity bring them from the prison bouse of death then will I bring agoin the captivity of thy cap tives in the midst of them: that thou mayest bear thine own shame and moyest be confounded In all thnt thou hast done, In that thou art a comfort unto them. When thy sisters Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former es tate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate I will remember my Covenant with thee In the days of thy youth and I will establish unto tbem an everlasting Covenant the New Law Covenant of which Messiah Is the Mediator and which, under his Media torial Kingdom shall bless Israel and all who wtll come into Isrsrj under the glorious terms of thnt New Cove nent (Jeremiah xxxi, 3D. "Then thou shult remember thy ways and be ashamed when thou shnlt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy Covenant not under your present Law Covenant, but under the New Law Covenant and Its better Media tor that thou mayest re member end be confounded and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God" (Ewkiel xvl. 48-C3). Lsngth and Breadth Hsight and Depth. How wonderful It at first seems to us to find that we really have a good kind, loving God, and not an unmerci ful and vengeful one! So grossly were we deceived respecting his character, byt the traditions handed down from the past, that we gave him the rev erence of fear, rather than that of love and devotion. The clearer light comes to os as a fresh revelation of the meaning of the Apostle's words when he wrote about "lengths and breadths and heights and depths of love of God, which passetb all under standing." The words of the Lord through the prophet come to our minds, "Fear not their fear, neither be afraid." . "Their fear of me la not of me, but Is taught by the precepts of man." "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my waya higher than your ways and my plans higher than your plans." Ob! Thank God that It is so! To all eternity we shall praise God that he did not allow our forefathers to make him or change his character. Tea, and he Is the same yesterday, today and forever. lie changes not The great, wise, Just, loving plan for the aalva- nlon of mankind which he la now car rying out was the very one "which he purposed la himself before the world was created." Tho plan of selecting the Church through fiery trials, through the straight gate and narrow way, for nineteen centuries, was what he pur posed In advance; for the Apostle says that he foreknew the Church in Christ. Likewise the times of restitution oon to come for tho world of mankind be foreknew and predestinated, and made all the arrangements for, Just as . they are being carried out now. Tho end will be glorious. Ills name will nine resplendeutly when the mists have cleared away, and when the Sun A Righteousness shall arise with heal ing in his henms, scattering nil the tartness ntul degradation of sin and lujierstltlon. "Then we'll sop wht Ood hath wrought 1 Ihn we'll pru'se lilm, praise hlui as we ouKht." t "To You It Is Civea." We are well uwniv thai i.i.ly t'.io few ran see the ber.utiei i f tlii.i nui.'ect as we see them. ,v ;.:v .tv.aie tli.i; only those to w'.ioui "l! I; ;;i'.'c ) Ui : w" will understand In tin vei..v .if fully ppreclatin-.: tin 1 f the Divine message. Ht:l we are sr.ro that nil inch will rejoice mere :nd more In the 3od of our siilvallo.i, us they come to ipprcclnto his voitlii;n'Hs of our love Ind confidence and devotion. As for those w lri all. ill under Divine tests prove themselves sympathetic with Iniquity, ve are glad that tho Divine sentence Is that they shall have from the i;tern::l One a destruction total, complete one frmn whloh there Rill be no nt'overy, no redemption, no tvsurroctlon. "They shall lie as though ;hey had not been." Hut all the w illing ind the obedient shall have the bless ing of tho Ijnrd unto life eternal Mlher on tho spirit piano ns members if the Church of the first bonis or on lite human plane as members of the lived Isrncl restored to human perfec-ton. FIVE MILLIONS FORJOTMMY Contracts it Al Carried Out Would Bring in Huge Sum, CHIEF JOHNSON ON THE STAND. Chickasaw Leader Says Eighty-Five Per Cant of His People Signed the Contracts Because They Were Im patient at Lng Delay of Govern ment in Selling Their Lands. Sulphur, Okla., Aug. 13. Lawyers' expense accounts running as high as $300,000, a single fee already paid amounting to $750,000 and contingent fees still pending that would aggregate about $5,000,000 figured in the investi gation of the Indian land affairs by the special committee appointed by the house of representatives. It was pointed out that the Indians never had secured large amounts of money due them without having to "come across" in the shape of fees, and, although they employed regular lawyers on yearly salaries, extra fees were constantly paid for the employ ment of special counsel. The special fee of $750,000 was paid several years ago to J. F. McMurray and his law partners after they had prosecuted what are known as the "citizenship cases," which, it was stated, kept off the rolls 32,000 persons who wanted to participate In the claims against the government. T)y the winning of this suit It was explained' that the value of the prop erty to the Indians who remained on the rolls was enhanced $16,000,000, on a basis of $5,000 for each of the 32,000 claimants who were kept off. The sale of the property and the division of the proceeds is still being fought for by the Indians. Scott Secured Many Signers. This testimony developed in the ex amination of George F. Scott, a Choc taw. Scott was active in securing signatures for the McMurray con tracts, for the approval of which by con gress, Senator Gore charges, on May 6 last he was offered a bribe of $25, 000 or $50,000. McMurray's contracts, Scott testi fied, If carried out in their entirety, would dispose of about $50,000,000 worth of property, which on a 10 per cent "attorney's fee" basis would re sult In a net profit to McMurray and his associates of almost $5,000,000. This fee, according to Senator Gore and members of the committee who In terrogated the witnesses, would be paid for services that the government already had promised to give the In dians without cost Scott also showed In his testimony that the cost of employing McMurray would be in addition to $30,000 now paid annually to regular attorneys. Scott's contention was that the attor neys on the regular salaries were not so active as contingent fee attorneys. Scott appeared after his name fre quently had been mentioned by pre vious witnesses. Sent Telegrams to Washington. It was he who testified be bad sent telegrams to Washington urging the approval of the contracts. He had been working for McMurray without any written or verbal agreement, he said, as to sharing In the fee, and had Induced many Indians to sign. He worked In this respect among the In dians despite the opposition of Green McCurtain, chief of 18,000 Choctaws. In one telegram to Richard Adams, an attorney at Washington, he referred to Vice President Sherman and Sena tor Charles Curtis of Kansas as "un derstanding better than anyone else what the Indians wanted." Questioned as to what he meant by that Scott said he understood Mr. Sherman and Mr. Curtis had long been familiar with Indian affairs, and he thought they were the ones to be ap pealed to, notwithstanding it had been shown that both Mr. Sherman and Mr. Curtis had protested against the 10 per cent fee. They held It to be too high and unnecessary. Conspicuous among the witnesses called to testify before the committee was Douglas V. Johnson, chief of 8,000 Chickasaw Indians. Johnson, together with 85 per cent of his tribe, signed the McMurray contracts. He said his people were impatient at the long de lay of the government In selling their lands. DREXEL BREAKS RECORD American Aviator Reaches Height ef 6,750 Feet at Lanark, Scotland. Lanark, Scotland, Aug. 13. It was officially unnounced that J. Armstrong Drexel, the American aviator, attained a world's altitude record by rising 6, 750 feet Ills barograph will be submitted to the experts of the Kew observatory at London, who will determine the ac curacy of the Instruments. Drexel's flight was the sensation of the aviation meet Ascending at 7 o'clock In the evening, he shot up into a bank of clouds and disappeared from the gaze of the anxious crowd. He landed some two hours later near a farm house twelve miles from Lanark. Charlerol, Belgium, Aug. 13. M. Lesnyn, an aviator, fell with hla aero plane from a height of 100 feet and received Injuries that probably will prove fatal. Bring Thie 0 0 0 0 In order to give pay-day customers a good chance at our Summer Clearance Sale, we offer these special in duceraents for this week only to all who brine this ad and the cash with them. Men's full cut soft collar Shirts, three for $1.00 Men's full size Handkerchiefs, white bleached 2 for 5c Men's black and white mixed Underwear, two garments for 25c Men's cotton work Hose ,.6 pairs for 25c Men's four-in-hand dress Ties 5 for $1.00 Men's dress or work Pants, mostly wool $1.35 Men's blue denim Overalls, bib or pant 40c Men's all-leather work Gloves 45c Boys' knee Pants, some of them all wool 25c Boys' knee-pant Suits, sizes 13, 14 and 15 $1.00 Men's wool Suits, a final clean-up $6.00 Any Straw Hat in the house, at Half Price 0 0 These prices cannot be duplicated in this town or any other town. If you really want bargains, keep your money at home and save money by taking advantage of these prices. Be sure and bring this ad with you and don't forget your money, as these prices are strictly cash. The Home of Distinguished Visitors. Hon. Lew Genung and son Clyde, constituting the law firm of Genung Genung of Glenwood, Iowa, are In the city today, and of course gave the Journal a brief but pleasant call. The Messrs. Genung were called here to defend Lawrence Stull for an as sault upon his sister, Miss Monroe a few weeks since. Lew Genung Is well known all over the western part of Iowa and eastern Nebraska as an eminent lawyer and rock-ribber Dem ocratic orator. The Journal is proud to number Lew Genung among its best friends and we are always de lighted to see him. Several Conductors Suspended. Six or seven conductors running on the Burlington in and out of Sioux City have been suspended. One or two of the men thus drop ped are old time employes of the road. It Is said the story forced from a ticket seller at Sioux City, after irregularities In his accounts had been discovered, implicated a number of conductors. In at least one instance and perhaps others it Is claimed that tickets sold and collect ed were returned to the seller for sale again. The suspension of these men has caused a sensation in local railway circles. State Journal. LOST A red calf near Bach's store on Lincoln avenue, weight about 400 pounds. Finder please take care of same and notify me and I will pay for trouble. William GUIIspIe, 6d-w-d Mynard. Neb. Mrs. I'm long Slightly Improved. Mrs. Furlong who has been at Wise Memorial hospital for some time past for treatment, Is slightly improved. Her son Mark will go to Omaha Monday and bring Mrs. Fur long home, as she wishes to come very much. She has been taking baths daily, but so far the physician has not given her any medicine, and she thinks she can get along now at home. II. R. Neitzel and Mr. J. C.ohery of Murdock arrived this morning and transacted business In Plattsmouth. Mr. Neltzel remained to spend Sun day with his family at the Guthman home. William Puis and son William of Maple Grove drove In from the farm this morning and visited Platts mouth friends for a few hours today. Ad Uitli You ' in TIigsq Prices 0 0 Satisfaction. Miss Kate Russel Here. Miss Kate Russell, a former Platts mouth young lady, who has been conducting the kindergarten depart ment of the Ames, la., public school during the past year, has been the guest of Mrs. Frank Morgan for a day or two, departed for Lincoln this morning to visit her sister, Mrs. Otto Mutz. Miss Russell has accepted a position for the coming year at Clayton, New Mexico, where she will take charge of the kindergarten and primary department of the schools at a handsome salary. Falls Down Cellar. From Saturday's Pally. Yesterday evening Just at twilight Mrs. Charles Hartford in going down the cellar steps of her residence, made a misstep and went to the bottom of the stairs, where she broughtup against the wall. Although she was quite badly shaken up and sustained minor bruises, she luckily escaped serious Injury. John Melsinger, Jr., traded with the Plattsmouth merchants today. Ifi! FASY FMAPFU f I III kllUI L.UVIII U f From Diarrhea Dystentery Summer Complaint Cholera Morbus Cholera Infantum 6ickness of Stomach y 0 is guaranteed with the f use of REXALL BUCK- L For Sale at THE DHL SlOf E F.G.FR1CKE8CD Druggists 0 0 f Enrrt Pill Mivflrsi mm CO f Ind. Thone 168 Bell 86 fl kS3 ( Ci 4