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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1911)
f 1 GOD IIOHLOriE, "The Cesinr.ing cf th2 Creation of God." HIS ONLY CEGOTTEN COM. Pastor Russell Quotos Scriptural Au thority Proving That th Logos Wit th First and tha Last, tha Beginning ad 4i Conclusion, of Jehovah's Creation. Philadelphia. Pa, January 15. Pas tor Uussell preach ed yest onlay from tho text, "In the beginning was tlio Word (Lopns) and tho Word (Logos) was with the ;od nnd the Word (Lo gos) was o God. Tbo same was lu tho boKhiiiliiK with the Od. I'-y Mm were nil things made nnd without Mm was not anything made that was made" (John I, 1. 1!). He said: A week apo we considered the time when Cod was alone. Today let us discuss tho first creative act as re spects Intelligent beings. Long before roan was created, or our earth was brought from Its chaotic condition, Jong before angels nnd cherubim were created, Mvlno power brought forth a Ron on the spirit plane-Jehovah's l-'lrst-r.egot ten-glorious, perfect, beautiful, lis own linage and likeness. This glorious Ono Is In our text designated tho Logos, the Word, the Message, tho Expression of God. In the Old Testament ho Is symbolically referred to as "Wisdom" In the words, "Jehovah possessed me In tho begin ning of hU way, before his works of old. Then I was by hlin, as one brought up with him, and 1 was dally Lis delight, rejoicing nlwnys before llm" (Proverbs vlll. 22-30). This mighty ono, personified ns Wis dom, Is declared by St. Paul to bo "the first-born of all crentlon" (Colossians , 15-18). Tho Psalmist similarly refers to him ns Jehovah's "first-born, high r than the kings of enrth" (Psalm Ixixlx, 27). Jesus thus refers to him self as ono who had a prehuman ex istence, Baying, "He fore Abraham was. I am" (John vlll, 11, 23. 4258). The glorified, ascended Christ, In Apocn llptlc vision, declared tho sauio great troth, that ho was "the beginning of the crentlon of God" (Uevelatlou 111, 14). And again he declared, "I am the First nnd tho Last" (Kev. I. 17; U. 8). All of these Scriptures fully corrobo rate tho statement of our text that he Who subsequently became tho world's Redeemer was long before tho prhnnry I.ravlnsr the simplicity of the tench Ins of Jesus and of the Apostics some went to the extreme of declaring that Je-us was his own Father; that the terms Father. Son and holy Spirit nil applied to one person who mani fested himself to mankind In three dif ferent ways corresponding to these names one God In three manlfc.-ta-tloiis. Others took a still different view and claimed that the Father. Sou and holy Spirit were three Gods who opcrutcd as one. In proportion as these unseilplunil human theories wero received, they produced confu sloii. And when asked how three per sons could logically be one person, ni.'l how one person could be three persons equal In glory and power, of course no answer could be given. Then the sub terfuge was raised, "This Is a great mystery which nobody can explain." It should not surprise us from what we know of the struct lire of human nature flint these extreme views were opposed by others of tho opposite ex treme, some claiming that Jesus was a mero man; that ho was born ns are other men; thnt Joseph was bis father, etc. Thus we behold tho danger of any variation whatever from the ire else teachings of tho Word of God. It should bo needless to say to P.Ible Students that thero Is nothing in tho Iilblo which declares a trinity of Gods. There Is Just one passage of Scripture quoted In proof of tho Trinity (1 John, v, 7), and It Is never quoted by schol ars, becauso nil scholars know that It was tampered with, several words hav ing been added In (ho seventh century which nro not found In any New Tes tament manuscript of earlier date. And thoso ndded words make the statement ns a whole foolish. If you will turn In your P.I hies to this passage, you may strike out tho spurious words as follows In verso seven: "In hcarcn the Father, the Moid and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one1" nnd In verso eight the words, "and there are three that bear trltnesi in earth." After thus eliminating tho spurious additions, after thus removing from the precious ointment this dea'd fly of falsehood which was Inserted for tho very purposo of deceiving, nnd be cause no Scripture could be found to give color to tho doctrine of the trin ity then you will bo nblo to rend that portion of tho Word of God In its pu rity and simplicity. Then the "mys tery" part will be gone from It for ever. It will bo In full nccord with the entire lllble in declaring, "To us there is one God, tho Father, of whom nre all things, nnd oho Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom nre all things and wo by him" (I Corinthians vlll, (5). How absurdly tho pnssnge reads In our common ver sion, stating that the Father nnd tho Son nnd tho holy Spirit nre bearing witness In heaven that Jesus Is tho Son of God! The pure Word of God presents Son of God. Ho ranked first, not only In seniority, but also In honor, dignity H,,,iv nn,i beautifully tho fnct that and station, above all other sons or (ie ,,r,,at creator, the Father of nil God, not ono of whom was like htm- nitrc-lffi. Is Jehovah God. and that he self tho direct creation of Jehovah. "For all things wero niado by the La pis, and without him was not one thing made that was made." He was not tho creator In the primary sense of tho word, but In the secondary has an only begotten Son who Is yet to be the Savior or deliverer of nil of Adam's rneo willing to accept the rrace of God provided In til m. And (hero Is one holy Spirit, "the spirit of truth." "the spirit of wisdom." "the sense. lie was the nellve agent of j Hili lt of a sound, mind," the spirit of Jehovah lu all of his subsequent crea- ' power, enert-v. will, mind of the Father five work; thus be was not only the first born of all creation, but. Individu ally, ho was al to the last of Jehovah's which Is also the spirit of the Son, and which must be also the spirit, dis position, mind, will of all those who creation. To this agrees the word of i now come unto the Father as sons Ft. Paul. "All things are f the Father and all things are ill the Son." Surely ninny bnve failed to npprecl lite not only the Divine personality of Jehovah, but also the greatness of Mm who Is styled "The Son of God." In tha Dark Ages. There was a time when Gi.d's people did not possess (he lllble III their own language, and when education to read It was extremely limited, and when nobody possessed such wonderful lUbli-s (wlih references and concord nncesi ns are common today. It should not surprise us that In that far-off time confusing errors crept lnl the traditional faith of (he Church. The contenllon of (he Jews was that Jesus of Nazareth was an Impostor and that bis mighty works were dine under the Inllnenco of the fallen angel. F.e olebub. Should wo think It strnngo thnt In the beat of discussion some of the followers of Jesus would make ex travagant claims for him lu (heir en deavor to oppose (he theory that hiade of Messiah a mere sinful man? It does not surprise us, therefore, that early In (he third century claims wero put forward In tho name of Christ and his Apostles which neither be nor they ever authorized. The Apostles declared him to be "the Son of God with power" and that ho was "holy, harmless, undented nnd sepa rate from sinners" (Hebrews vll, 2(5). The Master himself declared. "My Father Is greater than I." "Ho is above all;" "he sent nie;" "I ennio to do the will of my Father In heaven and not mine own will;" "1 delight to do thy will, oh my God; thy law Is written In my heart." True, lie also declared, "I nnd my father are one;" but be showed In what this oneness consisted that It was a oneness of will, of purpose, of work. Because he had fully submitted lila will to the Father's will and had made the Father's will his own. there fore they were one. The Master again illustrated this oneness when ho prayed for his dls elples thnt "they nil might be one, tveu ns thou Father and I are one (John xvll. 11. 21. 22). Evidently tho Master did not pray that his disciples should all become one in person, but thnt they should all become of one mind, of one heart, of one disposition through (heir loyalty and obedience to tho Word and to the spirit of God, And this oneness, he declared, was the kind which subsisted between the Heavenly Father and himself. adoption which is In through the Christ Jesus. Tha Only Bccottnn Honored. P.efore the beginning of the creation of God. before the Only P.ogotteti of the Father became the Alpha of Crea tion, the Father had wonderful pur poses hi himself respecting all his great plan for the everlasting future. It Included (Ids world, nnd mankind, ami the permission of sin. and the re demption of man from sin nnd Its penalty, and the restoration to be ac complished by Messiah's Kingdom and (he glorious work of eternity In fur ther creations In world after world. P.ttt. ns the Master declared, these things (he Father had kept In his own pow er- In his own hand. He divulged (hem not to the angels, nor even to his dearly beloved "only begotten Son." We have seen bow this plvlne secret, 1 Mvlno purpose, was symbolically rep resented lu the scroll In the hands of Jehovah, as pictured In Revelation v, 1. We have seen that (his revela tion was delivered to the Lamb, tho Only l.ei'otten One, after he had been slnlii after his consecration at Jordan, and In Its fulness after his death at Calvnry. when he ascended up on high, jlnrirtcd at the right band or the Father's majesty. Rut before the Logos was made flesh, before he undertook to be man's Redeemer, the Heavenly Father set before him tho glorious proposition. He Infomed him that he had a plan. a scroll, and that the execution thereof was to be given to one who would prove himself worthy, by demonstrat ing his loynlty to the Divine will. We rend that God tent his only be gotten Son Into the world, but we are not to understand from this that be enme under Divine commnnda, the re- fusnl of which would have meant Dl vino displeasure nnd his own degrada tion. On the contrary, we understand (3) Additionally be was promised l ie honor and distinction of the Me.-vdsulo Kingdom by and through which man- ' kind would be blesed and uplifted ill lie wns promised a special lis ide class to Ire selected from among tin redeemed race of men -a class having his own disposition of loyalty to God and to riviteoiisncss. and faithful un to death-w hich like himself, would be exalted In the chief resurrection from the earthly to heavenly condition, far above principalities and (towers it ml every name that Is named. ("t He was promised thai his own personal illstiin lion would lie to all eternity a participation In the qualities of the divine nature; he would possess, not only glory and honor, blit also In herent life, deathlessness. immortality. For these Joys, he left his glory, he was made llesh. he sacrificed his earthly life and, being raised from the dead, he entered Into his promised Joy. Since, he Is waiting in expectation for the completion of (ho Church, his Bride, the members of his Body, as sured that then the Father will give him tho heathen for an Inheritance and tho uttermost parts of the earth for bis possession, that ho may bind Satan, put down sin nnd uplift the sinner nnd bring everlasting order out of earth's confusion by destroying (he wilfully wicked. A God but Not the God. As nil Biblo scholars know, the word elohlm In the Old Testament Hebrew is of plural form, somewhat like our English word sheep. Thus we read In Genesis, "Tho elohlm (Godsi said, let us make man In our linage." This would very properly apply to the Heavenly Father nnd the Heavenly Son, In full accord with our text. "Without him (tho Logos) wns not anything made that was made." Tho Word elohlm signifies, literally, the might it, the tmircrful, the great. Surely It would be strictly proper to consider! tho Logot mighty, great, powerful as tho active ngent of the Almighty One, Jehovah, who Is also styled the Mighty Elohlm. This word elohlm not only is used In respect to the Heavenly Father nnd his Heavenly Son, but It Is also used In respect to angels ns the messengers of God nnd of Christ, mighty to the do ing of the will of God (Psnlm vlll. 5. "Thou hnst mnde man a little lower than the angels (elohlm)." Still fur ther notice that this word elohlm Is used in respect to men; when Divinely appointed and active as God's agents they were mighty, or elohlm. Thus we read of the seventy Judges of Is rael nppointed by Moses, "The ninster shall bring him unto the judges telo him)" (Exodus xxl, C). We have given a very literal render ing of our text, showing the fine dis tinction of the Greek original In a way that our English version does not show It. As Bible students we have not in tho past been sufficiently critical In our study of God's Word, but now. In Divine providence, It Is possible for thoso even who have practically no knowledge of tho Greek nnd Hebrew to understand (he Scripture presenta tions thoroughly. If nny amongst my largo congregation are unsuccessful In finding authoritative works that show the Interpolations and mistranslations of tho Holy Scriptures, I shall he pleased to have them write to me for Information. Our text in tho common English ver sion misrepresents the true thought of tho original, but ns we have rendered It the matter Is so simple and clear that a child may understand. Jehovah God Is from everlasting to everlasting and had no beginning. The Logos had n beginning-he himself w as (lie be ginning. "In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was a God" ho was n mighty one, the beginning of creation, the first and the last crea tion of the God, the Almighty Oue "of whom, by whom and through whom are all (hlngs." All honor and majesty nnd worship belong primarily to the great Father of lights and to hlin Jesus directed the attention of his followers, saying. "After this manner pray ye Our Father which nrt in heaven, hallowed bo thy name." It Is nlwnys therefore eminently proper In the highest sense of the word that our petitions should ascend to "tho Father of Lights, from whom cornel li every good and every perfect gift." ' , It has pleased the Father to so honor his First Begotten Son, nnd to so re ward his faithfulness unto death, nnd to so make him the Head In all things over the Church which Is his Body, thnt It Is eminently proper that. In the language of the Mnster, "All men should honor the Son, even ns (hey honor tho Father" (John v, 23). They should not honor the Son instead of tho Father, however, for the latter de clares, "My glory will I not give to another." The exnlted Christ Is to be honored, yen, worshiped, becauso the Father has highly exrlted him and given him a name nbove every other nnmo, thnt at nnmo of Jesus every knee should bow nnd every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father (Phlllpplnns li, 811). Moreover, there Is a speclnl reason why all who recognize Jcsua as the world's Redeemer should recognize the propriety of Including him with the Father In their thoughts and In their SENATE FAVORS POPULAR VOTE Test Indicates BareS's R3so!j-toa-Wili Bj Fassed. Roll Call Overthrows Chair's Decision in Its Favor Heybprn Defeats At tempt to Get Day for Consideration by Spoiling Unanimous Consent. Washington, Jan. 11. That the sen rte at this session must face the ques tion as to whether the constitution shall be amended so as to require the election of senators by direct vote of tbo people was made apparent. A vote, which many senators considered a test of the sentiment of the senate, was taken and resulted largely In fa vor of the proposition. The matter arose in connection with the joint resolution for the amend ment of the constitution recently re ported from the committee on Ju dlciary. When that resolution was Men's Overcoats marked to close at prices tbat will move them. We mean busi ness. You can fee that these are blood cuts if you will look at them. JUST 3 PRICES s7 pio I4 CASH! Here you will find coats running in price from $10 to $25. All the handsome blacks, grays, brown mixtures, velours and cassimers, in presto collars, plain collars and auto styles. Fix these prices in your mind. Consider what it means to buy good coats from a reliable stock like ours at these low prices. Bring this ad with you and prove our statements. SENATOR EORAH. reached on tho calendar Kean was ready with an objection, which would have had the effect of preventing inv mediate consideration under the order of business Galllnger appealed to Kcan to with draw his objection. Kean consented, and the senatorial election resolution was launched upon its legislative voy age. Immediate Interest Aroused. The situation was such as to arouse the immediate Interest of the sena tors. Sutherland was prompt In ob taining the attention of the chair. He wanted to amend the resolution so as to strike out the provision giving the state legislatures supervision of elec tions and making other changes. Rayner suggested that as the amend nient went to the heart of the ques tion there should be time for consideration. Rayner did not press his point, but Sons THE HOME OF SATISFACTION WORRIED CONCERNING GIRL SENT FROM NC COOK A short time since Charles Martin received a card from iM. L. Ruby, of McCook, 6tatlng that he would start his little seven-year-old daughter, Ciena, on Burlington train No. 6, which left McCook at 6 p. m. last evening arriving In Plattsmouth at 7:56 this morning. Mr. Martin had In mind that the train arrived here at 8 o'clock, so that when he arrived at the station this morning the train h's plea was taken up by Senator Hale had already passed the station, and (Me.), whose position on the merits o . the little girl was not in sight. He the measure Is diametrically opposite immediately 'phoned to Pacific June He said he was sure that the resoht-, tion to the agent tnere to Bcn(j some non conn no i,e aciea upon wi .... . Qne tQ th(J conductor of No. 6 and jinuraricu donate, ue urgea ueueer-j ..... . . . , . n carried by, but the message arrived in the Junction after No. 6 had de parted for Chicago. Mr. Martin interviewed the con ductor of No. 15, which had left the Junction after the departure of No. 6, and the conductor stated that No. 6 was at that station at least ten minutes, and that the conductor would have undoubtedly sent the lit tle girl back had she been on the train. Mr. Martin then wired the conductor of No. 6 to make a search through his train for the little girl and have her return on the next train. He also wired Mr. iluby to know If he had started the little girl as stated on his card, and anxiously awaited a reply, but up to 10 o'clock had received no word from McCook. Mrs. Simpson and sons, Volney and Ivan, departed for their home at Bradshaw, Nebraska, thU morning, after visiting a month with her par entss, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Smith, at their residence near the city. ate movement and moved an adjourn mrnt of the pennto. The first vote wns viva voca. "Tho ayes appear to have It," announced the chair. "Never," exclaimed a half dozen senators. "Let us have the ayes and noes." Vote Against Adjournment. Accordlnsly, n roll call was ordered, with the result that forty-three of the sixty senators present voted against adjournment. Of the forty throe nega tive votes, twenty three were cast by Republicans?. Kiico-ir;i:4'Hl by this, Senator Borah prepared to press consideration vis cously. Ho did not desire to prevent del::.tn, h' Fald, and added he would not do so If ho could obtain the con sent cf the senate to name a day for a vote on the resolution and all amend ments. He suestod Tuesday, Jan. 24. Tor probably ten minutes the mem bers of the senate discussed the de tails or the proposition. ' Even Senator Hale appeared to fall In with the request. Borah's colleague, Senator Hoyburn, had not said a word r.p to this time, but when the chair put the request for unanimous consent ho said "No" and spoiled the entire plan. Borah seemed displeased nnd pro eroded to discuss the situation, saying the Sutherland amendment had been offered in committee and was perfect ly understood, as was the general prop odtlon. Carter did not agree. He wanted j time for consideration and for the digestion of the Sutherland and other intendments, which by this time had been presented by Senators Depew and Nelson. Cullom preferred a request for an executive session. Such requests by the venerable Illinois senator seldom fall on unheeding ears. This was no exception. After a brief session the senate ad Jonrned until Monday. the matter clearly when wo hearken prayers. This Is because, by Divine to the Apostle's statement Ho do- , appointment, ho Is the Church s Advo- clares that Messiah left tho glory, which he had with the Father befor3 the world was, and bumbled himself to take upon himself man's form and then consecrated himself even unto death all because of the Joy that tho Father had set before him. rate with the Father the One through whom we are acceptable to God, even the Father. IIqw could we, therefore, Ignord our Advocate, our Attorney, our Intercessor? And with the world In tlio future. throughout Messiah's reign, this will Tho Joy set before the Logos was (1) le equally proper, because then he will That thus he might serve the Heaven- be the world's Mediator, stnndlng ho ly Father's praelous purposes. tween God nnd men. until by his Me- (2) That bo might recover mankind dlatorlal Kingdom ho shall have lifted from tho stato of sin nnd death Into mankind from sin nnd degradation nnd which all were plunged by father tleafh. bnck to nctual Justification n Adam's one act of disobedience. harmony with God. Herman DR 1 Crsduate Vslcrinary Surgeon jfFormerly with U. S. Department Agriculture) JLicGmoJ by N:Lrack3 Stab Cc:rd Calls Answered Promptly ETelophone 378 White, Flattsmouth. m aytffi m-m A M li i t r. I t i J t : J E J Um k fl rf 9 UNEMPLOYED DEMAND WORK March to City Hall at Kansas City Led by Millionaire Hobo. Kansas City, Jan. 14. Led by JameR Fads How, "tho millionaire hobo," and a tall mnn carrying a tattered red flag, the unemployed of Kansas City inarched to the city hall, where they presented resolutions to Mayor Brown, asking for work. Later they wero served with a lunch of sand wlches and hot coffee on tho market square. The major delivered an ad dress pionilslng to help the men and the name an I record of each man was taken for future reference. tfS: IT. ft - ircvwc If -e 2 ALCOHOL, 3 PEIt CENT. AVcgelaWoPrrparaiion&rAs similatinrt (rtcFoodantlRcguta ling uV Stomachs aniUJowisi For Infants anrl Children. fllflfil The Kind You Have IVomolcsDigcslionflifetfiil-' ncss and nVsi.Contiins nciiiw Opiunt.Morphiric ncr!iacraL ot Narcotic. v Pmplill Srrd" jtLtSmm JMeWs- fltitrknwJrSiJi Mm Srrd- AnerTccl Remedy forConsfli! tion . Sour Stamach.lMarrhora Worras.ConvulsionsjcvTrisn ncss aiulLoss of Sleep. FacSiiratc Signarur of NEW YORK. Boars tlio Signature of n .iv In M1 Use For Over Thirty Years ruaranlerd under the Exact Copy of Wrapper. 1