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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1912)
PASTOR RUSSELL ON MARS HILL Preaches to ths Athenians and Corinthians. THE MESSAGE OF ST, PAUL Reaffirms the Apostle's Argument God Offered Forgiveness to All Who Would Believe In Jesus Mankind Has Made Serious Mistakes Respect ing tke Divine Purpose Reward For Those In" Harmony With God. Corinth. Greece. March lO.-The !. B. S. A. Missions Investigation Com mit t e e is here. Tnstor Russell, Its Chairman, deliver ed an address In our largest Audi torium. Rev. Bos dnyannes served ns interpreter. Ills text was: "God hath appointed a Day in the which He will Judge the world." (Acts xvll, '31.1 lie said: Enroute to your city, I visited Ath ens. As 1 stood upon Mars Hill and made a short address, my mind revert ed to the account of Saint Paul's preaching there, and I have chosen some of His words on that occasion as my text. As St. Faul made no Impres sion there it is quite improbable that I made any. Indeed, the city today might well be described In the lan guage of eighteen centuries ago, as wholly given up to Idolatry. True, it ia not today fashionable in civilized communities to worship Im ages: and yet in another sense it is still fashionable. There is still a great worship of man throughout the civil ized world, but in a different form from that of old. No longer do we bow before wooden images, but before in ward images the images of our minds, our mental aspirations with some, wealth and fame; with others, ease and pleasure, and with still others, the -creed idols of ouf forefathers, misera ble misrepresentations of the true God. The Day of Judgment. Saint Paul on Mars Hill preached Jesus ami the resurrection Jesus af the Redeemer from the death sentence, making possible the resurrection of the dead by satisfying the demands of Di vine Law against the sinner the resur rection as the means or agency through which the blessing of the Savior's leat'u will reach Adnni and all th families of the earth. As we follow Saint Paul's thought we will surely bt blessed by his view of the Gospel. Addressing the Geutiles, the Apos tle explaips that for a long time God had "winked" at Polytheism and linage worshln. "but now," he says, "God i-omiuandeth all men everywhere to re jieut." Let us note the meaning ol these words. How did God "wink" al sin and idolatry? And does He still "wink" at it? And why did He change and when did He begin to command all men to repent? The answer Is that for four thousand vears Idolatry prevailed and God "winked" at or took no notice of It lie did not "wink" at the Idolaters' dy ing In their ignorance and say to the devils. "Take those poor creatures whe know uo better: Roast them to all eternity!" Nothing of the kind. Out forefathers merely imagined that and by false reasoning convinced them selves, and twisted some texts oi Scripture which they did not properlj understand in support of this theory, and then they handed it down to us tc our perplexity and to the testing oi our faith in God. (iod "winked" at idolatry and sin for four thousand years In the sense of uot noticing It. making uo comment on it. sending no reproofs, leaving the heathen in their Ignorance. The only exception to this was God's dealing? with the little uation of Israel. To the Jews He gave a Law Covenant which offered eternal life on the condition oi their thorough obedience to the Divine law, tho measure of a perfect man't ohiUtti, which they were unable to com ply with: and hence they died the anm u. did the heathen. All went to the Bitde hell-to the tomb-to. throl. tc lailrs, the state or condition of death an unconscious state, a "sleep." Jesus the Redeemer, God was in no haste to send the Re deemer: 41-S years elapsed before Jesus was born, and thirty years more before lie began Ills ministry. Had It been true, as some aver, that mil lions, for all those centuries were blind ly stumbling Into eternal torture for lack of u Divine revelation, we may be sure that our gracious God would not have left them without It. Who can think of n Just and loving God n trinklng nt the going of millions of UN creatures to eternal torture? But since they merely "fell asleep" in death. lie could very well "wink" at tho matter in view of His future plans, which we will consider shortly. The fact Is that no real offer from death could possibly be made until the Redemption price had been provided for the original sin under which they were condemned to denth. This Is the Apostle's argument, viz., that "now God commnndeth all men everywhere to re pent'' The now implies that He did not command men previously to re pent: and the reason why ne did Dot 1 I PASTOR. gUSStlti UU MJ 13 UJI1U11C.11, ill Ull lilt V'CIHIU they could do and all the righteous living possible to them would not have saved them they would have died any way. Hence there could have been no message sent to them, for if the mes senger had come and had said. Re pent, and live contrary to your fallen tastes and appetites,'' the people might properly enough have said. "Why. for what reason should we practice self denial, self-restraint? Would It bring ns any blessing of everlasting life or harmony with God?" The truthful an swer would have been. "No, because you are nlready under a death sen- I tence and alienated from God as sin- j ners." Hence. God merely overlooked or "winked" at the ignorance and super stition of the period from Adam to the close of the 4101 years. But as soon as Jesus had died, "the Just for the un just." to make reconciliation for in Viulty immediately the message wont forth God offered forgiveness and reconciliation to those who would be lieve in Jesus and would accept the Divine terms. Such have their sins forgiven. Such may come back to fel lowship with (!od. And, in the next Yge. such may eventually attain full human perfection by restitution proc esses, up. up to all that was lost in Adam and redeemed at Calvary. God's Appointed Day. Let us note carefully what the Apos tle says respecting God's appointed Day for the Judging of the world. lie says that the command to reeiit now goes forth to all men everywhere, "be cause God hath appointed a future Day. in which He will Judge the world." Tho Apostle does not refer to that Day as already begun, but ns merely ap pointed or arranged for In advance. He means that in arranging that "Jesus, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man," God was arranging that every man might have a Judgment or a trial, to determine whether or not he will be worthy of this blessing which Jesus' death provides him an opportunity to secure. The Day was future in Saint Paul's time, and it is still future, because God has other work which He proposes shall be ac complished first, before the world's Day of Judgment or trial shall begin. The world's trial Day or period of Judgment, or testing ns to worthiness or unworthlness for everlasting life, will be one of the thousand-year days mentioned by Saint Peter, who said, "A day with the Lord Is as a thou sand years." The same period is call ed elsewhere the "Day of Christ," the Day or period of Messiah's glorious reign. By the righteous ruling of Ills Kingdom, by the suppression of Satan and sin and the scattering of dark ness. Ignorance and superstition, by the shining forth of the Sun of Right eousness with healing In its beams, that glorious Day will bring blessing to the world in general opportunity for each Individual to come into Judg ment or trial, the result of which will be either the reward of life everlast ing or the punishment of death ever lasting "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power " That great thousand-year Day Is still future; and, meantime, the Apos tle's words respecting mankind are still true: "The whole crentlon groan eth and travalleth In pnln together" "waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God." (Romans viil. 22. 10.) If the nineteen centuries' delay In the introduction of this great Day seems long, let us not forget that It Is less than half as long as the period which preceded the period prior to the com ing of Jesus and Ills dying, "the Just for the unjust." Nor Is the. entire pe riod long from the Divine standpoint. For ns tho Prophet declares: "A thou sand years In God's sight are but as yesterday." or even shorter, "ns a watch In the night." The six great Days of a thousand years each. In which sin and death have reigned, are to be followed by a great Sabbath of rest from evil a thousand years of refreshment, relnvlgoratlon. upbuild ing. restltntlon.-Acts III. 10-23. "The Mystery of God." The purpose of the nineteen centu ries between the time when Jesus died as man's Redeemer and the time when He will take His Throne as the Re storer of Adam and his race is spoken of as a Mystery, because the great work of grace herein accomplished is measurably hidden from the world. The Jews do not understand It; they expected that Messiah's Kingdom and their own national exaltation would have come long ago. They cannot tell noio why they have been for eighteen centuries outcast from the Divine fa vor. It is a mystery to them. The Scriptures tell us who may kuow or understand this Mystery and when it will be finished. They say. "The secret of the Lord is with them (bat fear Him. unci He will show them His Covenant." They tell us that iu the days of the voice of the Seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the in.vatery of God shall be finished," which lie hath kept secret from the foundation of the world. Saint Paul refers to this mystery, saying that It was "hidden from past Ages and Dis pensations," mid that It "Is now re vealed to the saints." lie explains what it is, namely, that we should be fellow-heirs and of the same Body with our Redeemer I'phesliuw 111 . (i. This clearly means that the entire Church class, sometimes called "the Body of Christ, which is the Church." and sometimes styled "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife." Is to be sharer with the Redeemer In the sufferings of the pres ent life and In the glories of the fu ture. The uearly nineteen centuries of this Age. therefore, according to the Scripture, have been for the purpose, not of giving the world its trial for everlasting life or death, but for the trying, testing, the electing or selecting cf the Church, and her perfecting with her I.ird as sharers In "7. resurrec tion." "the First Resurrection." rbillp plans Hi. 10; Revelation xx. 0. We have In the past made two seri ous mistakes respecting the Divine pur poses. One was that we assumed fitti out Scriptural authority that the whole world is now on trial for eternal life, failing to see that it is merely the elect Church, the consecrated class. The other mistake Is that we reasoned as though the Church were part of the world and, therefore, that the trial of the Church meant the trial of the world. But hearken to the Scriptures respecting the Church: "Yc are not of the world, even as am not of the world;" "I have chosen you out of the world;" and again. "Let your light so shine before men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which Is in heaven" "In the day of their visitation."-! Peter li. 12. Two Different Rewards. We should notice also the wide dif ference between the reward promised tho Church and that proffered the world. In both cases the reward will be everlasting life. In both cases this will mean full harmony with God, be cause "All the wicked will God de stroy." And again we read that "Who soever hath the Son hath life, and whosoever hath not tho Son shall not see life." So, then, the attainment of everlasting life, either by the Church class or by the world, will mean com ing into full harmony with the heaven ly Father and with tho Lord Jesus, by the merit of Christ's sacrifice. It will mean a full turning away from sin and a full devotion to God and to right eousness. The difference will be as to nature. The reward for the world will be earthly nnture, human nature, with everlasting life in an earthly Paradise or Eden world-wide. Mankind never lost a spiritual or heavenly condition through Adam's disobedience, nor in any other manner. He never had such a condition or nature, or a right to it. that he could lose it. He was made man, "u .little lower than the angels." His crown of glory and honor was an earthly crown. Ills dominion was over the birds of tho air, over cattle and over the fish of the sea. This which be lost Jesus paid the redemption price for at Calvary; and these things lost are the very things which Jesus and His elect Bride will restore to mankind during the thousand years of the Mes sianic Kingdom. Thus we read: "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which teas lout." Partakers of the Divine Nature. The reward of the Church, eternal life, perfection and harmony with God, will be on the spirit plane wholly different from the human. Man in perfection will again be a little lower than the angels; but tho Church, us the Body of Christ, will share with her Lord In His exaltatiou. "far above angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named" the divine nature. This reward comes to the Church under a special covenant of sacrifice, which the Bible specifies. This Church class, like her Lord, must sacrifice tho earthly nature. earthly interests, hopes and aims, and must be begotten of the Father to a heavenly, spiritual nature, iu order to be a sharer In the First Resurrection; and she must enter Into her reward be fore the Messianic Kingdom can lie es tablished for the blessing of mankind iu general the saving of the world from sin and from death. Thus the Apostle wrote that the groaning creation "waits for the maul festatlon of the sons of God." (Romans viil, 10.) "Now nro we the sons of God, but It doth not yet appear what we shall be (how glorious, how greatt. but we know that when He shall ap pear we shall be like Illin." Our res urrection chnnge will make us like the Savior; as it written, "We shall all bo changed, in a moment, in a twin kllng," because "flesh and blood can not inherit the Kingdom of heaven." "Commandeth All to Repent." Come back again to Saint Paul's words. He does not say that God commanded the Church to icriice, for If sacrifice v- ,-e a command it would cease to be a sacrifice. Nowhere are God's people commanded to present their bodies living sacrifices, nor to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, nor to take up tho cross and follow Him. To the saintly these sacrificing features are set forth as u privilege ns an op portunity. If they do these tilings the Divine arrangement Is that through the imputation of Christ's merit their sacrifice will be holy and acceptable unto God, and they will be granted n share with the Redeemer in His high exaltation the reward of sacrifice, of self-denlnl, of loving, voluntary serv ice to God. the truth and the brethren. But to the world In general tho Lord issues a command, viz.. Repent; turu from your sins; come back to Me; seek My face; seek to kuow and do My will. The basis of this command is the Di vine declaration that God's grace has provided redemption in the blood of Jesus, a reconciliation through His blond, and that by nnd by the whole world will be on trial for life or doih everlasting, in u great Day of trial, which God has ordained nnd over which Christ and the Church will su pervise, ns Judges. Whoever comes to u knowledge of this great Divine arrangement through Christ has an Incentive to live right eously, soberly nnd godly In this pres ent time. Whoever hears nnd heeds this command is laying up for himself a good treasure of character nnd prep aration for his life or death trial In the great Judgment Day of the Messianic Kingdom. Whoever Ignores this knowl edge and "sows to the flesh" will find himself renplug to the flesh further weakness, further degradation and se verer stripes or punishments in that great thousand-year Judgment Dny. MALT TO BE MADE IN TARIFF BILLS Congress May Adjourn Be'ore National Conventions. SENATE MAYYET COMPROMISE Progressive Republican Member of Upper Chamber Believe Common Ground May Be Reached With Dem ocratsWool Bill Will Be Last. Washington, March 11. Curtailment of the Democratic tariff revision pro gram, with a view to "speeding up" congress to permit adjournment be fore the national conventions, is now the expressed aim of the Democratic mnjorlty iu the house. Republicans and Democrats in the senate and house are chafing over de lay iu actual legislation that threatens to crowd congress later on. Democrat ic Leader Underwood of the house, chairman of the ways and means com mittee, indicated that the wool tariff revision bill, which is to be reported probably within ten days, will bo the last of the revision measures at this session of congress. The Idea has been discussed by leaders of both par ties in both houses and those who have conferred have expressed the view that congress was likely to he away from Washington before the gathering of the Republican clans at Chicago, on June 18, and the Demo crats at Italtlinore, on June 25. Tariff Revision to End. "I think our tariff revision bills will end with the woolen schedule, which we expect to report within ten days," said Underwood. "There is no use for us to go any further until we find out what the senate is going to do with the bills already passed and what the president is going to do. We have passed a steel bill. We have passed a sugar bill, and then we will have a wool bill. "We UI have made our record in the tariff with these schedules and I am opposed to going any further if the work is wasted." "Will congress adjourn before the national convention?" Underwood was asked. "I am doing everything in my pow er to bring that about and I confident ly believe that it will be accomplished. As soon as the sugar hill is out of the way I may bring in the excise tax bill I have not quite made up my mind whether to follow with It immediately after tho sugar bill is passed, but prob ably will, as I view the situation now. If not the appropriation bills will be taken up. The diplomatic bill, postof fice bill, legislative bill and others are all ready. These can be hastened through. "I see no reason why adjournment cannot be reached before the conven tions." The Democratic program in the sen ate is to stand solidly behind the house steel bill and, in a general way, to support the Democratic measures that come over from the house. Tho rpgular Republicans, standing on what they assert to be definite assurance that the president will veto any re vision legislation not based on tariff board reports, will solidly oppose house bills not based on such reporiu. Wool Provisions Doubtful. The house Democrats are talking of a free wo:l bill, though Democratic Leader Underwood Insists that even silk or rubber would not raise the nec ossary revenue to offset the loss from free wool. Political conditions make tho fate of any such measure on which the house ways and means committee will begin final work next week, prob lematical in the senate. While progressive Republican sena tors, it is reported, are not acting gen erally In concert on the tariff, some of them believe that, falling concessions from the regulars of their own party, some common ground may he reached with the Democrats to aehlee re vision s'lcfss In the senate. Senator Cummins In now preparing a measure with this end In view. Democratic Trader Martin and some of his party ! colleagues share In the belief that this co-operation may be possible after Democratic senators have gone on rec ord for the straight Democratic meas ures. It Is a question how far the progressives nnd Democrats, respec tively, may bo willing to yield. Private Killed by Policeman. Newport. R. I., March 11. Ed ward K. Jones, a private of the One Hun dred and Twenty-ninth coast artillery, was killed by a shot fired by Patrol man Gentile while he was trying to disperse a crowd of disorderly artil lerymen from Fort Adams. Oentlle claims his pistol was accidentally dis charged. Man Hurt In Wolf Trap. Ashlr-.nd, Wis., March 11. Reaching for a piece of meat behind a log that he did not know was attached to a wolf trap loaded with high explosives, Cioorgo Wright, resident of Madeline Island, was nearly killed. His hand was torn off and his body mutilated from the effects of the explosion. Woman Hurt In Fall From Clouds. Paris, March 11. Mrs. Dtiancourt. while making a flight at Issy, dropped from a great height. She managed partially to right her machine before it struck the ground. She was seri ous Injured. Her husband was re cently killed In an automobile accident. CKRISTIBEL P1SKHHRST. Suffragette Daughter of Famous Agitator, Who May Join Mother In Jail. TAFT TAKES NINE OUT OF THIRTEEN Gels More More Than 100 Del egates lor Slate Convention. Des Moines, March 11. In nine of the thirteen Republican county con ventions hold In Iowa President Taft secured more than 100 Instructed dele gates to the state convention. Clark Democrats are Jubilant over the result of tho four Democratic coun ty conventions, three of which In structed for tho MIssourian. Marshall county Rent an unlnstructed delegation. Cummins leaders report a gain in Audubon county, where the delegation was divided. The delegation has five more progressives on it than it had two years ngo. Caucuses were held in a portion of Buena Vista county and in all of the Taft precincts. According to tele graphic information received at Cum mins' headqunrters, the results footed 82 to 5 in Cummins' favor. Elghty thrct votes will control the county convention and with the Cummins pre cincts yet to choose their delegates, a clean Cummins victory seems certain. The icsn't in Buena Vista in tho Eleventh is particularly pleasing to the Cummins forces, according to John Briar. Senator Cummins' secretary. The Cummins men are figuring all of the Roosevelt delegates elected as Cummins strength on ballot in the state convention. They are much elated over the split in Mills county and tie result In Pnge, which went for Roosevelt. Despite the big lead In delegates elected that has been gained by the administration forces, progressive leaders Insist they have the strength in the Second. Third. Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Tenth and Eleventh districts that is going to control the state con vention nnd he election of the four delegates at large to the national con vention After a hitter fight the Cummins fcrcea won In Warren county. Madi son and Marlon counties will have Taft delegates nt the district conven tion In D"s Moines tomorrow. Dallns has a split delegation. Senator Cum mins will win his first two district delegates to the national convention from the Seventh district. Increase In Iowa High Schools. Reports to the state department of education are to the effect that there has been a considerable increase in the attendance at the high Bchools of the state, as a result of the state tu ition law. Under this law the pupils from rural schools who have graduated from the eighth grade are permitted to enter town high schoolu and compel the home district to pay the tuition. Because of this law there are many students from the country going Into the high schools. Boosting Beef Industry. A campaign was launched at Des Moines to revive the beef cattle indus try in Iowa, when a meeting of the executive board of the Iowa Beef Cat tle Producers' association was hold to plan the work which will be done by Rex Beresford, who is employed as a bef expert by the association. Ar rangements have been made for bee? cattle trains to he run over the rsl! roads of tho state during the months If October and November. Dairy Special Leaves Dubuque. Dubuque, la.. March 11. The state dulry special under the direction of Hugh G. Van Pelt, state expert, Com mlssionpr W. B. Barney and Assistant J J. Ros, left Dubuque for a tour of the Illinois Central lines In Iowa to conclude In a week at Sioux City. An enthusiastic meeting was held In Du buque. Jury Disagrees In Census Frand Case Tacoma, Wash., March 11 The jury In tho case of Elmer L. Amldon. accused of census frauds In Tacoma. filled to reach a verdict and was dis charged. A second trial will be held. Amldon wan a census enumerator here pnd was charged with being Implicated with fraude that added 33,000 fic titious names to the roll. - . :- - A " i i COURT FALLS BACKjN WORK State Supreme Bench Still Coa- tinues to Lose Ground. STALLION LAW TO BE TESTED Week Will Seo Papers of Both Taft and Roosevelt-La Follette Primary Can didates Filed far Contest Big Day for Democrats. Lincoln, March 11. Tho supreme court at tho present time is from twen ty months to two years behind with, its work, or iu other words a case filed today will be heard in the ordi nary course of events In that length of time. What, is still more discouraging the court is gradually falling behind instead of digging out under the pile of litigation. One reason for this is found in the habit which some Nebraska attorneys appear to have of appealing practical ly every case in which they can indue clients to take such action. The trlT iallty of many of the cases is notable. One instance of recent date is where a case Involving an attachment against a $40 sewing machine was ap pealed twice to the supreme court and In the finality the costs amounted to more than $100. Another case of comparatively recent vintage Involved a difference of $8 over a deal In hay and this Involved costs of about $300. It Is estimated that more than B0 per cent of tho civil litigation In the court involves sums less than $500 and IS per cent of It less than $200. An aggravated feature of the situa tion is that tho more the court geta behind the more cases will be need lessly appealed, for It offers an oppor tunity for delay to litigants who have who have that for their sole purpose. They appeal and let the case practical ly go by default when it actuauy comes to a hearing and in the mean time have gained time to straighten themselves out or accomplish what ever purpose delay Is useful for. Soon Ready for Contest. It Is expected that the present week will see the papers of both the Taft and Ia Folletto-Roosevelt primary candidates filed and everything cleared In readiness for the primary contest Up to the present only a few of the , candidates for electors have filed, and this requires a simple declaration ol the candidates. One thing Is apparent and that Is the obtaining of the neces sary petitions Is more of a task than either party anticipated. To organise the machinery and get it working to obtain the required number of signers nnd have them distributed as provided by law Is of Itself a big task. The di rections appear simple enough, but many make mistakes and the papers must go back and the work all done ver again. Among the Democrats the big thing Is March 19. In the evening there will be the Bryan birthday banquet and In the afternoon of the same day Is the conference of progressive Dcmo crnts. Will Test Stallion Law. Frank lams of St. Paul has decided to test tho new stallion registration lnw. He Is one of the heavy Import ers of draft and other horses and up to date has refused to have his horses In rpectPd under the law; asserting that it is unjust, nn unnecessary burden on horse owners and accomplishes no pood purpose. He has brought Injunc tion proceedings nnd the pnpers were served on the members of the stallion registration board. He, in common with some other Importers, asserts the law Is unconstitutional. Another teat of the law will cony In the trial of the members of tho firm of Robinson ft North, who have been, arrested on tho charge ot selling a stallion which had not been inspected. This case Is set for trial March 18. Consult Over Colony. Iinls Klein of Chicago has been In Lincoln consulting L. V. Guye, labor commissioner, regarding the settle ment of a colony of Chicago Jews who are anxious to locate on Nebraska farms. They are particularly anxious to get located this year and Mr. Guye Is hopeful of accomplishing thl. He has In mind a tract of land sufficient ly large and which Is especially adapt cd to dairying, with which these peo ple are famlllnr. and It Is thought the deal can be consummated and the peo plo move onto the lnnd by the time grass starts. "Forage" Disease Killing Horses. A. Rnostroni, state veterinarian, says that the disease which has killed po many hors"s In Nebraska the last winter is commonly called tho "for age" disease, because it is caused, like the famous cornstalk disease In cattle, from something which Is con tained on the fodder which horses eat. He has no accurate list of the num ber of horses which have died, but es timates that from 1,000 to 1.500 hnve been victims. Ono peculiarity la that It seldom attacks the tough range ponies or horses of that class, but the letter clars of animals are victims. Man's Death Caused by Bite of Dog. Columbus, "Neb., March 11. Peter Zumbro, aged about sixty years, met his death by being bitten by a large mastiff, owned by Al Duncan. The beast bit him on the leg and ruptured on artery.