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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 29, 1910)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, QTCEGON, SUNDAY, MAY 29, .19.10. -- , I--,-, ' ... .. ... . -... THIS SERMON IS A REGULAR WEEKLY FEATURE P- PEOPLES PULPIT... Ooo ooo- t bHELbI-Y 5 i PASTOR RUSSELL'S oeimon by CHARLES T. DISCOURSE RUSSELL, pT,.f" The Overthrow of Tabernacle. Satan's Empire Ooo I ooO London, Eng., Mny 22. Albert Mc tuorl.il Ilfill una again crowded to hear Fnstor Russell Tbo discourse, on "The Overthrow of Satan's Empire." wnB In the nnturo of a religious lec ture. It was marked throughout by deepest reverence for tho Bible, many of tbo passages of which shone out with a new meaning under the search light of his message. Ho asserted, and seemed to prove, the personality of Sa tan. Out according to his showing It Js u great mistake to suppose the Arch enemy of mankind to be afar off stok ing furnaces and torturing the dead. Instead, he Is the cunning Deceiver who for centuries has been hoodwink ing humanity. Including the Church putting darkness for light and light for darkucss. God did not create him a devil. Ho became such by self-perver-lon through ambition. Originally his name was Lucifer Morning Star. He beheld our first parents In Eden, noted their power to produce a race In their own likeness and coveted an empire with them as his subjects. For six thousand years God has per mitted Satan to exercise a measuro of deceptive power over the race and to display to both angels and men the ter rible results of sin. as exemplified In what the Apostle terms the "reign of sin and death," and the mental, moral and physical degradation resulting. Satan has not been alone. Not only Is he "the Prince of this world" or age, but additionally he Is the "Prince of devils" demons. The speaker show ed from the Scriptures (Genesis vl; Judo C) how these subordinate de mons bad once been holy angels, too and when and where they sinned, and how. "The Apostle Peter gives the key to the real solution of the matter when. In reciting the events connected with the flood, be tells us of the fall of the angels at that time, who 'In the days of Noah' 'kept not their first estate' (I Peter ill, 10, 20). Those angels who were permitted to have a measure of control of the fallen race, with a view to helping them as much as they might be able, and who, for the pur pose of rendering such assistance to mankind, were permitted to appear In human form, became enamored of the human female, and preferred the hu man form to their own state as spirit beings. They thus left their original estate, as Jude also explains (Jude C). These angels are the ones de nominated 'the sons of God,' none of the human family being given that name after the fall. The angels who fell from their noble work and condi tion, and became groveling and sen Bual. manifested clearly In their own course the downward tendency of all transgressions of the divine law. "The Apostles Peter and Jude clear ly mark out the punishment visited upon those 'sons of God' who thus be trayed their trust and fell into sin, 'leaving their own habitation,' their own nature, and affiliating with the human nature. Their punishment has been their deprivation of all such lib erties, and their separation from God and from the holy angels: and this re straint Is called, by the Apostle, 'chains of darkness,' while the re- strained ones themselves, instead of being recognized as 'sons of God,' or angels of light, were thenceforth known as 'angels of darkness,' 'de mons.' 'wicked spirits.' Incidentally we remark that these are the 'spirits In prison' mentioned by Peter (I Peter 111, 10), and that although restricted as respects their powers of fellowship with tho holy angels, and with man kind, being no longer privileged to ap pear as men, they still' seek human fellowship, endeavoring to gain posses sion of human beings who yield up their wills, and who are then said to be possessed of devils or 'obsessed.' It Is but n preliminary step toward thus getting possession of tho individual that these wicked spirits appeal to hu manity to become their mediums (spir it mediums), through whom they to soiuo extent communicate. And they personate dead human beings, because they know well that humanity would shun them und fear them if their real identity were discovered. "Satan and bis subordinates have maintained a system of human decep tion," the speaker declared, and It must be confessed that ho gavo Bib lical proofs for his every claim. Ho asserted that tho communications be lieved by SpIrltuallstB Dr. lAink. Prof. Hyslap, Editor Stead and others to bo communications from tho dend, are really deceptlvo communications from these fallen angels. So far from claim ing that theso professors and medi ums practice deccptlou, bis claim Is that they themselves are deceived and are- unintentionally leading others on ward into a terrible Spiritualistic maelstrom, which, ho declares, wo aro nearlng, according to the Blblo. IIo warned against hypnotism, mind cures, etc., practiced by well-meunlng but de ceived physicians, ministers and oth ers. IIo declared that all theso tended to break down the human will, the God-plvon bnrrier and defenso of man kind against the encroachments of these fallen angels, who seek contin ually to lntrudo themBolres Into the ..Q mind, thoughts and will of tncu. Do warned all ngnlust occult Influences of every kind, urging that the hnuinn will should bo preserved and should bo submitted only to the Almighty, and to him only Intelligently In accordance with his instructions in the Bible. Overthrow of Satan's Empire. "Satan, through false doctrines 'doctrines of devils.' has entrenched himself In the superstitious nud preju dices, uot ouly of the heathen, but also of the civilized. The creeds of the Dark Ages evidenced the fact that he bad much to do with their formulatiou. His false doctrines, antagonistic to the Bible, have been palmed off upon us as veritable Bible truths just as Satan endeavored to twist and misapply the Bible to Jesus In his wilderness temp tation (Mnrk 1, 13). Thus Satan ha caused gross darkness to cover the heathen and considerable darkness to cover the civilized earth. But wo are in the morning of the New Dispensa tion, which is to bring so much bless ing to the world of mankind in the opening of the eyes of man's under standing, and In physical blessings and comforts. As a result we have tho wonderful conveniences nnd appliances of steam nnd electricity, the printing press and tbo electric light, as Instead of the tallow candlo and quill pen of the past. 'Whatsoever doth make manifest is light;' nnd speciaMlght Is due also at this time to God's conse crated nconle. The Illumination now I granted to the eyes of our understand ing as Christians, through Bible study helps is intended to be for the Chris tian what the arc-light Is in nature. "Man's subserviency to Satan Is an unwilling captivity. Even those who realize their bondage do not generally recognize by whom they have been enslaved. But gradually tho bonds are breaking as we near the time of Satan's overthrow. According to the Bible our Lord at his Second Advent will bind the Adversary for a thou sand years that he may deceive man kind no more. Meantime all tho bless ed Influences of light and Truth and grace will bo let loose in the world and as a result, 'the knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth." Instead of the darkness of the night of sin nnd death there will be the 'morning of Joy,' and gladness and restitution and blessing. 'The sun of righteousness will arise with heal ing in his beams.' Of that glorious day Sulnt Peter spoke, saying, 'Times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preach ed unto you, whom the heavens must retain until tho Times of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all tho holy prophets since tho world began' (Acts HI, 10-21). Satan's destruction, according to tho Bible, will not be consummated until after the MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OP CHRIST shall have accomplished Its glorious work of uplifting human ity out of sin and death conditions to full human perfection nnd the image of God. All tho unwilling and dis obedient will be counted as servants of Satan nnd will, with him, be de stroyed in the Second Death extinc tion from which there will bo no re demption or recovery. Great MIsilonary Work. "The missionary work of blessing I and uplifting 'all the families of the earth' is appointed of God for the Mil lennial Kingdom nnd. thank God. the evidences are that it is very near, yea. in a sense, already beginning. Its blessings aro intimated by tbo wonder ful progress of our day. Everything waits uutil the predetermined number of Missionaries shall bavo been called and schooled and tested and found worthy of tho great and honorable work. The qualification is that each must be n 'copy of God's dear Son' so far as heart intention Is concerned. Then these Missionaries will bo glori fied like their Lord, on tho spirit piano aud with him they will constitute tho 'Kingdom of God's dear Son,' which for a thousand years will bless the world and bring to pass all that the Lord our God has spoken, and moro than wo could havo asked or thought. "Christian people have no need to upbraid themselves, on the score that tho missionary efforts of eighteen cen turies have accomplished comparative ly little. They have no need to bo dis couraged with tho fact that tho census returns show that in tho past century of tho greatest missionary endeavor the proportionate numbers of tho hea then have doubled (six hundred mil lions a century ago twelvo hundred millions today). This Is all as God foreknow and Intended. God did not purposo tho conversion of the heathen during this age, but commissioned his people to preach his Gospel to every nation for a witness, that tho Elect Mis sionaries for tho futuro work might bo gathered from overy country, peo ple and tongue. God's will has been done. Tho Adversary temporarily mis led the Church Into a misunderstand ing of her mission. He sought to have us lower our standard of saintshlp, in order to increase tho Church far and near. He sought to opposo tho Dlvlno will by lowering the standards of saintshlp so as to lncludo tho masses of mankind. IIo thus worked against Divine arrangements. But he has uot succeeded. God has merely allowed him to prove, test, separate and mani fest tho saints the 'very elect.' 4 A Great Time of Trouble. "Tho eomlr.g of "Jho light, tho loos lng of tho fetters of Iguorance and superstition from Oie minds that aro not submitted to God, the Scripture how us, will result lu n great time of trouble, In which the passions of men but partially enlightened will do great violenco to the entire social fnb rlc. We seo tho preliminary stops already being taken, and, In the light of the Scriptures, wo see tho uwful catastrophe which will result. The world la rapidly resolving Itself Into two mighty powers, selfishly nnd with seml-enllghtenmeut, preparing for a headlong collision which will mean wreck nnd ruin, tribulation nnd nn gulsh, to practically the whole world. The Bible, lu calling attention to this great time of trouble, warns tho peo ple of God, so far as possible to avoid both sides of tho controversy, saying. 'Seek meekness; seek righteousness. It may be that ye shall bo hid In tho day of tho Lord's anger' (Zephanlah 11. 3). With the wreck of present in stitutions comes tho end of Satan's regime. So terrible will bo the heat of passion and strife engendered nt that time that the Scriptures declare that If it were not for the 'Elect' there would be no tlesh saved (Mark xlll. 20). The Interposition of tho Elect as tho Kingdom of God under Jesus, the great King nnd Head of the Elect, is the silver lining to that dark cloud. The moment of man's extremity will be como the moment of God's opportunity. "So terrible will be that time of trou ble that the Scriptures symbolically represent It as a whirlwind: as a flood; and as a fire. Some have mls-Interpret- ed these Scriptures and are expecting a literal burning of the earth, but the Lord denominates it tho 'fire of his Jeal ousy, which will devour Society. And then he tells us that following the tiro of trouble he 'Will turn to the people n pure message that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to servo him with one consent' (Zephnnlah 111, 0). Satan has had much to do with cor rupting the message orlgfnnlly given to the Church by Jesus nnd tho Apostles. The Jarring creeds bavo made dis cordant sounds which have driven many noble nnd logical hearts away from the Bible. God's nssurance Is that the completion of tho Church Is near; that her change to tho heavenly glory In 'the First Resurrection' will soon be accomplished and that then tho reign of SIN nnd DEATn will end under, the Kingdom of Jesus. Then tho bondage of tho world to ignorance, superstition, etc., will tcnnlnntc; then 'all tho blind eyes will be opened nnd nil tbo deaf ears -will bo unstopped' and the Lord's pure message of Divine Justice, .Divine Love, Divine Wisdom and Divine Power exerted on man's behalf shall bo mndo known to every creature. "Fellow-Christians, what an Incen tive to become more nnd moro loyal nnd earnest as the servants of so great nnd gracious a Sovereignty that of our Father nnd our Redeemer! And what an Incentive we have to seek first. In preference to nil earthly inter ests, a share with our Savior in his Millennial Kingdom nnd Its gracious work of human uplift from the depths of sin and degradation to the heights of earthly perfection nnd eternal life! TAt ,,o na tlm AnnaMA nvlmrta lnt aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset us. and let uh run with patience tho race set before us" (Hebrews xll. 1). This race is for the 'crown of glory.' as members of the Elect Missionary Church and for the glorious opportunities then to be af forded for the realization of the most glorious dreams of service for the King of kings nnd Lord of lords. "We cannot suppose that Satan's Empire Is entirely satisfactory to him self. Undoubtedly bis original thought was the organization of n realm resem bling that of the Almighty. But the course of sin Is ever downward. To obtain control of our first parents they were misled Into steps of disobedience sin nnd tbo Adversary himself, hav-1 lng started upon the wrong course, can j maintain his own standing nnd king-! dom only by determined opposition to Jehovah. This is the significance of tho name given him In tho Scriptures Adversary.' "The Scriptures set forth that all hu manity must, either now or sorao time, ' come to the point of decision between obedience to God and disobedience, Tho obedient will bo guided back to ultimate harmony with tho Creator and obtain tho reward of Hfo eternal On tho contrary, tho disobedient, the wilfully rebellious against God and his righteous arrangement, taking the courso of Satan, will ultimately share his fate destruction. "Responsibility nnd tho decision as to llfo eternal nnd death otcrnnl, come to each member of Adam's rnco as soon oh ho Is brought Into a clear knowledgo of the Truth. This privi lege orforalng to n knowledge of tho Truth, tho opportunity of eternal sal vation, is secured to all tho families of tho earth, to Adam and every mem ber of his race, through tho great Re deemer's sacrlflco finished nt Cnlvury. Whllo thanking God for tho length nnd breadth nnd height nnd depth of bin glorious provision for tho world In general, wo who now hear this mes sago nnd heed It havo tho special bless ing and opportunity of Jolnt-hclrshlp with Jesus tho Redeemer In his great work of tho Millennial Ago. Let uh not only accept tho Dlvlno favor, but lot us run with pntlonco the rnco set beforo us, looking unto Jesus, tho Au thor and tho ono who shall bo theFlii lsher of our faith, seeking for needed aid to mako our calling and election surol" JWEDDINV? 1 ww-rs m mmmmmmmmJlldommmmmmmmmmm vifsS LET GEORGE DO IT" WHEN IN NEED OF FINE WATCH OR JEWELRY Repairing, Engraving or Manufacturing '.X tWI.GW n YlHillBBBV ObbI mmmmmmmmmmmmmmviomtsrwnm,mmSEmm THE BEST GIFT (LET GEORGE DO IT) MY SPECIALTY is manufacturing, engraving and repairing oi' fine watclies and jewelry. I can manufacture anything in the jewelry lino and havo the knowledge and materials necessary to accomplish quick results. A trial will prove to your entire satisfaction that anything entrusted to my care will recoivo expert at tention and be absolutely satisfactory. Complete Jewelry Stock It would be utterly impossible to find a more complete stock of jewelry in southern Oregon. DIAMONDS, Watches, Clock's, Fancy Jewelry Novelties of all descriptions and styles (tho very latest ideas just received), Silverware, Cut Glass, etc., etc. A call will convince you that this is the place to find the larg est assortments of first-class Jewelry, while our prices may not be the lowest, we guarantee quality second to none for the price asked. A VISIT IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED. George A. Butt FRUITGROWERS' BANK BLDG., WEST MAIN ST. WEDDING SILVERWARE I ZSPr,,,,,,-,.,-,,,, ? S THE HANAN SHOE accommo- dates itself to the foot It is made with the foot as a pattern; made so skill fully that style aiid comfort struggle for first place in your favor; made so well that their shape is the last thing to wear out. C. M. RIDD The Footfitter Phone 4351 112 W Main GOTO HUMPHREYS GUN STORE for FISHING TACKLE (Colgate's.... VASELINE PREPARATIONS TALCUM, SOAP, ETC. Just received, a most compli'lo assortment of Col gate's Vaseline Preparations, Cold Cream, Soap, etc. Colgate has a world roputiliou for producing the finest goo'l. in the lines bearinu lu's nai;.f You are never disappointed when you buy Colgate's prepara tions. TOILET ARTICLES AND SUNDRIES Our stock of Toilet articles is tho largest in the city A very fine assortment, including bath brushes, tow els, etc., etc. Bring us your prescriptions. ALL NIGHT PHONE SERVICE PHONE MAIN 3041 Medford Pharmacy NEAR POSTOFFIOE CENTRAL AVENUE - --. RODS FLIES REELS LEADERS the flexible kind with the right amount of backbone HLewell flies, the best that money can buy. Hardy reels, the best on earth. the best imported gut the kind that hold. Lines, Reels. Fly Books, Etc. High In Caste Low In Cost There may be as much character to SHOES as there is to tho man who wears them. WALK-OVER Shoes havo well de fined characteristics that stand up and out. Let us show you that this is true. SSMsi PRICES $4.00, $4,50 AND $5.00 kh !. Ait 'J '.-' ' j 1 -H "w