Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 137, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1913 — IF WE DENY HIM HE WILL DENY US [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IF WE DENY HIM HE WILL DENY US

Ripudiation of Christ Isa Smiling Sin, Says Pastor Russell. Faith la Waning—Learned , and Rich Already Faithless The Common People Rapidly Becoming 80—The Rich Bubetitute Pleasure*—The Poor Have No Substitute—Together the Ingrafting of Hopelesaneaa With In* telligence Means Anarchy—Old Creeds No Longer Endurable—The Goa pel of the Kingdom the Only Hope.

Dallas, Texas, June K—Pastor O. T. Russell spoke twice here today. We report his discourse to Bible Students. The text was: "If we deny Him, He will deny us.” (2 Timothy 2:12.) He said: Great riches have come to the world within the

past sixty years, especially to Europe and America.. Instead of the hearts of the prosperous uplifting with gratitude to God, the tendency seems to be away from God, and especially away from His Bon and from all thought of a share In His redemptive work, or a need for it Business activities and prosperity have dwarfed the prospects of Messiah’s Kingdom. But with the growth of wealth have come saner and more reasonable views of Justice. The folly of accumulating money for others to squander has impressed Itself. The rich of Europe and America are giving themselves more leisure in the prime of life, leaving opportunity for others to take their places In the commercial world. None could wish that our great business men become sluggards. Our wish should be that their tnatnrer years might be gratuitously devoted to the promotion of philanthropic plans for the aid of the lower classes. Doubtless millions of money would flow into such bands for disbursement along broadly economic lines. There is room for such benevolences In every land, but especially in countries under British and American control, where commercialism absorbs some of the ablest talent, leaving comparatively little opportunity for the leas progressive. All over Great Britalh wnd in nearly every state of the Union there are splendid opportunities toe such work. Then there are the Naming millions of India, existing under conditions not fit for a good dog. These are our brethren of the one Mood, as St Paul declares. None dispute the necessities of the case. The sympathetic are appalled at the money and labor necessary to cope with conditions. Heaven looks with Interest to note bow our showers of blessings offset our hearts.

The Responsibility of Knowledge and Rlohee. Amongst the rich are many noble Christian hearts in perplexity as to what to do with their wealth. The Pastor's suggestions are based upon Ids observations in all parts of the world. He thinks that the Lord Is pouring out wealth upon professed Christians to test them. From this viewpoint, the world Is under Divine Inspection, and God seems to be warn* ing the prosperous that their present course is not wise. Let us make no mistake, said the speaker earnestly. Pleasure-seeking is the timid of the whole world. God is being forgotten by both poor and rich, and the end of the lane is near—“a time of trouble such as never was.” With the awakening of true Christianity has come a substitute —Ohurchlanity. For years Christian faith has been declining, under the attacks of Higher Criticism and Evolution, and the neutralizing influence of love of pleasure. One Bible doctrine after another has been dropped, while Chnrehlanlty has come forward as a form of godliness, but destitute of power. Apparently the modern attempt to Ignore doctrine has been a great mistake, which Is now bearing its legitimate fruit in that very tew Christians know definitely what the Bible teaches. The effect on the rising generation is disastrous. Seeing the doctrines of all denominations discredited, they pereetve that the Bible Is classed with the creeds. This is the alarming mistake. The sooner we are rid of our creeds, the better. But if we lose the Bible, are we not losing the very foundation of faith and hope beyond the present? The Loss Is Greater to Bome. The average man needs''the Gospel Message of hope in order to make the trials and sorrows of life endurable; In order that these may so operate as to serve as lessons in character-devel-opment and produce a desire to be acceptable to his Creator, and to attain everlasting life. The Pastor trusts that ministers may be encouraged to proclaim the Gospel if Hope beyond the grave—for the saintly a hope of Joint-heirship with Christ in His Kingdom, and for the remainder of mankind a hope that they will receive only just punishment for afM proportionate to their wilfulness, lad that the Lord's gracious arrangement is to grant all an opportunity of restoration to human perfection in a world-wide Eden w brought about by the Messianic Kingdom, which Is oven at the door.