Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1913 — WHO MAY PRAY AND WHO MAY NOT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHO MAY PRAY AND WHO MAY NOT

Praytr Is Not i Duty, M u Inestimable Privilege, Says Pastor RossalL Sinners May Approaeh Him Only In the Appointed Way—"No Man Cometh Unto tho Father but Ify Me." Formal iatio Prayer Velueleee—Public Prayer—Private Prayer—Family Prayer—Prayera Which Never Aooand to God —Rejected Prayere—Prayers es Praise and TAnksgiving— Inoenae Before God —The Prayere the Baintly Are Limited.

Springfield, Mass., July 13. Today opens an eight day Convention of the International B iB LI Students Association. The attendance is large. Pastor Russell was one of the speakers today. We report his discourse on Prayer, from the text,

“Mine House shall be called an House of Prayer for all people.”—lsaiah 56:7. The Pastor said: These words applied to the Jewish Temple, which in torn was typical of the Spiritual Temple of the future. The anti typical Temple has not yet been built. St Peter describes (it as the Church In glory, whose chief Corner Stone Is Christ and whose living stones are the saints of God, now being chiseled and polished for places In that Temple. Aa the stones of Solomon’s Temple were all completed before the construction was begun, so the Church of Christ will be constructed at the end of this Age, after all the “living stones” shall have been fitted for glory. This will be accomplished by the power of the First Resurrection —“changed in a moment In the twinkling of an eye”; for “flesh and blood cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God.” Aa In the type, so the finished antitypical structure will be followed by Divine recognition. The Temple will be filled with the glory of the Lord, and thus marked as His dwelling place forever. Thus will be established—vary soon, we trust—God’s antitypical House of Prayer, wherein and whereby all mankind may come Into fellowship with their Creator and have communion with Him through Elia appointed agencies. > Only Conseorated Priests Pray, When I refer to consecrated priests, said Pastor Russell, do not misunderstand me to mean the clergy of any or all denominations. Tbs Bible recognises no clerical class, but declares, “All ye are brethren. One Is your Master, even Christ” (Matthew 28A) For eighteen centuries God’s work in the world has been to call out a Royal Priesthood class. Jesus, their High Priest was first called to suffering and then to glory; and His footstep followers have done the same. Through this Boyal Priesthood the world will, In the future, have access to God. Wrong Views Rospooting Prayer. Pastor Russell then showed condoaively that nearly all have discerned the subject of prayer very indistinctly. Sinners have been urged to pray; moralists, who have never accepted Christ as their Savior, have been chided ter not praying. The impression has been given that God la very anxious to be approached by anybody at any time. This the Pastor declares Is a mistake. As no one would think of rushing la- - frrmiiiiy into the presence of an earthly potentate, so none should expect to enter the Divine Presence without preparation, and to aak Heavenly flavors with selfishness more or less flElng the heart God has a special arrangement whereby His consecrated people may approach Him. “We [the Royal Priesthood! have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,” writes' the Apostle John. But before the Redeemer will become Advocate for any, certain terms must be compiled with. He serves only those who become His disciples. None others have shy assurance whatever of Divine supervision of their affairs, or any authority for coming to God in prayer. The Pastor stated one exception to fttta Divine rule. The children of consecrated parents have a standing before God through their relationship to their parents. But this standing manifestly terminates shortly after the reaches a personal knowledgs of Us responsibilities. Thereupon it most make a personal covenant with the Lord, or else have Its standing with fbe remainder of the world. {That standing, the Pastor remfitded bis hearers, does not mean Jlability to everlasting torment It means alienation from God and His special providences in the present time; for the Divine arrangement Is for tbs ultimate blmlag of Adam and ajl of bis posterity through the Messianic Kingdom. The Pastor concluded by declaring that the truth on this snbject may bring many indifferent ones to the point of decision and thus greatly benefit them. He believes that many (Christians are asleep, and should be •wakened to realise that they are trifling with the Gospel call. Bucb may Ske to find themselves forever outtbe High Calling «AdLth* privltepse es the Church.