NO. 251: THE THREE WORLDS - CONDITIONS AND PEOPLES - (PART FOUR)

by Epiphany Bible Students

No. 251

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

(Continued from No. 250 – April 1, 1976)

As explained in previous papers, the first world – “the world that was” – con­sisted of but one Age or Dispensation; the second world – “this present evil world” ­has been comprised of three Ages: (1) the Patriarchal Age, (2) the Jewish Age, and (3) the Gospel or Christian Age. The latter is now rapidly drawing to a close, and will immediately he followed by a new order of affairs “wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:13)

In Eph. 2:7 St. Paul speaks of “the Ages to come”; and the Bible reveals that the first of these will he the Millennial Age. The words Millennial and Millennium at such are not in the Bible, but the idea contained in those words is very clearly taught there­in. Millennium is a Latin word – an adjective meaning thousand–yeared. In Latin it is combined with the noun regnum (kingdom). Therefore, the expression regnum millennium means thousand-yeared kingdom. The Latin adjective millennium has been accepted liter­ally into English, but as a noun instead of an adjective – and refers to that period of time in which Christ and His Church will reign over the earth and mankind – the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth.”

This thought is clearly demonstrated in many Scriptures, such as 2 Tim. 4:1, Jas. 2:5, Rev. 3:21, 11:15, 20:4-9. In Rev. 20:4 it is expressly stated that “they (the Church) lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” And Rev. 5:10 states, “We shall reign on the earth”; thus, the earth will have to be here for that thousand years if the Christ Company is to reign on it during that time. And Rev. 11:15 states further, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever” (throughout the “Ages to come”). The set­ting of this last text clearly shows that the setting up of this “reign” is to be pre­ceded by much turmoil and violent disorder, after which time “He maketh the storm a calm” (Psa. 107:29, Matt. 8:26). This Matthew text is a striking demonstration of how it will be then. That thousand-year reign is also described in the Bible as “the day of the Lord” – “the day of God” – “that day,” etc.; which infer the Millennium, because “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.” (2 Pet. 3:8; Psa. 90:4)

The Millennial Age immediately follows the last Age (The Gospel Age) of “this present evil world,” and is, therefore, the first Age or Dispensation of the “world to come,” and will be the first thousand years of the third world. It will be followed by the “Ages to come.” How many of such Ages there will be we do not know, because the Bible is silent on the matter; but we do know that the “world to come” will be endless; “Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation... world without end” (Isa. 45:17) – “He shall reign for the Ages of Ages.” (Rev. 11:15, Dia.) Therefore, apart from the Millennial Age – the first Age of “the world to come” – we know almost nothing about the Third World, except that its many Ages will be completely devoid of evil – with all beings in Heaven and on earth in harmony and peace with each other ­“They shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” (Zeph. 3:13)

God’s revealed “Plan of the Ages” (Eph. 3:11, Dia.) covers the period of Creation in “the world that was” to the close of the Millennium (the “world to come”); therefore, it would profit us nothing to attempt to delve into that which has not been revealed. We are told in Rev. 20:12 that “another book was opened,” and it would seem from this that a third division of the Bible will be added to the Old and New Testaments, which will offer some enlightenment on a future that is now very dim to us.

We would be better occupied here to consider some of the workings of the Millennium as they are revealed to us now. Rev. 22:3 says that when the Throne of God is estab­lished in the earth “there shall be no more curse.” However, it is clearly stated in various Scriptures that presently we do experience the effects of the curse – the curse that was pronounced upon Adam as a result of his disobedience. (Gen. 3:16–19; Rom. 5: 12–21; 8:19,20,22; 1 Cor. 15:21,22) This curse affects mankind physically, mentally, morally and religiously. The imperfect conditions that now prevail in the earth have placed a great burden on man physically. As we see things today, the great majority of the human race is engaged in a vicious struggle just to keep alive – to have food, cloth­ing and shelter sufficient for survival. It is axiomatic that man lives in hope, and dies in despair. Heat and cold, myriad of disease germs (it is stated that man is sub­ject to about 2,000 different maladies), major calamities such as earthquakes, violent storms, etc., continually sap man’s vitality. Man’s inhumanity to man, coupled with “the darkness that covers the earth, and gross darkness the people” (Isa. 60:2) hangs over the human race like a black night without stars or moon. Over the centuries the hereditary effects of these evils have tended to make man weaker and shorter of years in life.

The imperfect condition of the earth (including fermentation, extremes of climate and very poor quality of air) has greatly dwarfed man’s mental powers. While there has been great dissemination of general knowledge during the past hundred years, we do not have any minds on earth today that would compare with men such as Moses, Solomon, Euclid, St. Augustine, Shakespeare, etc. The rigors of life have been so severe that man has been so forced to neglect his mental development that ignorance has been widespread; and it still continues so with the great majority – even in the more enlightened countries. Error, too – both secular and religious – has made inroad upon the intellect, so that many openly admit they do not know what to believe. St. Paul was acutely conscious of this: “Henceforth walk ye not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them.” (Eph. 4:17,18)

While the untamed earth has taken heavy toll upon man’s physical, mental and moral powers, it has been even worse on his religious perceptions. Many disregard religion entirely, which has caused atrophy in this the finest of his faculties. As we view the multifarious religious cults today – all of them contradicting each other in major doc­trines in Christendom, and even worse in heathen lands – it would produce in us gross dis­couragement were it not for the grand promise that “In this mountain (His Millennial king­dom) the Lord will destroy the face of the covering cast over all people (the death pro­cess which collects its unrelenting toll from all), and the veil (of ignorance and super­stition) that is spread over all nations.” (Isa. 25:7) This will be the overall grand result of the thousand–year reign just ahead of us.

That there is great need for relief from all of the foregoing all will agree; and many well–intentioned persons and organizations are making great effort to assuage the various evils that afflict mankind; but each century seems to make things worse instead of better, so that St. Paul describes this present time as “the evil day.” (Eph. 6:13) However, man’s effort to rid himself of the evils that afflict the race will continue in failure; his effort is a feeble attempt to lift himself up by his own bootstraps – an impossible thing. This was vividly demonstrated in the Jewish Age through failure to keep the Law; and it has been even more so in the Christian Era, despite the great enlighten­ment and spiritual blessings that Christianity has wrought.

But, what man has been unable to do for himself, the Millennial kingdom will accom­plish when the prediction is realized: “We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to thee Thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Rev. 11:17) That power will remove the curse from the earth, and will restore Edenic conditions – perfect life in perfect surroundings. All error shall then vanish from the earth, and Truth will prevail in secular and religious matters. Death and the death process will be lifted. “The creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.” (Rom. 8:21) “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) “These words are true and faithful.” (Rev. 21:5)

False religions shall disappear under that reign; oppressive governments shall be eliminated; no more back–breaking labor to enrich the few and enslave the many. The Millennial reign will accomplish all of this in the centuries immediately ahead; and bring it to full conclusion by the year 2874. Self–evidently, these good operations will com­pletely overthrow “this present evil world,” whose history since the flood has been filled with gruesome records of blood, cruelty and tears.  “Man’s inhumanity to man makes count­less thousands mourn.” This has been pronouncedly true since “the time of the Gentiles” began in the Fall of 607 BC, and which continued for 2520 years to the Fall of 1914. “Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.” (Dan. 4:16) A “time” is a Jewish year of 360 days; and “seven times” would be 2520 literal days, or 2520 actual years.

Concurrent with the foregoing, Satan has “blinded the minds” of the many, so that “the whole world (Kosmos – present social order) lieth in wickedness.” (1 John 5:19) He has concocted especially six great errors: Divine right of Kings, Divine right of the Clergy, Divine right of the Aristocracy, Consciousness of the Dead, Transformation of the Dead into spirits, and Eternal Torture in the Lake of Fire. Thus, “His kingdom was full of darkness” (Rev. 16:10), which has produced a “night of weeping” (Psa. 30:5); but joy of the Millennial morning will shortly dissipate all this.

RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS

The Apostle Peter says this Millennium will accomplish “the restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:21) Restitution means a return to an original state, which implies (1) an original state; (2) a leaving or a loss of that original state; and (3) a restora­tion to that original state. If man is to have Restitution, we are forced to three con­clusions: (1) his primeval perfection in the image and likeness of God at his creation; (2) his fall through sin under the curse to his deficiencies as we see them today; and (3) his uplift out of present adverse conditions, and his restoration (Restitution) to his original state.

The Scriptures are very clear in substantiation of the foregoing. “God saw every­thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31) “As for God, His way is perfect.” (Psa. 18:30)   As for man’s sinful condition, the evidence of it is ev­erywhere about us. His relief from the present undone condition is the declared purpose of restitution, which is synonymous with the Millennial kingdom. One of the first steps in this matter will be to eliminate “the father of lies,” that is, the Devil (John 8:44), which in turn will allow free and fluid teaching and understanding of the Truth. “Satan bound for a thousand years (the Millennial kingdom)... that he should deceive the nations no more.” (Rev. 20:2,3)

The means of accomplishing this has already been provided by the sacrifice of Jesus the giving of His life and life rights for Adam and his descendants. Jesus kept the Di­vine Law perfectly, which would have secured for Him the right to perfect existence, per­fect environment (home, food, air, water, fellowship with God and man, with dominion over the earth, its atmosphere and creatures). In sacrificing all of these things through His death on the cross He was able to purchase the race in perfection as Adam had enjoyed these things in Eden. This purchase guarantees restoration – restitution – to all who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity.

By opportunity we mean faith and obedience to the Divine Law. Restitution will not be forced upon any one; it is a privilege, not a command, to be consummated gradually during the Millennium with all the assistance necessary to acquire it. Imperfect man at that time will be no more able to keep the Divine Law perfectly than he is able to do so now; but he will be aided in all proper ways to enable him to gain perfection. “An high­way shall be there... The way of holiness....... the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein... the ransomed of the Lord shall return... with songs and everlasting  joy up­on their heads.” (Isa. 35:8–10) This is described otherwise as the “New Covenant” – in contrast with the old Law Covenant – “Saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.” (Jer. 31:31-33)

In “this present evil world” the sins of the parents have been visited upon the chil­dren. Thus, many are brought into this world under unbearable handicaps – through no fault of their own; but it will not be so in the Age just ahead. “In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jer. 31:29,30) Divine Truth will come freely to all; it will be “the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:2) Thus man­kind will be shown what to believe, what not to believe, what to do, what not to do – in secular and religious matters – “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9) The cobwebs of error will be swept away, and the people will then desire to render obedience through the inherent reasonableness and inherent strength of the Lord’s Word.

The various Scriptures we have quoted herein witness with harmonious and powerful voice that the Millennium will bring to the living and the dead the privileges and bless­ings of restitution.  “All that are in their graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” (John 5:28,29) The first three chapters of Genesis treat of the original para­dise (“The Lord planted a garden – paradise – eastward in Eden”), man in the image and likeness of God, their possession and loss. The last three chapters of Revelation tell of the image and likeness of God restored, the new paradise in “the world to come.” In between these six chapters the Bible is vocal with the grand message of restitution. The patriarchs spoke of, and hoped for it; the Mosaic Law prefigured it; the Biblical histories typed it; the Jews longed and prayed for it; the Apostles and their followers proclaimed it; Jesus by His death guaranteed it; and Jehovah by His oath unchangeably pledged it. When Jesus told the Apostles to pray “Thy kingdom come” it was not intended as a request for something then uncertain; it was rather a yearning petition for the ar­rival of something that was already irrevocably assured.

The clear truth on the foregoing was completely lost in the deluge of error  that developed after the Apostles fell asleep – overruled by the Lord until the “due time” for its understanding. We have already mentioned that the Apostle Peter spoke of “the times of restitution” (Acts 3:21); and we now quote some from what the Apostle  Paul has recorded about it: “I knew a man in Christ (Paul himself) .... caught up to the  third heaven.” (2 Cor. 12:2) This third heaven is the same one mentioned by the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3:13: “new heavens and a new earth.” Paul then continues in 2 Cor. 12:4: “He was caught up into paradise (“God planted a garden – a paradise – eastward in Eden—Gen. 2:8) and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” The “paradise” which Paul saw was the restored earth; and, while he says he was not per­mitted to speak fluently about it, he was undoubtedly much illuminated by what he saw in that vision, giving great force, shading and depth to his writings.

TWENTY–ONE EVILS – TWENTY-ONE REMEDIES

It is our understanding that twenty-one evils are revealed in the Bible as afflict­ing the human race, and that God has provided twenty-one remedies – a cure for each of them – through the ministry of Jesus. Some of these cures have been operative since the Christian Age began; all of them will have been operative by the full end of the Millen­nial kingdom. By that time most of them will have accomplished their purposes, and will pass out of existence – although a few of Jesus’ titles will never terminate; they are eter­nal. We  list the twenty-one evils, with brief comment on each of them as follows:

  1. Enslavement of the race under the curse unto death. The remedy for this as provided by Jesus is the Ransom.

  2. Law-condemned convicts. Jesus acts as Advocate for them.

  3. Destitution of righteousness (Isa. 64:6): “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness as filthy rags... our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” But, “Jesus is made unto us righteousness.” (1 Cor. 1:30)

  4. A selfish and worldly life.  Jesus, as Bridegroom, shows us a “more excellent way.” (1 Cor. 12:31)

  5. Alienation between God and man. Jesus, as High Priest, forgives and blesses.

  6. Ignorance. Jesus  “is made unto us wisdom.” (1 Cor. 1:30)

  7. Captives of Satan. Jesus is made unto us deliverance. (1 Cor. 1:30)

  8. Enmity of truth, righteousness and holiness. Jesus is “the Captain of our salvation.” (Heb. 2:10)

  9. Inability properly to think God’s thoughts, feel His affections and will His will. “The head of every man is Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:3)

  10. Distrust between God and man. Christ as Mediator will mediate these differences.

  11. Dying and death. Jesus is “the everlasting Father.” (Isa. 9:6)

  12. Lack of a perfect law and lawgiver. Jesus is the Perfect Lawgiver. “The law of the Lord is perfect... making wise the simple.” (Psa. 19:7)

  13. Worry and strife. Jesus is “The Prince of peace.” (Isa. 9:6)

  14. Unruliness. Jesus is King.

  15. Without knowledge of Divine Truth. Jesus is a Revealer and Teacher of the Truth. “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Psa. 32:8)

  16. Impracticability as to saving arrangements. Jesus will cure this as God’s Executive.

  17. Physical, mental, artistic, moral and religious sickness. Jesus the Physician: “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases.” (Psa. 103:3)

  18. Owned and controlled now by Satan. Jesus will be Lord. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow... in heaven... in earth... Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:10,11)

  19. Not able to stand before the judgment seat unaided. Jesus is our understand­ing and merciful lenient judge. “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” (Psa. 103:4) “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:22)

  20. Impurity.  Jesus the Purifier and Refiner. “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Truth); and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver.” (Mal. 3:3)

  21. Impoverishment, Jesus the Provider. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

    It will be noted that the foregoing 21 evils are all-inclusive of the afflictions that presently beset the human race; and that Jesus, “Who learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8), is well-qualified and empowered to correct and fully cure all of them. And this He will do when He takes to Himself His great power and reigns throughout the Millennial Age – the first Age just ahead in “the world to come.” By the time that reign ends the death that “has passed upon all men” (Rom. 5:12) through Adam’s disobe­dience, and the dying process that has afflicted the human race for more than six thous­and years, will have been fully destroyed and “there shall be no more curse.” (Rev. 22:3) Also, the “goats” in the parable that Jesus spoke in Matt. 25:31-46 will have gone into everlasting destruction – the Second Death, symbolized by the Lake of Fire; “they shall be as though they had not been” (Obad. 16).

    Then “the righteous shall see it and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth” (Psa. 107:42).  Sin shall never rise again. God will be glorified forever and ever by perfect creatures, both in heaven and on earth. “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13) May this presentation prove a rich blessing to all our readers!

    Sincerely your brother,

    John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – The Jehovah’s Witnesses are teaching that all who do not now join with them will be forever annihilated in Armageddon. How do they harmonize that with the words of Jesus (John 5:28,29): “All that are in the graves shall hear Jesus’ voice, and shall come forth”?

ANSWER: – They don’t try to harmonize the two; they just ignore the words of Jesus on the subject.  They also ignore the words of Jesus in a couple of other Scriptures, as instance Matt. 24:30: “They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven.” This statement was made concerning the Jews, particularly their leaders. Yet the Witnesses are telling us that those people have already experienced annihilation. If they be forever dead, just how will they “see” the Son of Man in any way whatever?

Then another Scripture (Luke 13:28): “Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” Here again, just how will those unbelieving Jews see this Kingdom array if they are never to return?

These people also deny a resurrection for Adam, which in effect is a denial of the Ransom – whether or not they are aware of that fact. In 1 Tim. 2:4-6 St. Paul gives us the inspired statement: “Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all.” And further in 1 Cor. 15:22: “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Inasmuch as the word Ransom is an exact equivalent, the only one for whom the perfect man Jesus could provide a ransom was the perfect man Adam. The only way any of Adam’s fallen race could be ransomed would be through Adam – in his loins. So there could be no ransom for the im­perfect human race if there is no ransom for Adam. And, while the record is clear that Adam transgressed in the Garden of Eden, there is no indication whatever in the Bible that Adam resorted to evil after his ejection from the Garden.

Let us consider now St. Paul’s words in Acts 24:15: “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” How shall we classify these two sets of people? In John 5:28,29 Jesus gives us a pretty good idea: “They that have done good” and “they that have done evil.” This would self-evidently include Adam, the Jews who failed to keep the Law of Moses, all the heathen – and all who will not join the Witnes­ses now, as well as the Witnesses themselves who do not believe these words of Jesus. If we agree with the Apostle Paul, it should need no argument that both the just and the unjust are to have a resurrection; and this was to be a future event – after Paul’s death. The word resurrection in this text is from the Greek ‘anastasis,’ which means not merely a resuscitation, as revival from a fainting spell, or some such, but a raising up to life again from the death state.

“A ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:6): Even the Witnesses would hardly contend that this “due time” was any time in the past; but they are declar­ing the “due time” has now arrived; and they tell us we may take their word for that! They are contending that the Kingdom was established through them in 1914; and shortly there­after they began to preach that the “due time” would arrive in 1925. But when 1925 came and went without anything at all occurring to support them, they lost sight of the “due time” for many years; it is just rather recently that they ‘discovered’ that the “due time” is now with us.

“In those days (when the due time, arrives) they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge, but every man shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jer. 31:29,30) The sins of the fathers are still being visited upon the children in our day; even the Witnesses would probably not deny that. At present many are being brought into the world with loathsome diseases which incapacitate them mental­ly and physically; and many who have no outward physical infirmities are woefully lack ­in mentality. And of those who have average mentality, many of them cannot read or write – all through no fault of their own.

Furthermore, we are told in 2 Thes. 3:2 that “all men have not faith.” And of those who “have not faith,” many have more than average intelligence otherwise. Faith is deter­mined by certain organs of the brain; but its lack does not specially impair the other parts of the brain. So what shall we say of these – who cannot presently believe in a resurrection, etc.? Their present condition is certainly the result of the fallen state of their forebears: “the fathers have eaten a sour grape.”

Jesus is the Great Physician – “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” (Psa. 103:3) This “forgiveness of iniquities” has already been ac­complished for all – even though the vast majority do not know it. But the “healing of all diseases” will not be accomplished for any until He takes unto Himself His great power and reigns in the Mediatorial Kingdom. Diseases in the human race are simply the dying process working in men. “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) The marginal reading says “dying thou shalt die” – indicating a gradual process.     This cannot possibly be stopped until the Great Physician has fully set up His Kingdom, at which time “death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:14) Hell in this text is from the Greek hades, which means the death state – the tomb; whereas, “death” means the dying process. Casting death and hell into the lake of fire simply means the total extinction of the death state and the dying process which are now everywhere apparent; but there is not the slightest evidence to indicate that this destruction has yet even begun.

There are many evidences of normal parents bringing children into the world who are woefully deficient in mind and body – the same being due to numerous causes of the curse. There may be some such parents who now belong to the Witnesses’ organization, and the Witnesses tell us that such parents will be happily saved, although they are to witness the annihilation of their children in Armageddon because such children didn’t have the men­tal capacity to accept them. We are still in the faith Age; and the Apostle Peter counsels us to add to our faith—2 Pet. 1:5. But just how can any one add to something he doesn’t have? All men do not have faith. For  all such we may apply the words of Jesus: “All that are in their graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” This is the inheritance for all – those that now have faith, and those that don’t have faith ­regardless of whether they are Jehovah’s Witnesses or not.

The Witnesses also are quite vociferous in telling others to “Study the Word of God’ they place great emphasis on this feature. Well, all the texts we have quoted herein are the “Word of God” and in substance exactly as they have them in their own Bible. Therefore, we suggest they study these texts in their own Bible – and correct the errors they are presently circulating. Perchance for some of them, “God will give them repent­ance to the acknowledging of the Truth” (2 Tim. 2:25), thus enabling them to become faith­ful “witnesses” of the true “Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom” – Glad tidings of great joy that shall be unto all people. In their “study” of the Bible, the Witnesses follow the exact technique of Babylon; they study it to fit it into their creed – to make it fit what they believe, as they vehemently condemn other systems who do the same thing. “Their folly shall be manifest unto all men.” (2 Tim. 3:9)

On p. 107 of the February 15, 1976 Watchtower there is the following, which fits very well with the foregoing: “The more we read the Bible, the more the churches ap­peared to be condemned by the very book they professed to follow.” And we would say the same for the Witnesses: “The more we read the Bible, the more the Jehovah’s Witnesses appeared to be condemned by the very book they professed to follow.” “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,” says Jesus (Luke 19:22).

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Your very welcome letter is received... I surely wish to thank you for all of the good literature you sent me last year. It is sure good for volunteer purposes. They are well written, plain and to the point – and well understood by the readers, which is what we need right now...........

As to Rev. Chas. H. Spurgeon, I have a book of the Life and Works of Spurgeon – a memorial edition which belonged to my Grandmother; was given to her for a Christmas present in 1901... It is a very good book and a lot of good thoughts in it. I see in the nominal church articles that Spurgeon is quite popular now........

Yes, I think Bro. Jolly would better serve the brethren in issuing articles in the Bible Standard more like the one in the February issue, which I see is a reprint of Chapter 6, E Vol. 17 – and also reprint of H.E. 9–15–50.

Wishing you all there the Lord’s richest blessings and the best of Christian love to you all, I remain, Your Brother in Him ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Friends:

Praise be! ‘you-all’ are some better. That’s better than “no change,” which is the frustrating hospital remark. That or – “as well as could be expected.” I often wonder what aches and pains caught up with Methuselah after 900 years! I bet the first 500 were a breeze! Imagine it! We know Moses was spared until the very end at least.

His eye was not dim – (he didn’t know about cataracts and glaucoma) nor his nat­ural force abated – 120 years of virile manhood. What a life!

Have had a very enriching time studying and summarizing E Vol. XI. I might ask your “candid comment” some day. We expect to continue our Sunday study... We’ve almost finished T.S. I could go through it again right now, but am sure I need time to absorb what I’ve read and studied this time through,

Take an extra look at the sunrise on your lake  –  for  me. And  may  we  all  be  able and willing to say, Thy will be done!  Love to all at Mount Dora ------- (FLORIDA)