NO. 212: THE PROGRESSIVE TABERNACLE PICTURE

No. 212

In the Sept.-Oct. 1972 Present Truth there is an article with the above caption, the same occupying almost the entire paper. In this presentation there is recourse to profuse jugglery and “sleight-of-hand” by the editor in a devious effort to en­mesh Brothers Russell and Johnson in his quagmire of error – in an elaborate attempt to deceive unwary brethren. Those of us familiar with the situation know that That Evil Servant did the same thing exactly with That Servant’s writings when he was in the clutches of Azazel. If this observation seems too harsh, we would answer that an honest presentation of any subject should first offer a clear definition of the thing to be discussed before any other comment is given. And it seems now we are called upon to present the real Truth on Tentative Justification and Tabernacle Shad­ows, just as the Epiphany Messenger had to do with J. F. Rutherford – if we would be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the brethren. In discussing the present-day Tab­ernacle, the elementary truth on the subject is given in E-11:591 as follows:

“There is a threefold set of antitypes of the tabernacle types: (1) the Gospel ­Age antitype, (2) the Epiphany antitype, and (3) the Millennial Age antitype. ONLY ONE of these three antitypes operates at a time, i.e., only one can be visible as working at any one time, and the other two are kept out of sight at such a time.”

Thus, the question logically arises – Which tabernacle is now operating? Our own answer to this query is that the Epiphany Tabernacle is now the only one in sight. In previous papers we have presented this same premise; but RGJ persistently ignores it and for good reason. If he contends that the “finished picture” of the Epiphany is now operating since 1954, he has a problem, because his present picture of the Holy, Most Holy, Court and Camp are far different from what Brother Johnson taught. On. p. 13 of the 1940 Present Truth we are given a clear definition of the Gospel-Age, Epi­phany or transitional, and the Millennium and post Millennium tabernacles – to which RGJ no longer refers in his present perversions. We shall concern ourselves herein with the Epiphany Tabernacle only:

“For the Most Holy we have Divine beings; for the Holy crown-retaining new creatures only; for the Court the Great Company and Youthful Worthies; for the Camp the formerly faith-justified who hold to the Ransom and practice righteousness, and converted Israel.” This is the “finished picture” of the last special period of the Gospel Age – namely, the Epiphany. It will be noted that there is not the slightest hint of a consecrated class in the Camp in that picture; and, if there is any question regarding Brother Johnson’s meaning, we need only to quote from E-10:209:

“The Gospel-Age Camp is the condition of the unjustified people of God, while the Epiphany in the finished picture is the condition of truly repentant and believ­ing, but not consecrated Jews and Gentiles.”

If RGJ is forced to admit the Epiphany Tabernacle is now operating, then we have a clear picture of what is contained in the Camp – “the repentant and believing, but not consecrated.” Of course, if we accept the teachings of Brother Johnson, we have sufficient foundation for rejecting the whole effort of the article under review. The whole purpose of the article is to justify a non-existent class of consecrated per­sons in the Camp after 1954 – just as J. F. Rutherford contended for his non-existent class of Jonadabs, or Great Multitude, after 1914.

With equal emphasis we may add that Brother Russell never once hinted at a conse­crated class in the Camp here in the end of the Age – although he did see an unbegotten consecrated class “between the Ages” who would be rewarded in partnership with the Ancient Worthies – a class we designate as Youthful Worthies in the Court. This “new light” on the Camp is pure invention by RGJ; and we now quote from E-7:138:

“The Levites (especially crown-losers here in the end of the Age—JJH) are not to seek to discover ‘new light’ and spread it before the Church, as this would be at­tempting to go into the Holy, from which they have been excluded, and would result in their offering strange fire.”

By his own admission, RGJ was ejected from the Holy about 35 years ago; but that doesn’t bother him now as he persistently revolutionizes against this clear Epiphany teaching. But to those of us who still adhere to Epiphany Truth, we shall be suffi­ciently alerted against such revolutionism, and not be led astray by any Azazelian trickery, regardless of who may attempt it.

On p. 71, col. 2, top, he quotes a “‘sifting errorist” (meaning JJH, of course) to the effect that “the Camp in the Gospel Age Tabernacle and Epiphany Tabernacle is assigned to the unjustified by both Star Members.” When we are told, as quoted above, that the Camp is for the “formerly faith-justified,” it should be clear enough to any one not befuddled by Azazel that those people in the Camp in the finished pic­ture would lack the justification they “‘formerly” possessed – as they are in the Camp awaiting their works-justification. This is their condition, of course, in the “finished picture” – and not a place. They can be in Timbuktu, or any other place, literally, but if they are “repentant and believing” they are in the Camp condition; and, if they are tentatively justified they are in the Court condition, no matter where they might be on earth. If they consecrate, and the Lord accepts that consecra­tion, they will remain in the Court, if faithful. In this connection we quote fur­ther from E-7:186-187:

“All Great Company leaders, as graspers for power and lords over God’s heritage, have the same spirit, and, like their kindred-spirited brethren in the nominal church all through the Gospel Age... have found fault with the faithful shepherds of God’s flock (just as RGJ found fault with the Epiphany Messenger—JJH), and perse­cuted them because of their interfering with their selfish plans... They change things (by offering a “progressive taber­nacle picture,” etc.—JJH) to give them a false set­ting and they invent things to make their theory of things seem plausible.”

CONCERNING TENTATIVE JUSTIFICATION

It is almost unbelievable that we should have to reassert the Truth on Tentative Justification to Epiphany-enlightened brethren – particularly to RGJ, since he himself once contended for Tentative Justification in refutation of JFR’s errors, just as we now contend for Tentative Justification against his (RGJ’s) errors in kind. To bol­ster his invention as described aforegoing, RGJ then quotes Brother Russell to this effect (p. 73, col. 2, top): “The world’s justification will not be instantaneous, but will progress during the thousand years – the Millennium. The world tight then be said to be TENTATIVELY JUSTIFIED through the Mediator and his kingdom, but their justi­fication will be accomplished only in their absolute perfection at the close of the Millennium when they will be presented to the Father and accepted by him... They will be approaching gradual justification, and every one of that time who will be in the right way, and seeking to be in harmony with the Lord, will be said to be tentatively justified.”

From this, any reader would be forced to the conclusion that RGJ is now teaching, contrary to the clear Epiphany Truth as given to us by Brother Johnson, that tentative justification, as it now prevails, will continue right on through the Millennium.

If that is his belief, and it would seem to be such from his emphasis in the above quotation, then we have here just one more example of the “strong delusion” (2 Thes. 2:10) that is meted out to crown-losers as a part of their fit-man experiences. The tentative justification that exists now is a faith justification; but the tentative justification mentioned by Brother Russell for the Millennium is a works justification; and any attempt to merge the two can result only in spiritual bedlam. The tentative justification of the Millennium will result in actual justification to all who apply themselves properly; whereas, the tentative justification that prevails now will never bring any class to actual justification in this life – regardless of how long or how ardently they apply themselves to gain perfection. The tentative justification of the Gospel Age and the Epiphany is a tentative imputation of Jesus’ merit; but in the Millennial Age there will no longer be an imputation of the merit. Nor can there be any imputation of the merit in the Camp during the Gospel Age, the Epiphany or the Millennial Age. Why? Because the merit as an imputable thing is in the Court – for the Household of Faith. And Brother Johnson clearly teaches that when the tentative­ly justified fail to consecrate in the “finished picture,” they are remanded to the Camp, and cease altogether to be of the Household of Faith; while those who do conse­crate and prove faithful, retain their Tentative Justification, and are thus of the elect Gospel-Age Household of Faith who persist into and during the Epiphany. (See Epiphany Vol. 4, p. 406)

A quotation from E-11:169 is directly to the point: “There will be no more faith justification working during the Millennium, no more Gospel-Age study, spread and prac­tice of the Truth then, nor will there be any more suffering for righteousness and truth during the Millennium. It must, therefore, be completed before the Millennium begins, i.e., we must finish our faith justification feast while it is yet the Gospel Age...... When this Age ends Christ’s merit will cease to be an imputable thing.”

In harmony with this thought we now quote from E-11:473, top: “We understand that Jesus’ pertinent work as Executive for the antitypical tabernacle and its appurtenances will continue with the Little Flock, Great Company and Youthful Worthies until they re­spectively finish their courses, but will cease with the faith-justified when their faith-justification lapses, which seemingly will occur in every case by Oct. 1954, according to Rev. 22:11.”

The “faith-justification” mentioned above will lapse when its possessors are ejected from the Court into the Camp in the “‘finished picture.” And to the Epiphany Messenger that would ‘seemingly’ occur in Oct. 1954, because he firmly believed we would have had Armageddon, and the beginning, at least, of Anarchy would be upon us by 1956. But the “signs of the times” in 1954 did not corroborate this, nor did the “signs of the times” after 1914 indicate that the world as individuals were on trial. But that didn’t faze JFR, nor does it faze RGJ in his present efforts to dis­tort the Truth as given to us by the two Messengers, in his attempt to offer consecra­tion to the Restitutionist “between the Ages,” instead of offering it to those Youth­ful Worthies who are assured they will have an opportunity, if faithful, to receive a reward in partnership with the Ancient Worthies. The above quotation by Brother John­son should leave no doubt in unbiased minds that it was definitely not his idea that present tentative faith-justification would extend to the Camp after 1954 and would go right on through the Millennium. This is further emphasized in E-11:480-482:

“Faith justification reckons to its beneficiaries all the Millennial blessings of restitution, hence rest or freedom from the curse... This rest separate from the curse is a reckoned one – the rest of faith-justification – and will be an actual one – ­the rest of the Millennium, the rest of works justification.”

In harmony with the foregoing, we now quote from Brother Russell himself: “Those who never go on... make a consecration, never get justification in full in the present life. Their hope will be the same as that of the world – a hope of actual justifica­tion.” (Reprint 4656, col. 1, bottom – August 1, 1910)

Then further from Question Book, p. 414: “Now, the Court represents all the be­liever’s experiences in justification, from the time he enters the gate, coming into the Court passing the Brazen Altar, till he comes to the door of the Tabernacle.. He begins to draw near to God just as he passes through the gate to the Brazen Altar. He draws still nearer while he is washing at the Laver, and still nearer when he ties himself up at the Door of the Tabernacle. When he has done this, he has done every­thing he can do. Next thing must be done by the Lord, represented by the High Priest of Israel.” (Up to 1881 all faithful consecrators were admitted to the Holy by spirit­-begettal; but after that date there were individual faithful consecrators who were not spirit-begotten—JJH)

In E-8:384 there is this: “Justification by faith makes one no more than a nom­inal Christian.” This is true of those in the Court condition but fail to consecrate – their eventual standing will be in the Camp with the nominal Christians. At the end of this Age they will be remanded to the Camp to await their opportunity to enter the Highway of Holiness. In corroboration of this, we quote from E-11:182,183:

“The charge not to leave the house (the Household of Faith as repre­sented in the Court—JJH) until morning means that entirely throughout the Gospel Age, until this Age completely ends, i.e., so long as there is yet a faith justification operating, God’s people must remain under the imputed merit (in the Court, the place picturing the condition where Christ’s merit is imputed – JJH)”

Again RGJ attempts to fit E-10:114 into his revolutionism; but each effort at this only reveals his folly more acutely. We have repeatedly quoted from this same citation on p. 114: “After 1954 no more persons will enter the tentatively-justified state.” In the present P.T. he stresses that this should be considered as applying “only for Gospel-Age purposes.” Well, in the same paragraph on p. 114 we are also told (“seemingly after 1954”): “It would be useless to exhort sinners to repent.” (But RGJ continues to “exhort sinners to repent.”)

In the “finished picture” Brother Johnson tells us that the Camp will contain the “repentant and believing, but not consecrated.” Those repentant and believing Campers will be awakened with the unjustified world: they will receive the Resurrection of the UNJUST – a resurrection by judgment. RGJ admits that his ‘consecrated’ Campers will not receive the ‘better resurrection’ of the Worthies – instantaneous physical perfection. It is self-evident that RGJ is still advising sinners to repent and be­lieve, which would be useless, if we accept the Epiphany Messenger’s teaching, after the gate to the Court is closed. A converted sinner “arises higher” than he was before his conversion; and according to RGJ’s teaching, Campers Consecrated “arise higher in their standing before God” – precede the Jews in honor and service in the Kingdom. However, we continue to teach “to the Jew first,” even as did That Servant, the Epi­phany Messenger and the Apostle Paul.

In the “Progressive Tabernacle picture” in this Present Truth magazine, his Camp is neither the Gospel Age, the Epiphany (finished picture), or the Millennial Camp. His presentation finds no corroboration anywhere in the writings of That Servant or the Epiphany Messenger. It would seem, from his present gymnastics in error, that he has lost sight of an important elementary truth – namely, that a place in the taber­nacle types represents a condition in the antitype. Where is the condition of tenta­tive faith justification shown in the type? In the Court – a place in the type, but a condition in the antitype. All this is set out very clearly in Tabernacle Shadows. In this P.T. he contends it doesn’t matter where they are – in the Camp or in the Court – just so long as they are tentatively justified and consecrated! However, we accept the teachings of the two Messengers, in preference to that of a crown-lost leader, that it isn’t possible to obtain tentative faith justification without being in the Court condition; neither of them ever taught such a thing. And, if we decide to reject their teachings on the Tabernacle Camp, why call it a Camp at all? JFR did not place his non-existent Jonadabs in the Camp: he rejected Tabernacle Shadows altogether. The Epiphany Messenger gives a clear picture of the Camp condition for the Gospel Age, the Epiphany and the Millennial Age as follows:

“For the Gospel-Age... the camp represents the condition of the nominal as dis­tinct from the real people of God.... (2) For the Epiphany... the camp in the fin­ished picture represents the formerly faith-justified ones who hold to the Ransom and practice righteousness, and converted Israel... (3) For the Millennial Age... the camp represents the condition of the world undergoing restitution.” (1940 PT, pp.13, 14)

If our readers will firmly grasp the truth that a place in the type represents a condition in the antitype, they will have no difficulty in recognizing the perver­sions of the Witnesses, the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, or any other perver­sions presented on Tabernacle Shadows.

Concerning these attempted changes by RGJ, it is directly to the point here to quote what was said about J. F. Rutherford, when he attempted similar changes after Brother Russell died:

“More than once have we noted the fact that, when JFR wants to introduce a ‘new view,’ he either intimates that our Pastor had doubts on the sub­ject, or that he changed his opinion, or that he taught thus and so, when he did neither. According to this wrong practice, he is claiming that our Pastor changed his opinion on Tentative Justification (and so is RGJ as he teaches tentative justi­fication it the Camp—JJH), so that his final thought, according to JFR, was that there is no tentative justification.”

Thus, RGJ now tries to tell us that Brother Russell changed his view on Tenta­tive Justification, and that Brother Johnson changed his view on the “finished pic­ture” of the Epiphany Camp – to the effect that it will contain only “the repentant and believing but not consecrated” Jews and Gentiles. He would be well advised to consider seriously and prayerfully Psa. 1:1: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.”

As things stand now, in this Present Truth he has done a pretty good job of eliminating the Tabernacle types in his Camp. Since he closed the gate to the Court in 1954 – some eighteen years ago – he is forced to tell newcomers something like this: The Tabernacle is over there, but you cannot become a part of it, and it cannot become a part of you. Thus, viewed in proper perspective, his “Progressive” Tabernacle picture is making much the same “progress” as That Evil Servant accomplished when he began to tamper with the Tabernacle Shadow types. His “progress” did not go forward; it went backward – so far backward that he was forced to reject the Taber­nacle entirely in its typical aspects – just as RGJ is forced to set aside the typi­cal aspects of the Epiphany of his present Camp. And let us not forget that Arma­geddon is still future – and that the Epiphany Messenger told us in E-10:672 (middle) that new Youthful Worthies would be won after Armageddon. Thus the question prop­erly arises, Will those new ones be won in the Camp, and be forced to remain there, or just what will their position be? And, when that time comes, will his present Consecrated Campers be allowed to became Youthful Worthies, or will they remain where he now has them? Indeed, his “progress” is developing an ironic confusion. The “signs of the times” will be the determining factor in this matter; the night has not yet come wherein no man can work to win new consecrations.

And we are distinctly taught by both Messengers that those who come to the Lord in consecration “between the Ages,” and before the New Covenant is inaugurated ­while sin is still in the ascendancy – will have opportunity to receive a reward in honor and service with the Ancient Worthies. But the time will come when “the signs of the times” (the violent features of the Time of Trouble) automatically inform us that the “time is at hand.” The world will be in such turmoil that it will be im­possible for worldlings to receive the Truth, consecrate and walk a narrow way under such conditions. However, so long as any of the elect are here, they will be able to make their calling and election sure.

In 1913, when all was calm and serene in the world, Brother Russell was much dis­turbed about his predictions for 1914, so he arranged for a thorough and critical exami­nation of his chronology; but he could find nothing wrong. However, had 1914 come and gone with just nothing of importance occurring (as is the case with 1954), we may be sure he would then have declared there was something wrong; but the “signs of the times” amply verified his calculations for that date. But there is just no such com­parison to be offered for 1954. RGJ, like JFR, is going along as though we are in the beginning of the Basileia – manufacturing “new light” so that Restitutionists can ‘ded­icate’ their lives to Jehovah, replacing the Jews in the Kingdom arrangement.

A REFUTATION OF HIS PRESENT ERRORS FROM RGJ HIMSELF

“In the March 23, 1920, issue of the New Era Enterprise is a report of J.F.R.’s discourse delivered March 1, at the St. Louis Convention, in which occurs the follow­ing statement: ‘The moment Jehovah accepts you under these conditions you are justi­fied, begotten. Justification is not a progressive work. It is an instantaneous mat­ter. You are accepted instantaneously, accepted as a sacrifice. Tentative justifica­tion impossible. Tentative means probation. Pastor Russell at first thought there was a tentative justification; but after studying into the matter more closely, changed his mind.’

“In view of J.F.R.’s denying clearly established doctrines given us by the Lord through that Servant, it is not surprising to me to see him also going blind on Tenta­tive Justification. Nor is it unusual to see him endeavoring to support his position by belying dear Bro. Russell, and trying to drag him in as a party to the same error. Alas, for many unwary sheep who are being so easily blown around by every wind of doc­trine! In the interests of these, permit me to call your attention to the following statements from pen (and mouth) of that Servant just before he left us, with the hope that they may be of use to you in arousing those of the lord’s dear sheep who are sleeping under the spell of that newly invented ‘Channel’ which in so many ways con­tradicts and repudiates the teaching of the true Channel (Luke 12:42).

“In the Sep. 15, Tower, 1916, page 281, Bro. Russell gives his last Tower article on Justification, in which he says (col. 1, par. 5), ‘We describe the person who has taken this course (represented by progress from the gate of the court to the door of the tabernacle) as being tentatively justified; that is to say, he is in the right course, doing what he is able to do to attain (vitalized) Justification.’ (This is clear and to the point.)

“Does J.F.R. refer to September 15, 1916, at the time when Pastor Russell (was still in the mental condition in which he) first thought there was a tentative justi­fication? If so, then at what date would he say that Bro. Russell, ‘after studying into the matter more closely, changed his mind,’ seeing that Sep. 15, 1916, was only a few weeks before his death? How grossly he misrepresents Bro. Russell is further evidenced by the latter’s comment on this very Tower article, just a few days before he was taken from our midst, as recorded in the Question Book, What Pastor Russell Said, p. 418, in answer to the following question: ‘Comparing articles on Justifi­cation in Vol. VI, Tabernacle Shadows and Sep. 15, 1916 Tower: Do these harmonize? Has Bro. Russell changed his views on Justification? Answer: Bro. Russell has not changed his views on Justification. Justification is justification, has always been justification, and will always be justifi­cation, and Bro. Russell could not change justification for himself or for anybody else.’ (In part of the rest of the answer he shows how one must be in the Court, walk up to the door of the Tabernacle and consecrate himself before his Justification is vitalized through Christ’s imputed merit.)

“Whom shall we believe, Bro. Russell, who just before his death claimed that he had not changed his views on Justification, or J.F.R., who now claims that he did? Doubtless some would prefer to believe J.F.R....

“These and other similar statements made during his last few days with us, should convince any open-minded Truth seeker beyond any doubt that Bro. Russell never denied the doctrine of Tentative Justification. To deny this doctrine would be to deny and to become confused on many Scriptures and to repudiate important features of Taber­nacle Shadows. How could anyone appreciate the Brazen Altar, wash himself at the Laver and be tied at the door of the Tabernacle in consecration, and have his Justi­fication vitalized, without first being in the Court, the place of Tentative Justifi­cation (T 19, 20)? Surely the Brazen Altar and the Laver were not taken into the Camp in order that those not tentatively justified might use them preparatory to making a consecration!.... But what consolation that the Very Elect shall be manifested as not being deceived! May the Lord continue to use you in His blessed work of delivering His Little Flock ‘from the snare of the fowler’, and from the noisome pestilence.

Your brother in Him,  (Signed) R. G. Jolly”

The above letter is recorded in E-6:166-68, and is a clear and correct presenta­tion of the truth an tentative justification. Thus we see him revolutionizing against his own teachings, which painfully reminds us of the following in E-11:383:

“If one who, having an evil heart condition, and consequently having lost Little Flockship and its Truth on doctrine and practice, has thus depastur­ized the Truth for his followers... God will put such an one into such controversial disadvantages that amid them to defend his error he will be continually surrendering formerly held truths that impinge against his new errors... Thus does God punish such invasions, which are usurpations.”

It will be noted that RGJ thought he was still numbered among the priests in the Holy when he wrote the above letter to Brother Johnson – and he was more capable of discerning between “truth and error” then than he is now, since he became a manifested crown-loser, and has been abandoned to Azazel. But to eliminate all doubt in the minds of our readers, we now quote from E-15:261:

“Let us see the conditions of Justification that will prevail during the Millen­nial Age. During that Age there will be neither a tentative nor a vitalized justifi­cation, since both of these kinds of justification operate on the basis of the imputed ransom merit, as distinct from the applied ransom merit.”

If we are now in the Basileia Camp, as this PT would imply, and Consecrated Camp­ers have tentative justification, it would logically follow that all restitutionists will have tentative justification also. But the teachings of both Star Members clearly contradict such a thought. It will be recalled that JFR prevented many from entering tentative justification by his false teaching (E-10:392); and, as RGJ now joins hands with him in revolutionizing against the truths given by That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger, we are reminded of the statement in E-4:276: “The Great Company teach error to the justified.” And, we would use the statement in E-11:169: “No faith justifica­tion in the Millennium”; and one in E-6:713: “Tentative justification will cease after the Gospel Age.”

CONSECRATED CAMPERS AND THE JEWS

Despite the fact that we have quoted copiously from That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger that the Jews would be first in the Kingdom arrangement, RGJ has the effront­ery to reiterate his gross revolutionism against that Truth, citing Brother Johnson as his ‘proof’ and companion in his sins of practice and teaching. In the Sept.-Oct. 1972 PT, there is this on p. 75, col. 1 (45):

“Because of being consecrated while sin is still in the ascendancy, and being faithful thereto and thus coming more closely into harmony with God and His principles than any of the rest of the quasi-elect, and because they may, in some of their members, live through the Time of Trouble, the Con­secrated Epiphany Campers, like the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, will be among ‘the first to come under the terms of the New Covenant, and that just before the earthly phase of the Kingdom is established over the Jews’ (P ‘38,p.158,last par.; ‘50,p.15, par. 7; ‘58, p.6).”

The part we underscored above is what is quoted from Brother Johnson as though Brother Johnson supports the false doctrine of Campers Consecrated. So we now quote what the Epiphany Messenger actually said in the 1938 PT, pp. 158-159:

“Question: When the Ancient Worthies are resurrected under what covenant will they be raised? Answer: They will be raised under certain earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant by merit of the blood of the New Covenant; for while the Oath­bound Covenant promised them a better resur­rection (Heb. 11:35), it is through the blood of the New Covenant that God will fulfill that promise to them. Then shortly after their resurrection they will come under the New Covenant, which will a little later be made with the Jews. This latter matter is to be shortly after the Kingdom’s earthly phase is initiated; for the Ancient and Youthful Worthies will be the first to come under the terms of the New Covenant, and that just before the earthly phase of the Kingdom is established over the Jews.”

As our readers can see, Brother Johnson did not include Campers Consecrated, nor any of the Restitutionists as coming in under the “earthly phase of the King­dom” (the Worthies) but the Jews. The “earthly phase of the Kingdom” is vested with the Worthies. So we now quote RGJ’s own words hurled against JFR for similar sins of teaching and practice, as quoted herein from his letter in E-6:166-68:

“Nor is it unusual to see him endeavoring to support his position by belying dear Bro. Johnson, and trying to drag him in as a party to the same error. Alas, for many unwary sheep who are being so easily blown around by every wind of doctrine!”

The two Messengers taught there would be a class of consecrators here in the end of the Age, before Restitution sets in, who would be rewarded in honor and ser­vice in partnership with the Ancient Worthies. According to RGJ’s “Progressive Tab­ernacle,” his Campers Consecrated are right in with the Worthies! Apparently, the only difference in them and the Youthful Worthies is the name. JFR chose another name, too, for his non-existent class. However, not only will Campers Consecrated NOT BE FIRST in the Kingdom blessings and favor, but they won’t be there at all as such – because there is no such a class. There may be many truly consecrated among the Jehovah’s Witnesses Great Multitude and among RGJ’s Campers Consecrated, who are now being deceived; but we are assured that “The Lord knoweth them that are His.”

We now quote what the two Messengers taught us about the Jews: “The New Coven­ant is not to be made with any other than the Jews, for no others were in Covenant relationship with God. The words ‘New Covenant’ seem, therefore, to indicate the repetition of God’s favor to Israel under the better Mediator.” (Question Book, p. 205)

“Having seen so many features of God’s plan successfully carried out by God’s zeal, he has the full assurance of faith that the unfulfilled parts as due will be zealously carried out by God... He confidently looks for the zeal of God to establish God’s Kingdom at the hand of His Elect under Christ, on the ruins of Satan’s Empire, to offer the Kingdom blessings, first to the living Jews, then to the Gentiles.” (E-1:302)

“So the Millennial favors will be to the Jews first, even as by reason of the Covenants, etc., the Gospel favors were offered to them first. And so it shall be finally as Simeon prophesied: ‘This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel.’ And the time for raising up that nation, so long fallen from favor, is at hand.” (Parousia Vol. 3, p. 256)

It is our fond hope that all our readers will continue in that Wisdom from Above, which was so apparent in the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.” (Isa. 40:8)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim