No. 136
My dear Brethren: – Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!
On p. 52 of this July-August Present Truth is an article, headed as above. The first page is excellent, because it embraces the thoughts of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson. So. it should be good – and it is! But after the introduction, the thoughts of R. G. Jolly appear (who continues to assert himself as though he were the equal of the Star Members, and actually a ‘parallel’ of That Servant); and with his thoughts comes the usual bedlam of perversions, half truths, and no truths at all on pertinent points in it.
His focal point in three pages of this paper is his attempt to justify his own evils by completely ignoring his own sins, as he attempts to manufacture complaints against certain “rebellious Youthful Worthy leaders.” In this answer, however, we speak only for JJH. And as R. G. Jolly attempts to write us down, he makes equally extended effort to write himself UP. Here again he shows himself to be a true “cousin” to J. W. Krewson, who also has informed us of his superior standing. And, as we have already written regarding J. W. Krewson, we now also declare of R. G. Jolly: None of us would ever recognize what a great person he is if he himself didn’t tell us about it. Like the man from Yale – You can always tell a man from Yale, but you can’t tell him much!
R. G. Jolly deprecates the fact that we have been exposing his sins of teaching and practice. And for good reason does he make his attempt! Our clear and incisive refutations of his errors have been HURTING him – hurting him badly; so much so that the only answer left to him is the contention that we are “out of order” in our criticisms of him. Thus he shouts, “Rebellious – Ambitious Power-grasper Reprobate,” etc. But, as he attempts to offer his “profusion of words” for himself, why does he not make a similar case for his kinsmen – the Great Company leaders in other parts of Babylon – especially in Little Babylon? Has he convinced any of these leaders that they are part of his ‘higher’ (Great Company) class? But here he is strangely silent. Why? This forces us to ask some questions. Is he approving of the other crown-lost leaders in Babylon (Big and Little)? And would he force silence on the Youthful Worthies who may be getting their eyes opened to the “abominations that are done there”? And did R. G. Jolly denounce the Youthful Worthies who openly opposed JFR in his revolutionisms? As Brother Johnson has so aptly stated, “Half truths are more misleading than whole errors, as the course of every erroneous system proves.” Of course, he’ll probably keep silent on all this – just as he has done on so many other refutations we have presented against him. The main annihilative refutations that have discomfited him so much are the quotations from That Servant and The Epiphany Messenger which set to naught his “system of error” since the demise of Brother Johnson. Would any one clear in the Truth contend that attacking error with the Messengers’ truth-teachings would be ‘out of order’?
But, regardless of what he says, here’s Brother Johnson’s opinion in E-4:446: “Question: Are the Youthful Worthies to point out the errors and wrongs of Azazel’s Antitypical Goat? Answer: Certainly they are not to resist the revolutionism of the Great Company – leading the Goat to the Gate of the Court – in the same sense in which the Priesthood do this, for such is exclusively antitypical Aaron’s work. However, as friends of God and of His Truth and Righteousness, they are to disapprove of all violations of Truth and Righteousness: but in the exercise of the disapproval they are to remember that the Great Company, in God’s esteem, is a higher class than they.”
When the Ancient Worthies denounced the evils of their ‘superiors’(?), we know they received some of the same complaints of a ‘lower’ class interfering with their evils – as instance Jer. 18:18: “Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” (Also see Jer. 18:22; 41:7; 37:15) And, of those Youthful Worthies in the various groups who are following R. G. Jolly’s prescription of subservience to his “higher class,” Brother Johnson says this (E-4:442):
“Before the Youthful Worthies will be worthy of association with the Ancient Worthies they will have to obtain a good report for faith and obedience, and to the extent that their cleaving to the Levitical divisions implies sympathy with Levitical ways, to that extent they will have to cleanse themselves, if they would be the Millennial associates of the Ancient Worthies. And this the ultimately faithful among them will do.... We expect to see a cleansing setting in to make them worthy.”
But the only way this “cleansing” can occur is for those needing cleansing to embrace the Truth and renounce the errors their “higher class” leaders have taught them. They must also overcome Clericalism and Sectarianism. (See E-5, pp. 226-29)
So often have we heard R. G. Jolly orate from the platform: “I love my dear Youthful Worthy brethren!” But it seems he doesn’t love them quite enough to offer them a well-rounded treatise on their present privileges and obligations! His “higher class” apparently is just not that high class! And his claim – in his present uncleansed condition – is well answered in Job 38:2 – “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” Note Brother Johnson’s comment on this in E-10:594:
“God charges that both the three bad Levite groups and the good Levites, the crown-losers in the Epiphany movement, darken the Truth by their teachings without proper knowledge.”
OUR OWN POSITION
Here we wish to make our own ambitions very clear: We do not want R. G. Jolly’s position; we wouldn’t accept it if it were offered to us. We consider our own position as somewhat analogous to Brother Johnson’s situation (although not a parallel, or offered as a prophecy) as set forth in Judges 9:7-15, where he relates the selection of the “bramble” (thistle, see margin) to rule over the Society, at which time they selected J. F. Rutherford – just as certain Levites now partisanly support R. G. Jolly; and note Brother Johnson’s comments about the selection (E-10:459):
“He by act told the brethren (although R. G. Jolly goes a little further here: He actually tells them – JJH) that they must not only accept, but be subject to him as controller, executive and manager, else destruction would go out from him against all who were leaders.”
When Brother Johnson gave us our Pilgrim appointment, he stressed the point that we were then privileged to teach any Ecclesia anywhere on earth if opportunity was presented; and he himself repeatedly gave us discourse opportunities at many general conventions to do that. Those assemblies always included some Saints, as well as some of R. G. Jolly’s “higher class”; but now that he has eliminated the Saints by his crafty “sleight-of-hand,” he would have his readers believe they should also eliminate JJH, too, which he himself is doing his best to accomplish. But his “best” has not been sufficient to do this. We state with considerable satisfaction that those who have been attracted to our writings are always those who were rated among the best brethren in character prior to 1950. We mention specifically Brother Roach (the very same brother a pilgrim – by R. G. Jolly’s appointment – praised so highly at a Philadelphia Convention after his trip to Trinidad – said he was so clear on the Truth, etc., with which we heartily agreed), long-time representative of Brother Johnson in Trinidad; Sister Condell of Jamaica; Brother Baxendale of England; Brother Wells of Winston-Salem, N. C.; Brother Price of Kansas; Sr. Oldham of California; Brother Dunnagan of Florida; and Brother Alger of Detroit. We enumerate these publicly because they are all dead, but we could name quite a few others who are still living – all of them among the most loved and respected in the Epiphany Movement for their fine character qualities and spiritual discernment; and we believe those of our readers who knew them will agree with the compliment we now pay them (just as the brother praised Brother Roach from the Convention platform in Philadelphia). And we know also that R. G. Jolly himself held many of them in high esteem until they began to reject his sins of teaching and practice, as we also have done.
We consider our appointment as General Elder in the General Church as valid today as it was when Brother Johnson gave It to us – but with greater responsibilities toward our brethren; and we are acutely conscious of Brother Johnson’s loving observation in his letter that accompanied that appointment; namely:
“You can be assured that in this service you will have the special opposition of the adversary (Azazel! – JJH) and those who have his spirit, and thus you will have severer trials. On the other hand, remember the Lord is on our side and will give you special help and blessings, if you faithfully use your privileges of service.”
THE “HIGHER CLASS”
R. G. Jolly attempts to emphasize, extol and exalt his “higher class” in exact manner as JFR attempted the same for “The Channel”; and the methods of both crown-lost leaders bear the label of identical twins. When JFR’s own evils forced Brother Johnson into a protest which he could not refrain from expressing if he would be “faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren,” the former then issued his “Harvest Siftings” – a work of Satan if there ever was one. And in our own case – When information came to us from many sources that R. G. Jolly was engaged in a “whispering campaign” of slander against us – and we registered a protest – he then proceeded to cancel our pilgrim status with the LHMM, and to disfellowship us. We did not disfellowship him; he disfellowshiped us; and his course throughout in exact duplication of JFR’s conduct toward Brother Johnson – gives eloquent testimony of his “higher class.” We evaluate it accordingly.
Another illustration of his “higher class” is recorded by Brother Johnson in E-10:585:
“Another incident illustrative of antitypical Elihu’s unfair and unkind criticisms of J. occurred in connection with J.’s advocating the Ecclesia’s giving financial help to an aged Youthful Worthy widow who was both sick and penniless. Certain ones not pleased with her carried on a whispering campaign against her and against J. for advocating her being helped by the ecclesia, resulting in such feeling being aroused as almost made a division in the ecclesia; and R. G. Jolly AGAIN was J.’s main opponent before the church on the subject. Actually the sister by a combination of starving and cancer died; and the hospital blamed the ecclesia to J.’s face therefor.”
Clearly enough, R. G. Jolly’s “higher class” hallucination had him believing then that he was even superior to Brother Johnson – just as he also even tried to “gain control of J..... by a resolution, so Azazelianly constructed as, if possible, to have deceived the very Elect.” (See E-10:646, top)
As we ponder the above actions by R. G. Jolly – the self-admitted leader of the “higher class” – we can but utter the fervent prayer: Lord, deliver us from this “higher class”; may we never stoop so low! And we now say to R. G. Jolly, “Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” (Jab-2:18) But, while we are waiting for his response, we now quote some more from Brother Johnson (E-4:221,222):
“Satan is the most cunning being in the Universe. Hence, among others he seeks to enlist on his side (“one goat for Azazel” – Lev. 16:8 – JJH) those who like him are more or less cunning. In working against the Truth servants he always studies how best to overthrow their influence (such as by the “whispering campaign” against Brother Johnson and the penniless cancerous aged Youthful Worthy widow – and the “whispering campaign” conducted against us – JJH)..... If, therefore, he can represent a servant of the Truth as an errorist or a madman, or a sinner, or an offender against society, he will do so, whether the charges are true or false.... Whenever religious errorists and frauds cannot meet the exposures of their false doctrines or evil practices by argument, Satan fills their mouths with false and malicious slanders against their exposers.”
And Brother Johnson counsels the course we should follow toward such (E-4:130):
“Question: – Should one cooperate in the work toward Azazel’s Goat if not certain that he is in the Body of Christ?
“Answer: - It is proper to help in the work toward Azazel’s Goat, if one is consecrated and knows that such work is in the Divine order. For such should always resist revolutionism and withdraw fellowship from revolutionists, and brotherly help and favor from willful revolutionists.... Even a cleansed Levite should properly resist the revolutionism of Azazel’s Goat.”
THE HAVENS CASE, ETC.
As for our own “class,” we have never made comment about it over the years unless it was necessary to offer a defense of our ministry and against the slanders and abuses of those in the clutches of Azazel; and that is the only reason we now give some further details. When Sister Havens, of Chicago, died, leaving 25% of her estate to Brother Johnson, her daughter attempted to set aside the will, charging undue influence, etc. It was the evidence we provided in that case that enabled Brother Johnson’s attorney to go into Court and gain a favorable verdict in less than two hours of contest. The amount involved was about $9,000. Some thirty years ago, when we provided the money to purchase the building on Snyder Ave., Philadelphia, which housed Brother Johnson and the LHMM until Brother Johnson’s death, no one ever learned of it from us; it was Brother Johnson himself who informed a number of brethren about it, and it became generally known.
In addition to that gift, we subsequently held a mortgage for $35,000 on all the assets possessed by the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, which mortgage was eventually canceled for One Dollar and other valuable considerations. This is a matter of record in the Court House at Philadelphia. The “other valuable considerations” comprised the good will we held toward Brother Johnson for his admirable and honorable character, and for the superb and unsullied Truth he gave us so nobly and sacrificingly during his lifetime. Therefore, we now call upon the brethren everywhere to compare the “class” of JJH with the “class” of R. G. Jolly, as recorded in the writings of the Epiphany Messenger. Let the record speak for itself; and let each individual be judged by his own decision in this matter. “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had Sin; but now they have no Excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22 – Diaglott) May we never be so devoid of love for the Lord, the Truth and “love for the brethren” to follow such an one in his “path of error,” Brother Russell says this of such:
“St. James presses his point and endeavors to awaken some who have a measure of faith..... He asks what profit there would be for us to say that we have faith, if we do not have works to correspond – to attest the faith, however imperfect the works would be. He asks (R.V.), ‘Can that faith save him?’ We answer, No. As St. Paul declares, It is the faith that works by love that counts....... Illustrating this point he suggests that to tell a poor brother of our faith that God will help him and to send him away without relief, when it is within our power to relieve him, would not be such a faith God would approve. It would rather signify that we had deceived our own selves. It would profit us nothing.”
And any one who has been guilty of such conduct not only ‘deceives himself,’ but he also seeks to deceive others when he professes that all his consecrated life he has had “the joy of close fellowship with Him and with my Lord Jesus.” We ask, Can any one honestly make such claims after being manifested the main opponent of the Lord’s Mouthpiece, and a revolutionist against God’s arrangements? Yes, one who is in Azazel’s clutches can! He can also tell us about his ‘higher’ class. “The Pharisee standing by himself, prayed thus: 0 God, I thank thee, That I am not like other men, –Rapacious, Unjust, Dissolute, or even like This Tribute-taker.” (Luke 18:11 – Dia. – Also see Luke 18:13-14, Dia.)
R. G. Jolly’s article, “The Whole Armor of God” is a fit companion for J. F. Rutherford’s “Methods of Deceit.” It was he who was leading the brethren into error by abandoning completely or perverting (Azazel means Perverter) the Parousia Truth – just as R. G. Jolly has been doing the same thing with both the Parousia and Epiphany Truth. We realize, of course, that this is serving its purpose, because the Epiphany is a time for “MAKING MANIFEST the counsels of hearts”; and it will continue to a completion.
For now, however, we offer the observation that for several years after Brother Johnson’s death R. G. Jolly used us to teach his “higher class” in exact manner as Brother Johnson had done. During 1951, ‘52, and ‘53 R. G. Jolly invited us to offer discourses at various Conventions, with no hesitancy whatever on his part to the teaching we did. When we told him of our experience in refuting a member of Azazel’s Goat in another group, he was so delighted with our annihilation of the errors of this ‘higher class’ that he asked us to relate it to the brethren from the platform. This was in 1951 at the Labor Day Convention. His objection appears only since we have been exposing his own perversions and desertions of much Parousia and Epiphany Truth which he himself accepted and taught prior to 1950. Yet he is now crass enough to ask the question on p. 55, col. 2, par. 2: ‘‘Am I doubleminded, unstable, immature?” Well, St. James answers the question very clearly for R. G. Jolly, at least: “A doubleminded man (a crownloser) Is unstable in all his ways.” (Jas. 1:6-8)
The Apostle says more: “Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord.” Here is a clear warning that we should not expect any advancing Truth from such “double minds”; rather, we should expect just the reverse – “strong delusion” (2 Thes. 2:8-1l) – so strong that the most of them are so misled by Azazel that they believe their mud splashes of error are “advancing Truth.” But to those of us who are awake to the true situation we offer the words of St. Paul: “Take heed diligently how you walk, not like ignorant persons, but as wise men.... understand what is the will of the Lord.” (Eph. 5:15-17, Dia.)
“Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep... let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light (the Truth as given by the Star Members, and not the errors of “higher class” double minds – JJH).... Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 13:11-14)
Sincerely your brother,
John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim
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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST
QUESTION: – Did Brother Johnson ever change his views on Tentative Justification before his death?
ANSWER: – No, he certainly did not. It is indeed quite a coincidence – quite a parallel of evil – that this same question should arise now after Brother Johnson’s death as also occurred after Brother Russell’s death. Shortly after 1916 the truth on Tentative Justification began distressingly to pinch the style of the errorists who Immediately appeared on the scene. It was perhaps the first major error that J. F. Rutherford presented; in fact, he began slyly and moderately to advance his “No Tentative Justification” theory already in 1917; and by 1920 he was boldly declaring that Tentative Justification is an “Impossible” thing. This led Brother Johnson to offer detailed refutation of the error – so much so that it eventually forced J. F. Rutherford to cast aside completely the entire book of Tabernacle Shadows.
And it is well that we stress here the great importance of that move. Tabernacle Shadows was among the first of the great Harvest truths to come to the Church through That Servant; It is basic for all Six Volumes of Scripture Studies, and for many of the articles that appeared in the Watch Tower during the Parousia period. Therefore, the rejection of that book tended to topple over the entire Harvest Truth structure. As a result The Witnesses today are so far away from the Truth we received through Brother Russell that he would no longer recognize their teachings as associated with what he presented during his life.
A mildly similar parallel of that great evil is being enacted now with those who are changing Brother Johnson’s views on Tentative Justification – contending (by act, if not by actual words) that we should now recognize Tentative Justification as Brother Johnson would view it if he were here. There is just no justification at all for such a viewpoint; the contention is merely another great hoax being perpetrated upon God’s people – the same as occurred back in 1917 (in order to support their “strange fire”).
The main offender in this present debacle is R. G. Jolly, who, while he has not rejected Tentative Justification as such, now has it operating in the Camp. This view Is a direct contradiction of both Messengers an the subject – is a rejection of that Truth which he at one time ardently accepted and defended. And be it noted here that neither back there nor here has the erroneous view been sponsored by any among the Fully Faithful. Now, as then, the error comes through a Levite, a crownloser – who at one time vigorously supported Brother Johnson in his views, just as J. F. Rutherford at one time gave strong support to the Harvest Truth given through Brother Russell. In proof of this we quote from a letter written by R. G. Jolly himself to Brother Johnson back in 1920 (when he was ardently attacking the JFR error – at a time when he was under the benevolent and restraining influence of the Epiphany Messenger):
“In the Court is shown what we term a Tentative Justification.... These steps of Tentative Justification in the Court..... To deny this doctrine would be to deny and to become confused on many Scriptures and to repudiate important features of Tabernacle Shadows (just as R. G. Jolly himself is now doing by moving Tentative Justification out into the Camp – JJH). How could any one approach the brazen altar, wash himself at the Laver... without first being in the Court, the place of Tentative Justification? (But R. G. Jolly now casts aside his own Truth on this question by putting his Campers Consecrated into the Camp where there is no Laver – JJH) 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. (He properly claims here that all would have to use the Laver “preparatory to making a consecration” – but now changes his views on that: His Consecrated Campers can do so without washing – without the benefit of the Laver, as they walk R. G. Jolly’s “narrow way” in the Camp – JJH) What confusion J.F.R.’s denial of the doctrine of Tentative Justification brings to those who are gullible enough to accept it!...... But what consolation that the Very Elect shall be manifested as not being deceived.” (At that time – 1920 R. G. Jolly was an unmanifested crown-loser and had not been ejected from the Holy therefore was not then deceived. But now since he has been fully abandoned to Azazel, and no longer has the restraining hand of the Epiphany Messenger upon him, he not only “deceives himself,” he also seeks to deceive others – JJH)
Yes, everything R. G. Jolly wrote in that letter in 1920 Is just as true now as it was then – and our reason for reproducing it is to refute his own present errors; and his rejection of his own clear presentation of the subject simply reveals his present tragic condition, and “makes manifest” his “higher class.” No, Brother Johnson never changed his mind on what Brother Russell gave; nor would he change it if he were here with us today. The Truth for the Gospel Age is, and always will be, the Truth for the Gospel Age; and may we who still retain that Truth offer a prayer of thanks daily that we have not succumbed to “the pestilence that walketh in darkness.”
The distinct cleavage between Court and Camp is very clearly stated in E-11:489: “They (Israelites – typical and antitypical – JJH) worked on the righteousness of Christ, which to the antitypical Campers is a wall of unbelief, and to the antitypical Priests and Levites is a wall of faith (hangings of the Court, Ex. 35:17).”
We need ask ourselves only one simple question here: Is the Epiphany Tabernacle still in operation? If it is, then the above statement is just as pertinent and true today as it was in 1948, when Volume 11 was published; and any attempt to pervert it is rank revolutionism against this clear Parousia and Epiphany Truth. And such revolutionism persisted in is certain proof that such perverters are bad Levites, regardless of what their standing may once have been. All crown-losers once had a standing in the Holy, which they lost when manifested as gross and persistent revolutionists. The attempt now by R. G. Jolly to change the above, and label his change as “advancing Truth” is an exact parallel to J. F. Rutherford’s attempt to change Brother Russell’s clear teaching on Tentative Justification – in both cases simply a mudsplash of error! “Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord” – except the “strong delusion” promised to those who do violence to the Star Members’ teachings (2 Thes. 2:8-11), such as revolutionizing and perverting the significance of the Court and Camp, etc.
It is no pleasure to us, but rather with much sorrow, that we find it our unpleasant duty to again call attention to R. G. Jolly’s past record in our answer to his Present Truth (?); nor would we do this if his present course did not ‘attest’ to the fact that he has not forsaken his evil practices. Although some of the brethren are ‘following in his footsteps’ because of their kindred spirit with him, there are others who are deceived and deluded by his claims of ‘higher class’ just as there were many deceived and deluded by J. F. Rutherford’s loud boasts of superiority over Brother Johnson, the faithful servant who was exposing him and his sins of teaching and practice. “For necessity is laid upon me” (See 1 Cor. 9:16-l8) if we would be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren. Nor did we hesitate to resist and forsake J. F. Rutherford’s ‘higher’ class when we became aware of his gross revolutionisms and perversions of Parousia Truth. The Lord then rewarded us with Epiphany Truth. Nor do the representatives of this ‘higher’ class intimidate us now into submitting to their errors.
We now exhort our brethren to resist “the fear of man (that) bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” (Prov. 29:25) Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7)