NO. 19: "REJOICE IN ALL THINGS"

No. 19

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

On page 4, col. 1 of this January Present Truth there is offered a partial answer to our Open Letter of December 1 to R. G. Jolly, the same having to do with our Item 2. And we are quite happy to note that he now sees the Truth on this matter – although on sev­eral occasions at the Kingston, Jamaica Convention last month he shouted out the same mistake he made at Chicago in October, "we rejoice in all things." However, this was probably just a slip of the tongue, because we can only assume and conclude that he be­lieves what he has now published in this last paper about it – the Truth being that we rejoice amid, but not in perverse things and circumstances. Certainly, we do not rejoice in our own human limitations and mistakes, any more than we rejoice in the fail­ings and weak manifestations of our brethren in their lot among the fallen race during the curse. Nor do we "rejoice in iniquity", or in "the death of the wicked." We are admonished to "count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations." It will be noted this text does not say when we "fall in temptations", but when we "fall into them." As one translation puts it, "Count it all joy when you are hedged about with difficulties." Brother Johnson properly states the matter when he says we "count" such things joy, because the best we can do under such circumstances is to "count" them such; they are not actually joy to us. We "rejoice in the Lord always"; nor can we have too many rejoicing Christians so long as they "rejoice in the Lord", as Brother Russell has so aptly put it. As said, we are pleased to see that R. G. Jolly now sees the Truth on this matter.

To some, the foregoing may seem rather inconsequential; they may think we are splitting hairs over small things. Well, it certainly is not our wish to become pro­fuse about trivial matters; but we do realize that small things eventually develop into big things – Giant oaks from little acorns grow.  At the outset, the monstrous Man of Sin was just a "little horn". Along this line, there was a time when R. G. Jolly was setting aside the Manna texts as a basis for testimony meetings at Conven­tions, an instance being the Chicago Convention of October 31 through November 1, 1953, when the Manna text was not used for a single testimony of that gathering. That meant there was no Star-Member comment as a guide to the brethren; and it was a revolution­ism of Parousia arrangements, as Brother Johnson said it was revolutionism when That Evil Servant did the same thing. The latter was not influenced by The Epiphany Messen­ger, so that the Manna is used no more at all by the Witnesses – which is proof of what we have just stated about small things growing into big things. This perversion of the Convention testimony meetings was fostered by R. G. Jolly on more than one occa­sion; but we are happy to note he forsook this revolutionism after we called it to his attention privately. However, be it noted, that it has been the practice of uncleansed Great Company Leaders to ignore much of the true Scriptural teachings on character de­velopment and overly emphasize "service" as a substitute. But we wish it understood that we would not now be making public display of it were it not for the general condi­tions prevailing at present. Also, we repeat, we certainly did not "rejoice" in that revolutionism; but we do indeed rejoice that he has forsaken the error of his way and has cleansed himself of at least one of his revolutionisms since Brother Johnson's death.

The charge has been put to us that we have appointed ourselves as the "corrector of the brethren" – a would-be "king" or overlord. To those who know us well, we need offer no defense against this nonsense; but we believe it in order here to declare that each member of the household of Faith is indeed his brother's keeper. Therefore, it is not only the privilege, but it is the duty of each one to have the welfare of all others at heart – in the spirit of love and gentleness. Nor does this apply to the leaders only, but to all who "are spiritual" and sufficiently developed to do this in the right manner. "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee"; so it gives us no offense when we are offered well-meant correction. "If ye see a brother overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one"; and this text has its application to faults of teach­ing as well as faults of conduct. The Body of Christ has been the closest partnership of all the ages – "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" – ; so it is no idle talk when St. Paul says that when one member suffers, they all suffer – when one re­joices, they all rejoice. And, if we ourselves offer to correct a brother because of iniquity of teaching or conduct we again state most emphatically that we do not "re­joice in such iniquity" - although we strive at all times to "rejoice always in the Lord", amid and in spite of unfavorable circumstances of any kind, but never "in" the evil itself. Therefore, we now rejoice that our efforts in this regard have accomplished at least some reform in R. G. Jolly, small though it may be – not because he erred, but be­cause he has seen the error of his way. "My brethren, if any among you wander from the Truth, and some one turn him back; Know you, that he who turns back a Sinner (a Great Company member, "one who has missed the mark") from his path of error, will save his soul from death" – James 5:19-20, Diaglott. "If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."—Ezek. 33:8.

Starting with page 9, R. G. Jolly presents some three pages of Questions & Answers on Christ's reign, etc.; but nowhere in his voluminous comments does he once make men­tion of the questions we raised in our October 1 writing about his "faulty disc", where­by he changed the meaning of Brother Johnson's statements. WHY? Certainly, a true Pastor and Teacher should dispose of our charge before proceeding to anything else; and we feel we would be fully within our rights just to ignore what he now offers un­til such time as he does clear up the "faulty disc". This we shall not do; but we do now call upon him again to explain this matter in full.

In his January comments, which we now review, he attempts to discuss the Mediator­ial, the Millennial and Vicegerental periods, none of which does he state clearly enough to enable us to know whether he himself does not understand what he is talking about ­whether he does not want his readers to follow clearly what he is saying – or whether he has just failed to state his position in clear and understandable fashion. As for us, we repeat what we have previously stated – Namely, the Mediatorial and Millennial reigns are not the same as to time, although they do operate concurrently most of their terms. "While the Millennial reign began in its incipiency in 1874, the Mediatorial reign has not yet begun in any sense of the word; also, the Mediatorial reign will end fully and completely in 2874, but the Millennial reign will not do so, as we hope to prove by much from the writings of both Star Members. Then, respecting the Vice­gerency, we have realized for some time now that R. G. Jolly has been hinting in his verbal statements that the Christ does not operate as such during the Millennial reign, but we have been waiting for him to put at least a little something into writing about it. And now, while he does not say so positively, he rather hints that the Christ does not operate as Vicegerent in the Millennium.

First, then, let us state that at the close of the Mediatorial reign in 2874 (the Mediator being only ONE of Christ's 21 offices to operate Godward and Manward), the human race stands in much the same position as did New Creatures in 1914. The Faith­ful at 1914 were everlastingly fixed, and nothing would ever change that – although it should be noted that the New Creatures themselves were not then aware of it, nor did they know about it with respect to one another, except in a few individual instances. In these same respects, the Faithful (the Sheep) will have arrived at their everlast­ing destiny in 2874, although they themselves will not know this of each other – just as was true of New Creatures in 1914. This feature of their experience will be ac­complished during and by means of the Little Season.

Next, the Christ are God's Vicegerents in the Millennium and in the Little Season. Note page 344 of Vol.  E-16 (middle):

Thus the expressions "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of Heaven" almost invar­iably refer to the royal rulers, Jesus and His faithful Little Flock, who will represent Jehovah, in exercising His authority as His Vicegerents.

And more of the same on page 334 of Vol.  E-17: "This expression, THE LORD OUR RIGHT­EOUSNESS; the office of our blessed Savior, as God's Vicegerent, is thereby meant." Again, on page 412, same Volume: "Just as a potter with a rod of iron breaks to pieces the clay vessels he desires to destroy, so the Christ, Head and Body, as God's Vice­gerent, through His power breaks in pieces the nations of Satan's empire." And at the top of page 413: "As a reward for His faithfulness unto death, our Lord was given the position as the Father's Vicegerent and Representative, to be exercised, not only dur­ing the Gospel Age, but also throughout the Millennial Age and all eternity." Many more references on this could be offered, but these should suffice.

We now proceed to prove from copious references in the writings of both Star Members that the reign of the Christ in its larger and most pointed manner began in 1914 and ends in 2914. In the Comment Bible, page 15, it is bluntly stated: "The Millennium ends in 2914." And on page 87 of Vol.  P-2, we have this:

He who now holds the scepter, whose right it is to rule, will at the expiration of the Gentile Times receive the crown also; and "unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." The scepter, or title to "all power in heaven and in earth", was given unto him at his resurrection, but he awaits the father's appointed time, the limit of the Gentile Times, before he will take his great power and begin his glorious reign.

It should be noted from the foregoing that Jesus did not wear the crown before 1914. WHY? Because the Gentiles had a lease to rule until that time; and "God is not the author of confusion" – He would not allow two different parties authority to rule at the same tine. Therefore, Jesus received the "crown" (power to rule) only at 1914, at which time He began the eviction of the previous lessees.  But there is also an­other reason for this – THE CHRIST HAD TO BE COMPLETE BEFORE IT COULD BEGIN TO OPERATE AS A REIGNING UNIT. Beginning at the middle of page 427 of Vol.  E-6 we offer discon­nected quotes to the middle of page 428:

The Church coming in 1914 to the kingdom, in the sense that the last begettal then occurring, all the faithful under the call up to that time will obtain the kingdom, and therefore in God's sight (Rom. 4:17) they are from then on as in the kingdom....... (NOTE: This Rom. 4:17 is the same text which R. G. Jolly tried to "wrest" into his explanation at the 1955 Philadelphia Conven­tion; but which could have no true setting in the explanation as he gave it.) ...... But please note: this work (re Azazel's Goat) belongs exclusively after the entire Christ is won, i. e., in the Epiphany, hence on the Church's wedding day...... after the entire Church has been won, when, from God's standpoint, every part of the Church in the flesh is in the kingdom...... This passage calls Christ and the Church Bridegroom and Bride, after the work began toward Azazel's Goat in 1914, and therefore views them from God's standpoint as in part actually married, and for the rest as good as married.

On page 422 of Vol.  E-5 (bottom) we have this: "The Millennial Age has several beginnings by reason of the lapping of the Gospel and Millennial Ages into one another 1874 .... 1914, etc." Self-evidently, if that Age has several beginnings, it must also have several endings, one of which will be 2914.  In Vol.  E-15, page 540 (bottom) we have this:

During the Little Season, which will be the Harvest of the Millennial Age, the six siftings of the Gospel Harvest will be re-enacted.

The foregoing is a plain statement by Brother Johnson that the Millennial harvest ex­tends to 2914; and here is what he says on page 196 (bottom) of Vol.  E-17:

In Matt. 25:31-46 (the parable of the Sheep & Goats) there is given a brief description of the results of the Judgment process. V. 31 shows our Lord's Second Advent with His faithful angels, or messengers; and the next verse shows how He gathers all nations before his MILLENNIAL THRONE, making them subject to Him as THEIR KING.

Again, on page 414 (bottom):

By the time the Millennium and its subsequent Little Season (Rev. 20:3) will have fully ended, God through the Christ (Head and Body), the Seed of Abraham, will have blessed all the willing and obedient of mankind with restitution, and they will have stood faithful in the testings in the Little Season, where­as Satan and his evil angels, and every soul among men that will not have obeyed that Great Prophet (the Christ) will have been destroyed in the Second Death.--

Not by the Christ as Mediator, but by the Christ as Judge (See Vol.  E-11, page 412, (middle).

We now offer corroboration of the foregoing from Brother Russell. on page 3470 of the Reprints we have this:

Having accomplished the work which the Heavenly Father has set apart to be accomplished by the Anointed in this Millennial reign, at its close the en­tire authority, with the world in complete subjection to the divine law and fully restored to the divine likeness and all willful transgressors cut off, will be surrendered to the Father's hands.

On page 5293, par. 2 of Reprints there is this: "Christ's kingdom must rule the earth until all the wicked are destroyed—l Cor. 15:24-26."

Can there be the slightest doubt in any one's mind that Brother Russell is here refer­ring to persons? All evil things, of which Adamic death is the last, will be destroyed first – during the Mediatorial reign –; with the evil persons being destroyed at the end of the Little Season. Further confirmation of this is to be found in Vol.  P-4 (the last edition of which came in 1916), page 644 (bottom):

Thus shall the Christ reign as the Father's vicegerent until he shall have put down all antagonistic authority and power, and caused every knee to bow and every tongue to confess the Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power of God the Father. And finally, having manifested, by the last crucial test at the close of the Millennium, all who have even a sympathy for sin, though outwardly obedient; and having destroyed these from among the people (Rev. 20:9), he shall surrender to the Father the vice-royal dominion.

Now we offer something from Vol.  P-5, pages 30-31:

When the great Mediator-King shall resign his completed work to the Father, deliv­ering up his office and kingdom as the Apostle explains (1 Cor. 15:24-28), what lasting results may we expect the great Mediator's redemptive work toward mankind to show?

Now follows Item 4 on page 31 in answer:

The destruction of all others of the race, as unworthy of further favor, the cum­berers of the ground, whose influence could not be beneficial to others, and whose continued existence would not glorify their Creator.

There is much more yet that we could produce from the Star Members, but this should be more than ample. If R. G. Jolly is not yet silenced, then we now call upon him to clarify first of all the matter of the "faulty disc" before he attempts anything else. And while he is at it , will he please state if that same "faulty disc" was responsible for his contended mishap in the 1949 Herald, and in the 1954 Bible Standards and in The Millennium book of 1956. In all three of these publications was the same "faulty disc" responsible?

It was the privilege of Sister Hoefle and this writer to attend the Kingston, Jamaica Convention January 11-13; and it was also our blessed privilege (Matt. 5:11-12) to sit through hours of tirade by R. G. Jolly against the "sifters in our midst". His scurrilous abuse was a minor matter, of course; but it provided a mild reminder of what the noble Worthies of Jewish times experienced, and why Jeremiah was prompted to write in his chapter 5, verse 31: "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so." Conditions permitting, we shall give some elaboration later on of the days we spent in Jamaica; but we observe for the present that there was the usual volume of nonsense on Hiram, on the 68th Psalm, and other things – much mention made of the truthful writings of the last two Star Members, but sullied with just enough nonsense to make of the whole a pathetic confusion.

It should be observed here – to the commendation of the Jamaica brethren – that just about all of them,, including their leaders, received us graciously and joyfully the first day of the Convention; but this began to taper off once R. G. Jolly began to exert his influence upon them. However, it must yet be recorded to the praise of many of them – in various degrees of prominence – that they continued to fraternize and fellowship with us despite the loud and verbose expostulations that poured in a steady stream from the platform whenever R. G. Jolly was before them. The private talks we had with some of them revealed only too clearly that they love the Truth, that they are well advanced in their understanding of the Truth, and have acquired a large measure of the spirit of the Truth. And, for their encouragement, we state that "in due time" the Lord will reward them according as they have sown.

As an instance of R. G. Jolly's above-mentioned confusion, Num. 8:7 was discussed at some length, the point being stressed that it was the Priest who provided the "water of purifying" by which the Levites were to cleanse themselves; that if any Youthful Worthy attempted to offer any Great Company developing truth during the period to 1954 it would be self-evident usurpation of power.  Surely, we have no dispute with any of this; nor have we attempted to do any of it. Over the past several years we have stressed particularly one such Truth; Namely, that the last Truth Group was abandoned to Azazel at October 22, 1950 by the removal of the special Eye, Hand and Mouth of this Epiphany time. Certainly, all must know that this major developing truth – that all crown-losers must be abandoned to Azazel for their Fit-man experiences - was repeatedly set forth by Brother Johnson in elaborate detail; and our only part in connection with it is to declare that that truth is now fully operative since the last Star Mem­ber has left us.

That all may clearly understand this matter, we refer to Brother Johnson's oft­repeated statement that he believed the Society contained more Saints than the Epi­phany movement; at one time it certainly contained the major part of all of them on earth. But it was the "casting out" from their midst of the Eye, Hand and Mouth that effected the abandonment of that group to Azazel, even while there were many Priests still remaining there. The Society became one of the 60 Groups – an uncleansed Group when they came fully under the leadership of Great Company leaders. But it should be specifically noted that when the Group abandonment occurred that did not preclude the presence of Saints, faithful Youthful Worthies, and probably some cleansed Great Com­pany members from that Group – although those who continued under the leadership of That Evil Servant did eventually become uncleansed to whatever degree they absorbed of his devastating errors of teaching and arrangement, with those Youthful Worthies and Great Company members actually losing their class standing if they also imbibed of his sins of conduct. And, by the same process, the LHMM became the 60th Group, as a Group, when it arose under Great Company leadership on October 22, 1950. This contention ­taken of itself – would be no proof at all that the Saints were all out of the LHMM at that date, any more than that it was proof they were all out of the Society at July 27, 1917, when Brother Johnson was forcibly ejected from the Bethel home.  Nor is it proof that ALL OF THE GREAT COMPANY in the LHMM were uncleansed at October 22, 1950; but the indisputable teachings of Brother Johnson prove to any unbiased and honest mind that as a Group it was then uncleansed and was then abandoned to Azazel by removal of the Eye, Hand and Mouth by the Lord Himself on that date. We offer once more some quotations from Vol. E-4, the first being on page 203 (65):

Letting the Truth section of Azazel's Goat go in the wilderness seems to mean the part of the fit man's course whereby he puts Azazel's Goat into a condition of isolation from the Faithful, whose measurable favor and help they enjoyed previously to this step - a condition in which they are not even given brother­ly fellowship.

Can any point to a time when the above was done to the LHMM section of that Goat? We have repeatedly asked the question; but there has been complete silence upon it up to now. We stress the matter here again because R. G. Jolly took most unscrup­ulous and cheap advantage of a humble sister at Jamaica in his attempt to beat down her contention of this truth we have here outlined; although it is to her praise that she still had the courage to withstand him to the face – his shoddy psychology just didn't work in this instance; and his effort to inject Leviticus 12 into his contention only revealed too clearly his own confusion on the subject.  In it all he offered excel­lent display of his "Higher Class" – well in keeping with the past performances of antitypical Saul.

On page 206 (67) of Vol. 4 there is more on this matter:

To deliver this class to Satan is done in two ways: ... (2) directly, by the fit man letting them go into the condition of isolation from the brotherly fellowship of the Priests, when Satan lays hold on them to use them for his unholy purposes (Lev. 16:10, "to send him away for Azazel").

On page 207 there is this: "So far (in 1938) none of the Great Company groups have finished their experiences at Azazel's hands; therefore, only a part of such experiences can be given." In 1938 Brother Johnson could not foresee in detail the conditions in 1950 or in 1957 – and he said so; he said he would continue to make mistakes on the Great Company developing Truths until the "purification" was com­pleted in 1954, and that he could not see clearly the outworkings of some of these things. No, indeed, he couldn't! One of the things Brother Johnson could not clear­ly foresee was how the LHMM section of Truth Levites would be cleansed – because he could not foresee how they would get their fit man experiences as a Group. Nobody can see Truths before due – especially Truths that involves trials and testings of character. He stressed this truth in further detail in Vol.  E-15, page 525, in which statement (made in 1950) he specifically includes those Great Company members who "lost little flockship by the skin of their teeth":

As in none of the Great Company do these two forms of the rod prove sufficient fully to free their Holy Spirit from the bondage of developed worldliness, self­ishness, error and sin ... the Lord delivers them over to Satan..... Their delivery to Satan implies that they come into such a condition as the Priests disfellow­ship them, and thus withdraw all brotherly help and favor from them. It also implies that God temporarily abandons them, and lets Satan buffet them.

If any can prove how the foregoing was accomplished in the LHMM Group of the Great Company before 1950, we would be most appreciative to hear about it. It should be noted we have repeatedly presented these references to R. G. Jolly; and he has just as repeatedly maintained a complete silence about them. WHY? Once more do we put the question to him. will he once more ignore it?

With this writing comes our warm Christian love to all who continue "to fight the good fight", with the assurance of our prayers and the offer of brotherly help in every way that lieth within us,

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim