No. 119
My dear Brethren: – Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!
In this March-April Present Truth, page 30, col. 2, R. G. Jolly makes a puny attempt to nullify our refutation of his perversion of the Talents’ Parable (Azazel means Perverter); and his effort once more gives glaring manifestation (the Epiphany period specifically “manifests” persons, principles and things) that he is still sorely befuddled by Azazel. At the outset, let us keep clearly in mind that the “unprofitable servant” of the Talents’ Parable is very close relative to the foolish virgins described by Jesus in the first verses of Matthew 25; the one parable follows immediately after the other. We suggest to our readers the Berean Comments on the Virgins’ Parable, noting particularly those for v. 3, “The spirit of the Truth.” The great fault with the foolish virgins is that they lose the spirit of the Truth, the Spirit of understanding (their “lamps gone out”) – just as the “unprofitable servant” of the Talents’ Parable is sentenced to “outer darkness” (V. 30). Now we have a member of the “unprofitable servant” trying to teach us that now since the last Little Flock has been glorified we should follow his perversion of the “faith that was once delivered to the saints,” instead of adhering to the faithful and true teachings of the Star Members! And Brother Johnson says of such in E-4:128 (9):
“The Great Company (who no longer have access to the antitypical lampstand in the Holy) are able to feed upon what they once had while in the Holy; but for the most part they neglect this (as R. G. Jolly has been doing increasingly since he was fully abandoned to Azazel in 1950 – JJH) and see only counterfeit light (such as R. G. Jolly now sees in the Talents’ Parable, Epiphany Campers Consecrated, Tentative Justification in the Camp, etc.¾JJH), i.e., such as never was on the antitypical lampstand, and thus partake of unclean bread, i.e., such as never was on the antitypical table. So far as the meat in due season – the advancing Truth – is concerned, they do not partake of it, but reject it, while in the fit man’s and Azazel’s hands.”
We direct special attention to the Berean Comment on Matt. 25:30, respecting the punishment of the “unprofitable servant”: “Sorrow, disappointment and chagrin in every sense.” And it is this same class that R. G. Jolly now declares have “entered into the Joy of the Lord”! Here again, he offers clear and gross revolutionism against Parousia Truth when he declares he now has “the joy of the Lord” in direct contradiction of Brother Russell’s Parousia teaching that he should be experiencing “Sorrow, disappointment and chagrin in every sense.” (Even if he were cleansed, as he claims to be, he would consider his past performances more soberly and hesitate long before he attempted to tamper in any degree with the Star Members’ writings.) Just this year 1965 we came into possession of a letter from an erstwhile Youthful Worthy brother, who once enthusiastically embraced Parousia and Epiphany Truth – according to his effusive testimonies at many conventions – but who has now forsaken that Truth (a brother well known to R. G. Jolly); and this is what he says: “I have lived a rich and full life and am at peace with my God, myself and with the world.” His statement of “peace with God” is an identical twin to those crown-losers who now claim to possess “the joy of the Lord.” For all those who still retain the spirit of understanding it should not be at all difficult to perceive that there is something sadly amiss in both instances. Certainly, only one befuddled by Azazel would be bold enough to attempt merger of these two contrasts in extreme punishment and reward. This would be unbelievable were we not witness to it! As Brother Johnson so aptly stated, When these people fall into the hands of Azazel, they talk all sorts of nonsense; and here we have another classic example of nonsense in the extreme – “the joy of the Lord” for the profitable servant, and “sorrow, disappointment and chagrin in every sense” for the unprofitable servant becoming merged into one.
R. G. Jolly makes reference to E-6:226. Why does he not go a little further to p. 229, where Brother Johnson says we should “remember that the slothful and wicked servant represents the Great Company”? And, while these “still retain the robe of Christ’s righteousness, they have spotted it badly” – by their perversions of teaching and practice, as R. G. Jolly has done since 1950.
R. G. Jolly seems to believe that the support of one of his Evangelists adds strength to his “Strange, unreasonable dreams” (See Berean Comment for Matt. 25:5); but this Evangelist merely reveals that his thinking is on the same shallow and confused level with that of his leader (for which R. G. Jolly is largely responsible: it is the leaders the Lord holds more responsible). In his letter he says “even the restored world of mankind will eventually enter into the joy of the Lord.” Why doesn’t he include horses and dogs, too? They also will experience a certain joy under the benign Kingdom conditions. Even he is forced to admit that the Great Company and Youthful Worthies ‘‘will not enter into the joy of the Lord on the same plane as the Little Flock”; but that’s the only “joy of the Lord” that’s under discussion in the parable. Therefore, he is simply setting up a straw man here – a characteristic of all “mis”-leaders when they find themselves on the losing end of an argument. Brother Johnson often accused That Evil Servant of just such tactics.
And R. G. Jolly adds more dust to confusion at top of p. 31, col. 2, when he tries to stress his “comma” after “overcomers.” Is he trying to tell us here that the Fully Faithful Youthful Worthies are not classed as “overcomers”? In fact, is he inferring that the cleansed Great Company are not classed as “overcomers”? Even he should know they are portrayed with palms in their hands – an evidence of eventual victory (after going through the “great Tribulation”). He should know, too, that, when the Little Flock and Great Company are contrasted in such instances, the Fully Faithful Little Flock should be qualified as “more than conquerors.”
Then he goes on to say, “Anyone should know better than to think he would represent Matt. 25:31 as referring in the parable directly to the Great Company or the Youthful Worthies.” Clearly enough, he himself didn’t “know better” when he injected his error into Brother Russell’s superb article as reproduced in his Nov-Dec. PT. He just found that out after reading our February paper. Just go back and note what he actually did: At the top of p. 83, col. 1, he switches from the Little Flock to “the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, the last two classes of God’s elect.” Then, beginning the next paragraph, he begins, “Consequently, WE.” If he was really, honestly, that shoddy and unreliable – without really intending what his language clearly states – then he’s still deserving of all the “fault-finding” we have published against him.
Let us note his opening sentence of the paragraph in question: “Consequently, WE have had many and severe storms of opposition, and still there are doubtless more severe trials to follow.” If he were speaking of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies only “in principle” here – as he now claims –, is he informing his readers that the Little Flock in Heaven (since he claims all of them are glorified) may still expect “more severe trials” than any they ever had in their earthly pilgrimage? Even he isn’t so befuddled by Azazel that he would make such a claim. Clearly enough, his language is descriptive only of the last two classes he mentioned in his preceding paragraph – the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies. He here is guilty of injecting a gross perversion (Azazel means Perverter) into Brother Russell’s superb article; and our February paper exposed his revolutionism so clearly and conclusively that even he “got the point.” His flimsy discussion of his “comma” is now merely an attempt to whitewash himself – to throw dust into the eyes of his readers; so we now suggest to the Evangelist mentioned aforegoing that he go back to that Nov-Dec. PT, p. 83, col. 1, par. 1, and read it again carefully. Then he should consider it his present explicit duty to write R. G. Jolly another letter – for publication in the Present Truth – to reveal our error in this matter – if indeed there is any error to be exposed.
It requires no argument that all moral beings in a sinless Universe will experience great joy; but “the joy of the Lord” in the Talents’ parable goes arm in arm with “the narrow way” that leadeth unto life, to which few attain (Does R. G. Jolly now claim that he and his cohorts are on the narrow way?). If R. G. Jolly can stress the difference between “the narrow way” of the Very Elect and “a narrow way” of the secondary elect, then with equal propriety there is the same pronounced distinction between “the joy of the Lord” (in the Parable under discussion) and “a joy” that is the inheritance of all righteous moral agents throughout the Universe. Nor do we adhere to the criticism that we are “fault-finding” or splitting hairs – any more than Brother Johnson was guilty of such when he attacked That Evil Servant on this very same Talents’ parable (it is indeed ‘strange’ that R. G. Jolly continues to be guilty of so many of the aberrations of which That Evil Servant was guilty). His attempt now is just as pronouncedly erroneous as he endeavors to merge the “good and faithful servants” with the “unprofitable servants” as was That Evil Servant when he attempted to merge Elijah and Elisha by claiming they were one and the same, the only difference being in the work they were doing. That Evil Servant also claimed that “the time element” was the only difference involved – exactly as R. G. Jolly now does with the Talents’ parable. Our present criticism is merely companion to our exposures of his other gross revolutionisms on Tentative Justification, Consecrated Epiphany Campers, his fractured 40-year parallel, his ridiculous “overlapping” of his Epiphany-Basileia, his futile failure of his Attestatorial Service, now more than ten years in duration in contrast to the complete success of the 25-month Attestatorial Service of the Little Flock, and many other items (as companion to J. F. Rutherford’s “Millions” proposition, his Jonadabs, and many of his other aberrations, which only accented “My Lord Delayeth,” just as does Epiphany Campers Consecrated). Therefore, we consider no apology whatever in order for the fault we have found with him. His continued tampering with the Star Members’ writings will continue to bring to him “Sorrow, disappointment and chagrin in every sense” until he makes open correction of his evils before all God’s people – his evils as a teacher and ‘mis’-leader (“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear” – 1 Tim. 5:20; and such ‘sinners’ should repent before all if they would have God’s forgiveness before all). Very many of J. F. Rutherford’s partisan supporters also accused Brother Johnson of “chronic fault-finding” and hair splitting when he attacked the former’s perversions of this same Talents’ parable and other similar items.
In our February paper we believe we clearly defined “the joy of the Lord” – the same being his present glory, honor and immortality – and that such “joy of the Lord” is the reward only of The Christ (the “profitable servant”). In that article we also raised the question of who R. G. Jolly now has for his “unprofitable servant” in the parable. This he has still ignored completely, because he is at total loss for an explanation. We gave Heb. 12:2 and Phil. 2:8-11 as ample proof of our own contention; but we now add a companion text: “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26). What is the Lord’s “glory”? Is it not His present glorious character, and divine nature, and regal exaltation? Surely, these are “the joy of the Lord” – a “joy” which He shares with His Bride – and with none other.
Comes now a corroboration from Brother Russell in Parousia Vol. 5, p. 118: “For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame. (Heb. 12:2). This joy before Him we may reasonably suppose, was: .... A joy that the Father had promised Him; not only a return to spirit glory that He had with the Father before the world was, but a more excellent glory – to be exalted far above angels, principalities, powers and every name that is named, and to be made an associate in the Kingdom of the Universe, next to the Father, – on the right hand of the Majesty on high (“in my Father’s throne” – JJH); and partaker of the divine nature, with its inherent or immortal life.
“But this joy set before our Lord was made contingent upon His full obedience to the Father’s will.... under conditions that would be distressing, painful, humiliating; .... the ignominious death of the cross.... By this means He ‘made perfect’ His title to all the joys set before Him.... and ‘being made perfect He became the author of everlasting salvation,’”
Just a few simple questions should be enough here: Could any part of the foregoing possibly apply even “in principle” to the Great Company? Could any stretch of the imagination ascribe to that Class a “full obedience to the Father’s will”? Is it not their very disobedience (for which there is no excuse, as Brother Russell states it) that loses all this “joy of the Lord” for them?
The question now becomes pertinent: Could the reward of the good and faithful servant apply even “in principle” to the Great Company? Certainly not! To attempt such a construction makes a shambles of the entire parable, which is clearly contrasting the profitable servants with the unprofitable servants – contrasting the Little Flock and the Great Company. R. G. Jolly’s ruse here is simply some more of his double-talk – Azazelian nonsense – a “doubleminded man” manifesting himself by his double-talk. And, as Brother Russell so clearly explains, “This is the class which will fail to be accounted overcomers and will fail to obtain the great prize of jointheirship in the Kingdom. This is the class that will be obliged to go through the great tribulation, to the intent that in that tribulation they may learn lessons which will be valuable to them” – lessons which R. G. Jolly has not yet learned, or he would not now be perverting the Truth of the Talents’ parable, and many other Parousia and Epiphany truths. The reward of the good and faithful servants is “joint-heirship in the Kingdom,” the same being “the joy of the Lord” – a thing forever lost to the unprofitable servants. That is why Brother Russell did not offer the slightest hint that the reward of the good and faithful servants would apply “in principle” to the unprofitable servants. Such an attempt would void the entire point of the parable, would be Azazelian double-talk, which we never find in any of Brother Russell’s writings. It is akin to saying that Saint and Sinner in the final analysis really mean the same thing “in principle.”
Nor should such nonsense surprise us, for R. G. Jolly has been very insistent that the “sinners” (the Bible designation for the Great Company) are now to be considered the “us,” the light, the salt, as those terms properly apply to the Saints. Now he goes a step further, right here in this Epiphany period, when they are being “manifested” and attempts to restore them to the “good and profitable servants” in this Talents’ parable, from which Brother Russell and Brother Johnson both properly declare, with strong Biblical proof, they have been forever excluded – disinherited, in exact fashion as was Esau, who “afterwards, when he wished to inherit the blessing (which was once his, but which he bartered away, as R. G. Jolly has done with his ‘pearl of great price’), he was refused; for he found no place for a change of mind, though he sought it earnestly with tears – Heb. 12:17, Dia.). Further, he is the only leader known to us who openly admits he is a crown-loser, has been openly manifested as such, and who now admits he has been forced out of the Holy – away from the Candlestick, away from the Shewbread, away from the Golden Altar – and is contending there are no longer any Saints on earth – that he has now taken their place as the Lord’s mouthpiece, and is propounding a new doctrine (Campers Consecrated, in the Camp with nominal Christendom) in direct contradiction of Brother Johnson’s clear teaching that such things are forbidden to him – and to all others like him.
There is only one feature of the Talents parable that was not clear to Brother Russell, and that is its Epiphany application. During the Parousia the Truth section of the unprofitable servant did not go “into outer darkness,” as v. 30 says they would do as their punishment. This was reserved for the Epiphany – after all brotherly favor and fellowship of the World’s High Priest had been withdrawn from them – when every crown-loser must go “into outer darkness – ERROR, REVOLUTIONISM – to make manifest” to the Fully Faithful that they are of the unprofitable servant class. And even in the Epiphany this did not occur with those in the Epiphany Movement until they were abandoned to Azazel in 1950 – since which time R. G. Jolly himself has been experiencing his full abandonment to Azazel – as is now so clearly revealed in his treatment of this Talents’ parable – and is leading his trusting followers with him (just as did That Evil Servant and other “mis”leaders have done since 1917).
It is a proper observation that lower minds can never fully comprehend the superior intelligence of higher beings. This is measurably true even of different classes of human beings; thus, the axiom, “Genius speaks only to genius.” By this process of reasoning, none of the lower animals can anticipate a perfect man’s emotions – joy, love, honor, etc. “For Adam there was not found an help meet for him” – Gen. 2:20. Nor can perfect man arise to the intellectual level of angels nor angels to the intellectual level of Divine beings. Thus, none of them could fully approach the “joy” of immortality (the ‘joy’ that was set before Jesus and His Body Members) any more than we now fully comprehend it. “It doth not yet appear (is not clear to us) what we shall be.” Therefore, by a process of pure logic, it is simply Azazelian nonsense to inject the “unprofitable servant” into “the joy of the Lord Christ”; and R. G. Jolly’s Evangelist now stands guilty before all in his attempt to encourage R. G. Jolly in his perversions (Azazel means Perverter).
Repeatedly have we stressed that all who encourage R. G. Jolly in his wayward course – either openly and positively, as does this Evangelist, or tacitly by mere silence to “love the praise of men” – become partaker of his sins. And all such not only are not helping him, but they are actually contributing to his downward course, and are certain to experience some of the ‘tribulation’ of the Great Company – a “certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation” in a modified form. Not only does the Great Company experience “outer darkness” while in the clutches of Azazel, but they don’t understand the Truth as due, nor retain that which they did have, as do the fully faithful Youthful Worthies – nor will they (the Great Company) do so until they are fully cleansed. (See E-4:129)
Again he resorts to his usual name-calling in an effort to soften the condemnation that cometh of evil – Revolutionism against the clear Truth that once made him clean (John 15:3); and we opine that he saw this clearly enough before he was driven out of the Holy some 25 years ago, even after he had lost his crown (and certainly much better, too, before the restraining hand of the last Star Member was removed from him in 1950) – although now all his efforts are to establish his position as a Cleansed Levite Leader, just as he sought to establish himself as a Saint on a par with the Lord’s Mouthpiece, when he gave him advice and criticism, contrary to the Truth, and fought the Epiphany Messenger’s righteous course toward the cancerous widow (and actually won the majority of the Class in iniquity with him and against Brother Johnson! See E-10:585). Yes, indeed, he does endeavor to keep the outside of his cup clean! “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” (Matt. 23:25) And he continues with such tactics as he tries to influence the brethren against our righteous course, just as he did with Brother Johnson (when he accomplished much evil with the majority in the Class). Thus, he refers to us as a “chronic fault-finder” (“sifter,” errorist and shyster lawyer) as a cover-up for his many sins of practice and teaching. However, in his attempt to usurp “the joy of the Lord” for the “unprofitable servant,” he produces an identical twin to the error of many nominal preachers who insist upon preaching their members into Heaven at death (no matter what their iniquities might be). And R. G. Jolly knows only too well the “chronic fault” Brother Russell found with such people. Yet he himself now resorts to the ways of his kinsmen in iniquity by his attempt to sugarpill his adherents with the error that they, too, will “enter into the joy of their Lord,” even though they may not have been too saintly in their covenant of sacrifice. And he attempts this in Azazelian fashion, true to his past performances. (See E-10: 646, top) But to those of our readers who have an “ear to hear” we offer Gen. 49: 6,7: “O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united.... I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”
The Unjust Steward is another parable to the point. After treating the Parable of the Talents (Reprints 5386-87 – Jan. 15, 1914), Brother Russell then treats of the Unjust Steward, and has this to say:
“The parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-9), which impresses this same lesson, was primarily addressed to Jesus’ disciples, in the presence of the Pharisees and those who sat in Moses’ seat, who were the representatives of the divine order of Things in the Jewish age.... By teaching the people thus, we may get the ill will of the scribe and Pharisee class (for our time the sects of Little Babylon – JJH); but we are getting the good will of the people and of those who are in harmony with God and righteousness. And although we may be excluded from the high functions of the nominal systems, many of the common people are hearing gladly and sympathetically, and are wishing to share their homes with us. So we have homes all over the world, wherever God’s people are; for they have the ear and eye to appreciate the Lord’s Arrangements. Furthermore the Lord Himself will ultimately receive us into everlasting habitations..... We are living so as to use our time and strength to the best of our ability to do good and to instruct others to do good.”
There is more on the Unjust Steward in Reprint 5750, Aug. 15, 1915:
“The ecclesiastical powers of today are professedly sitting in the seat of Christ. The masses of the people know nothing better than what their religious rulers tell them.... (and this is true in large degree of the majority in the Little Babylon groups – JJH). They have been to a greater or less extent hiding ‘the key of knowledge’ (Luke 11:52), to a greater or less extent imposing on the superstitions of the people, and taking the people’s money under false pretenses. They should now seek to rectify all this so far as possible by telling the people the truth...... But in antagonizing the interests of the people more and more they are adding to their own distress in the near future, as the Scriptures point out.... We believe that the nominal church clergy and leaders will particularly suffer in the universal overthrow of the present order near at hand – some of them because they have actively opposed the truth; some because of posing as representatives of truth and enlightenment and the liberties of the people, and failing really to stand for the truth which they recognized –keeping quiet about it for policy’s sake. They have failed to conserve the interests which they pretended to serve.
“In applying the words of Jesus to ourselves, they would seem to teach that to whatever extent we have the mammon of unrighteousness, worldly goods, we should be inclined to be liberal rather than penurious, according to the measure of our ability (help the ‘needy’ – don’t refuse them and influence others to do likewise – JJH). We take it that the Lord is showing us here that we as his followers have more or less of means, opportunity, influence, etc,, and that we should use these talents He has given us in forwarding His cause. And if in our presentations of truth a certain amount of denunciation any be met with, we should rather let the matter go unnoticed and seek to be generous, so far as is compatible with fairness to the Lord and the spirit of His Word.” (Many of the Lord’s people fail to see the ‘talent’ of means)..
Note the Berean Comment on Luke 16:10 – “The Lord’s method is to advance only him whose zeal, faithfulness and patient perseverance have shown themselves in little things.” Had the Great Company been faithful in the ‘little things,’ as diligently as they have been in the ‘big’ things pertaining to their fleshly minds (such as making a name for themselves, seeking large numbers, etc.) they would not have lost their crowns. Also see Berean Comment for Luke 16:8. Furthermore, these Great Company leaders are among those described in Isa. 66:5 – “Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Also, “When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth; but the righteous shall see their fall.” (Prov. 29:16)
‘‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.” (Psa. 73:27,28)
Sincerely your brother,
John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim
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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!
Did you get the ... check I sent on March 5? Please send me a few of the “Two Salvations” tracts. Thank you! “Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.” (Psa. 98:8,9) “These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks.
By His Grace ------- (CONN.)
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My dear Brother Hoefle: – Greeting of Christian love in our dear Redeemer’s Name!
Your letter of Feb. 26 came to hand.... and was received with much appreciation; and let me thank you for the papers for March and April, which, among other things, mentions the date of the Memorial for 1965 ....
Re report on the working of the Class, I think it quite proper that I give you an idea of the working of the Ecclesia, since our dear Brother Roach has gone beyond the veil. Well, the Class is not different in anyway from how it was working while Bro. Roach was with us in the flesh – except for the meetings he used to keep at his home at Belmont. You know every little Ecclesia is mistress of its own affairs, so in the month of November, as customary, we held our nomination and one month later we had election of officers.... Our meetings are held on Sundays at Tunapuna from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and St. James from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Arouca – and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Morvant. On Wednesdays St. James from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., to visit or meeting at Sister ------- Sat.... Continue to pray for us as we continue to pray for you all. (2 Tim. 4:22)
By His Grace, ------- (TRINIDAD)
CORRECTION:
March paper No. 117, p. 1, par. 1, line 8, we referred to “the strangers of the Baltic Provinces.” The word “Baltic” is an inadvertence, and should read “Black Sea Provinces.” Please correct accordingly.