NO. 156: SOUND AN ALARM IN ZION

No. 156

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

In Chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Joel there is the prophetic picture of present-day events – events that are specially pertinent for God’s people. The Prophet issues the edict, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain”; thus, the purpose is clear enough: It is a warning and an alert for spiritual Zion here in the end of this Age. “The Day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” (v. 1) This, then, pinpoints the exact time that this prophecy ap­plies, the time in which it is to be understood. It is a well-established principle of Biblical interpretation that the details of any prophecy cannot be clearly under­stood until it is fulfilled, or in course of fulfillment. And, since we have arrived at the time when Joel is in course of fulfillment, we may logically expect to have a clear understanding of it; and many of the details are the purpose of this paper.

Many of the Bible statements are based upon some previous Scripture – just as many others are prompted by the personal experiences of the individual writers. Thus, some of the Psalms of David are the direct outgrowth of his waywardness with Bathsheba, etc. And it is our thought that Joel’s command to “blow the trumpet in Zion” finds its foundation in Numbers 10, where Moses was commanded to make “two trumpets of silver.” That these trumpets were typical is clearly stated by Jesus in Matt. 5:17,18, wherein He declares that every minute feature of the Law was typical; and the trumpets had di­rectly to do with the Tabernacle, with the Tabernacle being inseparably linked with the Law and its services.

Moses was commanded to make two trumpets, only one of which was blown when it announced merely a routine assembly “at the door of the Tabernacle.” (Num. 10:3,4) But, in the blowing of an alarm, both trumpets sounded, the same being an immediate order for the Camp of Israel to be on the march against their enemies. Therefore, when the Prophet Joel wrote the prophetic command to “blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm,” it was a clear indication that spiritual Zion should give strict at­tention. It is our understanding that the trumpets of Numbers 10 typified the Gospel-­Age Truth as due, given by the Lord through the great Reformers of the Age – the “seven stars in His right hand.” (Rev. 1:16) And, since the “alarm” that Joel has ordered is to be for “the day of the Lord,” it should be readily apparent that it has to do with a proclamation of truth at this present time. And pointedly pertinent to the subject would be St. Paul’s query: “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound (if the message be weak or beclouded with error), who shall prepare himself for the battle?” (I Cor. 14:8)

THE CAUSE FOR THE ALARM

“For the day of the Lord.... is a day of gloominess, a day of clouds, and of thick darkness.... a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like.” (Joel 2:2,3) The Prophet here declares the cause for the alarm, the battle cry as it were, against a devastating horde. “The land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.” Some may be inclined to consider this a description of the Vandals, who overran Gaul, Spain and North Africa, invaded Italy, entered Rome and wantonly destroyed many monuments of art and literature – for the mere love of destruction. But the fifth century AD., in which they operated, was not “the day of the Lord,” although it would seem they could fit the description perfectly were they living at the time of “the Lord’s day.”

Last summer we were in Detroit at the time of the riots there – a close-up eye witness without becoming directly involved. From 8:30 Sunday evening until daylight Monday morning we were in the fifth floor of a building in downtown Detroit, with lights out, so that we could see, but not be seen; and we observed the mobs pillag­ing, looting and burning – racing back and forth across City Square (Grand Circus Park), smashing windows, seizing the expensive and elegant merchandise as though it were common refuse, then wrecking completely the business shops, even tossing into the street the models that had contained costly suits and furs – making a shambles of everything they touched. Indeed, we thought what a literal fulfillment of v. 9 was then occurring: “They shall run to and fro in the streets.... the earth shall quake before them.” “The land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness” a holocaust of hilarity by the totally irresponsible. All that night, the next day, and the next night the fire alarms, the police sirens, voluminous gunfire and shriek­ing mobs gave the impression of being in the center of a modern battlefield.

A business acquaintance related to us how he had stood on a tall building Monday noon in Windsor, Canada (about a mile across the river from Detroit), and had counted eight huge fires over a space of several miles In Detroit – to say nothing of the hun­dreds of smaller ones not visible to him at that distance. All the fire equipment that Windsor could safely spare was sent in relief; the same was also true of all outlying suburbs and even from cities thirty miles away. Yet they could not control the holocaust. In the final analysis, the estimated damage was 500 million dollars; prominent business streets were almost completely devastated for miles on end. It was not enough that the mobs looted clothing stores, furniture stores and supermarkets; they must also burn them to the ground. Some of the finest buildings and shops of our day were simply a heap of rubbish when the final count was taken.

In our opinion, it is doubtful that the City can fully recover for many years from the loss incurred in those three nights and two days. What had taken years of time and enormous expenditure of labor and money to create had been irreparably ruined within perhaps sixty hours of time. Surely, Eze. 7:23, 24 was markedly fulfilled: “The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.... the worst of the heathen shall possess their houses.” When the carnage was at its height, one fireman was shot to death just for the “fun” of murdering him, as he was attempting to extinguish a fire. Indeed, “the worst of the heathen” were in command of the sit­uation – “the land as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilder­ness.” Nor should it be concluded that only the rich and prosperous shopkeepers were ruined; many modest factory workers had their homes and all their furniture burned ­they were practically left helpless in the streets. But not alone was valuable prop­erty destroyed, but the morale of many of the citizens received a demoralizing blow. One man’s fine furniture store was sacked, then burned to the ground. When asked if he intended to rebuild, he answered it had taken him twenty years to build what had been wrecked in one day, and he never wanted to see the street again. We personally know one man in midtown Detroit who now attends to his business with a loaded pistol in his belt during business hours – a real revival of the days of the Old Wild West. After viewing the devastation in Watts, California, Evangelist Billy Graham remarked that if such an occurrence came at the same time in thirty large cities of the United States it would be sufficient to cause the collapse of the Government.

THE “PRIMARY” EDUCATION

In Joel 3:9, 10 the Prophet continues: “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles (the nations), Prepare (hallow, sanctify) war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near.... Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears ­Let the weak say, I am strong.” Clearly enough, this has reference to the first world war in 1914 – when “the day of the Lord” had arrived. The war fever was so great at that time that both sides literally did consecrate themselves to war. The Triple Entente was determined to destroy their opponents, and the Triple Alliance would “Make the world safe for democracy.” And let any one as much as question their motives, he was fortunate if they did not immediately hang him. He could be certain, however, of much verbal abuse as well as physical abuse in many instances. Here in the United States the Lutherans were praying to God to bring death upon the Lutherans in Germany, where the Lutheran religion had been established. In very pro-Catholic Austria the Roman Catholics were invoking destruction upon their Catholic Italian brethren, and vice versa. And that was ridiculous, you say? Well, at that time if you even thought such anathema, you might have your home burned down, or find yourself in dur­ance vile.

After it was all over, and a measure of sanity returned, some of the bolder radi­cals, such as Norman Thomas, for instance, declared publicly that the whole engage­ment was nothing more than a commercial war; and quite a few agreed with him. Then came 1939 with the whole affair begun over again, this time A WAR to end wars! But the fanaticism was not nearly so intense; many had learned at least a little from the 1914-1918 experience. Many of the preachers who had been overly ardent in their sup­port of the military operations on both sides in the first affair remained discreetly silent for the second one. Said one prominent New York clergyman, who had been rabidly against the Central Powers the first time, that they could hang him publicly before he would be guilty of another such mistake. And large numbers of ordinary citizens also failed to imbibe the extremist view on the second war. In fact, in the 1914 conflict those of us whose memories go back that far remember very clearly how Dan. 3:19 was then fulfilled against antitypical Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego: “They should heat the furnace (of persecution against the conscientious objectors) one seven times more than it was want to be heated.”

But by the end of the second great war large numbers were awakened to the triv­ial trickery of such slogans, “Make the world safe for Democracy,” and “A war to end wars.” There is more apprehension of war here in 1968 than there was in 1913; and much of the stimulus for the 1967 riots in Detroit and other large cities was gained from the ‘primary’ (elementary) education that many of the rioters had gained by ob­serving the empty promises of their leaders. They would take things into their own hands to demonstrate clearly they were no longer being fooled by empty words of polit­ical tricksters.

And in the midst of all of it the Prophet comments, “Let the weak say, I am strong.” The development of present-day firearms has effected a great equality among men. A twelve-year-old boy, with a modern pistol, is more to be feared than a 200-pound man without one; and the smallest weak nation, with an atomic bomb, inspires more dread than a much larger nation without one. And this was forcefully impressed upon Mr. John Q Citizen through his ‘primary’ education in the armed forces of his respective country. The experience aroused him to a realization that if he could do that against the Germans, the Japanese, etc., he could just as easily do it against his real or imagined enemies in his own home land; and he would have less to lose than he did while serving in the armed forces of his native land. Indeed, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! And the Scripture comes sharply in focus, “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hos. 8:7)

THAT SERVANT’S COMMENTS

More than seventy years ago That Servant foresaw today’s events, although he did not then see them with that clarity that is now ours because of actual eye witness to present happenings. However, it is a great tribute to his analytical ability of prophecy that he did predict present events as correctly as he did, so we offer below some of what he wrote from “the sure word of prophecy” respecting conditions as we now see them developing on every hand:

‘‘We have noted the work of preparation for the conflict of this evil day – the organizing, equipping and drilling of immense armies, the building of great navies, the invention of new and wonderful engines of war, the making of new and powerful explosives (the atomic bomb had not then even been begun—JJH), and the draining of the national resources in every land for purposes of military equipment (none of the present colossal debt had then been dreamed of—JJH); and we have noted the mutterings of the angry nations as they all stand armed to the teeth, scowling upon one another.

“As we view these millions of armed and disciplined warriors, we inquire, Which of all these mighty hosts is that army to which the prophets point as the Lord’s great army? Can the prophetic references be to any of these? And if so, in what sense could they be considered the Lord’s army, since none of them are actuated by His spirit? Or, can this reference be to the people of God, the soldiers of the Cross, whose weapons are described by the Apostle Paul as not carnal, but mighty, through the pulling down of strongholds? (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Can it be that the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17), in the hands of the people of God, who are filled with His spirit, shall accomplish the great work of overthrowing all the King­doms of this world and giving them to Christ for an everlasting possession?

“Would that it might be so! but that such will not be the case we have already seen, both from the prophetic viewpoint and from the signs of the times. On the contrary, the protests and the warnings of the righteous are steadily ignored by the world, and the nations walk on in darkness, and in consequence all the foundations of the earth (the present social structure) are out of course (Psa. 82:5), so endanger­ing the whole social superstructure which is now being terribly shaken.

“Hear the prophetic description: ‘A great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like; neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of mountains (kingdoms) shall they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that de­voureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.... Into the city they hasten forward; they shall run upon the wall; they shall climb into the houses; through the windows they make their entrance like a thief. The earth (present social order) shall quake before them: the Heavens (ecclesiastical powers) shall tremble: the sun and the moon (the illuminating influences of the Gospel and of the Mosaic Law) shall be dark, and the stars (the apostolic lights—Rev. 12:1) shall be obscured – shall withdraw their shining (the dark night will have come wherein no man can labor—­John 9:4; Isa. 21:9, 11, 12). And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army; for His camp is very great; for He is strong that executeth His word, for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and who can abide it?’—Joel 2:2-11.

“Where is there such an army, under present instruction and training? – an army before which the earth (society) shall quake and the heavens (ecclesiasticism) shall tremble (Joel 2:10); which shall boldly array itself against the conservative forces of Christendom, both civil and ecclesiastical, and hope even to cope with its pres­ent strength? Where is the army that in the near future will deny Christendom’s time-honored doctrines, its statescraft and priestcraft? that will sullenly ignore all its anathemas, spurn its orders, and hurl back its thunderbolts of authority and organized power?

“That such an army is coming into existence and preparing for the desperate con­flict we are nonetheless forcibly assured by the signs of the times. And it is the recognition of this fact (without any reference to or knowledge of the word of prophecy) that is now filling the heart of Christendom with fearful foreboding, and impelling everywhere to take extraordinary measures for protection and defense.

“But in these very measures for self-defense devised by ‘the powers that be,’ there is probably a snare which they do not realize. The armies on which they de­pend for defense, be it remembered, are the armies of the common people: these millions of disciplined warriors have wives and sons and daughters and brothers and sisters and cousins and friends in the ranks of the common people, with whose inter­ests their own are linked by nature’s strong ties; and their service of thrones and kingdoms is only secured by imperative orders, and made endurable by a remuneration which they are fast coming to consider as no satisfactory compensation for the hard­ships and privations which they and their families must undergo, not to mention perils to life and limb and health and fortune. Year by year these armed hosts are less and less infatuated with the ‘glory’ of war, more keenly alive to its sufferings and privations, and less and less devoted to the sovereign powers that command their ser­vices, while the armies of toilers, of the common people at home, are becoming more and more irritated and dissatisfied with their lot, and more and more apprehensive of the future.

“Just what conditions and circumstances will be used of the Lord as His ‘voice’ of command to marshal this mighty army we may not now be able clearly to surmise; but we live in a day which makes history rapidly; and on general principles it would not be unreasonable to expect movements in this direction at any time. These are already overshadowing the world, and are as sure to come as that they are foretold. A very few years would seem to be abundant space for their full accomplishment. Already ‘men’s hearts are failing them for fear and for looking after (forward to) these things coming upon the world.’

“Mankind in general is unconscious of the Lord’s interest in this battle: and almost all the contestants gird on the armor for personal and selfish interests in which they rightly realize the Lord could not share; and hence, while on every side they are ready to invoke the Lord’s blessing, few count on it; all seem to rely upon themselves – their organization, numbers, etc. None will be more surprised than the ‘powers of the heavens,’ the great ones of present ecclesiastical control, who, going about to establish a plan of their own for the Lord, have neglected His plan as re­vealed in His word. To these the Lord’s work will indeed be a ‘strange work.’ Hear the Lord’s word on this subject:

‘The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.... For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption (an expiration, a consummation) even determined upon the whole earth.’—Isa. 28:21,22.

“The social system, the ‘earth,’ the ‘elements,’ the ‘course of nature,’ cannot be set on fire until the Lord permits the match to be struck: the great decisive battle cannot begin (Note this well!) until the great Michael, the Captain of our Salvation, stands forth and gives the word of command (Dan. 12:1), even though there will previously be frequent skirmishes all along the lines.

“Meanwhile let us remember the Apostle’s inspired description of this trouble ­that it will be as travail upon a woman with child, in spasms or throes of trouble, with shortening intervals between. It has been just so thus far (as was so clearly demonstrated in Detroit and other localities during the past few years—JJH); and each future spasm will be more severe, until the final ordeal in which the new order will be born in the death-agonies of present institutions.

“While the Lord forbids His people to fight with carnal weapons, and while He declares Himself to be a God of peace, a God of order and of love, He also declares Himself to be a God of justice, and shows that sin shall not forever triumph in the world, but that it shall be punished. ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.’ (Rom. 12:19; Deu. 32:35) And when He rises up to judgment against the nations, taking vengeance upon all the wicked, He declares Himself ‘a man of war’ and ‘mighty in battle,’ and having a ‘great army’ at His command. And who can give assurance that the multitudes who now compose the marshaled hosts of Christendom will not then constitute the great army that will throw its mighty force against the bulwarks of the present social order—Ex. 15:3; Psa. 24:8; 45;3; Rev. 19:11; Isa. 11:4; Joel 2:11.

“‘The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: He shall cry, yea roar: He shall prevail against His enemies.’ The cry and roar of His great army, and their success in accomplishing His purpose of revolution, He thus attributes to Himself; because they are accomplishing, though ignorantly, His work of destruction. He says: ‘I have long time holden my peace; I have been still and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman: I will destroy and devour at once.’”—Isa. 43:13,14.

“But in the Scriptures there are also intimations that there may be others be­yond the revolting hosts of Christendom who will also form a part of the Lord’s great army. And the Lord, through the Prophet Ezekiel, referring to this same time, and to the approaching calamities of Christendom, says: ‘And I will give it into the hands of strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil: and they shall pollute it.... Make a chain (bind, unite them together; let them make common cause), for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city (Christen­dom) is full of violence. Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the great to cease, and their honored places (their sacred places, their religious institutions, etc.) shall be defiled.’ (Eze. 7:13-24)

“This may be understood to signify that the uprising of the masses of Chris­tendom in anarchy will, during the prevalence of lawlessness, be so extremely bru­tal and savage as to out rival the barbarities of all heathen invasions – as was the case in the French Revolution. Or it may signify an uprising of the peoples of India, China and Africa against Christendom. Our opinion, however, is that ‘the worst of the heathen’ are those in Christendom who are ‘without God’ and without Christian sentiments or hopes (such as those who are denying the very existence of God and of Jesus as our Redeemer—JJH); who hitherto have been restrained and held in check by ignorance, superstition and fear (the light of the day having rid many of the people of the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment—JJH), but who in the dawn of the twentieth century are rapidly losing these restraining influences. (A few years back a man was arrested in Detroit for murdering a helpless old man; and it was developed during his investigation that he had amused himself during the last great war by cutting off the ears of the Japanese prisoners—JJH).

“According to the predictions of the prophets, the conditions of this battle will be without historic precedent. As already suggested, this final struggle is graphically portrayed in symbols in the 46th Psalm (Compare also Psa. 97:2-6; Isa. 24:19-21; 2 Pet. 3:10). The Hills (the less high, less autocratic govern­ments) are already melting like wax; they shall retain their form, but as the earth (society) gets hot they yield to its requirements, little by little coming down to the level of popular demand. Great Britain is a good illustration of this class. High mountains (representing autocratic governments) will be ‘shaken’ by revolutions, and ultimately ‘carried into the midst of the sea’ – lost in anarchy. Already ‘the sea and the waves roar’ against the bulwarks of the present social system: ere long the earth (the present social structure) will reel and totter as drunken man, vainly endeavoring to right itself, maintain a footing and re-establish itself: by and by it will be utterly ‘removed,’ to give place to the ‘new earth’ (the new social order) wherein righteousness, justice will prevail.”

All of the foregoing from our Pastor sounds as though it were written yesterday ­instead of more than seventy years ago. Surely, the prophecy of Isa. 24:20 now comes vividly before us, “The earth (the social order) shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage (in exact fashion as a modern builder removes a worn-out useless structure before constructing a useful new one)... it shall fall and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day (this day of the Lord now before us) that the lord shall punish.... the kings of the earth.” But for all who would accept this “sure word of prophecy” (2 Pet. 1:19), we offer the consoling words of Jesus, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you..... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in Jesus’ name!

Please send me 300 tracts...... also Where are the Dead.

We surely have good news for those who have lost their loved ones in death. Thanks for your monthly letters. Has Brother Jolly ever admitted and apologized for any of his mistakes, his mistakes in letters, Journal articles, etc.? He likes to correct others.

Much love to you both ------- (PENNSYLVANIA)

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Dear Brethren: I am not at the ------- Nursing Home anymore... It is now over 50 years since I have heard of Brother P. S. L. Johnson. I have been among various Bible Students for many year, and have seen many changes over the years.

My new  address -------

Yours In Christ.... (NEW HAMPSHIRE)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Your good letter received, which we enjoyed reading. Thank you! Your letters are so encouraging and uplifting; they strengthen our faith and stimu­late us to Holiness. We want to again thank you for the Nos. 151, 152 and 153 articles. We read and re-read them. They are wonderful, dear Brother Hoefle. We received a rich blessing, and we are delighted to tell you just how we feel.

We have received a letter from Bro ------- and he is not in the best of health but not complaining...... He said, “We have been busy mailing out some of Brother Hoefle’s tracts.” We are sending you these messages to show how much the work is growing. We are continuing the same here, dear Brother, in our new home – serving the churches here.

We trust that you and Sister Hoefle are quite well, and that God will bless you both as you continue to serve the dear brethren.... Remember Sister and me to all the dear friends in Mount Dora – and God bless you all as you continue in the Lord’s good work. And may our dear Heavenly Father bless you, our dear Brother and Sister, as only He can bless, and keep you steadfast in the Faith.

Your brother and sister ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Loving Christian greetings! At last I am managing to pen you a few lines. You are so right – we are one in spirit! Isa. 58:8. I must say you and Sister Hoefle have been a real joy and comfort to us both – when so many whom we had grown to love have become drunken with the follies of R. G. Jolly. Daily do we thank the Lord for your faithfulness and pray you to be kept in the Faith. And this also for the dear ones with you.

Next week we hope to have dear Brother and Sister ------- with us. They have now gone to ------- seacoast to a relative’s wedding, and expect to come to us afterward. The four of us will find much to talk about in Truth matters. June 1969 will be our joint golden wedding. They were married just after we were. They would like for us to celebrate it together.....

It was when we returned from our honeymoon that we had an invitation to attend a lecture on The World Has Ended. It was quite a few years afterward that we found out that the meeting we have attended had been postponed from an earlier date – a date when we would not have been there. Another one was interested, but a New Cov­enant brother came along and she succumbed to his views. It was a real test, but Brother and I studied what Brother Russell had to say – and that established us in the Truth – and what a blessing we have received! Then we began to see the Watch Tower was bringing in contrary ideas to the Studies in the Scriptures, so we studied the various topics and found Brother Russell’s presentations sound and Scriptural.

J.F. Rutherford was saying that Babylon had never been a golden cup in the lord’s hand – when the Scriptures directly says, “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand.” (Rev, 17:4,5; Jer. 51:7) The Philadelphia and Laodicean periods we could not accept – nor the Second Advent articles. The book “Light” made Brother... em­phatically declare: I am not taking this for the public to buy! Brother was then elder and service director for a class of about 7 or 8. It meant we both had to re­sign and take a stand against the errors ....... replied and said I had been actuated by an ‘Agent of the Devil’ (Note: These same words RGJ uses against us now in 1968 – see Mar-Apr. PT, p. 31, col. 2, par. 1; the “cleansed” Levites also called Jesus Beelzebub—Mark 3:22. This seems to be the age-old refuge of all “workers of iniquity”—Matt. 7:23 – when they can’t withstand the Truth. We are labeled “Satan’s Agents” because we are persuaded by the Truths taught by both Messengers – Star Mem­bers – rather than those errors now offered by a crown-loser—JJH). Sister .......... got the volumes for us – she never accepted JFR’s errors. Brother King (now deceased) passed on Present Truth papers to Brother and me, and we recognized it to be sound – ­more so than anything else presented to us......

It was quite a shock to find we were in another sifting after Brother Johnson’s demise. However, it is true to the history of the Gospel Age – and it is for us to keep in the love of God, continuing in that which has blessed us all along our mar­ried life. The Lord has been gracious to us, and we both desire heartily to honour and try always to do His will. We feel very humble for the Truth to have come our way...

Just been impressed with “God’s Little While,” in Volume One Reprint. It re­minded me of the “due time” we used to hear the brethren quote when first the Truth came our way. It is still applicable! Brother ........ came into the Truth through reading E Vol. One. He said he would get the best answers to his questions from it. He was a very nice brother – but RGJ made him temporary representative after Brother Johnson died. Yes, Horn is a very good name when used rightly – and you have used your power and influence for good (your talents). God bless you continually! Brother ------- and Sister ------- send their love to you. My love also Sisters Dunnagan and Moynelo.

Sincerely your sister ------- (ENGLAND)

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Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

Mount Dora, Florida

Dear Sir: One of your followers who did not have the courage to reveal himself sent some of your literature to my sister upon the death of our mother.

I would appreciate knowing your doctrinal beliefs and what group you are associated with, as you seemed to be evangelic but your definitions of death as such are not clear. Are you speaking of death of body or soul? There is quite a difference. Your follower was from this area.

Please identify yourself and your basic beliefs.

In His Service ------- (NEW  JERSEY)

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Gentlemen: Enclosed is my check for $ ... for you to use as you see fit to carry on your work. We enjoy the articles you send us from time to time.

Very truly yours ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

Mount Dora, Florida

Gentlemen: Please send me some of your Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 6. Thank you!

------- (CALIFORNIA)

NO. 155: ANOTHER LOOK AT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

No.  155

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

At least once each year we endeavor to offer some review of the Witnesses’ activities and especially of their teachings, all of which we have rather closely followed over the years. We have two reasons for doing this: First, to offer some protest against their perversions and vitiations of Holy Writ, and, Second, to help our readers inform themselves – to have their “faculties habitually exercised for the discrimination both of good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14, Dia.) Thus, we shall examine at this writing an article on page 93 of their February 1, 1968 Watch Tower, entitled:

THE CROSS IS OF PAGAN ORIGIN

They ask the question, “Did the church ever tell you that the cross is a Pagan symbol?” And we now ask the question, “Have the Witnesses ever told their followers that the cross was in common usage in Pagan Rome at the time the Pagan Law executed and crucified Jesus?”

Their statement of fact we do not dispute – any more than we would contradict the statement that temples of religion are also of pagan-origin. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; its roof was made from the famous Cedars of Lebanon, which are said to have lasted 400 years with­out showing any evidence of rot or decay; and it was here that one of the outstand­ing episodes in the pilgrimages of St. Paul was enacted, as the Greeks shouted, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” (Acts 19:28) But the telling feature of such edi­fices is not that they sanctify the people who frequent them; it is the people them­selves that sanctify any building they occupy – whether it be an ordinary residence (“the church in thy house” – Phil. 2), a commonplace meeting hall, or a magnificent edifice. Thus, the frequenters revealed by their treatment of St. Paul that the palatial Temple of Diana had produced little of good in them; whereas, St. Paul offers warm praise of those who attended “church” in the ordinary domicile of the “dearly beloved” Philemon and Apphia.

And much the same conclusions may be drawn from the emblem of the cross. With­out dispute, it is of pagan origin; but the particular cross upon which Jesus was crucified was sanctified, immortalized by Him who hung thereon – even though it had been the Pagan Romans who did it. The Watch Tower article says, “the cross was ven­erated in Egypt and Syria.” Yet, isn’t it odd, so very odd, that it makes no men­tion at all of the Romans and their use of the cross – although the Romans and the par­ticular cross upon which our Lord was crucified are the special actors in the drama of Good Friday. And at this point it should be stressed that at the time of Jesus’ death crucifixion was used extensively by the Romans – although only slaves, provincials and the lowest type of criminals were crucified. And the Jews knew full well when they shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him” that they would thus drag Him to the very bottom of the cup of shame and humiliation. Tradition has it that the Romans also crucified St. Peter, but they beheaded St. Paul, because he was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:28); and it was only rarely that Romans were subjected to the humili­ation and anguish of the cross.

The Witnesses contend that Jesus was impaled on a torture stake; and we real­ize that such an article was in use by the ancients. In its earliest uses it con­sisted of a pointed stake used in fortifications, which gave considerable defense from attackers. As an instrument of torture or punishment the victim was either bound to this stake, from which he hung by his arms, or was impaled – with the stake thrust through his chest or driven longitudinally through the back or privy parts and com­ing out of the mouth. The invention of this atrocity is traditionally ascribed to Semiramus (Mother-wife of Nimrod – the mythical “Queen of Heaven” – the woman in the moon – and one of the most despicable characters in all history – See Jer. 44:17, 18, 19,25), although it was also originally a Phoenician practice; and used also in Persia in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. This latter method for putting Jesus to death would almost surely be flatly contradicted by the prophetic statement, “A bone of Him shall not be broken.” (John 19:36) It should require little argument that a sharp stake could not be driven through the chest or longitudinally through the body with­out breaking at least some small bone.

Also, the victim thus impaled could not possibly have had his hands nailed to the stake. Yet, the record is indisputable that Jesus was nailed to the instrument of His death. “Thomas said to them, Except I shall see in His bands the print of the nails, and throughst my hand into His side, I shall not believe.” (John 19:25) “After eight days.... came Jesus... saith to Thomas, Reach thither thy finger, and behold my hands.... and be not faithless, but believing.” (vs. 26,27) Thus, the Witnesses are hard-pressed to substitute their ‘torture stake’ for a cross.

Various writers also mention a single upright post “on which the victim was tied or impaled” (nothing said here about nails), in addition to three types of crosses: St. Anthony’s cross (crux commissa), shaped like a capital letter “T” (thought by some to be accepted from the symbol of the Babylonian God Tammuz). He it was who supposedly died every Spring, and was then resurrected in several days by the vio­lent weeping of the women of the Empire. This was undoubtedly a counterfeit – in advance – of Jesus’ death and resurrection, instigated by the great Deceiver; and its degrading influence seems to have been potent enough to contaminate some of the women in Israel (“The gate of the Lord’s house, which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz” – Eze. 8:14) This is vividly brought to our attention in Luke 23:28: “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

Another type of cross was St. Andrew’s cross (crux decussata) – shaped like our letter “X” –; and a third one was the crux immissa, shaped as the one commonly seen on many churches in Christendom, with the cross beam down somewhat from the top. This latter would have lent itself very well to the crucifixion story, as it would have provided ample opportunity for nailing Jesus’ bands to it, and to make allow­ance over His head for the inscription ordered there by Pilate, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” And a little reflection will convince any one that it would place some considerable strain upon the imagination to conclude that all of this could have been done just as an upright torture stake – as the Witnesses would now have us believe.

Nor do they find any support in their position from the critical translation of the Bible; e.g., Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott translation of the New Testament and Doctor Rotherham’s work. Both of these consistently translate the Greek Stauros (occurring 28 times) as ‘cross’; and the Greek Stauroo (occurring 46 times) as ‘crucify.’ But perhaps the strongest of all contradictions to their position is to be found in the history of the Jews by Flavius Josephus:

“Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works – a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was (the) Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross (AD. 33 April 3, footnote), those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

Josephus was a contemporary of the Apostles, reputedly dying about 100 A. D.; and, being a Jew, he would certainly be well qualified to report the manner of Jesus’ death. And he reports that it was on a cross – no hint of a torture stake.

The above report is further strengthened by the history of the fall of Jerusa­lem at the hands of the Roman conqueror Titus in the year 70 AD, which record tells us that, after the city’s fall, there was a circle of crosses around Jerusalem, with a dead Jew hanging on each one of them. Thus, the Lord had literally taken them at their word, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) As they had done to Him on the cross, so it was likewise meted out to them by the Pagan Romans.

Thus, it would seem that the great weight of consistency supports the story and picture of the cross as we understand it today; and so Pastor Russell accepted it. Had there been any cogent reason to question it, we may be certain he would have done so; but he was not one to find fault with Christendom for the mere sake of finding fault, or just to be different from the majority. Anything of merit that he could find in other groups, he was ready enough to acknowledge; as, for instance, he did with the observance of Christmas. There is not a single fact to support December 25 as the birthday of our Lord; there is also not a single line of Scripture that tells us to observe His birthday (although we are definitely told to remember His death). And, although we have reasonable assurance that His birth was on the tenth day of the seventh month Tishri (about October 10 of our calendar), Pastor Russell was not inclined to uproot such a long-established custom. Rather, he modestly stated:

“Although we cannot agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of our Redeemer.... yet upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and appreciation to­ward God and toward the Savior.” (This the Witnesses now also belittle.)

And his attitude toward the cross was much the same as it is recognized today; and there is strong argument – as we have given aforegoing – that he was right, and the present-day Witnesses are wrong in attacking the sacred story so generally accepted today. In fact, while he was still alive, the emblem of his admirers was a cross-­and-crown pin – a red enameled cross superimposed upon a crown of gold: If we bear the cross, we shall wear the golden crown. There are still probably quite a few Wit­nesses still living who hold in loving esteem that designation of their belief.

THE TABERNACLE

Our Lord said that every minute detail of the Law, of which the Tabernacle was an inseparable part, was typical. “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets.... Verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and earth pass, one jot (the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet) or one tittle (one tip of a letter) shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (filled full, completely enacted in antitype)”—Matt. 5:17, 18. If Jesus spoke the truth here – and He certainly did – then we are forced to the conclusion that the typical features of the Law are an integral and important part of the Old Testament, forcing the further conclusion that those antitypes that occur in this Gospel Age are an essential part of Christian know­ledge and faith now. This is verified by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples.” The Diaglott translates this doubly em­phatic: “These things occurred to them typically (“these things are all types,” or “these things by way of type” – Dr. Rotherham), and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the Ages have come.”

Because of the forceful language in the critical translations, coupled with the words of Jesus in Matthew, Pastor Russell placed great value upon those Taber­nacle types; thus, the outstanding production of his early writings was “Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices,” which appeared first in 1881. And in the Fore­word of that book he had this to say:

“The careful student will discern that, the application of the types herein presented being correct, the entire Plan of the Ages is thereby corroborated..... To what a glorious gospel, than, is this the key.”

Yet, the Witnesses – who now make loud cry that Pastor Russell is the founder of their Movement – have completely eliminated Tabernacle Shadows from their teachings just as the Roman Catholic Church has perverted or eliminated much of the teachings of our Lord and the Apostle Peter, even as they also claim to be following “in their steps.” Such claim, of course, is nothing more than gross fraud, and the names St. Peter and Pastor Russell become only magnetic expressions to perpetrate colossal hoax upon “the unstable and the unlearned.”

Possibly realizing somewhat the enormity of their offense, and in a bungling attempt to mitigate their acts, they give 1 Cor. 10:11 this translation in their own Bible: “Now these things went on befalling them as examples.” It will readily ap­pear to all that this ‘translation’ by the Witnesses bears little resemblance to those critical translations cited aforegoing, which brings us to repeat what we have previously declared; namely, their Bible is not a translation at all – it is merely a paraphrase distorted and twisted to fit what they now want to believe. Thus, it needs little argument that Pastor Russell would have no part of their ‘translation’ were he still living.

Nor should the Witnesses claim to be following Pastor Russell when they cast aside the very foundation of all his Harvest Truth teachings. As he himself emphat­ically declared, the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures all are the direct outgrowth of Tabernacle Shadows; and Tabernacle Shadows corroborates “the entire Plan of the Ages.” Therefore, in rejecting Tabernacle Shadows, they are in sub­stance rejecting the Good Word of God – all of which causes us to quote Jer. 8:9: “They have rejected the Word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” This one premise alone should cause all to view with a very skeptical eye anything and every­thing that the Witnesses now offer as truth.  And, further along this line, when any organization begins to “strain at gnats,” as the Witnesses have done regarding “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2) – condemning acceptance of the cross because it is of pagan origin – we may very safely conclude that such people are bereft of the Truth and the spirit of the Truth; and we should follow St. Paul’s counsel, “from such turn away.” (2 Tim. 3:5)

And we might here properly inquire, Is their ‘torture stake’ not also of Pagan origin? Did Christians invent their ‘torture stake’? And would Christians be any less Pagan if they adopted the ‘torture stake’ instead of the cross? In fact, they emphasize the pagan origin of the cross; then substitute another pagan invention in its place – simply talking without having anything to say. Truly, “Wisdom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7:35)

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

In previous papers we have stated that the Witnesses are the Roman Catholic Church’s “little twin”; and, in further proof of this contention, we analyze the conditions pertaining to the Jews after the end of that dispensation. Just before His death our Lord had said unto them, “Behold, your house is left unto you deso­late.” (Matt. 23:38) And in keeping with this declaration the desolation gradually gathered momentum until the full destruction in AD. 70 by the Romans, followed by, the dispersion that continued throughout the Gospel Age. And with that dispersion came continued and organized contumely and physical abuse  upon that race. Especi­ally was this persecution aided and abetted by Antichrist (The Roman Church); and the more apostate that system became, the more they also treated the true Christians (the heretics, the real Protestants) in like manner as they did the Jews.  Thus, the cast-off Jews and the true followers of Jesus found themselves in much the same caldron (without design on the part of either, of course).

Now, here in the end of the Age, some of this same condition finds repetition. Since the death of Pastor Russell the Witnesses have been very determined in their antagonism against those who would adhere to his teachings, branding them as “that evil servant” class (Matt. 24:48), forbidding their deluded dedicated devotees to read any of the writings of such people (in exact fashion as did the Roman Church with respect to the writings of the ‘heretics’ – the true Protestants), casting the protesters out of their midst in cruel and unfounded disfellowshipments (‘‘make fire come down from Heaven” – Rev. 13:13) – in exact duplication of the acts of the Roman Church during the heyday of their power. And along with such proceedings, they, too, are castigating the Jews, consigning them to eternal extinction because they do not accept the Witnesses – identically as did the Roman Church when they sentenced their ‘heretic’ to the Lake of Fire.

This, too, is a diametric contradiction of what Pastor Russell taught. At the overflow meeting at the Hippodrome Theater in New York City in 1910, the Pastor so warmed the hearts of the Jews there assembled that many of them for years afterward fondly referred to him as their Pastor. Thus, here again we find no relation at all to what the Witnesses now teach concerning Jewry to what Pastor Russell taught, and whom they claim to be the founder of their Movement. In this connection, we offer the following quotation from his Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2 ­page 302:

“Some have endeavored to do as Papacy did, to organize their church under some one person as its head, while others supply the place of this head with a council or synod; but all are under the delusion imposed by the false and misleading interpreta­tions of Scripture doctrine started by Antichrist – that now, and not at a future time, is the reign of Christ’s Kingdom; and, denying the Com­ing Age, as the Antichrist does, they, like that system, are careless of the full development of holiness among believers (the Witnesses denying there is such a thing as character development—JJH) and are zealous rather for the accomplishment now of the work of the next Age, the conversion of the world – so much so that they are often willing to misrepresent God’s plan and Word, and to invent theories to frighten and drive the world into a profession of godliness.”

When the Papal System held sway, they consigned the dissenters to eternal tor­ment; now the Witnesses sentence them to eternal extinction in the approaching Armageddon. Then the Papacy (Antichrist) had established the counterfeit thousand­ year reign of Christ; now the Witnesses have established their counterfeit Kingdom.

Just a little reflection should cause any unbiased mind to realize their pres­ent ridiculous position. All about us we see moronic, semi-moronic, physical and mental derelicts who either have not the capacity or the will power to assimilate the Truth when it is presented to them. The Adversary is not yet bound, and is “blinding the. minds of them that believe not” – even among the majority of the in­telligent. They freely proclaim this in their March 1, 1968 Tower, p. 136, par. 1, telling us the Devil is still with us, ‘‘has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.” Yet the Witnesses are telling us that if all such people do not accept them now before Armageddon. they shall experience eternal extinction with no further chance for Kingdom blessings – even though all the minds of the unbelievers are BLINDED by the Devil! Note now the prophecy that directly applies to the TRUE Kingdom reign – ­Christ’s Kingdom reign: “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9) And again Rev. 21:25, “There will be no night (error) there.” Further, the words of St. Paul in 1 Tim. 2:4, Dia.: “God desires all men to be saved,  and come to an accurate knowledge of the Truth.”

Let us now consider some of the Witnesses’ teachings that are in violent oppo­sition to the foregoing. on page 659 of the Nov. 1, 1967 Tower, they say:

“The ‘stubborn’ resisters (meaning actually, the resisters of the Witnesses’ kingdom—JJH) of God’s victorious kingdom are really accomplishing nothing against it. At Armageddon.... He will utterly destroy them by means of his exalted Royal Stone, Jesus Christ.”

And further on page 660: “Jehovah God will perform no ‘saving’ act for his enemies.... God will bring them back to punishment. If, even in atomic-powered submarines, they should try to hide themselves in the depths of the sea, the una­voidable Jehovah God will bring them back. To what? To face slaughter, that their life blood may be poured out. This will enable the true followers (meaning the Witnesses themselves—JJH) of the Son of David, in effect, to wash their foot in the blood of their enemies. No decent burial will be given such detestable enem­ies, but, if we have any Biblically despised dogs in our service, God will let them lick up the blood of the enemies against whom God has arisen.”

Here indeed is a most happifying anticipation – a glorious reward for the faithful followers of the lamb! Who but the most obnoxious moral renegades would not enjoy bathing his feet in a pool of blood of his former friends and relatives perhaps your own father and mother will be providing some of that blood for you if they don’t agree with you now, and don’t join up with the Witnesses! What a reward is here held out for those “true followers (the Witnesses) of the Son of David!”

And something more on page 661: “O how the favored survivors of the war of Armageddon will celebrate his eternal victory with song and music, blessing him who is the source of life of his people!”

Join them quickly – before Armageddon – and you, too, may be among the fortu­nate ones who will revel by bathing your feet in the blood of your mother, your father, your sweetheart, or your children who had not the favored intellect to realize that they also should have cast their lot with those who will obtain the supreme ecstasy of that bloody carnage. It is but a small step between this pic­ture and the one presented by the Roman Church. The latter promised their adher­ents a blissful eternity – playing upon golden harps, no more conflicts or toils, in heavenly glory, as they would experience the inexplicable ‘joy’ in Heaven of watching their former friends and relatives – father, mother, etc. – writhing forever in the lake of Fire, with no hope of escape. Of course, our enlightened day will no longer tolerate such distortion; thus, the Witnesses have toned down their punishment of the damned to a less hideous sentence in Armageddon (although ‘scary’ enough to induce many of the “unstable and unlearned” to join them): You will just wash your feet in the blood of the lost, instead of enjoying their tor­ment in the lake of Fire forever.

THE LAST ENEMY

On pages 524, 525 of the Sept. 1, 1967 Tower there is offered some considerable comment on the “last enemy” of 1 Cor. 15:26. They contend this “last enemy” will be “hurled into the lake of fire” – the same to “occur before Satan is loosed from the abyss at the end of the thousand years.” This “last enemy” they declare to be the “Adamic death” (although they also claim that Adam has died the Second Death, which will never be destroyed) – the death resting upon all through Father Adam’s transgression in Eden. Placing Adam in the Second Death is a direct denial of the Ransom (the anti-lutron, or exact equivalent), because Adam is the only per­son who could properly be ransomed by Jesus – a perfect life for a perfect life. Every one of Adam’s descendants came into this world imperfect; thus the giving of a perfect life for any one of them could not possibly be a true anti-lutron, an exact equivalent, or ransom in the Biblical sense of that word. This “new light” of the Witnesses is a diametric contradiction, and repudiation, of Pastor Russell’s basic teaching of the “Restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21), as he sets forth in the “Divine Plan of the Ages” (a book they have cast aside for their “New Light”).

Let us keep well before us that the raising of the last one from the grave will immediately blot out the Adamic-death state. Those who die after coming to “an accur­ate knowledge of the Truth” – if not obedient and in harmony with it – will then die the second death – not the Adamic death. Thus, it would seem very elemental that the last one to come forth from the tomb must do so some considerable time before Satan is loosed from the abyss, because it is hardly likely that that person can “come to an accurate knowledge of the truth” in a day, a week, a month, or even a year. This being true, there must be something decidedly faulty with their reasoning here ­– something wrong somewhere. To indulge in a slight digression, we remark that the leaders of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement also hold the same view as do the Witnesses on the destruction of this “last enemy”; they, too, teach it is to be de­stroyed before Satan is loosed from the abyss, thus becoming a companion with the Witnesses in this teaching.

“ONE PROSELYTE”

On pp. 540-543 of this same Tower is the record of one Johannes Weber, long time adherent of the Witnesses, who tells us on page 541 that sometime before 1914 a lady advised him to read The Divine Plan of the Ages. “This I did,” says he, “and read the book thoruoghly, noting that its teachings were quite different from those of the church.” He does not say to which “church” he refers; but we would now join with him in declaring that the teachings of that Divine Plan book are also “quite different” from the teachings of the “church” of the present-day Witnesses ­so much so that Pastor Russell (who wrote the book) would speedily disavow any con­nection whatever with those now attempting to gain prestige by linking his name with theirs. The Divine Plan of the Ages directly contradicts the entire structure of the Witnesses present-day teachings regarding Armageddon and the fate of the present unsaved world. This is quite in keeping with the claims of Antichrist and its re­lation to St. Peter; Antichrist’s claims are an insult to St. Peter – just as the Witnesses’ claim is an insult to Pastor Russell. “Only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” (Isa. 4:1)

Here is a little more from Brother Weber’s statement: “At the end of the war (1914-18) one day I spied a huge poster with a picture of Pastor Charles T. Russell, the Watch Tower Society’s first president, advertising a film show entitled ‘Photo­Drama of Creation.’ It turned out to be the most beautiful and imposing drama I had ever seen.... The next outstanding event was the widely publicized lecture by J. F. Rutherford, second president of the Watch Tower Society on the topic ‘Millions Now Living Will Never Die.’” in this latter he fails to state, however, that the time limit of this lecture was set for 1925; and, when 1925 came and went with not even a ripple in current happenings to give the slightest credibility to the lecture and the time predictions, the subject was hastily – and quietly – dropped. Do we hear any one preaching it today? If not, why not? If it was the Truth in 1920, it should be decidedly and more clearly apparent now than it was then. In 1925 the Ancient Worthies were to return from the grave – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the others; and this was so fixedly taught that J. F. Rutherford even built a palatial residence in California to be used by those Ancients when they would return to life.

But let us consider here that the Divine Plan and the Photo-Drama were the means of bringing Brother Weber into the Truth, although there was not one word in either of them about Millions Now Living Will Never Die – nor of any of the sordid blood-bath predictions now being circulated by the Witnesses – not one word about a bath of blood for you in the blood of your former relatives and friends. Indeed, Pastor Russell was ‘‘wise and faithful” – and taught that the fully faithful  would be able to bless and help their unbelieving friends and relatives, instead of rollicking in their blood; thus, we should not expect such distortion from him, because he did indeed teach “the Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom” – “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Thus we are forced to the painful conclusion that at the first Brother Weber was brought into the Truth by Pastor Russell’s ingenious pen products; but has since been taken out of that Truth by the pen products – the present-day teachings – of the Witnesses. And, if the present-day Witnesses would read that Divine Plan of the Ages with an honest and open mind, they would speedily and gladly be forced to renounce their present beliefs.

We offer here just one brief quotation from that Divine Plan book, p. 294: “We find statements by both prophets and apostles which clearly indicate that in the times of restitution Israel as a nation will be the first among the nations to come into harmony with the new order of things; that the earthly Jerusalem will be rebuilt upon her old heaps (this prediction is dated 1886, when there was not the slightest intimation of Israel as a nation in Palestine, as we now view it—JJH); and that their polity will be restored as in the beginning under princes or judges (Isa. 1:26; Psa. 45:16; Jer. 30:18).... And while Israel will be the first of the nations to be recognized and blessed, it is written also of Israel that ‘The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first’.... As Jerusalem was the seat of the empire under the typical Kingdom of God, it will again occupy the same position, and be the city of the Great King’ (Psa. 48:2).”

Much more of the same is to be found in that section of the book; and all of this the present leaders of the Witnesses have renounced completely – claiming, as they do, that their present “Large Multitude” are to be recognized as the principals in the earthly phase of Christ’s Kingdom – much the same as the Laymen’s Home Mis­sionary Movement now also claims the preeminence for their “Consecrated Campers,” a class invented for the purpose in recent years, in exact fashion as the Witnesses have invented their non-existent earthly “Large Multitude.” Of this perhaps more in a future writing: but for now – so far as we know – not one Jew has committed himself as one of their Large Multitude, or as one of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement’s Consecrated Campers.  Thus, both of these Movements repudiate what Pastor Russell taught concerning the Jews – all the while both of them make loud claim to being his followers.

And here is something else from Pastor Russell’s faithful Scriptural teachings that completely dissipates the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim of “God’s Kingdom on Earth”:

“Thus we see our commission as respects all people of all nations who have an ear to hear our message. We are to make them disciples and to immerse them into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are to teach them to observe all things whatsoever Jesus commands. This is the extent of our authority. We are not to organize human systems and to call them kingdoms, churches, or other names (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Halls, etc.—JJH). We are merely to prepare the followers of Jesus, cooperating with God, who will work in them to will and to do His good pleasure.” (Dec. 1, 1914, Reprints 5588, col. 2, top)

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glor­ieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth.”

Sincerely  your brother.

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

NO. 154: SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

No.  154

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

Comes once more the Memorial of our Lord’s death, which may be held this year any time after 6 p.m. April 10. Our method for reaching this date is as follows: The March moon news this year at 1 a.m., March 29 at the 30th Meridian East (the Meridian nearest the City of Jerusalem), thus starting that day at 6 p.m. March 28, the same being also Nisan 1. Counting to Nisan 14, as required in Exodus 12, brings us to 6 p.m. April 10, consequently, any time that evening would be appropriate for the observance – for partaking of the bread and the wine as established by Jesus “on the night in which He was betrayed.” This year, as in all years past, it is quite likely that many of the Lord’s Household will disagree with the date we have herein named; but this is not sufficient cause for disfellowshiping any one. Such dis­senters should still be regarded as brethren so long as they “keep the feast in sin­cerity and in Truth.” We would remark, however, that, as Truth people, we should endeavor to keep the sacrament at the right day and hour insofar as we are able to do so.

It is well to call to mind once more that Christendom in general is influenced not at all by the date of Nisan 14; it has been completely ignored for centuries. The Council of Nice (325AD) arbitrarily determined that the memorial of the cruci­fixion should always recur on a Friday – the first Friday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. While it is true that this year 1968 that method will fix “Good Friday” and Nisan 14 relatively near each other, yet there are some years in which the two dates are almost a full month apart. But considering now the var­ious groups that do have regard for Nisan 14, there is much divergence of opinion among them, some using the Meridian nearest Jerusalem (as we ourselves now do), some using the Meridian at Greenwich, England, some using the Meridian nearest Philadel­phia, Pa., USA, etc. And with those, some determine Nisan 1 as beginning at 6 p.m. the evening before the moon comes new (as we do), with others using the evening be­ginning at 6 p.m. after the moon comes new. It will become readily apparent that there must be at least one day’s difference in the date, even with many of those who attempt to use Nisan 14.

Our own reason for our calculation is this: At the time the Passover was insti­tuted – and at the time the Memorial of the antitype was given on Thursday evening by our Lord – the Greenwich Meridian, and others now used, had not even been heard of at all. Thus, the Jews had no other choice than the Jerusalem time. Also, most of the Bible was written in Palestine, so why look some other place for any of its time settings? The trek of civilization westward is no excuse at all for changing what was standard practice when the Bible was written – and when our Lord was on earth. Or, so we view it anyway – with malice toward none, but with charity for all who have a different method of reckoning.

“WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YE TO BE”

The question properly arises, Who should partake and whom should we welcome in our midst for the solemn service? Our answer would be – All those who profess to keep it “in sincerity and in Truth” – unless their acts openly belie their profes­sions. There are only two reasons for denying any one welcome that night – they are gross immorality or gross doctrinal deflection. But of those properly admit­ted it should not require great elaboration to determine that there will be varying degrees of zeal and good character attainment – based largely upon the number of years and the amount of effort expended in obtaining “the knowledge of our Lord Jesus,” and the wise use made of that knowledge. Thus, St. Paul states, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor (carry the heavier load of the ministry) in word and doctrine (preaching and teach­ing).” (1 Tim. 5:17) And of the lesser brethren some will have improved their op­portunities more than others; but this does not imply that the younger or the weaker should not have generous reception at the gathering.

It is a sage observation that Virtue is its own reward; and those who do “all things heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men” have a certain compensation unto themselves alone, which is sufficient in itself – regardless of what others may con­sider. In fact, the entire Gospel Age is replete with examples of brethren with “good and honest hearts” who have been “cast out” by their less faithful brethren, but whose record convinces us that they were not without compensation from the Lord. This has been true of almost all the Star Members, as well as of many of those who were co-laborers with them and partakers with them in like manner of their afflic­tions. This is beautifully stated by Jesus in Mark 10:28-30 (Dia.): “Peter began to say to Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee. Jesus said, In­deed I say to you, There is no one who has left house, or brothers or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, on My account, and on account of the glad tidings, who will not receive a hundredfold now, in this time.... with per­secutions; and in the Age to come aionian life.” Clearly enough, then, the better characters have a superior reward now in this life to those who have been less zeal­ous in improving their opportunities. A quotation from E-14:70 is thus appropriate:

“This does not mean that the same amount of reward would be given in this life; for the more one sacrifices in the Lord’s spirit, the larger are the blessings of the hundredfold in this life; and the less one sacrifices in the Lord’s spirit, the less is his hundredfold; for the true sacrificers receive the hundred­fold of the sacrifices, which in some are larger, in others are smaller.”

It is well stated that “We whip the horse that pulls the hardest”; and this was outstandingly true of the One whose memory we now discuss. “He hath poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12); for “Reproach hath broken my heart.” (Psa. 69:20) And, while “He set us an example that we should follow in His steps,” there was never any suggestion by Him of asceti­cism or purposeless suffering. Always He expended Himself in “the spirit of a sound mind.” But, as one writer has stated: “All creators are hard, but first of all to themselves.” Thus, Jesus never asked His followers to do anything He himself had not already done. “When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them” (as Teacher and Leader and Example). Not with silver or gold have we been brought to know the love of God, nor have we been able to purchase with filthy lucre “the peace of God which passeth understanding.” Rather, these things come by keeping “the feast in sincerity and in Truth.” And, so long as we see others doing this, we should not write them down because of any minor differences, such as the correct date for keeping the feast. Let us do things as nearly right as we know how, but make liberal allowance for others who seem to be walking in the same path as we ­even though their knowledge on all things may not be as complete and secure as our own. St. Paul’s counsel is most timely here: “A servant of the Lord must not be conten­tious, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, patient under evil; in meekness correcting the opposers; perhaps God may give them a change of mind in order to a knowledge of the Truth” (2 Tim. 2:25, 26—Dia.), keeping in mind that some one, at some time, followed Paul’s advice toward us; and it has resulted in “that Grace wherein we now stand.”

TIMELY WARNINGS

Every antitype is greater than its type. This is markedly shown in the typical lamb which Israel slew that Passover night as they were preparing to leave Egypt. That lamb was so inferior to “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (“Christ our Passover, which is sacrificed for us”) that no argument whatever is needed to prove the point. However, lest the foregoing counsel to moderation be misunderstood, and carried to such an extreme that evil result, it is well we con­sider some of the events leading up to the typical Passover. In Exodus 5 Moses and Aaron were entreating Pharaoh to “Let us go.... and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.” (v. 3) Especially has this been applicable since 1874, when the full truth on the Passover – typical and antitypical – became so very clear. The attendant “sacrifice” was also much stressed since that time, with many not heeding the various warnings, thus succumb­ing to “the pestilence that walketh in darkness.” “They admitted not the love of the Truth in order that they might be saved. And on this account God will send to them an energy of delusion, to their believing the falsehood.” (2 Thes. 2:10,11, Dia.)

Human frailty has ever been prone to point the accusing finger at the man across the road, quoting Scripture that applies directly to the accuser. This was tragically true of the Jews at the first Advent; and their course was typical of nominal spiri­tual Israel here in the end of the Age. And, since “Judgment must begin at the House of God,” the various Harvest siftings (pestilence) took their toll also from among many who claimed to be in “Present Truth.” Many of them have received “an energy of delusion,” in accordance with That Servant’s prediction along that line: “Great delu­sions are just before us, and some of them may come closest upon those possessing the most light of Present Truth” (See Berean Comment 2 Thes. 2:11). And, because of this, it was the sad duty of those not tainted by such “pestilence” to wield the “sword” (con­troversial Truth refuting the errors of the wayward) against some who had walked arm in arm with them in the Harvest reaping work. But to those who remained faithful to their “covenant by sacrifice” the promise was sure, “There shall no plague (no pesti­lential sifting error) come nigh thy dwelling!” Thus, the words of the poet are appropriate here:

Serene, I fold my hands and wait,

Nor care for wind, nor tide, nor sea;

I rave no more ‘gainst time or fate,

For lo! my own shall come to me.

I stay my haste, I make delays

For what avails this eager pace?

I stand amid the eternal ways

And what is mine shall know my face.

What matter if I stand alone?

I wait with joy the coming years;

My heart shall reap where it has sown,

And garner up its fruit of tears.

The stars come nightly to the sky;

The tidal wave unto the sea;

Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high,

Can keep my own away from me.

Perhaps some of the above was prompted by St. Paul’s own words in similar strain: “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38, 39)

Nor need our human limitations concern us. The Lord’s judgments are not, like human judgment, based solely, or mainly, on outward appearance, such as great know­ledge and talent, but mainly on heart characteristics. “Man looketh on the out­ward appearance (physical, financial, intellectual attainments), but the Lord looketh on the heart” (true character qualities). On the other hand, the Lord does not despise great knowledge and talent, as many among the “unstable and the unlearned” seem to think – but, if used in harmony with His “good will,” are sancti­fied to the advantage of His cause, and for the good of His people – but in all cases the main emphasis is upon the characteristics of the heart – “a good and honest heart.”

SUNDRY OBSERVATIONS

The instructions to Moses relative to keeping the original Passover in Egypt were very meticulous – as is true of all the ordinances of God. These are detailed in Exodus 12, and are very adequately treated in Parousia Volume 6. We strongly urge our readers to read the chapter on the subject in that book, this present article be­ing intended only as a supplement to that. The command to the Israelites was also very rigid that they “shall keep the Passover a feast to the Lord throughout your gener­ations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” (Ex. 12:14) And our Lord’s injunction to the Gospel-Age Church is equally compelling respecting observance of the memory of the antitype: “This do in remembrance (as a Memorial) of Me.”

All of this was further emphasized in Numbers 9, one year after the original Passover in Egypt - “Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season” – the Spring season, after the Vernal Equinox. This charge was given in “the wilderness of Sinai” – typical of the Church’s Gospel-Age experience in its wilder­ness condition. (See Rev. 12:6) Furthermore, the entire Gospel Age is the antitype of the night of the first Passover in Egypt; and all of us are witness that the per­iod between the first and second Advents was indeed a trialsome and long-drawn-out night time. Jesus had promised that He would come again, and the opinion was prev­alent that He would do this within the lives of those then living. Had the truth been disclosed that His absence would be for more than eighteen hundred years, there is little doubt that those who would then have become His followers would be very few indeed. This conclusion could also probably be given concerning Abraham and God’s promise to him that he was to have goodly Canaan land as his everlasting in­heritance. Little did he realize that more than three thousand years would pass be­fore the promise would finally be realized. This may even have been true of the Par­ousia Church under That Servant. The promise of 1914 was a mighty incentive to good works and the keeping of the “sacrifice.” Similarly also was the date 1954. Many would have become weary with the “burden and heat of the day” had they reckoned how long the realization of their hopes would be delayed.

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; and, when the delay is accompanied by trialsome privations and physical and mental abuses, the heaviness of heart becomes the more onerous. Thus, the precious promises are abundant to those who have under­taken the wilderness journey. “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And the close relationship between Jesus and His faithful Church is clearly shown in a critical translation of Luke 22:20: “This cup (that which is being poured out for you) is by My blood the New Covenant “that is, as each one drank of it “the same night in which He was betrayed,” the indi­cation was clearly present that they were participants in that same cup with Him. And the same has been true ever since of all who have “kept the feast in sincerity and in Truth.” But none would have been able to do this without the “exceeding great and precious promises” – the antitypical shewbread in the Holy, the Sarah features of the Abrahamic Covenant.

But of those who have promised to “keep the feast,” and then failed to do so, the threat of death is the penalty for such. This is clearly revealed in Num. 9:13: “The man that is clean (that is, one who has been reckoned clean – justified by faith ­through the merit of the atoning blood).... and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people.” Although all should partake of the bread and the wine if at all possible, it is not failure to partake of the emblems that would destroy one, but rather failure to carry out faithfully the covenant implied in them – the failure to purge out the old leaven of sin, error, selfishness and worldli­ness from his character. Thus, it has been properly stated that new creatures that die impenitent go into the second death.

Despite the tremendous amount of error that crept into !he Church after the Apostles passed away, the Truth as due, and the spirit of the Truth, has always been with God’s faithful people. And while it is probably true that few attained the reward of the High Calling in the interim between the Harvests, we may be cure some did! This then forces the conclusion that they had sufficient for their needs, meager though it may now seem to us who have been blessed with so much “Present Truth” here in the end of the Age. All this is clearly portrayed by the cloudy fiery pillar rest­ing “on the tabernacle” during Israel’s march from Egypt to Canaan. The Tabernacle typed the true Church, and the pillar typed the Truth as due, the picture thus clearly revealing that the true Church always had Truth sufficient for its needs during the wilderness journey of the Gospel Age. And from this we may be equally positive that the due Truth and the spirit of the Truth will continue to prevail until the last of the Elect have finished their course with joy.

But, side by side with this, we may be also equally positive that the unfaith­ful, or the measurably faithful – those who stray from the enlightening influence of that Pillar – will experience measurable darkness, depending on the distance they stray from the light of that Pillar. This is also strikingly displayed in the type: The true priests, who ministered to the Tabernacle itself, would receive full light from the Pillar; the Levites – farther away – would have less light; the Israelites in the Camp nearest to the Tabernacle would have more of that light than those on the outskirts of the Camp. This is very evident to those about us today. The believing and repentant throughout Christendom have a measure of light from the Gospel. Thus, those countries which have enjoyed most religious freedom are the most enlightened. Most of the great inventions, and the major part of the fine art and literature, have come from those countries. Truly, “the entrance of thy word giveth light”!

At times in the type the Pillar seemed to tarry long – so long that the Israel­ites became restive, became involved in various improprieties to the extent that many of them were slain by the resultant plagues that the Lord allowed to come upon them. The same principle has been manifest in the Gospel Age. As the Lord seemed to delay His coming, the Church became impatient, concluded that He intended for them to take things into their own hands, and became condemned according to the words of Isa. 30: 1-3: “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel together, but not of Me.... that go down into Egypt.... to trust in the shadow of Egypt (the re­treats, resources and ways of this present evil world).... Therefore, the trust in the shadow of Egypt shall be your confusion.” The boy asked his father, What is a finan­cier? The father’s answer: He’s a man who can get experience without paying for it! Having seen the many mistakes of God’s people over the years, it would seem we should profit by them without receiving the reproof of the ‘plagues” which have plagued many of them. Thus, if the Word seems slow in unfolding, if the “vision” seems to tarry, if the Lord seems to delay, let us not try to take matters into our own hands - as many have done. Those who run ahead of the Lord have always come to grief, as witness the many instances of it here in this Epiphany night. The outstanding example is, of course, “that evil servant, who said in his heart, My Lord delayeth.’’ (Matt. 24:48)

Thus, especially at this particular season it is expedient that each resolve to “wait on the Lord,” knowing that “in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Let us be content to advance when the Pillar advances, and equally content when it seems to tarry long.

To all who faithfully “wait on the Lord,” advancing only when they know what to do, how to do it, and with the providential circumstances to see the thing through to the finish, to such the Lord has promised certain victory. Spiritual Israel is yet fighting a “good fight” – for the Lord, the Truth and the brethren; and for all who do so from “a good and honest heart” there is the strong assurance of victory over sin, error, selfishness and worldliness, and a full inheritance in goodly Canaan land - both now and in the life to come. We herewith send to all our readers the prayer for the Lord’s special blessing in the preparation for, and participation in this year’s “remembrance”; and we would conclude with just a few lines from Reprints, page 4836:

‘‘At the Memorial season all of the consecrated should manifest their love, loyalty, obedience, faithfulness, by symbolizing the Redeemer’s death.... and to remember that none can enter instantaneous perfection in the resurrection until his trial be finished successfully in the present life, and by passing into death.”

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleas­ing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.” (Heb. 13:20,21)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – St. Paul admonishes us to “consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.” (Heb. 12:3) Who are “the sinners” of this text?

ANSWER: – The Bible often furnishes hints or helps that enable us to deduct proper interpretations of difficult texts; and we believe we find in James 5:19, 20 (Dia.) what enables us to define properly the sinners mentioned in the ques­tion. “If any one among you wander from the Truth, and some one turn him back; know you that he who turns back a sinner from his path of error, will save his soul from death.” Here is a clear statement by the Apostle that those who “wander from the Truth” are sinners. This was certainly true of those Scribes and Pharisees, and others in respected position who opposed Jesus. St. Paul says that those were the people who had the “oracles of God committed unto them” (Rom. 3:2); and it is a mat­ter of record that those who were entrusted with the care and preservation of the in­spired writings of the Old Testament were so imbued with their responsibility that they would have defended them with their lives if necessary.

In a broad sense “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19), but the gen­eral sort of evil men everywhere apparent have not only not been given to abuse of true believers, but they often find in them certain admirable qualities which they give lim­ited respect. One such outstanding example is Pilate, who eventually sentenced Jesus to the cross. Yet, in the dialogue that is recorded for that night Pilate asked the question, “Am I a Jew?” (John 18:35) After more questions and answers, Pilate “went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.” (v. 38) Clearly enough, Pilate was not one of the “sinners” who was contradicting Jesus. Rather, he viewed Him with a detached appraisal that saw in Him much to be admired, and which brought from Pilate the exclamation, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5) Compared with this man, Pilate rated His accusers (the “sinners”) and their “contradiction” as just so much refuse, and they aroused his contempt. But it could certainly not truth­fully be said of Pilate that he had “wandered from the Truth,” because he had never been “in the Truth.”

‘The Lord’s faithful followers today have much the same experiences as He did. “The Lord your God proveth you.” (Deu. 13:2) In proportion as we are able to take our Lord’s viewpoint in our experiences in life, we may be calm. If the Father per­mits trying experiences for our testing, or for the testing or proving of others – in ways we may not understand – it is for us to rejoice to have His will be done - endur­ing the same “contradiction of sinners” as did He. If we faithfully endure to the end, the reward will be ours. If we prove our loyalty and keep our faith that God is supervising our affairs (“I know that Thou hearest Me always,” said Jesus), and that no good thing will be withheld from those who are walking uprightly, we shall some day hear His “Well done.”

Our English word ‘contradiction’ properly translates the original, implying ver­bal contradiction of His words. As we consider our Lord’s case, we see that the people opposed Him, not physically (until that last night and day), but in His words, His teachings. And when such “sinners” ‘contradict’ the Lord’s faithful people, St. Paul counsels that we be not wearied or faint of mind. Such steadfast continuance can but increase our reputation in the Lord’s sight – if we endure faithfully, joy­fully, “in His steps.” Such “sinners” can do us no real or lasting harm – though they may instigate siftings of tares from the wheat, for which they usually blame others than themselves.

And, while the foregoing is primarily applicable to crown-losers, it has also a limited application to Youthful Worthies who “wander from the Truth.” Birds of a feather flock together; so we should properly expect the same class of characters doing the same class of ‘contradicting,’ and encouraging each other in their “contra­dictions.” It is well to emphasize here, however, that all crown-losers - as indivi­duals and as a class - are styled “sinners” in the Bible; but this is definitely not true of all Youthful Worthies. The latter as a class are reckoned as a faithful class, along with the Ancient Worthies and the Little Flock; it is only certain individuals among them who should be viewed in the same light as the “sinners” (in partnership with the crown-losers).

St. James exhorts the faithful Church, “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” Those to whom the Apostle wrote his letter already knew of the sufferings of Jesus; they already knew of the faithfulness of the Apostles; and of St. Stephen and of others who had “spoken in the name of the Lord.” Yet, he is now urging, Look back into the past and see what patient endurance has been displayed by all who had lived holy lives. Such examples should be lessons of encouragement to us, in addition to those we have in the living present. In fact, in Hebrews 12, St. Paul first mentions the “great cloud of witnesses” (the Ancient Worthies – a faithful class) before directing our attention to “Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.” In like manner we would urge all faithful Youthful Worthy brethren today also to be an “example of suffering affliction, and of patience,” which gives the assurance of cer­tain victory in “the good fight,” and to be partners with the Ancient Worthies in re­ward and service. (See Epiphany Vol. 4, p. 337)

Back in the Parousia days it was logical to look for the antitypical Scribes and Pharisees – the contradicting “sinners” – in Big Babylon, in spiritual Israel – just as Jesus found their types in fleshly Israel, those to whom He came, but who received Him not. They were those who had “wandered from the Truth.” And now especially we find a class in Little Babylon who also have “wandered from the Truth” ­the “sinners” astray on their “path of error”; so we should “think it not strange” if they also are lusty and vociferous in their “contradiction” of the Truth, and of those who faithfully present that Truth. We believe this explanation will commend itself to all who have not “wandered from the Truth.”

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our dear Redeemer’s Name!

Your good letter received, and as always the contents are so helpful and encouraging, which means so much to us as we strive daily to serve our dear Master. We want you to know that we held a service commemorating the death of our dear Pastor Russell and dear Brother Johnson. We enjoyed our service and felt that our dear Lord’s presence was with us.

Thank you, Brother, for the reports sent to us. How sad to note such little thought given to our dear Brothers Russell and Johnson – two great servants.

Speaking of the times in which we are living, they do not look good - but soon we know Christ’s Kingdom will be established..... Enclosed is a check for $ for the Truth fund – and may our dear Heavenly Father continue to bless you as only He can bless – and strengthen you in your every effort to serve the dear brethren. Sister joins in sending you and dear Sister Hoefle our warmest Christian love and greetings – also to all the dear ones in Mount Dora.

Your brother and sister by His Grace ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings through our Lord’s Name! I will now answer your good  and interesting letter of the 9th – and am happy to hear about all the good meetings you had with the friends. I was sick for about five weeks – had a cold. A lot of people here are sick.

Will you please send me some more tracts. I gave all the tracts out. Some­one laid one down, so I left it for the minister. I am studying Volumes 9 and 14, and do I find some wonderful things in them! I had a lot of time to study when I was sick.

My prayer is that the good Lord’s rich blessings be with you and all with you.

Your sister in the Truth ------- (PENNSYLVANIA)

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Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

Dear Sirs! I was very much interested in The Herald of the Epiphany that you sent me. Could I please have another copy for a friend – also one of Where are the Dead.

Sincerely yours, ------- (CONNECTICUT)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace from our Lord and Shepherd!

I sent 5 lbs. to Brother ------- air mail. Dear Brother, read page 13 in The Day of Vengeance .... The New Covenant, His Kingdom will be with the Jews. They will go up to the God of Jacob to learn of His ways. The Ancient Worthies as the princes – the earthly representatives, ........ Must go to work now. Your brother by His Grace ------ (ENGLAND) Psa. 23; Hymn 23, 114 and 109

NO. 153: WEAPONS AND METHODS OF ANTICHRIST

No. 153

It is a sad commentary upon human history that, while religious truth brings out the best in the faithful few, it almost invariably brings out the worst in the unfaithful many. Or perhaps it would be better stated that the evil qualities of the unfaithful are forced to the surface, and their true characters revealed by the Truth wielded against them. This was so strongly impressed upon That Servant’s mind – especially toward the end of his life – that we find many of the Towers largely occupied with warnings to the faithful not to be overcome by the spirit and inclinations of the Great Company. When the expectations of some were not fully realized in 1914, they once again cast longing eyes toward antitypical Egypt – just as did some of the Jews in 607 BC, after Jerusalem had fallen to the Chaldeans. And to those Jews who would “go down to Egypt for help” Jeremiah had prophesied, “Now know therefore certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to so­journ.” (Jer. 42:22)

The antitype of the foregoing is explained in considerable detail in E-14, pp. 439-442: “The Great Company would die by the sword (controversy), the lack of Truth as food (famine), and crazing sifting errors (pestilence).... They have been refuted by the Truth in controversy (sword), lacked the advancing Truth and lost much of the Parousia Truth (famine), and have been spiritually crazed by sift­ing errors (pestilence).... He (God) would cause Azazel, the ruler of confusion.... to establish his authority over these truths as they would be used by the Great Company in their uncleanness.... and by them establish a false church as a part of the visible phase of his kingdom (as the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been busily do­ing now for some years—JJH).... would cause them to be refuted in controversy, by giving them error to defend which Truth teachers would refute (as instance the Lay­men’s Home Missionary Movement with their Campers Consecrated, Justification in the Camp outside the linen curtain of Christ’s righteousness, attempting to find Seven Classes of saved human beings in Isa. 41:19—JJH).

And concerning such the Lord Himself had given us proper warning in Matt. 10: 16-21: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.... Beware of men, for they shall deliver you up to the councils (By introducing motions of disfellow­shipment in General Conventions, as antitypical Jezebel has done, as the LHMM is now doing, and as the J. W.’s are also doing in their local ‘councils’), and they will scourge you in their synagogues (by making false accusations and insinuations in a futile effort to ‘make excuse’ for their “strange fire” – false doctrines ­such as Campers Consecrated, etc.).... and brother shall deliver up brother to death (by killing their good influence among the brethren, as was done after Brother Rus­sell’s death throughout the Truth movement, and as has since been done after Brother Johnson’s demise).... but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” “Whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service”! (John 16:2)

LHMM NOW USES “SAME WEAPONS” USED BY THE SOCIETY

Excommunication, boycotting, slander, “whispering campaigns,” warnings, etc. ­all these “weapons” were used by JFR against the Epiphany Messenger and his asso­ciates. RGJ has also used these “same weapons” against us and our associates. JFR accused Brother Johnson of being a sifter, a second-deather, etc.; RGJ has ac­cused us of being a sifter, dead as respects our class standing, etc. JFR warned his adherents not to go near the Epiphany Messenger, not to read his papers, etc.; RGJ warns his adherents not to speak to us, not to read our papers, etc.

We now produce a letter written by RGJ in 1924 to Brother Johnson when he himself received much the same treatment from the Society that he is now using against us. But he had the Truth on his side in those days, and he could then use the same methods toward them that we are using today against him:

“Dear Brother Johnson:

“I feel that I should report conditions as I find them here in Cleveland, Ohio, where I had the privilege of serving the friends in two meetings today, numbering in attendance 15 and 26 respectively. The brethren had mailed announcements of our meetings to some of the Society friends, whose addresses they had, and were wishing they could get word to the rest, when the Society Elders came to the rescue, mimeographing and mailing the following letter to their adherents in general:

“April 22, 1924

“Dear Brother or Sister: – The Apostle says, ‘In the last days grievous wolves shall enter in, not sparing the flock,’ and to protect the Lord’s sheep against such that the following be brought to your attention: There has been a meeting advertised for next Friday afternoon and evening, at the Labor Temple, the speaker to be ‘Pilgrim Brother Jolly.’ He is working against the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, and this meeting is not be­ing held under the auspices of the Cleveland Ecclesia of the I.B.S.A. For your guidance in the future, all notices of meetings will be signed by the Secretary, C. T. Gilchrist, or announced from the platform at the B. of L.E. Furthermore, in regard to literature, please note that all our reading matter bears the name of the International Bible Students Association, or The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.

With Christian love, your brethren,

BOARD OF ELDERS, CLEVELAND ECCLESIA.”

“By means of this letter, in which the Adversary overstepped himself, at least three Society friends came to our meeting; one saying that she proposed to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had set her free, another speaking of the Catholic-like actions of the elders in the Society Class, and another say­ing that when he got the elders’ letter telling him not to come, he thought that was just the reason why he should come and see what it is that the Society friends are so afraid of. He rejoiced in the ‘pure truth’ he heard, and from which others had been trying to turn him, and handed me $5.00 for the Lord’s work, also promis­ing carefully to study any TRUTHS we might send him.  The others also expressed deep interest. But what astounded me the most, dear Brother, was the truly Papal spirit, which like its pattern – the Catholic Channel – this Little Catholic Chan­nel is more and more showing. They capped the climax by posting ‘spies’ at our door to warn friends not to come into our meetings, and to spot those who did so. Different ones came in reporting how these Society deacons (one in the afternoon and two in the evening) had tried to persuade them not to attend our meeting. I sent a brother out to invite them to come in. The one in the afternoon railed against us, calling the brother a Judas and adding that he was there to warn friends against us, and that he did not think we would have much of a crowd. No doubt they succeeded in scaring some away. But some who recognized that ‘the spirit of fear’ is not the spirit that the Lord hath given us, but comes from Satan and is one of his best tools (used in spirit by the Society today, as by the Catholics in the Dark Ages) to keep others in subjection to bondage, broke through the Society guards and later testified that the Lord had blessed them with truth as a result. It almost seems impossible, dear Brother, that Truth friends could fall so low as to resort to the spirit of fear and intimidation and to such methods of the Dark Ages, in an effort to hold their flock. (We echo the same sentiments of RGJ in his “path of error” today: It almost seems impossible!—JJH) Surely the darkness hates the light. Not being able to refute the truth, they fear it. They have good reason to fear it, and to fear a loss of their members who might investigate it, and see how it puts to flight their many errors. But how can they so fall from grace as to use the same methods and tactics that Satan has always used, and which methods the Lord never used nor instructed His people to use? Alas! How are the mighty fallen!

Your brother  in  His  love  and  service,

R. G. Jolly”

Be it noted that the very intolerance which is decried in the foregoing letter is the very same intolerance – identically the same – now being practiced by the present leader of the LHMM (R. G. Jolly himself, the writer of the above letter!). His watchdogs even go so far as to come out onto the public sidewalk to interrupt our conversations, to draw aside those with whom we are speaking, and warn them against even so much as a few minutes’ conversation with us. Yet, in 1924 (before RGJ was manifested as a crown-loser), when he was wielding the Truth – under the benign influence of the Epiphany Messenger – he condemned such action as “Catholic-like actions,” the “truly Papal spirit,” “by the Catholics of the Dark Ages,” “the spirit of fear and intimidation.” (Be it remembered that Brother Johnson has often observed that these crown-losers did much better before they were manifested as such than they did afterward – and verily has this been true of RGJ!) This is indeed the spirit of error – not the spirit of Truth; so it should not require further argument from us for each unprejudiced mind to determine who is going into error, and who is retaining and upholding the Truth. RGJ admits he is a part of the “unprofitable servant” of Matt. 25:30 (the Great Company Class – See Berean Comment), the one who is cast “into outer darkness” (error). Surely, the Scriptures apply here with pointed excellence: “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.” (Luke 19:22), and “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, then art thou taken with the words of thy mouth.” (Prov. 6:2)

The tactics of the Society leaders in 1924 – and now the tactics of the LHMM leaders – are indeed “the truly Papal spirit,” the tools of Antichrist; and any one who picks up such tools openly admits that he is part and parcel of Antichrist in spirit, at least. Let us consider that such tools have depraved and kept in ignorance the people in all countries where they have had full sway – Italy, Spain, Mexico, the South American and Latin American countries. All those countries lack even the progress of the Heathen Japanese; and should be a strong warning to all to avoid such methods as coming directly from the Evil One. It is a fact not to be disputed that the Protestant countries are the most progressive, the most en­lightened. These pretty well dominate the world today, although they constitute about one-sixth of earth’s population. It is in these countries that freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, prevail. “The entrance of thy word giveth light”; and it is a correct observation that those who have most of that “light” are most willing to have their teachings examined in detail. That Servant always counseled his readers to prove what he presented to them; told them never to distribute any of his literature until they had first read it themselves, and had convinced themselves of its veracity. The Epiphany Messenger did the same thing. We advise the same thing to all our readers. Nor do any need feel they should make any apology to us for reading the presentations of others. Rather, we encourage all to “Stand  fast  therefore  in  the  liberty  wherewith Christ and to look with suspicion upon any who teach otherwise.

It is quite in keeping with the foregoing to remind our readers of a little experience told about himself on numerous occasions when RGJ was doing colporteur work under the superb supervision of the Star Members: He was then working a small town in the South, when the preacher of the prominent church there upbraided him for distributing such ‘heresy’ and saying he would thoroughly expose it in his next Sunday service. At the hour of service RGJ walked boldly down the middle aisle, took one of the front seats, and sat there looking the preacher squarely in the eye – much the same as we do with him at his Conventions. If the latter had really intended to orate against the ‘subversive’ literature, he changed course – said not a word about it. Now let us consider that the Executive Trus­tee (RGJ) had contributed not one penny to build or maintain that church which he so openly occupied that Sunday morning – quite a different position for him than the one we now occupy in attending LHMM meetings. Neither he, nor any of his staunch supporters have individually contributed one-half financially toward con­struction of the LHMM under Brother Johnson than we have done. Yet he has the temerity to decry our presence – “we should know better than to attend his meet­ings,” he says! Since we are told we are not welcome we should not go there! He wasn’t welcome at the church above described – not even a former member – yet he hesitated not (and properly so) to attend the meeting.

Just a little reflection should convince any one that he is now decidedly a different person than he was back there; and we need not look far for the answer: Back there he was armed with the Truth and the strong conviction of his cause. To­day he is floundering in error – his hybrid Campers Consecrated, his elimination of all saints from the earth, his rejection of the Truth that Youthful Worthies would continue to be won until after Armageddon (See E-10:672; E-4:337, 342), Tentative Justification in the Camp where there is no laver – all these he has been teaching since his abandonment to Azazel in 1950. Therefore, his own condition today is probably much the same – if not worse – as was true of that Pastor whom he defied so courageously when he had the Truth, and the conviction that always goes with the Truth. Error often makes good runners of so-called Christians; but it never makes a “good soldier” of any of them. But, regardless of that Pastor’s condition, it is accepted teaching by Epiphany-enlightened brethren that the Society leaders in 1924 were definitely in Azazel’s hands; and RGJ now treading the exact footsteps of those crown-losers back there places no strain upon the imagination for us to con­clude that he now also has the same teacher as they did then – AZAZEL!

“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, 0 God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 0 continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.”(Psa. 36:7,10)

Sincerely  your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – What is your opinion of the new set of Pyramid figures now offered by Brother Jolly in his Jan-Feb. Present Truth, to prove the last saint was glorified in 1950?

ANSWER: – Our opinion of his present figures is the same as our opinion of his Previous figures in the January 1947 Present Truth, p. 7 (upon which we have commented many times in past papers).  In that 1947 PT, under the head­ing “Some Pyramid Corroborations of Epiphany Dates,” there is set forth some six pages plus (the same number of pages as now appear 21 years later in this January 1968 PT), and 27 intricate mathematical calculations to ‘prove’ 1956 as the date for the glorification of the last saint. In this 1968 January paper RGJ numbers only 25 paragraphs of calculations, leaving the last two unnumbered. Had he numbered those two, then there would now be exactly 27 deductions to refute those previous 27 calculations back in 1947. And all of this he does from the same Pyramid.

The foregoing should be more than enough to establish our opinion of this present set of figures, but we offer some more detail – to leave no doubt in our readers’ minds. The 1947 calculations were prophetic because they presented future events; and all of us know that time itself completely and indisputably proved all 27 of those computations to be nothing but effervescent nonsense. When Brother Johnson died in 1950, it left no doubt whatever about the fallacy of RGJ’s figures for 1956; and it would seem that one such lesson should have been more than enough for him to leave the Pyramid alone. But the Lord referred to some virgins as “foolish” because they are “foolish”; the Lord never makes mistakes. But that is no reason at all why the rest of us need also to be “fool­ish.” When he presents 27 paragraphs now to disprove completely, and without any doubt, that his 27 paragraphs 21 years ago were all just “sinking sand,” we should evaluate his present views with the same measuring stick in both instances.

As all of us know, many sad mistakes have been made by tampering with the Pyramid – mistakes prompted by wishful thinking, or instigated by influence from brethren pressured by sentiment, or what not. Brother Morton Edgar was even per­suaded to find corroboration in the Pyramid for the colossal hoax of “Millions Now Living Will Never Die,” but later came to see – to his sorrow – that time itself also made him appear very foolish. We cannot know if this dear brother was one of the saints or not – although this mistake was not a revolutionism against any Truth that he had previously received. All of us make mistakes, and this de­ters us from excessive criticism of others who also make mistakes. However, when RGJ openly admits that he has lost his crown, this automatically manifests him as a part of antitypical “leprous” Miriam. And the same thing is proven in that he has revolutionized against one truth after another that he at one time accepted and presented with emphasis. Thus we believe we are not unduly harsh when we use a more critical appraisal of his mistakes than we would of others who have not grossly and persistently revolutionized against the truth which once sanc­tified them.

In all of the six pages in this 1968 January PT RGJ is attempting to ‘prove’ 1950 as the date when the last saint left this earth. Yet on page 4, col. 1, par. 2 he says this: “It should be remembered that we do not use the Pyramid as a source and rule of our faith, but simply as a symbolic corroboration of that Truth previously derived from the Bible.” If he really means that, why does he not show us where 1950 is pointed out in the  Bible; the same for 1954; the same for 1956. When Brother Johnson was refuting a “foolish” virgin on his 1943 date as the time for the complete glorification of the Church, he was very emphatic that the Pyramid is only a “witness” (which indeed is all that it is), that the year 1943 is nowhere pointed out in the Bible. Thus, the one he was refuting had reversed the order of things: Instead of proving the Pyramid by the Bible, he was attempting to prove the Bible by the Pyramid. This is exactly what RGJ is now also doing.

Concerning dates, the Bible clearly reveals 1874; it clearly reveals 1914, and other important dates. (See Parousia Volumes 2 and 3) But the only reason we have for accepting 1954 and 1956 is the parallel which Brother Johnson thought would occur, but which time itself has clearly proven to be wrong; and we are persuaded that Brother Johnson himself would have been the first to declare it wrong – even as Brother Russell was probably the first to declare his own mis­taken expectations for 1914, which he did some years before 1914 (and we believe this would have been true of Brother Johnson had he lived a few years longer: he would have seen that 1954-56 would not witness Armageddon, much less Anarchy) ­also some of Brother Russell’s mistaken expectations for the complete glorifica­tion of the Church. But even in Brother Johnson’s mistakes regarding the paral­lel, he himself did not make the mistake of the 1950 date being the time for the last saint to be glorified – never tried to prove that date from the Pyramid or the Bible. But leave it to one now abandoned to Azazel to do that, although it seems he has learned at least a little something from his 1947 fiasco; he now waits un­til the date is past before finding it in the pyramid, instead of attempting to tell us things future from that Great Stone Witness.

It is well in order here to consider the following from Epiphany Vol. 4, p.   132: “It is revolutionism or its partisan support against the Truth and its arrangements, and only revolutionism (emphasis by Brother Johnson him­self) or its partisan support against the Truth and its arrangements, that mani­fests crown-losers as such. The great touchstone of manifesting Leviteship is revolutionism or its partisan support, and nothing else.” And further from E-9, p. 140:

“In all cases antitypical Miriam’s leprosy has manifested itself in per­sistent revolutionism against either the Lord’s teachings or arrangements, or against both.” Now RGJ is telling us that is all wrong; the death of a man, says he, is the touchstone by which we may recognize crown-losers. But we say: Here is just one more time he is revolutionizing against that Truth he once accep­ted and taught; and all who support him either are sadly mistaken, or are his partisan supporters in this revolutionism. Thus, his “first advancing truth”(?) that he presented on October 27, 1950 – the day the last Star Member’s last re­mains were removed from the Epiphany Tabernacle – was not only not “advancing truth,” but was a clear revolutionism against Epiphany Truth.

In 2 Tim. 2:18, Dia., St. Paul tells us about Hymenius and Philetus “who missed the mark (were crown-losers) with respect to the Truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened; and they are perverting (Azazel means Per­verter) the faith of some.” And now another crown-loser – R. G. Jolly – is also “perverting the faith of some” by declaring that the first resurrection has al­ready happened. Nor should this surprise us, because the siftings of the Jewish Harvest are paralleled here in the Gospel-Age Harvest, so we should expect to find the same technique if we will just look for it.

Let us note specifically from 1 Tim. 1:20, Dia., that St. Paul had “deliv­ered up Hymenius to the Adversary (had abandoned him to Azazel, sent him off into the wilderness at the hands of the fit man—Lev. 16:21), that he may be taught not to blaspheme (not to revolutionize against the Truth).”

Let us remember that immediately after Brother Johnson’s funeral RGJ had one million leaflets printed to declare his great “advancing truth” (that came to him in a ‘sudden flash’ at 4:00 o’clock in the morning the day after the Epiphany Messenger’s demise). And what do we find to be the result? Why, there are fewer people believing it now than believed it when he first declared the last saint had departed from our midst. And many to whom those leaflets were given did not know even that there had been a Harvest, or that there is a difference between the Elect and the non-elect; did not even know the meaning of ‘saint.’ It was just another “foolish” virgin gesture – “words to no purpose.” Even of those Truth groups who claim to know Harvest Truth, have any of these groups yet accepted his “advancing truth” (?) and now declare themselves crown-losers – now EIGHTEEN years later? There is no doubt at all in our mind that some who accepted the ‘edict’ were in fact crown-losers; their subsequent gross and persistent revolutionisms have clearly attested to that. But we believe it to be equally true that not all who then inclined to believe him are no longer in the Body, just because they were tempor­arily “overtaken in a fault.” We know of a number who have since disavowed that belief into which they were more or less cudgeled at the time under stress of the great loss that had befallen us. RGJ places great stress upon Rev. 19:6,7, Dia.: “I heard as it were a voice of a great crowd (the Great Company of crown-losers), and as the sound of many waters (especially the various Truth Groups), and as a noise of mighty thunders (something that would be heard very pronouncedly), say­ing, ‘Hallelujah, Because our Lord God the Omnipotent reigned.’ We may rejoice and exult.” Do we find anything approximating this proclamation, even Eighteen Years after 1950? Of course not! None of the Truth groups have joined with him; none not one – have lamented, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer. 8:20) But – there is none so blind as he who will not see!

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

Our Memorial date for this year is April 10 – and we suggest for our Special Effort in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle Sunday, March 31 through Sunday April 21 for our volunteer and sharpshooting in the slaying of these two King Errors ­Zebah (Eternal Torment), and Zalmunna (Consciousness of the Dead). This can be done individually as opportunity permits, or serving at church doors or other religious services. Our tracts – No. 1, Where are the Dead, No. 2, What is the Soul, and No. 3, The Resurrection of the Dead are especially designed for this “good work”; and we suggest the pertinent literature be ordered in time to par­ticipate in this Battle. All literature will be sent free and postage paid. We believe all our faithful brethren will want to join with us in this Epiphany Arrangement to the extent of their abilities and circumstances.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother: Christian greetings!

By this letter you will know I am still trust­ing in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – in His Goodness and Mercy. I must say it is truly wonderful what our Lord had done. Glory to His name! As it is written in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me,” you can boast that you have drawn me (into the Truth) – and I in turn am trying to draw others. I feel your prayers at times. I am not prosperous in wealth, but in health and Grace. It is said they that love thee shall prosper.

I wish you more strength and grace, and a prosperous New Year. May the Almighty give you Grace and Strength to carry out the task that lies before you.

With Christian love, Brother ------- (TRINIDAD)

Dear Brother Hoefle: A HUGE THANK-YOU for recent paper. I read it several times ­also made some notes. Then I mailed it to a Labor Leader in -------.

We have been close friends for a number of years. In fact, I took the Truth to his precious mother – had a weekly study with her for several years. He was most gener­ous with cash when we were building ‘THE BALL’...... Enough said! At her death son Samuel requested I take full charge of her funeral. She had a host of friends and relatives – some from California and several from Canada....

You have mentioned Rev. 7.... Psalms 45 supports this.... that meaning shook me considerably.  But we were taught the Watch Tower was God’s Channel. I do believe it was for The Household of Faith under That Faithful and Wise Servant. The ‘Servant’ is singular and not plural! Over 20 years ago at St. Louis, The Children of the King were born. All young children sat near the front rows. Later they stood, raised their hand, as they promised to be good children, obedient to parents, etc., etc. I wondered IF children could be brought forth BEFORE the marriage was completely ful­filled.

It has been their contention that our Lord would use the Watch Tower throughout the 1,000-year-reign – to print books, etc. (New World Publishers). What would they do with the 70 Prophets and Judges – and what would they be doing (the Princes in all the earth!!)? The Watch Tower rejects God’s Oathbound Promise to give Abraham and his seed after him the possession of Palestine, etc. J. F. Rutherford wrote “Comfort for The Jews” – then later repudiated it. Wonder why?

Blessed are the meek – for they shall inherit the earth! Truly God is loving unto every man – and His Mercy is over all His works. As the anthem sings, “O! my God, How great Thou art!” My heart rejoices always! Thank you for your patience.

Christian greetings for a blessed New Years From Sister -------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and Peace in Jesus dear Name!

Thanks to you and Sister Hoefle for the Christmas good message. Brother, thank you so much for your good letter.... It is helpful and comforting to me. I received the January paper and enjoyed reading it. I was thinking I may send the part on Tentative Justification to Sister ------. We have talked on this subject and others. She goes to the LHMM classes. I don’t believe she really understands ­but is a very earnest and kind and friendly person.... I noted what you said about the minister quoting from What is the Soul. I am sure all of us have sent tracts to the various ministers from time to time. Got a good feeling that I may have sent this one.

Thank you again for all your good helps to me – and with good wishes for you, Sister Hoefle, Sister Dunnagan and Sister Moynelo for a blessed New Year.  With Christian love to all.

Your sister by faith -------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings to you and Sister Hoefle!

Your most welcome letter of December 28 so much enjoyed – also “Retrospect and Prospect” – the Jan. 1, 1968 No. 151. It arrived at the most welcome time, as I had time to think of the deep reports of past Truth of God’s word and to be very happy I had the blessing of God’s teaching.... of His precious son’s sacrifice for our sins for 33 years. I’m so thankful I met and was acquainted with dear Brother Johnson. I was baptized during his visit in Los Angeles – October 4, 1947 (his natal day anniversary)........ I was surely blessed with the event, but to sadness some short years later. After his death the disfellowshipment for R. G. Jolly and the split with others. I am always thankful for the Truth and Proof of God’s Plan. God bless each and every one of your household! Sr. ------- (CALIFORNIA)

NO. 152: THE ANTICHRIST

No. 152

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

When “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” He provided the foundation for two religions – the Christian and the Antichristian. The first of these set forth the highest of ideals for His followers, to perfect them in every good word and work; the second did pretty much the exact opposite, often arousing the basest of human inclina­tions toward heinous crime. The ideal of the true Christian is to attain equality in character and vision with their Leader, an ambition which none of the human race has ever achieved. Had any of them ever been able to do this, the ideal would then be largely dissipated – no more hills to climb, no more conquests to accomplish. Thus, throughout the writings of the Apostles the ideal of “Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) is ever prominently in their writings, “Christ” being the ransom price for our justifi­cation, and “Him crucified” being the narrow way in which “He set us an example that we should follow in His steps.” All of this is summarized in perfect love for the Lord, the Truth and the brethren, which, when properly comprehended and practiced, delights in doing good unto all men as we have opportunity, but especially to them which are of the Household of Faith.

Thus, St. Paul counsels “Husbands, love your wives, even as the Anointed One loved the congregation, and delivered Himself up on her behalf.” (Eph. 5:25, Dia.) And among the last of the Lord’s thoughts on the night before His death was toward those who would cleave to Him in spirit and in truth – “That they all may be one... that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me.” (John 17:21-23) All who know anything at all about Christianity admit that its fundamental precepts are good; but, they say, no one lives up to it. And, while it is true that the vast majority of those calling themselves Christians deserve such criticism, yet it is equally true that there have been some outstanding “examples of the believers” throughout the Age. Aside from the twelve Apostles, mention may be made of John Wesley, founder of what is now the Methodist Church. The focal point of all his teaching was that disinterested good will toward all men is the ideal for Christians; and there is little doubt that he practiced what he preached. Much the same may be said for George Fox, founder of what is now the Quaker Church. Similar appraisal may be made of Balthasar Hubmaier, founder of the Baptist Church. And the preaching of these three men, along with others throughout the Age, was potent and magnetic enough to cause many of their adherents to exemplify true Christian principles in their daily lives.

But alongside the few throughout the Age there have been great multitudes who did other­wise, many of the latter with such wealth, education and mental brilliance that they have almost completely eclipsed those faithful few who held “the testimony of Jesus, and the spirit of His Prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10, Dia.) This deplorable situation was already making its first glimmering appearance in the early Church, so that St. Paul was prompted to write: “The secret of lawlessness is already working.... then will be revealed the law­less one... whose coming is according to the energy of the Adversary, with all power, and signs, and wonders because they admitted not the love of the Truth (true Christian­ity) in order that they might be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:7, Dia.)

Here is an excellent description of the Antichrist that would appear after the Apos­tles had left this earth; and, while we stated in the first sentence of this treatise that our Lord had laid the foundation for this monstrous apostasy, it should be kept in mind that such was not His design; it was merely that He provided the opportunity for “evil men and seducers” to join a good cause for their own selfish purposes – much the same as the Bible itself has also provided a very convenient conveyance for those to en­hance and enthrone themselves who in fact were really motivated by most selfish and un­holy ambitions.

It is well for us to keep in mind here that Antichrist not only means opponent, but it also means “in the place of” Christ. St. Paul had warned in 2 Thes. 2:3-5 that Jesus would not come again until “there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be re­vealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God... so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” The attempts to interpret St. Paul’s words here are legion, quite a few would-be interpre­ters – being very emphatic that this refers to an individual. During the 1914-1918 war there was quite some agitation to the effect that St. Paul’s words were just another de­scription of the “Beast” of Rev. 13:2-5: “The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet as a bear’s, and his mouth as lion’s mouth... and they worshipped the beast. saying Who is like the beast, and who is able to make war with him? And there was given to him a mouth speaking great and blasphemous things (note the close similarity to St. Paul’s words); and authority was given him to act forty–two months.” The theory gained quite some followers back there that this was a prophecy of the German Kaiser, which meant that the war would end in forty–two months. But when the war went on for nine months more than the forty–two, and the Kaiser suffered complete defeat, was forced to abdicate and flee to Holland, that theory died as quickly as it had been born. Their mis­take, of course, lay in their failure rightly to comprehend one of the basic rules for the understanding of The Revelation; namely, that the numerals in that book are literal, but almost all the common nouns are symbolic. Those months are 30-day months, making a total of 1260 days, as can be readily seen from Rev. 11:2,3: but, applying the principle of “a day for a year” (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6), the period of time then involved would be 1260 literal years.

THE PAPACY

That the foregoing Scriptures could not possibly refer to an individual will, we be­lieve, be apparent from certain considerations, one of which is that no individual has ever survived for 1260 years. Also, the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, The Beast, all sim­ply portray different characteristics of the same thing: Antichrist being “in the place of” Christ – Man of Sin (in place of “Son of Man” – Mark 2:10), the degrading disposition and influence – The Beast, the vicious destructive and inhuman qualities. The beast “was like unto a leopard.” A leopard is black and white spotted, indicating that in some places the beast would be black as night, but in others appearing lily white in hypocriti­cal manner – professedly Christian! This latter has been outstandingly true of the Papacy; e.g., Spain, Mexico, Italy, tolerance has been foreign to their teachings. Not long back they tried to chase the YMCA out of Italy – revealing the black spots of the leopard. But in America, where they are much in the minority, they are very outspoken for tolerance – for them, that is – ­manifesting the white spots of the leopard.

In 2 Thes. 2:1–5 St. Paul states that the Lord would not return to earth again “ex­cept there come a falling away first.” Certainly, this would not mean just one indivi­dual; the very construction of Paul’s expression shows he was meaning many individuals ­a great apostasy – that would be influenced, deceived, and overawed by “the man of sin” – “the son of perdition” (destruction) – yet professedly Christian. The only entity in Gospel-Age history that properly fits this description is the Papacy; it meets all the requirements perfectly – its own record is enough – we need not go to its opponents or critics for argument to sustain this conclusion. But, in coming to this conclusion we do not wish to convey the impression that every Roman Catholic is included in this opin­ion – any more than every Protestant should be held accountable for the vagaries of the various protesting systems. There have been, and still are, many noble and magnanimous individuals among Protestant and Catholic churches, who for various reasons have failed to recognize the true situation; but this does not alter the fact that the Lord Him­self referred to certain features of the Roman Church as “the abomination of desolation.” (Matt. 24:15)

Giant oaks from little acorns grow; so also the Roman Church came to its present prominence from a very small beginning – at first meekly bowing to the powers that be, but gradually, very subtly, telling them what to do, until from 799 to 1799, the Papacy “as God sitteth in the temple of God (“Ye – the true church – are the temple of God” – ­1 Cor. 3:16), showing himself that he is God.” Said Pope Innocent III: “The pope holds the place of the true God.” Innocent and Jacobatius state “the pope can do nearly all that God can do – none dare say to him any more than to God, Lord, what doest thou?” We here present a mere fragment of what has been written about this subject – enough, we hope, to establish a firm base for our position.

MARTIN LUTHER

In our paper No. 145 we offered quite some detail about Luther’s problems and wars with papal error and intrigue – a member of antitypical Elijah against antitypical Jez­ebel; and we now offer some of his statements about Antichrist as taken from the book of Roland H. Bainton, first published in 1955:

“The faith and the Church are at stake, I rejoice to suffer in so noble a cause. I am not worthy of so holy a trial. I feel much freer now that I am certain the pope is Antichrist.” (p. 124) “If he is inviting me to my death, then I will come. I hope none but the papists will stain their hands in my blood. Antichrist reigns. The Lord’s will be done.” (p. 139) “I was wrong. I retract the statement that certain articles of John Huss are evangelical. I say now, ‘Not some, but all the articles of John Huss were condemned by Antichrist and his apostles in the synagogue of Satan. I say freely that all the condemned articles of John Huss are evangelical and Christian, and yours are downright impious and diabolical.” (p. 128) And on page 120 is a print showing “On the left Christ is washing the disciples’ feet. On the right Antichrist, the pope, is having his toes kissed by monarchs.”

In their efforts now to embrace Martin Luther, to praise his teachings and work, are the Roman Catholics also accepting what he taught about the pope being Antichrist, sitting in the synagogue of Satan? Let us not forget that the very book from which we quote aforegoing was banned by Catholics shortly after it appeared just twelve years ago (written in 1968 – now in 1979 23 years ago), and many stores were intimidated from further sale of it. And those who continue to pay homage and worship at the feet of Antichrist are in truth also “sitting in the synagogue of Satan” so long as they assemble in the same company with Antichrist. No sane human being would logically do this, of course; but the eyes of many are being opened, and they forsake such company. And we have the “sure word of prophecy” that many others will shortly do likewise. Thus, this writing is no indictment of Roman Catholics as individuals; and we urge all our readers to follow St. Paul’s counsel: “A servant of the Lord must not be contentious, but be gentle towards all, fit to teach, patient under evil; in meekness correcting the oppos­ers; perhaps God may give them a change of mind in order to a knowledge of the Truth; and that they may be recovered from the snare of the enemy, who have been entrapped by him for his pleasure.” (2 Tim. 2:24-26, Dia.)

PSALMS 75:6–7

Psalms 75 carries fitting application to our subject matter – the true Christ and to Antichrist. Verses 6 and 7: “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Here is veiled reference to Baal, the sun God of the nations round about Is­rael. The sun rises in the east, swings to the south, and sets in the west. And the Psalmist is telling us that those who “bow the knee to Baal” (1 Kgs. 19:18) need expect no recognition from the true God of Israel.

Almost from the beginning of Israel’s conquest of Palestine, after their deliver­ance from Egypt, there was constant conflict between the Lord God of Israel and the false Baal of the Heathen round about. In our paper on The Great Reformer we gave some detail of Elijah’s engagement with the Prophets of Baal, who received equal recognition in Is­rael because of Queen Jezebel, the wife of Ahab; and Elijah’s complete victory over them forecast the complete victory during this Gospel Age of antitypical Elijah (the true Church attempting to reform this “present evil world”), over antitypical Jezebel (the Ro­man Church) before this Age comes to a close.

The Heathen Baal was typical of power-graspers in the Christian Church during this Age; and those who “bow the knee to Baal” refers to all who do obeisance to that Anti­christian system. Thus, an identical conflict has transpired during this Age to the one that raged in Israel in the centuries preceding the Christian era. And those on the side of Baal have received no “promotion” – no lasting recognition – from the God of Heaven. In fact, in almost every instance when the Pope asks special blessing upon some event or locality or populace, the very reverse occurs: Great calamity is often the result. We instance just one example: We detailed in The Great Reformer how King Philip II of Spain is said to have laughed for the first time in his life over the horrible massacre in France on St. Bartholomew’s Day. It was this same King Philip who a few years later prepared the Invincible Armada to annihilate Protestant England for rejecting the papal domination. And that Armada received the very special blessing of the Pope for its mission – a mission which culminated in complete failure and the destruc­tion of a major part of the ships and men in that expedition.

Thus, the warning is given in Psa. 75:5: “Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with a stiff neck.” The “horn” in the Bible is often used to symbolize power (see Psa. 18:2): “The Lord... the horn – power – of my salvation”; also Mic. 4:13, “I will make thine horn (power) iron.” This exhortation is companion to St. Peter’s words: “God resisteth the proud” (1 Pet. 5:5); and then the Psalmist warns: “for promotion com­eth neither from the east, nor from the west” nor from following the course of Baal and his devotees; but God will exalt whom He will exalt – those who resist the power-grasp­ing system of Baal.

Inasmuch as the Psalmist is here contrasting “the horns (powers) of the wicked” and the “horns (powers) of the righteous” (v. 10), it is certainly no strain on the imagina­tion to conclude the “promotions” of the righteous must come from the north, since they do not come from the east, west or south. This is quite clearly confirmed in Isa. 14:12-­14, where the power-grasping course of Lucifer is described – identical twin to the course of the Papacy. Note the very similar language of v. 14: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High,” to that of 2 Thes. 2:4: “Who (the Papacy) exalteth himself above all that is called God... he as God sitteth in the temple (con­gregation) of God (“ye are the temple of God” – l Cor. 3:16,17), showing himself that he is God.” And Lucifer would make his attempts “upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north” (his abode would rival that of the Most High).

THE DARKNESS HATETH THE LIGHT

It needs little argument that throughout the Age true Christians have been much in the minority.   The Lord had promised, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth” (John 8:31, 32); but this promise “to know the Truth” would not apply to the vast majority who did not “continue” to keep it. To such came the “strong delusions” – also promised to those who “received not the love of the Truth.” (2 Thes. 2:10) But it is a sad commentary concerning the many that they were not content to lose the truth, they must also persecute those who did faithfully retain it. Thus developed the monstrous crimes, the heinous tortures by the Antichrist against those who “protested” against their errors. Some of this was given in our No. 145, so we need not repeat it here. However, the Antichrist was not the only system that re­sorted to the persecution of those who retained Present Truth; and we now catalog some of these:

Michael Servetus was one of those true Christians who accepted, and defended the truth that there is but one God. This aroused the ire of John Calvin (strong advo­cate of, and chief organizer of, the Presbyterian Church), so he tricked Servetus into Geneva, had him arrested for ‘heresy.’ The trial lasted about 2½ months, with Servetus thoroughly defeating Calvin on the Truth that there is but one God. But the judges, being also in error as was Calvin, found Servetus guilty, sentenced him to be burned at the stake. The next day, October 27, 1553, Servetus was taken from the city, made to sit on a block. Instead of using dry wood, green timber was used, placed some distance from him, which subjected him to a slow roasting of over a half hour duration. Also, in mock­ery – like the crown of thorns that was placed on the brow of Jesus at His crucifixion by the errorists of His day – a chaplet of straw and green twigs, besprinkled with brim­stone, was made to encircle his head. This ‘crown’ was ignited first, and produced such a cry of anguish that it struck terror into the hearts of the spectators. That was his only expression of pain.

Perhaps the saddest part of the above recital is that John Calvin himself had strong­ly denounced the persecuting spirit of Antichrist in France; had addressed a noble publi­cation to the King of France in defense of religious tolerance – tolerance for him, that is. But he readily forgot all about tolerance when he could not meet the Truth that came from Servetus, and blackened his memory with one of the worst examples of cruel intoler­ance ever to be recorded. This is indeed a sad record against Calvin, who was considered one of the most brilliant religious minds of the entire Gospel Age, and a zealous cham­pion of his idea of Christianity.

“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents. and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:12-13)  And, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16) “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” (Psa. 24:4)

Coming a little further along in history, there is the case of the pilgrim fathers who left England because of religious persecution; but, hardly had they landed in New England in 1620, than they began to heap much the same abuses upon those who disagreed with them. But let us keep in mind that, while Wesley and his adherents were sorely per­secuted in England, he himself and those who fully embraced his teachings, never perse­cuted, or recommended persecution of those who disagreed with them. The same could be said of George Fox and the Quakers; the same for Balthasar Hubmaier and the Baptists. And this is definitely our own position now.

By the time the Parousia had arrived the physical manhandling of dissenters had pretty much become out of date, but those who embraced the Harvest Truth were subjected to considerable verbal abuse and vilification, with considerable vicious slander heaped upon That Servant. This increased in severity as the 1914 war began, during which time some of the Truth people did incur actual physical violence, with even a few of them dy­ing from that abuse. During that time those in “present truth” were a unit in advocat­ing religious tolerance; and it would seem the lessons of the past, plus their own un­toward experiences, should have taught them thoroughly the quality of tolerance. But, sad to say, hardly had That Servant died than quite a few of them took up the very unchris­tian weapons against their former brethren that had been previously used against them. Were we not personally witness to this, it would be difficult to believe.

And from 1916 on those brethren who were being defamed by the Society also were loud in their acclaim of tolerance, the Executive Trustee of the LHMM being one of the fore­most in denouncing intolerance; and he did an excellent job of declaring the evils of intolerance. It was easy enough for him to do that, too, because he had the Truth as his ‘shield and buckler’: and it was no problem to prove that it was once more error perse­cuting truth. But scarcely had the Epiphany Messenger left us until the Executive Trustee began to cudgel his opponents with the same weapons that had formerly been used against him and others – with the situation now reversed: The former champion of the Truth on tolerance was now forced to intolerance by the Truth which appeared against his error – just as was true of those intolerant ones in the Society after 1917. Here is a sad illustration indeed of human frailty – the accumulated experience of the Age, coupled with extreme brilliance of Harvest Truth, availed them little as those who still retained Parousia Truth began to expose their decline into error. The formerly excommunicated became the excommunicators in very pronounced fashion: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; 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.” (Isa. 66:5)

In so many instances the founders of present-day religious organizations – John Wesley, Martin Luther, William Miller, Thomas Cranmer, Robert Brown, George Fox, Bal­thazar Hubmaier, Michael Servetus, Zwingli, Charles T. Russell, et al – were mercilessly opposed because of the truth they presented; a number of them were actually burned at the stake. Yet, quite often those who were outraged witnesses to such abuses, adopted the tools of the persecutors when the situation became reversed. However, the underly­ing cause of such conduct was largely due to the fact that they themselves had departed ­in whole or in part – from the teachings of those they claimed to follow. All during the Age it seems it never took long until the examples of the respective reformers were for­gotten, and much of the truth they presented was perverted or lost completely; and, as the truth was lost, so also was lost the spirit of true Christianity which had actuated their leaders. “Strong delusion” (2 Thes. 2:11) regarding the truth usually inculcates “strong delusion” in conduct also, which in turn develops fanaticism in those who fall prey to it. It is certainly sound appraisal that religious fanaticism is the deepest, wickedest and most conscienceless of hatreds.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

Some years after the deluge, when the population had begun to increase, men said, “Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven” (Gen. 11:4). They would have insurance against another flood (in spite of the promise that another flood would never be – Gen. 9:15); they would build Babyl (Gateway to God). As retribution for this affront, the Lord confused their tongues; they could no longer understand each other. Thus, the effort became known as Babyl, meaning confusion, the same being typi­cal of the Roman Church’s effort also to build a “Gateway to God”; that is, We are the one true church – no salvation outside of us – no other access to God – their popes are now the successors to St. Peter (despite the fact there is no evidence whatever that St. Peter ever once visited Rome). But their shibboleth over the centuries has been, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.” (Matt. 16:18)

In further explanation, we quote this text from the Emphatic Diaglott: “I also say to thee, Thou art a rock, and on this rock I will build my Church.” Reference to Peter as ‘a rock’ is from the Greek Petros; and ‘this rock’ as the foundation for the Church is from the Greek Petra – the difference in meaning being Petros is a small stone, with Petra as a huge boulder. Once this is clearly understood, it is easily comprehended that Jesus was not referring at all to Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church, but to the great indisputable Truth that Peter had just spoken: “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” Indeed, in the words of the hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” He is truly the Christ; and “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:11) He is the Petra, the unlovable rock, upon which the Church has been built. “There is none other name (neither Peter, nor any other) under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) But the Roman interpretation is TRULY ANTICHRIST – “in place of” Christ. And to them also God sent confusion of tongues – a “Babyl”; their teachings today are completely foreign to the truth given us by the Lord through St. Peter.

In identical manner, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have made similar pattern; they claim also to be the “Channel for present truth’“ no salvation apart from them – they, too, would build “Bab-El.” And to them also has come retribution: a confusion of teachings so far removed from that presented by their founder that there is almost no similarity now to their beliefs of fifty years ago. And they also – in true Roman spirit – would suppress the truth presented by us; they have actually seized our papers from the hands of their dedicated deluded devotees and trampled them in the street. Yet they still boast of their founder, just as the Catholics boast of St. Peter. Was such conduct ever in evidence by the Master, Apostles, or by those true reformers mentioned aforegoing? Indeed, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20) The spirit of Antichrist readily reveals itself to all unbiased observers. The following excerpt from Reprints 5172 (Feb. 1, 1913) is most appropriate here:

“All down the Gospel Age, those who have been faithful to the truth of God have been put ‘out of the synagogue.’ The creeds of men have been barriers to keep out those who understood the word of God.”

And there is sound logic in explanation: The Truth always brings out the best in the faithful, but it often brings out the worst in the unfaithful or measurably faithful. “We (the faithful) are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death (as they go deeper and deeper into error); and to the other the savour of life unto life (as the Truth per­fects them in every good word and work).” (2 Cor. 2:14,15) “The light (Truth) shineth in darkness (amid error); and the darkness (error) comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) It is an evidence of human frailty that physical force is usually applied when the intellect is not sufficient. Thus, for a thousand years the Antichrist resorted to the rack, boil­ing oil, hot lead in the ears, etc., against the ‘heretics’ whose truth they could not gainsay or resist. But there is no record of the fully faithful ever using such weapons against Antichrist. St. Paul also had counseled “Resist not evil with evil” – “the wea­pons of our warfare are not carnal.” He also wrote in 2 Cor. 3:17: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (tolerance).” Con­versely speaking, we may draw the ready conclusion that without liberty there is none of the Spirit of the Lord. And from such we are advised to turn away! Woe unto those who fall prey to the spirit of Antichrist!

“For we are not like the many, trafficking the word of God; but really from sincer­ity, and as from God, in the presence of God, we speak concerning Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:17, Dia.)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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Supplement to No. 152

QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – In your January paper you say “It is God that justifies.” Will this also be true in the next dispensation?

ANSWER: – No. While this Gospel Age is a faith dispensation, and the next will be a works arrangement, there is another dominant feature that is the de­termining factor – namely, the Mediator (the Christ) will then be officiating. A Mediator serves between two parties at variance with each other, and the Mediator’s purpose will be to effect reconciliation between God and man, both of whom are at variance with each other. Once this arrangement is clearly seen, it is then no problem to understand that God will have nothing to do with the human race by way of giving them a reckoned (faith) justification, because the Mediator will operate to bring them gradually to perfection of physique and character, which, when it is accomplished, will enable each individual to stand in his own justification – just as was true of Adam in his perfection. He needed no intercessor with God, needed no other merit than his own inherent capacities to have direct fellowship with his creator.

This being the case, it logically follows that any attempt to teach a tentative (faith) justification in the next dispensation is simply some more Levitical nonsense of the worst order. To declare that both Messengers were in error when they taught opportunity for new Youthful Worthies until restitution sets in is a revolutionism of both the Truth and its Arrangements, and clearly manifests such would-be teachers as revolutionists, perverters and repudiators of the “faith once delivered unto the saints.” They have failed to “continue in His Word,” thereby measurably losing the Spirit of the Truth and the Spirit of understanding. (See 2 Thes. 2:10,11; also Berean Comment: “All, in the end of the Gospel Age, who, having been favored with the Word of God, have failed to appreciate and use it.... Strong delusion... That which, from certain standpoints, has the appearance of truth.”)

This is further emphasized in Rom. 3:26: “To declare at this time God’s right­eousness: that He might be just, and the Justifier of him who Believeth on Jesus.” In previous verses St. Paul also states that it is “by the faith of Jesus” (the faith­fulness that He manifested, and by the faith we have in His redemptive purposes toward us) that we now have “this Grace wherein we stand.” While this teaching is “Present Truth” now, it will have no bearing whatever in the next dispensation; and quoting it then, as applying then, would be just as much out of order as it would how be for us to preach Noah’s message of an impending flood.

Here is something from Reprints 5164, col. 2, par. 2, that is directly to the point:

“During the Millennium God will not recognize the people, because of their im­perfection, their weakness; but all of their dealings will be through the Medi­ator. until they shall have been brought up to perfection. At the end of the thous­and years they will be delivered up to the Father, unblamable before Him.(l Cor. 15: 24) God will then receive them as sons, heirs of the earthly blessings which He has provided for mankind – the things given to Adam. The very moment when the merit of Christ is applied for the world is the same moment when they will be turned over to the Mediator. (Is the world now turned over to the Mediator?—JJH) Then they will be in covenant relationship with God, but only through the Mediator, until they have reached human perfection and shall enter into his relationship directly with the Father.”

In this connection, we recall R. G. Jolly’s parrot-like quotation from E-4:346 – ­“The doctrine of Tentative Justification operating from the time of Abel, Enoch and Noah until Restitution begins.” This he presented as ‘proof’ that Tentative Justification is now operating in the Camp – since 1954. But when we quoted from that very same section of Volume 4, pages 337/347, showing Brother Johnson’s emphasis that Tentative Justification would be available UNTIL RESTITUTION BEGINS for the very purpose of winning new Youthful Worthies, as companions in honor and service with the Ancient Worthies, he was then forced to other errors to support his “strange fire” (false doctrine) of Campers Consecrated, claiming that they receive Tentative Justification in the Camp. As Brother Johnson has said, when such error­ists are forced from their original erroneous position by the Truth against them, they then resort to more and more error, as RGJ is now doing with his claim that Tentative (faith) Justification will continue throughout the Millennium. And it should be noted, too, that he no longer quotes the Truth (on Tentative Justifica­tion operating until restitution sets in) from Volume E-4. He is afraid to do this because even his sleepy adherents might just awake to the real situation.

In this entire treatise in Epiphany Volume 4 of the Youthful Worthies and Tenta­tive Justification, Brother Johnson was proving that the two are inseparably linked here in the end of the Age – until Restitution begins - Tentative Justification for Youthful Worthies, and Youthful Worthies for Tentative Justification. This faith justification is for the very purpose of winning a faith class – an Elect class; and is merely added structure to what Brother Russell has already taught. It dis­putes nothing that That Servant taught – merely elaborates and clarifies that teach­ing. Yet RGJ is now telling us that the teaching in Volume 4 is all wrong; he has found ‘new Light’ (?) on the subject – the same kind of ‘new light’ that JFR found when he decided to eliminate Tentative Justification altogether from the Bible and from That Servant’s declaration of the subject, to make room for his non-existent class – impudently claiming that the Bible and That Servant supported his error; even as RGJ also impudently claims the same support from That Servant and the Bible for his present error, now ignoring the Epiphany Messenger’s teaching altogether. And the same kind of people will now be led astray by RGJ as were led astray by JFR!

Following is some more from E-4:342, top: “If our dear readers will keep in mind that The Tower’s denial of Tentative Justification during this Age is the founda­tion of its rejecting the Scriptural doctrine that those faithful consecrators from 1881 until Restitution sets in (Has Restitution set in?—JJH).... will be the Millen­nial Associates of the Ancient Worthies in reward and service, they will be able by Scriptural, reasonable and factual thinking completely to overthrow every argument that the article under review presents to defend its thesis.”

And substantially the same may be said now for RGJ’s perversion of Tentative Justification, as he desperately attempts to avoid exposure of his present error. We have indeed been able by “Scriptural, reasonable and factual thinking completely to overthrow every argument” that he has presented to defend his erroneous contentions.

Even though we cannot judge the heart, God can — and when we see brethren depart­ing from the Truth that once sanctified them, revolutionizing, perverting and repu­diating certain vital doctrines and arrangements to justify their “path of error,” we know there is something wrong with the heart – otherwise the Lord would not per­mit them to go into such errors. It is those who have received the Truth and not appreciated it, and departed from it, who pose as “angels of light.” They are far more dangerous than those who have departed completely and become moral renegades. The latter class can’t exert much influence upon the upright, but the former often do wield much influence over the Lord’s people who fail to heed the warnings of That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger. All of this, of course, if for “the trial of your faith.”

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: – I have read The Herald of the Epiphany Edition No. 7, which was given me last Sunday at the ------- Civic Center showing of Martin Luther... This reading of The Herald of the Epiphany is so good that I am keeping for re-reading and I want you to please send me the other six, No. 1 – Where are the Dead, No. 2 – What is the Soul, No. 3 – The Resurrection of the Dead, No. 4 – The Three Babylons, No. 5 – Two Distinct Salvations, No. 6 – God’s Great Sabbath Day.

Thank you very kindly, Mrs. ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be yours through our blessed Lord & Master!

We have been enjoying your well written articles in defense of the Truth. The Lord knoweth them that are His, and provides bountifully for all their needs. I have been unable to write you – also Sr. Hoefle who wrote such lov­ing and helpful letters. This year, as it draws to a close, finds us still with you in Spirit. We rejoice also with the others who are always on the look-out for your monthly Truth articles. The Truth is precious indeed!

I appreciate your prayers – also dear Sr. Hoefle’s. I remember you and the brethren in prayer. Enclosed is a small contribution. lt’s not much, but the best I can do. Much love in the Lord to all with you.

By His Grace ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

I sit thinking of the many things I would like to tell you. Then it occurs to me to do some typing – get if off my chest! You surely must be busy. Don’t feel under obligation to answer. I shall watch in your papers (No. 148 was marvelous!). Hope ------- got one.

It certainly surprises me Mr. Jolly taking the attitude against you as he does. Never dreamed he had gone SO FAR as to disfellowship you!....... I noted my letter also printed recently...... I don’t mind if you give my address to the brother who wondered about the Sister from Michigan. I do not use the English Language as well as you do. You are a Master at it!

Joe ------- wrote me a letter some years ago – rather kindly though – suggesting I transfer to another unit. At that time he had a thousand-dollar loan from my hus­band. I called them – in class – over every error in the Watch Tower. And so they wanted to get rid of me! But they all KNEW MY STANDING BEFORE MY LORD. Of course, I returned his letter with notations added to it. My husband signed, too. His wife told a friend Joe was furious (the friend repeated it to me).

I look back many years – amazed to think many of them thought they were for the High Calling! It staggers my imagination that we could ever dare hope to see our Saviour as He is – to be LIKE HIM – live and reign with Him 1,000 years! I shall leave my Judgment to my Saviour. He died for me! ....

So many times I long to serve my Maker. But as I review over the 40 years gone by, we did our best, with the help of Jesus Christ – the Beloved of God. How very earnestly I pray nightly for my Lord to NEVER TAKE AWAY THE DEEP LOVE I have for Him – for the Truth, for the thankful Heart I enjoy – to comfort me.

At times my whole frame trembles with joy and appreciation. The Watch Tower does not even tell the people – at this time of the year – what that super birth of Jesus, by the Virgin Mary, means for mankind...... The enclosed for postage help.....

Concluding with Christian love from ------- (MICH.)

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My dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings of Christian love!

The Christmas season is approaching, and we wish you, Sister Hoefle and all the dear ones with you, a happy Holiday – and endeavoring to continue faithful in the days ahead.

We both thank you for your letters and prayers. Daily do we remember you, Sr. Hoefle and the supporting brethren in our prayers.

Quite a number of people have appreciated the No! 7 tract – and we believe it will bear fruit in due course. We have posted it to relatives and friends in various parts of the country, too, and to Protestant ministers. A few Gideon Extras have been distributed, but we find an apathetic spirit abroad. Church workers are so busy trying to amalgamate. Some of our neighbours, who have had the tracts (and who realize we know somewhat of the Bible), appreciate the message to some extent –invited us to a ‘bring and buy sale’ at their home, in aid of the Roman Catholic Church, The Church of England, The Methodist Church, The Congregation Church and The Pentecostal Church. Brother pointed out we could not uphold anything we know the Lord was not desiring.... Since our refusal to go, they have treated us as usual ­not like the Society, the LHMM, who, to say the least, treat us as if they never knew us. God bless you all! Sister joins me.

Your brother by His Grace, ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Master’s Name!

Sir! I want to thank you for sending me the literature which you have done...... Are you acquainted with Brother Goodrich and his works there at Fort Lauderdale?...... I had never heard of the term Youthful Worthies until I read your literature! I don’t remember whether Brother Jolly uses that term or not. Also, am I to understand that you don’t approve of the ....Group?..... Now this term – or name – Azazel? In all the twenty some years I’ve been reading so-called Truth literature, that’s a stumper to me! We are not really associated, or belong, to any of the so-called Truth groups. But I do get and subscribe to a number of them.

I will admit that I first came in contact with the Truth through the Jehovah’s Witnesses – and Oh! I thought I had found the way – only to be very abruptly dis­allusioned about five or six years later. Then I had and kept my eyes and ears open to the things that happened about us – and our so-called brothers’ attitude. We gradually dropped out..... I must admit that you are very nearly right when you call them Little Babylon, which is also a term I hadn’t heard before. My husband and I and our 15-year-old son have our own Bible Studies in our own home..... I am trying to give my son a firm foundation to fall back on as he grows and enters into life..... It’s like Jesus said in His prayer to the Father that last time: We are in the world, but are not a part of it....

You sent me a copy of Where are the Dead. I read it and sent it to an Aunt of mine who believes in Spiritism. It was such a good paper! I would like to have a few more to give to people... It is my desire and hope to be of service to the Lord..... A Sister in the Lord, ------- (NEBRASKA)

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My dear Brother Hoefle: Fond Christian love and Greetings!

The year is at its close, and as a little encouragement I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed your articles. Not in the sense of “rejoicing in iniquity,” however – nor in the perversions of the Leaders you have exposed – but in the pure unperverted Truths you have brought out in your refutations. Any true and honest heart – who compares your writings with the Star Members’ writings – must agree they correspond, and help in character development.

I was young and unconsecrated during the JFR sifting, but I paid great heed to it because of my love for God and His Plan. I counted the cost before I entered His vineyard – and that is why I thank God for you. We all need a pointer where we can seek after His Word..... He will not leave Himself without a witness, so it is for us to make the effort to find out His true witness...

I saw the letter from the Brother in Trinidad. I pity the poor Brother, making himself a ledling – blindly following another without proving who is right and who is wrong. See Manna Comments August 18 and December 20.

Warm Christian love.... Yours by His Grace, ------- (JAMAICA)