NO. 142: MORE ON THE GREAT MULTITUDE

No. 142

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

In our No. 131 May 1966 paper we indicated our intention of further discussion of the above subject, and it seems expedient that we do so now. Inasmuch as the Great Multitude is afflicted with ‘leprosy’ in varying forms (numerous spiritual contagions), it is no problem at all for one reasonably informed to offer expan­sive discussion of their maladies, although we assure our readers that such a task gives us just no pleasure at all; we would much prefer more winsome subjects. But, just as Brother Russell was the only man in Christendom – so far as we know ­who offered extensive discussion of this group – and the Epiphany Messenger was the only one since 1916 who analyzed them in detail – so now it seems we ourselves are in much the same position – although some of the sects in Little Babylon do occasionally broach the subject in limited manner.

Much objection arises in various quarters as we mention certain brethren as contained in the Great Multitude, the Great Multitude being those people who have lost their crowns and their position in the Body of Christ, and have been remanded to a greatly inferior position to the one they once occupied. It is claimed that we are 'Judging before the time'; but we observe that we ourselves judge nothing, although we believe it is not only proper, but our unpleasant duty, to make open note of such judging as the Lord manifests that He has done so. Therefore, Jesus told us, “By their fruits you will discover them.” (Matt. 7:16, Dia.) This statement would be a rank empty deception if it were not possible for us now to “discover” those producing tainted fruit; and the statement would certainly be leading us astray if we are guilty of 'evil surmising' to observe such contagions when they appear. Here is Brother Russell's comment on the text: “Some people, like thistles, are always scattering seeds that cause trouble; false doctrines, evil surmisings, errors.”

It is well, however, to bear in mind that Brother Russell properly taught there are only two reasons for disfellowshiping any one – namely, gross immorality, or gross doctrinal deflection. An example of the first is to be found in 1 Cor. 5:1-5; and an example of the second is recorded in 1 Tim. 1:20 – “Hymenius and Alexander; whom I delivered up to the Adversary, that they may be taught not to blaspheme!” They had made shipwreck of the Faith (the Truth). But in this time in which we are living it is well to consider that minor vices – general character blemishes – are not to be regarded as sufficient cause to relegate any one to the Great Multitude; it is only gross and persistent revolutionism against the Truth, or its arrangements that is the sure touchstone. If we assume total depravity as Zero, and perfection of mind and body as One Hundred, it would be readily apparent that there will be found many degrees and many different varieties of “wounds, bruises and putrefying sores” (Isa. 1:6) prevalent in peoples of different races and widely-divergent social orders. “Man looketh on the outward appearance”; and, since chiefly “the poor of this world, rich in faith, are called to be heirs of salvation” (1 Cor. 1:26; Jas. 2:5), we may often find much to be desired in some members of the General Church, especially so at their inception into God's House­hold. And just as it may be possible to evaluate some too highly for their educa­tion, outward refinement, wealth and position, so it is equally possible to rate others too severely because they lack such qualities. Therefore, the TRUTH itself is the only reliable guide we have to “discover” others by their fruits. Thus Bro. Russell has declared we should regard most highly those whose zeal for growth in knowledge, accompanied by a corresponding growth in Grace, is manifesting their true heart condition.

THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT

In Matt. 25:14-30 our Lord gave the Parable of the Talents, describing a householder who committed five talents to one servant, two to another, and one to the third. Brother Russell interpreted these talents as opportunities of service in the Lord's work, based upon our various capacities – the five-talented man being one who has wealth, influence, intellectual power, education and ability for public utterance. St. Paul was one of these, as was also Brother Russell; and it would be a very logical display of executive ability for our Lord to commit and     to expect – more from such persons than He would from the two-talented man or the one-talented man. As the Parable continues, when the Householder returned and asked for an accounting from his servants, the one with five talents said he had gained five more in his Master's absence, thus repaying him with ten talents. Likewise, the one with two talents had gained other two; and to each of these the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” But the one to whom but one talent had been entrusted made profuse excuse for hiding his one talent “in the earth” (typical of those who are engulfed in the cares, pleasures, and wiles of this social order); he had gained nothing with it in his master's absence. For this he was soundly upbraided, his talent was taken from him and given to the one with the ten talents, and he was cast into “outer darkness” – to experience “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus defines this man as “the unprofitable servant”; and Brother Russell interprets him as a representative of the Great Multitude – especially here in the end of this Age. The “outer darkness” would be the error into which this Class is now allowed to fall – the same being revealed by their many “strong delusions” (2 Thes. 2:11) – such being “their fruits” by which we may “discover” them. Here then is another view of the Great Multitude – in addition to those already given in our May paper.

VARIATIONS IN STANDING

At this point we emphasize that not all the Great Multitude have always been “one-talent” people. Quite a few of them were five-talented when they first re­sponded to the Gospel call to “enter the House of the Lord.” (Psa. 122:1). As examples, we cite St. (?) Augustine (about 400 AD), whom some rate as the greatest intellect of fallen man in all history. Also, John Calvin – considered one of the best religious minds of this Age. And Martin Chemnitz – in some respects apparently more capable than Martin Luther himself, with whom he collaborated in his conflict with the Papacy. How, then, do such men eventually become classed with the one-talent persons? Certainly, not because they were lacking in zeal – or because their opportunities of service toward the public were taken from them. Generally  ‘kinsmen’ have been putting forth great effort to build up Little Babylon. But in such efforts they have been synonymous with Azazel's Goat “one goat for Azazel” (Lev. 16:8, margin). Azazel means Perverter, and this Goat this Unprofitable Servant – has been the means all during the Age of perverting (distorting with error) every one of the Steward­ship Truths that the fully-faithful Little Flock leaders have propounded. This is set forth in excellent detail in Epiphany Volume 8.

What, then, is represented by “taking away even that which he hath?” (v. 29) We answer that such lose all part in the Sin Offering; they lose all opportunity of ever regaining the crown they have lost: they lose forever their standing in the priestly Body of Christ. They become “profane persons, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.... He found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Heb. 12:16,17) Stating it tersely, they lose their birthright – in exact fashion as a disinherited son loses his standing in his father's estate.

But the sentence goes even beyond that: He is cast into “outer darkness” into error – out of the Holy and fellowship with the Priesthood, abandoned to Azazel “into the wilderness.” (Lev. 16:21) As they leave the Holy, they auto­matically become separated from the Lampstand, whose fuel is the holy oil (repre­senting the Holy Spirit – the spirit of understanding – of this Gospel Age). And losing the oil in their lamps (Matt. 25:8) is just another way of saying they lose the spirit of understanding –this being the direct cause of them going into “outer darkness” (error).

In their ejection from the Holy, they also become separated from the Table of Shewbread, that bread typing the Sarah features of the Abrahamic Covenant (Little Flock promises). They can no longer feed upon that bread, because the Sarah promises no longer apply to them. And finally, they are forbidden longer to minister at the Golden Altar, because that service is exclusively for the Priesthood – “much incense with the prayers of Saints” (Rev. 8:3).

Because this Great Multitude “admitted not the love of the Truth, God will send to them an energy of delusion” – outer darkness – error (2 Thes. 2:10,11, Dia.); and the Berean Comment for this text states: “That which, from certain standpoints, has the appearance of truth.... Giving then over to error, which they prefer to the Truth.... Great delusions are just before us, and some of these may come closest upon those having the most light of Present Truth.” There can be no mistaking Brother Russell's opinion on this subject, and with which we are in full agreement. Therefore, we should ever be wary of any interpretations coming from such people that are in any way contrary to the interpretations given us by Brother Russell.

ANOTHER TYPE

Such erroneous teachings by the Great Multitude are typed by the “strange fire” offered by Nadab and Abihu, as recorded in Lev. 10:1-7, and for which they were destroyed. It would seem that these two were intoxicated with strong drink when they committed their infamous impudent act, because the command is immediately given to Aaron in verse 9: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest ye die.... that ye may put a difference between Holy and Unholy, and between unclean and clean. And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes (truths) which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses (type of the Star Members).”

Psalms 91 is known as The Psalm of Saints' Security; and in verse 6 of that Psalm this “strange fire” (false doctrine) is described as “the pestilence that walketh in darkness,” and in verse 11 as “any plague.” To the fully faithful the promise is sure that they need have no fear of such “pestilence”; nor shall “any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Among some of the more 'leprous' “Strong delusions” of the Great Multitude at the present time are:

(1) The Great Multitude are the ‘dedicated’ restitutionists, the children of the New Covenant, when their parents are not yet even married – have not yet celebrated “the marriage supper of the Lamb”—Rev. 19;9;

(2) Consecrated Epiphany Campers (also restitutionists) having their names already written in the Book of Life (before the Kingdom book has even been opened);

(3) Such Campers partaking of the Memorial (whereas partaking of the emblems of that Memorial now by the prospective Elect is, among other things, their solemn vow to “walk in His steps”; but by restitution­ists – if they partake of it at all – in the Mediatorial reign will be only an expression of gratitude and a promise of obedience to the righteous laws of that reign, and not in any sense as a Covenant by Sacrifice);

(4) Justification outside the linen curtain (outside the righteousness of Christ);

(5) Repudiation of the Chronology as given through That Servant;

(6) The same group that has invented Campers Consecrated now revo­lutionizing against the process of the Abandonment to Azazel;

(7) Revolutionizing against the “Epiphany-Tire of Trouble” period being identical;

(8) Revolutionizing against the Truth that gross revolutionism against the Truth or its arrangements is the only method for recognizing crown-losers, their contention being that a date manifested them all in one instantaneous swoop, that date being October 22, 1950.

These are only a few of the more outstanding “strong delusions”; there are dozens of others. But, as Brother Johnson has so aptly observed, When these people fall into the hands of Azazel they talk all sorts of nonsense!

SOME OTHER OBSERVATIONS

It is well to keep In mind that it is not the Great Multitude's acceptance and spread of false doctrines (“strange fire”) that causes them to lose their crowns; it is instead the loss of their crowns (and the ejection from the Holy) that separates them from the Golden Lampstand in the Holy, causing them to lose the “oil in their lamps” (“the spirit of understanding”), which in turn causes them to go astray from the Truth which once sanctified them, and to invent false doctrines. Once they are delivered over to Satan (Azazel) by the removal of Priestly fellowship and all brotherly help and favor of the Priests, they either rebel, or support rebels against the Truth which once sanctified them. They also then develop sectarian systems; and this has been the direct cause of the appear­ance of Big and Little Babylon upon the stream of time, with the resultant perse­cution of the fully-faithful Little Flock (and in this latter part of the Epiphany, by one group who attempt the complete elimination of the Little Flock by false teaching), who have naturally opposed such actions. (Isa. 66:5) During the Age this condition became so pronounced that, despite the gallant efforts of such as Arius, Marsiglio, Claudius of Turin, Martin Luther, John Wessel, Thomas Cranmer, John Wesley and other “Good Soldiers,” the apostasy from the teachings of the Apostles became so pronounced that the general symmetry and beauty of the Truth in the Jewish Harvest was completely lost; and it was not until the Harvest in the end of this Age when That Servant once more restored “the unity of the faith” to God's people, which enabled them to “give to every man a reason for the Hope” they cherished.

It should be stressed here that the Gospel-Age Perverters (Azazel means Perverter) did not reach that condition through the failure of the Lord to love and help them sufficiently, for “He is faithful that promised,” not being will­ing that any should perish – or be demoted, lose their class standing. Even in their wayward state He has been solicitous of their welfare, which prompted St. Paul to counsel the Corinthian brethren to “forgive and comfort” the one they had delivered unto Satan (Azazel) for the destruction of his flesh, “lest such an one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (2 Cor. 2:7), and suffer complete loss of life. “Wherefore, I entreat you publicly to confirm your love towards him.” Clearly enough, the Lord wishes their recovery from the clutches of Azazel.

With this Class their love for the Lord and their love for “the pleasures of sin for a season” keeps them in constant turmoil – so much so that the Apostle James describes them as “double–minded .... unstable in all their ways”(Jas. 1:8) – “like a wave of the sea, agitated and tossed by the wind.” And – “let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord” – until he mends his ways and extricates himself from the clutches of Azazel. It is their very double­mindedness that brings them into the hands of Azazel; and this is the evil that must be corrected if there is to be any hope at all for them. Here is something from Brother Russell on this same matter:

“What of those who make this arrangement and then fail to make the sacrifice?....Those who do not go on to give themselves fully in sacri­fice are delivered over to the Adversary to buffet them until their flesh shall be destroyed – until these earthly clinging tendencies which were holding them from full loyalty to God are broken down and their minds become fully submissive and in harmony with God.... In every case it is necessary that the flesh be de­stroyed. If the will is overcome by the flesh, the result will be the death of the will also; that is, the second death.... Such are not counted in with the sacrificers, yet they are saved “so as by fire” on the spirit plane, in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (Reprints 5056)

And further by Brother Russell: “But sad disappointments attach to the experiences of this company: it is because they fear the reproaches of Christ that they shirk present privileges and opportunities for walking with Him in white in the “sufferings of this present time”: behold, they not only miss the present joy and rejoicing of those who are faithful, but eventually they must come through still greater sufferings, if they would attain even to a lower place.”

Based upon statements of the Apostle Paul, the Apostle James, and Brother Russell's emphasis of their teachings as above given, Brother Johnson reiterates and elaborates the subject in E-15:525:

“As in none of the Great Company do these forms of the rod prove sufficient fully to free their Holy Spirit from the bondage of developed worldliness, selfishness, error and sin, and in a large number hardly fazes them at all, and variously but incompletely affects the rest of them, the Lord resorts to a second set of untoward experiences, which are calculated finally to deliver their New Creatures from the bondage into which their unfaithfulness to their Justification, or consecration, or both, has brought them. He delivers them over to Satan, called in Lev. 16:8, 10, 21, 22 Azazel (averter, perverter), for the destruction of the flesh that their New Creature, the Spirit, might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 5:1-5, 1 Tim. 1:19,20). It will be noted that 1 Cor. 5:1-5 shows that for evil conduct delivery to Satan was made, while in 1 Tim. 1:19,20, it is shown that such delivery was made for setting aside the Truth and teaching error in Its place. Their delivery to Satan implies that God temporarily abandons them, and lets Satan buffet them, until their fleshly minds are destroyed.... Filling their minds with more or less error (such as those set out aforegoing—JJH) Satan makes them busy themselves with false religious work, works of false propaganda, of building false religious sects. He deceives them into believing they will accomplish great works, win great numbers, gain great favor, etc. (such as con­verting Israel before the Great Multitude are cleansed, putting Restitutionists into the Book of Life now –before that Book is yet opened, etc.—JJH). The upshot of it all, however, is great disappointments, troubles, losses, frustrations and failures, wrecking their ambitions.”

It will be noted that Brother Russell and Brother Johnson make no exceptions concerning the delivery of all of them to Satan (Azazel), no allowance whatever being made for the degree of their perversity. In all of them “He brought down their heart with labor” (Psa. 107:12), because they rebelled (revolutionized) against the words of God – the Truth. We stress this matter here because R. G. Jolly is now hinting (see his article in the March-April 1966 PT, “The Cleansing From Leprosy”) that he and his 'kinsmen' do not need the process so clearly described by the Apostles and by That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger; but this is just another evidence that he also “rebels against the words of Cod” ­just as do his fellows – and should be all the more convincing to unbiased observers of his present tragic condition.

Many Scriptures stress the marked difference between the Great Multitude and the fully-faithful followers of the Lamb. In Rev. 7:15 the former are described as servants in the Temple; whereas, Christ and His faithful Bride are the “living stones” that comprise that Temple – the Levites and the Priests in the antitype of Solomon’s grand temple. Here then is another unanswerable proof that the Great Multitude cannot possibly be an earthly group (as depicted by the Witnesses), because the Temple (Christ and His Church) is in Heaven, and these Levites – the Great Multitude – serve in that Temple. Brother Russell always concurred in this conclusion.

After the death of the Apostles, when the various sects arose in Christendom, the doctrine of Restitution was completely lost, and this in turn made way for many baneful errors – eternal torment as the wages of sin, the immortality of the soul, the Trinity, etc. – so that the resultant confusion was rightly termed Babylon. But, when That Servant appeared, he produced order from the chaos, and produced “the unity of the faith” (the Truth in symmetry and reason). However, since his death the Truth has again been bandied about by the various Truth groups to such an extent that there is again Babylon, confusion, on every hand. This is the direct result of the work of the sixth Slaughter-weapon man of Ezek. 9:2, who, since 1916, has “defiled the house, and filled the courts with the slain” – through the Revolutionism against the Truth, which has been “making manifest the counsels of hearts,” revealing the “fruits” by which we may “discover” them.

And to him that “hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches”: Once more “attain to the unity of the faith.... be infants no longer, tossed and whirled about with every wind of that teaching which is in the trickery of men, by cunning craftiness in systematic deception; but grow up in all things into Him.... no longer walk, even as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having been darkened in the understanding” of the Unity of the Faith—Eph. 4:13-18, Dia.

Sincerely your brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Has Brother Jolly now given the real truth on the Book of Life as respecting Youthful Worthies and Campers Consecrated?

ANSWER: – No, he has not; in fact his latest utterances on this subject are simply a jumble of words – so garbled that nobody – not even himself ­can determine whence he comes, or whither he goes on the subject. He who discerns clearly teaches clearly; and – conversely – he who teaches unclearly does not him­self discern clearly. Note Brother Russell's comment on this subject:

''All found written In the Lamb's Book of Life will be delivered forever, from all enemies: Those written as worthy (the Ancient Worthies—JJH) during the Jewish and Patriarchal Ages, and those written during the Gospel Age, and those who will be written during the Millennial Age.” (Parousia Vol. 3, p. 62)

All that Brother Johnson has given Is simply an elaboration of the foregoing; and it should be clear enough to any who are properly schooled In Present Truth that this would exclude any except the Elect Classes from any standing in any Book of Life during this Faith Age. The Youthful Worthies can begin to inscribe their names in the Book of Life now because that Book has been opened unto them as one of the Elect Classes in this Epiphany period; whereas, according to both Brother Russell and Brother Johnson, no Restitutionist can yet begin to inscribe his name in the Book of Life, because their Book is not yet opened – and won't be open until the New Covenant is inaugurated. Of course, we should expect just such confusion from R. G. Jolly. Here is Brother Johnson's conclusion regarding all such “gazers”:

“God has never given local elders or non-star members the privilege of seeing a new doctrine. This privilege is limited exclusively to our Lord acting in the star-members. Any attempt on the part of a non-star-membered teacher as the first one to work out a doctrine would be speculation, and would, therefore, not result in uncovering a new truth, but would result in error.”

Disregard of the above warning has led R. G. Jolly into 'inventing' his Campers Consecrated; and this in turn has resulted in new errors on the Book of Life, and other errors. This is just what we should expect under the circumstances. In this Jan-Feb. Present Truth, pages 12 & 13 are three Questions and Answers on this subject in a desperate wordy attempt to fit his present errors into the simple truth that Brother Russell expressed in four succinct lines quoted aforegoing. We suggest to our readers who may have a Present Truth available to read those answers, compare them with what Brother Russell so tersely stated; then determine for themselves which expressions they wish to believe.

When R. G. Jolly gave his erroneous answer at the Chicago Convention last October a year, it was so very evident that he did not know what Brother Russell or Brother Johnson had taught on the subject; so he quickly gave error in his answer. Now, in a desperate effort to save face, he uses more than a full page in the Present Truth to muddy the Truth stream. If he really wanted his readers to understand this sub­ject, why did he not just quote the direct and concise statements of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson – just as we have done in our presentations of it? Please see our December 1, 1965 paper, pp. 3-4 for Brother Johnson's treatise on the Book of Life (a copy free upon request). As a result of his “strange fire” (false doctrine) – ­Campers Consecrated – he must of necessity go from one error to another, and lose much of the Truth that once sanctified him. We assume that he was clear at one time on the Books of Life for the Elective and Restitution salvations – but it is clearly manifest that he no longer understands this truth. When any one other than the Star Members presents a new doctrine and persists in that course, he receives the “strong delusion” (2 Thes. 2:11) – the punishment meted out by the Lord to all such – and loses the “spirit of understanding.'' (Matt. 25:1-8 – See Berean Comment). J. F. Rutherford's course was persisted in to the extent that he lost everything. It is our wish and prayer that this will not be the case with R. G. Jolly.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

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

It is Sunday morning and I hope to leave in about 45 minutes and will, D.v., give out some tracts. I always get a little nervous and shaky beforehand – but feel happy afterwards....... I thought perhaps you would like to add the enclosed name and address to your list. I don't know this Brother....... I read over the December 1966 paper. I liked it. I was noticing about Bro. Jolly speaking (on page 6) of the ‘higher class,’ under heading His ‘Higher’ Class. I was wondering if he was thinking of the question and answer on page 446 of E Vol. 4 ­where it says (Question 48) that Youthful Worthies are to remember that the Great Company in God's esteem is a higher class than they. On the other side I notice Brother Johnson commends Youthful Worthies for assisting in the rebuke toward the Catholic Church (page 449 of E Vol. 4) – also I notice on p. 393, par. 20, in speak­ing of Ruth, Brother Johnson says there was an antitypical spitting done – “As the Youthful Worthies have come to see the Truth on the subject they have done it to the Society directors and editors” – using the Truth to the “disparagement and dis­grace of the pertinent person......

Enclosed is $___ for use in the work. With Christian love to you and Sr. Hoefle and Sisters Moynelo and Dunnagan. Your sister by faith ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: – Grace and peace through our Beloved Lord! Our dear Sister McNeil passed away Feb. 4 at 9:00 p.m., and was buried Sunday, Feb. 5 at 4:00 p.m., beside my mother (Sister Condell). The LHMM brethren were at their Conven­tion, so were not privileged to be at the funeral. Bro. ------- conducted the service. Since her passing was expected, her funeral was arranged and coffin made – and all that was necessary was her funeral and burial.

A few days before her death she gave me a message for you and the Bible House family: she earnestly urged that you and the others be not weary in well doing ­but to continue to keep up the “good fight” – especially in antitypical Gideon's Second Battle unto its completion, until Jericho's wall is broken down and God's people set free.

She had several severe attacks of pain – during which she would become delirious, but would always become rational when over. She would then remember and speak on the things touching on salvation for all. A half hour before her passing she asked me to sing Hymn 295, in which she tried to join in; then she asked me to pray. I made a short prayer, for words failed me. Then her pain came back – lasting perhaps less than a minute, after which she finished her earthly course. I was alone with her, so I did the last thing I could do and left the room woke my daughter and told her ­then went to the gate to see if I could see any one. I was just in time to see Brother's ---- van enter his yard. He came and looked at the body and then notified the others.

That's the account, dear Brother, and I will add for myself that she was an example of the believers in the midst of it all. All of us have suffered a great loss – and I in a very special way. She was a great strength and encouragement to me with her admonitions to righteousness and truth.

Please give my Christian love to all at the Bible House. Yours by His Grace, ------- (JAMAICA)

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“Faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10):

Dear Sister McNeil was reportedly over 105 years old, had met and become well acquainted with Brothers Russell and Johnson. In January 1957, when R. G. Jolly attempted a four-­hour continuous “profusion of words” at a Crofts Hill meeting, she was then past 95, but yet strong enough in mind and spirit to “withstand him to the face” on some of his errors. She had also been a life-long friend of beloved Brother and Sister Condell (also departed); and the passing of these faithful brethren leaves a most lonely feeling of great loss with those of us who knew them. Indeed, “Blessed are those dead who die in the Lord; Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow after them.” (Rev. 14:13, Dia.) We believe what Brother Russell says in Parousia Vol. 3, p. 237 is apropos in her case:

“The mission of the feet, which is no insignificant part of the Kingdom work, will be accomplished. Though their message is popularly hated and discredited and they are despised by the world as fools, for Christ's sake, as all his faithful servants have been throughout the Gospel Age, yet, before they all are 'changed' and joined to the glorified members beyond the veil, they, as agents of the Kingdom, will have left such records of that Kingdom and its present and future work as will be most valuable information to the world and to the undeveloped and overcharged children of God, who though consecrated to God, will have failed to so run as to obtain the prize of our high calling (and we earnestly hope and trust that her record of faithfulness to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren – and his experience with her – will prove to be 'valuable information' for R. G. Jolly and his kinsmen.—JJH).

NO. 141: SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

No. 141

Comes again the Memorial of our Lord’s Gethsemane and crucifixion, the time this year being after six p. m. March 23. This year 1967 the moon nearest the Vernal Equinox comes new at 6:30 a.m. March 11 at Jerusalem, which makes Nisan 1 begin at six p.m. March 10, according to Bible reckoning; and 14 days later brings us to the proper time for doing “this in remembrance of Me.” The general understanding of this Sacrament has been so ably treated in Volume 6 by Brother Russell (the reading of which we again recommend as preparatory for “keeping the feast”) that it leaves little to be said by those of us who remain unto this day – only incidental details being perhaps about all we can accomplish by this writing. However, it is of special interest to note that the Memorial in 1967 comes on Thursday evening – exactly as did the evening on which our Lord ate the paschal lamb for the last time, and ordered its “remembrance.” This properly determines “Good Friday” as March 24, on which date Christendom in the main will observe it this year. Therefore, so far as the date itself is concerned, the majority who profess Christ as Lord will be in agreement with each other – a rather uncommon occurrence.

SUNDRY DETAILED OBSERVATIONS

It will be recalled that the original Passover that night in Egypt was being eaten by the Israelites during the very time that the Angel of Death was visiting destruction upon the firstborn of Egypt – deliverance for God’s people – destruc­tion for their enemies. Thus, St. Paul was prompted to write: “We are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life.” (2 Cor. 2:15,16) While this text has a primary application to the Christ Company, it applies in secondary manner to all who “keep the feast in sin­cerity and in truth.”

To all such “the Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” This may be accepted by the faithful faith Class during this Age without reservation – a feature which the type brings forcefully to our attention. As the Jews were eating their lamb that awesome night “with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff In your hand” – eating it with bitter herbs – “not a dog did move his tongue against any of the Children of Israel... that ye may know that the Lord hath put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” For Gospel-Age purposes – especially here in the Epiphany night – those Egyptian dogs type rabid sectarians (Phil. 3:2 “beware of dogs” – “quarrelsome partisans” – See Berean Comment). Dogs are known to lose their savagery, and to mourn deeply over the death of their masters; and this will yet prove pointedly true during this Epiphany night of the symbolic dogs – rabid sectarians – when they eventually learn that their leaders have grossly mis-led them, that many of them have “gone to their own place,” as did Judas. (Acts 1:25) As Brother Johnson has pointed out, New creatures that die impenitent, go into the Second Death – and this will be brought home in forceful fashion when the fires of Armageddon have done their work.

TWO YEARS

It is common knowledge that the Jews have two years – a secular and a religious year, although there is only one New Year recorded in the Bible – the first of Nisan.  Previous to the institution of the Passover it seems the Jews began their year in the Fall – with the first day of the month Tishri –

and, when the detailed religious ordinances were given to Moses in the Mount, Tishri was designated to be the seventh month, on the tenth day of which the Atonement must be kept. To this day, however, the Jews celebrate their New Year on the first day of the month Tishri, which is approximately our October 1. The distinct cleavage, how­ever, put into operation at Sinai was to differentiate between the secular, or earthly, character of the dispensation prior to this Age – when God dealt with His chosen people according to the Law of Moses – and this spiritual, or Grace, dispensation in which we have been since Jordan, and especially so since “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us,” since which time “according to thy Faith so be it unto thee.”

“TILL HE COME”

The Jews were commanded to keep the Passover each year on the 14th Day of Nisan as “a memorial throughout your generations” (Ex. 12:14); and Christians have also been commanded to “do this in remembrance” of Christ our Passover each year “till He come.” (1 Cor. 11:26) From this statement by St. Paul some have raised the question: Should we continue to keep the Memorial if our Lord has returned? However, when we consider that both the Little Flock and the Great Company are a part of the Church of the Firstborn – and that partaking of the bread and the wine symbolizes their participation in the merit of the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world – then it should require no argument about them continuing to “show forth the Lord’s death till He come” – for them – until the last one has come to journey’s end. But we believe the command would apply also to those faithful ones here in the end of the Age who are not a part of the spirit-begotten Church of the Firstborn, because the merit of our lamb has been tentatively imputed to all such – to the extent that the New Covenant cannot begin to operate toward the world until that embargo against Christ’s merit has been removed.

And, as we partake of our Lamb “in newness of life,” so we also partake of His sufferings – each according to the Class in which he finds himself. If we are rightly exercised by such experiences, we then receive “the garments of the Egypt­ians” (their good character qualities) – which they in turn lose by reason of their unjust acts against God’s faithful people. “We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22) The word ‘tribulation’ is derived from the Latin “tribulum,’ the threshing instrument by means of which the Roman husbandman separated the corn from the husks. Says one commentator: “Though tribulation may crush and bruise us, it separates our chaff from the wheat, so that we are prepared for the granary of Heaven. Sorrow is hard to bear, and doubt is slow to clear, but the New Testament is the most joyful book in the world because its writers have been delivered from the doubt that paralyzes the soul, and they live in the sun­shine of the love of Christ. They know their affliction (tribulation) is working out for them the glory that is to be.” And Brother Johnson’s comments are doubly appropriate at this point:

“Dear Brethren, if we will consider our trialsome exper­iences with Satan’s deluded servants as opportunities of obtaining Divine Truth and the graces from them, we will be helped ardently to desire such acquirements from such experiences and will be helped to receive them in the Lord’s spirit and thus will receive the symbolic articles of gold and silver and garments.  Let us view these experiences from this standpoint and act accordingly amid them; and we will emerge from them greatly enriched spiritually. This consideration will keep us from murmuring and complaining amid such experiences and will enable us to take them joyfully. (I Pet. 4:12-14)”

As the Israelites fled from the Egyptians – after being told to be gone the morning after the tenth plague, the morning after the Passover had been eaten ­the cloudy fiery pillar set a barrier between them and the pursuing Egyptians, casting a light ahead of it to lighten the path of Israel, but working a thick darkness to the Egyptians. And so during this Harvest period, and especially so during this Epiphany night, the Truth (the fiery pillar) has been the means of separating the faithful from the measurably faithful, and from the unfaithful. That which effects deliverance for the faithful – keeping them standing and “growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Beloved Lord Jesus” – is the very thing that entraps the unfaithful and brings them to a fall. This is much the same picture as given in Ex. 4:9, where Moses was told to “take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” The refreshing Harvest Truth would appear to be bloody repulsive error to those for whom it was not intended. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit.... for they are foolish­ness unto him.”

CONSIDER HIM

“Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.” All during the Age the “brethren” of the Fully Faithful have been among their chief persecutors – as example, John Calvin burning Miletus Servetus at the stake in most gruesome manner (illustrative of the Measurably Faithful, the Great Company, in some of their members, particularly their leaders) – “your brethren that hated you, and that cast you out for my name’s sake.” But those who have “endured hardness as good soldiers” during this Harvest period have become more and more proficient against all forms of sin, error, selfishness and worldliness, until goodly Canaan land (the sphere of Present Truth and the Spirit of the Truth) has become their laurel of victory, their unbreakable and unchangeable possession. Surely, those of us who have attained this pinnacle know of a certainty that we have attained that victory that overcometh the world.

‘‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Many of the dear brethren have become old in this “good fight.” We know intimately of quite a few who are now over ninety years of age, who have borne the burden and heat of the day; yet they still “rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of their salvation.” This is fittingly typed by the ‘heave-offering’ of Ex. 25:1-9 – “of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my heave-offering.” This offering was repeatedly lifted upward toward God by the offerer, the same representing the thing sacrificed to God, and the elevation to higher and higher uses of the things offered unto God’s greater honor and glory ­not handling the word of God deceitfully, but “partakers of solid food... for those possessing faculties habitually exercised for the discrimination both of good and evil.” (Heb. 5:13,14, Dia.) And to such the words of the Apostle Paul fittingly apply: “He who sows bountifully will reap also bountifully; even as each one purposes in his heart, not from grief, or from necessity; for God loves a cheer­ful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6-7, Dia.) One translation has it, “God loves a man that is glad to give.” And, as we do “this in remembrance of Him,” it is a most propitious time to consider how freely He gave of Himself – “endured the cross, despising the shame,” and has now received “the crown of life” – immortality, the highest form (crown) of life.

“Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8) From this it is apparent that our Lord was subject to the same emotions as are we; and He was fully apprised of the impending events of the day ahead. Yet, on that last night, when He instituted the Memorial of His approaching death, He spent some very consider­able time instructing, admonishing and encouraging the eleven Apostles who were to be representatives plenipotentiary of the Gospel-Age Household of Faith. And during this same night He offered up one of His most appealing prayers – as recorded in the 17th chapter of John – a prayer chiefly for the help and encourage­ment of those present, following which they sang the Hallel before leaving for Gethsemane. Hallel is the Hebrew word for praise, and it is the root of our English Hallelujah, meaning “praise to God.” The Hallel is those Psalms 113 through 118, the first two of which are styled the Small Hallel, and the remaining four the Great Hallel.

As our lord was praying in the upper room that last night He was able to declare truthfully: “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4) – although the completion of that work had drained His physical resources to the breaking point. Much the same was true of Brother Russell at his death. In the Spring of 1916 he had said, “Brother Johnson, I’m tired – my very bones are tired”; yet of him it was prophetically written, “I have done as thou hast com­manded me.” (Eze. 9:11) And Brother Johnson himself had become so weary from physical exhaustion that he would no longer receive any questions on Bible texts. Yet, our lord was “found in fashion as a man” – even as all of us; and the agony on the cross distorted His facial features as the same experience would do to us. Therefore, the prophet foretold of Him: “As many were astonished at thee: (amazed that He would submit to such abuse if He were the Son of God) His vision was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (physical exhaustion and the torture of the cross took their toll more than would be true of us, because of His sensitive physical perfection – a harrowing sight indeed to all with a normal degree of sympathy and mercy in their hearts and minds).

As we partake of the bread and the wine, our considering of Him should moti­vate us all to strong resolve to “follow in His steps” – that we may eventually hear that “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And it is our hope for one and all who keep the feast this year that victory to the full may eventually be theirs, and that it may be said of all:

O! at close of our day may each of us say

“I have fought my way through;

I have finished the work thou didst give me to do!

O! that each from his Lord may receive the glad word,

Well and faithfully done!

Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne.”

Some comments by Brother Johnson apply so well here:

“As belonging to the firstfruits class (and secondarily to others of the Household of Faith), let them use their consecrated all for God in sacrifice to prosper for the Lord, which will result in their abounding in the deeper and surface things of the Truth and its spirit. Especially should they not think of God’s discipline as a trivial thing; nor should they tire of God’s corrections; because these are experiences that God gives to all those whom He loves, even as a father treats the child in whom he is pleased. He is favored indeed who gains the Truth and comprehends it; for as symbolic trading goods it is more valuable than the trading goods of silver; and its profits than that of the finest gold.... Hence the Epiphany Messenger exhorts his symbolic children to gain the Truth and the comprehension of it, by no means to forget it, nor to turn away from his teachings, nor to give it up for any reason, and it will keep them – to give it their best good will, and It will guard them.”

As we ponder over our present understanding of the bread and the wine, we may delight in the words of the Psalmist (119:100): “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” The word translated ‘ancients’ in this text is the Hebrew zaqen; and it is the same word to be found in Joel 2:28, where it is translated ‘old men,’ where the Ancient Worthies are given their Kingdom standing and blessing from God.  And surely, those of us who do “keep thy precepts” can say of a surety, “I understand more than the ancients” (Ancient Worthies); and we may rejoice in the knowledge that maketh wise unto salvations.

To all our readers do we extend cordial good wishes and the Lord’s rich blessing in their preparation for, and participation in this coming Memorial, which we shall hold this year at 1507 N. Donnelly, Mount Dora, Florida at 7:30 p.m. March 23. Our warm welcome is extended to any who may wish to Join with us in this service. As always, we suggest refreshment of the various features of the service by a reading of the chapter in Parousia Volume 6, perhaps also by a perti­nent article by Brother Johnson, as we quote Titus 2:7-9: “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

Sincerely your brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

My dear Brother Hoefle:  Loving greetings in His Name!

We both thank you for your  greetings  –  and  we  pray  that you will be faithful. Your services are much appreciated. Brother has been ill... but he is much improved... Brother ------- was still able to have the Manna, Comments and Scriptures and some reading of the Volumes, and the monthly paper from you – though one or two days his voice was weak and I took over. Brother ------- has had two attacks, which sound like slight strokes.  He, too, is improving, but must be kept quiet. The Christadelphians call to see them, but they are both firm for the Truth. I am send­ing you the following names.....

Our continued love to you and Sister Hoefle and those with you, in which Brother joins.

Your sister by His Grace ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:  Grace and peace be multiplied!

We received your card for which we thank you. We know you are mindful of us, therefore we are pleased to say that we are endeavoring to be steadfast, striving to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We look forward to receiving your papers, which are so helpful to us to refute the errors of today. ........ Please remember us in your prayers, as we also remember you in ours. All Join in sending warm Christian love to you, dear Sister Hoefle and the friends there.

Sincerely your brethren, TRINIDAD ECCLESIA

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Gentlemen: Thank you for the year’s resume which you sent us, and we enjoyed read­ing it. Attached is a check in the amount of $— to use as you see fit to continue your work.  Trust you and your family will have a Happy Holiday.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

Greetings from our home circle! I am enjoying the Gospel message which I receive from you – and I am satisfied with what has been said unto me. I am thankful to you and all who are connected with you in circularizing these papers. I wish each and every one spiritual blessings ­and May God add His Wisdom, Strength and Courage toward the administration of your work. Your work is well established in many a soul! I am joyful over the way you explain the message, and I am happy to say that I am one of them through this Gospel message. May God bless you and the whole staff for the year that is to come.

I am your brother ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Our dear Brother Hoefle: Fond Christian love with every good wish for the Season, and God’s Goodness and Mercy abiding with you to the full every day of the New Year! Thank you so much for your loving message...

We wish to thank you for the monthly articles that we have received regularly dur­ing the year – and now at its close we thank the dear Lord for enabling us to con­tinue to enjoy the Truths they contain – and from them, even as we have already known, increasing light.

We thank the Lord for His Mercies – that we  were  not  caught  up  in  the  snares of the Adversary, the confusion and bewilderment of some of the dear ones. We surely pity those that have been led out of the way and are now blinded – and we fear for the dangerous position of the leaders that have so intoxicated some of the dear ones with the wine and spirit of Babylon. We thank the Lord for you, dear Brother, and wish to give you the assurance of our warm Christian love and continued prayers for God’s abundant love and guidance and blessings. Fear not, beloved, the Truth will prevail. So be courageous and strong in the Lord and He will be with the good.

Sincerely by His Grace, Your Brethren

THE  CROFTS  HILL  ECCLESIA  (JAMAICA)

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My dear Brother Hoefle:  Greetings In our dear Redeemer’s Name!

It has been a very long time since I have been promising to write and have not done so. But I could not send a card without saying a word. As the year draws to a close I cannot but give thanks to the Almighty for His wondrous love to me. I am still trying to press on to the goal, I must indeed state how very helpful your papers are. The March Issue on the Passover was especially useful to me. I am very grateful for the books. I have been paying Brother ------- for them.

Please remember me in your prayers.  With warm Christian love

Your sister ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Bible Friends:

I don’t know anything about you.  I do not know who you are. I do know you are 100% right on the “Punishment of the Wicked” ­and this is very refreshing. But I am afraid that you view the “Millennium” as do the Jehovah’s Witnesses (of course, we have told the Brother that we do not ‘view’ the Millennium as do the Jehovah’s Witnesses – JJH)....... I sincerely thank you for the two pieces of literature..... May God bless you and please let me know who you are.

Sincerely your friend and brother In Christ ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

I was over to ------- for a lovely “Truth” talk with Brother and Sister ------- I have been going there quite often on Sunday afternoons of late. I have tape recorders and I make entire programs of our discussions – approximately three-hour durations. Brother ------- handed me one of your papers for me to take home to read. I find this very interesting. I notice you follow our Pastor Russell’s thoughts in your writings. I was brought up in the Truth from a boy. Pastor Russell stopped at our home, too, as it was a stopping place for the Pilgrims, colporteurs, etc., from the Bible House – or Bethel, as known in those days....... Perhaps you will remember Brother ------- I would like for you to send me your literature as you send to Brother and Sister .......... If there is any cost to this, kindly advise me. I cannot agree with the Dawn. .....Your Scripture verse in Isa. 28:20 fits them to a “T.” ... May God Bless your every effort. Prov.   3:5,9

I am In His Name, Brother  ------- (LOUISIANA)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – On page 9 of this January-February Present Truth Brother Jolly states that you make a false statement about the number of Present Truth subscribers from 1950 to 1966. I’m very much interested In having your answer to his very serious accusation.

ANSWER: – If our readers will refer to page 1, last paragraph of our November paper No. 137, they will note we gave the date 1954 – NOT 1950 – and we said “from then to now” (from 1954 to 1966). In 1954 the number of Present Truth sub­scribers was 1,422, and in 1966 they totaled 934, which is a decrease of 34% – in those twelve years. Therefore, it should be clear to all that it is NOT WE, but R.  G. Jolly himself, who is offering the “false” statement here.

In this connection, it should be of interest to note that in 1949 – the last year for which Brother Johnson reported – the Annual Report gave 1,899 Present Truth subscribers, and that for 1950 R. G. Jolly reported 842 – a drop of 1,057 subscribers for that year (or 56%) – the first year R. G. Jolly submitted a report on the number of Present Truth subscribers. Then, for 1951 R. G. Jolly reported 910 Present Truth subscribers – an increase of 66. And let us bear In mind that in 1951 a very large number of tried and true brethren forsook him over the “last saint” controversy ­something they certainly didn’t do in 1950 during the last year of Brother Johnson’s life!

Isn’t It strange – so very strange – that such lopsided figures should appear in R. G. Jolly’s first two Annual Reports? Indeed, it is a sage axiom that “Figures don’t lie, but liars do figure”; and that our Lord referred to Satan (Azazel) as “the father of lies”? (John 8:44, Dia.: “When any one speaks a falsehood, he speaks from his own, because his father (the Devil) also is a liar.”) It is truly a sad observation – tragically sad – that many claim to be “in the Truth,” but – the Truth is not in them! From the true figures we present herein, it should be clear enough to all that R. G. Jolly’s 1954 “Attestatorial Service” emphatically “attests” to just what it is – an abject failure, a work of Azazel, a work which forces him to “pervert” the real truth on what has actually occurred. Azazel means Perverter!

As Brother Russell has so aptly said, “Errors of doctrine lie at the very founda­tion of all these errors of conduct,” and – conversely speaking – this Epiphany has mani­fested that the “errors of conduct” in all Levite leaders have been at the founda­tion of much of their errors of doctrine. Most particularly can we note this in R. G. Jolly when we view his conduct under Brother Johnson. And R. G. Jolly’s twist of our statement from 1954 back to 1950 simply tells us once more that Brother Johnson was informing us correctly when he said R. G. Jolly has a “bad conscience” and guilty of many “misrepresentations.” His perversion of our statement in the present instance is truly a fraudulent “misrepresentation” – (See E-10:585); and offers indisputable proof that he is yet to this day a “false-accusing Epiphany crown-loser.” (E-10:591, par. 1)

It is little wonder R. G. Jolly constantly warns his sectarian supporters not to read our papers. Even the dullest among them would be able to discern his perfidy in this present instance; but his course is in exact duplicate to what Epiphany crown­losers did to Brother Johnson, concerning which we offer Brother Johnson’s record of one such instance early in the Epiphany:

“R. H. Barber, one of the Tower editors, at the Rochester Convention told the audience that we and our consecrated supporters were Second Deathers, and as such should not be given the least hearing” (E-5:285).

R. G. Jolly Also has repeatedly warned his followers not to give JJH the least hearing ­by no means should they read our papers!

NO. 140: GOD'S KINGDOM SINCE 1914

No. 140

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

In the Watch Tower of October 15, 1966 (pages 613-626) The Jehovah’s Witnesses present an article entitled What Has God’s Kingdom Been Doing Since 1914; and we ourselves being intimately familiar with the events that have occurred since that date, we believe our readers will welcome an analysis – a presentation of Fact against Fiction. In their treatise the Witnesses stress the year 1914 as the time for the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth – with themselves as the earthly visible representatives of that Kingdom. That 1914 is a very marked date in human history needs no argument; nor is any argument necessary for in­formed Bible students that that year is also clearly set forth in Old and New Test­ament prophecy. Clearly enough, then, we have no objection to the date itself; it is then only with the events that occurred in 1914 – and since – and their Biblical and secular significance that we part company with the Witnesses’ expres­sions.

Let us first consider Mal. 4:5,6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” These are the last words of Old Testament Holy Writ; and for the centuries that have intervened the Jews have given a literal interpretation to the prophecy – so much so that many of them to this day have a vacant chair at their Passover table each year, for the use of Elijah – just in case he should make unexpected appearance. But a critical exam­ination of Matt. 11:14 will reveal clearly enough that Jesus interpreted Elijah as a type of the Gospel–Age Christ Company, which, coupled with the Malachi text, sets him forth as a type with specific purpose – namely, Elijah prefigured the Gospel–­Age Church in its endeavors to reform “this present evil world” – to reform the irreformable – which task has never yet been accomplished.

In discussing John the Baptist, and his status, Jesus had said of him: “If ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was to come.” The American Revised Ver­sion gives the text like this: “This (one, John the Baptist) is (represents) Elijah that is (literally, the one being about) to come.” And what John did then on a small scale for Israel in preparing “the way of the Lord” for Israel makes him an antitype of Elijah. Note now Matt. 17:12,13: “Elias is come already, and they knew him not .... Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. Then the Disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.” And, since John antityped Elijah announcing Jesus at His first Advent, so the Gospel–Age Church would anti­type Elijah in much greater degree in announcing Jesus at His second Advent in power and great glory.

Jesus having so clearly marked Elijah as a type, we are now justified in studying the events in Elijah’s life for helpful information concerning the anti­type. In 1 Kgs. 19:8 it is stated that “he did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the Mount of God.” In Heb. 12:18-29 St. Paul very clearly declares that Horeb (or Sinai) was a type of that greater mountain (kingdom), which would be the answer to the prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is In Heaven.” And Elijah’s going “forty days” in the strength of the food he received would antitype the Greater Elijah (the Gospel-Age Church) going forty antitypical days (or forty years) from 1874 to 1914 – when, for the first time in Gospel-Age history “the stone cut out of the mountain without hands” (Dan. 2:45) was collectively and individually sufficiently complete to begin to “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” The end of the Gentile Times had been reached, and their evic­tion was then immediately begun. This is in exact harmony with Brother Russell’s teaching on the subject.

SINCE 1914 – A SECOND COUNTERFEIT KINGDOM

The foregoing is probably not too much at variance with what the Witnesses themselves believe of the situation up to 1914; but we shall now examine some of the happenings since that time. One of the first major undertakings of the Wit­nesses after the death of Pastor Russell in October 1916 was the publication in 1917 of Volume 7 of Studies in the Scriptures – under the name of the International Bible Students Ass’n., Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, as they were then known.  That Volume 7 was also titled “The Finished Mystery,” was hailed as the seventh vial fulfillment of Rev. 16:17; and certain statements in that book concerning patriot­ism, etc., were construed by the United States Government as a decided interference with their prosecution of the war against the Central Powers, resulting in eight of the organization’s leaders being sent to Atlanta Penitentiary in 1918 (from which they were subsequently pardoned in 1919).

Shortly after their release from durance vile, a sharp and widespread con­troversy arose among the former adherents of Brother Russell over the chronology which he had produced from the Scriptures; and the leaders of the Society made valiant, correct and commendable defense against those who were attempting to find the chronology wrong by some nineteen years. Both Volume 7 and the chronology were made tests of fellowship; and an extensive division resulted. Many were dis­fellowshiped because they could not accept the multitudinous errors in Volume 7, and others were disfellowshiped because they wished to reject the true chronology as given by Brother Russell.  But it was only a few years until the Witnesses them­selves forsook the true chronology, and rejected their own Volume 7 – so much so with the latter that it is now ‘Index Expurgatorious’ to their own members. This poses a timely question: If Volume 7 is wrong now, was it not equally wrong in 1917 when the uproar occurred concerning it? And, if they have been the visible Kingdom of God on earth since 1914, what explanation do they now offer for such a colossal blunder on the part of the Lord? “God is not the author of confusion.” Furthermore, if the chronology was right fifty years ago, it should still be right. Mathematical calculations are the same – yesterday, today and forever!

SATAN CAST OUT OF HEAVEN

The article under discussion also proceeds to say that in 1914 Satan was cast out of Heaven, and “his angels were hurled down with him.” The account of the angels that sinned is discussed by the Apostle Peter, and we now quote it from Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott translation (2 Pet. 2:4–6): “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but having confined them in Tartarus (translated ‘hell’ in the King James version – from the Greek Tartaroo, meaning the thick murky atmosphere about this earth) with chains of thick darkness, delivered them over into custody for judgment; and did not spare the Old World, but kept in safety Noah, the eighth, a Herald of righteousness, bringing a deluge on a world of impious men; and con­demned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes, making them an example for the impious hereafter.” It should be noted that all of this text is stated in the past tense – that it is a chronological narrative, giving the events in order of time.  Thus, the first one mentioned is “the angels who sinned”; the second, the “deluge on a world of impious men”; and third, and final, Sodom and Gomorrah. Surely, this is clear evidence that the “angels who sinned” had been cast down to Tartaroo (confined to the atmosphere of this earth) even before the flood destroyed the “world that was.”

Further corroboration of Scriptural fact against the Witnesses’ Fiction is to be found in the performance of Jesus and the Apostles on numerous occasion casting out demons – evil spirits – fallen angels –– Satan’s partners in the master crime of all Ages. Just a few such citations are: Matt. 4:24, 8:16; Mark 3:22; Luke 4:41, 10:17; Acts 5:16, 16:16–18, 19:12, etc. Also, the words of Jesus, Luke 10:17,18 (Dia.): “The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us by thy name. And He said to them, I saw the Adversary falling from Heaven like lightening.” Certainly, this is a clear statement by the Lord Himself that Satan had been cast out of Heaven before this Gospel Age had even begun. Also, 1 Pet. 5:8 (Dia.): “Your opponent, the enemy (Satan), like a roar­ing lion, is walking about, seeking to devour.” Who are the “Your” in this text? We answer, they are the people to whom St. Peter addressed his letter – “To the sojourners of the dispersion, of Pontus, Galatia,” etc. It needs no argument that those Jewish “sojourners of the dispersion” were people here on earth, so it would be interesting to hear from the Witnesses how Satan walking about in Heaven could devour human beings here on earth. Or is this just some more of their fiction against fact?

But perhaps the most compelling of all argument against their fiction is our Lord’s prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.” Would any of us be foolish enough to contend that God’s will was being done in Heaven if Satan and his horde of hoodlums had been there “as a roaring lion,” seek­ing to devour? Yet the Witnesses now make great claim that their proclamation of these errors – this fiction – is the expression of God’s Kingdom on earth since 1914! And in all this they have been casting aside one truth after another since 1914 – truths for which they stoutly contended at least through 1916. Not only so, but they have been changing their own teachings with great rapidity year after year in distressing confusion – although the Scripture is very emphatic that “God is not the author of confusion” – that when His Kingdom is actually established on earth “the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:8) In spite of this clear promise, however, we believe it is a fair appraisal that the large majority of the Witnesses’ devoted, dedicated adherents do not now have a clear understanding even of what they themselves should believe, one strong reason for this being that, as one of their prominent officials, their vice–president, put it some years ago: “We don’t believe this year what we did last year, and we probably won’t be believing next year what we believe this year.” Can such bed­lam possibly be the “desire of all nations” which is promised to come when God’s Kingdom really begins to operate here on earth?

At this point it is in order also to call attention to another very radical change they have made in their teachings since they have been the “representatives of God’s Kingdom,” so we quote from Page 134 of The Finished Mystery:

“Instead of teaching that the saved of our race will all be saved to the same thing, the Scriptures show two degrees of kinds of Heavenly salva­tion (which is correct, and is exactly as Pastor Russell taught it—JJH).... the Little Flock, who are to sit down with Christ in His Throne; the Great Company who are to stand before the Throne, having the palms of martyrdom but without the crowns of glory.”

At present the Witnesses have made their “Great Company” of Rev. 7:9 a “large multitude” of human beings – their present dedicated devotees, who are to live right on through Armageddon and continue to live forever right here on earth – a complete reversal of what they received from Brother Russell, and which they enthusiastically taught some fifty years ago – after 1914; so our readers may determine for themselves which is fact and which is fiction in this extreme change they have made.

COMFORT FOR THE JEWS

Another complete reversal is their present teaching on the re–gathered Jews in Palestine to what it was forty years ago. In 1925 their then President J. F. Ruther­ford produced a new book – COMFORT FOR THE JEWS – and here is some of the comment to be found on the Frontispiece:

“JUDGE RUTHERFORD, known throughout the world as a friend of the Hebrew people, is vigorously supporting the claim of the Jews to the Holy Land... His lectures to large audiences, which have been broadcast throughout the world, on ‘JEWS RETURNING TO PALESTINE,’ have created an intense interest. This Volume is the first unbiased presentation of the subject from the Scriptural viewpoint published.”

Then on the next page is quoted Psa. 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee.” All of this is correctly based upon the clear Scrip­tural declaration (Isa. 2:3), “Out of Zion (the Glorified Messiah and His Elect Bride, who are the primary seed of Abraham, who are to bless all nations—Gal. 3:8) shall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” – which city will contain the true earthly ‘princes’ (rulers – representatives) of the Kingdom. All of this is now categorically denied in the Watch Tower of October 15, 1966:

“The earthly Jerusalem has nothing to do with it,” they say; “Since Jesus was put to death on Calvary outside the walls of Jerusalem in the year 33 C.E. that city has no connection with God’s Messianic kingdom.”

After correctly discussing the dispersion and the terrible afflictions of the Jews all during this Gospel Age, the Judge then proceeds to say on p. 45 (also correctly): “But is Israel cast off forever? The answer is No indeed. Mark the statement made by the Lord to Ezekiel at the time of pronouncing the final decree against them. It is: ‘I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him’—Eze. 21:27 (emphasis by the Judge).  The mere fact that the Lord said He would overturn it until a set tine, is conclusive proof that it is God’s purpose to restore Israel to His favor upon certain conditions. But when? The answer is, With the coming of Shiloh, the Messiah, to whom shall the gathering of the people be, as promised in Gen. 49:10. Then He of whom Moses was a type shall come into His own....That will mark the time when the favor of God may be expected to return to Israel.”

This clear and emphatic statement by the Judge is indeed the truth, and the Witnesses believed it to be the truth forty years ago; but THEY DON’T BELIEVE IT NOW – ­although they claimed to be witnessing to God’s Kingdom then, just as they claim to be doing so now. Thus, again the question: Were they teaching fiction then, or – are they teaching fiction now? To help our readers to arrive at the correct answer to this question, we now quote Zech. 14:1–3: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh (the times of restitution spoken by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets—Acts 3:19–23), and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations (Gog and Magog, the hosts of merciless plunderers of re–gathered Israel) against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle” – as He did for Joshua against the Amelekite kings at Gibeon (Josh. 10:1–14) as he fought for David against the Philistines at Baal-Perazim (2 Sam. 5:17–21), and as He miraculously delivered Israel from the hosts of Midian by Gideon and his band of 300 men, the Midianites and the Amala­kites being “like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude” (Judges 7:1–25). This miraculous help is to come to the Jews at Jerusalem in “the day of the Lord” (just before the real Mediatorial Kingdom is established at Jerusalem), clearly testifying that this delivery from their enemies is an event yet in the future.

A BRIEF RESUMÉ

In the foregoing pages we have detailed only a few of the major reversals of teaching by the Witnesses over the past forty years. If we attempted to analyze all of their variations, it would probably require a good–sized book. Clearly enough, a great part of their “witnessing” could be nothing less than fiction ­either then, or now – because they now teach just the reverse of what they did a few years back. For the benefit of our readers, we now offer some Scriptures which will help determine if their present–day witnessing is fact or fiction: “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9). Have the inhabitants of the earth really been learn­ing righteousness by this somersaulting change in teachings with each succeeding year? “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain (Kingdom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). Which shall we consider “the knowledge of the Lord” – what the Witnesses gave us forty years ago, or what they are giving us now? And have men ceased to “hurt or destroy” as a result of their “knowledge,” or do we not see more hurting and destroying than ever before in human history?

All of this performance by the Witnesses is an identical twin to the Papacy claims during their false “kingdom” from 799 to 1799, when they also went from one error into another, freely excommunicating the ‘heretics’ who did not agree with them – just as the Witnesses also now do.  And, as they now claim to be separat­ing the Sheep from the Goats, so Papacy also claimed to be separating the saved from the damned – then, the same as now, offering false promises to the ‘faithful,’ and decreeing false punishments to the ‘unfaithful.’ And, also like the Papacy, they have been guilty of drastic mistranslation of Scriptures to make them fit their present contentions.

Let us emphasize the very close similarity of the first counterfeit Kingdom of the Papacy in 799–1799 to the second counterfeit now being preached by the Wit­nesses. Said the Papacy, If you do not accept us, you are lost in eternal tor­ment. Say the Witnesses, If you do not accept us, you are lost in unending death. Said the Papacy, We are the Vicar of Christ on earth, the infallible repository of God’s Word – no salvation outside of our domain. Say the Witnesses, We are the visible representatives of God’s Kingdom on earth since 1914, no salvation outside of us and the teachings we offer. And in both counterfeit kingdoms the teachings were repeatedly changed – diametrically contradicting previously–held beliefs, yet loudly proclaiming themselves to be the Mouthpiece of God on earth, while shouting anathema at all dissidents, excommunications for so much as a question against what comes from the “Channel.”

As That Servant has so aptly said, “When the Truth comes into conflict with error, when the Sword of the Spirit, wielded by some of the Lord’s simple followers, proves mighty in the overthrow of error – when the light of Present Truth, and the clearness in which it is presented, and the beauty in which it can be seen and appreciated, is contrasted with the error, the result is either that the Truth is seen in its beauty, or the erring one opposing it becomes more densely blinded than before.”

And it is a very pleasant observation that the Truth always deals much more generously with the errorists than do the errorists with those who have the Truth. During Brother Russell’s ministry the preachers of error all over Christendom were consigning him to “the hottest corner in Hell” – all the while he himself was allow­ing for them the “Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom” under the benign mediatorial reign of the Christ. Likewise, the Scribes and the Pharisees were labeling Jesus as an emissary of “Beelzebub,” as He Himself was predicting for them that they would “see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 13:28). So also the Papacy – during their counterfeit kingdom – not only sentenced the “heretics” to eternal torment, but actually started the torment for many of them by splitting their noses, pouring molten lead into their ears, tearing them apart limb from limb on the rack, while the recipients of their heinous torture were praying peace and forgiveness for their tormentors. In similar manner, the Wit­nesses now consign to everlasting extinction those who reject their errors – although those of us who have the Truth allow for the deluded devotees of their “kingdom” a full opportunity to imbibe the “knowledge of the Lord” (the Truth) under benign real Kingdom conditions. Recently one of the Witnesses called at our residence, while we were absent, with intent to berate us. At the end of a courteous hear­ing, he said of us as he left the house, “He’s a dead man!” It is indeed a sad commentary that the tendency of errorists always seems to be to heap imprecations, excommunications (“make fire come down from Heaven in the sight of men”—Rev. 13:13) and revilings upon those who expose their errors – even while those with the Truth make generous allowance for those in error. All of the Heathen Gods are cruel Gods, as can be seen from their hideous portrayal on the totem poles and other idol constructions.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim Pastor Russell as their founder, but this is what he says about the true Kingdom in the very year of 1914 – a most forceful contradiction to their present claim that the appearance of their organization constitutes the visible Kingdom on earth:

“The Ancient Worthies (not their earthly organization!—JJH) will be the earthly representatives of the Messianic Kingdom (See the 11th chapter of Hebrews for a list of the names of some of these faithful Ancients—JJH). The Christ, however, will be the great Teacher in glory, from whom all instruction will come through these earthly representatives. As people begin to get the true, the real knowledge about the glorious character of God, they will begin to see how inferior they are. Then (when “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, are in the Kingdom” – in Jerusalem – Luke 13:28—JJH) they will be in condition to receive instruction.” (Reprints 5583, Dec. 1, 1914) (The prophets were “holy men of God”—2 Pet. 1:21 –, so they will be “in the Kingdom.”—JJH)

CONCERNING ARMAGEDDON

The Witnesses’ promise to their dedicated “Large Multitude” of life eternal through Armageddon and on through the Ages to come is also some more of their fiction ­is also a complete reversal of their past teachings. We quote now from Page 3 of the Publisher’s Preface of The Finished Mystery:

“In the light of Divine Prophecy, now being daily fulfilled and made clear to ‘the watchers,’ the following from the pen of Pastor Russell is further proof that he was sent of God to this generation. Long years before the beginning of the trouble now upon the nations he wrote:

‘The four exhibitions of the Lord, given to Elijah, represent, we believe, four manifestations in which the Lord is about to reveal Himself to mankind, the first three of which will prepare men for the final one, in which will come the desired blessing to all the families of the earth. These are:

(1) The mighty winds rending the very rocks. Blowing winds seem to be used in Scripture for wars....

(2) An earthquake. Throughout the Scriptures an earthquake seems always to represent revolution.... conditions which would follow such a war would make revolution the next thing in order.

(3) The fire from Heaven – an epoch of Divine judgments and chastisements upon a maddened, but unconverted world, wild in anarchy, as other Scriptures show us. The results of their wars, revolutions and anarchy, in the failure of their schemes, will have a humbling effect, and will prepare mankind for God’s revela­tion of Himself in

(4) The still small voice. Yes, He who spoke to the winds and the waves of Galilee will, in due time, speak peace to the peoples.”

The foregoing is now also repudiated by the Witnesses in some of its major parts, because it makes a shambles of their present claims and fictional hopes presented to their dedicated devotees; but, as we said in our January paper, Time itself is making then appear very ridiculous. In the Witnesses’ present feverish endeavors to separate the Sheep from the Goats, there is one determining question which should prove beyond doubt to all unbiased minds if their present teaching is fact or fiction: IS SATAN NOW BOUND? It is clearly stated in Rev. 20:1–3 that “An angel laid hold on that old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more.” Would any one of sound mind – or even the Witnesses themselves – contend that Satan is now bound? And, if he is not bound, then he must still be deceiving the nations. And, if the nations are being deceived, how can they possibly be held accountable for their deception? It is exactly the same as a sleight–of–hand performer trick­ing his audience by his manual manipulations.

Be it noted that the Papacy made exactly the same mistake in their counterfeit kingdom from 799 to 1799, when they also were separating the Sheep from the Goats ­except that they now claim that Satan was indeed bound then – that he has been “loosed for a little season” since 1799. Thus, their counterfeit kingdom was an improvement – in theory, at least – upon the present kingdom of the Witnesses. The latter do not claim that Satan is bound – at least not yet have they made such claim. But perhaps we should give them time! But for now let us keep in mind the promise of Rev. 21:3–4: “Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men.... and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” During the Papal counter­feit kingdom there was just the reverse of this great promise – violence, cruelty, oppression prevailed in all quarters. And during the Witnesses’ kingdom since 1914 it is also evident that violence – “nation against nation” – is the prevailing order of the day.  Judge Rutherford was wont to stress the “physical facts” in his lectures and writings forty years ago; therefore, we would now call upon the Witnesses to catalog the “physical facts” to prove that the benign Kingdom of God is now with us. However, we now place ourselves on record in predicting an even greater “Armageddon” delusion than was their “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” delusion before 1925. “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.”

Let us consider also the promise, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain (Kingdom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isa. 11:9). Today we find just the reverse of this in the earth – “men’s hearts failing them for fear” – the violence of the atomic bombs, etc., is multifold greater than was the violence that filled the earth in the world that was (Gen. 6:11).  Also, according to the Witnesses’ own contentions, the vast majority of religious teachers in the earth today are rank frauds – deceiving the people with error, instead of teaching them the “knowledge of the Lord.” But, when God’s true Kingdom is actually in operation in the earth, “they shall no more teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” (Jer. 31:34). It should need no argument that millions upon millions of human beings today have not the mental capacity to recognize the truth when it is presented to them; that is why it is so easy for “grievous wolves” to prosper greatly today. “Now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered (Mal. 3:15). This is just the reverse of what we may expect when the true Kingdom of God is here – when “the Tabernacle of God is with men.”

“Do you therefore, Beloved, being forewarned, be on your guard, lest being led away by the deceit of the lawless, you should fall from your own stability; but grow in favor and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:17–18, Dia.)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

Our Memorial date for this year is March 23 – and we suggest for our Spring Special Effort Sunday, March 12 through Sunday April 5 for our volunteer and sharp­shooting in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle. The Battle is not over yet, and the Epiphany Messenger arranged for these Spring and Fall Special Efforts as an acceptable service unto the Lord. We believe that all our faithful Epiphany–enlightened brethren will desire to participate in this good work unto its com­pletion, as opportunity permits. Our tracts – Where are the Dead, What is the Soul, and The Resurrection of the Dead – are specially adaptable for this service. All literature will be sent free and postage paid.  Please order the pertinent literature early enough if you desire to participate with us in this “good fight.”

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LETTERS  OF  GENERAL  INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle:

May the God of all Grace give you the strength and courage and great Patience to fulfill His good pleasure in defense of the Parousia and Epiphany Truths amidst the ridicule of Satan’s dupes. You have challenged all of them by your presence and your writings – not ashamed to face the foe. May God’s Holy Spirit guide you in all you say and do, as to bring Honor and Praise to God and Christ.

May Love, Joy, and Peace be unto you and yours this season of the year and the incoming year 1967

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Loving greetings through our dear Lord!

Received your letter and was pleased to hear from you, and also about the Chicago Convention...... Brother ------- comes down quite often, and we have good talks. He tells me Sister ------- enjoys your papers, and she thinks that you are doing very good with the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  She likes your papers..... May the rich blessings of the Lord be with you all and all with you is my prayer (1 Tim. 4:6—Dia.)

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

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Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

You may please send me one or two copies of each of the following: What is the Soul, The Resurrection of the Dead, The Three Babylons and Where are the Dead.

Thanks. ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Mr. Hoefle: I appreciate receiving the brochures which you sent me after my husband passed away. I am finding this very hard to take and the thoughtfulness of every one is so much appreciated.

Sincerely ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Sir: One of your pamphlets was left at my door one Sunday morning, which I enjoyed reading.  I, too, believe that we are in the state of death until resurrection.... I would like for you to send me a few – about 25 of them, Where are the Dead. I want to give one to my Bible teacher – also to my nieces and nephew and friends. Also would like to know the address here in Los Angeles where this group meets.

Yours truly In Christ ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle and All: This is to wish you all a very Happy season. I have received your December paper and am looking forward to enjoying its contents. Sister ------- and I went to a meeting of Bible Students in ––––– ­and heard a young man speak on “The Urgency of our Day...... We both had a talk with his wife and found that he had been a Roman Catholic, then joined the JW’s..... So we hope they will be helped and guided In the Truth.. Christian love to you all.

Hymn 23 From your sister ------- (ENGLAND)

NO. 139: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

No. 139

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

Another year gone, with events of much interest to all of us in science, labor, finance and politics. The scientific progress has been most impressive, with the speed of travel ever on the increase. It is no problem at all to go several thousand miles in a day – a distance that would have required our Lord almost a full year to accomplish when He was here the first time. And yet, we find people loud in their complaints if their conveyance is an hour or two late. Also, when we speak of speed of travel we have in mind that travel within the earth’s gravitational pull; the US Astronauts traveled over 17,000 miles per hour, or almost one-half million miles in one day.

Another item of considerable Interest is the improvement in cold storage of fruit. It has been discovered that increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the storage room to a certain level that apples put into storage in the Fall are in just about exactly the same condition in the Spring as when they were placed in the storage room in the Fall. Some of these improvements were developed merely by hap­penstance, as instance a certain use of mine tailings in northern Canada. The flow of these tailings was considered just refuse, to be disposed of as expeditiously and conveniently as possible, so they were drained into a useless swamp. But it was quickly seen that rank and heavy vegetation began to flourish from the effects of the drainage; therefore, that drainage is now serving two purposes – watering and fertilizing a choice planting of trees. We ourselves were witness to this situation during inspection of the mine in question last August; and in that party were several doctors and scientific men. And, in discussing mine formations, their age and cause, one of the doctors stated positively that it has now been definitely determined that the ice cap formations over the South Pole are not more than six or eight thousand years old. This doesn’t leave much argument between Science and the Bible on the age of some of earth’s formations. Verily, “Truth shall spring out of the earth (the present social order); and righteousness shall look down from Heaven (the glorified Christ).” Psa. 85:11.

IN FINANCE

The world’s financial status becomes more derelict with each passing month. During 1965 the overall debt in the United States increased another 101 billion dollars, making the sum total now of Federal, State, Municipal and private debt of approximately one and one-half trillion dollars. The US National debt in 1914 was about one billion – considered sizable enough when compared with the then world’s gold supply. The World War brought the debt to 26 billion, which in the next ten years was reduced by ten billion through the astute financial management of Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon. The real gyrations started when the “New-Deal” came into power in 1933, the debt increasing in six years to about 40 billion. In 1939 ­just before the second World War began – we remember very clearly the observation of a Washington financial service: “No one here in Washington with any intelligence believes this debt will ever be paid off.”

From that 40 billion our National debt has now reached the fantastic figure of about 330 billion – an amount so phenomenal that little comment Is made about it any more. The fear of what may happen has silenced both political party leaders; the philosophy seems to be to leave the sleeping dog lie – when we are either out of office or in our graves, let the next governing body cope with the dilemma. This tends to make normal living extremely insecure; and it would seem rather certain that the undoing of the capitalistic system will be precipitated by the collapse of the financial structure. In a desperate attempt to continue the present erosion in a quiet and orderly manner, the United States has been forced to increase interest rates to around six per cent; and we recall very vividly that it was the drastic increase in interest rates that brought about the collapse of 1929. At that time the US National debt was about 16 billion; so it does not require a very vivid Imagination to visualize what a similar debacle would bring in world affairs today –when our National debt is twenty times the amount it was in 1929.

IN POLITICS

The political morale is as fragile as the financial structure – with a small minority of the politicians even professing adherence to sound and moral technique. A business man recently stated to us regarding a certain politician that he would kiss a baboon if it would secure a vote for him; and we believe it is a sage obser­vation that about the only thing politicians do well is collect the taxes – from YOU, that is. The tax collectors never give up against tax violators; murder and tax evasion are two crimes never forgiven by law enforcement officers. And while murder is indeed a moral issue, one prominent financial genius made the remark that he does not consider taxes as a moral issue – it is a political issue.

Increasing taxes, and the pressure to enforce collection, go hand in hand with the increasing debt structure and high burdensome interest rates – with the politi­cians always following the line of least resistance. Thus, they never do anything in fundamental reform until a crisis develops – after which it is too late to accom­plish the results that would have come had proper steps been taken In time. The Axiom, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is not to be found in the politicians’ Book of Rules; and efficiency and economy in Government operation are anathema to most of them. It is well proven by history that the common people seldom rise above the Ideals and morals exemplified in their leaders, and this applies to Governments and to organizations – civic and religious.

Trees die in the top first; so do organizations and governments; so do individuals. Of the last of Judah’s kings it was written, “Thou profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end.” (Eze. 21:25) Follow­ing Israel came Babylon, and “Belshazzar made a great feast.... and drank wine” (Dan. 5:1) on the same night the Medes and the Persians unseated him and took over the world dominion. Came then Alexander, the Macedonian, who overthrew the Medes, but could not withstand the enemy of revelry, wine and satiety. Following him came the Romans, who did similarly, and became an easy prey to the barbaric Teutons. And of Sodom and Gomorrah it is written, “Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her.... neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” (Eze. 16:49) As Brother Johnson has so deftly declared – Few indeed can stand heavy adversity, but fewer still can stand extreme prosperity. “Sleek-headed men, such as sleep o’nights” – fat and indolent from a life of ease and prosperity. It was “the rulers” in Israel, the High Priest and others waxed fat from the tributes wheedled from the poor of the land, who “crucified the Lord of Glory.” And, when we now hear the leaders of our financial structure whining about certain other countries refusing to cooperate with them in their “controlled currency,” refusing to condone further their house of worthless paper, it is much the same as a man who is a bank robber by profession threatening to shoot his pursuers if they do not quit chasing him. His pursuers just won’t cooperate with him!

IN RELIGION

Nor is the leadership in religion more virile than are the leaders in Govern­ment and labor. This past year the Lutherans in Scandinavia held a ministerial con­clave to determine if they should approve of the sex relationship in young unmarried people. Said they, eighty percent of them are doing it anyway, so it might be better if we approve of it. We might inquire, Murders are becoming much more prevalent also, so why not invent a legal method for that, too? The general tendency today is to consider the Law of Moses, given to him in the Mount by God, as outmoded and not applicable to our times. Thus, our prisons are overcrowded with vicious felons, men who would quickly commit heinous crimes were they free to do so. The “poor” criminal is being championed today on every hand – let us be sure he is not abused. But what about the persons he has wronged? Very little is heard about that. The general tendency today is to eliminate the Bible as a rule of faith and practice. Canada and England – both known for their speedy execu­tion of Justice in years gone by – have just about eliminated capital punishment, as have also a number of the States here in America. This can only aid in accentuat­ing the rapidly-decaying moral fiber so prevalent on every hand. When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, the law was clear and unyielding regarding capital crimes: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” (Gen. 9:6 – The law already given to Noah, and emphasized with Noses) And, whenever heinous crimes of rape or murder were committed there was no question raised of bringing in six psychia­trists to determine if the culprit were mentally capable of committing such an out­rage; the summary decree was DEATH – two or three witnesses being the only require­ment to determine certain guilt. Once the guilt was definitely established, there was no question about the punishment.

“The entrance of thy word giveth light”; and we believe it requires no argument that the wide dissemination of the Bible, and the enlightenment that has come with it, is one of the major factors for the supremacy of the small fraction of the world’s population being so dominant in world affairs today – the Teutons, French, Scandi­navians, Angle-Saxon, and America. The intelligence of any nation may be determined by its artistic and inventive genius; and almost all of the great labor-saving and scientific inventions of the past one hundred years have come from this small group of nations. And their rejection now of one of the very important features of their success – The Bible – is one of the contributing factors to their decay. “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and woman rule over them.” (Isa. 3:12) A hundred years ago the wrath of the populace was against the perpetrator of crime; today the clamor is for leniency for the poor criminal.

Most of such tactics is simply a take-off from Communism, which is attacking the vitals of all law and order today. To be a good Communist one must be an Atheist. If one is an Atheist, he has no hope of a hereafter; therefore, he readily reaches the conclusion that anything he has, or ever hopes to have, he must get it here and now. And, once one reaches that conclusion, it is just a slight step to decide he will not be too scrupulous how he gets it. Thus it is that no treaties, trade agreements, or pacts of any kind with Communists are worth the paper on which are written. You ‘fat cats’ make it; we take it, is their philosophy. Thus, he says to his neighbor – I am for peace, Pal. Just give me your house, your money, your wife, your furniture and your old light bulbs; and we will have peace. Otherwise, I will thump you on head, and take them. And, if the neighbor won’t go along with this thievery, he is against peace! And many in­fluential religious leaders condone in mild degree such actions. There should be a re-distribution of the wealth, they say – YOUR wealth, that is. Of course, not all of them are thus guilty, and we offer the following comment from one prominent ‘Doctor’ about the underlying anxiety, depression, loneliness, boredom and pain about the meaninglessness of life:

“A man sits in front of a bad television program and does not know he is bored; he reads of Vietcong casualties and does not recall the teachings of religion; he learns of the dangers of nuclear holocaust and does not feel fear; he joins the rat race of commerce, where personal worth is measured in terms of market values, and is not aware of his anxiety. Ulcers speak louder than the mind.... Theologians and philosophers have been saying for a century that God dead, but what we confront now is the possibility that man is dead, transformed into a thing, a producer, a consumer, an idolater of other things.”

As we ponder upon the foregoing, and similar observations of some thinking men, we are forced to consider an expression by Mark Twain: “When you find your­self on the side of the majority it is time to reform.”

Clearly enough, Sectarianism is about dead. At the beginning of this century devout and pious religionists were vociferous in what they believed, and why they believed it; would quickly do verbal battle with others not of the same mind. Such were characterized as ‘polemics’ – an aggressive controversialist, a dispu­tant. But such persons, or groups, are a rare specimen these days; the contention is now far the other extreme of COMBINATIONISM (a greater evil than Sectarianism), the same being typified by the plague that overtook Israel in their wilderness journey to Canaan, as related in Num. 25:1-9 – in which 24,000 Israelites died – the largest by far of any of the wilderness plagues that smote them. (Lest any mis­understand us, we consider Sectarianism a great sin, because this evil takes the stand: I am for my party, or organization, right or wrong, regardless of the truth. But Satan seldom abandons any sin without producing a worse one in its place; and Combinationism is even a worse evil than Sectarianism.) As early as 1904 Brother Russell said this ‘don’t-care attitude’ was becoming the tendency of the times, because they can’t reconcile their credal views with a God of Love, Wisdom, Power and Justice:

“Away with doctrines! It matters not what a man believes, it matters everything with what he does.... Having a faith is no longer needed – just so you live and let live. Of course, it is of Satanic origin – his last desperate effort to keep the people hoodwinked, blinded, so that His glorious Gospel (good news) won’t be received by the masses. All right-meaning people without the Truth would be inclined to that view – What a man does – the most Important thing for all of us. And we can appreciate and sympathize with that view up to a point, because ‘what a man does’ is very Important - especially ‘what a man does’ who also has faith (the Truth) to live by.”

While COMBINATIONISM has almost completely engulfed Big Babylon, there is still a smattering of Sectarianism in Little Babylon – although they, too, are prone enough to greet Combinationism with any who will not oppose their errors of teach­ing and practice. Believe what you wish – so long as you don’t agitate! And then they prate about the many churches hither and yon in which they show their Bible in Films. In this they are now more guilty than is Big Babylon, because they have all been the recipients of Harvest Truth, so they should know better. Also, it needs little argument that “the voice of the Bridegroom, and the voice of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee” (Rev. 18:23) as respects Big Babylon; but this is not yet true of Little Babylon, most of their leaders falsely claiming they are of the Bride. The only exception to this – so far as we know – is the leader of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, who freely admits he has lost “the pearl of great price”; but is now bold in his efforts to give the “unprofitable servant” the same rating as the “good and faithful servant.” (Matt. 25:30 – See Berean Comment).

THE MILLS OF THE GODS GRIND SLOW

The mills of the Gods grind slow, but they grind exceeding fine; and time is often the exacting Master over the foibles of human sleight-of-hand. Thus, time itself is making some of the Levite leaders in Little Babylon to appear very ridiculous – and each passing year makes more glaring the tricky twists of some of them. Let us consider first:

THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES – When the Kerensky Revolution toppled the Czarist regime in Russia in the fall of 1917, it had every appearance of the beginning of the end for all Gentile states. Leading brethren in the Truth at that time were emphatically declaring we were no longer walking by faith; we were seeing with the natural eye the fulfillment of the predictions that had come through Brother Russell. And at the Cedar Point Convention in 1919 much stress was placed upon the accuracy of the chronology as we then understood it – with which we agreed then, and we still agree – and continue to uphold that truth. And, with events shaping up as they then were, it was a very plausible conclusion to accept the slogan ‘‘Millions Now Living Will Never Die” – after 1925; and just about every public lecture of any consequence, regardless of the subject to be discussed, had across the bottom of the advertising announcement “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” Many times this was emphasized at funeral services – with many of the listeners who enthusiasti­cally received the message now dead – and the majority of the speakers who taught the “Millions” delusion also now dead.

But, between 1919 and 1925 conditions over the world improved considerably ­on the surface, at least – instead of deteriorating precipitously, as had been anticipated. So 1925 came and went, with absolutely nothing occurring to mark that date – nothing occurring to differ it from 1924 or 1926 (the same as the 1954 date of the LHMM) – although 1925 did bring a great humiliation through the failure of the forecasts to materialize. People were born, lived and died just as they had over the centuries past. All of this, however, did teach the Witnesses a little something – they would not make another mistake like that!

Then the second World War broke out in 1939, bringing with it even greater tribulation than the first one had – with the great depression of 1929-1933 in between to give a very shady hue to existing organizations. And in its wake came the second sweeping prediction of the Witnesses: Join us, and you will live right on through Armageddon, and into the Kingdom, and never see death. At that time Armageddon appeared to be but a step in the future, although the Witnesses were canny enough not to state when it would begin, or when it would end. That was a matter of faith, they said.

However, here we are now staring 1967 in the face, with Armageddon not in sight in the immediate future. And the Witnesses continue to die as they have over the past 30 years – even as others – not even living to see Armageddon begin, much less living right on through it and into the Kingdom. And each passing year now makes their position, their promises, their predictions more ludicrous. Even some of their own adherents are now waking to this situation; and the practiced eye of the disinterested and neutral bystanders is discerning the comic and tragic debacle without question of doubt. This condition will become more pronounced in the Immediate future.

THE DAWNS – Time is also making itself felt in persevering fashion with this organization, as they contend the High Calling hope is still available for newcomers into the Household of Faith. This is causing strong dissent even among their own ranks – some classes having split right in half because of the teaching; and we ourselves would venture the guess that they must have in their active adherents more people than there could possibly be crowns available for them – that is, if they still accept the number of the Very Elect as 144,000. Thus, their position becomes more ridiculous and embarrassing with each passing year; and the text is pointedly applicable to them: “For the bed (the creed-bed or crib for spiritual ‘babes’) is shorter than that a man (a fully developed Christian) can stretch himself on it: and the covering (God’s promises, narrowed by a wrong theology) narrower than he can wrap himself in it.” (Isa. 28:20 – See Berean Comment)

THE LAYMEN’S HOME MISSIONARY MOVEMENT – Here also time is cracking the whip in merciless manner. With much ado and fanfare, the Levite leader began their “Attesta­torial Service” in 1954 as a ‘parallel’ to the one given by the Fully Faithful in 1914. But that performance back there was fully completed in 25 months – and brought into PRESENT TRUTH every one designed to receive it – the Fully Faithful. His ‘paral­lel’ is now twelve years gone – with no visible evidence that it has accomplished any­thing at all; and even the mention of a present twelve-year ‘parallel’ as applying to the 1914-16 action is enough to give any one spiritual Indigestion. And let us keep in mind, too, that each passing year makes this crown-lost leader – and his ‘parallel’ more glaringly ridiculous. Certainly, the Isa. 28:20 text quoted above is pointedly applicable to his invented theology. His bed for spiritual babes (Campers Conse­crated) is much too short for a ‘man’ in Present Truth – he also perverts (Azazel means Perverter) God’s promises for spiritual babes today – “narrows them by a wrong theology.” The 1914-1916 parallel was fully attested by the antitypical burnt offering and sin offering. What particular work - or any work at all - attested the antitypical burnt offering and sin offering in 1954-56? A truthful and unbiased answer to that question can only be – NOTHING! The only evidence we have of such a parallel at all is the leader’s talk – and those of us who know him know just how much his talk is worth as he departs from “the faith once delivered unto the Saints.” All of these uncleansed Levites are learning from sad experience that they cannot have flour in their mouths and whistle at the same time. “Blessed is the man that standeth not in the way of sinners” (does not fashion his conduct after the manner of crown-losers--Psa. 1:l; Jas. 5:20, Dia. – See Berean Comment).

JEWISH PROGRESS – The Jews as a national polity have once more arisen since the last great war – a feat they failed to accomplish during the preceding nineteen centuries – although they made almost every effort known to man to regain the Holy land. Their failure in all those years – and now their pronounced success – are clearly treated in prophecy; and we may treat more detailedly on this feature in a future writing. But for the present, we would say that Zionist hopes were greatly stimu­lated by Pastor Russell in 1910, when he addressed an overcrowded house in the Hippodrome Theater in New York City. So pronounced and enthusiastically received was his address to them at that time that quite a few of the then Jewish leaders afterward fondly referred to him as their “preacher” – and he is still held in high esteem by those who were present at that meeting. Recently a letter came to us ask­ing if the Jews in Jerusalem now officially study the Studies in the Scriptures that were written by him. This question we cannot answer, but we are informed they do have those books in their libraries in Palestine, and that some individual effort is being made to study their contents.

Those of us who are familiar with the prophecies concerning the Jews have clearly before our minds the one In Zech. 12:9,10, which we quote from the Improved Version translation: “It shall come to pass in that day I shall seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem (in the time of Jacob’s trouble – Zech. 12:1-8; Ezek. 38 and 39); and I will pour upon the House of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication, and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced (Rev. 1:7); and they shall mourn for it” (that is, mourn for the piercing of their Messiah).

Motivated somewhat by this and other prophecies, the Jehovah’s Witnesses pro­duced a book “Comfort For The Jews” to go hand in hand with their “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” prediction; but the miserable failure of the latter prediction nullified in large degree the effort toward the Jews – even now replacing the Ancient Worthies (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, etc.) as the visible Rulers in the Kingdom with their present organization – disregarding entirely the Scriptures and promises to Jacob (Natural Israel), a feature we hope to treat in a subsequent writing. The Dawns also made similar effort toward the Jews, with similar results. And since 1950 the leader of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement has followed in the foot­steps of his kinsmen – also with a booklet “Comfort For the Jews,” with similar effort – ­and similar results. The leaders of all three of these movements were once associated with Pastor Russell before his death just fifty years ago last October; but none of them have been able to win their way into the Jewish hearts as did he. May this not be the frown of the Lord upon them for their rejection of so many of the other truths presented by the beloved Pastor! The astute minds of the present Jewish leaders have not warmed to any of these groups as they did to Pastor Russell; and we reserve further comment on this also for the future. However, we are assured that the teachings of Pastor Russell will, “in due time,” be enthusiastically accepted by Jews everywhere, by those Jews who still have faith in the Abrahamic promises – ­especially beginning with those in Jerusalem. When those faithful Jews cry unto the lord in their trouble He will hear them and deliver them (Psa, 107:19); He will again deliver them from the hands of their enemies through His Providences ­and He will remember their sins no more. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their Iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31: 31-34)

As we have viewed the passing show during 1966, we rejoice that we can finish it with the strong assurance that no “plague (pestilential sifting errors) shall come nigh thy dwelling” (Psa. 91:10); and we thus enter the New Year in “quietness and confidence.” It is our fond hope that this may be the portion of all our readers everywhere, as we reciprocate the good Holiday wishes that have come to us from so many of our beloved brethren. As we face 1967 we again ask the question of the Psalmist, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” And the answer is also readily available: “I will pay my vows unto the Most High.” Thus, once more we assure all that we are your brother and servant – always at your service as occasion, time and strength will allow. Character comes from within; reputation comes from without (what other people think of you). Reputation may get you to the top of the ladder, but character keeps you from falling off.

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our dear Redeemer’s name! Thanks for the December paper..... You have truly said that when these crown-lost leaders fall Into Azazel’s hands they talk all sorts of nonsense!.... Brother ------- appreciates the book much and would like to know the price of it... We kept the Memorial service of the two Laodicean Servants – and the friends expressed appreciation for their ministry in their prayers and testimonies... The friends are in good spirit. Remember us in your prayers, as we remember you all in our prayers. Your brother in the Master’s service........ (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied! I received the tracts this morning, and they were in good condition. Thank you! Enclosed is a check for $— for the Lord’s service. Sincere Christian love to all the friends there – and to both you and Sister Hoefle.

Sincerely in the Master’s service .............. (CONNECTICUT)

NO. 138: THE CHICAGO CONVENTION

No. 138

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

Having attended the Chicago Convention October 28-30, we are once more moved to examine the “abominations that were done there.” (Ezek. 9:4) Quite a few of the speakers again stressed 1954 – without offering even the minutest evidence that marked 1954 in any way whatever. Therefore, we now offer further comment on

Rev. 22:10, 11: Here is the interpretation Brother Johnson gave for this text: “He that is unjust (the tentatively justified, who are not actually justi­fied, not just), let him be unjust still (remain tentatively justified, and not consecrate); and he that is filthy (the impenitent sinners, who in no sense are clean), let him be filthy still (remain in his then condition); and he that is righteous (Levites of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, who, being in the Court, are righteous), let him be righteous still; and he that is holy (Priests are holy, since they are in the Holy), let him be holy still.”

“Certainly, when we come to a time when no more consecrations are possible for Gospel-Age purposes, it would be useless to exhort the tentatively justified to con­secrate and sinners to repent, for the tentatively justified and sinners could arise no higher from their standings before God under such a condition; hence only at such a time could the first and second exhortations of v. 11 be given, but, of course, the exhortation for the Great Company, Youthful Worthies and Priests to continue faithful will remain appropriate as long as they are in the earth.”

We are in complete accord with the foregoing; but we would emphasize that this Scripture is a composite text, by which we mean part of it cannot apply in 1954, with the other parts of it applying in later years. If any one part of it applied in 1954, then all of it was fulfilled then. If every part of it did not apply at 1954, then none of it did. Thus, we inquire: Is there a Truth person anywhere – even of those deep in the clutches of Azazel – who would be so ridiculous as to claim that all of Rev. 22:10,11 was fulfilled in 1954? We doubt that any of them will champion such a view. Therefore, any attempt to apply the text piecemeal places such per­sons under the condemnation of St. Peter’s words: “And reckon the patience of our Lord as Salvation; even as our beloved Brother Paul, according to the wisdom im­parted to him, wrote to you; as also in All his Epistles, speaking in them concern­ing these things; in which some things are hard to be understood; which the uninstructed and Unstable (all crown-losers are unstable—See Jas. 1:8) PERVERT (Azazel means Perverter), as also the other Scriptures, to Their Own Destruction (2 Pet. 3:15-16, Dia.) Such vagary can only result in extreme humiliation and chagrin (the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” of the “unprofitable servant”—See Matt. 25:30; also Berean Comments: “Unprofitable servant – The Great Company class... Into outer darkness.... The darkness common to and resting upon the whole world of mankind .... Gnashing of teeth.... Sorrow, Disappointment and chagrin in every sense”. And we offer our opinion that such humiliation is rapidly approaching – much nearer than many may believe.

Insofar as R. G. Jolly has thus far declared himself, he has attempted to eliminate only entrance into the Court for new Youthful Worthies, having stated several tines that the door to the Court is closed only for entrance, but not for ejection of those who are there. But Rev. 22:10,11 clearly states that when none can come into Court justification, then “he that is filthy, let him be filthy still” – that is, remain in his unjustified condition. But, as his “double mind” so often does, he just reverses this whole situation: He is now making pronounced effort toward “the filthy” to bring them into justification. Yes, the “unstable” do “pervert” just about everything they touch!

All classes of the text “remain” where they are when the text really applies. But, has R. G. Jolly said anything about the Great Company “remaining” where they are – no chance of the second-death for them? Or, has he said one word about Youth­ful Worthies “remaining” in their standing at 1954? Of course, this latter question makes much of his present teaching self-evident nonsense; because his Youthful Worthy “sifters” (?) did not even put in a public appearance until 1955 – a full year after he had closed his entrance into the Court. As Brother Johnson so ably analyzed: When these people fall into the hands of Azazel they talk all sorts of nonsense. We must remember that these crown-losers – even though they were crown-­losers before being made manifest as such – were not ejected from the Holy until they openly revolutionized and were thus manifested. The same would probably apply to unfaithful Youthful Worthies. They may have lost their favor with God long before they are manifested as such; but, they would not be ejected from the Court until they are manifested by their revolutionism.

Also, Brother Johnson’s teaching on Rev. 22:10,11, when its fulfillment would come, would be for the faithful remaining on earth to exhort and encourage each other to “continue in the faith” – to finish their course with joy. If, as R. G. Jolly now claims, the saints have all left the earth, it would leave then only the cleansed Great Company and good Youthful Worthies in the picture – to help each other to remain faithful, while allowing the “filthy” to “remain filthy still.” Self-evidently, the vast majority of the Great Company have as yet not even recog­nized themselves, much less have they made any visible effort at Class cleansing. The Holy, too, is empty – has been empty since 1950, according to his claims.

FURTHER HIDEOUS EISEGESIS

There was one candidate for immersion; and R. G. Jolly stressed to that young man that Jesus’ merit is now imputed to him for justification – at the same time informing him that he is in the Epiphany Camp. While he did not directly say so, the only conclusion to be drawn is that he now has Christ divided between the Court and the Camp. It seems unbelievable that any one schooled in the sober teachings of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson could swallow such interpretational humbug! It is contrary to all logic, and directly contradictory of the teachings of both Star Members who repeatedly taught that the MERIT is on EMBARGO IN THE COURT until all the elect have finished their courses on earth. It is a fitting parallel of the Vexation experienced by Jeremiah: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:31) Yes, the “end thereof” will be a sorry spectacle indeed!

Note now Brother Johnson’s explanation of the double (folded) curtain on the front of the Tabernacle (E-4:344): “As we are aware, every important feature of God’s plan, illustrative from the standpoint of the At-one-ment, is symbolized in connection with the Tabernacle; hence the lord has taken care to symbolize Tentative and Vitalized Justification by that curtain of the goats’ hair (Ex. 26:7-9) which was doubled ‘in the forefront of the Tabernacle,’ the part visible to those in the Court typing Tentative Justification, and the part visible to those in the Holy typ­ing Vitalized Justification. The following considerations will make this clear. The covering badger (seal) skins, clearly visible to those in the camp, types The Christ as they appear to the world, i.e., as unattractive and repulsive. The rams’ skins dyed red, hidden under the first covering, represent the merit of Jesus’ humanity. The ten curtains of goats’ hair covered by the rams’ skins dyed red represent the justified humanity of the Church as covered by Christ’s merit. The eleventh, the uncovered curtain, i.e., that which was doubled ‘in the forefront of the Tabernacle,’ represents not the Church’s justified humanity, but Justifica­tion by faith, the part (as stated above) visible to those in the court typing Tentative Justification, and the part visible to those in the Holy typing Vitalized Justification. The linen curtains type The Christ as new creatures, in whom as such there is no sin (1 Pet. 2:22; Rom. 8:1-4; 1 John 3:6,9). This curtain as doubled was first antitypically brought to our attention in the Tower of Dec. 15, 1909, in the article on the Wedding Garment, and was repeatedly so brought to our attention since that time, by the true channel for the seasonal meat, our dear Pastor, in the distinction between Tentative and Vitalized Justification; but the part visible in the antitypical court is now denied by the counterfeit channel (just as it is denied by the present leadership of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement – although not denied completely, as did JFR, but PERVERTED just as he has perverted other vital doctrines to accommodate the present “strange fire” – false doctrine – of Epiphany Campers Consecrated—JJH) for giving seasonal meat to the priests, which, as a corporation, was the true channel for the work of the antitypical Mahlite Merarites.”

If those in the Court saw the front side of the curtain as an evidence of their tentative justification, just what does the Camper now see as an evidence of his Justification? And, If “every important feature of God’s plan” is symbolized in the Tabernacle, let R. G. Jolly tell us where his Campers Consecrated is symbolized there. And let us not forget that that curtain bespeaks the same meaning in both the Gospel Age and Epiphany Tabernacles, the latter of which is still operating.

In violent difference to R. G. Jolly’s present contention, Brother Johnson stated in Volume E-4 that those forced from the Court into the Camp automatically lose their tentative justification for consecration for this Gospel Age – or until the New Covenant is operative. But the present leader of the LHMM now reverses that – ­he’s giving them tentative justification in the Camp, instead of taking it from them.

Here is Brother Johnson’s conclusion:

“The Youthful Worthies, of course, are not of the New Creature Household of Faith, because they are not new creatures. But from the standpoint of having ‘the faith of Abraham’ (Gal. 3:7,9) they are, of course, like him, of the Household of Faith. They are among the believers referred to under (2). They are however, somewhat different from the tentatively justified who do not now consecrate. The latter during the Epiphany cease altogether to be of the House­hold of Faith, having used the grace of God in vain; while the former, consecrating and proving faithful, retain their Tentative Justification, and are thus of the Gospel-Age Household of Faith who persist into and during the Epiphany.” (E-4:406)

As to R. G. Jolly’s false teaching about the Miriam class and HIS Epiphany Campers Consecrated, let us consider Brother Johnson’s teaching in E-ll:293 (published in 1948): “Accordingly, for the Millennium and the Little Season Aaron types the Ancient and Youthful Worthies as the mouthpiece of the Christ among men. Hence the prophetess, Miriam, coupled with Aaron in v. 20 as his sister, suggests that mouthpieces subordi­nate to the Ancient and Youthful Worthies are typed by Miriam. We know that believ­ing Jews who in the Old Testament times were not faithful enough for Ancient Worthi­ship, nor in the Gospel Age faithful enough to be transferred from Moses into Christ, and that believing Gentiles during the Gospel Age who while faithful unto death (or until ejected from the Court in the finished picture—JJH) in justification, did not consecrate, will constitute a class of saved ones distinct from the unbeliev­ing Jews and Gentiles of pre-Millennial times who will become faithful restitutionists. Such pre-Millennial believing Jews and Gentiles are the sons of Joel 2:28 and Is. 60:4 ......

“The unconsecrated but faithful tentatively justified of the Gospel Age undergo similar experiences for similar reasons, which also manifests the same glorious graces; for these and the believing Jews will be associated as the FIFTH ELECT CLASS in a Millennial World-wide work, hence their similar preparation for that work.” (E-12:187,188—Published In 1949)

In the face of all this, R. G. Jolly has the impudence of Azazel in his false claims – especially in his explanation that Brother Johnson and That Servant both meant that there would be Youthful Worthies “until Restitution sets in”; that there probably would be Youthful Worthies on up to Jacob’s Trouble! But here is what they taught:

“But the two articles flatly contradict one another, that of Z ‘l8, 355-357 plainly affirming, and that of Z ‘20, 21-28, flatly denying our dear Pastor’s thought that those who consecrating and proving faithful in the interval between the close of the General Call in 1881 and the inauguration of the earthly phase of the Kingdom, and finding no crowns available for themselves, will become associated in reward and service with the Ancient Worthies in the Kingdom.” (E-4:337)

“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, for whom there are no crowns available, and hence no Spirit-begetting for Gospel-Age purposes possible, 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.” (E-4:342)

And if the lord’s people will “continue in what they have learned (from the faithful Pastors and Teachers) and been assured of” they will be able to overthrow every argument presented in favor of their “new views,” their “strange fire,” their perversions of Tentative Justification, as well as their division of Christ’s merit between the Court and the Camp!

CONCERNING JESSE HEMERY

One of the speakers offered several comments of praise concerning Jesse Hemery of England. Yes, Brother Russell did hold the man in high esteem – or he would not have put him in charge of the London Tabernacle, and the work in Britain. Also, at one time he held similar good opinion of J. F. Rutherford. But, to offer such com­pliments to these men without relating their ultimate end leaves a sad lack, as we see it; and certainly inferentially casts a shadow of complaint against Brother Johnson and his experiences with both of them. No longer did Brother Johnson refer to “Brother” Hemery, because he considered him sadly doubleminded, hypocritical and a rank revolutionist in the Epiphany. He was one more who claimed “harmony” with Brother Russell – all the while he repudiated large parts of the Parousia Truth, and rejected completely all Epiphany Truth. At his death a few years ago he no longer accepted the chronology, the Lord’s Second Presence, Brother Russell’s inter­pretation of the “seven angels” of Rev. 2 and 3; and many other vital Parousia truths.

We simply relate these points for the benefit of such of our readers who may not be informed; and we believe the Scripture in Ezekiel 33:13 is the proper one to quote here: “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered: but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” Nor should we remember the righteousness of those who turn from that righteousness to do iniquity if the lord does not remember it! The same goes for those who have com­mitted iniquity, but turn from their evils: “If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.” (Ezek. 33:15,16) Yet there are some who say, “The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.” (Ezek. 33:17) And, if that be the Lord’s attitude, is there any reason why we should not hold the same opinion? And just what conclusions must we draw concerning those present in that Chicago meet­ing who later in their testimonies praised the discourse regarding Jesse Hemery, etc.?

CONCERNING CAMPERS CONSECRATED

During the Sunday morning Question Meeting a number of questions were presented regarding Epiphany Campers; and R. G. Jolly made quite some ado about a “sifter” stating the matter as Campers Consecrated, instead of Consecrated Campers. In his distinctly ha-ha manner he elaborated on the propriety of stating one saw a “black cat”: How would it sound to say a “cat black”? In this nonsense he either demonstrated a tragic lack in English education, or he was simply “throwing dust” to avoid answer­ing the real point in the question. It is not general work-a-day practice to place the adjective behind the noun, but it is certainly common enough, and considered good English, to do so in general prose and poetry writings. For Instance, how often did Brother Russell and Brother Johnson refer to the Church Militant; the Church Triumphant; Warriors bold; soldiers brave and true; The Church real and nominal, etc.; God Almighty; Saints humiliated; the Kingdom glorious; Captains Courageous, etc. All of these have the adjective follow the noun – a construction sometimes used to add euphony or variety to one’s writings. Therefore, when R. G. Jolly resorts to profuse oration over a statement that is grammatically correct, and which does not change in the least the error he is attempting to establish, he is simply perpetrat­ing another hoax upon his gullible audience. It seems it’s not enough that he talk nonsense on the Truth; he also now has to talk nonsense on the English language to add to the confusion of the brethren – besmirching the Truth (the Faith once de­livered unto the Saints) while attempting such “sleight-of-hand.” We all know there was a time when he himself knew better – when he himself would have laughed at another who presented such flapdoodle; and he is now a lurid example of the fate that befalls those who come into the clutches of Azazel. And equally tragic is the spectacle of his audience laughing approval of his “path of error” (Jas. 5:20, Dia.), Instead of attempting to retrieve him from his sad situation. Indeed, such people do become partaker of his sins. “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” (1 Tim. 5:22—See Berean Comment) When R. G. Jolly himself became entangled with his present errors, It was because he ignored this text in his collaboration with his “cousin” Krewson. He could have saved himself and possibly his “cousin” Krewson had he “continued in what he had learned and been assured of” from the faithful-Pastors and Teachers – The Parousia and Epiphany Messengers. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim. 4:16)

Of course, all of this was done to “pervert,” to put the lie upon, the teachings of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson. Both of them taught that the opportunity to enter Youthful Worthiship would prevail until the world was in such a turmoil in the spasms of Anarchy that no work toward such could be done by any of us. And Brother Johnson clearly taught in E-l0:672 that some Youthful Worthies not yet con­secrated would be won AFTER Babylon’s fall (after Armageddon). And in view of our refutation aforegoing of R. G. Jolly’s 1954 date, then his present contention regard­ing that date is just some more of his nonsense.

And his contention that his Campers Consecrated will receive their “higher” reward than other restitutionists generally by their superior characters they now develop is likewise as porous as a sieve. As Brother Johnson has clearly taught, All who survive the Little Season must enter it with perfect characters; and the reward for such character will be “Every man a King.” Can his Campers Consecrated possibly be any more than a King in the Ages to follow? Just how puerile and volatile can he become anyway?

HIS “HIGHER” CLASS

He was also quite emphatic that higher classes are never led by lower classes, and here again he shows his meager knowledge of Epiphany truth. In the Samuel-Saul type, who was anointed to be King (leader) in Israel? Was is not Saul – a type of the Gospel-Age crown-lost leaders? And in that time between 1849 and 1874 were not all the denominations in Big Babylon dominated by crown-losers? In fact, in all the groups in Little Babylon during the entire Epiphany, would R. G. Jolly contend that even one of those groups (other than the Epiphany Movement under Brother Johnson) had a crown-retainer as their leader? Yet Brother Johnson said there were saints in all those groups, with more in the Society than even in his own movement. There is also another outstanding and timely illustration of this in the Bible, on which we hope to elaborate in a future writing.

THE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER PRESENT TRUTH

In the first article, “Led By The Spirit – Drawn By God” on p. 66 of this paper is an article, which is in considerable part a word-for-word reproduction of an article by J. F. Rutherford in the Dec. 1, 1918 Watch Tower. The latter in turn borrowed it from Brother Russell, which was his legal and moral privilege; and it is to his credit that he did not attempt to inject any of his own errors into what Brother Russell had written (of course, he had not yet invented his Jonadabs or earthly Great Multitude). But not so R. G. Jolly! He must sully that superb article by infusing Campers Consecrated into it. Of course, in this he employs the Hitler technique at every opportunity: Make the falsehood big enough, and repeat it often enough, and a certain element will eventually believe it. And, generally speaking, Brother Russell’s writ­ings are of such sublime composition that they still look quite good even with some error injected into them; and they certainly tend to embellish that error with a certain halo of truth. However, when any editor stoops so low in “his path of error” (Jas. 5:20, Dia.), he simply reveals his desperation, and displays to all unprejudiced minds that his “double mind” is still very aggressive for the works of Azazel (“one goat for Azazel” – Lev. 16:8).

Abreast of the foregoing was his attempt at Chicago to justify his Campers Con­secrated by saying “somewhere in Parousia Volume One, and somewhere in Epiphany Vol. Four” (he couldn’t remember the exact place) both Messengers supported his present error. Strangely – very strangely – Volume E-4 was not on the display table, although the other Epiphany volumes were there. Just happenstance, would you say? Well, maybe! (Of course, all Epiphany-enlightened brethren know that this Epiphany Vol. Four contains basic doctrinal teachings for the Youthful Worthies and Great Company, and especially for the characteristics of the latter class. None of us need be de­ceived by the Azazelian errors now presented against these teachings if they adhere closely to the Epiphany Messenger’s teaching therein.) Of course, those of us who know what Brother Russell and Brother Johnson taught, we know they definitely contradicted his present contentions instead of supporting then.

As our readers know, we have contended all along that nothing – just nothing ­occurred in 1954 to demonstrate it is a prophetic date. R. G. Jolly has an answer for us on that: Plenty happened then, he said, to mark the date. Didn’t the Attestatorial Service start then? Yes, he embarked on his big error then; and that is something for all of us to conjure with. Only a person emboldened by Azazel would still contend for a parallel to 1914-16. His “parallel” is now twelve years old; and still has accomplished Just nothing when compared with 1914-16. If our state­ment here is not 100% the truth, let R. G. Jolly set out what occurred in 1914-16; then give the parallel happennings in 1954-56. But to help him along somewhat, let him consider that we made widespread attack upon his “path of error” (his Attesta­torial Service) in 1955. Was there anything even remotely similar in 1915? Also, Sr. Condell in Jamaica and Brother Baxendale in England, openly deserted him in those years – two people held in high esteem by Brother Johnson.

AZAZEL MEANS PERVERTER

It is an unsavory coincidence that about the first doctrinal deflection of J. F. Rutherford after Brother Russell’s demise was on Tentative Justification. And one of the first major deflections of R. G. Jolly after Brother Johnson’s demise is also on Tentative Justification. While he does not deny the doctrine – as did JFR, he has perverted it out of all recognition to what Brother Russell and Brother Johnson taught about it. He is even carrying it over through the whole Basileia – a faith justification into a “works” Age – an elective doctrine into the free-grace administration. Both Star Members clearly taught that Tentative Justification ceases when the Gospel (Faith) Age ceases, and that it operates only in the Court (in fact, is typed by the Court) in the Gospel Age and Epiphany Tabernacles. And also unsavory is his perversion of the Talents parable (giving the “good and faith­ful” commendation to the “unprofitable servant”). Here again Brother Johnson had to refute J. F. Rutherford’s perversion of that parable – just as we have had to refute R. G. Jolly on his perversion of that Talents parable.

Also, as did J. F. Rutherford, he distorts and perverts many features of the Tabernacle to accommodate his “new views” (false doctrines) – the linen curtain; Tentative Justification; no Laver for his new consecrators; rejects from the Court into the Camp, along with his Consecrated Campers, and the whole nominal church all mixed into one – a “mix-uppery” if there ever was one! And, since 1954, an identical twin in Campers Consecrated to J. F. Rutherford’s Jonadabs (now the Large Multitude). And all of these we have refuted – mainly from the writings of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson – just as Brother Johnson was obliged to do with J. F. Rutherford’s errors. Strange indeed, isn’t it, that each new error pre­sented by R. G. Jolly bears such close resemblance to the errors of J. F. Ruther­ford (as though he has been studying his technique instead of “continuing in that which he had learned and been assured of” from both Star Members)? Clearly enough, both of them (J. F. Rutherford and R. G. Jolly) have had the same Instructor – Azazel, the Perverter. Both of them have trodden the same path of error, and it requires no savant to discern this. Truly, “we are not of them that sleep”! – although we faith­fully attempt to “turn back the sinner (crown-loser) from his path of error.” (Jas. 5:20, Dia.)

The following from That Servant is apropos for such: “But there are some who still have a kind of frenzy of mind, and some of these attacking us. They launch forth as though they would demolish us, and they battle for the error as though it were the truth. In their warfare they use the weapons of slander, malice, hatred, strife, and various other works of the flesh and the devil. Their choice of weapons is a proof that they are under a delusion, blinding them through false doctrine (such as Epiphany Campers Consecrated, etc.—JJH).” Please see 2 Thes. 2:10,11 and Berean Comments.

“Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.” (Psa. 85:12,13)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim