NO. 284: THE BIBLE

No. 284

The request has come to us that we offer a treatise on the Bible, and it is our fond hope that all our readers may benefit from the effort. We have acted upon the suggestion because we believe a clear understanding about the Bible is perhaps as con­fused and misleading with the majority in Christendom as an understanding of the things taught in the Bible. The word Bible is from the Greek “biblia,” meaning “little books,” of which there are 66 in the Protestant Bible – and 80 in the Catholic Bible, which in­cludes the 14 Apocryphal books. Thus, when it states in Rev. 20:12 “the books were opened,” it may just as properly be said, “The Bible was opened” – that is, the Bible was explained, made clear.

The most popular work among English-speaking people of Christendom is what is com­monly designated the King James version, which is an elegant piece of work from a liter­ary standpoint, but is admitted by scholars to have about 20,000 mistakes in it. There­fore, it is not the Bible, but a translation of the Bible; and this conclusion may be recorded of every other translation – although some translations show much less defect than others. It was about 1610 that King James of England (whose name attaches to the King James version) selected 56 outstanding scholars in England, divided them into seven or eight groups, and assigned to each group a certain section of the Bible for translation. Before they had finished seven or eight of them had died; but the work was finally com­pleted. And, considering the material at hand, the difficulties of the times, the deep­rooted errors in the minds of the men involved in the work (such as eternal torment as the wages of sin, the immortality of the soul, etc.), we would conclude that they did a commendable piece of work; and the King James version of the Bible is yet today the world’s best seller of all publications.

The decree of King James was probably instigated by the effort of the Roman Catho­lics to introduce a Bible of their own – known as the Douay (France) version – the first edition of which appeared in 1582, reprinted at Antwerp in 1600, and again in 1621, with a fourth edition coming off the press in 1633 at Rouen. The fifth edition much the same as the previous four – appeared in 1728; but a sweeping revision was at­tempted by Bishop Challoner in 1749-52. His purpose was “to meet the practical want felt by the Catholics of his day of a Bible with notes more suitable to the time.” His changes were so many, and so much different than the original Douay attempt that Cardi­nal Newman declared it to be almost a new edition entirely – no longer sensible to re­fer to it as the Douay version. Said he: “It has been altered and modified until scarcely any verse is as it was when originally published.” And in all of their edi­tions there are copious footnotes to give the Catholic interpretation of the Scripture involved; but these, too, have had to be revised along with their translation of the text itself.

Akin to the foregoing is the course of Jehovah’s Witnesses with their Bible, which they have translated to fit their own ideas of what they wish the text to say. A classic example of this is their book copyrighted in 1963, and titled “All Scrip­ture Is Inspired of God And Beneficial” – a pseudo-translation of 2 Tim. 3:16-17. Even the veriest novice should know that the word “is” is not in the original text at all – because the word “is” is in italics, indicating no corresponding word in the original. Furthermore, Webster’s first definition of scripture is “anything written”; and in later detail he says “Any sacred writing; as Buddhist scripture.” We assume the Witnesses would in no sense consider the Buddhist scripture as “inspired of God and bene­ficial,” yet their caption on the 1963 book would indicate they do believe it. A proper translation of 2 Tim. 3:16, 17 is this: “All Scripture that is God-inbreathed is benefic­ial.” That is, inspired Scripture – that which results from the Holy Spirit in the sense given by St. Peter, “Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” is profitable. This leaves no doubt about the real meaning and purpose of St. Paul’s word.

There are very many translations of the Bible, some much better than others. Many of them have fewer mistakes than the King James version, but none of them equal the King James in literary style and fluency of reading. The best of modern translations for both the Old and the New Testament is probably the one by Dr. Joseph Bryant Rotherham. The hon­esty and humility of the learned Doctor are revealed beautifully in his prefaced statement: “It must be obvious to all, that just in proportion to the importance of these documents must be the obligation to translate them as accurately and adequately as possible; and since in the very nature of things no translation can be perfect, improvement is always possible.. It remains only to render in hearty thanks to the scholars whose labors have made this work possible... but first and last – especially in view of preserved life and eyesight and mental freshness – to Him from whom all blessings flow.”

As an example of Doctor Rotherham’s intention to be scrupulously honest in his work, we cite his translation of the word Hell. This word occurs 31 times in the Old Testament of the King James version. Each time it is translated from the Hebrew Sheol; but this same word Sheol is also translated 31 times by the word Grave, and three times by the word Pit. Thus, Sheol occurs 65 times in all in the Old Testament. In the New Testament the word Hell occurs 23 times – eleven times from the Greek Hades, eleven times from the Greek Gehenna, and once from the Greek Tartaroo. The Hebrew Sheol is the exact equivalent of the Greek Hades; and recognizing the prevailing confusion about the meaning of the sub­ject of Hell (his translation was copyrighted in 1897, after about twenty years of work in its preparation), he did not attempt to provide an English word for it in his Bible. Thus in the 65 times that Sheol occurs in the Old Testament the Doctor simply uses the Greek word Hades, which is exactly the same in meaning as the Hebrew Sheol; it means oblivion, or the death state. In the New Testament he leaves the eleven occurrences of Hades just as it is in the original, as he also does with Gehenna; although he does give some English words for the Greek Tartaroo: “pits of gloom in the lowest Hades.” (2 Pet. 2:4) From this example it will be noted that he did not attempt to read his own beliefs into his translation; and this tends to make it a superior piece of work.

THE BIBLE WRITERS – OLD TESTAMENT

For the 39 books of the Old Testament (not counting the 14 apocryphal books, which are not in the King James, but are included in the Douay version) there are 24 writers, the same being styled the “24 elders” in Rev. 4:4, etc. St. Peter says of them that they were “holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21) It should be noted that all of them were Jews; and some of them were among the finest intel­lects ever to appear among the entire human race. We shall consider only a few of them:

MOSES – Just a little reflection should convince us that he was one of the greatest intellects of all time. He spent forty days in Mount Sinai with God, receiving instructions of a wide variety. He could be counted remarkable if we consider only the tabernacle construction, the dimensions, style, construction and material with which the different items of furniture were to be made; and all of these Moses remembered in finest detail – did all exactly according to “the pattern showed him in the Mount.” We need but to read those instructions in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; then reflect how long it might require of us to fix those things clearly in mind – after having them before us on the written page. But Moses remembered all without anything written out for him. As an executive, a law-giver, and administrator he was also among the foremost of all time. And even in his death he was phenomenal. “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” (Deu. 34:7) And the poet gives sublime expression to that final event in his life:

By Nebo’s lonely mountain,

On this side Jordan’s wave,

In a vale in the land of Moab

There lies a lonely grave;

And no man knows that sepulchre,

And no man saw it e’er;

For angels of God upturned the sod

And laid the dead man there.

That was the grandest funeral

That ever passed on earth;

But no man heard the trampling

Or saw the train go forth;

Noiselessly as the daylight

Comes when the night is done,

And the crimson streak on ocean’s cheek

Grows into the great sun.

This was the truest warrior

That ever buckled sword;

This the most gifted poet

That ever breathed a word;

And never earth’s philosopher traced,

With his golden pen,

On the deathless page, truths half so sage

As he wrote down for men.

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God hath His mysteries to grace,

Ways that we cannot tell,

He hides them deep like the hidden sleep

Of him He loved so well.

He may well be regarded as perhaps the grandest character that ever lived; and the Jews have a saying that God kissed him there that final night.

David – He is the greatest religious poet ever to be found in Israel, and probably in the entire world. The Psalms which he wrote are in poetry in the Hebrew. Next to Moses, he is probably the greatest intellect among the Jewish race – a great general, a gifted ruler and administrator – a very versatile man. And this is all the more remark­able when we consider his humble boyhood, and his phenomenal rise to power. “I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel .... and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.” (2 Sam. 7:8,9) Unlike Moses, who was reared in the palatial surroundings of the Egyptian court, David’s early life was spent in the peaceful hills of Palestine as a lowly sheep boy. To arise from such surroundings to the pinnacle of his nation would self-­evidently place him head and shoulders above his fellows, many of whom had greatly super­ior advantages of physique, birth, family, wealth, etc. He is one not to be easily dis­counted from whatever angle we view him.

Solomon – Solomon is familiarly known as “The wise man,” and for good cause. “God said, Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. God gave Solo­mon wisdom and understanding exceeding much ... Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men ... his fame was in all the nations round about. And he spake three thousand prov­erbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees ... of beasts, and of fowl, of creeping things, of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (1 Kgs. 3:12; 4:30-34) While the Proverbs of Solomon are most familiar to the general public, his mas­terpiece of expression is to be found in the Book of Job, which many scholars regard as the finest piece of poetry in existence. Even Gibbon, an unbeliever, ascribes the supreme place of all literature to the book of Job. It is so superb in the Hebrew that it cannot be properly translated into English; therefore, the poetic force of Job is lost to the English reader. Thus, in some respects Solomon outshone his illustrious father David.

Isaiah – He is regarded by many as the gentleman of the Old Testament, which is re­flected in his scholarly writings. According to tradition, he was of royal blood – at least of noble descent, but there is no certainty about this. However, the quality of his writings reflect a finely-tuned intellect. Some of his statements offer proof apparent that he was indeed one of those “holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” as evidence Isa. 44:28: “Cyrus, he is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” This Scripture was written about 200 years before King Cyrus was born; therefore, it can only be attributed to inspiration. And the same may be said about the 53rd chapter of the book, which offers the very minute details of Jesus’ exper­iences when He was on earth – even forecasting that he would die in company with criminals, “He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors.” This was written about 800 years before Jesus’ appearance on earth, and could have been predicted only through inspiration, as the writer was “moved by the Holy Spirit.” Isaiah, too, must be counted with the great intellects of all time.

THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS

As stated, the 39 books of the Old Testament were all written by Jews; and all of the 27 books of the New Testament were also written by Jews – excepting only the Gospel by Luke. And when we consider that St. Paul dictated that book to Luke, then we may say with assurance that all 27 of the books were written by Jews. Thus, the entire Bible of 66 books has come to us through Jewish writers. And this poses an intriguing theory: Either the New Testament writers also “spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” or they were rank frauds. As we examine the record, it is not too difficult to determine which supposi­tion is the correct one. While it is true, that most of the Apostles were “ignorant and unlearned men” (Acts 4:13), there is no evidence of this at all in their writings. Thus, their coarse exterior must have received a speedy overhaul, or they wrote what they did by inspiration. But the question logically arises, if they were frauds, what benefit did they receive from their knavery? We know that all of them suffered much privation, and most of them came to a violent end – extremely so in the case of Peter, who is reported to have been crucified head down; Paul who had his head chopped off in Rome; and James with a sword in Jerusalem. It is also rumored that John was thrown into a kettle of boiling oil. However, we shall offer detail on only two of the Apostles:

St. Paul – This Apostle was a master logician, a lawyer, a Pharisee, from a wealthy and influential family in Israel – a man who had everything according to the standards of this world. Hear, then, his own statement of his estimation of it: “I esteem all things to be loss, on account of the excellency of the knowledge of the anointed Jesus my Lord; (on whose account I suffered the loss of all things, and consider them to be vile refuse, so that I may gain Christ”)—Phil. 3:8, Dia. If this statement be true – and even his critics do not dispute it – then his sincerity is not to be doubted. It is contrary to all human logic and thinking that a man should perpetrate fraud to bring great loss upon himself; so we are forced to the evident conclusion that Paul must be classed with those “holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

St. John – He is described as “that disciple whom Jesus loved” – because of his warm affability and open sincerity. Next to St. Paul, he is the most copious writer of the New Testament – although the Gospel that bears his name, and the Revelation are presumed to have been written during the last ten years of the first century A.D. That would be about sixty years after Jesus had died, and would put John close to 100 years of age. Yes, even at that advanced age, he has given us in minute and fluent detail the happenings of the last night before Jesus died – chapters 13 through 19 of the Gospel bearing his name; and he pro­vides in those chapters an exact reproduction of the prayer given by Jesus that night, along with some of the most sublime and appealing of all Scripture. This, too, we conclude would have been impossible at his advanced age had he not written by inspiration.

Conclusion – With this sort of evidence to guide us, we ask in wonder why the Jews have not raised the same questions. With the many keen and brilliant men in their nation since the dispersion in 70 A.D., it is one of the marvels of the Age that such overwhelm­ing logic should not have persuaded them to inquire into the matter. St. Paul did recog­nize this situation, and he offers the proper answer: “Brethren (addressed to the Gen­tiles), that you may not be conceited with yourselves, I wish you not to be ignorant of this secret, that blindness in part is happened to Israel.” (Rom. 11:25) In Psa. 107:17 David has offered a proper appraisal of their situation: “Fools because of their trans­gression (they crucified the Lord of Glory), and because of their iniquities (sins against the Mosaic Law Covenant), are afflicted.” All plainly in evidence during this entire Age since 70 A.D.

THE BIBLE’S AUTHENTICITY

There is no original text of the Hebrew Old Testament. The originals had been scrup­ulously preserved by the Jewish priests, so much so that they would have given their lives to preserve them; but Nebuchadnezzar and his army were more than the priests could with­stand. Therefore, when he overcame Jerusalem in the Fall of 607 B.C., the sacred writings suffered at his hands, as did also the sacred vessels of the temple. “He broke down the walls of Jerusalem... And took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door, and the principal scribe... and three-score men of the people... and slew them at Riblah.” (2 Kgs. 25:9-21) This account tells what was done with the sacred vessels: they were demolished and carried away to Babylon for their in­trinsic value. But nothing at all is said about the sacred writings.

However, it would seem reasonable that some zealous keeper of those writings did suc­ceed in preserving them, because the Massoretes, who were Hebrew scholars during the years 450 to 900 A.D., worked on the writings then in existence, and produced what is commonly known as the Massoretic text. After they completed their work, they destroyed all other texts, leaving only the product of their own minds. But it seems they did a commendable job, so much so that Dr. C. D. Ginsberg used their work in his rescension of the Hebrew Bible, the latter being one of the foremost of Old Testament translations.

Then there is also the Septuagint, which is a Greek version of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew. It is so-called because 70 (actually 72) learned Hebrews at Alexandria, Egypt, undertook in 285 B.C. to produce the Greek copy. All things consid­ered, it is the most valuable of all translations of the Old Testament – with many margi­nal notes, some of which are valuable, but some self-evidently wrong, in view of informa­tion now available. Jesus and the Apostles quoted from the Septuagint, but they cor­rected it when necessary – when it contradicted well-established teachings.

As for the New Testament, the three oldest manuscripts are the Vatican, the Sina­itic and the Alexandrian. The Vatican (dating about 250 A.D.) is in the Vatican Library in Rome, and considered the Roman Church’s richest treasure. The other two (about 100 yrs. later than the Vatican) are both in England. There is also the Vulgate (about 400 A.D.), which is the Latin, by Jerome. Another very influential translation is the one by Martin Luther. There are many others, of course, but we shall not now detail them.

THE BIBLE’S VERACITY

In view of the foregoing, the question properly arises, What are we to believe? Admitting that the originals were by inspiration, they are now lost, so we know not def­initely what the originals contained. Some atheists, scoffers, etc., attempt to make capital of this, which offers the conclusion that men usually believe what they want to believe. Jesus gave us the “Golden Rule”: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” (Matt. 7:12) Today we find this high ideal so little practiced that the scoffers attempt to discount it because of human frailty; but the fact still stands: A universal practice of this teaching would make immeasurable improvement in hu­man relations. It would indeed end all wars, all violence, robbery, rapine, etc. Thus, the critics must admit the sound philosophy and the general good that it contains.

This Rule by Jesus is the only all-embracing teaching of known religions. Confu­cius offered a negative in the same direction: Whatsoever ye would not that men do to you, do not to them. But a little analysis reveals the weakness of the statement. In Luke 10:25-37 is given the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which it will be noted that the Priest and the Levite passed by the man that had been beaten and robbed. The rule of Confucius would absolve them; they did not attempt further abuse upon the victim, which was a negative attitude. But the Rule by Jesus demands a positive response when distress is in evidence, which the Samaritan indeed did proffer.

As presently composed, the normal man is possessed of four appetites: (1) The ali­mentive, the desire for food and drink; (2) The procreative, the desire for the opposite sex; (3) The acquisitive, the desire to accumulate, to add house to house and field to field; (4) The religious, the desire to worship something higher than himself. All of the brute creation possess the first two of these appetites, some of them possess the third, but none of them possess the fourth. All normal men have an inherent desire to some form of religion; and this is apparent even among the lowest forms of heathen. It has been so since the dawn of history; but without the Bible we would have nothing more to guide us than what our five senses might reveal. Thus, the need for our Bible, which gives us much of the past, foretells much of the future, and offers elaborate laws for man’s physical, mental, moral and religious guidance. Its inherent strength is apparent by its gripping force upon any who come within its influence. This is noticeable even among the lowly and unlearned, who gain some uplift of heart and mind merely from reading it, which demonstrates its inherent magnetic force. It is the product of the Holy Spirit, operating through the finest minds in history, and its Divine origin is evident in that it inspires and enables men to rise above themselves, an attribute not apparent among the heathen.

One of the outstanding reasons for Christendom’s superiority over the heathen is the help received from the Bible. The laws of Moses were far superior to anything then in existence anywhere else on earth, and can logically be said to have been far ahead of their time. In the case of Jesus Himself, He arose far beyond His natural ability after He received the Holy Spirit at Jordan when He was thirty years of age. Before that time He could not heal the sick, raise the dead, turn water into wine, etc., all of which He did after He received the Holy Spirit. And the same may be said for the Apostles. They, too, arose far above their inherited strength and ability after they were “endowed with power from on high.” Viewed from this standpoint, the words of David are given added force: “The entrance of thy word giveth light”! Thus, in addition to forecasting events many years in advance of their occurrence, we have here a second reason for believing the Bible to be of Divine inspiration – a superhuman revelation. Its immediate effect upon those who accept it is far beyond the influence of any other religious or secular writing.

THE BIBLE PLAN

A third proof of the Bible’s Divine inspiration is the “plan of the ages,” which it has contained since the year 100 A. D., which plan has been working according to outline before and since that date. In Eph. 3:9-11 St. Paul offers a clear reference to this: “To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been his in God ... according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is much clearer in the Emphatic Diaglott: “To enlighten all what is the administration of that secret, which has been concealed from the ages... ac­cording to a plan of the ages, which He formed for the Anointed Jesus our Lord.”

It should be noted that St. Paul says this “plan” has been a “secret” during the ages; and none can dispute this statement. The Bible itself is a book of very moderate size, as small or smaller than most textbooks in any university. Yet the brightest minds have been unable to master it until the “due time” arrived for it to be understood. That is because it is “here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10), with the “secret” ex­pertly kept until it should be made plain. Without offering great detail, we notice that the “plan” embraces three “worlds” (from the Greek “Kosmos,” meaning “order of affairs”), the first one described in 2 Pet. 3:6 as “the world that was” – that Kosmos, or order of affairs, that existed from creation until it “being overflowed with water, perished.” The world that was lasted for 1656 years.

The second world, or order of affairs (“this pretent evil world”—Gal. 1:4) began with Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives (a total of eight persons), emerged from the great deluge, and has been continuing to the present time. Accord­ing to 2 Pet. 3:7, “the present heavens and the earth (this Kosmos, or order of affairs), by the same word (The Bible), are treasured up, being kept for fire (destruction) to a day of judgment and destruction of impious men” – this “destruction” being now in prog­ress, as is evidenced on every hand.

Then 2 Pet. 3:13: “We, according to the promise, are looking for new heavens and a new earth (a new Kosmos, or order of affairs, the third world – he Kingdom) in which dwells righteousness” – just the opposite of “this present evil world.” Of that third world it is written (Rev. 21:4): “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more, nor mourning, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; because the former things passed away.” This third world we now “see dimly, as through a dark glass”; and it is beyond belief except by those who now have the faith to believe it. The forecast is clear enough: If there be no more death or pain, then there must be perpetual youth, with ideal food, water and climate. “And there shall be no more curse ... no night (ignorance, error, superstitution) there.” (Rev. 22:3-5) In this “present evil world” it is easier to do wrong than right; in the world to come it will be easier to do right than wrong. It is well to keep in mind that all of the Bible was written at some time during “this present evil world”; yet it is the only book that gives a clear and logical record of the happenings of the “world that was” before the flood –just one more proof of its Divine inspiration. Also, skeptics may declare the “plan” briefly discussed herein is too good to be true; but we answer that it is too good not to be true. No secular fiction writer has ever imagined anything half so good; such a plan could result only from Divine inspiration.

SUMMARY: – The Plan of the Ages mentioned aforegoing has its introduction in the first three chapters of the Bible, and its conclusion is given in the last three chapters. In the first three chapters of Genesis we are told what man was, what he had, and why and how he lost it. In the last three chapters of Revelation we are given man’s ultimate des­tiny, and how that is to be accomplished – the grand finale being the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-23), restoration of what was lost in Eden.

In between the introduction and conclusion of the Plan we find seven lines of thought: doctrines, precepts, promises, exhortations, prophecies, histories and types. And St. Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 3:15 that these teachings properly understood “are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” He continues in verse 16 to state that these seven lines of thought serve four teaching purposes: “Doctrine, reproof (refuting), correction and instruction in righteousness.” When clearly understood, it becomes apparent that the Apostle has itemized all the essentials in teaching and character development that man needs for his religious welfare. Doctrine is what we believe; refuting (of error) re­veals what we should not believe; correction, when properly received, rids the faults from our character (tells us what we should not do); and instruction (training) in right­eousness informs us of the good things we should build into our character (what we should do). And all of this is “profitable... that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur­nished unto all good works.” It is elemental that religion should make us better; other­wise it fails in purpose and becomes merely a ritualistic waste of time.

Of the foregoing Bible subjects, some of them are relatively easy to understand in certain of their parts, while others are intensely difficult of comprehension. In this respect the Bible allows excellent comparison with the ocean, which is deep enough for a whale to swim in it, and shallow enough for a child to wade in it. It is also per­tinent that the Bible is not a text book; it is rather a book of texts. Thus, no sub­ject of importance finds complete clarification in any one section; but it is rather “here a little, there a little.” (Isa. 28:10) This has resulted in the apparent confu­sion evident in the different Christian organizations – a situation akin to the poem:

It was six men of Hindustan,

To learning much inclined,

Went to see the elephant

Though all of them were blind

Therefore, they had to rely upon their sense of touch; one touched the leg, one the side, one the tail, etc., which resulted in six vastly different opinions of what the elephant was really like, which produced the result:

They argued loud and long,

Though each was partly in the right,

But all of them were wrong.

A safe rule to proper understanding of the Bible is that it cannot contradict itself. It speaks of itself as “the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15); and, if this be correct, then it must be truth, and not falsehood. If our opinion of any Scripture is contradicted by other Scripture, then one of three things is wrong: We do not have the right interpretation; or we may have a mistranslation; or the text may even be spurious. It is certain that ambitious men have attempted to impose their own opin­ions in some places, which has resulted in much mischief and erroneous beliefs. It is well also to note that manifold schemes of mice and men have tried in vain to destroy the Bible, or to distort its meaning; but all of them have failed. The Bible is still a living book, and as sturdy in its application today as it has been over the past. There is very good reason for this: Its Author, who is perfect in Justice, Wisdom and Power, has been its Preserver; and the promise to those who rely upon it, and who have full faith in it, applies with equal force to the book itself: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”

It might be well here to note how foolish some of the scoffers of this Sacred Book have been, while those who had faith in its Divine inspiration and truthfulness were not so foolish. Sir Isaac Newton, the celebrated astronomer of the seventeenth century, was greatly interested in the words of Daniel: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4) He declared his belief that in fulfil­ment of it human knowledge would so increase that men would possibly travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour. When Voltaire, the noted French infidel, got hold of this state­ment he scornfully remarked:

“Now look at the mighty mind of Newton, the great philoso­pher who discovered the law of gravitation: when he became an old man and got in his dotage, he began to study the book called the Bible, and in order to credit its fabu­lous nonsense he would have us believe that the knowledge of mankind will yet be so in­creased that we shall by-and-by be able to travel fifty miles an hour! Poor dotard.”

Both of these men died long before the “Time of the End” had brought its wonder­ful increase of knowledge, which more than fulfils the prediction of the Christian phi­losopher, based upon the Divine revelation. Fifty miles per hour is merely snail’s pace today.

The subject matter herein has been treated very briefly, perhaps too much so, yet it is our hope that enough has been said to generate interest by our readers; and to such we would quote the words of St. Paul: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 192

June 1, 1971)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sirs:

Please send me literature as follows: Where are the Dead? What is the Soul? The Resurrection of the Dead and Two Distinct Salvations. Thank you!

Sincerely ------- (GEORGIA)

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Dear Sir:

Could you please send me sample copies of your publication?

Thanking you ------- (MISSISSIPPI)

NO. 283: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

No. 283

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

As we face the New Year (written November 20, 1978), we once again marvel at the scientific advancements in medicine, agriculture, technical efficiency, etc. And we have witnessed some of the scientific advancements in medicine in our own personal ex­periences. When getting our physical in June, during which they gave us a complete cardiograph, X-rays, etc., these were then immediately telephoned to Chicago (about fif­teen hundred miles from Mount Dora), and the complete results were back by computer be­fore we had finished dressing – in fact, less than five minutes. Had some one else told us about this, it would have been hard to believe – but it was a fact experienced personally; and the results were good – no problems at all for which we are thankful.

And in agriculture there is loud complaint about overproduction – bumper crops, etc. – more than twice the needs of our people. In times past the real calamities came upon the nations if they did not produce enough to feed the people; and this may still be true in some of the other large countries; but it is not true here in the U.S. ­Everywhere the granaries are bursting. A recent press report says, “A new 40-year Food for Peace credit agreement has been signed with Egypt, enabling it to buy $214 mil­lion worth of U.S. wheat in the coming year, the Agriculture Department says.”

Along with this however, there is also a very cheerful aspect. With all the tur­moil we see so rampant, the inventive genius of our technicians is matching stride for stride. As one instance, we would refer to the operation of our giant agricultural ef­forts. Fifty years ago a load of hay was pitched by hand and fork in the blistering ninety-degree weather, so that by evening the laborer was ready to fall over in a heap. But that is all gone now! The invention and production of our fine farm equipment has changed all that: The machine does all that work now – the only necessity for man there is to guide the machine so that it will do its work properly. And the driver experi­ences very little fatigue from the day’s operation.

If the general economy, the conduct and moral attitude of our political leaders and the populace in general, were even 25% in line with our scientific and economic progress, this paper on Retrospect and Prospect would be a much different composition, because we see decay rampant in so many places; and these we shall now contemplate.

IN FINANCE

All the major nations continue to plunge hopelessly into further debt. For the first time in history we had a “run” on the American dollar – something that we would have considered impossible before 1914. It was then a common expression, “You are as sound as an American dollar.” But the paper promises have deteriorated so drastically that an American dollar is now a promise to pay nothing; and so many of them have been printed that it is just impossible to make any successful effort to support it.

We have discussed this situation with a highly respected and intelligent man – a man who has a prominent standing in the political world. He visited Washington in the early part of 1978, and talked with some of the leading office-holders there (personal friends of his); and he told us they told him we could expect a 20% inflation – prob­ably in 1978. He mentioned going to New Zealand to look things over, as he had read of the stability they had there. However, we have no intention of going to a foreign country for protection, as our confidence and protection are in the Lord – although we try, with the Lord’s help and overruling providence, to conduct all our affairs in such a way as to survive the situation until total collapse involves all nations and peoples. Indeed, we see clearly before our minds the Lord’s prediction concerning this very time in which we now find ourselves: “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven (the pre­vailing religious institutions and their leaders) shall be shaken... When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (de­liverance) draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:26-28)

It comes to us from neighboring sources that the American soldiers stationed abroad – in countries such as Germany, etc. – that their purchasing power of the dollar has declined and many of them are resorting to the black market, and even greater evils to maintain their usual way of life. Our politicians are either too ignorant of the true situation, or have not the courage to declare themselves.     Many among them “love the praise of men” (John 12:43), and the financial gain, along with the pampering pride that goes with it. Thus they allow things to go to ruin. It has been well said that nations, like trees, die in the top first; and it has ever been thus. We instance es­pecially the case of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, who “made a great feast... and drank wine before the thousand.” (Dan. 5:1) At the height of his hilarity that night there came upon the wall that famous handwriting, “Mene, Mene, Tekal, Upharsin,” etc. “and in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom.” (Dan. 5:30,31)

And the Medes and the Persians followed much the same course in due time – until Alexander the Great conquered them and took over, after which came the Romans. At the time of Jesus to be a Roman was greater than to be a king – a rigid and well-disciplined people, with the stern “iron rule” portrayed in the two legs of Daniel’s metal-man im­age as seen by Nebuchadnezzar. (Dan. 2:1–45)    However, these also fell prey to the wine and banqueting, which allowed the sturdy Germans to slide down the mountains on their shields and overthrow them. And thus it has been in “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4)

IN POLITICS

We had a general election here in the United States November 7, although it did not involve the highest offices in our government. Thus, it was what we term an ‘off year’; and, as usual, the minor party in the government made some gains in the Senate and in the House of Representatives – although not enough to make any material difference in what we may expect for the next two years. This is usually the case in these ‘off’ years – sometimes much more impressive than in 1978.

According to a press release, “Carter talks austerity, but signs veterans’ bill.” President Carter has received much praise from several quarters in regard to his at­tempt at Camp David to bring peace to the Middle East – but it remains to be seen how much of his efforts will be successful.

We would emphasize here, however, that much of the turmoil in the world – in riots, the revolutions in small countries (“earthquakes, upheavals in society, in di­verse places”) are more political than they are economic. As one instance, we shall offer some details on Nicaragua: We have been well acquainted with a man who was a di­rector in a mining company down there; and the officials of his company were well liked by Somozas, who have been in power there for more than fifty years – and this man told us that about one-third of the country is owned by the Somozas. Thus it is not diffi­cult to understand that any laws they might pass would not be intended to hurt or stifle the power they wield. And they made enemies of people who were just as intent upon de­posing them as the Somozas were intent on remaining in power.

Anyway, there came up a conclave of some sort, which was to be out in the open; and Somoza’s enemies determined this would be the time they would finish him off. So they had men in strategic positions to shoot him when he mounted the platform. They were able to pump five bullets into him, none of which was fatal at the time. Our Pres­ident Eisenhower immediately sent his personal physician, General Heaton, to remove the bullets and save the life of Somoza. He was able to remove three of them, but said the other two in the back could wait for a few days until he recovered his strength somewhat; but they did not know those bullets had been charged with potassium cyanide, which deadly poison gradually seeped into Somoza’s body; and he was dead in two days. The son, now the chief ruler there, then took over, determined to be less severe than his father had been; but still apparently too severe to suit many of the citizens, so they are now at this date engaged in vicious fighting to eliminate him.

Similar atrocities have been related in the press this year, some in minute de­tail, so we shall not say more about this. But it should be apparent to our readers that the very foundations of organized society are being shaken as never before – a “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time.” (Dan. 12:1 – also see Matt. 24:15-22)

As some of our readers know, the Epiphany Messenger wrote about the distinctive evils of the various Old World nations. Among these he classified Spain as having the national evil of cruelty; and it would seem Somoza was a true Spaniard in that re­spect. The terrible treatment of their fellow Spaniards in the Franco civil war is a second example; and Spanish bullfighting a third. Some years ago a prominent news­paper writer told of attending one of those bullfights; and he offered the conclusion that the only reason he sat through it was because he could then speak with first-hand in­formation. He would never want to see another one

SOCIETY IN  GENERAL

We now give excerpts from a press report of The Year’s Most Fascinating Non-fiction Book as follows: “This year’s edition provokes a comment and raises a question. The comment is that the more things change, the more they change. And the question is, how did our government get so nosy?..... Illegitimacy, for one thing, seems to have become an epidemic. As recently as 1965, government statisticians counted 291,000 births to unmarried women, for a rate of 7.7% of all births. Just 10 years later, the numbers were 447,900 and 14.2%... About 70% of the abortions are performed upon married women. By coincidence, this is almost exactly the percentage of married women using contracep­tives... Syphilis has declined dramatically over the past decade, but the incidence of gonorrhea has more than tripled, from 325,000 reported cases in 1965 to one million in 1975. Alcoholism is on the rise among both men and women. The number of unmarried couples living together has more than doubled in the past six years... Back in 1965, which was not so very long ago, total public expenditures on welfare were placed at $77.2 billion. The comparable figure for 1978 was $331.4 billion... The number of persons on welfare has greatly increased... The number of persons classified as permanently disabled has jumped from 600,000 to 2 million... The big increase, man­ifestly, has gone into public welfare, health, education and Social Security payments. Government at every level is taking a slowly increasing percentage of the people’s wealth... Many of the old virtues – chastity, fidelity, continence, family respon­sibility – clearly are slipping away from the respected place they once occupied in the American ethos. In their place we are getting different values – or non-values. None of this necessarily spells twilight for the American empire, but in terms of the old ways it is later than we think.”

According to news reports, one prominent college paid Timothy Leary $2,250 for a two-hour talk, in which he advocated the use of drugs, etc. He thinks 8-yr. olds should have the privilege of voting. At the end of his lecture he said, “I take no responsibility for anything I’ve said tonight.” A news columnist said of that meet­ing: “It’s not that I dislike Leary. I do. It’s not that he has been a long–time advocate of drugs. He has, and I’m sure the parents of many children who suffered, grievous harm by following his advice would love an opportunity to chat with him in a dark alley in the absence of witnesses... We can see in the Leary episode an example of what happens when we, as a society, voluntarily stop making moral judgments. All judgments must be made on the basis of some criteria; and, if we toss out morality, then what’s left? Public opinion polls, fads, whims, and marketing techniques.”

This same outspoken writer also said: “Try Bible. If you are addicted to self-­help books, I have a money–saving tip for you... The way to save money and still cater to your lust for self-improvement is to pick up a Gideon Bible somewhere and read it, especially the book of Proverbs... Most people think of a Bible in purely religious terms, but it contains a great deal of very practical information about very practical aspects of living.”

“As we know, there are plenty of Learys in the world, but we also still have a few who hold fast to good principles and boldly advocate them, as does this writer. By doing so they get the criticism of the modern-age liberals; but, more important, they get the admiration and praise of worthwhile people whose opinions are sound and instructive: “The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the work­ers of iniquity.” (Prov. 10:29)

Corruption is infesting a large number of our politicians, as well as the time­-honored professions of the medical association, lawyers and time-honored institutions of schools. One instance of corruption of politicians is in Detroit: Twenty counts of fraud were brought before the Grand Jury against one of the Congressmen. When ar­rested, he made the observation, “Why do they single me out, when they are all doing it?” Anyway, they found him guilty of all 20 counts this last summer; yet, in spite of that, he received 68% of the votes in his district in the primary, and was re-elected to Con­gress on Nov. 7 by a vote of about four to one. This is a fine tribute to the moral ex­cellence of the American people! However, we do not say that all politicians are dis­honest and corrupted. But such corruption when made manifest some years ago was treated differently than it is today.

Some of our erstwhile respected institutions of learning openly allow girls and boys to live together. One prominent school in Michigan has told the girls that if they became pregnant from such cohabitation the school would finance their way to New York State for an abortion. There has been much in the press, too, that such deteriora­tion, if continued, will reduce us to Sodom and Gomorrah degradation. “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” (Isa. 16:49–50)

We do not think all lawyers, doctors, et al, are all bad, as we think well of those with whom we have to do, and appreciate their skill and integrity in all their dealings with us. But it is the ones that have done evil in the sight of God and man that have brought distrust upon many of them who do not justly deserve such distrust. But we are living in the Epiphany when persons, principles and things will be made man­ifest; and don’t we see that on every hand – the revealment of persons, principles and things? “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” (Luke 8:17) This is the time of which the Apostle wrote: “JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” (1 Cor. 4:5)

IN RELIGION

During the year past the turmoil in religion has also been apparent on every side. We begin with the Roman Catholic Church, because it has the greatest numbers – about 700 million, according to press reports. During last year we have seen three popes on the papal throne in Rome. Although this is only the second time in history that this has happened, we do not see it as any occasion to place criticism at that Church for that.

However, as some of our readers know, the Epiphany Messenger often predicted that Armageddon would begin in Italy, and with this thought we agree. Thus, we shall dis­cuss the internal affairs of Italy along with the affairs existing in the Church. A news item of last February says this: “Pope Paul VI expressed ‘immense pain’ Friday over resignations from the Roman Catholic priesthood, estimated at between 2,000 and 5,000 every year. (This in itself represents a real problem, as the departure of that many priests would almost certainly leave some congregations without a priest, setting the people adrift with only their past learning to sustain them—JJH) The destiny of the weak ones who have found the force to desert their pledge confounds us and makes us in­voke the mercy of God, he told an audience of Italian priests.

“In 1975, the latest year for which statistics are available, 4,000 priests out of a total of 405,000 (about 10%—JJH) quit the priesthood.

“The problem is even more serious among nuns. The Vatican says about 10,000 a year left convents between 1973 and 1975, out of nearly one million world-wide.

“Many priests and nuns, whose vows require celibacy (There is just no foundation in the Bible teachings for this—JJH), quit to marry. But many others leave in an open breach with Catholicism.   Precise totals of priests who resign in the United States have not been disclosed, but 1975 estimates put the number at 7,000 over the previous decade, with departure generally believed to have slowed. The 80-year-old pontiff... did not quote statistics, but in an emotional voice said the problem of priests leaving the church ‘is present every day in our pain and in our prayers.’”

Another Surprising Observation (a news item of last April): “The Roman Catholic Church, confronted by the accumulated corruption of more than a millennium, will soon have to deal with a growing Marxist movement among leaders of church, according to the author of a new book about the Catholic Church. Malachi Martin (a former Jesuit pro­fessor, author of the ‘Final Conclave,’ which stands 15th on the New York Times best­seller list) maintains in his book that an increasing number of influential priests have been struggling within the hierarchy since the early 1970s to choose a ‘suitable’ successor to Pope Paul VI

“Martin said in an interview yesterday that many leaders are seeking a pope who will guide the church to a future dominated by communism. Martin said he thinks such a move will destroy the structure of the church. ‘The church is now in a state of dry rot,’ he said. ‘It was once a lively living thing. The church has ossified, it has dried up.......

“Martin said massive financial holdings of the church reflect the corruption and misguided intentions of poor leaders. The Catholic Church, he said, owns over a bil­lion-dollar portfolio (other capable financial minds state this figure at about five billion—JJH) of investments around the globe.

“Those holdings include the Watergate apartment complex in Washington and the entire Montreal Stock Exchange, he said.

“A growing divisive spirit has sprung up within the church, he said. Many lead­ers want the church to return to early, basic principles of spiritual and moral leader­ship. Other leaders, Martin said, seek a move toward Marxism. Many Catholic leaders, particularly in Europe and Latin America, are convinced that Communism is inevitable in Western Europe and Latin America. They are building grassroots support for a Communist organization, Martin said. Two-thirds of the clergy in Spain and Italy belong to Marx­ist organizations. It is a difficult moment for the church, Martin said. Romans think in terms of 50 or 100 years. They believe the Democracy of the Americans will recede and the Communists are going to take over.”

To consider that Communism (Marxism) and the Catholic Church could become cozy bed­fellows is just about the same as thinking that a cat and rat may live in peace together. A good Communist (Marxist) must be an atheist, so it is simply pure nonsense to think of trying to merge the two: It just can’t be done!

As we write this there comes another report of terrorism in Italy. Says the press report: “A terrorist assassination Squad shot and killed a district attorney and his two bodyguards, raking their car with sub-machine gun fire in the bloodiest attack since the kidnapping and shooting of former Premier Aldo Moro. As we recall, this is now the third one of similar atrocities in Italy in 1978; and it has truly served its purpose – to terrorize those possessed of this world’s goods. A news item says the purchase of Rolls ­Royce autos (the cheapest of which costs more than $20,000) has almost collapsed in Italy; the rich do not want to attract any attention to themselves through a display of their wealth....

“Police said Wednesday’s attack occurred as Fedele Calvosa, district attorney in the town of 35,000, was being driven to work from his home. A witness told police that three people stepped out of the thick bushes on both sides of the road and opened fire at the car at close range, killing Calvosa and the driver before Pagliel could get his gun out of his holster.”

Sun Myung Moon, of South Korea, should have more than passing attention. In a few short years he seems to have amassed a fortune extending into millions of dollars by his hypnotic endeavors. He has influenced very wealthy persons to contribute all ­or large parts – of their wealth to his movement with the idea that he will create a worldwide government.’ Sex is one of his main topics, as is usually so with such ma­nipulators. The press reports say he teaches: If Jesus had been a perfect man, why didn’t he marry and produce a race of perfect children to populate the earth?

Those of our readers, however, who have been instructed in Present Truth will need no comment from us on this gross error. The US House International Relations Subcommit­tee called for an investigation about him; but he quickly fled the United States.

Jim Jones has recently been very much in the news. He founded another such cult in Indianapolis in 1950, but later migrated to San Francisco. He was forced out of San Francisco by the exposures of his evils by former members of his cult. They charged him with conducting fake faith healing, mass torture, death threats, etc. He resigned and moved to Guyana where he conducted the same sort of evil, there. Rep. Ryan, who had taught school before he entered politics, became much disturbed over the fate of one of his former students, who had become so mesmerized by Jim Jones that he committed suicide. Rep. Ryan and three others decided to go to Guyana to investigate the cult.   All four were assassinated – and the news media now reports that perhaps 400 or more suicides of members of this group are a direct result of this mesmerism in Central America. Jim Jones also died in the holocaust. This also smacks very strongly of demonism.

It should be emphasized here that ALL FAITH HEALERS are kinsmen of Jim Jones and are of his kind, because the Scriptures are clear enough that they are “Satan casting out Satan” (Matt. 12:26) – which is one of the strong evidences that his kingdom is on the brink of destruction. Those grounded in Present Truth know full well that these claims are simply a part of the “pestilence that walketh in darkness.” (Psa. 91:6)

Jews In The News – In The United Israel Bulletin there is this: “Adolph Hitler often had labeled the British ‘White Jews’... We will discover, as we proceed, that while a ‘Jew’ may be both a ‘Hebrew’ and an ‘Israelite,’ a ‘Hebrew’ is not in every case a ‘Jew.’” This is a very similar expression of the Apostle Paul: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly... But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly.” (Rom. 2:28,29)

We also have a report of Yehuda Schwertz’ visit to the United States and what he witnessed on the Lower East Side of New York: “A black man suddenly came upon the elderly bearded Jew... As the man cursed him in Yiddish, the assailant began forcing his way into his victim’s lower pockets... and as I moved closer.. the black goy aban­doned the old Jew, dropping some items as he fled, leaving the frightened Jew in his wake... By contrast, as we were on board El Al on our return flight, the singing, joy and freedom of the Jewish passengers, made a stark impression by comparison... Despite the many problems that confront adults and children alike in Israel, to watch the happy faces of a child especially, as he alights on a bus on his way to school (knowing full well the dangers of terrorists), head erect, singing, shouting, pushing, and so very confident, presents quite a contrast as well to that old man... I saw in America... To walk free in our own country, to live and study in the same land upon which our fore­fathers trod and which was promised to our very own children, is a feeling unmatched in today’s Jewish world – and surely not to be found in the Galut of America “

Also we have a report of Meir Kahanem On Trial: On Monday, Sept. 4, the Begin Government placed Rabbi Kahanem Head of Kach-Jdl Israel on Trial in Beersheba on a charge of “Illegally” settling in Hebron. He says: “I am ashamed that a Jewish govern­ment – the Begin government, tries me in a Jewish court in the State of Israel for the ‘crime’ of wishing to practice my right and obligation to settle in the Jewish city of Hebron... The Jewish people are a Chosen people of the Almighty, given this land as a Chosen land in which to build a Chosen society... In our times, nothing so symbolizes our lack of faith than the refusal of the Jewish government to annex the lands; allow unlimited Jewish settlement... And so, I admit with pride that I came to Hebron and to Hadassah to its rightful Jewish owners and set a precedent for the others... To force Begin to choose who he is and let the people see this... To show Carter and the world that pressure on Begin to give in, will still not succeed in forcing a betrayal of the Holy Land... There are many Jews who will not allow Begin to betray the land... The military governor banned me from Hebron by order. I already had an order from Above, ordering me to settle there. And so does the governor. And this court. And Begin.”

As we consider the above, we must admit that the Jews have a very deep-rooted at­tachment for Palestine. History supports all that the Bible tells us about it; and we know that the fundamentals of the Jewish religion – and the foundation for our own Christianity – were given to Moses from God at Mt. Sinai. Thus, the sentiment in this situation is perhaps greater than any other fact in history. Before Moses and Sinai, the human race had nothing written to guide them in a true religion toward God. Those who had a gripping inclination to worship acted in accord with the sentiments of David: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.” Thus, the only thing the Jews, or anybody else, could do for re­ligious inspiration was to gaze into the heavens for consolation of heart and mind. But this was all changed through Moses at Sinai; and some of the Jews know this about as well as you and I know it; so it is not a thing to be easily cast aside because others have moved into that country.

Of course, we must not ignore the fact that the Arabs and the Jews – the descen­dants of Abraham through Ishmael and Isaac – have despised each other for 4,000 years; the desert lands of Palestine and neighboring lands have been the Arabs’ home for more than 2,000 years – although they did nothing with it to improve or restore its productiv­ity. The Arabs have been the nomads of the desert. It is blood and fiber of their very beings – so much so that it is impossible for them to discern the deep affection which the Jews properly have for that country.

Following is a quote from Larry Lipman: “The Israelis aren’t anxious to relin­quish control after all those centuries of waiting. They want to keep it and control it for all faiths. For Jerusalem is truly a holy city to the Jews, Moslems and Chris­tians. You can find all three faiths openly practiced there.”

It is well to emphasize here that, while the Jews have shamefully mistreated the holy prophets of their Age, they never persecuted Greek, Roman or heathen for their religion. Thus they have been much more tolerant of other religions than other relig­ions have been of them. And the Christians have been most guilty in this respect ­just as Christians (?) have been the most zealous to extirpate the ‘heretics’ – some­thing the Jews have never tried to do.

SUMMARY

In this paper it has not been our intention to offer much detail on “prospect”; rather, we have dealt with enough of Retrospect to throw some light on the 1979 pros­pect. We emphasize Jesus’ words in Matt. 24:7: “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earth­quakes in divers places.” While all of these statements may be taken literally, yet we believe the “earthquakes” mean more symbolically than they do literally. An earth­quake in Bible symbols means a revolution – a turning over of the symbolic earth (or­ganized society).  We need no interpreter to tell us that this overturning has made frequent appearance during 1978, but only in the smaller countries, and not any major upheaval thus far. We incline to the opinion that 1979 will probably be worse than was in 1978.

In 1 Kings 19:1-12 we are given the view of things to Elijah the Prophet. It will be recalled that in Chapter 18 it is related how Elijah ordered all the prophets of Baal to be slain – which was done. But those prophets were the special favorites of Queen Jezebel, the heathen wife of King Ahab. This had enraged the Queen so badly that she had the whole Israel army out looking for Elijah to kill him. She could in­deed be a most vicious enemy! But the Lord gave Elijah strength and overruling of his affairs that he was enable to reach Mount Horeb, which Mount was typical of the Kingdom of God.  It is our understanding that this had the beginning of its fulfillment in the years 1874-78, in which latter year the sleeping saints were raised from the dead.

However, in Kings 19:11 Elijah was given a panoramic view of the happenings at the end of this Age, wherein, first of all, he saw a “great and strong wind rend the moun­tains”; then, “after the wind an earthquake”; “after the earthquake a fire” (v. 12)... and “after the fire a still small voice.” All of these, we believe reveal spec­ial events here in the end of the Age: The “great and strong wind” portrayed the great war which had its beginning in 1914 – up to that time the world’s greatest calamity. Then, the “earthquake” – symbolic of a giant upheaval which would rend society in all its principle parts. These small ones that we see going on in many parts of the world now are just a ‘preview’ of what is to come.

“After the earthquake a fire.” Fire in the Bible quite often portrays destruc­tion. A text generally misunderstood throughout Christendom contains the words of John the Baptist: “He (Jesus) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” (Matt. 3:11) Many nominal Christians hold to the view that this “fire” is the exuberance that comes to one when he has accepted Christ, and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit. But in Matt. 13:49,50, we are plainly told that this “fire” is the destruc­tion that should come upon the wicked – upon the Jews, when they received their final dispersion throughout Christendom in the year 70 AD; and to the tares here at the end of this Age. “Gather ye together first the tares (imitation Christians)... in bundles to burn them” (Matt. 13:30) – not to stimulate them spiritually, but to end their ex­perience as imitation Christians. This will be accomplished partially in the great earthquake’ just ahead; and fully so in the ‘fire’ that shall follow the earthquake.

The Epiphany Messenger told us that the 70-years desolation of Christendom began in 1914. He based this opinion on the desolation of Israel which lasted for seventy years – “until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.” (Seventy years—2 Chron. 36:21) Therefore, if the desolation of Israel from 607 BC to 536 (seventy years) under the yoke of the Assyrians, is a parallel, we should expect this to end in 1984 – at which time some great event will happen to confirm this thought. This is not our own origi­nal conclusion, but that of the Epiphany Messenger; and we shall place some credence in it unless time itself convinces us otherwise.

As we consider the events of the year just past, it should convince any open mind that we are in “the time of the end” – even though we had no chronology, no other prophe­cies, no parallel dispensations, etc. All the evidence shows that we are “in the evil day.” (Eph. 6:13) And considering this, we need have no fear, for “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” (Psa. 29:11)

Due to a very heavy load of work, as well as some illness here in the Bible House, and the death of our brother, Henry Hoefle of Detroit, we are not sending the usual Holiday greetings; but we do want to thank the many friends who have sent us their good wishes, love and prayers, which we heartily reciprocate. Please know that the en­couragement of our dear brethren has been a great blessing to us; and we wish all our readers the Lord’s richest blessings in the New Year – both temporal and spiritual. “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psa. 32:11)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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ANNOUNCEMENT

This year the proper time for the Memorial is after six p.m., April 9. Details will be furnished later.

NO. 282: GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

No. 282

At this time of the year there are so many people reminded of Jesus our Savior ­and it is a pleasure to see them rejoice in the Birth of our Savior. We well realize that much of the emphasis placed on this occasion is for commercial purposes, yet the general atmosphere is “Good Will To Men.” It seems to affect those who are not be­lievers – especially those of “good will.” Even though we know it is not the correct date for the birth of our Lord, it is not indicated in the Scriptures that we should celebrate that event; therefore, if the world wishes to honor His birth, we can join with those who from the sincerity of heart appreciate Him as their Redeemer. We now offer the following from That Servant as given in our Daily Manna, with which we are in full agreement:

“Although we cannot agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of our dear Redeemer, but must insist that it was about October first (Studies Vol. 2), nevertheless, since He did not intimate His desire that we should celebrate His birthday, it is quite immaterial upon what day that event, of so great importance to all, is celebrated. Upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and appreciation toward God and to­ward the Savior. The habit of giving little remembrances one to another at this time of the year seems to us specially appropriate. God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift, He is continually giving; and we are continually receiving from Him, but amongst all His gifts the One of greatest importance is the Gift of His Son to be our Redeemer.”

That Servant never criticized or made a special difference with any one unless the matter was basic and important to the Plan of Salvation. He was indeed “That Wise and Faithful Servant”! Had the Jehovah’s Witnesses continued in the “faith once de­livered unto the saints,” they would not have caused so much heartache and anguish in the homes of their devotees. However, these people are misled, and quite a few of them do these things because they think it is God’s will. But the Jehovah’s Witnes­ses must be different, and advertise their difference. Had they followed the course of “That Wise and Faithful Servant” they would not have caused so much misery and hardship for their faithful adherents – not for the “witness of the Truth,” but for the witness of the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses. And so long as these “witnesses” do so because of their belief that they are doing God’s will, the Lord is mindful of them – and in due course will bring them to a “knowledge of the Truth.” So we should “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Tim. 2:25)

Although December 25 is generally recognized as the birth date of JESUS, there is not the slightest hint in the Bible or in secular history that this is the correct date. How then has this date been established? Jesus said, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39) Among the outstanding types of the Old Testament that “testify” of Him is the one on the Day of Atonement, in which sacrifice of the bullock typified Jesus as the Atonement for our sins. This service was held on the tenth day of the seventh month – the tenth day of the seventh month is Tishri, or Tizri, which is represented in our calendar by about the tenth of October. And in every institutional type the antitype must appear on the same date as did the type.

The question now comes, Why this gross error? After the “falling away” (2 Thes, 2:3) became more pronounced in the early Church, the question of the same date for the Jewish Day of Atonement and the birth of Jesus propounded some irritating and intricate questions, so the “bright minds” of the time came up with this solution: The Vernal Equinox occurs about March 25, so Jesus would begin generation in Mary about that time; and nine months from March 25 would arrive at December 25, which should be the day of His birth. Truly, “Wisdom is justified of her children”! (Matt. 11:19) And we have here an excellent illustration of that truth. But we agree with That Servant, that we may properly enough join with all those whose hearts are in the attitude of love and ap­preciation toward God and toward the Savior on December 25, which is generally accepted as the birth date of our Redeemer.

“Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” But the Jehovah’s Witnesses bring us “bad tidings of great misery” for all those who do not join with them. Ac­cording to them, the vast majority now living will be annihilated in Armageddon unless they join with them beforehand. So the majority of this generation will have no oppor­tunity of eternal life in the Kingdom. But the Scriptures clearly teach, there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the Just and the Unjust (Acts 24:15), which will not only include those of past generations, but those of this generation also. There has never been a time when the Adversary has deceived the children of this world more than today – so why should we be surprised at those who are unable to accept the Truth? “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Cor. 4:4) But we are promised that the “eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (Isa. 35:5) in that glorious Kingdom.

Jesus did not die for the few who become His footstep followers during this Faith Age, when sin is in the ascendancy, but He died for all mankind – to be “testified in due time.” (2 Tim. 2:1-6)  There are Two Salvations – one for the world of mankind who have been “blinded by the god of this world,” – called the “common salvation” (Jude 3); and the “great salvation” (Heb. 2:3), which is the salvation of the Elect during this Faith Age – the footstep followers of our Lord – the “called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

The story of the “good tidings” of this text (Luke 2:10) is so familiar as to re­quire no special comment – yet in its simple details lies the hope of the whole world. For four thousand years the birth of this child was promised, and during these forty centuries some faithful souls continued to trust in the promises and to look for the salvation to be brought about through Him. We may surely take it for granted that the humble shepherds to whom the message of the Lord’s Advent first came were men who thus hoped in the promises of God; for to such, and to such only, the Lord discloses His purposes.

These men were quietly tending their flocks by night when suddenly “the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.” (Luke 2:9) But their fear was soon overcome by the message of the angel, which, strange to say, has been partially omitted – leaving out one of the grand­est features of the message – viz., that it was to be to all people.

The message reads, “Fear not; for, behold I bring you good tidings, of GREAT JOY, which shall be to ALL PEOPLE.” It will be observed that the blessedness of these tidings is cumulative: first, it is “good tidings”; then, it is “great joy”; and then the crowning feature of it is that it is to “all people” – not only to you shepherds who are this night looking for the hope of Israel, but for your friends and relatives – to all their friends and relatives and neighbors far and near: to both those who now live, but to all those now in death.

Blessed tidings! Hearken to the gladsome sound: “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Verse 11) Then He was to be a Saviour to all people: so the Scriptures clearly affirm, saying that, by the grace of God, He tasted death for every man, and that He gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time – for all. (Heb. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:6) The testimony, however, is quite as necessary to the salvation of the sinner as the fact that Christ gave Himself a ransom for all. The favor of salvation will not be forced upon any; but the testimony that it has been provided for every man, on condition of his accept­ance of the favor upon God’s terms, is to be given to every man, for his acceptance or rejection. And though millions of the race for whom Christ died have gone down to the grave without such testimony, still the fact remains that the testimony shall be given in due time – which due time, to all such, must be after their awakening from death.

And to this agree the words of the Lord: “The hour is coming in which all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth; they that have done good (who in this present life have come into judgment and who have passed their trial successfully), unto the resurrection of life (the full reward of the faith­ful. Such will be the overcoming church); and they that have done evil unto the res­urrection of judgment.” (John 5:25–29) That is, the latter class will come forth from the grave to have the truth testified to them for their acceptance or rejection; and their final judgment of worthiness or unworthiness of life will be based upon their course under trial after the truth has been testified to them – in the Millennial Age – the Age now just ahead of us. Thus the angel of the Lord preached the good tidings of the restitution of all things (Acts 3:19-23) to the shepherds on the plane of Beth­lehem.

Verse 12: Then they told where and how they should find this bud of promise, so that when they would see Him they might feel doubly assured that this was He.

Verses 13,14: “Then suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heav­enly host, praising God, saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This shows how the angels of God are interested in the affairs of men, and how they sympathize with us and rejoice over our prosperity. And this reminds us of other statements to the effect that there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:7); and that they are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation. (1 Pet. 1:12; Heb. 1:14) Thus we see them to be creatures of God full of loving benevolence even toward a fallen race, and esteeming it a privilege to serve the heirs of this salvation, although they know, as they studiously look into God’s Plan, that some of this fallen race are by and by to be highly exalted, even above the angels who never sinned.

Thus we see their humble recognition of the right of the Creator to do what He will with His own, and their cheerful and joyful acquiescence in His perfect will, which they know to be determined by His unerring Wisdom and His fathomless love. Oh, what universal joy will prevail when the whole family of God in heaven and in earth is brought into fullest harmony under Jehovah’s Anointed!

Verses 15, 18 show the teachable attitude of the shepherds: they recognized the angels and their message as from the Lord, and, their fears being allayed, their hopes revived and their faith increased, they felt that they must go at once and see this which had come to pass. And when they had so determined, a strange star (evidently a meteor, as it could not have been a fixed star) appeared, moving in the direction which the angel had told them to go; and they followed the star until they reached Bethle­hem, when it stood still over the place where the young child was. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him and presented to Him gold and frankincense and myrrh, recog­nizing Him as the long-promised Messiah. And being warned of God in a dream, they dis­regarded the request of Herod to inform him of the whereabouts of the new-born king, and so departed into their own country another way. But as they went they published abroad the good tidings which the angels had brought to them, and how they had actually seen Him of whom the prophets testified.

Verse 19: “But Mary (mother-like) kept all these things and pondered them, in her heart,” doubtless calling to mind also the message of the angel to her. (Luke 1: 28–35) Again and again we seem to hear her say, “My soul doth magnify the Lord... for He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden... He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:46-49)

Verse 20: The shepherds returned to their flocks, fully assured of the wonderful truth that the promised seed of the woman who was to bruise the serpent’s head had really come. (Gen. 3:15) And they rejoiced and glorified God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as they were told unto them.

“NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN”

(John 7:46)

At this analysis a review is in order. We begin at the Mount of Beatitudes and close with the Mount of Transfiguration, and on the way in the Master’s words and con­duct find illustrations of the wonderful teachings of the Sermon on the Mount and how faithful obedience to the instructions there given will mean to us eventually a place in the Kingdom, pictured in the Transfiguration scene. The blessings of the meek, the merciful; the persecuted for righteousness’ sake, etc., etc., all will find their fulfillment when, by the grace of God, we shall eventually be changed, transfigured, by the grace of God, we shall eventually be changed, transfigured, by the Redeemer and Lord – “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43)

How wonderful are the Lord’s dealings with us and yet how reasonable. His appeal is, “Come let us reason together; though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as wool.” (Isa. 1:18) He shows us how He has prepared for this: that He Himself has provided, the sacrifice for sins; that our Lord has already died the Just for the Un­just that He might bring us to God, and that God can be just when He receives us, just in His dealings with us, because the justice element of His Law has been fully met on our behalf. He gives us a glimpse of the blessings He proposes to bring to the world of mankind, points us to the Lamb of God, whose sacrifice takes away the sin of the world, and invites all those who have love and sympathy and appreciation to come now and accept not only life eternal but favor upon favor – joint-heirship with His Son in the glorious Kingdom which is to bless the world in the great uplift of “restitution, which God hath-spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21)

This message comes to us through the Son of God, of whom our text declares, “Never man spake like this man.” No wonder the apostles said to Him when some were forsaking Him, “Lord, to whom should we go? Thou hast the words (the message) of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Others may indeed think that they have eternal life in themselves – they may persuade themselves that by some inherent, immortal principle they will live forever, and that when they die it will merely be the appearance of dy­ing, and actually they will become in that moment more alive than ever. At best that is a very difficult thought, and few are able to so hypnotize their own judgments as to believe it. We on the contrary, hearkening to the voice that spoke as never man spake, hear His declaration that our hope is in Him as the “resurrection and the life.” (John 5:28,29) It is reasonable.

We can reason together with God when we take the voice of His Son and reject the voices of the “Dark Ages.” From this standpoint – that a resurrection has been pro­vided through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus – the whole matter of the redemp­tion which is in Christ Jesus – the whole matter of death and eternal life is clari­fied before our mental view. We see the condemnation through Adam, and how death is justly reigning throughout the whole world of mankind ever since. We see the death of Christ, the Just for the Unjust; that He has bought us with His precious blood, that He has paid our ransom price, and that as a result, in God’s due time, all shall come forth from the power of the tomb. We see the keys of death and of the grave in the hands of the One who has purchased all; we rejoice in the proclamation of the coming blessing to all the families of the earth, through a release from this power of sin and Satan and death.

We hearken still more intently to the voice of Him that speaketh as never man spake, and hear Him assure us that there are two resurrections – one a life resurrec­tion, the other a judgment resurrection. We hear Him tell us that only those who through faith and obedience attain a standing with God under the cover of the precious sacri­fice will be counted the good, the justified, and only they will share in the life res­urrection, because only they will have passed their trial and be counted worthy of life. All others will come forth to the judgment resurrection to be disciplined under the King­dom, to receive stripes in proportion to the willfulness in which they have cooperated in their own downfall into mental, moral and physical degradation, but to be helped by the stripes, to be corrected in righteousness, if they will, and to be brought step by step out of the sin-and-death conditions, up, up, up, by resurrection power of Jesus, to the full perfection, to all that was lost in Adam.

Well may we rejoice in this One who spake as never man spake, in Him who has the words of eternal life. Respecting those words the Apostle Peter says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might become par­takers of the Divine nature.” (2 Pet. 1:4) Yes! Wonderful words of life, tell them over again, think them over again, rejoice in them more and more – let them fill our hearts and be in our mouths a new song of the loving kindness of our God, whose tender mercies are over all His works.

Of these words, which the Master spake as never man spake, the Apostle further declares that He spake of our salvation. He says, “Which salvation began to be spoken by our Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him.” (Heb. 2:3) Not only was there no eternal life in our race, and no hope for attaining any except through Jesus, but all of the promises of the past would have been powerless without His work of atone­ment, and not until He came was it known how our redemption was to be accomplished. True, the Lord had provided various types and shadows in the numerous sacrifices of the past which illustrated the fact that “without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin” (Heb. 9:22); but they could not be understood until the antitype had come. Then He brought life to light and immortality to light – life for the world, eternal life to be conferred during the Millennial Age – immortality for His Church, His bride, His Little Flock, His joint–heirs. These were never brought to light before; they were faintly seen and vaguely described, but it remained for the Great Teacher ­Jesus – to set forth before us the salvation which God had proffered through Him. Thank God that our hearts have made our lips more and more tell forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Through faith in Him we are already reckoned risen to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4), and through Him by and by the Father will raise us up by His own power, that we shall be like Him and share His glory, honor and immortality.

THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN

1 Tim. 4:19 shows that God will save all men from the Adamic Condemnation, but not eternally: “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men (from the Adamic condemnation, but not eternally; after the sentence is removed from each one, he is given an individual trial for life; and only those who prove worthy in their trial gain everlasting life), especially (He is the Savior to the uttermost only) of those that believe (the faithful elect now and the faithful non-elect in the Millen­nium).”

A NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH

Another testimony, which incidentally identifies the Judgment Day with the Mil­lennium, is found in 2 Pet. 3:6-13: “Whereby the world that then was, being over­flowed with water, perished (not the literal world – the earth – nor the human family perished, but the symbolic world, the order of affairs which then existed, was de­stroyed by the flood): but the heavens and the earth, which are now (‘this present evil world’ – Gal. 1:4, the order of affairs now existing: its heavens being its re­ligious systems and teachers and its earth being its organized society), by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire (a symbol of destruction—Mal. 3:2,3; 4:1,3; Matt. 3:11,12; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Rev. 17:16; all the symbolic earth will be devoured by the fire of God’s jealousy – Zeph. 3:8) against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing (do not forget), that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (this identified the day of judgment of v. 7 as a 1000-year day). The Lord is not slack concerning his prom­ise, as some men count slackness (God’s time seems slow to the natural man); but long-­sufferingly to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord (the 1000-year Judgment Day) will come as a thief in the night (comp. 1 Thes. 5:1-3); in which the heavens (not the literal heavens, but Satan’s false religious systems – comp. Heb. 12:26,27) shall pass away with a great noise (uproar and confusion), and the elements shall melt with fervent heat (the various com­ponent elements of the present symbolic heavens and earth will disintegrate), the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (Satan’s selfish, unjust and corrupt social arrangements shall be destroyed; but the literal earth is to remain, just as it remained after the flood – ‘the earth abideth for ever’ – Eccl. 1:4).

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens (Jesus and His faithful followers, the Millennial religious ruling powers) and a new earth (human society organized on the basis of truth, righteousness and love, as against the erron­eous, unjust and selfish arrangements of the present evil earth), wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Thus by then Jesus will have destroyed the devil and all his works. Accordingly, we look for the Millennial Age to witness the destruction of the sentence of death, as well as all the effects of that sentence; sin, error. superstition, sorrow, pain, sighing, crying, sickness, famine, pestilence, drought, extreme heat and cold, scarcity, war, revolution, anarchy, oppression, poverty, ignorance, dying and death. (Rev. 21: 1-4; 22:3)

RESULTS OF THE KINGDOM’S REIGN

One of the results of the Kingdom’s reign will be the utter extirpation of all the effects of the curse as the unholy fruits of Satan’s rule, authority and power. Among other passages, 1 Cor. 15:20-26 shows this. We quote it from the Improved Ver­sion: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become a first fruit (Jesus) of them that slept. For since by (Adam) came death, by (a) man also (Jesus) shall come the resurrection of the dead. For as all in Adam die (Jesus did not die in Adam, for He was not in Adam, and therefore our correction of the translation), even so all in Christ shall be made alive (e.g., the Little Flock is in Christ; they shall be made alive first and primarily). But every man in his own order: Christ a firstfruit (the Church is here meant); afterward they that are Christ’s at (during) his presence (those who are shown to be our Lord’s faithful followers during His presence, these shall also be made alive). Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season, when He shall have ruled over all the earth and given every man the opportunity to gain eternal life, which His Ransom-sacrifice, a corresponding price, enables Him to give), when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father (for God will be the final judge over the earth and will exercise His judgment through Christ, the Head, primarily, and sec­ondarily, the Church, His Body, as His Vicegerent); when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and (all) power (every vestige of the governorship and of the pretended might of Satan, all of this will be put down by the almighty hand of Christ, the Head, and the Church, the Body, using God’s power as that almighty power in their hand). For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy; and, because of His faithfulness, Jesus became the One who will after the close of the Millennium finally destroy it).”

But not all will obtain eternal life. Those who will not even externally reform, but will continue to be rebellious to the Kingdom during the thousand years, will after 100 years of opportunity be cut off in the Second Death (Isa. 65:20); while those who will reform externally, but without a heart reformation, will live throughout the thousand years and attain human perfection; but by the trial during the “little season” at the Millennium’s close, their unholy heart’s condition (the Adamic process) will become manifest, and they will perish in the Second Death – everlasting destruction (Rev. 20: 7-9, 15; Mal. 4:3; Psa. 37:10,35,36,38; Isa. 1:28; Acts 3:23). Those who during the Millennium will practice truth and righteousness, from the love of these principles, will be lifted up to human perfection not only in their faculties, but also in their characters (Isa. 66:10-14), and will thus be enabled to remain faithful amid the final trial during the Little Season after the Millennium; and these shall inherit the earth forever, as paradise restored (Matt. 25:35-40; Isa. 65:16-25). Such will be the grand results of the reign of Jesus and the Church in the earth (Rev. 21:3-5; 22:1-3).

The sad tragedy of sin will forever have ceased to be enacted. The ages to come will witness the realization of the angels’ song of (G1ory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will to men (Luke 2:14); and from every part of the Universe the glorious Hallelujah chorus of Jehovah’s numberless choirs, without one discordant note, shall forever and ever celebrate Jehovah and Christ, for their glorious Persons, holy Characters, wonderful Plan and great Works (Rev. 5:13)! Therefore let every lover of God and man, of truth and righteousness, pray, “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as in Heaven”! As the hymn says, “I love to tell the Story”!.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him aloud with heart and voice,

And always in His Son rejoice.

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Is Armageddon imminent, and what can we expect will be the order of affairs after Armageddon?

ANSWER: – Yes, we believe Armageddon is imminent. At the first Advent “people were in expectation (because of certain Old Testament prophecies), and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not.” (Luke 3:15) Today all Truth groups are also “in expectation” of Armageddon – as were the Jews then in ex­pectation of the Messiah; but their “expectations” today are by no means in full ac­cord with each other. The “all men” of the text had specific reference to the Jews, although it would seem a limited number of Gentiles also had a related expectation – just as some nominal Christians and worldlings also now believe Armageddon is near at hand.

It was the Parousia Messenger’s teaching that “the Heavens” (present nominal re­ligious systems) would pass away first: “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise” (2 Pet. 3:10) – with a rushing sound” (Dia.). The Berean Comment says, “a great hissing noise, uproar and confusion.” According to 1 Kgs. 19:11-13, Armageddon is but the second spasm of the “uproar and confusion,” to be followed by the “fire.” And, while Great Babylon will fall in Armageddon, never to rise again, the peoples of the various nations will attempt some sort of civil government reconstruction – the same being forged according to the temperament of the peoples in the various countries. Having been an eye witness to the 1967 riots in Detroit, and the wanton vandalism that prevailed then, it is our opinion that the “fire” will follow Armageddon rather quickly – in much less time than has elapsed between the “wind” (the world war) and Armageddon. In that 1967 upheaval the destruction was so extensive (approximating one-half billion dollars in that one city) that Detroit has not begun to reconstruct; and if such a con­dition were to prevail in all large cities, the commercial bedlam would be too much for any new government to handle efficiently.

But our concern in this question is chiefly with the religious setting. Man is by inheritance and general upbringing a religious being; it is inherent in his blood and brain organs. Therefore, it would be foolish to suppose that man will lose his relig­ious propensities just because the systems have been destroyed. It has been forcefully pointed out by That Servant that many people would gladly embrace the Truth now were it not for the intimidation or undue persuasion by their religious leaders; and we are in full agreement with that thought. Therefore, once Armageddon offers convincing proof of present erroneous teachings, it would seem a reasonable conclusion that many will be won for the Truth.

In this connection, we mention specifically the Jehovah’s Witnesses, as they have gone far astray from the teaching of That Servant. He said Armageddon is world-wide revolution, which will be a complete disruption of the present Gentile governments; but each country will set up some sort of government that they think is suitable for their needs. The Witnesses have been telling us that Armageddon will completely anni­hilate all earthly governments. They tell us that Armageddon will clear the air for them, and that thereafter they will be in complete charge – not the Jews. But the Scriptures clearly teach us when the Kingdom is established, after Jacob’s last trouble, the faithful Worthies (Hebrews, 11th Chapter) will be in charge, with the Jews as the chief missionaries of the Kingdom.

Although we cannot see clearly the details of things just ahead of us, we do know the generalities. We are still in the Faith Age, but “Ye, brethren, are not in dark­ness” (1 Thes. 5:4); and “We, according to the promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:11-13) But this “new heavens” is not the “new heavens” that the Witnesses are teaching; but through hard experiences that will come to them during and after Armageddon, the sincere among them will learn that they have been deluded and will, no doubt, come to a “knowledge of the Truth.” Although there might be an attempt made by some to set up a new set of errors after Armageddon, but they won’t survive for long, the same as the new governments will be unable to sur­vive for long. And these expressions are in exact harmony with the teachings of That Servant – teachings that the Witnesses have discarded.

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle:

I am not sure how you got my name, but it doesn’t matter. I’m glad you did. I have your paper, and enjoyed it very much. I take the Present Truth and Bible Standard, but not having found the Truth as given by That Servant until recently, I am unable to recognize the errors you point out in RGJ’s May-June PT. What you say makes sense.

I would like to continue receiving your paper, and also a list of your publications for sale... I am enclosing a love gift to aid in the work you are doing. Until I hear from you, may you have joy and peace in serving our Beloved Master.

Sincerely your brother ------- (OKLAHOMA)

NO. 281: THE JULY-AUGUST 1978 PRESENT TRUTH

No. 281

In the above-mentioned Present Truth, RGJ again repeats his many errors on his non-existent class of Campers Consecrated, reiterating that they will be the first blessed in the Kingdom instead of “to the Jew first.” It doesn’t seem to bother him that his contentions set aside the clear Scriptures, as well as the teachings of the two Messengers that we have quoted in our papers. His “strange fire” (false doctrine) has no Scriptural foundation, nor any support from That Servant or the Epiphany Messen­ger; therefore, it comes within the scope of the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:3 – error, which has no bottom in it). “Search for the truth is the noblest occupation of man; its publication is a duty,” is a saying worthy of practice; and we again quote some of the teachings of the “faith once delivered unto the saints,” which refute RGJ’s errors:

“Hence it will be after the Gospel Age when the New Covenant will be made, and that with Israel only.” (E-6:699)

“When we ask ourselves what the blessings are that the New Covenant will Millen­nially confer upon Israelites and Israelite-made Gentiles, we find them summed up in Christ’s perfect human body and life, right to perfect human life and its life-rights.” (E-6:709)

“We are guaranteed that a full opportunity will reach all, but that opportunity will be under the terms of the New Covenant for the blessing of all the families of the earth. It will be first applied to the Ancient Worthies; they will get the bless­ings and privileges of the New Covenant immediately. After that it will be ‘to the Jew first’, because of his long waiting for such a kingdom, and his waiting for such a king­dom will be rewarded with the joy and blessing which he will at that time enter into.” (Reprints 4760, col. 1, par. 3)

“The great Mediator of the New Covenant will not be seen with the natural eye.... The first to ‘look upon him whom they pierced’ will be the natural Israelites .... they will be trained, chastened, blessed and uplifted by him during the Millennium.” (Reprints 4544, top, col. 2)

The Berean Comment on Rom. 2:10: “To the Jew first... during the Millennium, as a natural result of his training under the Law.” (Their training will have the de­sired results under the New Covenant, because they will then be able to obey and live.)

THREE GENERAL GROUPS

RGJ lists Three General Groups of the quasi-elect on pp. 50,51, which we now briefly review: The first, he says, is made up of those Jews who during the Jewish and Gospel Ages have come into harmony with the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants, though not consecrating. And the second General Group consists of those Gentiles (and some Jews), while not consecrating, have repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior and have remained faithful to the Ransom and to righteousness. RGJ cites us to Z 5164, and quotes par. 4 of this article on p. 58, col. 1, par. 2, in an effort to “prove” that he has the support of That Servant for his false doctrine. Why didn’t he refer to the whole article? We answer, Because that article annihilates his conten­tions that the natural Jew is not “first.”

In Reprints 5163, bottom, and 5164, top, That Servant says: “This New Covenant is to be made with Israel alone: for God never purposed to make a covenant with the Gen­tiles. The New Covenant will properly be so called because it will take the place of the Old Law Covenant, which God made with Israel and was broken by them. After Israel has been fully established under their New Covenant, all other nations will be privi­leged to come into relationship after the manner set forth in the Law (Gentiles who be­came “proselyte Jews”—JJH). All the world will eventually be blessed thereby. The New Covenant, then is to be made with such of Abraham’s descendants as are able to re­ceive it.”

As our readers can see, That Servant’s Z 5164 article that RGJ cited to prove his contentions, actually “dis”proves them: the article indisputably teaches that it will be “to the Jew first,” as is taught in the Scriptures. RGJ used another of That Ser­vant’s articles to “prove” Cornelius was not “repentant and believing”; and we quoted from that same article that so annihilated his contention that we have heard no more from him about Cornelius.

Why is RGJ so confused that he quotes from such articles that refute his errors instead of supporting them? We answer, He is so confused and befuddled with his errors that he can “see” only what he wants to see; and the same is true about his sectarian helpers, who may be the ones primarily responsible for such foolish mistakes. However, it is our fond hope that RGJ will see from Z 5164 that Brother Russell doesn’t support his errors in any place, and be persuaded to cease mentioning Campers Consecrated, and related errors, as he has done with his contentions about Cornelius.

RGJ’s third General Group is the Consecrated Epiphany Campers. He says they will attain to a much greater degree of harmony with truth and righteousness in this life than do either of the two unconsecrated groups mentioned (p. 51); and on p. 53 (26) he refers to Medan – the Consecrated Epiphany Campers, the highest class among the quasi-­elect.

Here is what That Servant says about the “highest class”: “The Apostle says that it is to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. In other words, he gives us a picture that God’s blessings of every kind begin with the Jew. He gave the Jew the first oppor­tunity under the Abraham Covenant, when Christ came to His own and His own received Him not. And when it comes to the blessings of the New Covenant, the opportunity will come to the Jew first, and he must take his stand, but it is ultimately to reach all the fam­ilies of the earth. The Jews may come and share with the Church, and with the Ancient Worthies, in the matter of carrying this glorious message to the other nations ... it will be to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” (Question Book, p. 165)

“The Scriptures teach us it (the Kingdom—JJH) will begin with the Jews. They will be the first to be favored in that restitution time. God’s favor will come first to them through the Ancient Worthies, and then through them afterwards to all nations, kindreds and tongues.” (Question Book, p. 217)

But so far it seems that RGJ will “continue in his errors,” keep “casting aside” clear Scriptures and the teachings of the Messengers, just as do the Witnesses. However, RGJ does distribute the Parousia and Epiphany books that dispute his errors, which is commendable – as he refutes himself with these writings. If his Consecrated Campers would study Epiphany Volume Four on Youthful Worthies and Tentative Justification, if they have “good and honest hearts,” they will come to a “knowledge of the truth.” They will learn that the Epiphany Messenger, as well as That Servant, taught that Youthful Worthiship would be available “until restitution begins” – also Tentative Justification would be available for such consecrators; that Tentative Justification and Youthful Worthiship are synonymous.

THE EPIPHANY PERIOD

According to RGJ, the Epiphany has overlapped into the Basileia for 24 years ­and this “overlapping” is before the three main features of the Epiphany, or the Time of Trouble, have even started: Armageddon, Anarchy and Jacob’s Trouble! His Campers Consecrated doctrine has caused him to go into one error after another in his effort to support it. At one time he was clear on Tabernacle types, Tentative Justification, etc., according to his letter in E7:165-166. But since 1954 he has taught that Tenta­tive Justification is in the Epiphany Camp and also in the Millennial Camp. However, in this Present Truth he may have come back to “Tentative Justification will continue until restitution begins,” according to p. 58 (70) where he cites E-4:346 as proof. In that same book, the Epiphany Messenger teaches that Tentative Justification and oppor­tunity for Youthful Worthiship are synony­mous – that is, both will operate “until resti­tution begins.” (E-4:342)

It seems that RGJ is like the Jews at our Lord’s First Advent: “Thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” (Luke 19:44 – see Berean Comment) If we are faithful we look to the Lord’s Word as our guide; and 2 Thes. 2:8 clearly tells us the “times” in which we are now living: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness (epiphan­eia) of his coming (parousia).” So we are in the Epiphany – and will be until Papacy is destroyed, and until the end of Anarchy and Jacob’s Trouble. (See E-4:53,54) Berean Comment on 2 Tim. 3:17: “There is no need for assistance from dreams ... The Spirit shall guide you into all Truth.”

So the Lord’s faithful children know the “times and seasons” even though some of the best of the Lord’s people have made mistakes in their expectations: That Servant ex­pected the Time of Trouble to be over in a few years; and Brother Johnson thought it would be a period of forty years – although he had only types and parallels to corroborate his expectation. Such expectations by faithful Mouth­pieces were permitted for a “trial of your faith.” Had they lived they would have seen their mistakes, of course, even as they were humble enough to admit some of the mistakes they made while they were with us. However, they both taught, with Scriptural proof, the events that would occur in the Epi­phany, or the Time of Trouble. So we are indeed furnished with necessary knowledge to recognize the “times and seasons” in which we are living; and if we need further light in our walk by faith, we can rest assured that the Lord will provide such light: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7 – See Berean Comment)

THE EPIPHANY CAMP

As most Truth people know, a place in the Tabernacle types a condition in the antitype; and the Camp condition is a temporary condition in the Faith Age, as well as in the Millennial Age. The type represents a temporary and imperfect condition ­therefore, no consecration can be made in the Camp to God: He doesn’t accept anything less than perfection. Christ’s merit is in the Court during the Faith Age, therefore those that consecrate are “counted perfect,” even though they are tabernacling in imper­fect flesh. There is an embargo on the Court until all the occupants have finished their course. There is never an imputation of Christ’s merit in the Epiphany Camp or in the Millennial Camp. The Merit is applied in the Millennial Camp after the embargo is lifted from the Court.

We call Tabernacle Shadows the “greatest little book” that has ever been written ­because these types and shadows are all-inclusive of the Plan of Salvation for all man­kind – for the elect in the Faith Age, and for the non-elect in the Millennial Age; and these types and shadows have clear Scriptures to corroborate them. When types and paral­lels are produced that don’t have plain Scriptural terms to corroborate them, we should be wary of them. As Brother Russell says: “A type must not be used to teach a doctrine, but merely to illustrate one that is already taught in plain terms.” But the types in Tabernacle Shadows are unmistakably corroborated by plain Scriptural teaching. The Epi­phany Messenger often emphasized that those thoroughly instructed in Tabernacle Shadows and Justification would never go too far into error.

But what do we find among some of the Truth groups! JFR cast aside Tentative Justi­fication, Tabernacle Shadows and the Six Volumes of Scripture Studies; and RGJ has perverted Tentative Justification and cast aside many basic types of Tabernacle Shadows – also has revolutionized against many basic Truths of both Parousia and Epiphany teach­ings. All his Campers Consecrated who have a “good and honest heart” would come to a “knowledge of the Truth” if they were given an opportunity.

No imperfect person can consecrate in the Epiphany Camp and God accept his conse­cration; but it will be different in the Millennial Camp, all Restitutionists will be imperfect, but they will not only be permitted to consecrate but will be commanded to consecrate – or commanded to obey the rules of the Kingdom. The “sinners” against the New Covenant will not be allowed to hurt or harm any one else: they will not be permit­ted to teach others error – there will be no error there – “no night there” (Rev. 21:25). In the Faith Age the “sinners” against their Covenant have been permitted to harm others, to teach them error, etc. The Measurably Faithful and the Unfaithful have done others much harm during this Age both spiritually and physically.

During the Kingdom the Restitutionists make their consecration to the Christ ­and they have a Mediator between them and God’s Justice. God has turned the whole process over to Jesus and the Church. In the Gospel Age their consecration is to God ­and instead of a Mediator they have an Advocate – He is not only the Advocate for the Church, but also for the Great Company. How could the Great Company receive Divine forgiveness for the willful sins that lost them their crowns unless they have an Advo­cate to plead their cause for them? Also the Youthful Worthies need an Advocate – although their Advocate is tentative the same as their justification. But they need Jesus, too. They daily ask for forgiveness of their trespasses – through Jesus.

Why does RGJ emphasize the Epiphany and Millennial Camps! We answer, It is his fantasy about Campers Consecrated – a new doctrine he has produced. The Epiphany Mes­senger clearly and emphatically taught that no Great Company can produce a new doctrine ­not only Great Company, but none of the members of the Little Flock can do so, aside from the Star Members. (See E-11:495) We should remember that the Camp condition in the Kingdom applies only to the imperfect condition of the Restitutionists. As they walk up the Highway of Holiness, they are entering a righteous condition: their per­manent abode will not be the Camp! It is only the people who are imperfect: the New Covenant is perfect with perfect Laws that will continue forever. However, during the Kingdom, there will be an iron rule – Marshall Law will be enforced. That is not true of the Gospel Age – nor will it be true of the Ages following the Kingdom. When per­fected, the Restitutionists will be sons of God.

The New Covenant is Israelitish, and, therefore, to the natural Jew first; but RGJ says on p. 52, col. 2, top, that the Consecrated Epiphany Campers are secondary after the Worthies. So the way he has it now, it will be “to the Gentile first,” as it was the Gentiles “first” who became Campers Consecrated. So far as we know, no Jew has embraced RGJ’s doctrine. RGJ’s teaching makes the Apostle Paul, Brother John­son and Brother Russell false teachers when they say “to the Jew first.”

TYPES AND PICTURES

RGJ admits his fantasy for making types and drawing pictures (See his Nov. 15, 1910 letter in Reprint 4716); and that may have been a contributing factor in losing his crown. But, be that as it may, since Brother Johnson’s demise he has run the gamut of type-making, picture-making, paralleling, etc. Types, pictures and “flashes” are all he has to support his false doctrine. Any one with a vivid imagination, and a knowledge of the histories of the Bible, can “make types and pictures” of characters and events given. But such erroneous types lack harmony with the “faith once delivered unto the saints,” as well as the Plan of Salvation as taught in the Scriptures. We can see this lack of harmony in the types and doctrines “delivered unto the Measurably Faith­ful” – the crown-lost leaders.

In the Present Truth under review RGJ has about 515 questions for his sectarian adherents to “study” his false doctrine. There are about 400 questions in Tabernacle Shadows – a book of 128 pages; and it has taken some classes two years or more with a weekly study to complete that book. Also, have his Campers Consecrated studied Taber­nacle Shadows, the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, and any of the Epiphany books – especially Epiphany Volume Four on the Epiphany period, Youthful Worthies and Tentative Justification, etc.? If they don’t have a basic knowledge of Parousia and Epiphany Truth they will be susceptible to errors, and while studying RGJ’s Present Truth, they will be “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:7 – See Berean Comment)

CONSECRATION “UNTO LIFE” AND “UNTO DEATH”

On p. 62 there is a question as to whether it would be proper for Campers to con­secrate “unto life” since they will receive eternal life if faithful. RGJ’s answer to that is, the emphasis should be placed on “consecration to do God’s will” – and not whether “unto life” or “unto death.” He says that all consecrators should do so “in the same spirit” in which Jesus consecrated Himself.

All Jesus’ life He had practiced Duty Love, and had kept the Ten Commandments ­had done all that will be required of Restitutionists to gain eternal life; but when Jesus offered Himself to God as a living sacrifice – to walk a “narrow way” under ex­tremely adverse conditions – it was a different spirit (mind) than the obedience he practiced up to Jordan. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Heb. 5:8) The Berean Comment on this text: “What it means to be obedient under most adverse conditions.” Restitutionists will learn obedience under most favorable conditions: those favorable conditions do not require self-sacrifice, so they are not required to consecrate with a “spirit” of sacrificing “unto death.” They are not required to have a faith that can trust Him where they cannot trace Him: they must have some faith, but they will be able to “trace Him” at every step of obedi­ence as they walk up the Highway of Holiness in their consecration “unto life.” So only the “called ones” during the Faith Age can make a consecration “unto death,” which is quite different from a consecration “unto life.”

The rules for the Faith Class during the Faith Age are given in the Bible; but the rules for Restitutionists are from “another book of life”—Rev. 20:12. The rules are quite different during the Millennial Age: they are reasonable to the natural man; but the rules of the Faith Age are more than the natural man can appreciate ­only Spiritual Israelites can appreciate them. So it is impossible for Restitution­ists to consecrate in the “same spirit” of our Lord and His footstep followers. A sacrificial spirit is not required of natural Israel, and other Restitutionists, in the Faith Age, nor will it be required of them in the Kingdom. We have known a few who have learned about the Kingdom and its blessings, after “counting the cost” of do­ing God’s will under adverse conditions, they decided that Restitution was good enough for them. Restitutionists will not be asked to “count the cost” of doing God’s will in the Kingdom: they will be commanded to obey. The spirit of Jesus was to give His life as a “living sacrifice” unto death, which is not required of Restitutionists in this life or in the next life.

THE “NARROW WAY” AND THE HIGHWAY

The Law Covenant was given to the Jews to live by – to obey and live. Had any of the Jews been perfect they could have kept a perfect Law; but those who honestly tried to keep the Law would have kept it had they been perfect. However, they were blessed as they honestly tried to keep it to the best of their ability. The Apostle Paul tells us: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us (Israelites – the “Jew first”) unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” There never was a “narrow way” for the natural Jew; the “narrow way” (the difficult way) was given to Spiritual Israel. There is no hint in the Bible that the faithful orthodox Jew would have to walk a “narrow way” to receive the promise – to be “first” under the New Covenant.

The New Covenant is made for the Jews, as well as for all others who become “pros­elyte Jews.” The blessings of the New Covenant will go to the natural Jew first, and then to the Gentile-made Jews, as That Servant taught. The blessings and privileges offered to Spiritual Israel, were offered to natural Israel first – and so the bless­ings of the New Covenant, to the natural Jew first.

Justification in this Faith Age is instantaneous; in the next Age justification will be gradual – prompted more by sight than by faith – although they will have to have faith in God’s promises. When the Restitutionists see the progress in themselves and in others in their obedience as they walk up the Highway of Holiness, it will encourage them to “keep on keeping on” in duty love toward God and Man. The place (condition) for walking a “narrow way” is only in the Court – and that in the Faith Age. There is no “narrow way” in the Epiphany Camp, and no “narrow way” in the Millennial Camp. Con­secration “unto death” is for the Faith Age – and that “way” is in the Court condition. Consecration “unto life” is in the Kingdom – and the “way” is to the Highway of Holiness. In the “finished picture” of the Epiphany Camp only the “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles, though unconsecrated, are represented there. They make a partial consecra­tion – a consecration to practice righteousness, and duty love to God and Man. They cannot do that perfectly in this Age, but will be able to do so more and more as they walk up the Highway of Holiness. They will renew their consecration under the New Covenant and will readily walk up the Highway of Holiness.

The voluminous writings of That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger regarding the New Covenant’s blessings “to the Jew first,” together with Scriptural corroboration, should convince any one with the “spirit of a sound mind” that it is the Truth. There is a measure of willfulness in any one who sets aside this faithful teaching. It seems to have become an anathema with RGJ to say, “to the Jew first,” as given in the Scrip­tures. All who set aside the faithful teaching of the Star Members also set aside the Apostle Paul’s teaching – God’s inspired Word!

THE “ISRAEL ANNIVERSARY NUMBER”

The June 1978 Bible Standard is RGJ’s “Israel Anniversary Number,” so we read it very carefully to see whether he is teaching them his “new light” (?) on Consecrated Epiphany Campers; and we found no mention of this doctrine in that Bible Standard ­or in the report of the trip to Israel by G. Hermetz. The question has been asked, Is RGJ only using the faithful Truths taught by That Servant? or is he teaching them his “new commandment” that they will have to walk a “narrow way” in the Epiphany Camp and become a Consecrated Epiphany Camper if they are to receive the promise, “to the Jew first”? If he is not informing them of this important new discovery, then Why not? Our answer is, that we only know what is presented in the Present Truth and the Bible Standard – and no mention of this doctrine is made in the Bible Standard that we have noticed; and we don’t know whether he is sending the Present Truth to the orthodox Jews. He should tell his readers what his policy is toward the Jews. Is he teaching one thing to the orthodox Jews and another thing to the Gentiles?

We know of no Scripture that tells us that the faithful orthodox Jews must consecrate and walk a “narrow way” in the Epiphany Camp to receive the promise. However, if RGJ believes his own doctrine, then it is his duty and obligation to inform the Jews of his “new commandment.” We know of no Scripture – no hint in the Scriptures – that the blessings of the New Covenant will be “to the Jew and Gentile” who consecrate and walk a “narrow way” in the Epiphany Camp. The blessings will go to the natural Jew and the Gentile-made (“proselyte Jews”) first – and these blessings will go to them “last,” as the New Covenant is Israelitish!

Why do we constantly refer to and quote the Messengers’ teaching? We answer, because they taught the Truth – and because “necessity is laid upon us” if we would be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren. If RGJ believes his own teaching, he would be like the Apostle Paul: “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” Certainly, he should not “shun” to declare his doctrine to the Jews, as it is more important for them to know about it than it is for the Gentiles. There is no Scripture promising the Gentiles they would be first to receive the New Covenant blessings.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” (Isa. 29:13) The Berean Comment on this text: “Far from me...’Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof’... The precept of men... The eternal torment theory is a man-made doctrine, not a Scriptural doctrine.” (Any doctrine not taught in the Scriptures is a man-made doc­trine – Consecrated Campers, Great Multitude, Justification in the Epiphany Camp, etc.—JJH)

“Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” (Isa. 29:15) Berean Comment: “Their counsel... Schemes, plans... Who seeth us ... ‘The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.’“

“Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potters clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?” (Isa. 29:16) Berean Comment: “Upside down Perverting the Lord’s plan and doctrines.”

We repeat, if RGJ believes his own doctrine of Campers Consecrated, he should de­clare it to the Jews and Gentiles alike. As Brother Russell says, however, all God’s favors begin with the Jew first – and also reminded us that all who bless and comfort the Jews would be blessed themselves. So RGJ shouldn’t be teaching one thing to the Gentiles and another thing to the Jews. But, “A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) As the Lord has said, “Thou shall speak my words unto them whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious” (Ezek. 2:5); And this we continue to do.

MORE FROM THAT SERVANT

“But strictly speaking, they (the benefits of the New Covenant—JJH) will not be for all people, because they will be applicable only to those who will become, in the Millennial Age, true Israelites. If any refuses the opportunity of becoming the ‘seed of Abraham’ he will not get the benefits of the Atonement .... Just as in Israel’s time, if there were any Gentiles who desired to become Jewish proselytes and who would conform to the terms and conditions appertaining to joining of the Jewish nation, they might become Israelites with the privileges of an Israelite; but if they declined... such failed to become Israelites, failed to get any of the blessings that were under the Mosaic Law. And similarly during the Millennial Age: Any one who will refuse to come under the terms ... of the New Covenant ... will fail to get the blessings.” (Reprint 4607, col. 2, par. 1)

“The orthodox Jews, those who still hold to the teachings of the Law and the Prophets, and have faith in God, will be the first to receive the blessings of the New Age.” (Reprint 5721, col. 2, par. 4)

It should be noted here that RGJ has repudiated large sections of the writings of both the Parousia and Epiphany Messenger – and also has set aside all their teach­ing, “to the Jew first,” to accommodate his false doctrine of Campers Consecrated. As an example, we quote:

“And what is typed by burning those parts of the lamb that re­mained uneaten? We reply: making it cease to exist as an imputable thing: the entire merit, then freed from the former outstanding imputations, through the death of all for whom imputations of it were made, will then cease to be used for further imputations, that it may be used as an entirety for one general application for the restitution class.” (E-11:170, bottom)

SUMMARY

As mentioned, the Lord’s faithful people are not in darkness as to what period we are now living. Not only does 2 Thes. 2:8 tell us that we are yet in the Epiphany, but there are other corroborating Scriptures: “But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you... Ye are all children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (1 Thes. 1:1,5)

It should be noted that RGJ cites his past errors in the Present Truth to “prove” his present errors. Any reference to the articles of the Messengers is to a paragraph that he thinks supports his errors, which paragraph taken alone is out of context with the general teaching of the article by That Servant. Note the paragraph RGJ quoted on p. 58, col. 1, par. 2, of this July-August Present Truth from Z 5164 – and read the article, if you have this Watch Tower; also note our quotation from the same article on p. 2 of this paper. As will be noted, That Servant is teaching in harmony with all his articles – “to the Jew first.” The same is true regarding his contention that Cor­nelius was not “repentant and believing” before the door of opportunity was offered to the Gentiles. He quoted a paragraph from an article by That Servant that he thought up­held his contention. But when we quoted another paragraph from that same article prov­ing that Brother Russell did not - and never had - upheld his contention, we have heard no more from him about Cornelius not being “repentant and believing” before the door was opened for the Gentiles. His audacity in setting aside the clear Scriptures on “to the Jew first,” as well as the teachings of both Messengers, is indeed a sorry testimony against him – especially since we have repeatedly cited and quoted so many of them!

And we now quote Brother Johnson’s teaching on this subject, which is most perti­nent to the above: “The advancing Truth does not set aside the Truth formerly received, as some deceivers teach.” (E-9:19)

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1) So, let us therefore, “Continue thou in the things thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14)

It has truly been said: “There is a destiny that makes us brothers – none goes his way alone.” But we want to make sure that we don’t go in the way of “sinners.” “Blessed is the man... that standeth not in the way of sinners.” (Ps. 1:1) Berean Com­ment on this text: “Sinners against their covenant of consecration (crown-losers—JJH)”

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Psa. 12:6) “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psa. 27:1)

Sincerely your brother,

 John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brethren:

I recently read the enclosed leaflet and enjoyed it very much. I would appre­ciate one copy each of your leaflets as checked. Thanking you, I am

Sincerely for this service, ------- (FLORIDA)

...........................................................................

Gentlemen:

Please send me the following papers: No. 5, Two Distinct Salvations; No. 6, God’s Great Sabbath Day; No. 9, The Day of Judgment.

Sincerely, ------- (NORTH CAROLINA)

NO. 280: IN MEMORIAM

No. 280

On Oct. 31 it will be 62 years since our beloved Brother Russell left us; and on Oct. 22 it will be just 28 years since our dear Brother Johnson joined him. All our readers who knew these brethren even passingly well know they both had superior intel­lects. Brother Johnson graduated from Capitol University in Columbus, Ohio, with the highest honors of any one who had attended that University up to that time. He was a Greek and Hebrew scholar, was well conversant with seven languages; and in his younger days he could give an oration in Latin, which very few college professors of Latin can do. He was so well educated in the Hebrew and Greek that he would quote copious sections of the King James Bible, then quote the same passages from the Hebrew or Greek, as the case might be. We were intimately acquainted with him for 27 years, although we never had the pleasure of meeting Brother Russell.

However, we did know brethren who had known him well, one of these having been his private secretary for quite some time; and a number of these told us about him within a year after he died, which somehow gives us a feeling of having known him personally. He had none of the institutional learning of Brother Johnson; but we believe that none of our readers will dispute the fact that he was an educated man. In fact, one Professor of English remarked that he considered The Divine Plan of the Ages as nearly perfect in Eng­lish and grammar as any book he had ever read. But his enemies often hurled the slur at him, as they did with Jesus Himself – When He was come into their own country, He taught them so much that they were astonished, and said: “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Matt. 13:54) Also, “having never learned.” (John 7:15) His memory deserves to be kept fragrant among us; and we honor his memory more by abiding in the beautiful system of truth that he left us, and by not accepting the many errors of our day – errors that set aside the fundamental truth that he established. And with this brief introduction we now proceed to a discussion of

THE LAODICEAN STAR

“One like unto the Son of Man ... had in his right hand seven stars”– Rev. 1:13-16. “The Finished Mystery” offered the following explanation for this text, which that book quoted from p. 345 of the 1916 Watch Tower:

“This One whom we thus know, thus recognize, as the Instructor and Caretaker of the candlesticks, we are also to recognize as having in his right hand – in His favor as well as His power – seven stars, the angels, the messengers, of the seven churches. That they are in His right hand seems to teach us that these should be considered as in some special sense under the Master’s guidance, protection and care in the interest of the Churches which they represented.” We have offered this quotation from Brother Russell because it fits exactly our own understanding of the text.

However, the book then goes on to name the “seven stars” as St. Paul, St. John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe, Luther and Russell. This part of the book is not from Brother Russell, but is the private interpretation of the writers of the book which we believe is contrary to sound Bible analysis. We disagree also with most of their time predic­tions, because time itself has demonstrated them to have been nothing more than the im­agination of the writers of the book – a sure proof that they were not qualified to write the book at all; and anything they have presented which is not directly from Brother Russell should be given very careful scrutiny. As instance, they say: “The chronology as it appears in the Studies in the Scriptures is accurate.” With this statement we fully agree, but the Witnesses themselves (those claiming to be the “chan­nel” for Divine Truth at the time they wrote the book) are now in complete disagreement with their own teaching in 1917; and we simply offer these few conclusions as an intro­duction to our own analysis of the”seven stars,” etc. In Rev; 12:1 it is stated that “the woman” (the true Church) – “had upon her head a crown of twelve Stars.” That these “twelve stars” are the twelve Apostles needs no elaboration; but we direct attention to the fact that there is just nothing in the state­ment to indicate that “star differeth from star in glory” – the twelve in the picture ap­pear as equals. And the statement by Jesus to all twelve of them confirms this: “He that heareth you, heareth Me”; they all received the miraculous gifts of the Spirit; they all were empowered to “bind and loose” on earth as occasion might require. Therefore, if the “star” to the Church at Ephesus contained more than one individual, we should be war­ranted in believing the six succeeding “stars” to those six churches of the Age would have more than one individual in them.

It is our understanding that the “seven stars” are the same as the seven “angels” (messengers) of Revelation Two and Three; they are the same as the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5; and they are the same as the “seven pipes” and the “seven eyes” of Zech. 4:2 and 4:10. Rev. 1:20 directly states “The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches.” The Bible seldom uses different words just to be different; there is usually a specific meaning in the different words used, and this seems to be true here. “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write.” (Rev. 2:1) This might be better stated, “Unto the angel of the church for Ephesus write.” The message to be given was not for the in­dividual benefit of the star who delivered it; it was rather “for” that Messenger at that particular time to deliver to the church. As the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5, these same persons would guard and protect the sheep – “take heed unto all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers.” As the “seven pipes” of Zech. 4:2 they were the channel through which the Holy Spirit was administered to the Church; and as the “seven eyes” they were God’s watchmen – “I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel” (Eze. 3:17), “The watchmen shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” (Isa. 52:8)

As the “seven stars” those shepherds of the sheep not only gave enlightenment to the Church during the night of sin and death, but they also gave a measure of light to the Christian world in general – “you appear as luminaries in the world” (Phil. 2:15, Dia.). Some of these “luminaries,” such as the Apostles, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and a few others, stand out prominently in the pages of history; but many of them have received only passing notice in the records.

We instance particularly Arius, of whom many in the Christian world have never heard at all; yet he is probably one of brightest of them all, aside from the very Apostles. We give just one example: When he was at the Council of Nice in 325 defend­ing the Truth that there is but “one God,” he was overwhelmingly out-numbered by the bishops assembled from the then Christian world. Yet one of those opposing him shouted forth during the heated debate: This man has the populace so stirred up that if you go into a store and ask the price of bread, the answer you get back from the clerk is, The Father is superior to the son; the Son is inferior to the Father. While there is little mention made of him today, it is clear enough that Arius was “a burning and shining light,” a true “luminary” in 325; and this, and similar incidents concerning the other “stars” give us a more vivid conception of Jesus’ words concerning all the fully faith­ful – “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” Eventually, when the lives and works of such “stars” are skillfully written by capable writers during the Kingdom reign, we can see how the words of Jesus will then be fully understood and appreciated. But considering now the Laodicean Star, it is our under­standing it contained two members, the first of whom we discuss as

THE PAROUSIA MESSENGER

This is the title we offer for Brother Russell because he officiated during the small Parousia from 1874 to 1914, and because he made crystal clear the meaning of the Greek Parousia – as PRESENCE, and not COMING, as it is generally given in the King James translation. Once that became clear to him, it began to sweep away many of the accumu­lated errors of the past, leading directly to his understanding of the 16th Chapter of Leviticus, the same being a concise picture of the entire Atonement, which culminates in “the restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:19-21)

It is pertinent to our subject to consider here Micah 5:5, as it pertains to Brother Russell: “When the Assyrian shall come into our land (The Assyrians were a very warlike and destructive people, well portraying the errorists of this Gospel Age), and when he shall tread in our palaces (by devastating the Truth and the Spirit of the Truth among God’s true people), then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds, and eight princi­pal men.” The fact that there are “eight principal men” among the “seven shepherds” is additional proof that the seven shepherds were composite groups, and not seven individuals.

If we view the Bible as the origin of all spiritual Truth, then we must admit that it came first of all; but, if we consider those who have vitiated its teachings (the antitypical Assyrians – the errorists), then it is clear that the error came first, with the Lord sending deliverance through His stars, angels (messengers), eyes, shepherds and eight principal men – who have “wasted the land of Assyria with the sword,” the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Truth. If we consider Brother Russell as the seventh one of those eight principal men to appear on the Gospel-Age stream of time, all of us who are familiar with his teachings must admit that he did wield the “sword of the spirit” most mightily against the accumulated errors of the past.

It had been prophetically stated of him – “I ordained thee a prophet unto the na­tions” (Jer. 1:5); and his true calculation of the chronology, with 1914 as the end of the Gentile Times, put the finger of identification upon him as a prophet who had spoken in the name of the Lord. He had predicted the outbreak of a world war by the fall of 1914; and this had received much ridicule from his enemies, who had contended that civi­lization had advanced much too far to allow of such a conflict. We have been told that when the Gideon’s had their convention in Toronto in 1913 they there openly stated that such an expectation was simply beyond belief, what with the advances in science, medicine, art and culture that had been experienced in this generation. But when the war came ex­actly on time many of his critics openly confessed that he had indeed spoken the truth, and should receive due recognition for it.

But here we concern ourselves mainly with two of his teachings that still vitally concern us – Tabernacle Shadows and his refutation of Combinationism as it appeared in the Chicago Parliament of World Religions in 1893. When the Parousia Messenger began his ministry, the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment as the wages of sin was so deeply en­trenched that it was generally considered sacrilege to gainsay it. Many were the promi­nent and forceful orators who appeared as evangelists in their crusades to save the poor sinner from such an awful fate, so that Brother Russell was faced with what seemed an im­possible assignment. This is so graphically revealed in Judges 6:5 and 7:12: “The Mid­ianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grass­hoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea­side for multitude.”

And against this portentous force Gideon was arrayed with his band of 300 – out­numbered by probably more than a thousand to one. This was precisely the situation when Brother Russell began his attacks on human immortality, the consciousness of the dead, and eternal torment as the wages of sin. His most popular public discourse was, Where Are The Dead, which always included a good exposition on Restitution. When he sent out brethren from Bethel for Sunday discourses he always urged them to include a good portion of their public discourse on Restitution; and he himself occasionally remarked to Breth­ren “That’s the subject!” when he was to speak on Where Are The Dead.

He kept steadfastly at the subject and its pertinent errors, so that he was able to see certain victory ahead by the time he had finished his ministry. By 1916 it was con­sidered by many intellectuals as a distinct mark of ignorance on the part of those who still regarded eternal torment as the wages of sin. This is probably best stated by repeating what Pilgrim Brother Sidney Morton once told us; He was spending some time at Bethel, as all the pilgrims occasionally did. Brother Russell wanted all the breth­ren to keep abreast of current events, so he appointed two or three to peruse the lead­ing newspapers each day, and give a resume at the dining room table. This saved the re­maining brethren from spending valuable time with the newspapers. On one occasion one of the reviewers began to read:

There is a man in our town

Who thinks he’s wondrous wise;

He fell into a bramble bush

That put out both his eyes.

There were several more similar stanzas, and Brother Russell was beginning to show his annoyance at what seemed to be pretty much on the vaudeville side of things, when the final lines were read:

There is a man in our town

Whose name I need not tell;

I’m sure you all must know him,

For he put the fires out of Hell.

Certainly Brother Russell was the “principal man” of God’s Household in his day; he was the “angel” (messenger) to the Church in Laodicea; he had a message to deliver and he delivered it with telling force – until the very day his Great Captain finally said to him, It is enough! But his ministry brought upon him the most vicious attacks from the brightest lights of Satan; and they were legion. When they could not gainsay or resist the Truth he preached, they devised the most vicious sort of slander against him – he was grossly immoral, a thing he could deny, but he could not disprove; and the human mind being as it is today, the advantage was with the slanderers. Many were ready enough to believe the evil side of things. Others referred to him as “That braying Balaam’s Ass!” Here was indeed the antitype of Jeremiah’s being “let down in the dun­geon .... where there was no water (truth), but mire (filthy words).” (Jer. 38:6) All this he took in stride, being mindful of Jesus’ words: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His Household?” (Matt. 10:25) The Lord Himself had called him “blessed”; and this more than compensated for the slanders hurled at him by “the workers of iniquity.” (Psa. 37:1)

Combinationism: He was adamant against the Combinationist sifters, which sifting had become prominent at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Combina­tionism takes the position that it matters not what one believes so long as he is sin­cere in his belief. In that Convention in Chicago such an attitude tended to place all the assembled heathen dignitaries on equality with Christian ideals. And it might be observed that the quality of Christianity that was displayed at that Convention by some in attendance tended to confirm such a conclusion. In fact, some of the heathen were heard to remark that they thought they should be coming to America to convert us to their ways and beliefs, instead of us sending missionaries to them to change their ideals.

Combinationism is Scriptural fornication – a combining of forbidden things. It finds its type in Num. 25:1-18, where some of the Jews were engaging in illicit union with the heathen round about in direct violation of the sixth Commandment. St. Paul pinpoints this situation in 1 Cor. 10:8: “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” And in v. 11 he states that those things happened to them “as types” and “are written for our (special) admonition and learning, upon whom the ends of the Ages are come.” Being in the clos­ing “end” of the Gospel Age and the opening “end” of the Millennial Age (the ‘ends’ of the Ages), in the closing of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age, when Paul wrote about it.

Brother Russell was rigidly opposed to Combinationism, and he made his stand known in no uncertain terms. In this he is individually typed by Phinehas (Num. 25:7, 8), who was the chief underpriest at that time. Certainly, those of us who are familiar with the history of the Harvest will offer no argument against the conclusion that Brother Russell was decidedly the chief underpriest in God’s Household during his ministry. Phinehas means “brazen mouth”; and those of us who know the record know there was never any compromise of principles by Brother Russell; and it was his unyielding stand against the Combinationist sifters that revealed him as “That Servant” of Matt. 25:46 for the first time to the brethren generally. For his uncompromising adherence to the “rules” many today still pray, God bless his memory. But this becomes only an empty and meaningless expression if we fail to follow the grand ideals he left. He was indeed that wonderful “man of God” – and “of – and to – the believers.” And with Combination­ism everywhere rampant today, we do well to take heed to ourselves lest we also fall un­der its deceptive lures.

To start from nothing against tremendous odds – as evidence the case of Gideon with his 300 – and to achieve the success he did, required remarkable ability. It could be said of him that he was versatile, efficient and immensely capable in whatever manner he applied himself. One outstanding business man once remarked that his services would be worth $2,000,000 per year to any corpora­tion large enough to afford that kind of help. Another man once remarked to him, Pastor Russell, you have put the standard of Christian living entirely too high. His answer – I didn’t put it there, Brother; the Lord did.

While his great ability was essential to his ministry, another item contributed much to his success. When he appeared upon the scene there were many in the various systems who were longing for reform – “men in the midst of the City who sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done there.” (Eze. 9:4) Thus, there were some who were not only ready to hear him, but they also joined enthusiastically with him in the work. Over a period of time he attracted to himself quite a number of the best minds in Christendom; and it is elemental to the success of any enterprise that its organizer surround himself with capable assistants. This That Servant did; and, following St. Paul’s counsel to “prefer one another in honor,” he freely delegated authority to any who showed the capac­ity to act accordingly. In this also he was a noble “example of the believers.” But he continued only to promote them so long as they also were uncompromising to principle and fundamental doctrines of the Bible. All during his ministry his shibboleth was, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4) He was a determined and unyielding foe to Combinationism to the end of his ministry.

When That Servant appeared on the scene all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible – except Restitution – were being taught in some section of Christendom; but all of them were either directly cumbered with some error, or were not clearly understood by those attempting to teach them. Before he had finished, every one of those doctrines, including Restitution, had been relieved of all rubbish, and had been made crystal clear. This was foretold in Mal. 3:1-3: “The Messenger of the Covenant ... shall sit as a re­finer and purifier of silver.” The word ‘purifier’ in this text would be better ren­dered ‘polisher’; and who of us will not admit that That Servant did ‘polish’ the Truth (silver) in admirable brilliance! And in doing this he never resorted to the tricks of oratory. There were better orators than he, but certainly no better preachers. And in him was a living proof of our Lord’s sure words, “I will give you a mouth (eloquence) and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) Every one that “was of the Truth” heard his voice gladly.

He was engaged in “the good fight” until the very day he died; and it could be said of him as one historian wrote about Martin Luther: He fell peacefully asleep in Jesus. “Them that honor Me, I will honor, saith the Lord”; and the Lord did honor him greatly. And if we wish to honor him, we can do so in no better way than to adhere to and uphold that Truth that was so dear to him. As Jesus said of Himself: “He who has My command­ments (the Truth) and observes them, that is he who loves Me.” (John 14:21, Dia.) It is our hope and prayer that this brief review may prove a rich blessing to all our readers as we approach now the 62nd anniversary of That Servant’s death.

THE EPIPHANY MESSENGER

The second member of the Laodicean Star was Brother Paul S. L. Johnson, whom we style the Epiphany Messenger because he clarified the Epiphany as an act and as a period of time in a manner never before done by any one else – so far as we know. He clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures that the Epiphany would follow the small Parousia, and would be the last period of the Gospel Age, that this special period would manifest per­sons, principals and things with a brilliance before unknown. Of course, That Servant had predicted there would be an Epiphany following the small Parousia, which would begin when the Time of Trouble would begin (See Reprint p. 2979) – but he gave no elaborate details about it, although what he did say formed the foundation for what the Epiphany Messenger wrote about it.

While the Greek Epiphaneia occurs six times in the New Testament, we here select only two texts as pointedly pertinent to our present discussion. In 2 Tim. 4:1 it is stated that “the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and kingdom.” The general concept throughout Christendom is that the “quick” in this text means those human beings still alive, and the “dead” are those in the tomb; but That Servant properly defined these classes as those quickened by the Holy Spirit and the fall­en angels, with the dead including all other human beings – whether in the tomb or out of it; that is, those “dead in trespasses and sins.” “God hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the (dead) world,” that “day” being the 1000-year day of His reign – a time that was future when Paul wrote, and is still future for the great mass of persons, although the foundation for its operation began to be laid in 1874. But “the quick” were to be judged in His Epiphaneia. Thus, the text would be more clearly expressed in this manner: He shall judge the quick at His Epiphaneia, and the dead at His Basileia (kingdom).

The various features of these great accomplishments by the Lord were given in lucid detail by the Epiphany Messenger. And the second text to have our attention is 2 Thes. 2:8 (Diaglott): “Then will be revealed the lawless one (whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of His mouth, and annihilate by the appearing of His presence).” “The appearing of His presence” is literally, “the Epiphaneia of His Parousia.” The Epiphan­eia (bright shining as an act and as a period of time) has been gradually eroding the very foundation stones of the Man of Sin’s structure, until today it is visibly falling over. But it has not yet fully done so, so we have here a sure proof that we must yet be in the Epiphany, and that this period will continue until the “annihilation” is fully accomplished. This feat is much nearer than many suppose; and it is our intention to say much more about it in the near future.

Another feature of this period would, according to That Servant, be to reveal those who have built their “house upon the Rock” and those who have built their “house upon the sand.” So long as this revealing has not yet been fully accomplished, we have here another proof that we must now still be in the Epiphany. But the Epiphany is definitely a time of separating, and a time of combining. Of His Parousia our Lord had foretold: “In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares (combine them), and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matt. 13:30) Clearly enough, from this text Combinationism would be rampant be­fore the harvest had been completed; and it offers explanation as to why both members of the Laodicean Star were so emphatic in their denunciation of it, and their warning for the faithful to have none of it.

The Epiphany Messenger had emphasized that the Gospel Age would be repeated here in the Epiphany on a small scale insofar as the Truth is concerned. The chief culprit of the Gospel Age in overthrowing the Truth has been the Man of Sin – that system hav­ing perverted or counterfeited every important feature of the Great Plan of the Ages. And in this Epiphany the Little Man of Sin (the Society, the self-styled “Channel”) has done the same thing with many important features of the Harvest Truth. Most of our read­ers know too, how determined was the Epiphany Messenger in exposing the errors of JFR and his cohorts in the Society.

Tabernacle Shadows was basic for a proper understanding of the Harvest Truth; and Brother Russell himself said that the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures all had their origin in that book. The Epiphany Messenger elaborated considerably on that con­tention, and emphasized that every important feature of God’s Plan was revealed in the typical Tabernacle that Moses constructed. But hardly had That Servant been buried before the Society editors began to demolish the Tabernacle teachings, which brought forth determined exposures by the Epiphany Messenger – so much so that they eventually aban­doned the Tabernacle completely. The heat of exposure became more than they could bear. The Epiphany Messenger contended – very logically – that if Tabernacle Shadows were basic for the Parousia Truth, it must also be basic for the Epiphany Truth; it was the founda­tion stones, and any superstructure must therefore be built upon that solid foundation.

Thus, it became his privilege, and duty, to defend almost every feature of the Har­vest Truth – just as the Gospel-Age reformers were compelled to defend every feature of God’s Plan against the encroaching errors of the Man of Sin. This embroiled all of them in constant warfare – even as their Captain had also been involved in much controversy during His 31-year stay on earth. This caused resentment on the part of many who had once been his bosom brethren; and “they walked with him no more.” And many of those who resented him became ready candidates for the evil of Combinationism.

Combinationism is an illicit union or cooperation of God’s people with persons, principles, things and practices not fully approved by God. Examples of it are evident in the union of church and state (probably the worst form of it), of denominations with denominations, of Christian people with religio-secret-societies, of Christendom gener­ally with Judaism, and heathenism. Of all the movements that originated from the Parou­sia Messenger’s organization, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been among the most rigid against actually combining with other movements; but they have also been probably the most remiss of all of them in adopting the methods of those people they studiously avoid in actual contact.

After the death of Pastor Russell, J. F. Rutherford decided to ‘modernize’ the or­ganization he had formed, and he introduced a sales campaign to distribute their liter­ature after the same pattern used by business organizations to sell their products. Lest we be misunderstood, we find no fault with secular businesses using their advertis­ing and sales ingenuity to dispose of their wares – so long as they adhere to the Truth; but the use of such methods to disseminate Christian principles, literature, etc., is violently contrary to the high ideals given by Jesus in the fifth, sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew. Nor would the Parousia Messenger adopt their technique. But JFR had some seasoned business salesmen in his group, and these he persuaded to go from city to city to teach their sales technique toward the sale of his literature. The ideals of his adherents immediately began to decline – until now the high ideals of the Parousia Messenger, based upon sound Bible principles, are almost completely gone from his group.

In a very short time the Epiphany Messenger who had a strong love for the Parou­sia Messenger and the ideals he had established saw the trend of things, and objected so strenuously that a complete and irreparable separation resulted within a matter of months. Others joined themselves to him through the same motives – although the great major­ity, many of them not too well grounded in the Parousia Truth, remained with the Society. And in a very few years those who remained were so engulfed with the spirit of Combina­tionism in practice that the Parousia ideals were a lost asset. In lesser degree, the same thing has resulted in the LHMM, which is the organization founded by the Epiphany Messenger. We ourselves say, God bless the memory of both Messengers, as we seek to “continue in the things we have been taught” by the both of them; and we abide in the conclusion of Solomon: “Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.” (Prov. 17:1)

A fitting conclusion to the foregoing is to be found in Parousia Vol. 6, p. 658: “The Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God – is the only offensive armor of the Lord’s little band. The Captain prevailed in His ‘good fight’ against the Adversary, saying, ‘It is written’; and this is the battle-cry of His followers. Others than the true soldiers have fought for the Lord with carnal weapons, and with human philosophies and worldly wisdom and organization (the methods used by the Society and the LHMM—JJH), and decrees of councils and synods and presbyteries, but we must depend in the struggle of this ‘evil day’ upon the Word of God – ‘It is written.’ We must use no darts like Satan’s – anger, malice, hatred, strife. And ‘the Sword of the Spirit’ can only be possessed by careful study and leading of the Spirit after consecration, after enlistment in this army.” And to the foregoing we would add another paragraph from Parousia Vol. 2. p. 361:

“We desire again to impress our readers with the fact that Papacy is the Antichrist, not because of its moral obliquity, but because it is the counterfeit of the true Christ and the true Kingdom. It is because of a failure to realize this fact that many Protes­tants will be deceived into cooperation with Papacy in opposition to the true king of glory.”

The above was written about ninety years ago, but it has the ring of yesterday; and persuades us all the more in our conviction that the Parousia Messenger was indeed “the prophet unto the nations,” and that he was That Wise and Faithful Servant of Matt. 24:45. It should also now be given its true evaluation by all who “have an ear to hear what the spirit sayeth unto the Church” at this very time; and to avoid Combinationism for the evil that it is – lest we “receive of her plagues.”

“We are a sweet odor of Christ to God ... not like the many, which adulterate and negotiate the Word of God for their own lucre and advantage; but really from sincerity, and as from God, in the presence of God, we speak concerning Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:15-17. Diaglott footnote)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

The Parousia Messenger spent much time in his ministry in the “good fight” against the two King Errors of Consciousness of the Dead and Eternal Torment; and Brother Johnson did likewise. He instituted an Epiphany Arrangement for Fall and Spring for a Special Effort in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle against these two King Errors; and we con­tinue in this Arrangement – and suggest Sunday, October 15 through Sunday, November 5 for our Fall Effort. The Battle is not over, and if we “faint not” the victory will be ours. We will supply the pertinent literature for this Battle, free of charge and postage paid, to all who wish to join us in this good work. We invite all who honor these two Messen­gers to join us in the prayer, God bless their memory! (1 Sam. 2:30)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Gentlemen:

A friend sent me a copy of your pamphlet No. 271... and I like this paper very much because of the truths it contains. I would like to buy about 25 copies if they are available, as I wish to pass them on to others. I would appreciate an early answer.

Sincerely ------- (WISCONSIN)

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

A little donation is enclosed for the Lord’s work, with the hope it finds you and all with you in the best of whatever is best for all of you and your welfare. That was not an easy thing to say – and there are very few people that I know who it could be said to – and would be understood.

It will be a great blessing if one can wake up on the Resurrection Morning and not have to go back and make a lot of repairs. May the Good Lord forgive us daily for our mistakes, and give us the strength and wisdom to do accordingly.

Your brother through Jesus ------- (FLORIDA)