NO. 191: THAT SERVANT - MATT. 24:45-47

No. 191

Those of the Truth groups who came into the Truth during Brother Russell’s life were substantially of one mind before 1916 – and most emphatically so, that he alone was “That Servant” of Matt. 24:45-47; and this belief was so firmly entrenched among the various ecclesias that it is doubtful if any one of them would have elected an elder to his office who openly declared his disbelief on the matter. After his death a few – a very few (we know personally of only two) – said they never did believe he was That Servant; but they concealed their opinion so well that it closely approached hypocrisy. One outstanding example of such was Frederick H. Robison, one of the Tower Editors after the Fall of 1916. He then openly declared that he never did be­lieve that Brother Russell or the Society could be “that Servant.” Yet, during the last years of Brother Russell’s life he was a regular resident at the Bible House and devoted his entire time to the Truth work. How long, think you, could he have re­mained there had he revealed himself then as he did after Brother Russell’s death? And how much reliance should any of us place in a character like that? Surely, we must regard him as a rank hypocrite, harsh though the word may seem.

But in the years that have followed all sorts of views have ‘sprouted’ among Truth people – from one extreme to the other. Some hold he was That Servant in such an ex­treme degree that he gave all the Truth due here in the end of the Age, and that he was also the last saint to be on earth. Others, such as FHR mentioned above, deny he was That Servant in any sense of the word. And in between these two views we find many variations. However, our purpose here is mainly to consider those among us who do believe he was That Servant, but whose views on some important Bible subjects di­rectly rule him out as such. In other words, if he was That Servant, then he self­-evidently was “ruler over this household,” as he was also “ruler over all His goods.” These statements would mean that he dictated the policies without accepting supervi­sion or curtailment from any other individual, or from any group of individuals; and that his teachings were in the overall sense the “due Truth” then. And, if those things were “due Truth” then, they would still be Truth now – making allowance, of course, for some minor discrepancies, some of which he himself corrected later in life.

Our established readers know of our firm belief that Brother Russell was “That Servant” in the exact words of the text; and believing such, it logically follows that we adhere closely to the general Truth structure which he gave the Household when he was with us. Of course, we realize there is some dispute about what he actually taught on a few items – such as tentative justification, the Epiphany and the Time of Trouble being identical, etc.; but those points we shall ignore in this presentation. Brother Russell himself taught that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”; and he applied this to the indivi­dual life of each sincere believer, as well as to the entire Household. Even assum­ing there are no more saints on earth, it would still be logical to expect more “light,” as Rotherham’s translation of the text clearly reveals: “The path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, going on and brightening, unto median day.”

Notice now the footnote: “the stable part of the day, when the sun seems motionless in mid-heaven.” “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” From Rotherham’s translation and footnote, it is apparent that the rising of “The Sun of righteousness” is in exact proportion to the celestial sun in its rising and progress to high noon. Thus, early risers would see the sun’s rising first, while others who might sleep to nine or ten in the morning would only see it when they arise, howbeit it would then be much brighter than at early dawn. All of us know that this has been the exact course of the Truth Movement, which forces us to accept one of two views: Either the Truth reached its full splendor in October, 1916, when Brother Russell died, or it has continued to rise higher and higher, and will continue to do so until the “median day” ­at high noon. And this will come only when “the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea.” Here is the Berean Comment on Isa. 11:9: “Earth shall be full – At the close of the Millennium. This is not true in the present time.” The “seventh trumpet” began to sound in 1874, and will continue to sound until the goats have all been destroyed at the full end of the Little Season.

From the foregoing, it should be clear enough not only that other enlightened teach­ers would follow after That Servant, but they will continue to appear unto the “median day” – at the close of the Millennium, as That Servant himself taught. However, we would say of him that he held the exclusive position of “the steward” here in the end of the Age – a position not occupied by any other individual since the days of the Apos­tles. But even in this last statement there must be some qualification, lest we be mis­understood. The “ruler over the household” (the twelve Apostles) at the beginning of the Gospel Age wrote by inspiration, and were infallible; but this was definitely not the case with the “ruler over the household” here in the end of the Age.

All of us know that Brother Russell made some mistakes – permitted by the Lord, of course, for “the trial of your faith”; but those mistakes were few indeed when we con­sider the intricate and massive Truth structure he placed upon the table as the “meat in due season.” However, to offer some allowance for his mistakes, we would say that even the Apostles – at least one of them – also made serious mistakes, outstanding among them being St. Peter himself to whom the Lord had delivered “the keys of the Kingdom.” “When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I (Paul) opposed him face to face, because he was blamable. For before certain persons came from James, he ate together with the Gentiles; but when they came he withdrew and separated himself, being afraid of those belonging to the circumcision... even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” (Gal. 2:11-13, Dia.) In this statement St. Paul openly accuses the one to whom had been committed “the keys of the kingdom” of temporary hypocrisy – a very serious charge indeed, and revealing a fault that was not chargeable to Brother Russell all during his ministry so far as we know.

Many of our readers are probably in full agreement with all of the foregoing, but there are also probably some of our readers who believe there was no special illumina­tion during that portion of the Age that lies between the Apostles and That Servant. This likewise is an extreme position. It was Moses who led Israel from Egypt (type of the world in sin) to goodly Canaan land (type of the Heavenly garner); and in this he was certainly a type of those outstanding individuals during the Age who led spiritual Israel from antitypical Egypt to the Heavenly Canaan. Those brethren also held a high position in the Household; and St. Paul makes this quite clear in Eph. 4:11-12: “He gave some, apostles (the twelve); and some, prophets; and some, evangelists (such as Timothy); and some, pastors and teachers (local elders)... for the work of the ministry.” The “prophets” in this text are the same ones mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 12:28: “God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets.”

In Eph. 2:20 the Apostle declares that the Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” And who are the “Prophets” in this text? They are the same as mentioned in the two other texts in this paragraph – those who labored in word and doctrine in “the work of the ministry” to build the Church which is His Body. Be­ing the very foundation stones, they must necessarily be a part of the building, which was not true of the Old Testament prophets. These latter have indeed taught the Gospel-Age church through their writings; but none of them received the “better thing” which has been reserved exclusively for the Church of this Age. The Gospel-Age “prophets,” the foundation stones of the Temple, are the same as the “seven stars in His right hand” (Rev. 1:16), who were the special messengers (the Gospel-Age antitype of Moses) who were given the special messages to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 – of which “stars” Brother Russell was but one – as he also was one of the “eight principal men” of the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5. The “seven shepherds” in this text are the same as the “seven stars” of Revelation, and are the same as the “prophets” mentioned by St. Paul in his writings quoted aforegoing.

EZEKIEL NINE

During Brother Russell’s life those brethren that regarded him exclusively as That Servant also regarded him as the only one included in the “man with the writer’s inkhorn” in Ez. 9:2 – so much so that there is inscribed on his tombstone at Allegheny the words, “I have done as thou hast commanded me.” There is a certain logic in all Bible presentations that provides a symmetry and harmony which should never be ignored. In Ez. 9:1, 2, six other men are mentioned, “every man with his destroying weapon in his hand”; but of the seven mentioned only one is said to be “clothed with linen”; and “fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Rev. 19:8 The one “clothed with linen” was to “set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry in the city for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Surely, none of us would contend that Brother Russell alone did all of this work, although he did considerably more than any other individual. Nor were the men with the “slaughter weapons” in their hands individuals. These six were the Harvest sifters; and no Individual monopolized the sifting errors of any one of the six siftings that occurred after 1874. Thus, con­sistency would force us to conclude that the man “clothed with linen” was more than one individual. It is true that Brother Russell did put the ink into the horn; he pro­vided the “sharp sickle” of Rev. 14:14,15 (Present Truth – see Berean Comment) that en­abled all the reapers to do the Harvest work.

History is not too profuse about many of the “stars” that came after the Apostles, but a sentence or two here and there is sufficient to give us a foundation for the be­lief in their spiritual insight. As instance, Arius: the record says of him that he “was a man of clear intellect.” And this he well must have been, when we consider the pompous assembly of bishops that congregated at Nice in 325, with only two of that il­lustrious multitude aligned with him. Yet his arguments that there is but one God were so prevailing and unanswerable that Emperor Constantine concluded that the best way to silence that man was to banish him from the Roman Empire. But even that did not silence him, because he went over into North Africa, where he died after eleven years, leaving a thriving group of “Arians” as his testimonial to the Truth he had loved so well.

And similar conclusion may be made of many others; for instance, Polycarp, Mar­siglio, Wessel, Luther, Zwingli, Servetus, Cranmer, Wesley, Miller, et al. Well did the text apply to them: “Sons of God, without rebuke... ye shine as lights in the world.” (Phil. 2:15) The Diaglott states it even more forcefully: “Irreproachable children of God, in the midst of a crooked and misguided generation, among whom you appear as luminaries in the world.” The footnote on this text says that the Greek phosteres is the name given to the sun and the moon in the Septuagint; and this was certainly a fitting description of those “stars” that led spiritual Israel all during the Gospel Age. Thus, while Brother Russell outshone many of them, he was by no means the only “luminary” that gave a “good and faithful” account of his stewardship.

OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS

As stated above, among those brethren that contend Brother Russell was That Ser­vant, there are some – quite a few, in fact – that belie their own statements in that they reject so many prominent and essential truths he gave. For instance, some contend that the second advent of Jesus has not yet occurred. If that be true, then the Har­vest is yet future, because the Chief Reaper is the one who would provide the “sharp sickle” with which to do the reaping work. And note the logical sequence in the per­tinent Scripture: “From this time blessed are those dead who die in the Lord... they may rest from their labors; for their works follow after them (as they experience their part in the First Resurrection, and are joined in the Marriage to the Lamb).... And behold! a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a Son of Man (this occurred af­ter the First Resurrection had begun), having on His head a golden crown (authority to rule), and in His hand a sharp sickle... And another angel came forth out of the temple, crying with a loud voice ‘Send thy sickle and reap; because the hour to reap is come.” (Rev. 14:13-15, Dia.).

And Brother Russell applied this prophecy to his own activity from 1878 until he died in 1916. Thus, if he was That Servant, he instigated and supervised the reaping, put the ink into the Inkhorn, and gave “the present Truth”; otherwise, we must cata­log him as a rank fraud, with perhaps the most erroneous message ever presented in such a short time during the entire Age.

Also, he correctly predicted the outbreak of the World War in 1914, which began the desolation of Christendom – just as Jeremiah predicted the desolation of Israel during the Babylonian captivity. And in this he clearly antityped Jer. 1:5: “I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Those of us who remember conditions back in 1914 know the prediction of a world conflict seemed certain to fall in derision before all, because everything was serene and calm, exceptionally so – with just no indication whatever that in one short 24-hour day the roof would fall in on Christendom. The Archduke of Austria was driving peacefully along in a carriage in Serejo (now Serbia), when he and his wife were assassinated; and this precipitated the World War in a matter of hours thereafter. So violent was the disturbance that the New York Stock Exchange closed for many months, so that no one could buy or sell even here in America where we were not yet directly in­volved In the conflict. But that event brought admission from some of Brother Russell’s erstwhile critics that he was indeed “the prophet unto the nations.”

A PERTINENT STATEMENT

Lest we appear to stress this situation overly much, we now offer a quotation from Volume 2, p. 28, “The Time is at Hand,” the same having been first presented to the pub­lic in 1889 – 25 years before the world uproar began:

“It is a grave error into which many fall, to suppose a knowledge of God’s doings and plans is of little importance, the graces of Christian character are all God re­quires, and these are better conserved by ignorance. How differently the Scriptures present the matter! They counsel not only to cultivate the graces of the Christian character, but to preserve constantly the condition of heart that will enable us to dis­cern the truth, especially the Truth of the Lord’s presence when due, and when dispensa­tional changes take place. A knowledge of dispensational truth is as important in the end of this Age as in the end of the Jewish Age. Those who did not discern the truth then due did not receive the favors then due. So in the end of this Age: Those who cannot discern the truth now due, blinded by unbelief and worldliness, cannot receive special favors now due. They are not overcomers, and hence not fit to be the bride of Christ, and to enter into the glorious inheritance of the saints as joint-heirs with Him. Truth, in this Age, under adverse conditions for its reception, becomes a test of our faith­fulness to God, and hence as a sickle separates the fit from the unfit, the wheat from the tares.

“Odium attaches to the study of prophetic time through past misapplications of it by the Second Adventists and others, and the consequent failures to realize the events ex­pected to occur at set times. But we see that even this is a part of God’s plan to ob­scure the subject to all but the class for whom it was intended, by permitting contempt and ridicule to attach to it, hindering the worldly-wise and prudent from grasping it (Matt. 11:25) this, we doubt not, was as much a part of the Divine Plan as sending Jesus into Nazareth, a despised place ‘that He might be called a Nazarene’ (Matt. 2:23), though He was born in the honorable town of Bethlehem. As the worldly-wise and prudent of that day said, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? so today, when prophetic time or anything relating to Jesus’ advent is mentioned, many cry Adventist, as if to say, Can any good thing come out of Adventism? though they admit that many prophecies contain­ing time are not yet fulfilled, and that the second coming of the Lord is the most prom­inent topic of Scripture.”

Recently we heard a brother offer an excellent oration on this subject, in which he stressed the Scripture, “It is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I place in Zion a foundation-corner stone, chosen, honorable; and he who confides in it shall not be ashamed. The honor therefore is for the believers; but to the disbelieving, this stone which the builders rejected, was made into the head of a corner – even a stone of stum­bling, and a rock of offense... to both the houses of Israel.” (I Pet. 2:6-8, Dia.; Isa. 8:14) And what is the “stone of stumbling”? Is it not the recognition of the Mes­siah, and the time concerning His presence. Indeed, the accusation was flung at the Jews: “The days will come on thee, when thine enemies shall throw a rampart around thee.. and lay thee level with the ground.... because thou didst not know the season of thy vis­itation.” (Luke 19:43,44, Dia.) Thus it was the presence of the Lord Jesus, and the accompanying works, that was “the stone of stumbling” for the Jews at that time.

Consequently, the sharp criticism of Jesus: “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin – but now they have no excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22-24) And further in Luke 7:19-23, Dia.: “And summoning two of his di­sciples, John sent to the Lord, saying, Art thou the coming one? or are we to expect another? And having come to Him, the men said, John, the Immerser, sent us to thee, say­ing, Art thou the coming one? or are we to expect another?.... And Jesus answering, said to them, Go, tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind are made to see, the lame to walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, glad tidings are announced to the poor; and happy is he who shall not stumble at Me.” But most of the Jews were “slow of heart”; their hearts had waxed fat; their eyes and ears they had closed – they did “stumble”; and they reaped the consequent destruction at the hands of the Roman army under Titus.

Much the same condition exists today with many who claim to have the faith of their fathers, blinded also at least partially to the mission and works of That Servant. He it was who clearly defined the ten cardinal doctrines of the Bible, and coordinated them with each other. This he did as no other man before him had ever done. Further, he ex­amined the various stewardship doctrines of the “stars” who had preceded him, cleansed them of their flaws, polished them as no other man had ever before done. For example, the stewardship doctrine of Martin Luther was “Justification by faith”; but That Ser­vant defined Justification in all its various details much more effectively and clearly than Martin Luther himself had done. This he did likewise with the doctrines of the Second Advent, of Baptism, of the Lord’s Supper, of the elective and restitution salva­tions, the condition of the dead, the true meaning of the soul, etc. All of these he made crystal clear, and harmonized them with each other. Thus, it could truly be said of him that he had done among us “the works which none other man did.” And he, too, became “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” to Big Babylon during the small Parousia Day; and he is now the same “stone of stumbling” to many in Little Babylon.

“In the time of the end knowledge shall be increased.” The great increase of know­ledge was first of all spiritual, having its beginning about 1870. And the Scripture clearly states that the Servant would be dispensing the “meat in due season” when “his Lord cometh.” Therefore, when we would observe the offering of the “meat in due season,” it would give us absolute proof that the Lord had also come. It is as clear as the noon­day sun. But, of those who cannot discern this evident truth, it is written of them, “Our lamps are gone out” – they have lost the spirit of understanding. Note the Berean Comment on Matt. 25:3.

Nor was it long after the appearance of the spiritual truth until secular truth be­gan to come forth – in keeping with the prophecy, “Truth shall spring out of the earth” (the present social order)—Psa. 85:11. A little reflection will give ample substan­tiation: At the end of the Civil War in 1865 there wasn’t a telephone in the United States (or anywhere else in the world); no radio, no television, no automobiles, no typewriters. The United States was then largely an agricultural country, and the people were forced to provide their own entertainment, such as it might be. A favor­ite mode of travel was horseback or carriage; with oil lamps to give light to all ru­ral homes. The first practical typewriter came in 1874, with the electric light some years after that. It is stated by some that the electric light has been the most bene­ficial invention for mankind in all history, and we would certainly not quarrel with that. But it also came after the Lord had come – a sound secular evidence that the Lord had indeed come. After the Civil War the people were still harvesting their wheat, bar­ley, etc., with sickles and scythes; it required a very good team of horses to plow and prepare two acres of land for planting in one day – a dawn-to-dusk day, not an eight-hour day. Today it is ordinary procedure for a large tractor to prepare and plant 75 acres in one day. “Knowledge shall be increased,” and only the spiritually blind cannot read the signs of the times in such things.

The desolation of Palestine began in the fall of 607 BC., and is paralleled by the beginning of the desolation of Christendom in 1914. Thus, we may logically look for parallel happenings in both “houses of Israel.” Today the youth are calling many of the turns in our social order; 18-year-olds are now given the vote. They are also in­timidating their teachers in many parts of the country – so much so that the teachers are afraid to correct or discipline them for fear of the knife, the club, or the gas pipe after school. Note the charge against Jewry about 100 years before Jerusalem was leveled: “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.” (Isa. 3:12) All of us have recognized that there is always bedlam in any home where the children run riot without correction. All of these things, and many more, are but the “signs” that point to the second presence of Jesus.

We have been told – although we have no written proof for it – that That Servant pre­dicted that most of those who had “come out of her,” and had joined themselves to him, would again be ensnared in Babylon before the Age came to full end. We are now witness to this also. Truly, he was “wise.”

SITTING IN MOSES’ SEAT

Said Jesus just before His death: “The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat”—Matt. 23:2. The full significance of this is not discerned until we understand the custom of that time, which was just the reverse of what we have today. At that time the speaker, or teacher, sat, as the audience or pupils stood. This was so pronounced then that in the Talmud “to sit” is almost synonymous with “to teach.” An instance of this is Matt. 5:1: “When He was set, His disciples came unto Him. And He opened His mouth, and taught them.” Therefore, when Jesus said that those Jewish leaders sat in the seat of Moses, He meant that they occupied the teaching position in Israel. This is further confirmed in John 18:13,14: “They led Him away to Annas first, for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.” Note now the Berean Comment on verse 13: “High priest... And, therefore, un­til the rejection of the Jewish House, was to a certain extent God’s mouthpiece.”

That same condition would also apply here in the end of the Age. “Babylon hath been a golden cup (the golden cup being the Divine Truth) in the Lord’s hand.” But she was rejected from such position in 1881, until today there is no semblance of God’s mouthpiece at all in Big Babylon. Thus, we must look elsewhere for the counterpart of those Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day; and it doesn’t require much insight to find them in Little Babylon – the outstanding example being Jehovah’s Witnesses. Are they not telling the world that they are the only gate to salvation? And, in their attempt to construct a tower (gateway) to Heaven, have they not had their tongues sadly con­fused – a “Babel” of most repellent sort? Let us note once more that Moses was a type of the Star Members of this Age, of which That Servant was a most prominent one. But the Witnesses now claim succession to him as mouthpiece to Christendom – to take up where he left off; they claim the teaching Position to Christendom. Therefore, they, by their own admission, do claim to sit in the seat of antitypical Moses. In lesser degree this same thing is true of the leader of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, who also openly proclaims himself “the Pastor and Teacher” of that group since 1950. Thus, he also attempts to “sit in Moses’ seat.”

During the Age the Roman Church soon learned that they could tell their adherents most any wierd sort of yarn, and they would believe it. In fact, if they did not be­lieve it, they were not “good Catholics.” The Witnesses have followed in exact pat­tern: their adherents must also believe just what they teach. If any one in their midst persists in asking questions that may appear to contradict what is published in the Watch Tower, it will not be long until he is disfellowshiped – after which the “faithful” are instructed not even to speak to him if they see him on the street. The leader of the LHMM also follows in exact fashion; he, too, has learned that he can tell his trusting adherents the flimsiest sort of falsehoods, give them any kind of un­scriptural advice, and they also will follow meekly along. And, if they do not, he im­mediately looses the counsel to “avoid them.”

It thus becomes pertinent here to offer some more from Parousia Vol. 2, pp. 29-31:

 “We have great sympathy for the First Adventists, the Jews, and the Second Adventists, though only a few of either realized the truths they so nearly apprehended, yet failed to grasp, blinded by false expectations. Our Adventist friends have failed to recognize both the manner and the object of the Lord’s return as taught in the Scriptures; con­sequently, they have not been expecting to see Him as He is, but as He was. They con­sider the object of His coming one which will fill the hearts of all except the saints. with dismay and terror; that His object is to gather the elect, destroy all others of mankind, and burn up the world. Having such ideas, they used time prophecy as a whip to scourge and drive the world to God (as the Witnesses are now also doing through the threat of destruction in Armageddon—JJH).... God provided time prophecies for no such purpose, nor will He attempt to convert the world in any such way; for He seeketh such to worship Him as worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), and not such as are fright­ened into His service. (Here is a direct contradiction to the technique of the Witnes­ses, as they claim to “sit in Moses’ seat” – as successors to That Servant—JJH) If He designs to terrorize men into obedience, He could have devised some more successful method than the proclamation of time, as our Adventist friends have proved. Prophetic time was given, not to alarm the world, nor for the world in any sense, but to strengthen, comfort, encourage and guide the Church in the troublous times in the end of the Age. Therefore, it is written, None of the wicked (the world in general—JJH) shall understand, but the wise only (those who have accepted the Wisdom from above—JJH). To these this becomes meat in due season (the faithful and wise servant was to “give them meat in due season”—JJH), and it, with other meat, strengthens those who use it, so that they may be able to stand in the evil day (in which we now find ourselves—JJH), the day of trouble with which this Age closes. It will enable them to understand the events tran­spiring around them, so that they will not be consumed by fear and dread (by the threat of Hell Fire, or Armageddon blood bath—JJH), not swallowed up by the projects and false theories, science falsely so-called, with which this day abounds. And, withal, they may be in the devouring fire (trouble), witnesses for God and His plan, and teachers of the people - pointers to the outcome of Jehovah’s plan, lifting up a standard for the people—­Isa. 62:10.”

In the above quotation from That Servant it is clearly discernible that he taught that as long as sin and evil are in the ascendancy – and no one in sound mind will dis­pute that fact – the “call” is not for the world in general. Only the “elect” who make the promises their own are able to stand trial for life now, in faith and obedience. But the Witnesses set aside that logical teaching, and tell the world they MUST accept them and their present system of error, or die in Armageddon, with no hope of a resurrection. And why do they teach such? Because they have had their chance, they say. To those who cannot accept their teachings now in “this present evil world” they offer no hope for any kind of future life. Thus, they preach the Kingdom, but without the “glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” Not even their own “dedi­cated” devotees can have “fullness of joy” in this teaching, because many of their own dear friends and relatives are not joining with them, and will, they apparently believe, subsequently suffer annihilation.

Just a little reflection should reveal how ridiculous is their present position. They themselves admit their imperfections, their fallibility and monstrous mistakes of the past (such as Millions Now Living Will Never Die, the return of the Ancient Worthies by 1925, etc.). “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9); and they will not learn it from fallible teach­ers who are not themselves certain of many of their teachings (such as the chronology, etc.), but they will learn it from perfect teachers, who will be “princes in all the earth.” “Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:3)

As That Servant has so well taught, the Truth is not for the world now, though there be many good and honorable people who have a measure of appreciation for the “good tid­ings” – the gospel, the good news – but do not accept it in the full sense. They are not of the “many that are called,” but are measurably blinded by “the god of this world.” And certainly a blind man cannot be justly faulted if he stubs his toe against a stone. “I desired mercy (not condemnation for those who cannot comprehend), and not sacrifice (feverish efforts on street corners – a “zeal not according to knowledge”), and the knowledge of God (the true understanding of the great Plan of the Ages as it was explained by That Servant) more than burnt offerings.”

There are leaders of other Truth groups, too, who would come under the criticisms mentioned herein – although not to the same extreme degree. Some of these can no longer attempt to teach Parousia Volumes Two and Three, because the chronology and time fea­tures presented in those books are in violent contrast to their present teachings – al­beit some of these leaders still claim to accept That Servant. Indeed, the Scripture applies pointedly to them: “The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. The Lord shall rise up... that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.” (Isa. 28:20,21)

“There is none so blind as he who will not see” – but this does not apply to the fully faithful who “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14) They do this from a “good and honest heart” and can readily discern between Truth and Error, thereby continue to “grow in Grace and in the Knowledge” of our Beloved Lord. “Light (truth) is sown for the righteous (the consecrated), and gladness (the joys of the truth) for the upright in heart (for the fully faithful).”

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

NO. 190: THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

No. 190

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

 “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings,” says Hos. 6:6. This subject of knowledge, especially so with the “know­ledge of God,” has been bandied about by all classes from the least unto the greatest; and a little reflection readily makes evident that it must be embellished with copious qualifications if it is to be retained in proper balance. Almost every virtue becomes a vice when overdone; therefore, almost every virtue requires a companion virtue if it is to be maintained in good perspective. This is certainly true of knowledge, because St. Paul says that “knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up.” The great Apostle is not here putting a slur on knowledge, because no one can have too much knowledge if that knowledge is given proper balance by the grace of love.

“The spirit of a sound mind” implies that such a person has all four of the Divine attributes in reasonable proportion – each companion to the other three prorated to its correct position. Knowledge is acquaintance with fact, clear perception of truth; and wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Thus, a man who is gifted chiefly with knowledge may be said to be an intellectual man; one with knowledge and power, an aus­tere man; one with knowledge, power and justice, a righteous man; and one with know­ledge (wisdom), power, justice and love is a “good man.” And to one possessing these four the promise is sure and certain that his “steps are ordered of the Lord.”

We often hear the remark that “knowledge is not the essential thing”; but this statement is only a half truth, and – “Half truths are more misleading than whole errors.” St. Paul does indeed say that love is the principal thing – that “love is the bond of per­fectness” (Col. 3:14).And none with that “bond of perfectness” will ever be rejected by the Lord, will never fall from the Class in which he finds himself. No Saint ever lost his crown so long as he retained that “bond”; and no Youthful Worthy will ever fall from his Class if he has and retains that bond. As Brother Johnson has so well stated, it is not required of Youthfuls that they develop Agape love; but they should certainly do so if they have the capacity to do so. Some may not be able to do this; but it should be readily evident that if they can and do acquire it, then they have also the “bond of perfectness,” which none can give nor take away – the possessor of that “bond” can never encounter shipwreck in his walk by faith.

Above we quoted St. Paul’s statement that love is the principal thing, but here also qualification is necessary, because no one ever developed Agape love without pa­tience, and none can retain it without that adorning grace. It is of such importance that St. Paul mentions it last in Titus 2:2 in his admonition to be “sober, grave, tem­perate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.” Jesus had perfect love, but this He retained only through His perfection in patience – “He steadfastly (in full patience) set His face to go to Jerusalem.” But we must go beyond patience in our qualification of Agape love. Before patience must come faith; and before faith must come knowledge – “the knowledge of God.” This is emphasized in Romans 10:14–17: “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard (received sufficient knowledge to enable them to be­lieve)? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?... So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Clearly, then, in the primary sense the “knowledge of God” is the principal thing; without that knowledge there could be no faith; without faith “It is impossible to please God,” and without faith none could possibly gain that principal thing – Agape love. It has been our observation that those who would discount the virtue of know­ledge – “not the essential thing” – are those who possess very little of it; and their contention is simply a lame alibi for their glaring incapacity – “My people per­ish for lack of knowledge.” We are instructed to “study to show thyself approved unto God”; and we are to account those elders “worthy of double honor... who labor in word and doctrine (the knowledge of God).” (I Tim. 5:17)

And with such servants abides the assurance of faith – they know that they know. Nor need such assurance “puff up” if that knowledge is moderated by Agape love. If such knowledge is not moderated by Agape love, such people will lose it as prophesied in 2 Thes. 2:10,11 – and God will send them “strong delusion” that they should believe a lie (errors and false doctrine). The Egyptians have a proverb: “He who knows, but knows not that he knows, is timid – encourage him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant – teach him. He who knows not, and knows not he knows not, is a fool – shun him. But he who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise – follow him “ Surely, the last two Principal Men knew, and knew that they knew; the Scriptures speci­fically state of one of them that he was “wise”; and our trust was well placed as we followed them. Also, it was prophetically written of the Epiphany Solomon (1 Kgs. 3: 12): “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.” Therefore, those who recognize Brother Johnson as the good Epiphany Solomon will proceed most cautiously before attempting to dispute any of his faithful Scriptural teachings. Neither of the Laodicean “stars” deemed it essential to be “as the actors,” to use the tricks of ora­tory, or the flummery of the stage, much of which is simply humbug. A pleasant anecdote is related of Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist: Some neighborhood boys attempted a prank upon him by catching a grasshopper, tearing off its wings and long hind legs, then substituting the wings of a wasp and parts of several other bugs. They then showed him their artifice, asking him if he could tell them what kind of a bug it was. “Did it make a humming noise when you first caught it out in the field”? he asked. “Oh, yes; it made a very loud humming noise when we first grabbed it.” “Then,” replied Mr. Darwin, “it’s a ‘hum’-bug.”

Such is much the case with a large part of our present–day estimation of the “know­ledge of God.” A very prominent Evangelist recently said to his audience, “Coming to Christ is not dependent on understanding. I don’t understand the digestive system, but I eat.” The superficiality of this statement is readily apparent. The Evangelist him­self may not understand his digestive system; but other human beings do understand it, and this enables him to go on living. Had the human race not learned early in history that some of our vegetation is deadly poison which would destroy the digestive system, none would have survived unto this day. The Evangelist’s physician understands the di­gestive system, and he hires that physician to keep his digestive system in proper con­dition. And by the same rule of measure the preacher should understand what he is feed­ing the flock – and should feed them the true “knowledge of God” – if he would save them from spiritual indigestion. Presumably, they are paying him to do just that – just as the Evangelist pays his doctor to keep him physically well.

In our courts of law it is a fundamental rule of interpretation that “Ignorance of the law excuses no one”; and it requires no great insight to realize that if this were not true bedlam would prevail in all quarters. However, the rigidity of human law is not always operative in God’s law under present undone conditions, because we are speci­fically told in Acts 17:30 that “this ignorance God winked at”; that is, He made due allowance for the inherited and acquired frailties of the human race, who through ignorance knew not God. But this should not be seized upon as an over–all excuse for violation of the Divine order of affairs. Brother Russell has stressed that we are held account­able for what we have opportunity to know; howbeit, of him that hath little shall little be required.

In Parousia Volume Six there are two chapters devoted to Order and Discipline in the New Creation and The Law of the New Creation, which are there for a purpose. They are pungent with the “knowledge of God,” provided by God during this Harvest time for the guidance of His people, and binding upon all of us who claim to be in “Present Truth” ­regardless of the laxities practiced by those about us. Of the Jews it was written (Zech. 7:12): “They made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law... therefore, came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts,” the same being a shadow be­fore of the conduct of spiritual Israel during this Gospel Age, and especially so in the end of the Age. “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.”

Of course, the tendency of the times is to discount the “knowledge of God” – it doesn’t matter what you believe, so long as you are headed in the right direction. Therefore, take no exceptions to your neighbor’s beliefs; they are just as good as yours. We know this to be a direct contradiction to St. Paul’s teaching that there is but “one faith.” In E–9:512 (bottom) there is this: “The Lord does not despise know­ledge and talent, as some mistakenly think, but, if sanctified, uses them advantageously for His cause, yet He certainly does not put the main emphasis on them, which main empha­sis He lays upon characteristics of the heart.” Yet St. Paul so often remarks, “I would not have you ignorant, brethren.” Also, “By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” It was by His knowledge that He explained the types and shadows of the Old Testament and “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” And at the very time He was doing this the critical statement was given to the Jews, “Israel hath a zeal, but not according to knowledge.”

Knowledge of things past often helps us accurately to diagnose present events, and to arrive at proper interpretations of difficult Scriptures. Many have been the attempts of critics to condemn the Bible because of its statement, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (loved less)”; but, knowledge of the custom then prevailing that the elder son must fast while the younger feasted upon the birthday of a prominent ancestor offers a clear and reasonable explanation of the matter. “The law of the Lord is perfect..... making wise the simple.” (Psa. 19:7)

In Detroit at present there is a reciprocal understanding among many of the mini­sters of the different sects regarding ‘mixed’ marriages to this effect: If, say, a Lutheran comes to his minister to be married to a Methodist, the Lutheran minister per­forms the service; then advises them to determine both to attend the same church. If the bride doesn’t like the minister who has just joined her in wedlock, or if she cannot accept the Lutheran faith, then the minister advises his own member to follow his bride to the Methodist Church; or vice versa. Thus, in the overall figures, all is balanced up – and every one is happy. This means there is no longer controversy over what is the “knowledge of God”; if there be any conflict, it is now chiefly over personalities “there is no live coal to warm them,” no living doctrinal Truth in its purity to stir their icy spiritual blood (Isa. 47:14). “They are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter” (Isa. 56:11). Don’t expose my ignorance, and I won’t expose yours, they say; and each of us will prosper in out own bailiwick. (See Berean Comments on Isa. 56:11)

But, if we would be better used of the Lord, it is essential that we have a cer­tain amount of knowledge, although some with limited knowledge and inherent wisdom (the proper application of knowledge) often accomplish more than others with great knowledge but endowed with less wisdom. Therefore, Solomon says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding.” Companion thoughts are excellently expressed by both Star Members in the May 14 Manna Comments:

“What is it to grow in grace? It is to grow in favor with the Lord through an inti­mate personal acquaintance and fellowship of spirit with Him.... To grow thus in grace and not in knowledge is impossible.... If, therefore, we love and obey the Lord and de­sire to grow in His favor, His written word is our daily meditation and study; and thus we grow in knowledge.”

Errorists and superficial teachers offer just the reverse of the foregoing to their devotees. When the Church of Rome was in its heyday it is well stated that its motto was: Reading is doubt; doubt is heresy; and heresy is Hell. That is, any who endeavored to inform themselves were doubting the infallibility of their leaders; and such must certainly be only the course of the heretic. This was indeed the “doctrine of Balaam.... the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.” (Rev. 2:14–15) Such are the antitypical Baal worshipers, who endeavor by sleight–of–hand and great oratorical shouting to overawe the “unstable and the unlearned.” It should be noted that Baal was the Sun God – Lord of the Day – a fitting type of power–graspers and cler­icalists. At night the Heavens are filled with millions of stars, many of them much larger than our sun; yet they are all completely obscured during the daytime. They are still in their respective places, of course, but they are not visible to the human eye because of the daytime splendor of the sun. And such is much the condition of Gospel Age power–graspers; they have outshone the true ­Star Members; have “cast their brethren out” and built up Great and Little Babylon; yet the promise is sure to all the fully faithful – “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father.” And this exaltation will be one without end!

In this connection, be it noted that the orbit of the sun is from the East to the South to the West. But those who follow Baal cannot ever receive any exaltation from the true God. Therefore, it is written, “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south” – that is, no promotion from God to those who follow the course of Baal. In 1 Kings 18 is recorded the experience of Elijah with Jezebel’s prophets of Baal – one against 450. There had been a long drought in the land, the country was blistering under the unrelenting rays of the burning sun. Therefore, Elijah gave those prophets of Baal every possible advantage when he told them to try their hand first – to kill their bullock, put it on the altar, and call upon Baal, their Sun God, at high noon to ignite the wood under their sacrifice. Well did they realize the mockery that would come upon them if they failed under such advantageous circumstances, which prompted them to call out, “O Baal, hear us... And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them.... and they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives.” Then, when they were forced to admit failure (about three o’clock in the afternoon – ­v. 29, “the evening sacrifice”), Elijah then instructed that twelve barrels of water be poured upon his offering, after which fire came from Heaven and consumed his sacrifice. “Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob... and built an altar in the name of the Lord,” which altar was typical of the Fully Faith­ful of the Gospel-Age spiritual Elijah, twelve being a Little Flock number – just as was true of the altar constructed by Joshua (Josh. 4:5, 9).

While the Gospel-Age Elijah has always had the assurance that “Thou hearest me always,” fortified as they have been by the knowledge of God, which gave them a “mouth and Wisdom which none of their adversaries were able to gainsay nor resist,” seldom were given the spectacular outward approval which came to the Prophet Elijah in his encounter with the Prophets of Baal that fateful day. In fact, in many instances dur­ing this Gospel Age the Baal worshipers (power–graspers) have gained the ascendancy ­as instance the victory of Calvin over Miletus Servetus, etc.; yet the fully faithful have striven with the strength of Samson and the skill of the warrior David in their use of the knowledge of God. It should not be expected, of course, that all would demon­strate the ability of the Star Members in the use of this knowledge – although many have assumed they could do so. We recall the occasion when a gainsayer gave us the argument that Christ died and rose again “according to the Scriptures” – that this proved it was not actually true, but was only “according to the Scriptures,” which were unreliable in their records.

It has been contended by some in our midst that the Truth has always come first, then followed by error. This is only a half truth; and half truths are more mislead­ing than whole errors. In the broad sense, the Bible, which is the Truth, has been first, of course; but Micah 5:5 clearly states that “when the Assyrian (the errorists) shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds and eight principal men.” This is in keeping with Prov. 24:16 – “A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” The “just man” of this Gospel Age has been the fully faithful justified Christ Company, which fell into obscurity as much error sprang up about them after the death of each Star Member. We need only look at the Lutheran Church, the Meth­odist Church, the Adventists and others to note the force of this contention. If Martin Luther, Wesley, Miller, et al, came back they would be unable to find their teachings in those organizations that now claim to be their followers. In our time we have the in­stance of Brother Russell, and with what speed the falling occurred after he died. Je­hovah’s Witnesses bear no more resemblance to the truths he espoused and the organization he set up than does a vulture to a swan. The measurably faithful made quick havoc of his good work – just as uncleansed Levites are doing all about us – some more, some less. And, as we observe this state of affairs, it behooves us all the more to equip ourselves with “the knowledge of God” to the extent of our natural and acquired providential cir­cumstances. The world in general, of course, “knows not God”; and the great mass of Christian believers quite evidently have very little of the “knowledge of God.” There is the constant and irrepressible conflict, the battle of darkness against light, and – “The darkness hateth the light because it is reproved by it.” But the “knowledge of God” is for “the children of light,” who zealously try to pass it on to others, although with very limited success against the opposition of the “god of this world.” Therefore, it confers its greatest blessing upon its possessor; hence, the words of Solomon, “Buy the Truth (the knowledge of God), and sell it not.” To such, and to such alone, applies the promise of Psalms 91:10 – “Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Such are the members of that “one Church, which in its entirety is the steward and administrator of the Truth (the knowledge of God), to preserve and defend it from error and to administer it for the benefit of the responsive.” (E-8:253) And such will be in full agreement with the slogan of Brother Johnson’s letterhead as respects the Knowledge of God – “The noblest science; the best instructions.” To which we would add, “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3), and “He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.” (Isa. 57:2)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 79, Feb. 1, 1962)

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 QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION. – “And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”(Matt. 19:24) – The Jehovah’s Witnesses say this means exactly what it says, and the ‘needle’ is a literal needle. If that is true, then wouldn’t it be impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom – i.e., have any part in the elective salvation?

ANSWER: – Brother Russell has explained this passage in this way: “A small gateway of ancient cities, used at night; camels could pass through unloaded and on their knees only.” That is a reasonable explanation, and in harmony with the Truth and its spirit. It is certainly true that the rich have to ‘unload’ – i.e., they are as much in need of a Savior as the poor, although the vast majority can’t see that. Jesus also said, “Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 19:23) But in that statement He also teaches that there is a possi­bility of some entering the Kingdom.” All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable spake he not unto them.” (Matt. 13:34) At this same time His disciples were exceedingly amazed, and said – Who then can be saved? Jesus answered that “with God all things are possible.” If we take that Scripture without qualification, then we would say that it is possible for God to lie.” That by two im­mutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong conso­lation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” (Heb. 6:18)

It has been said that God must love the poor, because He made so many of them. It is self–evident that the “poor of this world” are better prepared to enter the King­dom than the rich, because they have less to overcome in many instances. As Jesus has said, It is harder for a rich man. The poor more often feel the need for a Savior ­far more than the rich, the mighty and the noble of this world. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Cor. 1:27) However, there have been some rich men that have truly “humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God,” as we can see from Church history. They are those who did not place their trust in their possessions, and were faithful stewards of their wealth. “He that trus­teth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.” (Prov. 11:28)

One outstanding example of such is “St.” Francis of Assisi, born in 1182 of a rich merchant in Assisi in Umbria. His proper name was Giovanni Bernardone; but he is known in Roman Catholic circles as St. Francis of Assisi, or The poor little rich man. Motivated by the words of Jesus in Matt. 19:21, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven,” he did just that – dis­posing of all his treasures, he became the first of the begging friars, whose shibboleth was, Help the poor, help the poor. Thus, one historian writes of him:

“In the unexampled power of his self–denial and renunciation of the world, in the pure simplicity of his heart, in the warmth of his love to God and man, in the blessed riches of his poverty, St. Francis was like a heavenly stranger in a selfish world.

“Any who wished to join him were required to distribute all their possessions among the poor, and dress in the poor clothing of the order..... to carry out in their per­sonal lives the ideal of poverty, joined with loving service in institutions for the poor, the sick, and the lepers.”

Of course, all of the foregoing in itself would not make of any one a saint; and it is quite probable that Francis cannot be counted among that “elect” group. Justi­fication for this conclusion is found, we believe, in his attempt to “tempt the Lord,” as he endeavored to convert the Moslems to Christianity in Africa, Sicily and Spain. Here is what the record says of him on that occasion:

“St. Francis himself started this work when he entered the camp of the Sultan Camel and bade him kindle a fire and cause that he himself with one of the Moslem priests should be cast into it. When the imam present shrank away at these words, St. Francis offered to go alone into the fire if the Sultan would promise to accept Christianity along with his people should he pass out of the fire uninjured. The Sultan refused to promise, but sent the saint away unhurt with presents, which, however, he returned.”

Indeed, “Many shall say unto Me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in Thy name cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will plainly declare to them, I never approved of you.” (Matt. 7:22,23, Dia.) Had the course of Francis been the correct one, St. Paul would certainly have prodded those wealthy Corinthian brethren to do as Francis had done.

There have been some also who have failed because of their possessions – whether those possessions were greater intellect, wealth, or other talents. Their trials and temptations are greater, but the Lord will give them corresponding strength if they continue in humility and obedience – if they look to Him in full faith and faithful­ness. Their responsibility, too, is correspondingly greater. That doesn’t mean that the poor won’t have severe temptations, too. Some of the ‘poor’ who “would be rich” if they could be, have much the same severe temptations. “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (I Tim. 6:9)

The Berean Comment on this text says,

“That will to be rich, whether they succeed or not.... Who are determined to be rich at all hazards.” In 1 Tim. 6:10 (Dia.) we read: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which while some longing after, wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves around with many sorrows.” Certainly, this does not apply to money itself, for without money we can do very little in the Lord’s work. And there are quite a few people who “love” money even though they have very little of it – and some who have money, but do not love it – value it – above that which is right and proper.

We have known those who had nothing to go out and “stomp” for equal distribution of the wealth of the country – for socialism, etc., but when they came into money they changed their views. Of course, among the Lord’s people those who have more of this world’s goods also have more responsibility – just as those who have more knowledge of the Truth, and are in position to impart that knowledge, have more responsibility to the brethren and to the world. Possessions of any kind are to be treated the same as a stewardship of which we are expected to be faithful. Blessed are we when we can appraise what we have and what we are in proper perspective, because then we will be the better enabled to serve the Lord in Truth and in deed. However, we are to appraise our own and not the possessions of others. We are not stewards of the possessions of others. We might qualify this, as it may be proper enough at times to apprise a Brother or Sis­ter of his “opportunities of service,” if done in a loving and helpful spirit, and for his own best interests. Brother Russell had occasion to do this at times when brethren didn’t seem to realize they had such “opportunities of service” – either in ability to serve in public speaking or in some other capacity.

It will be noticed that there are many Scriptures regarding the poor – how we should not oppress them, etc., with nothing said about “oppressing” the rich. There is a reason for this, we believe. Usually the rich (whether in the Household of Faith or in the world) can look after themselves, because they have had more opportunity of edu­cation, business experience, etc. And, too, because there has been, and still is to some extent, power in money. So there is no warning in the Scriptures – not to “oppress” or misuse the rich – altho, in some cases they have been abused and misused. Today the slogan is to “soak the rich” – take advantage of them in any way you can. We are living in that special period when it is indeed “woe unto the rich”! This is especially true of those who “withholdeth more than is meet” (Prov. 11:24) – that is, those of the House­hold and those of the world who are miserly with the poor. “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you..... Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.” (James 5:1,4) Some of this ‘crying’ has already begun.

Some of the Lord’s people who have had much in this world’s goods have unselfishly ministered it to their brethren, and to others with whom they have had to do; and some have unstintingly supported their sects – both in Big Babylon and Little Babylon – be­lieving they were “giving to the Lord.” And if such were their hearts’ attitude they will be blessed in “due time” with the Truth. And in this they have apparently been “examples of the believers” to many. However, the real examples of the believers are those who like Jesus, gave their all to “bear witness to the Truth” – and they diligently studied God’s Word to know what is Truth. They willingly and gladly accepted the Truth and its responsibilities, and “Through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true.... giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed.” (2 Cor. 6,8,3)

All who have received the Parousia and Epiphany Truth are much blessed in every way, and it is our hope and prayer they will daily seek to be faithful to that Truth, and be a living (active) “example of the believers.” May the Lord bless all who are endeavoring to “walk in His steps,” and enable them to come off victors, whether they have little or much of this world’s goods.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

Dear Sirs:

You sent my mother some copies of two Special Editions you put out. They were No. 1 and No. 2. I would like to have one each of as many of these as are available.

I also would like to be on your mailing list for future publications would be grateful for any assistance you could be to me.

Sincerely ------- (GEORGIA)

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Dear Sir: Greetings in Jesus Name!

I believe that if ever we need the Gospel preached, it is now. I’ve been a Christian for the past four years, and I believe that Christ is coming soon. I also be­lieve that Jesus is God, and that Cain is of the Devil. Immersion in the name of Jesus Christ is the proper baptism.

What do you think of these things? Do you see it like I do, or is there another way you see it? I would like to know and would be very thankful if you can also send me a copy of each edition of your magazine. Also I have some Christian friends that I would like you to send copies of each of your magazines, as listed below. Thanking you in advance, I am –

Your brother in Christ ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

The book, “Daily Heavenly Manna” has been received, and I use it every day. I like it very much – and together with the other material you have given me, it is making a noticeable change in my life. You mentioned my health, which by the way, is excellent. I thank you for your evident concern. My spiritual health was never as well, thanks to you.

Yours in Christ ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Mr. Hoefle:

Thanks so much for your prompt reply and for sending the books. I should re­ceive them in a few weeks. My sister and her husband are in the process of moving, but I will give you her address..... The name of the friends who loaned me the book is ------- They are here on Okinawa at present.

I must finish this and get to the Post Office. You will be hearing from me again. I thank God for the Epiphany Bible Students Association! May He richly bless you.

 Sincerely ------- (OKINAWA)

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Dear Friends:

Please send two copies each of the following: No.1 – Where are the Dead? No. 2 – What is the Soul? No. 3 – The Resurrection of the Dead. Many thanks!

Sincerely ------- (OHIO)

Dear Mr. Hoefle: A friend of mine told me that you had some good material available for Bible information and study. Do you publish a magazine? I would like samples of some of your material. Are you at all associated with any other group?

If there is cost involved in what you send, I would be happy to pay for the material by return mail.

Sincerely yours ------- (CALIFORNIA)

NO. 189: SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

No 189

Comes again the Memorial of our Lord’s crucifixion, the correct time this year 1971 being after 6 p.m. Thursday April 8. The date is determined after this manner: The moon nearest the Vernal Equinox comes new at the Thirtieth Meridian East, Jerusa­lem time, at 9:24 p.m., March 26, thus establishing 6 p.m. March 26 as Nisan 1, Bible reckoning.  Counting to Nisan 14, we arrive at 6 p.m. April 8; and any time that evening after 6 p.m. would be proper for the celebration. We here at Mount Dora shall commence the service at 7:30 p.m., and we issue a cordial invitation to any one in this vicinity to join with us if they be of one mind on the matter.

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER

“Even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us,” says St. Paul in 1 Cor. 5:7, thus establishing a direct connection between the Passover lamb in Egypt the night before the Exodus. This in turn reminds us of the words of John the Baptist: “Be­hold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29); and it may be in order here to note the clear distinction between the two statements. Jesus, the “Lamb,” at Jordan had indeed come to take away the world’s guilt, but not so with the lamb in Egypt. The lamb in Egypt served as a protection against death for Israel’s firstborn; and all of them under the blood that night were ‘passed over’ as the Angel of Death wrought destruction on all of Egypt’s firstborn. But there was none of the atoning merit reckoned in the lamb in Egypt for the Egyptians (typical of worldlings in sin) as there was in the Lamb at Jordan; and it is well we keep the distinction clearly in mind. The Lamb at Jordan “taketh away” the sin of all mankind.

Of the lamb killed in Egypt that night it is recorded that each householder should “take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the house” (Ex. 12:7); and the typical significance is this: The two door posts in general type the two parts of Justice, or the Law. The first part of the Law, or Jus­tice, is duty-love to God, which is the thankful good-will that by right we owe to God, with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength (Matt. 22:37,38). And the other part of the Law, or Justice is duty-love to the neighbor, which is the good-will that we owe him, a good-will that goes out to him in the same degree as we would have him exer­cise toward us in thought, motive, word and act (Matt. 22:39; 7:12). One of the door posts thus sprinkled would represent the imputation of the antitypical Lamb’s merit to that part of Divine Justice which demands the sinner’s death for violations of duty-­love to God; and the sprinkling of the second door post would represent the imputation of the antitypical Lamb’s merit to that part of Divine Justice which demands the sinner’s death for violations of duty-love to his fellows.

But, for Gospel-Age purposes the foregoing is not enough to relieve us of the death sentence which is ours by inheritance; there must also be a reckoned righteous­ness (Abraham’s faith was “counted” – reckoned – to him for righteousness) which would enable us to “stand” in the Household of Faith. Thus, the “upper door post” – the lintel – had to be sprinkled also. The lintel of a door is that crossbeam forming the ceiling of the door, and which forms the foundation for the superstructure of the building immediately above it. Thus, it beautifully types that righteousness that comes to us through the Lamb’s blood, and which enables us to build an acceptable charac­ter. ‘‘No one can lay another foundation besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (Christ our Passover). And if, on this foundation, any one build up gold, sil­ver, costly stones; wood, hay, straw; the work of each will become manifest... If the work of any one remain, which he built up (on the lintel above the doorway into God’s House), he will receive a recompense.” (1 Cor. 3:11-14, Dia.) Thus, the sprinkling of the blood on the lintel typifies that “righteousness which is of faith” that comes to those who will avail themselves of it in this faith Age.  Thus, the whole work of God and Christ in justifying us is pictured in the sprinkling of the lamb’s blood on the door posts and the lintel. But only the entrance to the house – the door posts and the lintel – were to be sprinkled; and this would typify that faith of the one inside (the firstborn) would suffice to secure for him sufficient satisfaction of justice to spare him from death.  “We have passed from death unto life.”

All the firstborn who were “under the blood” that night were secure in their domi­ciles as they ate the lamb and bitter herbs; and the type is certainly a very definite reminder that the same is meticulously true of the antitype. “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His son, cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) This is further stressed by 1 Pet. 1:18, 19 (Dia.): “You were redeemed from your foolish conduct, transmitted from your fathers, not by corruptible things, by silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Christ, as a spotless and unblemished lamb.” Thus, the sprinkling of the lintel most forcefully portrays the antitypical sprinkling; and brings sharp reminder of the Methodist hymn, “There’s power in the blood.” It is indeed the “blood of sprinkling speaking better things than that of Abel.” (Heb. 12:24, Dia.)

The charge to each house was that they were to eat the lamb’s flesh throughout the night of Nisan 14; and there is no variable allowance whatever from that date. Thus, regardless of whether or not the moon be in its complete fullness, the Passover was to be kept that night – and “throughout your generations.” Consequently, once we determine the proper time for the moon to become new, the determination of Nisan 14 then becomes only a matter of simple addition.

It is well to keep in mind that on that awesome night in Egypt only the firstborns were in danger of death; the others of the family were simply the “innocent bystand­ers,” as it were. But in the remembrance that followed each year thereafter the first­borns were no longer in that precarious state, although the firstborn was always given a proper recognition by the head of the house on each occasion. With all the prepara­tions duly made, the lamb, the wine, and other items all properly placed on the table, the father would then tell the oldest son to ask of the father, “What mean these things,” after which the father would give in finely stated detail the events of the night in Egypt, and the exodus of the Jews from the land of bondage – picturing, of course, our departure from the land of figurative bondage, the bondage of sin and death, from which the blood of the antitypical Lamb frees us. Thus, we may grasp in its grand fullness St. Paul’s statement, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”

GOSPEL-AGE DELIVERANCE

The things described above have for this Age been spiritual and not physical, although physical deliverance sometimes accompanies the spiritual. When the Psalmist wrote, “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwell­ing” (Psa. 91:10), he was speaking of spiritual and not physical things. All of us know that from Jesus on during this Age the noblest and best of Christians have come to all manner of physical evil – burning at the stake, stranglings, ostracisms, cast out by their own brethren, often regarded as the off scouring of the earth, even as He ‘‘was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Often the world in general has regarded such misfortune as an evidence of God’s disfavor; whereas, the Apostle James says we should “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” One translation puts it this way: “Count it all joy when you are hedged about with dif­ficulties.”

Preceding the Passover in Egypt, Moses met such ‘difficulties,’ so that he came to the Lord with the complaint: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered Thy people at all.” (Ex. 5:23) Much the same experience came to Jesus; thus, St. Paul writes of Him: “In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren... was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 2:17; 4:15) In their ministrations both the typical and the antitypical Moses learned well the adage, Hope deferred maketh the heart sick – ­“neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.” And these illustrations should impress the lesson well upon us – for ourselves, and for those of the Household who are tempted in like manner: such temporary physical reverses should be expected, because they are permitted for our good – to develop in us that patience amid hope deferred that will en­able us to have confidence in God’s ability and willingness to “save to the uttermost them that come unto Him by Jesus.” And particularly at the Memorial season do such med­itations seem most appropriate. As we consider the Passover – typical and antitypical ­we may well embrace the promise to Moses: “I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burden of the Egyptians.” (Ex. 6:7)

The assurance to Israel that they would know it was Jehovah who was their God types that God would to antitypical Israel, especially in the Parousia and the Epiphany (when the full Gospel-Age deliverance is to be accomplished), persuade them “in full assur­ance of faith” that He is their God – self-existent and perfect in wisdom, justice, love and power. “Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest.” (Josh. 3:15) As we know, Jordan is a type of the curse – of the downward course of the race under sin; and it is stated that this curse would be magnified “all the time of harvest.” ­Since 1874 we have been “in the time of harvest”; and the visible effects of the curse have surely been magnified during this season. Particularly in the past sixteen years has this been markedly in evidence, as we see so much of the honorable and the vener­able being trodden under foot in shameless fashion. And, if these things tend to dis­courage us, distress, disappoint, cast down in tribulation, we should strive to apply to ourselves “in full assurance of faith” the Covenant promises (Gen. 22:16-18); and to re­member that ‘‘As He was in this world, so are we.” Also, that the promise is sure to us: “I will bring you unto the land (“the land” for Gospel-Age purposes being the Truth and the Spirit of the Truth)... I will give it you for an heritage.” (Ex. 6:8) And particu­larly at the Memorial Season is it our privilege to claim these promises as ours – to renew our determination to partake of the paschal lamb “in sincerity and in truth.”

PURIFY THE SONS OF LEVI

In Mal. 3:1-3 is given certain things which “The Messenger of the Covenant” would do at His second advent, one of which is that “He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in right­eousness.” In this text “the sons of Levi” are the Little Flock and Great Company ­represented in the gold and silver. At Sinai the sons of Levi were divided into two classes – the Priests and Levites, Aaron and his sons being the Priests, with all the other members of that tribe being styled Levites, who were ‘‘wholly given’’ unto the Priests as their assistants in the various ministrations of the Tabernacle. These re­placed the firstborns who had been ‘passed over’ in Egypt, and they typed the “Church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:23) whom Jesus would purge at His Second Advent.

Perhaps the first feature of that work was to gather them together (“Come ye out of her, My people) by the Truth, which Truth instructed them very clearly as to their status and work to be done. To this end He acted as a refiner and purifier (polisher) of silver, the Truth. The purging of the sons of Levi was also accomplished by their providential experiences – difficulties and trials of various kinds, which touched all of them from the least to the greatest, even including That Servant, the Pilgrims, the Elders. Those who were properly “exercised” (developed) by such experiences were blessed with an increase of the Holy Spirit in their hearts and minds. Of course, such action was carried on all during the Age, but it is especially emphasized in this text as occurring in the end of the Age.

And the text tells us that this would be done “that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” – literally, “that they may be bringers of a meat offering to Jehovah in righteousness.” Thus, the reason for the previous parts of His work – they should be “purged,” cleansed from faults and developed in good traits to qualify them righteously to serve the Lord in proclaiming the Truth, especially its deeper and more comprehensive features – an antitypical meat offering. The easier features of the Truth would be represented in the drink offering, which is not mentioned here, as it was the Lord’s wish for His own that they be “rooted, grounded, and built up in Him” that they could “give to every man a reason for the hope that was in them.” And this activity was toward both divisions of the antitypical firstborns. Of course, we all know that the “gold” element of those sons profited to the full by the Word, Spirit and Providences which the Lord arranged for them; thus, they became ‘‘more than conquerors,” as the others failed, some more, some less, to profit by the purgings meted out to them. These latter did not present a meat offering to the Lord in righteousness; they rather did this in more or less of unrighteousness. In the Parousia the most of these remained with the Truth Movement, however, even though they were not fully “established in the Present Truth.”

But to those who did profit by the purging processes, their sacrifices became ever more acceptable as the years went by, so that many of them have already heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.” These are they who saw the “sickle” of Harvest Truth clearly, made it their own, and ministered it in telling manner to their fellows in the Truth, and to outsiders who had an ear to hear. One of these Truth segments was a vivid understanding of the Passover, type and anti­type; and this knowledge greatly aided them in keeping it “in spirit and in Truth.” Thus, we present these thoughts in the same spirit, and with the same purpose as did St. Peter: “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the Present Truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.” (2 Pet. 1:12,13) And our Lord’s final message to His own at His first Advent was “This do in remembrance of Me” – which remembrance we do each year as we partake of the bread and the cup.

To all who were properly exercised by the purgings of the Lord during the Parousia He gave the special opportunities of service, the Penny, which was their privilege in 1914-1916. To those of our readers who participated in that service we would now offer our warm commendation, and the assurance that it is our fond wish that we aid in what­ever way possible that they “continue in the things they have learned, and been assured of.” And that they also at this Memorial Season resolve to continue to present the Truth in righteousness to crown losers and to Youthful Worthies so long as they have an ear to hear.

Often the trials of God’s people are more severe at the Memorial Season than at other times. It was true when the “remembrance” was instituted. The sifting then man­ifested Judas as a complete outcast, and manifested Peter as a measurably faithful one, from which he subsequently recovered. Similar experiences may await God’s people now, or in future Memorials. Of course, we know not what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future.

WHO MAY PARTAKE

There are over 200 variations in belief and practice of the Memorial among the sects of Christendom, with extremes in both directions, and modifications in between those extremes. Some of the sects simply post a notice in front of their church that the bread and the cup are to be served at a certain hour, with cordial invitation for any and all to participate with them in the service. At the other extreme, none are allowed to receive the emblems who are not specifically one of them – a member on their rolls. In the case of the Roman Catholic Church, one must not only be a Catholic in good standing, but he must also come to confession the day before; and for centuries they were not allowed to eat or drink the morning before the service, although that has now been modified in some countries.

With us, we believe it a proper summation to state that we are both the most gener­ous and the most extreme in our administration of the Memorial. Only those should par­ticipate who understand clearly the meaning of the bread and the wine, and have coven­anted to conform to that understanding. However, if any say that is their condition, we accept that without further ado – unless, of course, we have positive evidence to the contrary. In keeping with St. Paul’s statement, “Let a man examine himself,” we leave it there, not attempting any examination of each other. ‘‘And so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup... For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the lord’s body.” (1 Cor. 11:28,29) Thus, with each one examining himself, and if there should be an unworthy one in our midst, his guilt remains exclusively with him – without contaminating, or attaching guilt, to his fellows who may sit next to him in close relationship. We believe all will recognize the “spirit of a sound mind” in such an arrangement, so we adhere scrup­ulously to it.

THUS SHALL YE EAT IT

“They shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs... with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.” (Ex. 12:8-11) Inasmuch as the Jews were to be very meticulous in their observance, we may be certain that every word is heavily weighted with typical and antitypical significance. Because of its corruption and corrupting effects, leaven is properly a type of mental, moral and religious corruption; and leavened bread would therefore represent a condition of corruption by sin, error, selfishness and worldliness. Conversely, unleavened bread would represent a condition free from these evils, and inclined toward Truth, justice, love and heavenly-mindedness. And eating unleavened bread would represent the eater’s confession that he is thus minded, with his daily life in harmony therewith.

The “bitter herbs” (literally, bitter things) were also typical, representing the trialsome experiences that attach to those that eat the lamb with unleavened bread; and the entire history of the Gospel-Age Church reveals that there have been trials aplenty as they have kept the antitype of these things. Thus viewed, those things eat­en at the Passover supper that night in Egypt type the entirety of Christian living.

And the lamb must all be consumed that night. If the house were too small for an entire lamb, the Jews were to join with neighbors in their participation. And, if after that, any were left, it should be burned with fire – nothing left until morning, which typed that we as individuals should not leave our justification and consecration feast­ing until the Millennium, because the entire service is one of faith, and there will be no more faith justification in the Millennium. In this Age we are “saved by faith, not by works,” although we know full well that good works must accompany our faith, because “faith without works is dead.” But in the Millennium it will be just the reverse – a justification by works, although those works will be accompanied by a proportionate amount of faith. For the Gospel Age the lamb types the merit of “the Lamb of God” in the antitypical Tabernacle Court, which has been imputed to those who came “under the blood”; but such a course will forever pass away with the full end of the Gospel Age – the merit of “the Lamb of God” will then no longer be an imputable thing.

‘‘Ye shall eat it in haste.” The Jews were to be ready to leave Egypt as quickly as possible, typical of the Christian’s course once he has had enough of Egyptian bondage more than glad to flee the evils of antitypical Egypt, a type of the world in sin. And the girded loins would indicate a desire and willingness to help others to do the same thing – as servants of the Lord and the Truth. “He that would be chief among you, let him be your servant.’’ ‘‘With your staff in your hand.” The staff would represent prin­cipally the precious promises, upon which the Christian leans for support, especially in hilly and rough places; and it may be stressed here that it would be impossible for any to make the journey from Egypt to the Heavenly Canaan without those promises to sustain, encourage and nourish him in that journey. ‘‘Your shoes on your feet.” The feet in Scripture represent conduct; and, when we read that “Mephibosheth was lame on both his feet” (2 Sam. 9:13), we are to understand he typed a certain class of people who would be lacking in love toward God and man. And, when the type commanded “shoes on your feet,” it meant that here in the Gospel Age we should have a character properly covered by the Lord’s Spirit, and built and acting in harmony therewith.

Only those who “thus” keep the feast will be able to “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Heb. 3:6) Only such, with the girded loins, the sandaled feet and the firmly-gripped staff will pursue their course with energy and full determination to the end – all of which is tersely summed up in the drink­ing of the cup.  ‘‘Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?” “Hereunto were ye called, because Christ having suffered for us, left us an example (by the cup He drank) that we should follow in his steps.”

And with these thoughts comes our fond hope for the Lord’s rich blessing to all our readers as they prepare and participate in this “remembrance” on the evening of April 8. It certainly is not our wish that any should conclude that by this article we are attempt­ing to avoid, or improve upon, the description of the Passover as it is given in Parousia Volume 6. It is our recommendation that all “renew their minds” by reading once more that chapter. ‘‘Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another... and we beseech you that ye increase more and more... walk honestly toward them that are without, that you may have lack of nothing” (1 Thes. 4:9-12) – with malice toward none, and charity toward all.

Sincerely your Brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

In keeping with the Epiphany Messenger’s arrangements for a Special Effort dur­ing the Spring and Fall, we suggest Sunday, March 21 through Sunday, April 18 for our Spring Effort this year.

As most of our readers know, this Special Effort is in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle against the two King Errors of Eternal Torment (Zebah) and the Conscious­ness of the Dead (Zalmunna) as described In Epiphany Volume 5, Chapter 4. We invite all to join us in this “good fight” who are of like mind – and would suggest that you order the pertinent literature in time, if you desire to participate. Our literature is free, postage paid.  Our Nos. 1, 2 and 3 tracts are especially adapted for this Battle – also Life-Death-Hereafter and The Divine Plan of the Ages are pertinent.

Be assured of our prayers for all who are able to join with us, that as we endeavor to serve Him in “sincerity and in Truth,” we may bless others and be blessed accordingly. Let us renew our resolves to be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren, as we seek to “study, spread and practice the Truth.”

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the name of Jesus!

Dear Brother, I was glad to receive your literature as a former Bible student who truly understands its precepts and doctrines. I am interested in the Lord’s people, because Bible students are my people – their hopes and aspirations are mine. Let us all acknowledge our mistakes with penitent hearts and become real Christian Bible Students in the light of our day.... At one time I was one proclaiming “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” I am sure that all must go through the mortal process of Adamic death and be regenerated in Jesus – and by Jesus.

Enclosed is a check for $ ... for your efforts, and for sending me your literature.  While I do not concur in everything you say, I am sure your efforts are truly sincere, and that you have a Godly Interest in us.  With love from God

In Jesus, Brother............. (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

The Parousia Volume No. 2 has been received – and I have been so busy reading and studying that time has flown. Forgive me for not writing you sooner. I am reading Parousia Volume No. 4 now, and consider them all to be of great blessing.

Enclosed is a check for $ ..., and I would also like to have two more copies of The Divine Plan of the Ages for friends I have talked with about it. For myself, I would like to have Parousia Volume 5 and 6 and pamphlets Nos. 1,2,3, 4 and 7.

Bill and Kit are  receiving  papers  from  you  already,  so  I  know  that  you  have  their address.

Yours in Christ ............ (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

A check for $ ... is enclosed, for which please send me your magazine. I was given two and thought they were very good. So I want to subscribe for it. Do you have another August 1968 No. 158? I would like to have it also if you have any.

Your sister by His Grace ............ (WISCONSIN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle! Greetings to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Words cannot express the gratitude of thanks and praise to God for you! We all here, and I believe all faithful brethren the world over, join us in the same attitude of heart and mind when we receive the papers – to perceive, as the Apostle says, that you have been with Jesus, and learned of Him.

We do again and again mention you dally in our prayers, with the joy of knowing that you are the chosen one to clear our pathway in these troublous times of the Epi­phany. God has really blessed the pure in heart for His great and noble work, for we are truly living in grand and awful times – and from our experiences, which are yet in the balance and just a miniature of your own experiences.

I have in hand a number of clippings..... Those who cannot see the work that you are doing for the love of God, the Truth and the Brethren, are either dumb of under­standing, or are willful hypocrites. The clear understanding of your papers and your resistance of errors show the Household of Faith that you are being rewarded for your faithfulness to the Truth...

Your sister by His Grace ............ (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Sir:

Please send me your free leaflets – No. 2 – What Is the Soul? No. 1 – Where are the Dead? No. 3 – The Resurrection of the Dead, No. 5 – Two Distinct Salva­tions, and No. 9 – The Day of Judgment.  Thank you!

Yours truly ............ (FLORIDA)

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Dear Friends:

I never realized to the extent that I have in recent weeks, the great comfort found in having people sincerely sympathetic during the loss of a loved one.

My mother’s final departure has certainly been easier for me to bear knowing that friends care enough to acknowledge her passing by sending me the comforting and meaningful papers – “The Herald of the Epiphany, The Resurrection of the Dead,” and “What Is The Soul?” I deeply appreciate the time taken and the effort made on the part of an anonymous friend to express heartfelt condolences in this way. I’m sure your thoughtfulness brings peace and consolation to many.

Gratefully ............. (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brothers:

I received The Herald of the Epiphany and find it very interesting about The Res­urrection of the Dead. Please send me free copies of Where are the Dead? What is the Soul? The Resurrection of the Dead and The Day of Judgment. I read and pass it on to other people. This is very interesting for all of us. Thanks very much.

................ (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

This will be my first letter to you in the year 1971. Hope that you folks are well. We are suffering a cold wave here this week – nice and clear but cold... I haven’t received my copy of the January paper so far. Remember a year ago I didn’t receive it either.  Have you mailed it yet? Very anxious to receive it.

I am enclosing some names. There’s one in St. Petersburg, Florida which I don’t think you have. Also, did you know of the death of Brother Clark M. Whitaker of Pullman.  Michigan?.......... I hope you have changed the address of Brother ........

I am enclosing a check for $ ... as a little contribution to your work, which I hope you will continue for a long time to come. Hope all of you at the Bible House there are well, and with much Christian love to you all, I remain

Your brother in Him, ............. (MICHIGAN)

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My dear Brother Hoefle: Loving greetings through our dear Redeemer!

We have heard from Sister ....... that Sister .......... was at her daughter’s for six weeks after Christmas with chest trouble. We had not heard from her. She had a fall and hurt her foot..... Now it is a lot better, but she has arthritis in her other foot.... Sister ......... fell in the yard and sprained her leg and foot... She has suffered severe head pains for three days, so the Doctor was called in, and suspects a detached retina. Yes, racial trouble is world wide. We noticed there has been some in Florida, too. How thankful we should be that the Lord has given us an understanding of all these troubles! We can look beyond it and realize the earthly Kingdom will bring the “desire of all na­tions.”

There are not many, if any, Jehovah’s Witnesses in this district. If there were a convention anywhere near, we would do our best to visit them and give out “Three Baby­lons.” So many have died that we knew, and we did give Brother Johnson addresses.

It is nice to know you get some nice letters from some in the other Truth Groups. We pray for the cleansing of the Great Company and the ledlings. All  join  in  sending love to you and all at the Bible House.

Sincerely your sister, ......... (ENGLAND)

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Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n –

Please send me two copies each of No. 4 – “The Three Babylons,” and No. 5 – “Two Distinct Salvations,” and No. 7 – “The Great Reformer.”

Yours sincerely, ................ (CANADA)

NO. 188: JUST MEN PERFECTED IN THEIR SPIRITS

No. 188

“But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the Living God, the heaven­ly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” (Heb. 12:22,23) While it is not our purpose to discuss all of this Scripture in detail, we shall quote it from the Diaglott: “You have approached to Zion, a mountain and city of the Living God – the heavenly Jerusalem (Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all—Gal. 4:26); and to myriads of angels – a full assembly; and to a congregation of first-borns, having been enrolled in the Heavens; and to a Judge Who Is God of all; and to spirits of the right­eous made perfect.” The last clause would be more literally translated: “Ye have ap­proached... God the judge of all, even of just men perfected in their spirits.”

Specifically addressed in this text are those living here in the end of the Age, portraying as it does the Time of Trouble, which we have not only “approached,” but are involved in the very midst of it – when everything that can be shaken will be shaken ­all will be shaken out except that which Is unbreakable. “Every man’s work will be made manifest, and the day (this present day) will declare it, because it will be re­vealed by fire” – by the destructive influences now in operation. Those who have built their “house upon the sand” will see it demolished by the rain, the floods and the winds (Matt. 7:27) – by the “fire” of this day. But of the fully faithful it is written, “Here is the patience of the saints – those who keep the commandments of God and the faith (faithfulness) of Jesus... From this time blessed are those dead who die in the Lord... they may rest from their labors; for their works follow after them.” Thus, there are only two unshakable things brought to view here: the Kingdom and the “fine linen” the unimpeachable characters – of the saints. Often we hear it stated, You can’t take it with you; but the Revelator tells us that the saints can, and do, take their works, their superb characters, with them.

St. Paul likens all this to the inauguration of the law Covenant at Sinai, when all the people heard the thunderings, and the noise of the trumpets, and saw the light­enings and the mountain smoking; when Moses “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was”; and Moses went up into the mountain. All of this was typical, of course, representing the inauguration of the New Covenant. And, as we have so often stressed, every antitype is greater than its type; and the things which the Jews saw, and at which they trembled, pictured in very small fashion the larger and grander things trans­piring now, and yet to come. If the people trembled then, how much more do we now see “men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking on these things.” (Luke 21:26)

Presently, we are approaching the General Assembly (the complete gathering) of the Church of the first-borns, included in which will be Christ, the Head, and all the faith­ful of this Age – all who have made “their calling and election sure,” and those who failed to do so, but who were saved so as by fire – all new creatures who attain the “first resurrection,” and those others – the Great Multitude – who publicly serve before the Throne. All of these must have finished their course before the “marriage of the Lamb” and the wedding supper can occur.

St. Paul also states we are approaching the place where “the spirits of just men” will be made perfect – just men perfected in their spirits, or disposition, characters. Self-evidently these are not a part of the church of the first-borns, or the Apostle would not have made separate mention of them. These are properly catalogued in Heb. 11:39, 40: “These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us (the fully faithful of this Gospel Age), that they without us (the fully faithful class – the saints) should not be made perfect” perfected in their bodies, minds and hearts. These all, the Ancient Worthies, are still waiting – “sleeping in the dust of the earth” – waiting for the marriage supper of the Lamb, after which they will appear in physical perfection as the first children of that marriage. But then they will only be men made perfect – human beings and not spirit be­ings. And this perfection will at first be only physical.

It should not require great intellect to recognize that Samson, for instance, who slew more in his death than he did in his life, would not come forth from the ruins of the Philistine temple with the love of God in his heart and mind for those whom he had just destroyed. Nor of Samuel, one of the grand “Old men” (Joel 2:28) of the Old Tes­tament, who “hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord.” (1 Sam. 15:33) St. Paul gives quite a list of these in the 11th Chapter of Hebrews, but says there are many more whom he does not specifically name. But of all of them, known or unknown to us, not one is said to have been a pacifist. They were counted “Just” because of their faith. It was left for Jesus to be the first of the fully faithful to preach the doctrine “love your enemies.” But the present-day Youthful Worthies (the young Men” of Joel 2:28) have been well in­structed in this matter; thus, from that standpoint they will enter the Kingdom superior to the stalwarts of Old Testament record. All of the “Old men” were of “the just,” will have a “better resurrection,” though none of them even closely approached the perfection of character attained by The Elect of this Age – the Little Flock. Thus, Jesus said that “the least” of these latter would be greater in the Kingdom than the greatest of those Ancients.

THE TABERNACLE

It has been properly stated that the Tabernacle in the wilderness reveals the entire Plan of God; and, as is true with so many types, that Tabernacle has a number of anti­types, chief of which is the Gospel-Age antitype. Let us keep well in mind that a place in that type invariably represents a condition in the antitype. Thus, the Camp in the type represents the rebellious nominal people of God in the Gospel-Age and in the Epi­phany antitypes. These people desire some association with God, but not enough for them to do His “good and acceptable, and perfect will” with “all the heart, mind, soul and strength.” If this conclusion be true, then we may reach a further conclusion – namely, so long as we have with us the rebellious nominal people of God, just that long shall we also have the assurance that the definition of the antitypical Camp must remain constant; it should not be changed in any particular.

And the Court of the type represents for the faith Age, the place where the “Just men” would have their standing – the tentatively justified. Of course, in the case of Abel, Noah, Abraham, etc., they lived long before the Tabernacle in the wilderness was constructed; but they were reckoned as having their standing there, God counting those things that are not as though they are. Those men believed God and it was counted, reck­oned, to them for righteousness. Because of their faith, they were “counted” (reckoned) just; counted as having their standing in the place where all the just of this faith Age have had their standing.

When JFR first coined his “Jonadabs,” he could not logically put them in the Court; there were then still too many good Bible Students who knew the truth on the subject from Brother Russell, and they would not swallow such an invention. This and other errors eventually forced him to drop the Tabernacle entirely as a type, so the Witnesses no longer study Tabernacle Shadows, or regard it as a part of their belief. Similar con­siderations forced him also to reject Elijah & Elisha as types; and his was an outstanding example of the truth that one error usually forces its proponent to accept other errors ­to patch up the ‘hole in the roof.’ And now that RGJ has rejected the true antitypical Camp, he likewise is forced to the same course – not to the same degree, however, but he is definitely headed in that same direction with his Campers Consecrated. He has now cor­rupted the proper interpretation of the antitypical Camp.

He has emphasized that his Campers perform in every particular just as do the Youth­ful Worthies – they are so much alike you can’t tell them apart unless you ask them what date they fully accepted God, so he says. But he also contends that they cannot be counted with the “just men” discussed aforegoing – their names have never been written in Heaven. And in this he directly contradicts the clear teachings of the Epiphany Messen­ger on this subject. Early in the Epiphany, when the status of the Youthful Worthies was being vehemently debated, this statement was given in E-4:330 to prove that the Youth­ful Worthies could, and do, receive similar recognition and treatment from God as did the Ancient Worthies:

“Both classes show the same spirit of faithfulness amid the same hard con­ditions under the handicap of there being no Ransom merit available for their use (which truth also applies to RGJ’s Consecrated Campers – if there is such a class, and they have the faith of Abraham as he contends—JJH). The unchangeableness of God’s holy character in view of His oath to the entire faith class (and RGJ contends they are a ‘faith class’—­JJH) guarantees a similar reward to those who were similarly faithful under similar diffi­cult conditions and who were subject to a similar handicap in a similar inavailability of the Ransom merit for their benefit.”

And further on p. 332:

“It is reasonable and Scriptural to expect for the Youthful Worthies, as well as for the Ancient Worthies, that they will receive ultimately a higher reward than they could have on this earth. As the Ancient, so the Youthful Worthies would be everlastingly degraded instead of being everlastingly rewarded for their Millen­nial service and suffering for the world, and their post-Millennial service for the faith­ful of the world, and for their post-Millennial suffering for righteousness at the hands of the Second Death class, if they would remain on the earth forever; for since all human beings found worthy of everlasting life will henceforth be equal (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 21: 24), it would follow that the Youthful, as well as the Ancient Worthies, from being the Millennial superiors would be degraded to being the eternal equals of the world of mankind, if as human beings they remained eternally on this earth. Thus God would not only not give them any reward for the Millennial and post-Millennial service and suffering, but post-­Millennially give them no more than He will give to those who would not serve Him, but did serve Satan, sin, error and death, during the period that these were in the ascendancy and domination among men. The Divine attributes do not reward such faithfulness by eternal deg­radation.”

If the above is the correct teaching for Youthful Worthies, it would also now apply with equal force toward his Campers Consecrated — if such a class is now being developed. To avoid the force of this logic by the Epiphany Messenger, RGJ is now falteringly at­tempting to stammer a certain “more honorable” position for his Campers Consecrated than will eventually be the reward of the “sheep” after the end of the Little Season; but his contention carries no conviction whatever, because he can find nothing in Bible logic any­where to support it — nor in the Parousia or Epiphany writings.

At the Chicago Convention he offered quite some detail on the Hill Ophel in Jerusa­lem as a type of his Campers Consecrated; but it will be recalled that when Brother John­son taught that the Hill Bezetha typed the Youthful Worthies, he also produced many con­vincing Scriptures to support his contention. This RGJ has not been able to do for his Campers Consecrated. If that Hill Ophel has any significance at all, it would typify the Jews, for we have the clear statement in Rom. 1:16 that “salvation is to the Jew first” ­not to Campers Consecrated, or to Jonadabs, or to Quasi-elect Consecrated first, but to the Jew first. And any one with even a smattering of Present Truth should be able to see the logic of this. Certainly those Jews in Jerusalem that survive Jacob’s Trouble would automatically be the first to be blessed under the new Kingdom, after which it will grad­ually extend to others.

So far as we know, there are only three groups in Little Babylon – or anywhere else, for that matter – who have invented non-existent classes in this Epiphany period. And the three that comprise this newly-developed ‘Trinity’ are the JW’s (Jehovah’s Witnesses), RGJ (Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement), and JWK (the self-styled Apoka­lypsis Messenger).

There is yet another crushing refutation to his error to be found in Epiphany Vol. 8, p. 10: “In the second typical feature the 12 tribes represent those people of the 12 denominations who do not consecrate, but who hold measurably to the Ransom and right­eousness, and who form the transitional camp, i.e., the Camp bridging the period between the Gospel and the Millennial Ages.”

This same teaching is given in slightly different wording in E-10:209. Certainly, we are not yet in the Millennial Age – from the Kingdom standpoint; in fact, the 12 denominations are still intact as such in the transitional Epiphany Camp. Thus, the Camp as outlined in the foregoing quotation must still be with us; and RGJ is now put­ting his Campers Consecrated right in the same position as the twelve denominations. He has not yet explained this to his Campers Consecrated. He is now telling us that the Epiphany Messenger did not understand this matter, so he himself will give us the Truth on it. If the Epiphany Messenger were wrong on his understanding of the Epiphany Camp, then it would logically follow that he was also wrong on the remainder of the Epi­phany Tabernacle. Let those accept such error who wish to do so; as for us, we shall continue in the things we have learned, and been assured of, knowing of whom we have learned them.”

Certainly no one with just ordinary understanding of Present Truth would believe that the twelve denominations are not still in the Epiphany Camp. Therefore, it follows that the “finished picture” has not yet begun to appear; yet RGJ has us in it with his Campers Consecrated. The finished picture will begin to appear after Armageddon, at which time the truly repentant and believing (the quasi-elect), but not consecrated, will constitute the Epiphany Camp, even as all others will be forced therefrom, and take their places with the Heathen. When that occurs, and antitypical Hophni and Phineas are no longer with us, many who are now rebellious nominal Christians will no longer be rebel­lious, but will become receptive to the Truth. We stress that the ‘signs of the times’ will make very clear to us when that time arrives; yet RGJ is now following in the foot­steps of That Evil Servant, who was ever running ahead of the Lord, and making one co­lossal blunder after another, so that now the Witnesses have the Kingdom already with us, and they are separating the sheep from the goats. Given time – if RGJ doesn’t turn from the “error of his way” – he will be forced into some such spiritual bedlam, as he also repeatedly attempts to run ahead of the Lord. Immediately after Brother Johnson’s death, he began his “foolish” course by presenting his Do-You-Knows – a full million of them were printed. It would be very interesting to know how many of them he has left, and just what results were secured by those that have been distributed. Indeed, we are witness to the truth of Brother Johnson’s statement: Bungling is the usual and natural activity of the Great Company!

Had 1914 come and gone, with nothing in the signs of the times to pinpoint that date, we may be certain Brother Johnson would not have taught that the Time of Trouble and the Epiphany were then with us. Yet, with just nothing in the signs of the times to establish 1954, RGJ now clings to that date as though the corroborating evidence were fully there.

One more point may well be mentioned here: In several places the Epiphany Messen­ger has warned us that any attempt by a crown-loser to bring forth a new doctrine would be “gazing,” would be offering “strange fire,” which would consequently be error with­out further ado. Therefore, we could – if we were inclined – automatically reject such teaching as error; but we offer Scriptural refutation of it to strengthen the faith of our readers, so they may know the real foundation truth on this subject. There are cer­tain principles laid down in the Bible, which we need to grasp and apply them to our daily lives that we may be “established in the Present Truth.” A primary foundation principle is justice, which must be recognized and practiced before we can build the principles of love, mercy, etc. We need to learn what justice means – as it is dis­cussed in some of the quotations herein. Then we shall be in a strong position “by rea­son of use to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:14) – to discern clearly between Truth and error on every important point – and to be courageous and uncompromising in declar­ing the Truth.

THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER PRESENT TRUTH

On pages 87-91 of this paper the Chicago discourse on Ophel is further considered ­with the usual presumption that RGJ injected into it. Again he offers Rev. 22:10, 11 as ‘proof’ of his teaching, and refers his readers to E-10:114 for corroboration. We have used this very citation so repeatedly against him in crushing manner that only one fully in the clutches of Azazel would have the brazen effrontery to use it again. However, we now repeat it again in refutation: “Only when J expounds connectedly the entire book of Revelation will it be due to say, ‘Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” So we now inquire, Has J “expounded connectedly the entire book of Revelation?”

Then on p. 114:

“After 1954 no more persons will enter the tentatively-justified state,” But, since 1954 RGJ has been feverishly attempting to bring people into the tentatively-­justified state – clearly in contradiction of this statement, and this very statement he is now citing to ‘prove’ his present activities. As the Epiphany Messenger has observed about similar crown losers – Why is it that they offer citations that directly contra­dict their position? Is it not because they are in the clutches of Azazel, and cannot think clearly as long as they are in that condition?

And concerning this spiritual bedlam, RGJ says this on p. 90, col. 1, par. 4: “We know that it, like all other parts of the advancing Truth, will come under special at­tack by the Adversary. Satan has always opposed the ‘meat in due season,’ given by our Lord to supply the needs of His people.” To those of us familiar with the early Epi­phany, these words have a very familiar ring to them; they are almost an exact duplicate of the wails and whines of that Foolish Shepherd. He, too, had an ‘Adversary’ to oppose his ‘advancing Truth’ – it was the sword (sharp opposing real Truth) that was upon his arm and upon his right eye. (Zech. 11:17) It is indeed an old Jesuitical trick to hurl at others the very truths that apply to them – just as did that Foolish Shepherd. And, Hitler like, they also realized that if you make the lie big enough, and repeat, repeat, repeat, a certain element will believe it.

It is apparent on every hand that we are in the Epiphany period when “the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5); and time itself is one of the major factors in producing that mani­festation. Early in the Epiphany a great division occurred over the chronology, some con­tending there was a 19-year mistake in our understanding of it. That error was clearly and forcefully refuted in the Present Truth; but many who had accepted the error either did not read the Present Truth, or were overly persuaded by their leaders to ignore it. However, time itself made manifest the error. When 1933 came, not one thing occurred which would mark that date as the end of the Gentile Times; but in nineteen years it had been sufficiently glossed over and given the silent treatment, so there was no prominent mention of it. But it was there just the same!

Time Itself is also slowly, but surely, making manifest RGJ’s folly with respect to his 1954 date. Let us not forget that he obtained his initial impetus on Campers Conse­crated from J. W. Krewson, whom he now brands as a rank errorist. Nor has JWK made much effort since that time to defend the teaching – leaving that now to RGJ. But time is making it appear more foolish every year. And the same is true of his Attestatorial Ser­vice – a service which has produced as near to nothing as anything that Evil Servant foisted upon his gullible followers. And many of RGJ’s ardent followers, including some of his prominent leaders, have shown little or no enthusiam for the Service, with inter­est in it also diminishing as each year passes. Even RGJ himself is not nearly so loud and garrulous about it as he was ten years ago, because even a babe in the Truth can readily recognize that there is just no ‘parallel’ at all between the 1954 effort and the true Little Flock attestatorial service in 1914-1916. Of course, many of his new­comers know nothing about the 1914-1916 effort from their personal experience, and prob­ably many of them have not even read about it.

Then, concerning this latest ‘advancing Truth’ regarding the Hill Ophel, RGJ says Brother Johnson laid the foundation for this to come in due course. Those quotations we have offered aforegoing from E-10:113,114 certainly don’t reveal any such foundation; but it is well to keep in mind here, too, that this is also an old trick of Azazel. The Roman Catholic Church tells us that St. Peter laid the foundation for their present er­rors; and the Jehovah’s Witnesses state with equal vehemence that Brother Russell laid the foundation for their present efforts and errors. Even the most innocent tyros with RGJ have no difficulty In recognizing the falsity of the Witnesses’ claims, even as they are at the same time completely blinded to the grime on their own doorstep. And with such evidence before us, we may resign ourselves in the strong assurance that time itself will eventually “make manifest” the Truth and the error on such controversial questions; and we offer a few stanzas from the poet along this line:

Serene, I fold my hands and wait,

Nor care for wind nor tide nor sea;

I rave no more ‘gainst time or fate,

For lo! my own shall come to me.

The stars come nightly to the sky;

The tidal wave unto the sea;

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

Can keep my own away from me.

Previously, we made mention of the “gazing” activities of crown-losers; and we now offer some quotations in corroboration: “Nor are the Levites to seek to discover ‘new light’ (note RGJ’s statement aforegoing concerning ‘advancing Truth – new light—JJH) and spread it before the Church, as this would be attempting to go into the Holy, from which they have been excluded, and would result in their offering strange fire, as the Society and other leaders have done in Vol. VII, the Tower, etc.” (E-7:138)

And all of us are witness to the tumult and mischief that have resulted from these efforts. We quote further from E-9:134: “It will be noted that while God has given the non-star-membered teachers of the General Church and the more prominent local elders vis­ions and dreams, He has never given them to see as a thing new a doctrine. This privi­lege is limited exclusively to our Lord acting in the star-members. Any attempt on the part of a non-star-membered teacher or of a non-teacher as the first one to work out a doctrine would be speculation, and would, therefore, not result in uncovering a new truth (as RGJ has been attempting to do with his Campers Consecrated—JJH), but would result in error.” We now quote from E-11:495: “None of these brothers (prominent Little Flock teachers—JJH) were the first to see new doctrines, which under Jesus is the exclusive privilege of star-members.”

And summing up, concerning those attempting to “gaze,” there is this in E-11:383: “God will put such an one into such controversial disadvantages that amid them to de­fend his errors he will be continually surrendering formerly held truths (such as the truth on the transitional Epiphany Camp, Justification only in the Court, etc.—JJH) that impinge against his new errors, as was done with all the six sets of harvest sif­ters. Thus does God punish such invasions, which are usurpations.”

To those who have their senses properly exercised (developed) to discern between truth and error, the above quotations are more than sufficient to enable them to recog­nize that any new doctrine proposed by a crown-loser is self-evidently “strange fire” (false doctrine). The Epiphany Messenger has presented this matter most unmistakably clear in this Epiphany (bright shining) period for our protection against such perver­sions as Campers Consecrated, Quasi-elect Consecrated and Jonadabs; and any who cast aside such important Truth that he gave us are indirectly denying that he was indeed the Epiphany Messenger, and the last Star Member to produce a new doctrine. And, once this matter is made clear, we may be sure that only those who persist in being misled by it will be those who never were “established in the present (Epiphany) truth.”

As respects the resurrection, we are definitely told that there will be a resurrec­tion of “the just” – as such; separate and distinct from all others of the human race. But there is no mention anywhere in the Scriptures of a resurrection of the Quasi-elect as such – whether they be consecrated or not. Thus, if any of his Consecrated Campers should die before the inauguration of the Mediatorial reign, they will have no prece­dence whatever over their fellows who will be raised at the same time they are – except, of course, any good they have developed into their characters now. However, the Jews in Jerusalem who survive Jacob’s Trouble, will certainly have precedence over others of the human family who will also survive Jacob’s Trouble. Just how many years it will be be­tween the resurrection of “the just” (faithful Abraham and his kind) and the initial awakening of the first unjust, we do not know; but we believe it is a reasonable conclu­sion that it will be more than one or two years, because the restoration of order in the earth will by no means be a simultaneous or instantaneous matter everywhere. Thus, when RGJ claims his Campers Consecrated “are blessed with faithful Abraham,” he is at least sadly lacking when he fails to explain just what he means by that. It is reasonably cer­tain the “just men” of Heb. 12:23 will all receive their resurrection when Abraham re­ceives his; therefore, they will of a surety be “blessed with faithful Abraham”; but such a conclusion cannot logically be made of any of the Quasi-elect, and RGJ’s state­ment becomes extremely strained and needs a lot of clarification. He that discerns clear­ly, teaches clearly. Would any one conclude that RGJ discerns clearly in this instance?

In keeping with the foregoing, we consider it timely to offer same more from Bro. Russell and not from us personally: “In thinking of the nature of the tribulation at the end of this Age, we are first of all to remember that it is a tribulation coming upon the world and the hypocrites. The Lord tells us that if we are faithful, we shall not come into the condemnation coming upon the world. The intimation is that those who are not faithful enough to get Into the Little Flock will come into this condemnation, with the world. So the Lord tells us of some who will get their portion with the hypocrites. Matt. 24:51” (Reprints 5256) These are described in Matt. 25:30 as “the unprofitable servant,” the Great Company (see Berean Comment), who are cast “into outer darkness” (er­ror), which is so much in evidence among the leaders and the mis-leaders of God’s people at this time.

BROTHER RUSSELL’S ARTICLE

On pp. 82-84 of this same Present Truth is an article by Brother Russell. As we should expect, the article is an excellent one, and would embellish any paper which car­ries it – whether that paper be Roman Catholic or RGJ’s Present Truth; so he is to be commended for reproducing it. But he would merit even more commendation if he himself would take the teachings of that article to heart, and practice them himself – particu­larly those parts of it that treat “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just. “

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land...... Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.” (Psa. 85:8,9 & 13)

Sincerely you brother,

John J. Hoefle Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Fond Christian love to you and all with you!

I noted what you said about Brother Brown, and I agree with you. He was not one to swallow a doctrine without proving it to be reasonable and Scriptural – nor was he easily influenced by those who told him not to read another’s writings.

The service we had for the Messengers was a praise, prayer and testimony meeting, and Brother ------- from Kingston gave a lengthy testimony. He also mentioned that Bro. Brown was a good friend from Parousia times, even before he embraced the Truth for himself. He thought Brother Brown was an example of a good profession of the believ­ers. After the service he told us Brother Brown’s son said he was 97, but that he was sure that Brother Brown was around 104.....

Warm Christian love for all. God Bless you!

Sister ------- (JAMAICA)

NOTE: Yes, Brother Brown had many rich experiences in the “narrow way” under both Brother Russell and Brother Johnson, and he gave us many of the details of these experiences in the lengthy correspondence we have had with him since we first met him personally at Kingston in 1957. He was warm and gracious to us at that Con­vention despite all the vicious diatribe hurled at us by RGJ then – and continued warm and friendly to us until his death. He told us at that Convention that he praised the Lord for the privilege of living to meet and greet us. In one of his letters he wrote: “May it please the Lord to make you a blessing to yourself and all who will hear. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Love and good will to you and Sis­ter Hoefle. I am, As ever your Brother Brown.”

Be was very definite about his refusal to accept the Campers Consecrated doctrine. He said: “I don’t teach Consecrated Epiphany Campers, as the Camp represents the world of mankind in sin and needing atonement, and desiring it. I see now the world of mankind must wait their due time – must wait till the reign of Christ begins....... Again I say, he who distinguishes clearly teaches right.” And in his last letter to us: “Must close with love, and the Lord Bless you! I give you Poem 124 and Heb. 13:20-21. Pray for me as I do for you both.” This was received a short time before he died in 1970. We do indeed, with others who knew him well, treasure his memory as a warm, lov­ing and zealous brother.

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Dear Brethren:

Thank you for sending me Epiphany truth. I find it very helpful and enjoy read­ing the truth. I am 79 years old........ Please notice my new address. I am a widow, and please accept my small help.

I am your sister in Christ ------- (WISCONSIN)

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My dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace Divine be yours!

We are indeed glad to receive your papers. They are refreshing – especially in the struggle of our present day. I greatly enjoyed your paper, “Jesus The Christ.”

With Christian love in Jesus’ dear name, Your brother ------- (JAMAICA)

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ANNOUNCEMENT

The Memorial this year may be celebrated any time after 6 p.m., Thursday, April 8. The moon comes new at the 30th Meridian East, Jerusalem time, at 9:24 p.m. March 26, thus establishing 6 p.m. March 26 as Nisan 1, Bible reckoning. Counting to Nisan 14, we reach 6 p. m. April 8; and any hour after 6 p.m. that evening would be correct for the service.

NO. 187: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

No. 187

Another year gone – with great advancement in scientific achievements in various capacities, and great retrogression in human relations and decor. This is as should be expected when we remember the prophecy, “The morning cometh, and also the night.” (Isa. 21:12) One professor of agriculture in a prominent university has recently pre­dicted that we shall be growing 400 bushels of corn to the acre in the near future, and 200 bushels of wheat. When we were a boy on the farm in Ohio, fifty bushels of corn per acre became the talk of the whole county. And 18-20 bushels of wheat was considered an exceptionally good crop. The first hybrid corn appeared in 1930, which has already increased the yield to about four times what it was previously.

Also, a seedless cucumber is soon to appear on the market, which will not only much improve the quality, but also increase the yield by 50% or more. And a mechani­cal cherry picker is now in use, eliminating manual picking entirely. This Machine merely shakes the entire tree, causing it to drop its fruit into an apron underneath. It is said the tree is completely relieved of all fruit by this mechanism. In addition, an acid has been developed which causes the fruit to ripen eight to fourteen days soon­er than would naturally be the case, thus easing the burden of the canneries by extend­ing the period of harvest. Furthermore, it is requiring considerably less labor today to produce and harvest these large crops than it did ten or twenty years ago, when much less was grown. And the quality of the food was never better. In 1960 the average farmer in America fed 25 people; now he feeds 45 people.

The increase in speed of travel is likewise keeping pace. It is now predicted that the distance from San Francisco to Tokyo will be accomplished in little more than a half hour in the next ten years. Recently we flew from Detroit to Chicago, leaving Detroit at 11:20 a.m., and arriving in Chicago at 11:18 a.m. This is due to the change from eastern to central time, of course, but it shows we were traveling faster than the sun. At that rate we could travel around the world completely in the daytime. Indeed, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4) It is a fair appraisal that even the unlearned are very much better informed on all social, politi­cal and world issues today than ever before. Sir Isaac Newton had predicted that man would some day travel at the rate of fifty miles per hour; and the ridicule he received for such a prediction now bounces back vigorously at his critics.

It is reported that a computer has now been invented for supermarkets, which will register the customer’s purchase by name, and give price, total amount and amount of tax, then state the remaining inventory on the shelf.

Truly, we are in the “day of preparation” – the “morning”; but the “night” pro­ceeds emphatically along with it. Crime in the larger cities of the United States is becoming increasingly violent and abundant, causing great numbers to move to the su­burbs, or to entirely new locales. Most large cities lost population in the last ten years. “They shall flee away, none shall look back.... the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and the faces of them all gather blackness.” (Nah. 2:8-10) Last Spring in Detroit a father followed his 17-year-old daughter to an apartment, found her cohabiting with a Jew, a Negro and a Gentile boy; then shot them all to death. This just after he had bought his daughter a new auto to make her happy. Another instance: Several young men entered a bar at 1:30 a.m., ordered various mixed drinks, then in­sisted they be allowed to taste them before making payment. The ensuing argument re­sulted in one of them being shot to death, which in turn brought on a riot of some 2,000 in the street before the bar. The tension was extreme for several days thereafter. All about a $2.30 bar bill. “The earth (the present social structure) is moved exceeding­ly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cot­tage... it shall fall, and not rise again.” (Isa. 24:20)

IN FINANCE

The financial structure continues to deteriorate in keeping with the moral fiber. Earlier the President had hoped for a budget surplus of possibly two billion dollars; now it is estimated that there will be a deficit of anywhere from ten to twenty billions. And with it all the cost of living continues upward. Apples are now 20 to 30¢ per lb. in the big city markets – against 20 to 30¢ per bushel (60 lbs.) forty years ago. It is a sage observation in investment circles that constant vigilance is the price of safety; and only the well-informed and the vigilant are surviving the ravages of deteriorating paper money, much of which is simply a “promise to pay” nothing. One skilled writer recently took note of this, saying that the real menace to the United States is not from without, but from within. Here is a small quotation from his booklet:

“Today local and Federal taxes take one-third of all our earnings – and the Federal Government takes, and controls, and spends 70 per cent of it. Statistics show that prior to 1913 the Federal Government took and spent $7 per year per capita. In 1960 it took and spent $450 per every man, woman and child in our country. Thus the Federal Govern­ment takes and spends today about 65 times as much, per person, as it did 50 years ago.”

Of course, this is not due to the Government being in the money business; it is due to the money men being In the Government business. And to accomplish their purposes they must also control primarily the news agencies – to prevent them from informing the people of what goes on behind the scenes. Says the writer quoted above:

“The Masterminds realized that as long as the Press – or any other mass communica­tions media – remained free to tell what they were trying to do, the enraged people would not only smash their plans, but they might well find themselves hanging from the nearest trees and telegraph poles. They decided that there must be no “free press.” And in the two decades that followed they achieved that objective. They bought outright some of the most important newspapers in the nation – they subsidized ‘stooges’ to buy other news­papers, magazines, etc. They evolved a perfect formula for controlling the ‘Wire Ser­vices,’ such as Associated Press, UPI, etc. They achieved that control by infiltrating such of their affiliates into the Chairmanships and other key posts on the governing Directorates.... Bear in mind that newspapers and magazines depend upon their advertising revenues for their existence. Hence, any individual, or organization, who has the power to place – or to withhold – the bulk advertising of both Department Stores and Advertis­ing Agencies can walk into the office of any newspaper and ‘write his own ticket.’ He can force the newspaper to give ‘the silent treatment’ – or even to smear – any indivi­dual who has incurred his displeasure.... he can force the newspaper to back any type of legislation he desires – or to denounce legislation he opposes – he can absolutely DICTATE the editorial policies of the newspaper.”

It is said that the financiers described aforegoing contributed twenty million dol­lars in gold during World War I to finance the Lenin-Trotsky group to overthrow the Rus­sian Government, and to work from there to perpetrate similar procedure in other en­lightened countries that had become overburdened with debt as a result of the great con­flict. And they have been continuing their plan in quiet, but intensive, zeal throughout the years following 1918; and they eventually masterminded the great depression of 1929-1932.

Some years back one of these money men made a statement something like this: If I can control the money of a nation, I care not who makes the laws. It is self-evident that a capitalistic system operates with money; and, under the evil conditions that have prevailed over the centuries of the curse, the capitalistic system seems best suited to existing conditions. There is no question but that competition among men has resulted in much injustice, brutality and deep-laid plans of evil in many respects; but things would have been even worse under any other system. In the early Church the Apostles thought to establish a communistic arrangement among the brethren (“they had all things common”—Acts 4:32), but it failed almost before it began, resulting in St. Peter exe­cuting the death penalty upon Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5:1-11) Shortly after America was discovered some Europeans thought to escape the demands of capitalism; they would come to America, bask in the sun, with no money worries, and no effort at producing anything. This forced Captain John Smith, founder of the Virginia colony, to issue the edict, “He who will not work shall not eat.”

Knowing that the capitalistic system operates with money, certain men – motivated by theory of Fabian Socialism – determined that the best way to destroy the capitalistic system would be with capital itself. Thus, they have adopted a set policy of corrupting the currencies of all civilized countries, which has resulted in all of them devaluing their currencies as occasion made it expedient. Some have done this more than others. For instance, the French franc that was valued at about 19 cts in 1914 is now worth about 1/4 of a cent, so that a franc today will buy little more than a match or a toothpick. In the United States devaluation has occurred only once – in 1933; but the deterioration of its money has more than kept pace with other leading countries. It is estimated that the overall debt in this country now – federal, state, local and private – is about 1½ trillion dollars – with the end nowhere in sight. The annual interest on the federal debt alone is about 20 billion dollars; whereas, the entire national debt in 1914 was about one billion dollars, and the ruling party was very diligent that it should go no higher. This tremendous erosion has tragically undermined life insurance, annuities, and the like, where people have paid in ‘hard’ dollars, but will now receive the eroded dollar in eventual payment. Already about 1945, when the national debt was about 45 bil­lions, one prominent Washington commentator offered the appraisal that nobody with any intelligence in Washington thinks this debt will ever be paid off. And that debt is now about eight times that amount.

When the final accounting arrives for this financial mess, it will be a fearful day of reckoning. “Behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up... that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” (Mal. 4:1) Companion to this is Heb. 1:10-12: “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth (the present social order); and the heavens (the present religious order) are the works of thine hands: They shall perish (in the turmoil of this evil day)... they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up.” This is all typically foretold in Gen. 15:8-17. After God had made certain promises to Abraham, the latter then asked: “Lord, whereby shall I know that I shall Inherit it (the land)?... And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.” The “smoking furnace” undoubtedly foretold the “burning oven” of this our day; and the “lamp” that passed be­tween is a “more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light (the ‘lamp’) that shineth in a dark place.” (2 Pet. 1:19) From such ‘prophecy’ the Lord’s people shall receive their clear understanding of present conditions; and it is well that we all set our houses in order that that “day shall not overtake us as a thief.”

IN POLITICS

Another political campaign has just ended in the United States – with the usual promises and recriminations sharply in evidence. Anent the glowing promises, a teacher gave the question, When is Jesus coming back to earth? To which a little girl promptly answered, Election day! One pundit offered the definition, A politician is one who shakes your hand on election day, and your confidence afterward. We, however, would not make this allegation all-inclusive. Some leaders in government are undoubtedly try­ing honestly and laboriously to improve the general environment; but they are hampered by at least three things: Colossal debt, poor material with which to work, and impa­tience on the part of the citizens. With the confusion and faulty organization every­where apparent, any substantial panacea requires much time to make it work; and the peoples of earth have had their tolerance worn thin; they are in no mood for reform that requires much time, but the complications of the times mist self-evidently need lots of time if they are to be cured. Of course, we have “the sure word of prophecy” that they will not be cured by puny men. Only will they be cured when “the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings ... tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.” (Mal. 4:2,3)

The governmental upheavals of the day have become accepted as regular ‘diet’; but a little reflection will quickly remind us that such was not the case before 1914, when revolution and extreme political reverse were definitely uncommon. In this respect, let us consider Italy. From 1870 on the House of Savoy ruled that country with a mini­mum of uproar; but we offer now some comments from one magazine, the article being en­titled “ITALY BENT FOR CHAOS.” Here are same of the statements:

“For the 27th time since World War 11 Italy is without a government (Aug. 10, 1970). The center-left coalition of Premier Mariano Rumor collapsed abruptly on July 6, and nearly three weeks later, Rumor’s fellow Christian Democrat, Giulio Andreotti, gave up his attempts to revive it. Last week, another Christian Democrat, Treasury Minister Emilio Colombo, was trying – without much luck – to patch together a new center-left Cab­inet. But despite the gravity of the crisis, it hardly seemed to matter to most Ital­ians whether Colombo succeeded or failed. For democratic government in Italy has worked so poorly during the postwar years that in one recent poll, two-thirds of those ques­tioned said they would prefer to temporarily surrender authority to a good strong man. What ails Italy: From Rome last week, Senior Editor Arnaud de Borchgrave cabled this report: ‘As a tourist, I came to Rome not only to see the mountains,’ an angry Ameri­can visitor recently wrote to Rome’s daily American, ‘but to swim and get a little sun­shine without going too far from the city. On Sunday, my wife and I took a train to one of the nearer beaches. I have never witnessed such squalor anywhere in the world. The water, the facilities, the air were all filthy. To cap it all, we had to pay $3 to get into a beach whose sleaziness is indescribable – and swim in a sewer.... Almost every feature of life in the big city has been a cruel disappointment to the migrants, many of whom wind up living in abandoned cars or shantytowns. In Rome, whose population has doubled since World War II, some 60,000 squatters live in wooden shacks. The cities them­selves are fast becoming unlivable.

“Successive Italian Governments have been almost powerless to deal with this social decay. Some 4,000 bills are pending in the clogged Parliament; university reform has been stalled for five years, urban planning for seven. Public transportation is break­ing down, and the schools, short one million desks, have been forced to adopt a two shift system. The country’s hospitals have 40,000 fewer beds than they need. Appellate courts are struggling with a ten-year backlog of cases, and frequent amnesties for minor criminals are all that stand between the prison system and complete chaos.

“In the face of these problems, Italy’s bureaucracy has grown bigger – but no better. The ranks of the civil service swell by ten per cent every four years, the payroll by 40 per cent. Bureaucrats (politicians) cost the country seven billion a year, nearly half the national budget. In Sicily, which has 600 different Government offices, some $860 million has been spent on local administration in the last five years; by contrast, only $530 million has been spent during the same period on public works and other social investment. In an effort to decentralize the bureaucracy, Italy recently created fif­teen new regional administrations. This set off-bloody riots in the southern seaport of Reggio de Calabria when the rival city of Catanzaro was chosen as capital of the region. More important, the new system will add $3 billion to the cost of the civil service – and yet another layer to the bureaucracy. The elected branch of government has been no more effective than the civil service. Designed chiefly as an antidote to Fascism, Italy’s multiparty political system has disintegrated into a proliferation of factions and personal rivalries. The Christian Democrats (the Roman Catholics), the country’s largest party with about 38% of the vote, are split into nine identifiable sub-species. The once-powerful Socialists are now three parties (Socialists, Proletarians and Social Democrats), while the Communists are also badly divided. Some, while perhaps critical of Soviet policy, remain loyal to Moscow as the mecca of International Communism. Others want to make a clean break with Russia and cooperate with democratic parties in reform­ing Italy.”

There is much more to this article, but the foregoing will suffice to inform our readers of the political situation in Italy. It is much the same in other countries, with some perhaps being even worse. The politician’s first objective is to take care of himself. Once he is on the payroll, it is almost impossible to dislodge him; and the most of them have unlimited gall in their operations. England’s labor Government was badly beaten in the last year’s elections; whereas, they considered themselves sure­ly entrenched. But it should be recalled that almost the first thing they did when they came into power several years back was to double their salaries – and at the same time telling the working people, who had elected them, that they should tighten their belts for an austerity program. The average politician has had little or no business experi­ence; consequently any enterprise conducted by the Government makes miserable compar­ison with private enterprise. One wag recently made the quip, Crime wouldn’t pay if the Government ran it. In the United States, where two parties predominate, the question was asked, Just what’s the difference between the Republicans and Democrats anyway? To which came the answer, All the difference in the world; they’re in, we’re out!

IN RELIGION

In religion much the same deterioration appears as is going on in the financial and political realms. In almost every Christian system the spirit of the real reformers is almost if not completely dead. Having come to the end of the Age, this should not sur­prise us, because the same condition prevailed at the end of the Jewish Age, when Jesus was on earth. And of them He said, “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” (Matt. 23:25) We gave more than ordinary detail aforegoing about Italy because the Roman Catholic Church is located there; and the sharpest con­trast is shown there between the general populace and the Church. It is variously esti­mated that the Vatican Empire is worth about five billion dollars, and is thus the wealthiest institution on earth, excepting a few Industrial empires in the United States and elsewhere. Surely, the prophecy is fulfilled in them, “Thou sayest, I am rich and Increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17)

Companion to the foregoing is the comment of one radio broadcaster that there are now 10,000 letters before the Pope by priests from various countries, asking that they be relieved of the vows of celibacy. Perhaps this is the prelude to fulfillment of the prophecy in 2 Kgs. 9:30-33: “When Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel (type of the Roman Church in her union with the various Gentile Governments) heard of it.... and looked out at a window... And Jehu lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? Who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down... and he trod her under foot.”

At the Episcopal Convention this Fall in Texas, that Church also was faced with considerable crisis – both in money and antipathy and discord among both the lay and the clerics. Just one small quotation will give the general idea:

“The program and budget committee regards anticipated diocesan (quota) income as $2 million less than the budget proposed by those swashbuckling spenders who comprise a ma­jority of the denomination’s executive council..... The financial desperation at Episco­pal headquarters is evidenced by Bishop John E. Hines having embarked quietly on a series of special fund-raising dinners in various dioceses. But only a few days before the general convention, in Massachusetts, this effort bombed. For among the 140,000 church members who comprise this, one of the denomination’s largest and most liberal dioceses, Bishop John Burgess was able to muster a total attendance of 23 people.”

Among the various Truth groups in Little Babylon the general trend is in much the same direction as in Big Babylon – though not nearly so extreme, of course. All during the Philadelphia period the more zealous and representative Christians were usually found in that group nearest the last reformer – in the sect that developed from his ef­forts. Thus, we should logically look for more advanced and devoted assemblies among those who arose from the last reformer. Inasmuch as there are those still living who were intimately acquainted with That Servant, and who diligently worked with him, we should expect to find the better Christian characters among those brethren, even though their particular group may not in general maintain the same high standards he advocated. And the same would be true of those associated more intimately with Brother Johnson. He also was an excellent “example of the believers”; and those honestly close to him would certainly have some of that ‘rub off’ onto them. However, crown-losers all during the Age were remiss in what they absorbed from their star-member leaders; and it should not surprise us to see the same situation still in vogue.

The leader of the laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, as example, has made various attempts to change the technique and to alter the teachings left in his trust, with such efforts always resulting in a downgrading of what was done during Brother Johnson’s life. Perhaps the latest departure from established practice before 1950 (when he became Trus­tee) is his practice now of collecting questions the day before the Question Meeting, to be sure no questions are presented that might prove embarrassing to him. thus, he is now running “scared”; and let us not forget that this is the same person who repeatedly vaunts his ‘courage’ from the platform at Conventions – where he is sure he is safe.

And, of course, the brethren he has accepted as his cohorts are those whose minds operate the same as does his, so that many of his speakers are of the weaker variety of “the unstable and the unlearned.” In our December paper we mentioned rather briefly the discourse of one of them at Chicago, his subject being “For Defense.” Then he proceeded to go into quite some detail about any one meeting a wolf in the wilderness, and being unarmed, would beat a hasty retreat. And he gave that as a pattern of our treatment of wolves among the Lord’s people. As Brother Russell once commented, Some of the pilgrims do paint some awful pictures; and this summation we would now repeat in the present in­stance. St. Paul emphatically instructed the elders at Ephesus (Acts 20:28) to “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over whom the Holy Spirit hath made you over­seers.” Even the veriest novice should recognize from this that St. Paul was in nowise hinting that the elders should “take heed to the flock” by running away if a wolf appeared. Nor did the Parousia or Epiphany Messengers themselves ever shrink from battle at any time with errorists – either in Babylon, or among our own selves. Nor did Jesus, or the Apos­tles. Note the Berean Comment on John 18:37: “It was this ‘Good confession (of the Truth—­JJH) before Pilate’ that cost our Lord His life.” And when Jesus said, “The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep,” He certainly did not mean he would ‘give his life’ by run­ning away if a wolf appeared. Certainly, the example we have just detailed is a far, far step from the performance and teaching of the last reformers. May God bless their memory!

ANOTHER FRAUD

During the past year the Roman Catholic Church has added another fraud to its long list of “great swelling words.” We offer now a magazine comment on this item:

“Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church. So said Jesus to a Galilean fisherman named Simon who became ‘Prince of Apostles’ and the first Pope. Roman Catholic historians record that Peter traveled to Rome and was crucified – head down – by the Emperor Nero in A. D. 64 or 67. He is then said to have been buried in a common cemetery on the site where Emperor Constantine built the first Basilica of Saint Peter in the fourth century. Constantine’s structure was razed during the sixteenth century, and the present basilica erected in its place.

“Last week, Pope Paul VI announced that bones uncovered beneath the basilica were indeed those of Saint Peter. Speaking to several thousand pilgrims at his weekly audi­ence, the Pontiff emphasized that intensive investigation of the bones would continue. But he added: ‘For our part, we believe it our duty – in the present state of archeol­ogical and scientific conclusions – to give you and the church this happy announcement, bound as we are to honor sacred relics, backed by reliable proof of their authenticity.’”

On the foregoing we would say there is not the slightest evidence to prove that the Apostle Peter ever visited Rome at any time during his life. And, had he done so, the Apostle Paul would certainly have made some slight comment about it in his writings from that city. Furthermore, it is definitely unscientific and illogical to believe that bones would still be intact and identifiable after 1900 years in the tomb. Some of us may re­call that, when the Communists took over the Russian Government in 1917, they immediate­ly went into the Catholic cathedrals there, took from the glass enclosures those sup­posed bodies of the saints that had never decayed, took them onto the front steps of those churches, picked them apart before the public, and revealed that they were nothing but cotton mummies – rank fraud in every respect.

This recalls the incident of a young priest who was being commissioned to a remote church as his first assignment. Just before his departure, his bishop called him aside and confidentially gave him a jawbone of the ass on which Jesus had ridden into Jerusa­lem the week of His death. It would be an inspiration and encouragement to him in the trials ahead, the bishop told him. But, after he had become settled in his charge, and had become acquainted with other priests in neighboring localities, he found seven other priests who also had been given a jawbone of that same ass.

GENERAL

In closing, we would offer parts of an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, entitled “In Its Own Quiet Way, The ‘70 Summer Was Terrible”:

“In truth, the absence of any Watts style mass riot has masked the fact that this has been the terrible summer of ‘7O. Instead of headline-producing rioting, the pattern of black militancy has changed to ever-better-organized urban guerrilla warfare deeply in­fluenced by Black Panther philosophy. Law enforcement experts believe that this year has moved the United States far down the road toward white counter-guerrilla action and vir­tual civil war. Black Panther propaganda glorifying the killing of police abounds in Negro ghettos... Earlier this year Detroit police uncovered plans for recurrent ambush assassinations of police intended to trigger race riots... Law enforcement officers in Mi­ami, about the same time, found similarly elaborate planning by the Black Afro Militant Movement... The epidemic is worsening. Unlike the centrally-directed Communist Party underground, black guerrillas are decentralized and difficult to infiltrate... The terrible summer of 1970 may be followed by escalated black guerrilla war year-round with frightful consequences that nobody today can dare guess.”

All this is in keeping with our Lord’s prophecy in Luke 21:25-28: “Upon the earth distress of nations... Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth (the present social order)... When these things be­gin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Thus, our counsel to our readers is that they in nowise become involved in the present turmoil, but remain as far removed from it as possible. Understanding the prophecies as we do, this is but the elementary workings of “the spirit of a sound mind.” Let us consider the axiom: He who does a good deed is instantly ennobled; he who does an evil deed is instantly degraded!

To all our readers we extend cordial good wishes for the year 1971; and we grate­fully reciprocate also the many expressions of good will that have come to us over the Holidays. “Thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savior of His knowledge by us in every place.... For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”—2 Cor. 2:14-17

Sincerely Your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Should we salute the flag?

ANSWER: – The above question was answered by the Epiphany Messenger at one time, and we don’t believe we can now give a better answer than he gave us in the November l, 1940 Present Truth: “J.F.R. has raised this question, altogether erroneously, we believe. He claims that the flag is a graven image; therefore people are by the Second Commandment forbidden to salute it, which he claims is worshipping it. This position we deny; because it is not a graven image. It is not an image of a god, nor even of the United States, which, of course, is not a god. It is the standard of the United States. The Israelites had, by Divine order, standards and ensigns about their camp, as we read in Num. 2:2,3, 10,l7, 18, 25, 34. If they were given graven images, God would never have had or sanctioned Israel’s having standards and ensigns-­flags; for He forbade graven images and their worship.

“Our country deserves respect and honor, both as a Divine ordinance and as doing us good; and we should regard the saluting of the flag, when required by law or cus­tom, as a thing that the Lord’s people may properly do as a mark of respect for a Di­vine ordinance and for the good conferred by the United States upon us. We would not consider it a religious service at all, anymore than if we were to tip our hats to a lady would we consider that a religious service; or, if we were privates in the army, if we would salute our officers, or if we were officers and would salute our fellow officers or privates. If the flag were a religious symbol, and if that symbol would represent a false religion, it would be wrong to salute it. But neither of these things are true; hence the second commandment does not forbid saluting the flag. J.F.R. in this matter, as in many others, has brought much evil and discredit upon the Lord’s Truth and people. We should pity his poor dupes for the suffering that they bring upon themselves through his pertinent fanaticism. Thereby they are not suffering for right­eousness, but for an error that is deservedly unpopular. We rather think that the rioting spirit that their fanaticism has aroused will overflow from them to the priests for their work of rebuking the evil of state and church cooperation in this country.”

And we might add for the further benefit of the questioner, that when we stand in respect when our anthem is played or sung, we are not worshipping a graven image. We have heard of no specific case where the Jehovah’s Witnesses have made themselves con­spicuous by such disregard, and received the disapproval of their fellows – nor do we know they refuse to do this. But we don’t see any difference in this gesture of respect and saluting the flag. Their shibboleth is this: We are not interested in supporting any of the religious systems, social systems, or Governments, since they are all parts of the Devil’s Organization; we are interested in liberating the individuals of those systems, and have them join with us now before Armageddon, so they will be saved, even as all other Individuals together with the systems, will be completely annihilated then.

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If any of our readers have not read our No. 11 on this subject, it will be our pleasure to send it free upon request.