NO. 396A: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT - PART ONE

No. 396A

At the beginning of another year, we thank God and praise Him for all His benefits toward us – and again express our gratitude in the words of David: “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.” (Psa. 65:11) “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Prov. 30:5)

We are not unmindful of the many tragedies people have suffered during the past year – crime and calamities have caused much suffering and sorrow. We grieve and sorrow with them. “We rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psa. 30:5 – the morning of the Kingdom) “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31) He is faithful that promised. (Heb. 10:23)

“Elderly Abuse – Crime Rarely Punished: A door‑to‑door salesman with a criminal record befriended an 80‑year‑old man living alone in Lake County last summer, and over a few months conned him out of his life’s savings of more than $12,000. No charges were filed.

“In St. Petersburg, a nursing home worker in 1985 routinely beat helpless patients, many of them unable to rise out of bed. Although the nursing aide was charged with assault, the trial was delayed until this year, when the case was settled with a plea bargain that allowed the aide to plead guilty but avoid jail.

“Last year, again in Lake County, a foster‑home owner was suspected of repeatedly kicking and abusing an elderly client, threatening he would be sent to an old‑age home and left to die if he dared complain. No charges were filed.

“The cases from the files of the state Department Rehabilitative Services are typical of thousands of reports of abuse and exploitation of the elderly that HRS investigate. Rarely are they prosecuted as crimes. ...

“‘We ought to be more concerned about it than we are. After all, we’re all going to get old some day,’ said Hetz.” (Orlando Sentinel, November 6, 1988)

“Money’s The Root Of Hospital Evils In Doctor’s Book: The thought of Fortune 500 companies running America’s hospitals really bothers Dr. Michael Palmer.

“What worries him most is the notion that the business of hospitals might soon become business. The growing number of corporation‑owned hospitals will, he fears, cut corners and staffing in the hopes of saving money. The drive for profits will also mean routinely turning away poor, uninsured patients. ...

“Flashback’s Ultramed‑Davis Regional Hospital is a sick person’s nightmare. An elderly woman falls and breaks her hip in an attempt to go to the bathroom. She hasn’t seen a nurse in several hours because the number of nurses had been cut back.

“Elderly patients are routinely shipped to the local nursing home (also owned by the hospital corporation) to recover because Medicare pays the hospital a flat fee based on the diagnosis, not the length of stay.

“Most frightening of all is a scheme by the hospital administrator, a surgeon and an anesthesiologist, to test an experimental anesthetic on unwitting surgical patients in the hopes of coming up with a new drug that could make millions.

“Could this really happen? Palmer admits it’s a worst‑case scenario, but he notes that his horror story is not out of line with some of the well‑documented horrors foisted on the public by other corporate giants. ...

“‘I’m no crusader. I just like to write books that make people think.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, September 3, 1988)

“400 Richest Americans Could Cover ‘88 Deficit: The stock market crash wiped out some of their wealth, but the 400 richest Americans still had a total worth of about $220 billion, enough to cover the federal budget deficit for a year, according to Forbes magazine. ...

“The number of American billionaires nearly doubled in 1987, but Forbes’ 1988 list has only two more billionaires, bringing the total to 51. ...

“On the list, as usual, was Forbes publisher Malcolm Forbes, whose holdings include a 400‑square‑mile Colorado ranch and a French chateau. Although not officially disclosing Forbes’ net worth, the magazine put him in the $500 million category and cited various published reports that pegged his wealth at $400 million to more than $1 billion.” (Orlando Sentinel, November 11, 1988)

“Woe unto you that are rich! for you have received your consolation.” (Luke 6:24) “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.” (James 5:1) “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you... Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” (James 5:3)

“Marcos‑Duke Episode Shows Where The Sympathies Of The Very Rich Lie: It warms the cockles of my heart when folks extend a helping hand to each other in times of need... Imelda probably could have come up with the bail money on her own, but it would take a couple of days to sell that many shoes. ...

“Actually, Mrs. Marcos hasn’t been convicted of anything yet, and I contend that she shouldn’t be tried in the newspapers, at least not for plundering her country of $100 million or so and then nailing U.S. banks for another $165 million. ...

“The Doris‑Imelda Marcos story is an interesting one in that it goes a long way to point out the concern the very rich have for the extremely poor. The Good Samaritan act by Doris Duke should set to rest the rumors that rich folks don’t have hearts. I have to admit, though, that I might have felt a little better about it had Doris contributed $5 million in bonds to the aid and comfort of the Filipino victims, rather than bail out the accused.

“It would have been an equally good idea to have pledged a similar amount to fight poverty in America or to support medical research or for that matter to help balance the federal budget. Any patriotic American interested in giving a helping hand to politicians who exploit their constituents and loot the national treasury ought to know that they do not have to go abroad to do so. They don’t even have to look beyond Congress to find recipients of such largesse.

“Meanwhile, I noticed that the $5 million Doris Duke is putting up to bail Imelda Marcos is in the form of municipal bonds – a favorite investment of folks who aren’t too keen on paying taxes. ... It would be interesting to know how much Doris Duke – one of the richest women in the world – actually pays in annual taxes.

“I hope you don’t get the idea that I am embittered and mean‑spirited in regard to Doris Duke’s generosity, but I have to admit that I will get a belly laugh if Imelda decides to jump the bail.” (By Dick Marlow, Orlando Sentinel, November 8, 1988)

“Fossils From Cave Show Modern Humans Existed 92,000 Years Ago: Fossils from an Israeli cave show that anatomically modern humans were living about 92,000 years ago, more than twice the age scientists had been able to establish reliably before, researchers say. ... Pilbeam said the Israeli finding more than doubles ‘what was previously accepted as a really good age for modern humans,’ which was 35,000 to 40,000 years. ... ‘The humans in the Israeli cave may well have been members of early Eurasian stock, different from any living race but near the common ancestor of non‑Africans,’ Delson said.

“Stringer, in his editorial, said the early date for the Israeli population poses some questions, such as why modern humans took another 50,000 years to register their presence in the Far East.” (Orlando Sentinel, February 18, 1988)

The figures pose another question: Why “modern humans” did not leave us a history of their time? We rely on God’s Word about the six days of creation, and the creation of the first man. We do not believe that God’s creation was in six literal days. Our papers No. 390 and 391, “In the Beginning” are most informative. Copies free upon request. “O Timothy , keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.” (1 Tim. 6:20)

IN FINANCE

In his book on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon lists the reasons for the dissolution of the great political force which held the civilized world together for more than 500 years: “1. Excessive spending by the central government; 2. unwillingness of the young men to bear arms in the defense of their country; 3. overindulgence in luxury; 4. widespread sexual immorality and easy divorce, which destroyed the integrity of family life; 5. the spread of effeminacy‑girls looking and acting like men – men looking and acting like girls; 6. disregard for religion. This was Rome 1400 years ago. Do we find history repeating itself?”

In our recent presidential campaign some of the most prominent issues were the national debt, a balanced federal budget, the balance of trade, bank failures, the falling dollar, and taxes. No clear‑cut solutions were offered. These problems are still with us and getting worse. Since President Nixon came in office, each succeeding president has promised to restrain federal spending, reduce taxes and still maintain a balanced budget. The national debt continues to escalate to astronomical heights.

The president of a large mutual fund company states: “The United States of America remains in lock‑step on an inexorable march to total destruction of our monetary system because of our inability to live within our means. Bear in mind that all debts may not be paid, but all is liquidated; that is, disappears. Governments on the other hand, can pay for their deficits with new money that they create out of thin air. There is no additional value backing that additional money. That is why in the daily news we hear that the dollar is down against foreign currencies much more frequently than we hear that it is up. As long as governments can control the money of the country they govern, they can postpone the inevitable for long periods – sometimes for decades – until the people being governed realize that their money will continue to depreciate until it becomes worthless. The people then reject it for harder assets. That is beginning to happen.”

In Matt. 24:37‑39, we read, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the presence of the Son of man be. (v.37) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark. (v.38) And knew not [or understood not] until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the presence of the Son of man be. (v.39)”

Some financial advisors are optimistic and some are pessimistic, but they are all very cautious in their prognostications – because verse 39 tells us, “they knew not” or “understood not.” It is only by the understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation, that we know that this present “evil” (Gal. 1:4) order of things must be destroyed in the Time of Trouble before Christ’s Kingdom can be established.

Our only advice at present is to “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3) “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5) (Contributed)

Although 1988 has been an unpredictable year, we have not had a Black Monday like October 19,1987, in the stock market. However, the Dow has not climbed back to its all time high of 1987. The dollar is still weakening. The weaker dollar has certainly strengthened foreign investments. A lot of economists predict a recession in 1989 or 1990. Our new President elect will certainly do everything possible to prevent a recession from happening.

As a nation, we think we are living better, despite the fact that we are doing so on borrowed money. Consumer installment debt is at a record high, corporate debt is at 1.79 trillion, and national debt is at 2.6 trillion. All of these are record highs and still growing. Some major economists think that President‑elect Bush will make 1989 a stable year. The stock market could dip lower, and there will be some tax increases to the American public in some form or other.

We are proud of our country, because we believe the Bible refers to the United States in Isa. 18:1: “Ho to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” (‘Ho’ is mistranslated ‘Woe’ in the King James version. See Young’s concordance for ‘woe’ in this text.) The ‘land’ refers to the United States; the ‘Shadowing with wings’ is Divine Providence which has caused our country to be an asylum for liberty lovers and truth lovers; ‘which is beyond’ is a fitting description of the location of the United States of America.

Dan. 4:17 says, “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” We know this is true of many heads of governments in the past, and in our day Hitler, et al. But it is not true of our country, as none of our Presidents have been the “basest of men.”

IN RELIGION

“Confession Losing Appeal To Catholics: Are Catholics giving up on confession? Eighty‑three percent of U.S. CATHOLIC readers polled said that if they were on their deathbeds they would want to tell their sins to a priest. Seventy‑six percent of the readers polled said confession is a good idea. But they are undecided as to just how good it is... Said a Minnesota reader: ‘The kneeler in the confessional fell down on my foot and broke my toe. In a cry of discomfort I let out a four‑letter word. The priest then added a new penance for my four‑letter sin.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, October 15, 1988)

The Last Word: “Dissident Roman Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson of Ridgefield, Conn., excommunicated from the church, said Pope John Paul II is wrecking his own job. ‘He is like a soft‑drink seller praying for cold weather. He’s going to put himself out of business.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, September 17, 1988)

Jehovah’s Witnesses: In the September 15, 1988, Watchtower, there is an article, “Listen Jehovah’s Watchman Speaks!” They claim to be the Watchman of Ezek. 3:17. They tell us, “Your very life depends on your responding to that message... Do you hope to be among them? (Ezekiel 26:23; 39:7; 2 Peter 3:8‑13) You may be, but only if you listen when Jehovah’s ‘watchman’ speaks.” The Witnesses pick out texts and apply them to their organization to further hoodwink their devotees and entice others to join them.

The Witnesses’ similarity to Papacy is unmistakable. They are “little” Papacy they frighten people into joining them as did Papacy in the Dark Ages. However, Papacy has modified their teaching somewhat in our day – Jezebel painted her face. (2 Kings 9: 30) Likewise the Witnesses have been forced to change their teaching many times when time revealed the falsity of their teaching. They taught at one time that their “Great Crowd” would live through Armageddon and never experience death. Since so many of their faithful devotees have died, they now teach that the “Great Crowd” who dies before Armageddon will be resurrected and “rule” with the “Great Crowd” who survive. As the chameleon changes its color, the Witnesses change their teaching to suit their purpose.

When God judges the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31), “then the eyes of the blind shall be opened” (Isa. 35:5), and “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain” (Isa. 11:9). Today the “god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) Today there is a “narrow way” and “few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14) In His Kingdom there will be a “highway of holiness” (Isa. 35:8) – an easier way for those of little faith and “believe not.” We worship a God of Love, Justice, Wisdom and Power. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32) in that glorious Kingdom.

God’s inspired Word repudiates and nullifies completely the gross error of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that the “evil” who do not join them will never be resurrected. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28,29 – Judgment is mistranslated ‘damnation’ in this text.) Shouldn’t we believe God’s inspired Word instead of the Witnesses’ word?

The Last Word: “The Rev. Joel Gregory, pastor of the Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, addressing a recent meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention on discord among its members: ‘We are at a flashpoint. Southern Baptists cannot survive many more months of personal animosity in our midst.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, July 9, 1988)

Biblical Commentary: “Forty‑four writers have been enlisted to contribute to a new 40‑volume biblical commentary to be published by the Southern Baptists to reflect views of ‘inerrantists’ – those who believe the Bible is free of error in history, science or religion.” (Orlando Sentinel, October 1, 1988)

The Last Word: “The Rev. Emilio Castro, an Uruguayan Methodist minister and the World Council of Churches’ general secretary, commenting on Jimmy Swaggart’s support for the military government in Chile and apartheid in South Africa: ‘If someone was thinking of giving $10 to Jimmy Swaggart and asked my opinion, I would say for my country, his ministry is a disaster.”‘ (Orlando Sentinel, June 25, 1988)

“A Hostage And A Bible: Roger Augue, a Frenchman who was held hostage in Lebanon, reports that he was given a Bible in English by one of his captors. Although he was not a believer before his capture, he held fast to the comfort of the Bible while chained in darkness 23 hours a day and being denied water for long stretches of time. Augue says that the one who gave him the Bible did him a blessed service, for it kept him from losing his sanity. He prayed every day and learned the Psalms in English by heart.” (The Church Around the World, July 1988)

Quotable Quote: “About the time of the end a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the Prophecies and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamor and opposition.” (By Isaac Newton 1642‑1726)

“The New Age Movement: The class description was alluring: ‘Energize and relax. Develop your facilities with basic exercises of this style of Yoga. Learn techniques for energizing and deep relaxation through exercising and meditation.’ Sounds innocent enough?

“For just twenty dollars, students at a Northwestern University could take this physical education class in the hopes of calming the cares of college life. What they might not know – and weren’t told in the catalog – is that kundalini yoga is a Hindu practice that aims to release the ‘serpent goddess’ (kundalini) coiled at the base of the spine. Mastery of kundalini is said to lead to a union with Brahman, the inner deity of the Hindus. But yoga experts admit to its dangers – the serpent may bite, inflicting pain, burns, ill health or even death to the practitioner.

“This is not an isolated case. It reflects just one example of an insurgent world view that aims to engulf the globe. A philosophically united movement involving cinema, education, science, medicine, psychology and politics has begun to converge on Western culture. It heralds a New Age of hope for humanity.

“One of its heralds is someone we all know – Shirley MacLaine. Having become well known through her acting, dancing, writing and political activism, she chronicled her conversion to the New Age in the best‑selling book Out on a Limb... She was convinced through a series of extraordinary events, such as out‑of‑the‑body experiences, contact with extra terrestrials, ‘trance channeling’ with various spiritual beings, personal conversations and wide reading.

“Her New Age message is fourfold: (1) we are all gods; (2) we have lived before and will live again (reincarnation); (3) there is no death; (4) there are as many ‘realities’ as there are people. To promote her book, Ms. MacLaine practically dominated the media for many months; she quickly became a celebrity evangelist for the New Age... She offers a tantalizing invitation to enter the New Age where we can all become unlimited beings, gods of our own universes.

“The very idea of reincarnation and karma (good or evil deeds) also suffers from logical and moral flaws... If we do not remember supposed past lives, how is it just that we are either rewarded or punished because of them? Karma, after all, is supposed to be a universal system of justice. Do we spank a child and not tell her why we did it?

“By realizing not our divinity but our need for God’s grace and power, we can experience new life. Unlike Shirley MacLaine who prays to ‘the best in herself.’ Christians are freed from self‑centeredness to pray to the Lord of the universe for whom all things are possible.

“New Age, Old Lie: The New Age repeats an ancient lie – the notion that we find life and salvation within ourselves, apart from the one true God. This was the serpent’s temptation in the garden (Gen. 3), and his strategies haven’t changed.

“Christians need to press those interested in the New Age on the meaning of their terms, with an eye toward showing the distinctives of the gospel. Although the New Age endlessly repeats its motto of ‘all is one,’ the New Age is not one with Christianity... Christians should point out the reality of lying and seductive spirits. As John said, ‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’ (1 John 4:1)

“The touchstone of spiritual discernment is Jesus Christ. Any philosophy, religion or experience that denies his unique lordship and saving work is a spiritual counter­feit. (1 John 4:2‑3) (Excerpts from Douglas R. Groothuis’ book, The New Age Movement)

“The Garment Of Praise For The Spirit Of Heaviness: The word for garment here denotes a covering and the implication is that the Messiah envelopes His people. When this happens grief is swallowed up in praise, an experience not manufactured or manipulated. Rather it is the fulfillment of a relationship and an unshakable conviction of the efficacy of the sovereign grace of God. Such an encounter is entered into by the faith and obedience of the individual, though one day it will be the fulfillment of the eyes.

“There is a great longing in the hearts of many for this transforming event to take place, but we know not the time or season when the Lord will choose to bring it to pass. Until He does we are required to have a faith relationship with Him through His Word and Messiah. For the day of His favour is with us now in the personal realm, and we may all enter into it.” (R. N. Hawkins, The Vineyard, July 1988)

“Garden Of Eden Popular In Colleges: About 38 percent of American college students believe that human life originated in the Garden of Eden, according to a recently published survey. That and other findings indicate that, despite taking many courses in science, many students maintain biblical beliefs about human evolution... Other findings: nearly 10 percent of Southern students believe the earth was created 6,000 years ago – a calculation from creation science – compared with less than 3 percent in the East who believe that. Scientists calculate the Earth is 4.5 billion years old. [Great minds have great figures.] About half of the rural students believed that fossils are from animals that died during the flood described in the biblical story of Noah. Among urban students, 41 percent shared that belief.” (Orlando Sentinel, June 5, 1988)

NO. 395: CHRIST’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

No. 395

 (Mark 11:1‑11)

 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee.” – Zechariah 9:9.

The message of John the Baptist was, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This same message Jesus bade His disciples carry from village to village throughout Palestine. This same message was the burden of His preaching and the theme of His parables. Finally, at the close of His ministry, the kingdom came to the Jewish nation in the sense it was offered to them – it was theirs for the accepting. Today’s lesson tells of the formal offer of the kingdom by Jesus and of the neglect of the Jews as a people to accept it. Thus “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11) except a few. His own nation rejected Him and five days later crucified Him. A little later, at Pentecost, a few who received Him were begotten of the holy Spirit and became the nucleus of Spiritual Israel, in preparation for the glorious Kingdom and the work which is to be accomplished at His Second Advent.

On the evening preceding the story of this lesson, Jesus and His disciples were at Bethany, the guests of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, who had prepared a special feast for Jesus, whom they loved dearly. This was the Lazarus whom He had awakened from the sleep of death but a short time before. The feast took place at the close of the Jewish Sabbath day. The next morning corresponded to our Sunday, the first day of the week.

THE CRISIS OF ISRAEL’S EXPERIENCE

In preparation for presenting Himself as King, Jesus sent two of His disciples for an ass’s colt, telling them where they would find it, and instructing them to say that it would be returned after the Master had used it. By the time the colt arrived, a considerable multitude had gathered – people of the village of Bethany and others who had come out of Jerusalem, about two miles distant, to see Jesus and to see Lazarus, upon whom the notable miracle had been wrought. It had long been the custom of the kings of Israel to ride to their coronation upon an ass; and the multitude seemed to enter into the spirit of this occasion and to realize what it meant that Jesus was about to ride into Jerusalem on this colt. It signified that finally He was ready to assume the office of King.

For some time the disciples had recognized Him as the Messiah, the glories of whose reign they were to share; and the multitude in general had learned to so regard Him, saying, “When Messiah cometh, will he do greater works than this man?” – could we expect anything more of Messiah than we see being accomplished by this man Jesus? But this was the first time Jesus had formally put Himself forward. On previous occasions, when they had sought to take Him by force to make him a king, He had withdrawn Himself, realizing the time was not yet come. Now, so far from withdrawing, He was taking the active part, sending for the colt, preparing for the triumphal ride to the capital of the nation as its King.

We may be sure that the hearts of the apostles thrilled with excitement as they thought of the nearness of their Master’s glory and of their own share in it; for as yet they did not realize the full import of His words to the effect that He must be crucified and must depart to a “far country,” even Heaven itself, and be invested with authority, and later return to establish the Kingdom which would bless the world.

Jesus, however, was fully aware that the presentation of Himself as King was a formal matter, fulfilling the prophecy and leaving the nation of Israel without excuse. If, when He entered the city, the people should rise en masse, acknowledge Him and acclaim Him, then indeed they would be in line with the Divine requirements which would bring them the greatest of all blessings. But Jesus knew that prophecy had already declared that He would be despised and rejected, and that His own people would hide their faces from Him in shame. (Isaiah 53:3) The journey and the preparation for it, therefore, meant something very different to Jesus from what it signified to the disciples and the multitude

“THE STONES WOULD CRY OUT”

When the ass arrived, some of the people put their garments upon it in lieu of a saddle; Jesus mounted, and the procession began. Some went before Him and some followed after. The people were familiar with the prophecy relating to Messiah’s coming, which declared, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass.” (Zech. 9:9) They were familiar also with the “shout” the prophets had foretold and the responses – one party crying, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in the name of the Lord!” Again came the cry, “Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord!” Then the response, “Hosanna in the highest!” These different expressions are recorded by the different evangelists.

But not all were enthusiastic acclaimers of Jesus; a discordant note was heard. Some of those who had come from the city through curiosity criticized the shouting, and wondered why Jesus did not rebuke the people for ascribing so great honor to Him. They sent word to this effect to Jesus through His disciples. Jesus made the answer that a great prophecy was being fulfilled. The Prophet Zechariah had by inspiration said, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!” and such a shout must be made. Jesus declared that if the multitudes had failed to shout, the prophecy would still have been fulfilled the very stones would have cried out.

THE FIRST PALM SUNDAY

It is customary with some Christians in various parts of the world to commemorate especially that Sunday of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The record tells that on the journey many of the people strewed their garments in the way, as a mark of respect and honor, waiting until the little animal had passed over them, and then running on before and placing them again. Others brought ferns, flowers and grasses, and strewed them in the way. Still others, St. John’s Gospel tells us, brought branches of palm trees.

It was a jubilant procession fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. Yet to Jesus it had the sad feature, as indicated by the account. When they had reached the turn of the Mount of Olives, which brought Jerusalem into view, the Master halted the procession while He looked over the city and wept, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate; and verily I say unto you, Ye shall see me no more until that day [nearly nineteen centuries later] when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of Jehovah!” (Matt. 23:37‑39)

Jesus realized that that day was a turning point with the Jewish nation – that their rejection of Him meant their rejection by the heavenly Father for a long time. It meant that they would be cast off from Divine favor, except a few who would become His disciples. It meant that during those long centuries the highly favored people of Abraham’s natural seed would be in distress. It meant that the favor of God, which had been with them for centuries, would instead be extended to the Gentiles, to gather out of the Gentiles a company of faithful, saintly ones to be associates and joint‑heirs with Jesus and the faithful ones of the Jews in the heavenly Kingdom. It meant that not until this elect, heavenly, spiritual Kingdom class should be received to glory would the Jewish people be again received into fellowship with God.

St. Paul markedly calls our attention to this fact that the rejection of Israel is not permanent, but only for a time – only until the complete number of faithful saints be gathered out from amongst the Gentiles. Then God’s favor will return to natural Israel, and subsequently extend to all the families of the earth. – Romans 11:25‑32.

JESUS THE PRINCE OF PEACE

How different was this entry of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, from the triumphal marches of earthly conquerors and kings! In the excitement of human passion and the prejudice of human minds a special halo of glory has surrounded the world’s conquerors. Heroic deeds, valiant conquests, as pictured by historians have a charm. The rising generation reads with thrilling interest of the prowess of Alexander the Great, of the Spartans of Greece, of the Caesars of Rome, and in more modern times of Robert Bruce, of Napoleon and Wellington, of Generals Grant and Lee, Sherman and Johnson, Sheridan and Stewart. The home‑comings of all of these were triumphal marches, in many cases rendering honor to whom honor was due.

Nevertheless, in every instance the mind’s eye necessarily closes against scenes which led up to such triumphs. We try to forget the millions of slain and wounded, and other millions of mourning widows and orphans. We try to forget the smoking ruins of homes behind those victorious armies. However necessary war at times may seem to be for the maintenance of justice, nevertheless all must concede that the blessings purchased by the sword are procured at a terrible cost.

From this viewpoint Jesus, the Prince of Peace, followed by an army of saints who are walking in His foot‑steps, presents a beautiful picture ‑ even to the worldly. These victors ‑ Leader and followers – conquer by dying. Thus Jesus said to His followers, “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel’s shall find it.” (Mark 8:35) Thus viewed, all the followers of the Lamb are self‑sacrificers, as the Bible declares: “I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God ‑ your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) Such victory – victory through death – is difficult for the majority of people to understand! What is the philosophy of it? Where is the victory?

VICTOR‑KINGS THROUGH DYING

Well may it be asked, Wherein is the victory of Christ and His followers in laying down their lives for the brethren and in support of truth and righteousness? Only the Bible answers the question, and only those who exercise faith can understand the Bible answer. The Bible declares that the real victory of Christ and the Church is over self. Their crowning day is future ‑ their triumph will be then.

The triumphal entry of Jesus on the ass was only typical. The antitype will be glorious – beyond the veil. As Jesus after His resurrection was “received up into glory,’ so also He has promised His Church that their resurrection shall change them from imperfect human beings to perfect spirit beings, joint‑heirs with their Master, their Redeemer, in the glorious Millennial kingdom which is to bless the world.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, He explained to His perplexed disciples what His death signified, saying, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things [death] and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26) So St. Paul has declared in respect to all who will be Jesus’ associates in the Kingdom – they must suffer with Him if they would reign with Him. (2 Timothy 2:12) Christ and His Church die to human hopes and interests, present and everlasting – laying down their lives, suffering for righteousness’ sake. Their reward is two‑fold: (1) Their own personal exaltation to a heavenly, spirit glory, like unto the angels, and yet more glorious – “far above angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named.” (2) The Kingdom glory – the joy of being the Divine agents for human restoration.

From this, the Bible viewpoint, the Christian warfare is different from every other warfare known to the world. It is a fight against sin, a fight against self‑will, a full submission to the Divine will, a victory through death. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of Life.” (Revelation 2:10) “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21) No wonder that a proposition of this kind is but imperfectly understood by the world! “The world knoweth us not, even as it knew him not.” (1 John 3:1) And this is one of the requirements of the Gospel, that Jesus and His followers shall submit themselves to be misunderstood by the world. We are counted fools for Christ’s sake. – 1 Corinthians 4:10.

It requires some stamina to be a loyal follower in the foot‑steps of Jesus, misunderstood as He was misunderstood by those of His day, reviled as He was reviled. “They shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matt. 5:11) It is only when we understand through God’s promises that in these trying experiences of Christ and His followers there is a glorious purpose, that we are able to endure them with any measure of rejoicing. Only these are granted of the Lord the eye of faith which can clearly discern things beyond the veil – the glory, honor and immortality, and the kingdom which the Lord promised to His faithful followers.

“THE WRATH OF THE LAMB”

Since Jesus is the Prince of Peace, how shall we understand various passages of Scripture which refer to Him as a mighty Conqueror in bloodstained garments, taking vengeance on His foes? But especially, how shall we understand the declaration that, at His coming in the clouds of heaven, all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him?

Of this Prince of Peace it may be said that He will wound to heal, that whatever disasters He may bring or permit to come upon the world will be so overruled as to make of them blessings in disguise. Undoubtedly much that is said respecting our Lord is highly symbolic. For instance, He is to smite the nations with the sword that proceedeth out of His mouth ‑ the Word, or message, of truth. Such a smiting is in full conformity with the declaration that when St. Peter preached the Gospel at Pentecost, some of his hearers were “cut to the heart”– not with St. Peter’s literal sword, but with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Eventually, that sword will smite all opponents of righteousness for their good. Only the willfully wicked will eventually be destroyed.

We are not to forget, however, that the inauguration of the Messianic Kingdom is to be in the midst of the Time of Trouble, and that Christ will have to do with the bringing, or at least the permitting, of that trouble. Apparently mankind will be permitted to bring the great trouble at the end of this Age upon themselves. There are forces of evil, Satan and his angels, ready to do us harm and, through human forces, sin‑forces entrenched in human nature, ready to do harm to the social fabric. The Bible represents that Divine power holds these in check – the four angels holding the four winds ‑ that they shall not blow upon the earth to its injury until the appointed time, until all of God’s elect Church shall have been sealed in their foreheads – their intellect – with the truth.

At the appropriate time those “winds” of strife will be let loose, and great will be the trouble, until in due time the King of kings and Lord of lords shall intervene to rescue the race from itself and from the adversary. Then Satan shall be bound for a thousand years, and Messiah’s Kingdom shall be established for the blessings of all the families of the earth.

Arm me with thy whole armor, Lord;

Support my weakness with thy might;

Gird on thy thigh thy conquering sword,

And shield me in the threatening fight.

From faith to faith, from grace to grace

So in thy strength shall I go on,

Till I appear before thy face,

And glory end what grace begun.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 5494‑5496, JULY 1, 1914)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Are the sins of the world all canceled at death? or, is only their Adamic penalty paid? and do they have an individual penalty still to pay?

ANSWER: – The sins of the whole world are paid, as far as Divine justice is concerned that is to say – God’s account against Adam and his posterity has been sold, transferred and set over to Him who purchased the same with His own precious blood. The sins of the world are not canceled, so far as they are concerned; but a way is opened up, under the New Covenant, by which each can obtain release. The terms are that when brought to a knowledge of Christ and the redemption in Him each for himself shall will to reform and no longer to serve sin, but to serve the Redeemer and obey Him.

In view of this opportunity of retracing steps, it is proper for us to say that every word and action on the part of the world is either building up character or undermining it – either blessing or injuring the doer – either increasing or decreasing the number and weight of his stripes or punishment, all of which will be corrective.

Thus we may say that the Adamic penalty is set aside until such time as the individual shall have been granted a trial on his own account. If in this trial on his own account he sins willfully refusing to follow the instructions of his Redeemer, he will drop back again into the original penalty – which will be the Second Death. [Of which there will be no recovery.]

Thus seen, the only individual penalty they have to pay will be that represented in their own degradation. We might include in this penalty any sins which they might commit in the present life against any degree of light; for such sins bring a special searing of conscience which the same deeds committed in ignorance would not bring. Hence all who thus sin against light receive proportionately a deeper degradation and will have correspondingly the more difficulty in extricating themselves, and returning to perfection [as Adam was] under the favorable conditions of the next Age.

The world of mankind are not reckoned as coming into existence a second time, but as having their previous existence revived and continued, with the privilege of accepting Christ under the New Covenant [to be made with the Jews – Jer. 31:31‑33], and being regenerated by Him, and thus attaining life – resurrection by judgment, which will progress throughout the Millennial Age, and reach completion at its close – those who accept will reach perfect life, while those who reject will be destroyed in the Second Death. From this standpoint the only effect of good and evil in the present life will be upon man’s own conscience and character.

In respect to 1 Pet. 4:6, briefly, I understand this to mean: that for instance we who hear the Gospel and who accept its terms have a two‑fold standing ‑ or are viewed in life from two different standpoints. The world views us and judges us according to the flesh, as human beings, just the same as the remainder of the world, but God judges us differently ‑ to Him we are new creatures, and He judges us according to our spirit, will, intention, and not according to the weaknesses and imperfections of the flesh. Hence it is that although we know that in our flesh dwelleth no perfection, nevertheless “The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us” – because God judges us not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 3105, November 1, 1902)

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The Jews, you know, are a very intelligent people, the very highest at that time in religious attainment. No other nation was so well advanced. The law that God had given them for several hundred years had brought the Jewish people up to a very high development, and I should not wonder if there are more Jews proportionately in the Little Flock than any other class. But they got the first call – to the Jew first so in the next Age, during the restitution [Acts 3:19‑21], it will be “to the Jew first.”

The Scriptures clearly intimate that the blessings will come to the Jews immediately after this Gospel Age ends; that the blessings from Messiah will come first to natural Israel, all that God promised them. He never promised Israel spiritual things. If we will read through the Bible from Genesis to Malachi, you will see God never made a suggestion to the Jew of anything of a heavenly kind. To the contrary, the blessings promised to them were all earthly. For instance, after telling about the renewed earth, after Messiah’s reign would commence, God said through the prophet, “Ye shall build houses and inhabit them, and shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them, and you shall long enjoy the work of your hands.” These are earthly blessings of the Lord and will be to all mankind, beginning with the Jew and extending to all nations and kindreds and tongues.

(Excerpts from What Pastor Russell Said, pp. 281‑282)

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QUESTION: – What is meant by Messiah’s Kingdom?

ANSWER: ‑ Our understanding is that Messiah’s Kingdom will be a spiritual one, invisable to mortals, yet all‑powerful for the accomplishment of the great things promised in the law and prophets. The empire which He will establish, invisible to man, will take the place of the empire of Satan, likewise invisible. [Our Lord said, “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”] The King of Glory will replace the prince of darkness. Principal amongst Messiah’s earthly agents and representatives will be Abraham, Isaac and all the prophets, raised to full, human perfection. (Heb., Chapter 11) Instead of their being, as heretofore, the fathers, they shall be the children of Messiah, whom He will make “princes in all the earth.” (Psa.45: 16 – see Isa. 2:3) To this Kingdom the nation of Israel will speedily unite. Eventually every nation will come into harmony with Messiah, and all people will be privileged to come under Israel’s New Covenant then established by the great “Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in.” (Jer. 31:31‑34; Mall 3:1‑3)

The glorious Messiah, whom the Jews identify with “Michael, the great Prince, which standeth for thy people” (Dan. 12:1), the Muslims also expect, and identify Him with Mohammed of the past. The Free Masons also expect the same glorious personage and, in their traditions, identify Him with Hiram Abiff, the great Master Mason. This same great Messiah, Michael, the Archangel, the antitypical Melchizedek, Priest as well as King, we identify as “the man Jesus Christ, who gave Himself a ransom‑price for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6)

But when the Great King shall appear in His glory and establish His Kingdom with Israel, He will be, as promised by the prophets, “The desire of all nations.” (Hag. 2:7) Then all the blinded eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears shall be unstopped. (Isa. 35:5) Then, who He is, and how He should be identified with Abraham’s seed and David’s line, will be clearly known to all in heaven and all on earth. Not now, but when the King shall reign in righteousness, and shall fully understand the significance of Zechariah’s prophecy (12:7‑10) and of Psa. 22:16 [“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”– Isa. 11:9]. Content that Messiah shall show the truth in His day of revelation we are glad to point Jews, Muslims, Christians, all, to the glorious Messiah, and the great work of blessing for all the nations, which God will accomplish through the seed of Abraham, according to His covenant and His oath.

(Pastor Russell – Reprint 5031, May 15, 1912)

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QUESTION: ‑ Will you please explain Rev. 20:12, “the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life”?

ANSWER: – ‘‘The books were opened” simply means our present Bible will be made plain, expounded, explained to all mankind during the Millennial reign. Our present Protestant Bible contains 66 books, 39 of which are in the Old Testament and 27 in the New testament. The meaning of the word “Bible” is “the books,” and it would have been just as correct and more revealing had the text read, “the Bible was opened”; but clearly enough, the Lord did not wish to make the statement so easily understood for all at this time. “Another book” is probably a third section of our Bible, which will be given during the Millennium for further revelation and guidance of the human race. In Joel 2:28 it is stated, “your old men [Ancients] shall dream dreams, and your young men [Youthfuls] shall see visions.” The Ancients and Youthfuls are the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, who will receive inspired messages, as did the Ancient Worthies to build the Old Testament; and these inspired works will comprise “another book” to be added to our present Bible, or The Books.

(Brother Hoefle, Reprint No. 66, November, 1960)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

In response to your request for a little memoir of the work done by my late husband, Casimir Lanowick, on behalf of God’s ancient chosen people, it occurs to me to tell of an interesting encounter we had in Haifa in 1950, on our first trip to Israel.

We stayed in an old but charming hotel in the German Colony section of town. The Appinger Hotel was operated by Swiss Jews and hence had a special quality of efficiency and hospitality, but not too many guests because in those years of “tzena” (austerity) Israel was trying to cope with receiving and settling thousands upon thousands of refugee Jews who poured into their new homeland – mostly from Europe. One day when we were filming at the port, for instance, 5,000 arrived within 24 hours! (I have some touching motion picture footage that Casimir took that day from a special vantage point accorded us by the port authorities.) See Jeremiah 31:8.

Since it was rather quiet at the hotel, we would often chat with the concierge mornings and evenings. He seemed to be well versed regarding Israel affairs, so Casimir asked him for a list of all the newspapers published in Israel. At that time papers came out in dozens of languages because the new arrivals were not yet versed in Hebrew and needed the news in the various tongues of the countries from which they came.

Knowing of the extensive work of Pastor Charles Taze Russell in Europe, widely lecturing to Jewish audiences in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, assuring them of God’s promises to re‑establish the nation of Israel, Casimir felt sure that quite a few Jews in Israel had known about his work for the Jews. Of course, our new‑found friend at the hotel was curious as to why we wanted such a list of newspapers, so Casimir told him what he had in mind. Well, this gentleman’s response was amazing! “Why,” he said, “I know about Pastor Charles Russell. When we studied at the Hebrew University and took the class on Zionism, Pastor Russell’s name was at the top of the list of Christian Zionists!”

What a thrill that was to us. Pastor Russell’s work was being taught at the prestigious Hebrew University in Jerusalem. As it turned out, we could not afford to place the newspaper ads when we investigated the costs involved. But we never forgot this incident and reported it widely in our lecture work after we returned in the U.S.

Yours for Zion’s sake, -----------, P. O. Box 400, Paradise, CA 95967

P.S. – We did meet two Bible Students that year in Israel ‑ a brother from Poland, in his early 50’s, and a lovely young girl, the daughter of a Bible Student in Poland whose father sent her ahead to Israel in the hope of joining her soon.

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Dear Sister: Love and peace in our Beloved Lord!

Thank you, dear, for bringing to David Horowitz’ attention that I did not receive the Bulletins for which I subscribed back in 1986. Am pleased to inform you that he sent me 2 issues – Winter 1987‑88 and Summer of 1988. Also sent me his notes of June 21st. So thanks to you I have enjoyed those Bulletins immensely, and delighted to see your picture and his on one. Am passing around these Bulletins to members of our Class.

Bless your dear heart for your interest in this matter and for your labors of love for His people.

In His merciful Grace, ------- (CONNECTICUT)

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Dear Brethren,

I wish herewith to express my very great thanks for the papers as you are constantly sending me – with quite in line with the Divine Plan of the Ages. Armageddon is unavoidable: Christ’s Kingdom is at hand! I enclose a check to help in the expense.

Sincerely your brother, ------- (SWEDEN)

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Dear Friend: Shalom! Your greeting is very much appreciated.

Many thanks for your beautiful, welcome letter, commenting on the material you received from me. Your attitudes and reactions made me happy – to find a kindred soul who appreciates the deeper exercises of the mind and spirit. Yes, of course, you may use my material in your papers. It is customary to give credit to the author of any piece that goes into print.

You will be interested to know that I am getting over a fast of three weeks, and recovering slowly. My body received a good housecleaning. The project had a dual purpose – both physical and spiritual. Very few people of my years – February 3rd, 1900 would do this, but my body was in good condition and quite youthful, so I took the chance. Mind and soul are forever youthful.

Have read the four papers you sent me and am mighty grateful. IN THE BEGINNING, Parts one and two, are fascinating, and it is pleasing to me that you and your husband are championing the “Creationist” side of the controversy. To me it seems the intelligent approach. The arguments you present are powerful. The materialistic, mechanist mind, possessed by most “scientists,” cannot grasp the abstractions. ... You are both to be congratulated on the ability and the art of corralling so much Bible material with which to prove your postulates.

Again thanks for your beautiful letters and the splendid material. I trust your niece will appreciate the material you sent her.

Sincerely, as ever, ---------- (NEW YORK)

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Dear Sister and Brethren: Grace and peace!

As you may have guessed, we have been having a rather hectic time during the last few weeks, which has interfered with our normal routine. We have not been at home to settle down to letter‑writing. Our apologies for this, but we know you will understand as we get older we certainly have to slow down.

However, for the time being, we are at home, and have actually before us a rough outline of our intended reply to your letter of July 14, which we will not repeat as events have overtaken us somewhat. ... ...

We have no contact with M.H., but we believe we just missed meeting the brother mentioned. This happened over a year ago. ... It was not until we received it, Frank remembered the brother visiting him. ... It is a strange world. We shall appreciate hearing more about the situation.

Yes, we do get the Bulletins from David Horowitz ... As to Brother ‑‑‑ , he is over 80 now, and has been for many years in the same class. We can only encourage him to make a stand on “open Bible study.” He knows Brother Russell’s reference on the matter. Brother Ron has cancer of the liver. ...It was a great shock to all of us.

You will be pleased to know, we are sure, that we have had very favorable letters from Philip Fletcher as well as from his mother. Both include warm invitations to visit them – and, of course, we are ready to do what we can in the matter. ...

Another interesting item was when we had our holiday week in July at a Residential School for further education, we met a young lady who was most interested in the Truth. We gave her the “Divine Plan” in magazine form, and she was most appreciative. Here’s hoping we meet again.

I think we have mentioned everything we wanted to. ... Enclosed is a copy of a letter of Philip’s. My response to their letters has been delayed. I hope we hear soon. God bless you and all your co‑laborers.

With Christian love, ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Mrs. Hoefle,

I am a student of the history of the Christian religion, especially of those in America. I would like to know more about C. T. Russell – particularly from 1869 – 1884, a period I have been unable to find much information about and those associated with Russell during that period.

Please send me the book about Pastor Charles Taze Russell, An Early American Christian Zionist and a copy of The Divine Plan of Salvation. Thank you for the literature you have sent me.

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

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NO. 394: THE ANTICHRIST

No. 394

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

Thus, St. Paul counsels “Husbands, love your wives, even as the Anointed One loved the congregation, and delivered Himself up on her behalf.” (Eph. 5:25, Dia.) And among the last of the Lord’s thoughts on the night before His death was toward those who would cleave to Him in spirit and in truth – “That they all may be one..... that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me.” (John 17:21-23)

All who know anything at all about Christianity admit that its fundamental precepts are good; but, they say, no one lives up to it. And, while it is true that the vast majority of those calling themselves Christians deserve such criticism, yet it is equally true that there have been some outstanding “examples of the believers” throughout the Age. Aside from the twelve Apostles, mention may be made of John Wesley, founder of what is now the Methodist Church. The focal point of all his teaching was that disinterested good will toward all men is the ideal for Christians; and there is little doubt that he practiced what he preached. Much the same may be said for George Fox, founder of what is now the Quaker Church. Similar appraisal may be made of Balthasar Hubmaier, founder of the Baptist Church. And the preaching of these three men, along with others throughout the Age, was potent and magnetic enough to cause many of their adherents to exemplify true Christian principles in their daily lives.

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

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

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

THE PAPACY

That the foregoing Scriptures could not possibly refer to an individual will, we be­lieve, be apparent from certain considerations, one of which is that no individual has ever survived for 1260 years. Also, the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, The Beast, all sim­ply portray different characteristics of the same thing: Antichrist being “in the place of” Christ – Man of Sin (in place of “Son of Man” – Mark 2:10), the degrading disposition and influence – The Beast, the vicious destructive and inhuman qualities. The beast “was like unto a leopard.” A leopard is black and white spotted, indicating that in some places the beast would be black as night, but in others appearing lily white in hypocriti­cal manner – professedly Christian!

This latter has been outstandingly true of the Papacy; e.g., Spain, Mexico, Italy, tolerance has been foreign to their teachings. Not long back they tried to chase the YMCA out of Italy – revealing the black spots of the leopard. But in America, where they are much in the minority, they are very outspoken for tolerance – for them, that is – manifesting the white spots of the leopard.

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

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

MARTIN LUTHER

In our No. 7 tract we offered quite some detail about Luther’s problems and wars with papal error and intrigue – a member of antitypical Elijah against antitypical Jez­ebel; and we now offer some of his statements about Antichrist as taken from the book of Roland H. Bainton, first published in 1955:

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

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

PSALMS 75:6-7

Psalms 75 carries fitting application to our subject matter – the true Christ and to Antichrist. Verses 6 and 7: “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Here is veiled reference to Baal, the sun God of the nations round about Is­rael.

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

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

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

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

THE DARKNESS HATETH THE LIGHT

It needs little argument that throughout the Age true Christians have been much in the minority.     The Lord had promised, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth” (John 8:31, 32); but this promise “to know the Truth” would not apply to the vast majority who did not “continue” to keep it. To such came the “strong delusions” – also promised to those who “received not the love of the Truth.” (2 Thes. 2:10) But it is a sad commentary concerning the many that they were not content to lose the truth, they must also persecute those who did faithfully retain it. Thus developed the monstrous crimes, the heinous tortures by the Antichrist against those who “protested” against their errors. Some of this was given in our No. 7 tract, so we need not repeat it here. However, the Antichrist was not the only system that re­sorted to the persecution of those who retained Present Truth; and we now catalog some of these:

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

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

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

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

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

And from 1916 on those brethren who were being defamed by the Society also were loud in their acclaim of tolerance, the Executive Trustee of the LHMM being one of the fore­most in denouncing intolerance; and he did an excellent job of declaring the evils of intolerance. It was easy enough for him to do that, too, because he had the Truth as his ‘shield and buckler’: and it was no problem to prove that it was once more error perse­cuting truth.

But scarcely had the Epiphany Messenger left us until the Executive Trustee began to cudgel his opponents with the same weapons that had formerly been used against him and others – with the situation now reversed: The former champion of the Truth on tolerance was now forced to intolerance by the Truth which appeared against his error – just as was true of those intolerant ones in the Society after 1917. Here is a sad illustration indeed of human frailty – the accumulated experience of the Age, coupled with extreme brilliance of Harvest Truth, availed them little as those who still retained Parousia Truth began to expose their decline into error. The formerly excommunicated became the excommunicators in very pronounced fashion: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” (Isa. 66:5)

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

THE TOWER OF BABEL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – How can we think of Satan as bound now, if he is instrumental in the destruction of the Great Company's flesh?

ANSWER: – To see daylight through this question we must realize that the binding of Satan, the individual, and the Satan system does not mean their inactivity, that it is not an instantaneous act, but that it is a progressive matter, going through several stages. The binding of the individual Satan respects the fallen angels and means that our Lord gave the fallen angels so much Truth between 1874 and 1878 that Satan from then (1878) onward could no more control them as he had been doing before; yet he has otherwise continued very active among them.

Again, the binding of the Satan system as respects the world is a progressive one, going through four stages, amid each one of which he displays great activities, as the following will show: The first stage was from 1874 to 1914 and thus preceded the World War. It gave the world so much Truth against the foundation errors of Satan's empire, the Divine right of kings, clergy and aristocracy, and against its supporting errors, eternal torment and the consciousness of the dead, as made it impossible for Satan longer to control mankind with those errors; yet he was very active while thus being bound. The second stage is now going on. It began at the end of the war and will be completed by Armageddon. It will give the world so much Truth as against dictatorships as will make it impossible for Satan to rule mankind by dictators, proven by the outbreak of Armageddon; yet during this stage of his binding Satan has been very active. The third stage of his binding will be between Armageddon and Anarchy, beginning at the end of the former and ending at the beginning of the latter. It will give the world so much Truth as will make it impossible for Satan to rule mankind by the Socialistic government that he will establish after Armageddon, which third stage of his binding as complete will be evident by the outbreak of Anarchy; yet Satan will be very active during that period. The fourth stage of Satan's binding will be during the reign of Anarchy, and will be active into its last phase, i.e., during the plundering expedition against the Jews of Palestine, which reign of Anarchy the Lord will destroy by overwhelming the plundering hosts of anarchists in Palestine through a mighty display of retributive justice. This stage of his binding will complete it from every standpoint, but amid each part of it Satan will be very active.

When Anarchy will have been overthrown, Satan will not only have been completely bound, but he will then be spirited away from this earth and imprisoned, unable for the rest of the 1,000 years to tempt the people or to learn what is going on among them. The above five features of Satan's binding, one as to the fallen angels, the other four as to mankind, prove that his binding is a progressive one, stretching through five stages over a period of more than 80 years, and that his binding process does not mean that he is rendered therein inactive, but it does mean that as each stage is completed he will no longer be able to control through the errors whereby he controlled before such stage of his binding set in. Hence during each stage he has activity and power enough to destroy the fleshly minds of Levites. (The Epiphany Messenger – The Present Truth, June 1, 1937, pp. 99,100)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brethren:

I enjoy your papers very much. I always look forward to getting them. I have moved and am giving you my new address. Enclosed is a donation. I know your papers are free, but I would like to give something to help in the expense.

Thank you very much ------- (ARIZONA)

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Dear Brethren:

Your articles on Creation came at a very good time. The Christian Reformed Church were having a Synod meeting at Calvin College a couple of weeks ago. One of the things that came up at this meeting was creation and the time it took.

Mr. Leo Peters supported the 24‑hour‑day creation theory and wants Professor Howard Vantill to stop teaching something different in the Calvin College. The Synod is going to decide this question in the next five months.

So we sent each man our two copies of your articles on the length of the days of Creation. We hope they can see. Now it is up to the Lord. Does He want them to see?

Sincerely your brother, ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Sir:

I am writing to you to inform you of the death of my father, Stanley Fletcher. It seems that my father has been a student of your association for many years. My father had various beliefs through his life. I wonder if you would tell me what my father actually believed toward the end of his life. You seem to be the last religious organization my father was in contact with. My father died April 23, 1988 age 68. I would be obliged if you could let me know of your beliefs and aims.

I note from one of your letters that my father asked you about your views on his divorce with regard to forming another relationship. I wonder if you could comment on this subject.

Yours sincerely, ------- (ENGLAND)

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NO. 393: IN MEMORIAM (Life of Pastor Russell)

No. 393

Pastor Charles Taze Russell was born February 16, 1852, and died October 31, 1916, age 64 years 8 months and 15 days. Thus in years, months and days, we measure the duration of his life; but measuring the duration of a life is not measuring the life.

“We live in deeds not years;

In thoughts, not breaths.”

We can count the number of his years, but many a man has lived longer to whom mankind owes no debt of gratitude. We can count the number of his days, but the value of a day depends upon what is put into it. One day may be worth a thousand other days, and how much he accomplished in those 64 years we can only begin to know when we learn the intensity with which he lived them.

In testimony meetings, thousands all over our land and in every land under the sun, bear witness to their gratitude to God that He has raised up a man who has been the instrument in His hand of snatching them from the very brink of doubt and infidelity, placing their feet on the solid rock of Christ’s “ransom for all.” Some of these men simply could not believe the Bible as interpreted by their religious teachers. They would not say they believed when they did not. They did not wish to be infidels, and they bewailed their lack of faith and hope. You need not tell me that normally constituted men are infidels from choice. You need not tell me that normally constituted men deliberately choose to believe and are glad to believe that they die as brutes, with no hope of a future life. Many of these men are infidels not so much from their own fault as from the fault of their religious teachers who gave them an interpretation of the Bible contrary to reason and impossible for them to believe. Many a man in this attitude has gone to hear Pastor Russell. They have gone to the service infidels and came back rejoicing Christians.

Their religious teachers kept saying: “Don’t go to hear that man Russell; he preaches dangerous doctrine.” But, by the Grace of God, they went and received the spiritual food they had been starving for, the spiritual food their religious teachers did not know how to give. It is no wonder that men would sometimes stand in a crowded aisle and listen to his inspiring words for two hours at a time without moving from their places – no wonder, when those words were bringing hope instead of despair, faith in the place of doubt, peace in the place of agitation and unrest, joy in the place of sadness.

When men with a heart full of gratitude would tell him of the blessings they had received, he would simply say something like this: “Brother, I am glad you received blessings from God’s Word; His truth is very precious.” He simply ignored his part in the matter. In proof that this was his attitude, hear his own words, as found on page ten of his celebrated book, “The Divine Plan of the Ages.”

“Though in this work we shall endeavor, and we trust with success, to set before the interested and unbiased reader the plan of God as it relates to and explains the past, the present and the future of His dealings, in a way more harmonious, beautiful and reasonable than is generally understood, yet that this is the result of extraordinary wisdom or ability on the part of the writer, is positively disclaimed. It is the light from the Sun of Righteousness in this dawning of the Millennial Day that reveals these things as present truth, etc.”

He believed that the time was due for these truths to be made known, and if he had not written them, God would have found some one else to do so.

One of the great objects of his life was to show that the Bible, when correctly translated and rightly understood, is harmonious throughout, and gives the most exalted and uplifting conception of our Creator and our duties to Him that is possible for a human being to attain. To show this complete harmony of the Bible, of all its parts, was no easy task. It meant labor. At that time there was great indifference on the part of the people. Most of them did not seem to care whether the various texts of the Bible were in harmony with one another or not. Each seemed more interested in seeking such texts as prove or seemed to prove his particular creed, and ignored such texts as oppose it. Even ministers, when texts were brought to their attention that contradicted their creed, would make such remarks as: “Oh, don’t trouble yourself about such matters as that. There is enough in the fifth chapter of Matthew to save anybody.”

They were merely seeking such knowledge as they thought would save them and their friends, and seemed utterly indifferent as to what truth honors God most. In 1st Samuel 2:30 the Lord says, “Them that honor me, I will honor.” This promise is not to those who carry on some great work of charity or make an attempt to convert the world, for these things are often done in such a way as to dishonor God. Many are engaged in these things; few make it the chief object of their lives to do these things and to preach those doctrines that bring most honor to God’s Name. Most men seem utterly indifferent on this matter. [They ignore the Scripture: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Tim. 2:15]

At a time when such indifference was widely prevalent, Pastor Russell began his work of showing the harmony of the Bible with itself and with the character of its Divine Author. He saw that there is no way to bring permanent blessing to the human race except through faith in God and faith in the Bible. He, therefore, sought to show how worthy the Bible is of all our faith and love. That was the great motive of his life. We know that this was his motive, not because he has told us so, but because the motive rings through every article that he wrote and every sermon that he preached. A motive like that could not live in a narrow life. It could not find room in a little heart.

Therefore it is natural for us, as thoughtful men and women, to inquire, “What were the events of his life and the various circumstances leading up to such a motive? What must his childhood, his boyhood and his early manhood have been?”

Charles T. Russell was the second son of Joseph L. and Ann Eliza Russell, and was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. His father was a well‑to‑do merchant, and the son, when not engaged in study, spent much of his time helping his father in the store. By so doing, he rendered himself liable to the awful charge that certain ministers in various parts of the country have brought against him, that in his early life he was “a seller of shirts.” In this work, however, he developed the qualities of industry, perseverance and earnestness of purpose, qualities that have been such prominent characteristics of his mature years. As the father was a very successful business man, it was only natural for the son also to begin business as a merchant. In this work the young man manifested such business acumen that, in a few years, he was the owner of five clothing stores. In all this work he was so thoroughly honest and his goods so thoroughly reliable that his success was marvelous, so marvelous that some who then knew him believe that if he had continued in the mercantile business he might have rivaled in the accumulation of wealth some of the richest money kings of his day. But his great desire was not to be rich, but to be useful. We need not tell you this, you may know it for yourself when you consider the following facts:

At one time in his life, while he was yet a young man, the valuation of his real and personal property is said to have reached over $200,000. Of this $40,000 were spent in the publication and circulation of his first book, “Food for Thinking Christians.” At various times he contributed large amounts to the Society of which he was president. In fact at the time of his death he had but $200 left of his own private fortune. Not withstanding this fact, there have been men so ignorant of the facts in the case, or had so little regard for truth and veracity as to say: “Russell has just started this religious movement as a money‑making scheme.” The utter foolishness of such a statement could not be fully manifest to persons unacquainted with the manner in which the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is operated. The very idea of a company of men getting rich preaching the gospel without money and without price, while their friends at various appointments advertised the meetings “Seats free; no collection.” The truth of the matter is that those ministers who have done this talking about “money‑making scheme” concerning Pastor Russell have simply been “measuring his corn in their own half‑bushel.” A man whose own life is actuated by low motives cannot appreciate a higher motive in another man.

In all of Pastor Russell’s work, and in all the work of the Society including missionary work, translation of the books into all the important modern languages, exhibition of the Photo Drama of Creation, etc., not one penny was ever solicited and no collection was ever taken. That, of course, does not mean that money has not been liberally contributed, but every contribution is and must be absolutely voluntary and unsolicited. Two years ago last summer in the northern part of Pennsylvania, a little girl eight years old came to me after the service and said: “Here is five cents to help other little boys and girls to see the Photo Drama.” [However, there was no admission fee to see the Photo Drama.] The five cents were forwarded to the Watch Tower office, along with larger contributions, and in the course of a few days the proper officer of the Society sent her a receipt with just the same care that a $50 contribution in a neighboring town was receipted for.

Pastor Russell was a man of great faith, and he always had perfect confidence that money would be forthcoming for every work that the Lord wanted done. On one occasion, after he had spoken to a large audience, he was shaking hands with the people as they passed out, when a man handed him an envelope. He put it in his pocket and went on shaking hands. After a few minutes some of the brethren were consulting with him concerning some work that all agreed would be good to have done; “but where was the money to come from?” Brother Russell said: “If it is a work the Lord wants done, He will see that the money will be provided.” He opened the envelope. It contained a check for one thousand dollars, and the work went on.

Men have sometimes come to him and said: “Brother Russell, I have been greatly blessed by your explanation of the Scriptures, and I feel that this is a great work. How can I get some money into it?” This may sound strange to men who all their lives have been dunned for money “to pay the preacher,” but “Truth is stranger than fiction.” “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. The cattle on a thousand hills are His,” and He does not need money that must be begged for or raffled for at box socials or church fairs.

His “Divine Plan of the Ages” has a circulation several times that of any other book ever published in the English language except the Bible. He is the author of five other principal books [The Studies in the Scriptures] and of numerous booklets and tracts. He is also the author of the “Photo Drama of Creation,” which has been seen and heard by over nine millions of people. His sermons of recent years have appeared regularly every week in over a thousand newspapers, and are read by millions of people.

While Pastor Russell had his friends and admirers he also had his enemies and persecutors. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” So if any one does not suffer persecution he is not living godly in Christ Jesus. When you read that a certain man did not have an enemy in the world, you have found a man that never steadfastly and earnestly opposed the wrong. On the other hand, every man that has done anything earnestly to free the race from wrong and error and superstition has had his opposers and persecutors. Christ and all His Apostles save one suffered martyrdom for the truth they preached, and from that day to this, every man who stood for unpopular truth and against popular error has had his persecutors. So Pastor Russell has likewise had his persecutors who tried to minimize his work, burned his books and attempted to destroy his good name.

Yes, they sometimes burned his books, and they did so for the very same reason that they used to burn the Bibles; they were afraid of the truth that was in them. But the more they burned the books, the more the truth spread. I had the pleasure a few months ago of speaking in a town where, not long before, some of the religionist had gotten together and agreed to advise the people to burn Pastor Russell’s books. In a few weeks colporteurs came into the town and sold far more books than had been burned. The bigots who had burned the books had merely aroused the curiosity of the people. In the Dark Ages they sometimes sought to terrify the people by burning the Bibles in the streets, and thus compel them to submit to the prescribed forms of religion, the “Orthodox” forms. There is too much of the spirit of liberty and tolerance in free America for such an indignity to be perpetrated today without arousing a sense of justice in the minds of those who hate tyranny.

It is interesting to note how the books have found their way through the hands of those who did not appreciate them into the hands of those who did. It often happens that one man buys and does not appreciate them, then loans them to another man who enjoys them with all his heart. At one of the conventions, a lady tells us that a friend sent her “The Divine Plan of the Ages” and she burned it. Another friend sent her a second book of the same kind, and she burned it. A third friend sent her a third book, and she stopped and thought. It is sometimes a good thing to stop and think. “Finally,” says she, “I read this book and it burned me.” By this, I suppose, she means that it burned away all her prejudice and left her ready for the heart‑glow of joy that comes to those who see what beautiful truth God has in store for those who are ready to enjoy it.

The parents of Charles T. Russell were of the “orthodox” faith, and up to the age of fifteen he believed all and only such doctrines as his sectarian ministers took the trouble to teach him. To fully understand doctrines at that time was very difficult. The clergy as a rule discouraged questions. So he simply believed the doctrines of the church he attended, especially the doctrine of the eternal torment of all except the saints. His favorite teacher was Spurgeon, because, as he said, “he peppered it hot,” his claim being that if one believed a thing he should tell it with all his might. So at the age of fifteen he used to go about the city of Pittsburgh on Saturday evenings with a piece of chalk writing on the fence boards and telling the people not to fail to attend church on Sunday, so that they might escape that terrible hell in which he so firmly believed. At about this time it seems that Providence had decreed that he should attempt to reclaim an infidel friend to Christianity. By skillful questions that neither layman or minister could answer and hold to the accepted creed, the infidel completely routed young Russell, and he became a skeptic. He saw, for instance, that with the doctrine of eternal torment in it he could not believe the Bible; though he still held to a belief in God and the hope of a future life.

As he desired to learn the truth in regard to the hereafter, the next few years were devoted to the investigation of the claims of the leading Oriental religions, all of which he found unworthy of credence. At the age of twenty he was possessed of much knowledge and voluminous data in regard to “religion” as believed and practiced in all parts of the world, but his mind was unsatisfied and unsettled.

At length he decided to search the Scriptures for their own answer on hell‑fire and brimstone. Here was the turning point in his life. Picture to yourself a young man in the early twenties with large business responsibilities upon him, and with little time for research, and yet longing to know the truth in regard to the great hereafter. He believed that the Creator of all things must be a loving God, and in harmony with this he read in the Bible, “God is love.” He also read, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” That too was in harmony with what he believed the character of the Creator must be. But how could he harmonize this with what his creed taught? How could God’s tender mercies be over all His works when some of His works, some of His creatures, were to be roasted eternally in an abyss of fire and terrors? How could there be any “tender mercies” in a course like that? How could our loving Creator be a God like that? Then the question came, Does the Bible really teach the eternal torture of the unsaved?

As he searched the Scriptures for the answer, the answer came. Not one text, merely, but texts by the hundreds showing the foolishness and unreasonableness of the doctrine of eternal torment. We do not know the order in which these texts came to his mind, but we know they came. He read, “The Lord preserveth all them that love him.” (Yes, He preserveth them, to all eternity – “but all the wicked will be destroyed.” It does not say “All the wicked will be roasted eternally.”) Again he reads, “He that converteth the sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death,” not from eternal torment. Again he reads, “The soul that sinneth it shall die,” not live in torment eternally. In fact, he saw that all the comparisons and contrasts in the Bible are never between life in happiness and life in misery, but between life and death, eternal life or eternal death, all the wicked utterly destroyed in what the Scriptures call “the second death,” so completely destroyed that “they shall be as though they had not been,” and even “the remembrance of the wicked shall rot,” utterly pass from the memory of all forever.

Then this young man saw God finally triumphant over all evil, when “at his name every knee shall bow,” when “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven, on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.” So he saw the whole glad universe uniting in one grand hymn of praise to the Creator, no room in that happy universe for men or demons who choose to remain in rebellion against the Creator, but all ready to Join in a hymn of praise.

Then this young man saw a loving God looking down upon a sin‑cursed earth with an eye of pity and love, and in order to make it possible for us to have eternal life, He must give what was dearest to Him in the whole universe. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not die eternally but live eternally.” When, as a young man, Charles T. Russell saw all this and far more, his great heart was thrilled to its very depths. He was ready to do anything for the God he had found to be so wise, so loving, so wonderful. It was then that he gave his heart to the Lord in full consecration, ready to do or say or be whatever the Lord might show him. Little did he care for wealth, or fame, or worldly pleasure. He had found a better God than he before had known, and he must tell it, and he did tell it out with a shout, hallelujah! Praise God’s holy name, that He has found a man strong enough, true enough, brave enough to vindicate His character from the unscriptural and unreasonable doctrine of eternal torment.

To the very ends of the earth he has told the Bible truth that “the wages of sin is death,” and not eternal torment. Yes, and his words have been heard, heard by many who will not admit that they have heard, believed by many who will not admit they believe.

A few years ago a minister who was then preaching in this country was asked by one of his parishioners if he believed the doctrine of eternal torment. He admitted that he did not. “Then why do your preach it?” asked the parishioner. “Oh, there has to be some kind of whip to bring them in,” was the reply. A minister who used to preach in Waynesburg made the same admission to one of his parishioners. “Then why don’t you tell your congregation so?” said the parishioner. “If I did that, I could not hold this pastorate,” was his reply. A minister of Washington, Pa., made the same admission. The young man said to the minister: “Then why don’t you tell your congregation?” He replied: “Young man, my bread isn’t buttered on that side.” That is the very class of men that are circulating false reports about Pastor Russell and other men who are opposing their false doctrines.

“Yes, but in regard to Pastor Russell’s character, the people say – Yes, “the people say” and “the people said” are the cudgels with which Satan has destroyed the reputation of many an innocent man. A few years ago, W. W. Giles, a leading financier of Brown Summit, N.C., made the following offer and published it broadcast wherever the English language is spoken:

“I have deposited $1,000 in the American Exchange National Bank of Greensboro, N.C., and $500 in the First National Bank of Miami, Florida, to be paid to the first person who proves through any court of justice in the United States that Pastor Russell is guilty of immorality such as is the gossip of those ministers who preach ‘for pay.’” No one ever responded. The editor of the Evening Journal of Wilmington, Del., about two years ago, published a statement that his columns were open to the publication of anything that might be published against Pastor Russell’s character, provided the whole truth was stated with all the related circumstances and accompanied by the writer’s name. Why did none of Pastor Russell’s defamers respond to this fair offer?

The people say! The people said! Satan’s weapon now; Satan’s weapon always. The people said that Jesus was a blasphemer. [They also said He was a wine bibber.] His friends on one occasion “went out to lay on Him, for they said, He is beside Himself.” The people said that the Apostles were unfit to live, and put them to death. The people said that the noble John Huss was unfit to live, and when they burned him at the stake, they confined a ball of brass in his mouth, in order, as the historian states, “that the people might not understand his Just defense against their unjust condemnation.” The people said that the brave Savonarola was a heretic and they hanged him and afterwards burned his body in reproach.

The people said that the noble Alexander Campbell was a “heretic.” “He is not orthodox. He is little better than an infidel.” The people said that the brave and true John Wesley was a “falsifier, a fomenter of strife, a breeder of contention.” They talked about the jealousy of his wife against Sarah Ryan, the jealousy against him of the husband of Sophia Christiana Williamson and how his wife finally deserted him. Does what the people say weaken our confidence in the purity of John Wesley’s life? By no means! The only difficulty was that he was so pure‑minded himself that he forgot to guard himself well against impure minds who were watching to find a charge against him. John Wesley, Alexander Campbell, Charles T. Russell, three of the bravest, purest men of modern times and the three most severely persecuted and slandered. Do we believe those slanders? Not if we are charitable, thoughtful and wise. Their names will go down in history together as the three greatest and truest reformers of the last two hundred years. (By E. D. Stewart – Overland Monthly, pages 435‑441)

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THE PAROUSIA AND EPIPHANY MESSENGERS

It has been seventy‑two years since the death of That Servant, but his memory is still fragrant with us – especially so with those who have been blessed with the Truth that he gave to us, and who are faithful to that Truth. “They may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” (Rev. 14:13) His “works” continue to be a blessing to all who receive the Truth. Thousands of zealous and faithful brethren continue to distribute his Studies in the Scriptures. God bless his memory!

We can say much the same for the Epiphany Messenger, although we elaborate more on That Servant’s ministry because his work and office in the Lord’s Household was much superior to that of the Epiphany Messenger, which the Epiphany Messenger often said. Just as there were no successors to the twelve Apostles, there is no successor to That Servant. Since his death, however, there have been faithful mouthpieces, of whom the Epiphany Messenger was the foremost.

We quote excerpts from our paper, No. 351, October, 1984: “We also pay tribute to the Epiphany Messenger who faithfully upheld and defended the Truth given to us by That Servant... and in keeping with 1 Sam. 2:30: ‘Them that honor Me I will honor.’

“‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he will give thee the desires of shine heart. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.’ (Psa. 37:3‑6)”

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Why do the Societyites believe that Christ died not for the wicked of Adam’s race?

ANSWER: – It is not because of their having any Scriptural proof for it, which they do not have, but because JFR shortly before his death accepted this thought; and Mr. Knorr, his successor, endorses and advocates it in a book that the Society recently published, i.e., they accept it because it comes through “the channel.” They have become amenable to it as an outflow of a number of errors, e.g., that many who are not new creatures, e.g., all the clergy and principles of the flock, and all who die in Armageddon go into the second death, their Jonadabs [now the “great crowd”] generating the restitution class in the Millennium, which in their estimation makes it unnecessary for all of Adam’s non‑elect descendants to return from the tomb.

This “new light” is in most striking opposition to the ransom and grossly contradicts the three fundamental doctrines of salvation: (1) God’s love and provision for everybody for salvation; (2) Jesus’ death for everybody for salvation; and (3) the Spirit’s work for everybody for salvation. Numerous Scriptures prove these three propositions.

Let us briefly look at the main ones on each of these three points: (1) God’s love and provision for everybody for salvation. Thus God so loved the world as to give His Son to save it (John 3:16, 17). He recommends His love for the race by giving Christ to die for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6‑8). His love for the world makes Him determine to save all men from the Adamic sentence, and bring them to an exact knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim. 2:4). He thus from His love is the Saviour of all men from that sentence (1 Tim. 4:10). His love is the grace of God that “hath appeared, bringing salvation for all men” (Titus 2:11; the literal translation is that within quotation marks). His love for all for salvation expressed itself in giving Christ to die for mankind, as we read in Titus 3:4. The kindness and love of God, our Saviour, toward man appeared. Certainly these and numerous other passages teach that God loves all men for salvation and provides for it.

(2) Now some passages that prove that Christ died for all men for salvation: Our Lord’s death for the whole sinner race is most graphically and prophetically described in Is. 53:4‑12. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world (Adam’s sin participated in by the entire race – John 1:29). Jesus said that if He were nailed to the cross for man’s sin He would favorably influence all men to Himself (John 12:32, 33). As Adam’s sin and disobedience brought sin and death to all men, so Christ’s obedience and righteousness will bring cancellation of that sin and death, to enable all to gain the right to life (Rom. 5:18, 19). Jesus’ ransom was laid down for all men, which makes Him the Mediator for all humans (1 Tim. 2:5, 63. He by God’s love, grace, tasted death for every man, and for this purpose has to be made Adam’s corresponding price (Heb. 2: 8, 9). He is the satisfaction to God’s justice not only for the Church’s, but the world’s sins (1 John 2:2).

(3) As a result of God’s love that gave Christ to be a ransom for all men, and of Christ’s death for all men, the Spirit’s work for salvation will in the Millennium extend to all the non‑elect of Adam’s race without exception. Very many, indeed, are the Scriptures teaching this thought, of which we will cite a comparatively small number: The Christ, as the Seed of Abraham, in doing the Millennial Spirit’s work, will bless for salvation purposes all the families, kindreds and nations of the earth (Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18).

At Christ’s Millennial asking, God will give Him the nations and the ends of the earth (all mankind) as His inheritance and possession (Ps. 2:8). All the ends of the earth, all the kindreds of the nations and all that go down to the dust (all the Adamically dead) shall turn to, worship and bow down before the Lord (Ps. 22:27,29).

God made all nations, and these will Millennially worship and glorify Him (Ps. 86:9). God will reveal His plan to all; and the whole world will see it (Ps. 98:2, 3).

All nations will become parts of the Kingdom (Isa. 2:2); for the knowledge of God shall be sea‑deep and worldwide; and all nations will seek Christ (Isa. 11:9, 10). The Kingdom will destroy every effect of the curse and make all glad, some only for a while Is. 25:6‑9). All the non‑elect as errant from the Divine Truth will see it clearly (Is. 29:18, 24). All blind eyes and deaf ears of understanding shall see and appreciate the Truth; the morally lame shall make rapid progress up the highway of holiness and the Lord’s ransomed (gave Himself a ransom for all men) will return from the tomb for the joys of the Kingdom, and the sorrows of the curse will be wiped out (Isa. 35:5, 6, 10). All flesh shall see (experience) the salvation from the death sentence that God will work (Is. 40:5).

So deeply impressed will all the non‑elect become that according to the oath‑bound promise for a while all will be consecrated, though some will a little later fall away (Isa. 45:22, 23). As a result of God’s revealing the Christ to all the world, all will clearly perceive God’s work of salvation (Isa. 52:10). Yea, all, from the least to the greatest, will know the Lord (Jer. 31:34); for God has prepared salvation as a joy to all the non‑elect, even raising up fallen Israel again (Luke 2:10, 31‑34), since Jesus as the true Light will teach the Truth to every human that came into the world (John 1:9), in the day when the crucified Jesus will favorably influence all men toward Himself (John 12:31, 32).

In Phil. 2:10, 11, in harmony with Isa. 45:22, 23; Rom. 14:11, we are told that every knee, including the knees of those who were in the death state (“under the earth”), will bow to Jesus, and every tongue, including the tongues of those who were in the death state, will confess Jesus as Lord. God gives some in this life, the rest in the next life, the testimony of His love for all, Christ’s death for all and the Spirit’s work for all (1 Tim. 2:5, 6).

While now the Spirit’s work extends to the Elect only (Joel 2:29), in the Millen­nial Age it will extend to all the non‑elect (Joel 2:28; Rev. 22:17); for then Christ will become the Lord, Ruler, of the dead (Rom. 14:9), including the people of Sodom, Gomorrah, the cities of the plains and the people of the two‑tribed kingdom of the South and the ten‑tribed kingdom of the North (Ezek. 16:53‑63). Hence these three considerations: (1) God’s love, (2) Christ’s death and (3) the Spirit’s work completely refute this Society error.

(The Epiphany Messenger – The Present Truth, March 1, 1949, pp. 46,47)

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Note: That Servant gave the world “Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all men”, in contrast to the Jehovah’s Witnesses – Bad Tidings of Great Misery to all who do not join them. That Servant’s message to the world was to seek meekness and righteousness in this Age which will better prepare them for the Kingdom’s blessings.

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Mrs. Hoefle,

I have just returned from Israel visiting Clarence and Pat. They will be moving to a new apartment in August, so Pat was able to pack while I tended the children. Their last little girl is one year old now and was born in Jerusalem.

While visiting there I visited with Mrs. Young and she mentioned receiving your publications and how much she enjoyed them. Yes, we received Dr. Russell’s book. Thank you. We have forwarded your letter to Clarence as I know he will want to write you. Please keep in touch.

Shalom, ----------- (OKLAHOMA)

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Mrs. Young is the widow of Dr. G. Douglas Young. After reading some of our papers he wrote us and requested to be put on our mailing list. Calvin B. Hanson wrote a biography of Dr. Young – A GENTILE WITH THE HEART OF A JEW. The book is very good and would adorn the library of any one. He was indeed a real Christian – “an example of the believers.” The book may be obtained from Parson Publishing, Nyack, N. Y. 10960 – or from Bridges For Peace, P. O. Box 33145, Tulsa, OK 74153.

NO. 392: THE GREAT COMMISSION

No. 392

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

After His resurrection Jesus had gone into Galilee to meet the Disciples, as He had promised them He would do (Matt. 26:32); and there He spoke to them what is commonly declared to be “The Great Commission” (Matt. 28:19,20): “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Motivated by this order, many Christians have zealously proceeded to the re­mote parts of the earth, declaring the name of Jesus to savage hordes, even as others of their fellows engaged in great drives to raise millions of dollars to finance those who would “save” the poor heathen. Up to now, at least, it must be admitted that their efforts have been far from successful. Even in those countries claiming to be Chris­tian the practice of The Golden Rule is much conspicuous by the failure of the large majority to make even a token attempt to observe it. After more than nineteen hundred years of this effort, this dismal failure does indeed call for some reflection.

First of all, let us consider a critical translation of Jesus' words: “Go, dis­ciple all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things which I have enjoined upon you; and, behold, I am with you all the days, till the consummation of the Age.” Clearly enough, from this more exact translation, The Great Commission was not an or­der to convert the whole world – it was merely intended to win disciples from the var­ious nations. And to what purpose? Our text says, “Immersing them into the name” ­that is, into the heart and mind, the disposition of the Father and of the Son.

This conclusion is clearly corroborated by Acts 19:1-7, where the twelve men there assembled had told the Apostle Paul that their baptism had brought them substantially nothing. They had been given the baptism of John – and, self–evidently, had not been instructed regarding the real baptism, which the immersion in water symbolized. Whereupon, “having heard this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.” Their previous immersion had failed to “disciple” them; it was only after they had been immersed “into” the name (disposition) of the Lord Jesus, as symbolized by the water im­mersion, that Paul laid his hands upon them, and the gifts of the spirit came to them. All during the Age there has been much immersing done, and is still being done, without bringing the recipients “into” the name – into the disposition of the Lord Jesus. Un­less the real baptism is understood and undergone by the participants, the ritual is merely an exercise in futility – an immersion of water and words only, with the parti­cipants in no better condition than they were before the ceremony.

“THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM”

It is frequently stated that “Jesus went about... preaching the gospel (the good news, glad tidings) of the Kingdom.” (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:14, etc.) This King­dom was an important feature of His ministry, so much so that the Disciples themselves were much imbued with the thought. Even after His resurrection He spoke to them “of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3,4), which prompted the question from them: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” This they did before the Holy Spirit had been given them; and Jesus' answer is companion to The Great Commission in Matthew: “Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

During the evening of the last Supper, Jesus had told them, “I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.” (Jn. 14:2,3) Not yet having received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles received these statements much as natural men, considering them from material standpoints. And they were much per­suaded that His “coming again” would be in a very short time, this opinion aided in large measure by the experience at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1–23). In the course of that conversation Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him – probably a discreet prodding for the three times that Peter had denied Him the night of the betrayal. Then Jesus informed him that his death would be a violent one, imposed upon him by other hands, at which Peter pointed to “that disciple whom Jesus loved” (the Apostle John) with the query, “And what shall this man do?” (v. 21) This would be better translated, “Lord, and what of this man?” In other words, if Peter was to die in gruesome fashion, what about this particular favorite of Yours – How will he die? “Jesus says to him, If I wish him to abide till I come, what is that to thee?” (v. 23) “The report, therefore, went out among the brethren, that that Disciple would not die,” although Jesus said no such thing. However, the tale persisted, so much so that certain ones in Corinth thought the Kingdom had already been established, and that they were then reigning.(l Cor. 4:8)

It seems reasonably certain that the Apostle John lived to the age of about one hundred years. Thus, he was one of the last – if not the very last – to see Jesus while He was on earth. The Roman army under Titus captured Jerusalem in the year 70 AD; and few, if any, of the Jews who were in the city at that time escaped execution. The Apostle John lived for thirty years, more or less, after that event. Just where he was at that particular time we do not know, but we can be certain he was not in Jerusa­lem then. However, until the day he died, there could be some surface substance to the tale that he would survive until the Saviour came the second time, as He had prom­ised He would. But the death of the Apostle did definitely eliminate any further cre­dence in the story, which, as John himself stated in the last verses of his Gospel writing, had no real substance to it in what Jesus had said to Peter.

But of those who had reposed strong belief in the legend, we can well appreciate the disappointment that must have been theirs when the last glimmering hope was fully subdued in the death of John. And as those remaining ones expired – with still no evi­dence of a second coming – we can readily understand how a situation arose that was identical with the one confronting the Jews when Moses remained so long in Mount Sinai: “When Moses delayed to come down out of the mount (as Jesus was seemingly also doing after His ascension to the Heavenly Mount), the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is be­come of him... and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” (Ex. 32:1–6) This situation with Israel saw an exact reproduction in the Gospel Age after Jesus had been away from this earth for several hundred years, and still no evi­dence of His return. He had promised the Kingdom upon His return, and it became very easy for those disappointed Christians to talk themselves into believing that perhaps He had meant that they should take on this task themselves, since there was just noth­ing to indicate that the Lord would be doing it Himself.

The Kingdom reign was to be a thousand years (Rev. 20:1–4); and the members of the Christian Church gradually determined that they should engage upon the thousand­-year task of making earth ready as a proper preparation for His return. This had its first potential impetus when Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nice in 325 AD mainly to determine whether the Trinity should be determined as the accepted faith of the general church. Arius was the champion of the truth against this error; and his­tory says of him that he was a man of clear intellect. Yet only two of that vast assembly of church prelates agreed with him. The vast majority  – about 250 – decided otherwise, and the Emperor agreed with them; and from that conclave emerged what is now commonly known as “The Apostles' Creed.” Arius was banished from the Roman Em­pire, and forced to take refuge in northern Africa, where he died eleven years later ­not, however, without leaving his “footprints on the sands of time,” for he left behind him a flourishing colony of Christians zealously contending that there is but “one God” (Eph. 4:6) And what name did they attach to themselves? Why, Arians, of course!

THE COUNTERFEIT REIGN

In due time came the Pope of Rome, claiming for himself universal sovereignty over “the Church which is His Body.” By 799 this had made such an imprint upon people and rulers alike that Charlemagne of France virtually ceded his authority unto the Pope; and thus began “the Holy Roman Empire”—the beginning of that thousand–year reign which would cause “every knee to bow, and every tongue to confess that Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:9–11) During the next thousand years the determination that the Church should convert and rule the world was supported by the armies of the various countries, and by all the ingenious tortures that the human intellect could devise. It was indeed a full coun­terfeit of that glorious reign which the Lord Himself had promised would “wipe away all tears from their eyes... no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither any more pain.” (Rev. 21:1-4)

Instead of “wiping away all tears,” that regime multiplied the tears, the sorrow, the death, so that it is now known as “The Dark Ages,” with much of its history so garbled that it is totally unreliable. The Church today would much rather not be re­minded of the facts of that time.

The colossal fraud of the whole arrangement was finally toppled by Napoleon in 1799 (just a full thousand years after Charlemagne, also of France, had set it up), when he took the Pope captive to Paris, where he eventually died. Thus was furnished to the whole world clear evidence that the papal claim of supremacy in church and civil court was nothing more than a vicious myth. In all of this the Lord was saying in ef­fect once more: “I have seen this people...let Me alone... that I may consume them.” (Ex. 32:9,10) It is little wonder that so many “protesters” arose with Martin Luther and other noble reformers over the past five hundred years, although great effort is be­ing made today to forget the past crimes, and let us all join in a grand brotherhood of man, with the Fatherhood of God. But, as one wit has expressed it: There are too few brothers, and too many hoods. The real reign of Christ is self–evidently an occurrence yet future.

THE CHURCH'S REAL MISSION

Based upon a misunderstanding of The Great Commission, a misunderstanding based somewhat upon the poor and inaccurate translation found in the King James version of the Bible, The Church has vigorously engaged upon an attempted conversion of the world when our Lord delayed His return. But it should by now be apparent to the ordinary believer that it has not been God's purpose to have it so; otherwise, He would have accomplished it. Either that, or we are forced to the miserable admission that He has been too weak to do it. This latter is certainly contradicted by the record of Gen. 1:3,14,16: “God said, Let there be light: and there was light... lights in the fir­mament of the Heaven to divide the day from the night... and it was so... God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also.” Here is a clear record of power unlimited – a power so awesome that man would be forced to bow the knee before it whenever the command goes forth. It is clear that God has not been “trying” to do something for the past nine­teen hundred years that was a little too much for Him! It should also be equally clear that man has been trying to do something that is much beyond his capacity. “Without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

During “this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4) there have been three dispensations, or Ages – The Patriarchal, the Jewish and the Gospel Ages; all of them “faith” Ages, with the Gospel Age being by far the most important. At the very outset of this Age Jesus “abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light (made it clear for the first time) through the gospel (the 'good news' of the Kingdom)”—2 Tim. 1:10. And for the promulgation of this 'good news' St. Paul says of himself, “whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” And in sym­pathy with this St. James says, “How God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name” (a privilege first offered to the Jews, which, when rejected by them, brought forth the expression from Paul: 'Lo, we turn to the Gentiles' – ­Acts 13:46). “After this (when the fullness of the Gentiles be come in) I will return and build again the Tabernacle of David... that the residue of men might seek after the Lord (when His Kingdom is finally established in power and great glory, forcing every knee to bow).” (See Acts 15:14–18; Phil. 2:9–11)

During these three Ages certain called-out ones have preached righteousness, which has restrained somewhat the tendency toward depravity so prevalent all about us. This has been more apparent in the Gospel Age, as Jesus said it would be. “The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin (will point out the evils of this present dispen­sation through those who have the Holy Spirit), and concerning righteousness (will teach the world the correct conduct as against the evils now prevalent), and concerning judg­ment (will explain the judgment as it will truly be when the Kingdom is established).” (John 16:8) But up to now all of this has simply been a “witness” of things to come ­a mere token of the glorious actuality.

THE JUDGMENT DAY

In Acts 17:31 St. Paul declares, “God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained.” It is clear that that “day” was in the future when Paul said what he did; and St. Peter states that “the heavens (the present ecclesiastical systems) and the earth (the present social order), which are now... are reserved unto the day of judgment.” (2 Pet. 3:7) But the Apostle Peter then clarifies his statement with these words: “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years,” which is further confirmed in Psa. 90:4: “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past.” St. Paul further states in 1 Cor. 6:2: “Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world?”

The Scriptures thus draw a sharp line of demarcation between the “saints” and the “world” – or between the elect and the non–elect. This is further emphasized in Rev. 20:4: “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God (the saints, as described in Rev. 6:9)... and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” And Rev. 5:10 tells us where this reign shall be: “Thou has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

A SECOND COUNTERFEIT REIGN

As stated aforegoing, the Roman Church seized upon such texts to establish them­selves as earth's rulers for a thousand years – from 799 to 1799; but of the true reign it is written, “There will be no night (error) there.” (Rev. 21:25) Just the re­verse of that was true, however, under the terrible papal reign. That reign is now re­corded in history as The Dark Ages, because the “night” of sin and death and error was so intense that not even a good clear record of it is to be found in the history books.

It is a sound observation that history often repeats itself; and this is often true in religious history, just as it is true in secular records. Comes now here in the end of the Age the Jehovah's Witnesses, attempting on a smaller, but hardly less sanguine scale, to establish themselves as the rulers for a thousand years. They would now have us believe the Kingdom has been established under them; and, while they do not themselves perpetrate the same violence in the same manner as did the Roman Church, nev­ertheless, they are telling us that their select group will take gleeful note of the blood bath that they now predict for the Armageddon that lies just ahead. Their predic­tion is that their faithful “dedicated” devotees are to survive that carnage, and on into the Kingdom of peace that will follow – never any more to experience death.  Let us note, however, that this prediction has been broadcast for quite a few years now; and time itself is shaking the confidence of many of them, as they note the death of many of the faithful – touching them in like manner as it does the world in general.  Up to now, at least, the Angel of death has shown very little respect of persons, as the processions to the cemetery proceed much the same as in times past. It should be noted, too, that since 1914 (the Witnesses' date for commencement of their kingdom) evils of all sorts have been greatly on the increase – a far cry indeed from that true kingdom “wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:13)

Thus, here again, time itself has forced them to “reform” somewhat from their one-­time positive promises. Just recently we discussed this point with one of their “dedi­cated” adherents – a lady well along in years. Forced to admit the truth of our conten­tions, she also admitted she “may not” live through Armageddon – or even until then. Here again the Witnesses show their kinship to the Roman system, which has ever been ready to change any of their teachings where 'policy' seemed expedient.  However, “the leop­ard can't change his spots.”

Above we quoted St. Paul's statement that “the saints shall judge the world”; and our Lord had said of these saints, “Fear not, Little Flock, it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” – the reign over the earth. At present the Witnes­ses have much over a million of their “dedicated” partisans – hardly a “little flock” by any standard. Nor do we see any abatement of the evils of this world; in fact, they are very much on the increase since they began their “reign” – which is hardly the de­scription given us in the Bible when our Lord's Kingdom is established for the purpose of blessing “all the families of the earth.” And note the close similarity of the old Roman claim to the Witnesses' present one: No salvation outside of our organization; but damnation (annihilation in Armageddon) to all who refuse us. Just a slight varia­tion to the old Roman claim of eternal torment for all the heretics, even as they sold salvation in the form of indulgences to any and all who had the price and would bow the knee to them. Certainly, we have no wish to be facetious in the comparison we now of­fer; it is public property to all who would recognize it. The Roman Church gave the edict – Heaven for the faithful; Hell for the heretics. The Witnesses now give the edict – The Kingdom for the faithful; eternal annihilation in Armageddon for the her­etics. Clearly enough, a second counterfeit reign! Also, the old Roman shibboleth was, “Reading is doubt; doubt is heresy; and heresy is Hell.” And those now rigidly imbued with the Witnesses, kingdom doctrine want no part of any literature that might enlighten them. If reports that come to us are true, they are forbidden to ask any oppositional questions in their study meetings of the Watch Tower.

GOD'S WORD EXPOSES COUNTERFEITS

Before the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 by the Roman Army it is clearly apparent that many Christians were so imbued with the thought of an imminent return of the Lord that it was necessary for the Apostle Paul and others to protest vigorously their false expectations. One such expression is found in 2 Thes. 2:1-10, parts of which we quote from the Diaglott translation: “We entreat you, Brethren, concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (to establish the Kingdom for which He had taught them to pray), and our assembling to Him (in power and great glory), that you be not quickly agitated in mind, nor alarmed, neither by a spirit, nor by a discourse, nor by a letter as from us, as though the day of the Lord was present. Let no one delude you by any means, because the apostasy must come first, and there must be revealed that Man of Sin, that son of destruction, the opponent who lifts himself above everything called Divinity or Majesty; so as to seat himself in the temple of God.” St. Paul had writ­ten to the Corinthians, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God.” (1 Cor. 3:16) Thus, “seating himself in the temple of God” is simply another way of saying that the apostates would be so much in the majority that they would submerge the true Chris­tians; and, until they had seen that accomplished, they could be sure the Lord had not returned, or the Kingdom set up.

Then, to emphasize, the Apostle continues, “Do you not remember that while I was with you, I said these things to you?... Then will be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will annihilate by the appearing (bright shining) of His presence.” While it may he contended that that annihilation is now in process, as “knowledge shall be in creased” in the time of the end (Dan. 12:4), it is certainly not yet an accomplished fact. Therefore, there definitely cannot be any visible Kingdom yet, because the Apostle is emphatic that the “annihilation” of the apostasy must be accomplished before the King­dom's inauguration.

Another point may be considered here: The Bible clearly teaches, and our own per­sonal experience confirms that truth, that all men do not have the quality of faith (2 Thes. 3:2). Therefore, they cannot display or put to use something they do not have. This leads to the fact that men are presently divided into a faith class and a non-faith, or unbelief class. And, of the non–faith class, as well as of the faith class, there are many variations. The Apostles, who were born with faith in their very blood stream, “said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5 And it is also written, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6) Yet, the Roman Church for hundreds of years, and the Witnesses now in our day, would tell us there is no Kingdom hope for this unbelief class – i.e., for those now living. Nor even yet for the faith class that cannot agree with and become “dedicated” to their interpretation of the Scripture.

Another striking similarity between the Roman Church and the Witnesses is this: The Roman Church stoutly claims to adhere to the teachings of the first “pope,” Saint Peter; the Witnesses make the same claim respecting their founder, That Servant. With­out detailing all the vagaries and contradictions to both of these positions, we confine ourselves to this item of a faith class in this present Age, and now quote from the first “pope”: “The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that per­isheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (at His second Advent to establish His Kingdom)... receiving the end (the purpose) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Pet. 1:7–9)

And the Witnesses in like manner declare their adherence to the teachings of That Servant, who was very emphatic in his belief that the non-faith class could not possibly receive a fair trial now because of their inherent limitation, coupled with the failure of many of the heathen even to hear that Name – and there “is no salvation in any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) For “God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” (See Rom. 11:31–32) Also, Jesus Himself said, “When the Son of Man cometh (at His second Advent), shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) The clear inference is that true faith would be a very scarce article when our Lord  returns, which is a direct refutation of the large memberships to be found in the Roman Church and with the Witnesses. But they both boast of their numbers as their strength, even though we know from Scriptural authority, therein lies their weakness.

It requires little argument that love of life is the strongest desire in most of us. Thus we can find little fault with the Jews at Sinai, when Moses gave them the Law and the promise along with it that “the man that doeth these things shall live in them” – at which “all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.” (Ex. 24:3) And the magicians, the astrologers, the sor­cerers were crafty enough to tell King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon many centuries later what he wanted to hear: “O king, live forever.” (Dan. 2:4; 3:9)

Therefore, when the Roman Church promised immortality (immunity against death) to their faithful adherents, they were telling them something they wanted to hear, which made it easy to believe. And when the Witnesses now tell their “dedicated” devotees they will live right on through  Armageddon, and never die, they are telling them something they want to hear – which makes it easy for them to believe, and understandable that their numbers are increasing rapidly, even as they boast.  The founder of their Movement, That Servant, never advocated such a teaching – nor did he boast of his numbers. The nearest support he ever gave to it was to quote Zeph. 2:3, “Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.” That this is merely a hope for those who do that, and not a definite assurance and promise to all the meek, is better revealed in Rotherham's translation of the text: “Seek Yahweh, all ye lowly of the land, who have wrought what He appointed, Seek righteousness, seek hu­mility, Peradventure ye shall be concealed in the day of the anger of Yahweh.” There is nothing at all in this surmise to justify the express promise of survival now made by the Witnesses to lure proselytes to their banner. Certainly, it is to the advantage of all worldlings to “seek meekness,” because it will be only the meek who will inherit the earth. (Matt. 5:5)

OTHER RELATED ERRORS

St. Paul clearly taught that the World's judgment was future (Acts 17:31); St. Peter clearly taught that it was future (2 Pet. 3:7,8), and that it would continue for a thousand years – not just for a few years here in the end of the Age, as the Witnes­ses now proclaim for those now living.     And in this they are joined – in less positive manner – by some of our very prominent evangelists: Make your decision for Christ now, even if you don't clearly understand what you are doing; you don't have to understand the Bible (the good Word of God) to know God. But the Prophet tells us in direct and simple speech just the reverse of all this: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord (the great judgment day of which Peter and Paul wrote)... that I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts... and they shall no more teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother (as the Witnesses and others are now fever­ishly attempting), saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity (their violations of the Law of Moses), and I will remember their sin (for crucifying the Lord of Glory) no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)

And in all of this, our Lord Himself offers direct contradiction to the efforts of all such teachings in John 17:6–9: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world... I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast giv­en Me.” Yet, the record is clear also that God does love the world: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16,17) Here is given us an irrefutable dis­tinction between the faith class (those who have responded to the call of salvation in this Age) and the non–faith class (all others not included in the elective salvation) who will receive their salvation under easier conditions, when their thousand–year judg­ment day is fully established.  This is further confirmed by St. Paul in Gal. 3:8, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel (the good news of the Kingdom) unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” And in Gal. 4:28, the Apostle clarifies this further: “We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise” (the elect of God who will eventually bless all the families of the earth – all the non–elect in the great Judgment Day).

All of which finds substance in the words of Jesus: “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:31,32)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 229,  July 1974 – first published in June, 1969)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Emily Hoefle,

Thank you for your nice letter, dated June 14th, and for the January‑February issue of your bi‑monthly paper. My gratitude to Dolly Appleseed, the source of my name.

You are to be congratulated on your grasp of the international intricacies of our mundane, materialistic, mechanistic, Mammonistic world and your sound, intelligent dissection of their perversions of truth. The distortions in the “religious world” are unforgivable because they deal with deep fundamental subtleties that affect the human mind and govern a person’s thinking and determine his loyalties. A person’s childhood indoctrination remains with him for life.

Yes, in addition to that statement on Zionism, the idea of the “New Jerusalem” applies to the stretch of human imagination that embraces a new world governed by the Divine dictum of LOVE. Real LOVE is so powerful that it does not even need its associate, LAW. It will be a Utopia devoid of all killing – either animal or man – and where man will subsist on fruits and vegetables, as nature intended, and not on animal flesh. PEACE and FRIENDSHIP will be the unwritten law of the land.

In the meantime we must be content with the objective expression on the physical plane of these subjective realities, as they are manifested by the City of Jerusalem in Palestine and the fulfillment of the lofty concept of ZION as a material Home Land for the Jewish People in Israel.

My four visits to Israel over the years have convinced me that the Jewish State is here to stay and to act as a beacon light for the world, to bring LIGHT to all mankind. Perhaps we may live to see the day when The Prophet Isaiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled, that “Out of Zion shall go forth the LAW, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

May you be blessed with an abundance of God’s bounty and your work with unbounded success.

Sincerely, ---------- (NEW YORK)

PS ‑ Yes, David Horowitz did give me his book on PASTOR CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. It is a splendid memorial to a great, stout‑hearted man, an illumined soul, who had the courage of his convictions, and the gallantry to articulate them. Today’s world is in great need of such men.

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Professor Warter has studied comparative religion, and has written numerous magazine articles on ethnical, moral and emotional subjects, such as health and the fruitarian‑vegetarian way of life. He is also a World‑Traveler, and recently returned from a five‑month tour of the Planet Earth. His name is listed in the International Who’s Who in Poetry and in the Directory of Men of Achievement.

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Dear Sister Hoefle: Greetings in the name of our Lord!

Thank you for your letter. No, I have not given Sister Allanach a book on Pastor Russell. She is soon moving, as the Army is transferring her to San Francisco. She said she would report for duty July 5 and send me her address after that. Then I will send you her address to put on your mailing list.

She had an interesting experience with a teacher as she was taking a course of medical data for computer processing. She talked to him about the Kingdom and learned he was a Jew. His parents told him not to tell anyone he is a Jew as it would lead to persecution and death. He said Sister Allanach was the first person to ever tell him that the Jews had a place in the Plan of God – and to now be proud of his heritage. She was going to loan her book to him.

Brother David Horowitz sent me the Summer UIB. Thank you! I just saw Dr. Alan Horowitz on the Donahue Show and wonder if he is related to David Horowitz. I’d like to read “Crisis of Conscience,” by Franz. The UIB gave the address but not the price of the book. Your picture is so clear and beautiful and reflects such a loving inner spirit. What a privilege for me to meet such a dear “new” sister!

Hope you can read “ISRAEL, MY SON.” Sorry I could not type it. A brother told me that Christ has not yet asked for the heathen for His inheritance. I believe He has. Others say Armageddon hasn’t happened yet. Pastor Russell wrote in a large volume on the subject. I believe it began in 1914.

Love & prayers, ….... (SOUTH CAROLINA)

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Dear Emily Hoefle,

Thank you for your nice letter, dated June 14th, and for the January‑February issue of your bi‑monthly paper. My gratitude to Dolly Appleseed, the source of my name.

You are to be congratulated on your grasp of the international intricacies of our mundane, materialistic, mechanistic, Mammonistic world and your sound, intelligent dissection of their perversions of truth. The distortions in the “religious world” are unforgivable because they deal with deep fundamental subtleties that affect the human mind and govern a person’s thinking and determine his loyalties. A person’s childhood indoctrination remains with him for life.

Yes, in addition to that statement on Zionism, the idea of the “New Jerusalem” applies to the stretch of human imagination that embraces a new world governed by the Divine dictum of LOVE. Real LOVE is so powerful that it does not even need its associate, LAW. It will be a Utopia devoid of all killing – either animal or man – and where man will subsist on fruits and vegetables, as nature intended, and not on animal flesh. PEACE and FRIENDSHIP will be the unwritten law of the land.

In the meantime we must be content with the objective expression on the physical plane of these subjective realities, as they are manifested by the City of Jerusalem in Palestine and the fulfillment of the lofty concept of ZION as a material Home Land for the Jewish People in Israel.

My four visits to Israel over the years have convinced me that the Jewish State is here to stay and to act as a beacon light for the world, to bring LIGHT to all mankind. Perhaps we may live to see the day when The Prophet Isaiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled, that “Out of Zion shall go forth the LAW, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

May you be blessed with an abundance of God’s bounty and your work with unbounded success.

Sincerely, ------------- (NEW YORK)

PS ‑ Yes, David Horowitz did give me his book on PASTOR CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. It is a splendid memorial to a great, stout‑hearted man, an illumined soul, who had the courage of his convictions, and the gallantry to articulate them. Today’s world is in great need of such men.

------------------------------------

Professor Warter has studied comparative religion, and has written numerous magazine articles on ethnical, moral and emotional subjects, such as health and the fruitarian‑vegetarian way of life. He is also a World‑Traveler, and recently returned from a five‑month tour of the Planet Earth. His name is listed in the International Who’s Who in Poetry and in the Directory of Men of Achievement.

------------------------------------

Dear Sister Hoefle: Greetings in the name of our Lord!

Thank you for your letter. No, I have not given Sister Allanach a book on Pastor Russell. She is soon moving, as the Army is transferring her to San Francisco. She said she would report for duty July 5 and send me her address after that. Then I will send you her address to put on your mailing list.

She had an interesting experience with a teacher as she was taking a course of medical data for computer processing. She talked to him about the Kingdom and learned he was a Jew. His parents told him not to tell anyone he is a Jew as it would lead to persecution and death. He said Sister Allanach was the first person to ever tell him that the Jews had a place in the Plan of God – and to now be proud of his heritage. She was going to loan her book to him.

Brother David Horowitz sent me the Summer UIB. Thank you! I just saw Dr. Alan Horowitz on the Donahue Show and wonder if he is related to David Horowitz. I’d like to read “Crisis of Conscience,” by Franz. The UIB gave the address but not the price of the book. Your picture is so clear and beautiful and reflects such a loving inner spirit. What a privilege for me to meet such a dear “new” sister!

Hope you can read “ISRAEL, MY SON.” Sorry I could not type it. A brother told me that Christ has not yet asked for the heathen for His inheritance. I believe He has. Others say Armageddon hasn’t happened yet. Pastor Russell wrote in a large volume on the subject. I believe it began in 1914.

Love & prayers, ------- (SOUTH CAROLINA)

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