NO. 168: THE GREAT COMMISSION

No. 168

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.” 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 reference to Acts 19:1-7, where the twelve men there assembled had told the Apostle Paul that their baptism had brought them substantially nothing, that they had been given the baptism of John. Whereupon, “having heard this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.” So their previous immersion in water had failed to “disciple” them; it was only after they had been immersed “into” the name of the Lord Jesus, and Paul had laid his hands upon them, that the gifts of the spirit came to them. All during the Age, much immersing has been done, and is still being done, without bringing the recipients “into” the name ­into the disposition of the Lord Jesus. And, if this has not been accomplished in them, then the ritual has been 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.” (John 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?” (vs. 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?” (vs. 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. (1 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 Savior 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 engaged 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 or crying, neither any more pain.” (Rev. 21:1-4)

The colossal fraud of the whole arrangement was finally toppled over 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!

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)”—Acts 15:14-18.

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.

Thus, here again, time itself has forced them to “reform” somewhat from their one­time 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!

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?”—l 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 be contended that that annihilation is now in process, as “knowledge shall be in­creased” 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: for there is none 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 also 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)

In a lesser sense, the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement also now offers a limited perversion of the foregoing. They tell their proselytes that salvation for the elect is no longer available to them (although they admit we are still in the Age of faith, which is only for the elect), but they may consecrate themselves now as a future refuge when the Kingdom is eventually established – although their founder, Pastor Johnson, never taught any such thing; in fact, he directly disputed it.  But this doesn’t bother them either – any more than the gross perversions of the teachings of their founder disturb the Witnesses.

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.” 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), 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 – 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

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Why is it that the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Dawns, the PBI, etc., observe the Memorial on April 1, but we keep it on March 30?

ANSWER: – We do not know why those different organizations use April 1, unless it could be that they are influenced by the moon becoming full this year dur­ing April 2, a day which begins at 6 p.m. April 1 Bible Time. As for ourselves, we consider our method of finding the Memorial date relatively simple:

Each November we ask the Naval Observatory at Washington for the date of the next Vernal Equinox and the date of the new moon nearest that Equinox Jerusalem time. That is the date we accept as Nisan 1 – unless it would bring Nisan 14 before the Equinox; in which case we would use the following new moon. After that, thirteen days bring us to Nisan 14; and Exodus 12 tells us that the “remembrance” is to be kept on that date without any variation. In fact, the only way the moon enters into the matter at all is to determine Nisan 1; after that it is a simple matter of adding 13 to that date. Had we waited this year until the moon becomes full, it should be clear enough that we would be holding our Memorial on Nisan 16 (April 1 being two days later than March 30); and that is the date of the resurrection, and not the date of the crucifix­ion. There is nothing whatever in the Bible to support such a date for us. We believe our readers will readily agree that in such cases we should follow the Bible, rather than any Jewish custom or other method, regardless of how deeply rooted that time had seemed to venerate the methods of others for the occasion.

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QUESTION: – Sometime ago some one gave me a Herald of the Epiphany, subject Where Are The Dead? It is interesting, but what about Enoch and Elijah – and Moses who appeared at the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus? Where was, and is he? Shouldn’t we conclude that those good men are in Heaven?

ANSWER: – The transfiguration recorded in Matt. 17:1-13, and the whirlwind experience of Elijah have misled many Christians into believing these two men must be in Heaven; but Jesus Himself was very emphatic that “no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the son of man.” (John 3:13) St. Paul adds strength to this statement in Acts 26:23, “Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead”; and further in 1 Cor. 15:20, “Christ has become the firstfruits of them that slept.” As respects Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration scene, Jesus said it was “a vision” (vs. 9); and a vision is somewhat after the manner of a dream where one might see a dead relative. However, such a dream would be no proof at all that the relative was alive, or in heaven.

In 2 Chr. 21:12 it is stated that Elijah wrote a letter to King Jehoram of Judah; and that was about eight years after his whirlwind experience that had taken him from Elisha after they had crossed Jordan. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that Elijah was removed by the fiery chariot to some remote spot, but not taken into heaven.

In 2 Kgs. 2:12-18 “the sons of the prophets” insisted upon a three-day search for Elijah, lest he be in distress upon “some mountain or in some valley.” These were educated men, in nowise considered stupid; and they certainly did not believe Elijah had gone up to God’s throne, or they would have known better than to go searching for him. They were persuaded they would be able to find him, although their search proved unsuccessful.

As for Enoch, it is simply related that “he was translated that he should not see death.” (Heb. 11:5); but there is no hint here that he was “translated” to God’s throne. And we may be certain that he was not taken there, as the Bible never contra­dicts itself. If Jesus had been wrong in John 3:13, that “no man hath ascended into heaven,” He could just as easily be wrong in other places, which would make Him a fallible teacher, and not worthy of our implicit confidence. St. Paul further says of all three of these men that “they received not the promise: God having provided same bettor thing for us (the Christ company), that they without us should not be made per­fect (raised from the dead, perfected in the resurrection)”—Heb. 11:39,40.

NO. 167: THE LAST SAINT (PART I)

No. 167

(Reprint of No. 24 – with pertinent additions)

With erstwhile Epiphany brethren still tenaciously clinging to the belief that Brother Johnson was the last saint, and because of the many letters that still con­tinue to come to us on the subject, we believe it again opportune to offer further treatise of the topic. For a short while after Brother Johnson’s death, we adopted a generous view of the subject – so much so that, after Brother Alger returned to Detroit from the Chicago Convention that fall in 1950, we voted that he be allowed to present his views on the subject, which he did in two successive one-hour dis­courses. Then, when a member of the Detroit Class suggested that we offer a refu­tation of Brother Alger’s views, we declined to do so, saying at the time that we did not consider it vital to us personally or to the others there.

After we returned to Detroit in October 1950 from conducting Brother Johnson’s funeral, we said then that nothing we thought, or wished, could place any one in the body of Christ, or take any one out of it, because: “God hath set the members in the Body.” Therefore, we scrupulously avoided heaping any abuse upon those who held an opinion contrary to ours. That also is still our position. But we believe it now in order to state that we were overmuch and too easily influenced by the conclu­sions of R. G. Jolly on this subject, because we held him in high esteem and confi­dence in 1950. Had we known him then as we know him now, we would have taken a nar­rower and much more critical view of anything he presented as “advancing Truth”; but it should be observed that we are always most easily misled by those we trust. Even Jesus learned this by His own bitter experience – “mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted” (Psa. 41:9).

According to his own admission the evening after the funeral, R. G. Jolly him­self held the view for sometime after Brother Johnson’s death that there were still Saints among us, which belief left him suddenly as he lay awake in the early morning hours when he received a flash that there are no more Saints on earth (just as he received a sudden “illumination” – another flash – on his way to the Grand Rapids Con­vention in 1955 concerning his Campers Consecrated: They would be the “new” Millen­nial princes – similar to the ‘types and pictures’ he was making in 1910 as mentioned in his letter published in the November 1910 Watch Tower). We have always been wary of manifested crown-losers who make claim to special illumination, or flashes of ‘new’ light! All such light flashes of which we know were actually mud splashes of error.

As stated above, we took a generous view toward those who still continued in their High Calling Hope, because we clearly realized at the time that whether the answer be Yea or Nay it in nowise affected the status of any winlings that might attach themselves to us; this was not even remotely related to the issue such as Brother Johnson advocated early in the Epiphany when he taught the High Calling should no longer be presented to newcomers. After 1950 the work as respects new­comers to the Epiphany Truth was exactly the same as it had been before; nothing at all had been changed there – nor had R. G. Jolly advocated such a change. Nor, in the final analysis, would anything whatever be changed with respect to the status of Saints, should there still be some among us. However, that fatal event October 22, 1950 did most mightily affect the status of one individual – namely, one R. G. Jolly (a manifested crown-lost leader who admitted his manifestation). If there are still Saints on earth, then the claims he has made since that date can be only the babble of a gross perverter – his claims such as paralleling Brother Russell, his claim of Pastor and Teacher, his claim that he now represents the “Lord’s Arrangements,” etc., as he sets aside one arrangement after another The Epiphany Messenger established for the Epiphany period.

As some of our readers already know, Brother Johnson had seen thirty-three reasons for the High Calling closed when we first became acquainted with him early in the Epi­phany (the acquaint­ance being only through his writings; we had not then yet met him per­sonally). So we wrote him thirty-three reasons why he was wrong. But did he answer us with abusive imprecations? Not at all! Rather, he suggested we visit him for a personal talk, which invitation we accepted immediately; and at which time he gave us the counsel one might expect of him whom God gave “largeness of heart” (1 Kings 4:29) the counsel being that he and this writer continue as brethren in the “love of the Truth,” leaving the ultimate rewards with the Lord, but resolve to meet the covenants we had made. Had RGJ had such “largeness of heart” his experiences would have been much different! It was a bitter pill for him to acknowledge himself as a crown-loser when he manifested himself as such under The Epiphany Messenger’s leadership and re­straint. If a crown-loser had made such an announcement of him when he still had the High Calling Hope, does any one believe that he would have accepted such a pro­nouncement – especially, knowing as he did that revolutionism is the only yardstick, and the crown-loser making such an announcement used some other yardstick for his pronouncement? This is what he “pronounced” of all new creatures – not only in the Epiphany Truth, but all new creatures in the other Truth groups. He did not accuse them of revolutionism – his only charge was that they were living and Brother Johnson was dead.

And we present this generous view of the beloved good Epiphany Solomon in strik­ing contrast to the baleful revilings and actions after October 1950, when many breth­ren were disfellowshiped simply because of their honest belief in their Saintly stand­ing – and a vicious “whispering campaign” (something RGJ is adept at starting) con­ducted that such brethren were in the second death – a vile repetition of the degrad­ing performance in 1917, when the same tactics were used against Brother Johnson and other magnanimous brethren. It is also to the shame of many so-called Youthful Worthies associated with both “cousins” (RGJ and JWK) that they joined heartily, and even gleefully, in encouraging their leaders in this disgraceful performance. Reports have come to us from various sections that such Youthful Worthy classes were prompt to disfellowship those who adhered to their High-calling hope – just as many of them have disfellowshiped us for continuing to uphold and present the fundamental doctrines taught by both Star Members.

When the question was put to us at that time whether those that had separated themselves from us because of the controversy might be in the second death, we answered, “Ridiculous! Brother Jolly does not stand in the same position as Brother Russell, or any other Star Member; at best, if the separatists were not in fact saints, then it could only mean one Levite sassing another Levite, with both sides possibly wrong – especially in their attitude.” This might eventually deteriorate into such “reviling” that it could lead to the second death for some on either side of the argu­ment; but we could see no evidence that it had proceeded to that point then. Cer­tainly, this could be no Scriptural cause to disfellowship any one; but the Epiphany is a time for ‘making manifest the counsels of hearts’ – a truth which must apply to all in the Household of Faith. Hence, what happened after 1950 ‘made manifest’ the uncleansed condition of many Great Company and Youthful Worthy members; and be it observed that those most blindly partisan in their support of the present Executive Trustee have been those most ready to reveal that “instruments of cruelty are in their habitation.” For all this there must eventually come a fearful reckoning.

“PATHS OF ERROR”

It has been suggested that “Last Saint Brother Johnson” or “Last Saint Gone” was the Epiphany Messenger’s Stewardship doctrine; and it would be for those of us who remain to develop that doctrine. Any one grounded in Parousia and Epiphany Truth should readily see the error in this position. No crown-lost leader ever developed any Gospel-Age stewardship doctrine; rather, every one of them perverted what the Star Members left for them. Brother Russell himself gave us the SCRIPTURAL teaching that the last saints would be here until early in Anarchy; and Brother Johnson offered additional proof of that from the Bible, although he did make the mistake of believing that he would be the last one – that he would remain here until 1956 – a parallel to Brother Russell’s death in 1916. Certainly, it should require no argument that his parallel to Brother Russell’s death did not materialize; he died in 1950. In a prev­ious paper we gave what we believe was Brother Johnson’s stewardship doctrine: The Epiphany in its relation to the Epiphany Elect.

After the death of each Star Member, the crown-lost leaders PERVERTED the stew­ardship doctrines left in their charge. This was true of J. F. Rutherford, who per­verted Brother Russell’s stewardship doctrine (Restitution, etc.) by offering conse­cration – or ‘dedication’ to the world of mankind; and this is true of RGJ who has PERVERTED Brother Johnson’s stewardship doctrine – The Epiphany in its Relation to the Epiphany Elect: he now has another non-existent class to walk a narrow way with the Elect in this Epiphany period. In this he also PERVERTS both Messengers’ teachings and Stewardship doctrines. Of course, he has also perverted the teaching of both Mes­sengers on the “last Saint,” in his determination to eliminate the saints in 1950; but that perversion was not the stewardship doctrine of Brother Johnson or Brother Russell, as all Parousia and Epiphany-enlightened brethren know. If the time element had pro­duced the other features that both Messengers taught would be a criterion of this great event – the Time of Trouble such as would topple the earth in its social, governmental, and religious elements – then we ourselves could fully subscribe to the thought that Brother Johnson was the last saint, or at least among the last saints to leave the earth (since his expectation of 1956 had fallen through because of his death in 1950).

SOME PERTINENT TYPES

As this controversy developed into a most serious and painful disturbance in 1951, we did then in that year ask RGJ what answer he had for the large Gospel-Age Samson – considering Brother Russell’s statement in the Berean Comments on Judges 16:30, “With the death of the last member of the Church, the Body of Christ, will surely come the downfall of Churchianity and the present system of world power.” He offered the very reasonable observation that God’s estimate of “Immediate” would not necessarily be a day, a week, or even months – with which we agreed; but, now that over eighteen years have elapsed, this item certainly requires a more scrupulous appraisal. At that time RGJ asked that we keep silent on this point in order not to aid the “opposition” in their arguments against him, because it was indeed a premise which could not be conclusively overthrown; and the weight of argument might easily appear to favor the other side.

As companion to the Samson picture we have the words of Jesus, “Ye are the salt of the earth.... ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13,14); and here is the Berean Comment on v. 14: “When the lights have all been extinguished, the great time of trouble will follow.” In the same line of argument is the David-Saul type, the latter typing the crown-lost leaders up to Armageddon. In the type Saul died first – ­he and his sons “that same day” (1 Sam. 31:6) –, of which David was witness. Brother Johnson certainly thought the antitype would follow the time order of the type, his mistake in this matter being only that he thought he himself would be one of the David class who would be here to witness the “funeral” of antitypical Saul in the Armageddon collapse of the social order (the leaders then dying as antitypical Saul, but not necessarily as individual human beings). In line with this, we have his statement in Epiphany Volume 3, p. 446, Middle: “It will, therefore, not be manifest who will be the eventual Little Flock members, until all the Truth Levites have been manifested, have cleansed themselves (Num. 8:7), have recognized themselves as Le­vites (Num. 8:9,10), have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Num. 8:12), have been set apart for the true Levitical service (Num. 8:11), and are set before the Priests as their servants (Num. 8:13).” Certainly, no one will contend that the foregoing has yet occurred even here in 1969! Even RGJ doesn’t make such a claim for those outside his group.

Aside from the Apostles and Brother Russell, it was not necessary at any time during the Gospel Age for Saints to accept instruction from Star Members who lived contemporaneously with them. Thus, the Saints with Luther did not receive instruc­tion from Zwingli, and vice versa, etc. And It was Brother Johnson’s clear teach­ing that Saints living in the Epiphany were not required to receive instruction from him; so the question would seem properly in order: If the Saints were not required to accept instruction from him while he lived, why should they have to die just be­cause he is dead? And for 20 years after Brother Miller died there was no Star Mem­ber at all on earth! RGJ contended in one Present Truth that the Saints must have a Star Member living contemporaneously with them, and now that there was none it was a ‘proof’ there are no more saints left. We called his attention to this mistake, which he resented more than he appreciated – although he hasn’t made this foolish claim since that time.

OTHER PERTINENT SCRIPTURES

Following on, we consider Amos 9:13: “The plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed.” A careful reading of this text will reveal it is written in reverse of the natural order – because the “sower of seed” must precede the “reaper” in the usual agricultural process. And Bible students have long since learned that inspired Scripture is not written in loose or careless manner in construction or choice of words. Brother Russell has shown that this is a Harvest Truth; and the words of Jesus apply in the Harvest of the Gospel Age, just as they did in the Jewish Age: “The fields are already white to harvest.... I sent you forth to reap whereon ye bestowed no labor.” (John 4:35-38) Thus, the harvesters of the Gospel Age were enjoined, “Thrust in thy sickle, and reap” (Rev. 14:15) – reap with the sickle of Present Truth; the wheat into the barn, the tares into bundles for the burn­ing – reap the fields which they had not sown. Therefore, the “plowman” (the Time of Trouble – see Berean Comment) would overtake “the reaper,” putting a stop to the reap­ing work. By that time the wheat (the Faithful) and the barley (the Measurably Faith­ful) harvests were complete in their reaping features – the night had come wherein no man could work in “reaping” the saints, as the war overtook the various countries of Christendom.

In the Jewish economy the land had been divided by lot, and each man tilled his own plot of ground. Barring unusual circumstances, the same person sowed and reaped the same field. Inasmuch as Amos 9:13 was written upon that premise, we believe it is logical to conclude that the same CLASS is meant by the “reaper” and the “sower of seed” In both parts of the text – the same being primarily the Little Flock. Once the reaping ceased, a new work began – the work of sowing seed to win Youthful Worthies. In the case of reaping, all Classes joined in the work, as they also have done in the sowing of seed; but the Little Flock predominated in the reaping to its completion; and the construction of our text would cause the logical conclusion that they should do the same with the “sowing of seed.”

Who is the “treader of grapes” that shall overtake “him that soweth seed”? It is the Armageddon and Anarchy features of the Time of Trouble. It should be noted that after the earth is plowed it still has the appearance of earth, and – given reasonable time – will revert back to substantially the same appearance it had before the plowing. But not so when grapes are trodden. In Palestine this usually occurred about August by placing the grapes in a stone or wooden trough, when the husbandman tramped them out with his bare feet, thus allowing the juice to flow into a second trough – after which the remaining pulp was cast away as refuse. And be it noted that once this was done, the grapes never again had the appearance of grapes, never again reverted to grapes, as is the case with earth after it is plowed. Thus, the symbolic earth now still retains its original appearance some 55 years after “the plowman” over­took “the reaper” – a thing that will never again be true of the grapes once they are trodden out.

And what are the grapes? They are the “clusters of the vine of the earth.... fully ripe.... cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” (Rev. 14:18,19). The tread­er of grapes is the same thing Daniel saw (Dan. 7:11): “I beheld till the beast was slain.... and given to the burning flame.” This has not yet occurred; therefore, the “treader of grapes” has not overtaken “him that soweth seed” (the Little Flock in their endeavors to win Youthful Worthies – the last elect and the last consecrated class of the Gospel Age “in the finished Epiphany picture.”). Therefore, “him that soweth seed” must still be with us. This is in harmony with the clear, direct and emphatic teach­ings of both Star Members – both of whom repeatedly stated, from Scriptural authority, that some of the “feet members” would remain at least until the “treader of grapes” had begun to do his work. So we are presented here with the teachings of two Star Members the last two “principal Men” – as against the teachings of an uncleansed Levite, one who has clearly demonstrated time after time that the “oil in his lamp” has gone out. RGJ has in times past – although not anymore because of our crushing refutations – re­peated in parrot-like precision: “The doctrine of Tentative Justification as operat­ing from the time of Abel, Enoch and Noah (Heb. 11:4-7), until restitution begins, is a Scriptural one, and will remain so despite the denials of the counterfeit channel...” (E-4:346).

If the “oil in his lamp” had not gone out he would have realized that the subject of Tentative Justification, and its time limit, is for the very purpose of establish­ing the time element for winning Youthful Worthies, as can be readily seen from the fol­lowing:

“If our dear readers will keep in mind that The Tower’s denial of Tentative Justi­fication during this Age is the foundation of its rejecting the Scriptural doctrine that those faithful consecrators from 1881 until Restitution sets in (just as RGJ is now do­ing—JJH), for whom there are no crowns available, .... will be the Millennial Associates of the Ancient Worthies in reward and service, they will be able by Scriptural, reason­able and factual thinking completely to overthrow every argument that the article under review presents to defend its thesis; for through Tentative Justification alone can God now deal with this class in preparing them for association with the Ancient Worthies.” (See E-4:342) And we, too, will be able by Scriptural, reasonable and factual think­ing completely to overthrow every argument that RGJ presents to defend his thesis (his perversion of Tentative Justification and his non-existent class).

There is another Scripture directly bearing on this subject in Rev. 19:6-8, where the declaration is made by the “great crowd” (the Great Company of crown-losers) that “our Lord God, the Omnipotent, reigned.” They are joined in this by the “sound of many waters, and as a noise of mighty thunders”; and the Berean Comment says this will take place “after Babylon’s fall.” There is not yet the slightest indication that the “many waters” (large numbers throughout Christendom) are sounding such a message – nor should we expect it yet if Brother Russell was right in saying it would occur “after Babylon’s fall.” Not even do we hear this ‘message’ sounded by any of the Truth groups (over 18 years after it was proclaimed by RGJ!) other than the LHMM group. But this was Brother Russell’s teaching to the day he died in 1916, and it was confirmed by Brother Johnson until the day he died in 1950. Comes now a Levite to tell us both of them were wrong in their Scriptural interpretation! Therefore, we are forced to the sad conclusion that here is one more Parousia and Epiphany truth that is now being thrust out by those who would have us believe there are no more saints on earth.

A “FORCED” ATTESTATORIAL SERVICE

And to aid each one in this determination, we direct attention to the ‘Attesta­torial Service’ (?) that has supposedly been carried on since 1954 by the ‘cleansed’(?) Levites. Just what has been accomplished by it? Has the leader of the LHMM convinced even one small group that the High Calling is closed, and that crown-losers should now be cleansing themselves? In fact, has he convinced even one individual in any group aside from his own, who considered himself a saint in 1950, that he was wrong in his opinion? His Present Truth subscribers in 1966 were fewer by almost 500 than they were in 1954 – a decrease of 34% as a result of his great (?) Attestatorial service for 12 years! How does this compare with the Attestatorial Service of 1914-1916? But, where­as he should be zealously engaged in declaring the Great Company cleansing truths far and near, what do we find him doing? Aside from obstinately declaring there are no more saints on earth (leaving none to gainsay his authority as the Lord’s mouthpiece at present), HIS main objective is to win campers Consecrated (a non-existent class) exactly as the Jehovah’s Witnesses are also doing with their special non-existent class! Note the elegant detail in which Brother Johnson describes him, and them – and all their kinsmen, as they are thus befuddled by Azazel:

“Filling their minds with more or less error (such as justification outside the Court, etc.—JJH), Satan makes them busy themselves with false religious work, works of false propaganda, of building false religious sects. He deceives them into be­lieving they will accomplish great works, win great numbers (as the Witnesses and other. have already done, and as the LHMM is feverishly trying to do—JJH), gain great favor, etc..... He leads all of them on wild goose chases.” (E-15:525) Always “working for the Lord,” but not doing the Lord’s work!

If the LHMM leader still retained the Epiphany Truth that the ONLY Scriptural gauge for determining crown-losers is gross and persistent revolutionism against the Truth and/or its Arrangements (or the partisan supporters of such revolutionists), then he himself would know of plenty of crown-losers whom he should be warning of their precar­ious state (many of whom he recognized as such before the demise of the Epiphany Messen­ger). But, instead, what do we find him doing? We find him fighting and perverting the truth on the Abandonment process, and now setting aside the Truth that ONLY revo­lutionism is the true gauge for recognizing new creatures as crown-losers. Thus, he abuses those with Little Flock hopes (that is, his Epiphany-enlightened brethren) – not for any revolutionism they have committed, but merely for standing steadfast in a be­lief of their own faithfulness – a belief in which he himself encouraged them to contin­ue prior to October 1950.

This same sifting error by crown-losers found its exact duplicate during the Harvest of the Jewish Age, and note St. Paul’s vivid description of them:

“The word of those men will eat like a mortifying sore; of whom are Hymenius and Philetus; who missed the mark with respect to the Truth, saying that THE RESURRECTION has already happened (as RGJ also now declares the First Resurrection “has already hap­pened” to a completion); and they are perverting the faith of some (just as RGJ has perverted the faith of some). However, the firm foundation of God stands, having this inscription, ‘The Lord knows those who are His.’” (2 Tim. 2:17-19, Dia.) History re­peats itself here in the end of this Gospel Age! So far as we know, he is the only crown-lost leader who has perverted this Truth. Certainly, RGJ has “perverted (Azazel means Perverter) the faith of some” Youthful Worthies and new creatures as he “wanders from the Truth.... in his path of error” (Jas. 5:19, 20—Dia.), as he revolutionizes against the clear Epiphany Truth, namely: Gross and Persistent REVOLUTIONISM against the Truth and/or its Arrangements is the only sure guide for determining crown-losers in this Epiphany period.

And the Attestatorial service that began in 1954 has been such a miserable fail­ure that only one sadly befuddled by Azazel would have the temerity even to make men­tion of it at this late date. The true Attestatorial Service of the Saints in 1914–­1916 lasted for 25 months, and was a marked success from every standpoint. Large con­vention halls and theatres could not receive the huge crowds that came to see the Photo­drama of Creation; and the smiting of Jordan with the pertinent truths was made appar­ent in every country of Christendom. Quite a contrast, and certainly not a true paral­lel, to the feeble effort that was made after 1954; and which RGJ insists is still be­ing continued – although its effects cannot be discerned even with a microscope. And the “parallel” is now fifteen years gone, as compared with 25 months in 1914-1916, with fail­ure clearly marked all over it. Here again only one badly befuddled by Azazel would be crass enough to label it a “parallel” at all – 25 months against fifteen years. It is a tremendous presumption on the gullibility of his readers, because it is no “parallel” at all!

Therefore, Beloved, “Be infants no longer, tossed and whirled about with every wind of that teaching which is in the trickery of men, by cunning craftiness in sys­tematic deception; but being truthful in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the Head – the Anointed One; from whom the whole Body, being fitly joined and united, by means of every assisting joint, according to the proportionate energy of each single part, effects the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love.” (Eph. 4:14-16, Dia.)

(to be continued)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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

QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – What is your answer to Brother Jolly’s three questions in the March-April Present Truth on the resurrection of the just and the unjust?

ANSWER: – In this, as with all of his other errors, he becomes more deeply involved with each utterance he makes. The resurrection of the just is an expres­sion found only twice in the Bible – Acts 24:15 and Luke 14:14. Neither of these Scriptures allows for any “Yes and No” juggling, as RGJ is now attempting. Here again he is caught in a web of his own weaving. The Question at the Chicago Convention simply asked if the Campers Consecrated would experience the “resurrection of the just.” To this he gave an unqualified Yes, stating that they are now among the justified, so they would necessarily experience the resurrection of the just – although he then said they would not have part in the “better resurrection.”

A little analysis will demonstrate how foolish his contention is: ALL of “the just” (the four elect classes) will appear in the resurrection with more than they had in this life – rewarded according to their faithfulness and opportunity; but his Campers Consecrated will appear in the resurrection with less than they have had in this life, that is, if we accept his contention that they now have tentative justifica­tion. Gospel-Age tentative justification is a faith justification; and it ceases to operate when the Gospel Age ends. Thus, all the quasi-elect during the entire Age, and including those now in its end, will appear in the resurrection without that faith justification which they had in this Age. Of course, all the living quasi-­elect will have ceased to be tentatively justified and remanded to the Camp in the “finished Epiphany picture” (See E-10:209). Thus they will come back from the grave with the exact characters they had at death: there is no change in the grave. But they will not come back with perfect physical, mental and other human qualities, any­more than will the other Restitutionists. And if perchance they should live through the Time of Trouble, they will merge into the Kingdom from the Epiphany Camp. This is the teaching of the last two “principal Men,” and the teaching that we continue to uphold and defend. Even those tentatively justified in the Court are no more than nominal Christians, so long as they fail to consecrate (if we accept the Epiphany Messenger’s teaching); and with the close of this Age all who fail to consecrate will be ejected to the Camp where they will take their place among the nominal Christians.

This does not mean that these Campers will have less intrinsic merit, because those among them who continue repentant and believing will have the benefit of the good characters they have developed in this life, enabling them to make greater and quicker progress up the Highway of Holiness. But this same condition would be true of those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior at all, if they have conducted themselves honorably, nobly and altruistically in this life. If they are in this condition, they will readily accept Jesus as their Savior when the Kingdom is established.

Campers Consecrated will come up in the resurrection with their generation – no different except in their character than their neighbors. Thus, there are only four Scriptural classes of the just – and the Epiphany Messenger never taught more than four. Let RGJ give us even one Scripture to justify his “Yes and No” answer in this matter! Let him show one line in the Epiphany writings that supports his answer! His tactics are simply the tactics of many politicians who also readily say, Yes and then again No. He says “we must distinguish carefully between generalities and speci­fic applications”; but the two texts we have given (Luke 14:14 and Acts 24:15) do not generalize – they are very specific, and that for good reason: Because all others must self-evidently be classified among the unjust, regardless of how noble or ignoble they may have been in this present evil world.

He attempts to “generalize” his present error by posing the question, “Are we still in the Parousia?” Of which Parousia is he now talking – the small or the large one? The small Parousia ended in 1914; and in no sense of the word can we now “generalize” ourselves as being in it. And as for the large Parousia, we have never been out of it! RGJ’s efforts to extricate himself from the quagmire of his own making simply “makes manifest to all” that “teaching which is in the trickery of men, by cunning craftiness in systematic deception” (Eph. 4:14, Dia.) – simply some more of his nonsense. Yet he is crass enough to refer to us as “the sifting errorist” – in which he offers us just one more proof of Brother Johnson’s correct appraisal of him in E-10:585: “A bad con­science” and guilty of many misrepresentations; and in E-10:592: “Loquacious, repeti­tious, and a false-accusing Epiphany crown-loser.”

For a time he was teaching that Brother Russell taught tentative justification would still prevail in the Kingdom reign; but our crushing refutations of his error there made him beat a hasty retreat. But, as he did that he also used the same tac­tics he is using against us now. However, when we consider his type – King Saul of Israel (a type of the crown-lost leaders up to Armageddon) – and the depraved methods he used against faithful David, we should “think it not strange” at what we see transpir­ing now.

NO. 166: INTO THE WILDERNESS

No. 166

In Lev. 16:21 it is stated that the “live goat” (the scapegoat) is sent away into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man; and in Rev. 12:6 we are told that “the woman fled into the wilderness.” The inquiry has come to us that these two references seem to use much the same expression; therefore, do they refer to the same thing?

There is a fine distinction here which must be clearly seen to avoid confusion. First of all, we stress again that a place in the Tabernacle of the wilderness journey to Canaan types a condition in the antitype. Thus, the Most Holy types the Divine spirit-born condition for this Gospel Age, the Holy types the spirit-begotten condition, the Camp the Christian-world condition, and the wilderness the isolation condition. Clearly enough, then, the “woman” and the “scapegoat” are in isolation, but for decid­edly different reasons. On page 70 of Tabernacle Shadows, par. 1, it is properly stated that the “wilderness is the separated, or dead condition” for the fully faith­ful; thus, it represents for them complete separation from the unfaithful and unbe­lievers in spiritual matters. And this is a state that they pursue voluntarily, be­cause “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth” (Rev. 14:4) ­they “go (voluntarily) to Him without the Camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:13) ­they go to “a place prepared of God.” (Rev. 12:6)

But the scapegoat (the goat “for Azazel” – see margin Lev. 16:8) is said to be in the wilderness – the condition of separation – for just the reverse reason. First, the goat did not go voluntarily into the wilderness, it was sent there by the fit man to separate it from the assembled Israelites on the Day of Atonement, to bear away the sins confessed upon its head, and to undergo fit-man experiences (unfavorable cir­cumstances and persecuting persons). This is clearly stated in E-4:203 (65):

“Isolation from the faithful.... a condition in which they are not even given brotherly fellowship.”

Thus, this class is sent into the wilderness – forced to go there by the man of oppor­tunity – in direct contrast to “the woman,” representing the class that goes there voluntarily as “more than conquerors.” Miriam, in her leprous condition (Numbers 12), types this class – detailedly described by Brother Russell as the Great Company, the Great Multitude of Rev. 7:9. “And the Lord said unto Moses.... let her be shut out from the Camp seven days” – in the wilderness condition of complete isolation from the typical faithful priesthood (Num. 12:14) – as “sinners” separated from “the con­gregation of the righteous.” (Psa. 1:5)

It must be emphasized here, however, that in Miriam’s case it was an actual physical separation from the general assembly of Israel; whereas, in the antitype it is always spiritual, though often also physical – but this should not be construed to mean their expulsion entirely from Christendom. When they are disfellowshiped by the faithful (I Cor. 5:5), they then do experience a physical and a spiritual separa­tion, although they still have plenty of company among the Christian worldlings – and to all outward appearances they seem much the same as always. In the case of the faithful it is clearly stated that in their wilderness condition “she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there” – whereas, Azazel’s Goat is delib­erately exposed to the vicious insects and preying carnivore – “for the destruction of the flesh” – fit-man experiences.

The word Azazel occurs only four times in the Bible, all in Leviticus 16. Its meaning is not clearly defined in the various references, but it seems reasonably certain that the Israelites considered it as a name for the Evil One – “that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan.” (Rev. 20:2) It was He, they said, who in­structed lewd women in the art of painting their faces, to use seductive perfume, etc., to entice men into their ‘parlors.’ And of the two goats presented before Aaron it is stated “one for the Lord.... one for Azazel.” Also, there is reason for stating it thus, because the antitypical goat “for the Lord” built up the true temple during the Age, while the “one for Azazel” built up Great Babylon, the counterfeit temple. Therefore, it is this latter class who will say, when the books are opened and the judgments set, “Have we not prophesied in they name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:21-23) Then will come back the answer, “I never approved of you.” (See Diaglott) The following from E-1:136 is most fitting here:

“Certainly Jehovah’s past, present and future activities with the Great Company, before recent years individually, and since recent years as a class, exhibits remark­ably His power in the forms of self-control and patience. It is in these measurably unfaithful new creatures that Satan found more or less fit instruments for developing the errors of doctrine, practice and organization in Greek and Roman Catholicism and in Protestant Sectarianism. These were by their waywardness, stubbornness and revo­lutionism continually trying God’s self-control and patience; for, children of His, they were using, doubtless ignorantly, their greatest endeavors to advance what actu­ally were the plans of God’s chief enemy—Satan. Only a good father who has constantly sought the best interests of his children, who despite this turned against his interests and sided with his mortal enemy and unscrupulous competitor, can to a large degree enter into Jehovah’s feelings as to the course of the Great Company now and in the past. Surely, great self-control and patience have been His in dealing with them. How great care in these qualities must He take in opposing their revolutionism! How much of these will have to be in evidence until their fleshly mind is destroyed! How highly will they have to act to bring them to a complete cleansing and to a proper service of Himself! The same remarks with slight modifications apply to His dealing with those of the Youthful Worthies who in character act much like, as they are also cooperators with, the Great Company; as also the same remarks as were made on Jehovah’s self-control and patience in dealing with the Ancient Worthies apply to the activities of these two elements of God’s power as an attribute of character in His dealings with the good Youthful Worthies.”

Not too long back a prominent preacher, who conducted a regular Sunday-morning radio “Bible Class,” went into quite some detail to explain how the “scapegoat” was a type of our Lord Jesus, because upon him was confessed the sins of the people, in like manner as Jesus bore our sins. Had this man looked at the margin of his Bible, where it is stated that goat was “for Azazel” (The Devil), it is hardly likely he would have made such a transparent error. Certainly, Jesus was never set aside “for the Devil”; and, since the other goat was sacrificed in the Court, and its blood taken into the Most Holy, it is hardly likely that both goats could represent the same thing. And added to this, the blood of the goat for Azazel was not sacrificially shed; and, “without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.”

VARIOUS TYPES

That the goat “for Azazel” is indeed the one permitted to fall into the hands of Satan is well confirmed in the New Testament, as instance 1 Cor. 5:1-5, where it is definitely stated that the brother there involved was “delivered unto Satin for the destruction of the flesh.” This is further confirmed in 1 Tim. 1:20: “Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blas­pheme.” Clearly enough, these are the antitype of the goat “for Azazel” (Satan); but here again a fine line of distinction is to be noticed. Almost certainly, the typical goat would be speedily destroyed after entering the wilderness – a total physical destruction; but of the two New Testament cases just cited the destruction of their flesh would be only partial – by unfavorable circumstances and persecuting persons, to rescue them from their wayward course. But this experience would destroy completely their fleshly minds from the malice, hatred, envy, pride, inclinations to falsehood, etc., from which they must be freed if “the spirit is to be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Thus, if we see any of this class claiming to be cleansed, but still practicing the works of the flesh, we may definitely conclude that their claim is just so much talk – and nothing more! Indeed, here the words of Jesus would properly apply: “By their fruits you will discover (understand, recognize) them.” (Matt. 7:16, Dia.) And, since the members of this class are not all equally guilty of the “works of the flesh,” we should not expect them to be shown as a unit in any one of the Old Testament types that reveal them. Therefore, we now consider some of these:

ELI – Before giving details here, it should be remembered that the Azazel-goat class did not come into prominence as a Class until here in the end of the Age, although they have existed as individuals all during the Age from shortly after Pentecost, as proven by the two instances given aforegoing. And that such have always greatly out­numbered the truly faithful should be apparent when we consider the “Little Flock” of the fully faithful as against the many who have professed to be true “followers of the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” This also is confirmed by the words of Jesus that “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

For the end of the Age especially, we offer Eli as a variant type of the Great Multitude in Big Babylon who see the evils existent there – “all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Eze. 9:4) – but who are too weak, spineless or indolent to make positive protest against them. These are they who “make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people” (1 Sam. 2:29). But the Priest Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas – “sons of Belial (worthless, reck­less, lawless ones); they knew not the Lord.” (1 Sam. 2:12, 22) The same are typi­cal of the Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy, the majority of whom today show clearly by their acts and teachings that they are indeed the antitypes of Eli’s sons. Both of them were killed in battle in one day; Eli also died that same day; and the ark of God fell into the hands of the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:17) – the same being typ­ical of events that will occur in the Armageddon day just ahead of us. In that destruc­tive day all the clergy will also die – the majority of them physically, with those that survive ceasing longer to be “gentlemen of the cloth.” In substance, antitypi­cal Saul and his three sons (1 Sam. 31:2) come to a similar end in the Armageddon day just ahead.

SAUL – While King Saul of Israel types a number of characters, he is perhaps out­standing in his representation of the crown-lost leaders of the various denominations in Christendom, who always seized the place of leadership from the faithful Star Mem­bers. And like their type, these have failed to put obedience above service, for which the faithful Little Flock leaders have repeatedly rebuked them throughout the Age, but to no avail. One of their outstanding weaknesses has been failure to “Wait on the Lord”; they would set up the Kingdom themselves, since the Lord seemed to “delay.” They also have failed to make a complete job of subduing their love of sin – just as Saul failed to extirpate all the Amalekites and their livestock, as the Lord had com­manded. (I Sam. 15:8) They have also smitten their fellow servants, as Saul sought to slay David. Too, they have become teachers of error – just as Saul took to witch­craft (typical of especially deceptive false teachings); they have offered much “strange fire” (false doctrine) before the Lord.

It should also be noted that one of the outstanding evils of King Saul’s char­acter was hypocrisy. (1 Sam. 15:13: “Manifesting considerable hypocrisy” – Berean Comment) Therefore, we should expect to find this same evil trait in his antitype. This is clearly revealed in his prototype, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, of whom He said, “within ye are full of hypocrisy” (Matt. 23:28); and He emphatically warned the Disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1) The principal reason they have been forced to be hypocrites is their lack of “the wisdom from above.... which is without hypocrisy.” (Jas. 3:17) Jesus Himself, being filled with the “wisdom which is from above” needed not to present a false front on any occasion; whereas, His accusers were forced to that very evil because they lacked that wisdom. The identical situation has existed all during the Age, with the hypocrites (antitypical Saul) usually gaining the preeminence over the fully faithful who would not stoop to such conduct.

And the same has continued unto this day. The imitation wheat has repeatedly “cast out” the faithful brethren (Isa. 66:5) – even as hypocritical King Saul shunted the fully faithful Samuel into the background that he might grasp power and the pre­eminence before Israel. And this has caused the multitudes to consider the hypocrites as “examples of the believers” – just as the Jewish mob shouted, “Crucify Him,” as they supported the evil course of the Pharisees. “He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” It is worthy of note that the vast majority of “saints” that have been canonized by the Roman Church have been at best crown-losers – outstanding examples being “Saint” Augustine and “Saint” Francis of Assisi (“the poor little rich man, “the first of the “begging” friars).

LOT – Lot types this same class of people from a slightly different aspect. So long as he remained with Abraham (type of the fully faithful), there was much prosper­ity – “their substance was great.... the land was not able to bear them” (Gen. 13:6). Their prosperity soon produced strife, so that Abraham magnanimously offered Lot and his herdsmen his choice of the land they possessed. “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.... and Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan.” (Gen. 13: 10,11) At this Abraham graciously retired to the Plain of Mamre – separated from the evils chosen by Lot. The evils of the Cities of the Plain did not deter Lot, for he “sat in the gate of Sodom” (place of prominence) and continued there until the Lord “rained brimstone and fire.... and overthrew those cities,” as Lot lost all he had gained by his greedy choice. This type has already been partially fulfilled, but it will yet produce a much greater fulfillment in the near future. Rahab followed much the same course as Lot, remaining in Jericho until the walls fell down, and her possessions were destroyed.

These are just a few of the outstanding types of the Great Multitude. All of them in their antitypes may be grouped under the title of Azazel’s Goat. They all have some very good qualities – just as all of them also have some outstanding bad qualities, evils which they failed to subdue sufficiently to retain their standing in the Little Flock. Some of them have been highly respected by the world in gen­eral – moreso in many instances than their fully faithful brethren. This is because some of them have stressed morality and abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, etc. They have been the crusaders who would reform the world, who have raised large sums for foreign missions, social uplift, etc. – “many wonderful works.”

To which we would add the words of Moses: “Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; let them that hate thee flee before thee.” —Numbers 10:35.

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – What about the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses recently – especially in Africa? Are they “suffering for righteousness”? (1 Pet. 3:14)

ANSWER: – The question opens the floodgates, as it were, because two people might experience almost identical abuse at the hand of persecutors, with the one receiving it as “suffering for righteousness,” and the other not so. As an outstanding example, we instance the terrible Jewish persecutions by the Gentiles all during the Age, and especially here at its end; yet the Psalmist defines such as foolish: “Fools because of their transgression (their great transgression in crucifying the Lord of Glory), and because of their iniquities (violations of the Law Covenant), are afflicted.” True Christians have seldom, if ever, suffered greater persecution for their belief than have the Jews, yet we are told the Jews received theirs as “fools”; whereas, the true Christians have been “blessed” in their afflictions and persecutions brought upon them by their faithfulness to the Truth and its spirit.

While the Witnesses and the Jews do not allow of the same analysis, we believe that among the Witnesses themselves their persecutions may be regarded in different manner, depending upon the degree of true Christian character that may actuate them. Some of the Witnesses may actually be progressing toward “a knowledge of the Truth,” with which they will be blessed in “due time.” Thus, St. Paul counsels us, “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. 2:25,26, Dia.)

Certainly, all of us will concede that there are many well-intentioned people with the Witnesses, just as is true also of many in the Roman Church. In Africa, be it noted, many of the priests and nuns were unmercifully tortured by the savages before they were killed - the very same treatment some of the Witnesses have also been receiving. Shall we say these also “suffer for righteousness’ sake”? In all these systems it is usually the ‘little fry’ who take the beatings. Do we hear of the Pope or the Cardinals receiving any of it? Or, do we have any record that the “successor” to Pastor Russell, or the present “successor” to the former successor, having received any intensive tribulation?

It would seem in order here to stress that the founder of every real Truth movement was viciously persecuted by those who claimed to be the teachers of truth. First and outstanding among these is Jesus Himself, with honorable mention also given to many others such as Arius, Martin Luther, Thomas Cranmer, John Wesly, William Miller, Pastor Russell, etc. – our Lord crucified, Thomas Cranmer burned at the stake, many of the real truth leaders manhandled more or less violently. Satan is wily enough to recognize that if the head is cut off of anything the body will die without other help. “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”

As the various systems of error have developed from the Truth movements, the situation has been much the reverse of the foregoing. “Caiaphas (High Priest in Israel and head of the Sanhedrin) gave counsel that it was expedient that one man should die for the people” (John 18:14); and Jesus specifically said of him that “he hath the greater sin” than Pilate who eventually have the order for the crucifixion. (Jn. 19:11) The religious leaders of that time had built up an imposing system of error and half truths from the service established by faithful Moses; and, as so often occurs in such situations some of those half truths were more misleading than whole errors.

Came then the Papal system which did identically the same thing in much greater degree to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, as they also “age the fat,” as the Sanhedrin had been doing at the end of the Jewish Age. Here now in the end of the Age comes the Witnesses, with an imposing system of error and half truths, their half truths also being more misleading than whole errors. As instance, they still stress the doctrine of Restitution, but they have perverted it out of all recognition to the way Pastor Russell explained it. And those of us who know the truth know very well the vilification and slander and threats of physical violence that were hurled at him, as he continued patiently to “preach the Word.” But the errorists, the perverters of those truths he taught, those who now control the Witnesses’ system, experience little or none of the abuse that came to Pastor Russell.

It is not within our province to pass judgment upon the individuals in these various sects; but it is reasonable to conclude that the large majority of them believe what their leaders tell them to believe – beliefs which carry many self-evident contradictions. The Roman Catholics contend they are following the teach­ings of St. Peter; the Witnesses claim their adherence to the teachings of Pastor Russell. The vagaries of the Witnesses are glaringly apparent to the Catholics ­and the vagaries of the Catholics are glaringly apparent to the Witnesses. It is much the same situation as existed among the nations in the thirties. At that time Hitler was telling the truth about the rulers of other nations, even as those same rulers were telling their people the truth about Hitler. The citizens on each side were receiving about half the truth, by which they were stampeded into taking up arms against each other – each partly in the right, each partly in the wrong.

If we would properly evaluate the Roman claims about St. Peter, we should con­sider what St. Peter taught, place it beside the present Catholic teachings, after which it will not be difficult for the unbiased mind to see clearly the fallacy of the Catholic claims. The same may be said of the Witnesses’ claim to be teaching what Pastor Russell taught. Just take their present teachings, place them beside the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures written by Pastor Russell, and the falsity of their claim will be as readily apparent as is the Roman claim about their adherence to the teachings of St. Peter. Both of these systems of error claim to be the One True Church (the channel of the Truth) – no salvation apart from them.

There is one outstanding fact regarding the various true Christian movements during the Age: The founders of those movements were themselves the special target of the Adversary. All are intimately familiar with the treatment Jesus received, with the treatment St. Peter received; and many of us know of the treatment Pastor Russell received. In each instance the leader was the special target of abuse, with the same reaching out and “touching” their adherents. With the false systems the sit­uation is much reversed – Usually the leaders enjoy “peace and safety” even as their supporters accept the abuse. Thus, it is difficult to discern much genuine “suffer­ing for righteousness” in the Witnesses’ experiences in Africa at this time. Many of them, however, are suffering for their blind adherence and devotion to their sect.

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QUESTION: – How can Bro. Jolly’s ‘seventh’ saved class from among mankind relate to 1 Kgs. 6:14: “Solomon built the house of the Lord, and finished it”?

ANSWER: – There is no harmony between the two teachings. The antitype of building the House of the Lord in this Epiphany period means the Epiphany Messen­ger “Arranging God’s people in their separate classes and in their Epiphany work.” And the Scripture is very clear and emphatic that “Solomon built the house, and finished it.” (1 Kgs. 6:14,38) When RGJ was attempting to establish the Epiphany Messenger as the last saint, he made great play upon these very Scriptures to “prove” that the “house was finished.” But now it suits his convenience to set that aside so he can add to the “house” – make a place for his Campers Consecrated. If the Epi­phany Messenger “built the house, and finished it” and he certainly did unless we now want to deny that he was the Epiphany Solomon then RGJ’s attempt to put an addition to that “house” is simply one more of his revolutionisms against the Epi­phany Truth.

As the good Epiphany Solomon explained, one error usually begets other errors; and here is additional proof of that truth. RGJ’s Campers Consecrated doctrine has forced him to establish tentative justification in the Camp (outside the linen cur­tain of Christ’s righteousness); it has forced him to replace both That Servant’s and the Epiphany Messenger’s teachings that the Jews will be the leading restitution­ists under the Kingdom reign; and now to construct an addition to the “house of the Lord.” He should never have attempted to produce a new doctrine at all, because the Epiphany Solomon said such a thing was definitely prohibited to any Levite, the same being the offering of “strange fire” before the Lord. His latest attempt to produce a seventh class from among mankind in the “house of the Lord” should impress all with the awesome warning given us against such performance.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n

Dear Sirs: Will you please send me the following editions: Nos. – 1. Where are the Dead, 2 – What is the Soul, 3 – The Resurrection of the Dead, 4 – The Three Babylons, 5 – Two Distinct Salvations, 6 – God’s Great Sabbath Day, 7 – The Great Reformer.

I enclose $.... for mailing and handling, and in recognition of your supreme efforts and probably correct interpretation of Scriptures.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our Redeemer’s name!

Let me take the opportunity of wishing you and yours God’s richest blessing at this Memorial season. Your articles sent to us from time to time are so helpful and much appreciated. God is certainly manifesting the counsels of hearts, and this is seen readily enough about us from those once schooled in the Truth given by the last two Star Members. But despite the errors prevalent in the various groups, the Truth as due is always with the faithful people of God.

Despite the great blessings the friends of the LHMM proclaimed they receive from their Conventions, the true characteristics of the hearts of many are made manifest. If the light in one become darkness, how great is that darkness! (And revealing their true characters, they also explain to us why the Lord is allowing them to go deeper and deeper into error with each passing year. This will continue to a completion—JJH)

Let us not be discouraged over the unpleasant situation amongst those we once fellowshiped, but by the God of all Grace be determined to be faithful. My prayers are for you and the dear ones with you and elsewhere. May God bless you!

Yours by His Grace, ------- (JAMAICA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

This is just a note to tell you I moved from my former address and am now living at the above address. I received the last paper, so everything is okay. Thank you for all the wonderful literature you have been sending me. Sister ------- has not been feeling very well lately.........

When I look at the world today, I think — God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. How blind the people and this new generation of today have become. Give my love to all in Mount Dora.

Much Christian love, ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings!

We trust you and Sister Hoefle are enjoying good health. Lately the Class has not been in correspondence with you, but you may be assured we are endeavoring to press on, continuing our studies. Brother...... gives us a talk now and then. On the whole, the friends are in good spirits.

We look forward to receiving your papers, which keep us up-to-date with the due truth.

Kindly let us have an assorted quantity of tracts, as our supply is nearly exhausted. You may mail them to Sister ------- as that will be more convenient to all.

We join in sending warm Christian love to you, dear Sister Hoefle and the friends there.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the name of our precious Lord!

We are glad to carefully read your papers and they have been a help and comfort over the years. Keep up the good work as long as the Lord may direct.

This little bit of devalued so-called money is to be used in any way you see fit. Use it quickly or it may be worth nothing.

Our dear old Sr. ------- passed on several months ago. She was eighty-eight or eighty-nine. She came here for Memorial 16 or 17 times until she got too feeble to make the trip.

Of course this mite is not expected to pay for work in getting the paper to us, but we hope it will help pay postage. Let Sister ------- off from work soon enough so she can come by to see us. I am running a race with her in age. She is still ahead but I may catch up some day.

Christian love and our earnest prayers.

Brother & Sister ------- (LOUISIANA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings!

I am so far behind in my letter answering. I will try this day to get this gift of $.... for the work you are so worthy of doing – your labor of love for the dear Brothers and Sisters. I feel very slack. I have so very much to be thankful to our dear Heavenly Father and His dear Son for so many blessings, but with body and mental failures, more writing this past 8 months due to many long illnesses and deaths among my relatives and friends, I am losing out on keeping up.

This is a request I have been anxious to ask. Could you send me 5 copies of No. 163 – January 1969? I have read and re-read this most valuable Truth, proof of Bible statements and today’s events of results......... I do hope you have some extras on hand. The enclosed will apply on postage and cost of printing, I hope.

I am praying that all is going well in your move – that each one with you in the Household of Faith, will keep looking up to our Heavenly Father, for I know there is no other help. I have certainly had proof of past 40 years, the teachings of Pastor Russell, etc.

May God continue leading and keeping you in Truth and all your dear family of helpers – is my daily prayer. Thanks for your prayers for us, as we need them.

Christian love from Sister ------- (CALIFORNIA)

NO. 165: SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

No. 165

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

Comes once more the “remembrance” of our Lord’s death – this year 1969 the proper time being after 6 p.m. Sunday, March 30. The method for determining the date is this: The moon nearest the Spring Equinox comes new at 6:51 a.m. March 18 at the 30th Meridian East (the Meridian nearest Jerusalem). This makes Nisan 1 begin at 6 p.m., March 17 Bible time, with Nisan 14 starting at 6 p.m. March 30. There still seems to be considerable misunderstanding about the correct time – even among those who have a reasonably good knowledge of the meaning of the bread and the wine – so we would stress once more that the condition of the moon on Nisan 14 is of no consequence, because that date is unchangeably stated in the Bible as the only date upon which the Passover is to be kept. Thus, once we come correctly to Nisan 1, the remainder is simply a matter of simple addition.

Some brethren are yet apparently confused about some of this calculation; they still believe the moon should be full for the Memorial. The moon represents Israel in this Passover ritual, and it is always substantially full by Nisan 14, but not always completely so; some years it misses by two or three days. When the moon be­gins to wane after reaching its fullness, it well represents the national and religious decline of Jewry – just as its coming to the full about Nisan 14 pictures forth the pinnacle of Divine favor that came to them through the ministry of Jesus at His First Ad­vent. “That people dwelling in darkness, saw a great light; and to those inhabiting a region, even a shadow of death, a Light arose.” (Matt. 4:16, Dia.) Having had the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles available to us most of our lives, it is probably impossible to evaluate fully the dazzling splendor of the Truth they proclaimed to the Jews at that time; but we believe it is a proper appraisal to state that the presence of those teachings has been a great factor in the progress of those nations who have been most influenced by them. About one-sixth of the world’s population has produced most of the great inventions, both constructive and destructive; and this in turn has enabled them to dominate the affairs of the other five-sixths throughout this Age.

CONSIDER HIM

Inasmuch as the bread and the wine are a Memorial, a representation, of “Christ our Passover who is sacrificed for us,” it follows without argument that this time of year is especially appropriate to hark to the words of St. Paul: “Consider Him atten­tively who has endured such opposition from sinners, so that you may not be wearied, being discouraged in your souls. You did not yet resist to blood, contending against sin.” (Heb. 12:3,4--Dia.) And, as we “consider Him,” it is very clear the Scriptures do not intend that we consider Him before His baptism at Jordan, because we know noth­ing whatever of His life from the age of twelve until He became thirty years old, the age in Israel when men were really concluded to be men. And, since all institutional types that begin on a specific date must continue until their antitype appears, and since Jesus was the antitypical bullock of the Day of Atonement sacrifice, we are forced to the conclusion that the day of His birth was on the tenth day of the seventh month, the month Tishri.

Thus, St. Paul makes the declaration, “He takes away the first that He may estab­lish the second.” (Heb. 10:9, Dia.) And he clearly states in the verse following: “By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The Apostle in this chapter is comparing the typical Atonement Day sacrifices with the antitypical – contrasting the inefficacy of those that must be offered year after year with the one that was offered “once for all” – the One enduring sacrifice – that need never be repeated. Therefore, by the offering of Him­self, He did indeed take away the first (the Atonement Day bullock) that He might establish the second, which need never be repeated. This next prompts the explanation of the way He did this:

HIS NARROW WAY – This He explained at the very outset of His ministry: “Enter in through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate of destruction, and broad that way leading thither! and many are they who enter through it. How narrow (strait – tight, close, constricted) is the Gate of Life! how difficult that way leading thither! and how few are they who find it.” (Matt. 7:13,14—Dia.) And, “having left us an example that we should follow in His steps,” He could indeed state the rule of procedure to all who would accept His name: “If any one wish to come after Me (by voluntary choice), let him renounce himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24) It is well stated that the most difficult thing is to know thyself, and the easiest thing is to advise another; but in the foregoing statement Jesus was not only advis­ing others, He was actually doing Himself what He had advised – and He continued to do it for 3½ years, from Jordan to Calvary.

During that 3½ years He was definitely a non-conformist. One of the main charges against Him was that “He stirreth up the people”; and there is no doubt that His faith­ful Disciples “followed in His steps.” Note the counsel of St. Paul in Rom. 12:2: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” The Apostle was definitely out of step with those about him, which made him a very unpop­ular person. It has been well stated that the wise man adapts himself to his sur­roundings, but the fool tries to adapt his surroundings to him – and thus we progress. Paul told the Corinthians: “We are fools for Christ’s sake... we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things as unto this day.” (1 Cor. 4:10-13) Here the Apostle leaves nothing to the imagination: He, too, was walking a “narrow way” – a straight way – a tight, close constricted way. Of Jesus Himself, it is written, “Of the people, there was none with Him.”

HIS BAPTISM – “Comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, to be immersed by John (the Baptiser). But John refused Him, saying, ‘I have need to be immersed by Thee, and thou comest to me?’ But Jesus answering, said to him, ‘Permit it now; for thus it behooveth us to fulfill all righteousness.” Did Jesus’ immersion actually “fulfill all righteousness”? No, it certainly did not. It did so only figuratively. His immer­sion there did antitype the killing of the bullock on Atonement Day, but the antityp­ical burning of that bullock required the whole 3½ years of what Jesus did. “He poured out His soul unto death” – just as one might take a pitcher of water and slowly pour it out until all is gone. So also Jesus was slowly pouring out His soul (His very being) unto death for 3½ years. This is shown in a slightly different way when He took the cup, and said, “All of you drink all of it, for this is my blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many” – represented by the bullock’s blood taken into the Holy and sprinkled on and before the Mercy seat, and by the slow burning of the animal’s vital parts on the brazen altar in the Court of the Tabernacle.

Thus, the human death of Jesus, and His human righteousness worked out by His obedience are the actual fulfillment of all righteousness of justice – duty love to God and man. But it went beyond that: His walk from Jordan to Calvary – His narrow, strait (difficult) way – fulfilled the law of disinterested love toward God and man; He not only laid “down His life for His friends,” He did it for His enemies as well. “If I be lifted up, I shall draw all men unto Me.” By His immersion (baptism) in Jordan, and by His continuance in His “narrow way” to Calvary He did Indeed “fulfill all righteousness” in His humanity and in His new creature. “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened (in difficulty) till it be accomplished!” (Luke 12:50) The Diaglott does indeed make this emphatic: “I have an immersion to undergo; and how am I pressed (in difficulty), till it may be consummated.” This was not looking back to His immersion at Jordan; It was a preview of His narrow way from that time until He eventually “poured out His soul” on the cross.

HIS STEADFASTNESS – His determination to continue in the narrow – strait (diffi­cult) – way is forcefully expressed in Luke 9:51: “When the time was come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” The central thought of this Scripture is to establish the perfect patience of our Lord, which grace He had in excellency of balance with all the other graces. The Biblical patience is an active grace, one of the seven chief graces, meaning the determination and ability to continue cheerfully and without abatement against any and all obstacles that might tend to detour Him from His narrow way. And this He did in perfection and unto a completion.

Especially did He do this with respect to the Truth. “To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the Truth” (Jn. 18:37); and the Berean Comment for this text says, “It was this ‘Good confession be­fore Pontius Pilate’ that cost our Lord His life.” Thus it has been also with many of the martyrs during this Age – crucified, beheaded, thrown to the lions, strangled, burned, hanged, dismembered – as they bore witness to the Truth. And, as we “consider Him attentively,” we are forced to the conclusion that He was our “example” – to go and do likewise. And it is only to those who steadfastly do this – “faithful until death” – that the full laurels of victory will eventually come.

Jesus first studied the Truth. There is little doubt that He had memorized the entire Old Testament; and His study of the Scriptures that testified of Him so en­grossed Him for the forty days after Jordan that He neither ate nor drank. St. Paul also retired into Arabia for three years (Gal. 1:17, 18) after his conversion that he might study and meditate on the best course for him to pursue as respects the “great light” that had come to him. The lesson here is clear enough for us: We should also first be properly informed before we attempt to minister “the good word of God” to others. Even in the distribution of free literature, That Servant always advised those who would distribute it should first read it themselves.

Jesus also practiced what He preached – perfectly – in thought, word and deed. St. Paul, and all others of similar inclination, also practiced what they preached ­imperfectly, of course, because of their faulty inheritance. Thirdly, Jesus, and all His faithful followers have spread the Truth to the best of their ability – often mis­understood, frequently misrepresented and their words twisted and often misquoted by the henchmen of Satan. But they kept steadfastly at it – “endured to the end” – through “glory and disgrace; through bad fame and good fame; as deceivers, and yet true; as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor, but enriching many (by their ministry of the Truth); as having nothing, yet possessing all things.” (2 Cor. 6:8-10, Dia.) And the rules are still the same as they have been all during the Age: “He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Some determined that “the end” would be in 1914; others determined that “the end” would be to 1954-56; but steadfast faithfulness to the Truth knows no date: “He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved.” And, as we consider Him – as we “do this in remembrance” – it is timely and proper that we determine anew, steadfastly determine anew, to “Be faithful to the Lord, the Truth, and the brethren” – to “preach the Word, in season, out of season.” Perhaps it is timely that we consider a few lines from the Poem:

When some great sorrow, like a mighty river,

Flows through your life with peace-destroying power,

And dearest things are swept from sight forever,

Say to your heart each trying hour:

“This, too, shall pass away.”

When ceaseless toil has hushed your song of gladness,

And you have grown almost too tired to pray,

Let this truth banish from your heart its sadness,

And ease the burdens of each trying day:

“This, too, shall pass away.”

When fortune smiles, and, full of mirth and pleasure,

The days are flitting by without a care,

Lest you should rest with only earthly treasure,

Let these few words their fullest import bear:

“This, too, shall pass away.”

When earnest labor brings you fame and glory,

And all earth’s noblest ones upon you smile,

Remember that life’s longest, grandest story

Fills but a moment in earth’s little while:

“This, too, shall pass away.”

HIS FAITHFULNESS – Faithfulness means full of faith – firm in adherence to prom­ises, contracts, treaties, etc.: true in affection or allegiance; worthy of confi­dence and belief. Jesus was all of this in perfection as He pursued His narrow way. This was likewise true of St. Paul: “This one thing I do.... I even esteem all things to be a loss, on account of the excellency of the knowledge of the anointed Jesus my Lord (on whose account I suffered the loss of all things, and consider them to be vile refuse, so that I may gain Christ).... to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings (the understanding of and adherence to His narrow way).”—Phil. 3:8-13—Dia. “I came not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me,” said Jesus; and He truthfully stated also, “I delight to do thy will, 0 my God, Thy law is written in My heart.” Thus, He was always dead to self, but alive toward God; He always maintained the peace of God which passeth understanding – that “perfect peace” which was always His as He kept His mind “fixed” upon God the Father. (Isa. 26:3)

When we remember in all of this that Jesus “was touched with a feeling of our in­firmities,” we must conclude that many of our appetites and desires were His also. Often we hear people say, I don’t care what others think of me! This assertion is fundamentally nonsense. In so many of the things we do – our mode of dress (usually fashioned measurably by the times in which we live), often our conduct, even some­times in the things we eat – the opinion of others influences us. Certainly, there is no evil in wanting others to think well of us – so long as we do not compromise principle or domestic ethics to secure that good opinion. Even with “the beggarly elements,” their drinking bouts, their bawdy conversations, and the like, are often much influenced by their desire to impress others of their caste – to be admired of them for their bravado, etc. Thus, Jesus also would certainly wish the good opinion of others – without which He could have done very little. The fine robe He wore to the cross was a gracious gift from some one who had a good opinion of Him. Quite often the food He ate, the house He occupied, were the result of another’s good opin­ion of Him. Nor was there anything to criticize in this. However, in all of this, never once did He leave the narrow (strait, difficult way) in compromise to secure what He wanted. So also it should be with us.

None of His faithful followers have followed this course to the same degree of perfection that Jesus did. But some of them have been model examples for the rest of us. St. Paul had been one of those few “noble, rich, wise” – a brilliant lawyer, wealthy, of the social elite – who denied himself, took up his cross, to follow the Lord. Prior to that fateful trip to Damascus, he had cherished an insatiable hate toward the despised Christians – a real zealot bent upon their extinction. But once he saw the better way, he was equally determined to “endure unto the end” in his ser­vice of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19); and it is to his praise that he could eventually write to his beloved ‘son’ Timothy: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept (guarded) the faith (the Truth)” – fully faithful to the end, knowing as he wrote to Timothy, that in a few days the Romans would chop off his head. And similar praise may be given to many others – all of which should renew our determination as we “do this in remembrance” that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.8:38, 39)

As the minute and detailed religious system was given to the Jews through Moses at Sinai and in the Tabernacle construction and subsequent service, so the Levites were also unconditionally and emphatically given to that service. It is said they were “wholly given” – not partially, but with all the heart, mind, soul and strength. As such, they typified the Gospel Age priests and Levites in their service to Gospel Age matters, all of whom are owned by God. Accordingly, unfaithfulness in any of their religious activities would be unfaithfulness to God, Who always requires an accounting for neglect or willful abstinence from those who have covenanted to serve Him. Accordingly, complete faithfulness on the part of the Levites during this Age would usually lead to promotion to the priesthood; and full faithfulness on the part of the male members of the priesthood would often lead to promotion to the office of “prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers” in His Body (Eph. 4:11-13), “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.... unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

In His faithfulness, Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him”; and we offer the following from Parousia Vol. 5, p.118 in elaboration of this statement:

“This joy before Him, we may reasonably suppose, was: (1) A joy to render a service which would be acceptable to the Father. (2) A joy to redeem mankind, and make possible their rescue from sin and death. (3) A joy in the thought that by the accomplishment of this redemption He would be accounted worthy of the Father to be the mighty ruler and blesser, King and Priest of the world; to reveal to the world a knowledge of the Divine Plan, and to lift up from sin to Divine grace whosoever would accept of the terms of the New Covenant. (4) A joy that the Father had prom­ised Him; not only a return to spirit glory that He had with the Father before the world was, but a more excellent glory – to be exalted far above angels, principalities, powers, and every name that is named, and to be made an associate in the Kingdom of the Universe, next to the Father – on the right hand of the Majesty on high; and partaker of the Divine nature, with its inherent or immortal life.”

In an accommodated sense, the foregoing is also “the joy” set before all those during this Age who have “followed in His steps”; and it is our hope and prayer for all our readers that their preparation for, and participation in this year’s “remembrance” will be instrumental in increasing the joy set before them. As in previous years, we suggest to all the reading of the Passover chapter in Parousia Volume 6; and we shall be grateful for the report of your experiences therein.

In St. Paul’s words, “I desire that fruit may abound to your account, and that my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all.” (Phil. 4:17, 19. 23)

Sincerely your Brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – On page 14 of the January Present Truth Brother Jolly discusses the number of saved classes from among mankind, and he says, “we are not to seek to limit the Divine wisdom in respect to the number of saved classes.” Brother Johnson tells us that there are SIX SAVED CLASSES from among mankind. What do you think of Brother Jolly’s statement?

ANSWER: – The statement taken by itself is certainly true. No one with the “spirit of a sound mind” would attempt to limit, or even tamper with that which is given in Holy Writ. However, RGJ’s statement here is open to some question: Did Brother Johnson attempt to “limit the Divine wisdom” when he taught and proved by numerous Scriptures that the number of saved human classes should properly be re­garded as SIX (the number of evil or imperfection – the number of classes affected by the evil reign of 6,000 years)? We would refer our questioner to Brother Johnson’s able and clear explanation and treatise of the subject in Epiphany Volume 17, Chap. 2.

However, if the Executive Trustee of the LHMM is now right, then it seems that the Lord did not give Brother Johnson the whole Truth on the subject. Do you believe that? While we are not to seek to limit Divine wisdom, we should readily realize that Divine wisdom does limit us; and this is clearly shown in Joel 2:28, 29; in the Taber­nacle picture; and in the type of the Ark. In the latter Noah and his three sons and their wives type the four elect “saved classes” (the leaders and the ledlings), the “clean” animals, the believing Jews and Gentiles, and the unclean, the heathen, etc. The clean animals include many varieties, and the unclean even more varieties; but there isn’t the slightest hint that we should differentiate between the various species to show more than the two divisions given in the Bible.

The Ark and the Tabernacle show four elect classes – and only four. These are the saved who will receive “the resurrection of the just,” as described in our Febru­ary paper No. 164. If we want to go beyond that, then why stop at fourteen, as RGJ does? Of course, he says he could “go on dividing and subdividing”; and we would agree that words are always with him in super-abundance. If he wants to take St. Paul’s statement in Eph. 4:11, 12, he can find there five more divisions – Apostles, prophets, evangelists, elders and ledlings. Note, however, we say “divisions,” be­cause these five are all five ‘divisions’ of one Class – just as the six sons of Ke­turah are all six divisions of one Class. When he says those restitutionists are dif­ferent “classes,” he attempts a very shoddy use of the word ‘classes’ in this instance ­and actually sets aside the clear Scriptural teaching as taught by the Epiphany Messen­ger; and it is little wonder that Brother Johnson wrote into the record that RGJ is “loquacious, repetitious and false-accusing” (See E-10:591); and that he is one of the “good Levites,” one of “the crown-losers in the Epiphany Movement – who “darken the Truth by their teachings without proper knowledge.” This is an exact quotation of Brother Johnson’s description of him, and not ours – to which we need add no comment of our own. Let us also note Brother Johnson’s charge against him in Epiphany Volume 10, p. 585, bottom, and p. 586, top, with reference to the dying cancerous widow: “R. G. Jolly again was J.’s main opponent before the church on the subject.” When the Epiphany Messenger says “again” he is telling us that this was not the first time RGJ was his “main opponent.”

Yet RGJ accuses us of “having very limited spiritual vision, and inability to discern clearly,” even though there is no record of such against us made by Brother Johnson. Please note – this is RGJ’s comment about us; Brother Johnson never said that about us – nor can RGJ quote from the record any such pronouncement against us. But Brother Johnson did write that it is “one of the foibles of our fallen human nature judging others by one’s self.” And to substantiate this, we direct attention to his con­fusion on p. 15 regarding the “evil day” and the Epiphany. He treats them as though they mean the same thing. In previous papers we have stated that the “evil day” is from 1874 to the end of Jacob’s Trouble, but the Epiphany did not begin until 1914; thus the “evil day” includes the Epiphany, but the Epiphany does not embrace the ‘evil day’ in its entirety.

On another occasion RGJ says C. Shuttleworth is a “parallel” to E. C. Henninges in the 1908-11 sifting. In that 1908-11 conflict E. C. Henninges openly attacked Brother Russell, accusing him of being the sifter; but in 1948-50 Brother Shuttleworth was giving Brother Johnson full cooperation to the day he died; he was Brother Johnson’s British Representative. Some “parallel”; some nonsense!

In support of the foregoing we remind our readers that King Saul of Israel was a type of the crown-lost leaders up to Armageddon; and it is specifically written of him that “the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets” (Di­vinely-enlightened teachers)—1 Sam. 28:6. On previous occasions we have stated that RGJ cannot read the writings of the two Messengers, and understand what he has read after he reads. Here is simply some more proof of this. He strains to show 14 “classes” (actually divisions, not classes) in order to make a place for his Campers Consecrated, and to make void Brother Johnson’s teachings on the six saved classes from among mankind. All these errors he has presented have been the direct result of his “strange fire” (false doctrine) of Epiphany Campers Consecrated – just as much of the conglomeration of error the Jehovah’s Witnesses foist upon their adherents was produced to substantiate their “strange fire” (false doctrine) of Jonadabs, or “great crowd.”

The following quotation from E-15:520 is timely here: “Whenever a company of them form a group, they become partisan sectarians; and their leaders always grasp for power and lord it over God’s heritage (1 Pet. 5:2), becoming guilty of love of money, influence, honor from men and leadership. As these evil qualities grow in them under Satanic manipulation they lead their followers into increasing errors and Satan­-given wrong arrangements for the Lord’s work. These revolutionisms arousing the opposi­tion of the faithful, controversies set in, wherein, to defend themselves against the Scriptural truths that the faithful bring against their errors, to maintain a semblance of consistency in their errors, they give up one truth after another...... With all of this they increasingly lose part of their ability to discern between truth and error. This shows a deterioration in the bad part of their intellects and their intellects’ contents, while it shows that their intellects still retain some of their former ability to see and to retain some truth – double-mindedness in their intellects in varying degrees.”

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior!

So sorry I have been so slow in sending you my small donation. It was in 1913 Brother Johnson gave a talk on consecration at Aurora, Ill., and shortly after symbolized my consecration. Then the Radio Station was built on our farm. So you see we have had experience with the Jehovah’s Witnesses! But thank the Lord, for the past 22 years we have had pleasure meeting with the friends who left them also.

We live in the country, so do not have the privilege to attend meetings.... But we do have lots of helps – Reprints, etc.

Thank you again and God bless you! Sister ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior!

This is Sister ------- writing on behalf of Sister ------- and myself. She gives thanks to you for the gifts – especially for the spiritual help. We had our usual New Year night meeting, which was very nice – prayer meeting and testimonies...... So we are going forward in the name of the Lord. We hope that the good Lord will bless and keep you and Sister Hoefle. Also give our warm love to the other brethren over there.

Warm Christian love from Sister --------- (TRINIDAD)

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Our dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and Peace!

May your birthday be a happy one. The joy of the Lord be your strength. Thank you all for the good wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Our health is improving, and we thank the Lord for everything. We trust Sister Moynello is con­tinuing to make steady progress – and that Sister Hoefle and Sister Dunnagan are able to cope with all the matters at hand.

It was good hearing the news from one of the astronauts that the “earth was beautiful” – and then quoting from Genesis. It may be that these adventures will mean – that is, it will prove God’s word to be right and infallible. The Lord now in His Second Presence is allowing it.

We look forward to receiving January issue. The postal system is not good ­and it looks as if it might get worse. Hope you get this in time for your birthday. God bless you! With our love to you, Sister Hoefle, Sisters Moynello and Dunnagan –

Brother and Sister ------- (ENGLAND)

PS – We have almost finished Parousia Volume 1. Brother Johnson encouraged all to keep in constant touch with the Parousia Truth – and if neglected, it would be difficult to keep in the Truth. If ever you can come you will be most welcome.

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace in Jesus Name!

Thank you for your good letter of the 27th, and your good council. I looked up in my bound papers and I do have the one of July 1966 with the article the Time of the End. I read the part about One Hour with the Beast. As you say, some – or many ­details we don’t know yet. I want to read the whole article over again – and will keep book opened to that place, also the 3rd Volume where it speaks of the “Time of the End.”

I hope all is going well with you. Things are quite good here. I received a letter from Sister -------, also from Sister ------- Please send some tracts when convenient.......

We have been having quite a lot of rain lately. I do like the rain, but some people have had their homes spoiled. There are locations where homes should not be built......

I haven’t been receiving Brother Krewson’s paper, but he sent me one for this month. There is quite a lot about the Quasi-elect.

With Christian love to you, Sister Hoefle and to the others.

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

NO. 164: THE RESURRECTION - OF THE JUST AND THE UNJUST

No. 164

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

“There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15) During the Parousia the subject of the resurrection had been puri­fied from all error; but it is one of those subjects that has once more been accu­mulating a considerable amount of rust and rubble since 1917. Thus, it seems timely that we should endeavor to treat the matter “in spirit and in truth.”

The word ‘resurrection’ is from the Greek anastasis, which means a raising up to life again; and this definition must be clearly understood or we may conclude that the Bible contradicts itself. In Acts 26:23 we are told that “Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead”; but this appears to be disputed by the raising of previous persons, such as Lazarus who had been in the death state for four full days, and of others who had been dead for a shorter period, such as Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:22-43), Eutychus (Acts 20:9,10), etc.

Once we clearly understand that the above instances were not resurrections – not a real anastasis, but merely resuscitations, the difficulty disappears. Some forty years ago – when the belief was quite general that man is a dual being – that man has a soul, instead of being a soul – one prominent columnist often raised the question regarding persons who had been drowned for an hour or more, then restored to life, “During the time he was dead, where was his soul?” The preponderant mass of the human race that has entered the tomb is in much the same condition as the instances given above. Even though many of them have returned to the dust, their status is sub­stantially the same as those who have been dead only a short time – as no man can resuscitate them once they are fully dead. Once they are fully dead, only the Lord of life can bring them to life again.

The question then properly arises, Who are the just, and who are the unjust? And do both experience the same resurrection? In his great exposition chapter on the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15), St. Paul says in verse 20: “Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” Continuing in verse 23, “Every man in his own order.” Clearly enough, then, the resurrection has a different meaning for different classes of men. In John 5:28,29 Jesus said, “All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection (anastasis) of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment, from the Greek krisis, meaning a trial time).” This is simply another way of saying there would be a resurrection (anastasis) of the just and the unjust – the “good” in this Scripture being the “just” of Acts 24:15, and the “evil” being the “unjust” of that text. The good and evil, the just and the unjust, the elect and the non-elect are simply different expressions of the same thing. Thus, the good, the just, the elect, are all one class; and the evil, the unjust, the non-elect, are all another class.

However, these two classes have different divisions, the first having four divi­sions, and the second having two divisions. The just are comprised of No. 1, The Very Elect (The Little Flock, the Body of Christ – the chief section of the Church of the Firstborn); No. 2, the Great Multitude of Rev. 7:9-17 (the secondary portion of the Church of the Firstborn—Heb. 12:23); No. 3, the Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11); and No. 4, the Youthful Worthies (Joel 2:28). The second class – those that have done evil – have two divisions: No. 1, being all the heathen and the unrepentant and evilly inclined throughout Christendom; and No. 2, those Jews and Gentiles that have experienced a measure of conversion, and are inclined toward the moral features of the Law.

In 1 Cor. 1:26 St. Paul states that “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” have embraced the true Christian way. This leaves the ines­capable conclusion that most of the wise, strong, noble of this world have not fully responded to the Gospel-Age calling, although most people are often mis-led to consider such persons as outstanding “examples of the believers” because they have been good examples of morality, of charity, champions of social uplift, etc. Nevertheless, if we apply the true Scriptural standards, we must conclude that all these people –regardless of their inclination toward righteousness, regardless of their religious and social affiliations - come within the classification of the non-elect. Therefore, they cannot possibly experience the “resurrection to life,” instantaneous physical per­fection. They would properly be designated as the quasi-elect – having a certain lean­ing toward God, and a certain respect for Scriptural standards, but not sufficiently impelling enough to cause them to come wholeheartedly into the good, the just, the elect – to renounce the world and its ambitions, and forsake all to “follow in His footsteps,” and walk a “narrow way.” Thus, they will receive the anastasis by krisis (resurrection by judgment – trial time), although the exactions of that trial time will be ameliorated by whatever of righteous conduct they have developed during this “present evil world.” Too, instead of walking a “narrow way” as the elect must do during this Age, they will walk up the Highway of Holiness (Isa. 35:8) then opened for the non-elect; and instead of being ridiculed for so doing, they will be rewarded for their efforts – and, as they come into full heart-harmony with the Kingdom arrangements, they will gradually receive their resurrection – perfection of physical being as they develop perfect characters.

However, when Jesus said some would experience the “resurrection to life,” this would prompt the inescapable conclusion that all who receive that reward would be raised with full physical perfection. If it were otherwise, the difference between the good and the evil would be only one of degree – hardly a sufficient reward for the hardships that have accompanied the “good fight of faith” during this and previous Ages.

Comes now the question, Do the “just” all receive the same kind of resurrection? Before answering, we would explain that the “just” are simply the justified elect classes – those in this Age, and in times past, who have been justified by faith. It is written of Abraham that “he might be the father of all them that believe”; ‘he be­lieved God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (justification)”—Rom. 4:3,11. “Every man in his own order,” says St. Paul; and it is written in 1 Pet. 1:3,4, that The Elect would receive a “resurrection to an inheritance incorruptible,” which is further explained in 2 Pet. 1:4 as being “partakers of the divine nature” – a condi­tion indestructible and grounded in perfection.

The Great Multitude will also have a spiritual resurrection (See Rev. 7:9-17), but not to the “divine nature,” as they are pictured as “before the throne,” and not “in the throne,” as is the case with The Elect. Their bodies will also be incorrup­tible, but not indestructible, as will be the case with The Elect. As respects the third and fourth classes of “the just,” it is stated they will “obtain a better resur­rection” (Heb. 11:35) – a resurrection “to life,” better than the remainder of man­kind – thus a perfect physical raising, but not to a spirit nature. But the “resur­rection to life,” which will be theirs, would in the very nature of the contrast given by Jesus in John 5:28,29, assure them of a resurrection to perfection of physical being – full life, perfect life, “more abundant life.”

VARIOUS “WAYS”

There are three “ways” clearly defined in the Bible. Two of these are set forth in Matt. 7:13,14 (Dia.): “Wide is the gate of destruction, and broad that way leading thither; and many are they who enter through it. How narrow is the gate of life! How difficult that way leading thither! And how few are they who find it.” Both of these “ways” have been with us during this “present evil world”; but there is a third way ­a “highway of holiness” (Isa. 35:8) – that will be available in the Age ahead, the Millennial Age. Those that are now walking the “broad way that leadeth to destruction” those who have not “elected” to tread the “strait” (narrow, difficult) way now – will have available to them in the Age ahead that “highway” in which the “wayfaring men though fools, shall not err therein” (will be fully instructed and not be deceived). Again we stress that the narrow way, the way now trodden by “the just,” in this present Age, the way that leads to life, will result in a “better resurrection” – an instantaneous resurrection to perfect life; whereas, the Highway of Holiness will provide a gradual access to perfection, a process in some instances requiring many years to accomplish. This is treated briefly in Reprints 5108, col. 1, as follows:

“There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15) The Ancient Worthies had this testimony, that they pleased God; and we know that they had the promise of a better resurrection than would have been theirs if they had not pleased God. (Heb. 11:35).”

The following quotations are also pertinent to our subject: “The thought is not that those who remain in an unjust condition will be granted a full resurrection. The text does not state that all the unjust will be resurrected, brought to perfec­tion of life. There are some now justified who will have a share in the resurrec­tion, even as there are others who are not now justified who will also have a share in the resurrection. The just will have a special resurrection, which will be a reward for their special obedience. But the opportunity will, during the incoming Age, be thrown open for all to gain everlasting life through Christ. The justified ones of the Church class are ‘changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,’ from the earthly to the Heavenly condition – made perfect spirit beings. Those of the past dispensations justified to God’s favor through faith, are to be brought forth perfect men, instead of in the condition in which they died. This will be after the merit of Christ will have been applied for the world.

“So we have the resurrection of the highest class of the just – the Little Flock on the Divine plane; that of the Great Company, on a lower spirit plane; that of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, on the earthly plane – four classes who pass their trial, their testing, in the present life. But it has been provided in the Divine Plan that the remainder of men may gradually be raised fully up, out of every frailty, back to the original perfection that Adam had in the beginning.

“The Bible teaching of two ways of salvation – a private one for the Elect, called the narrow way (Matt. 7:13,14) and a public one for the non-elect, called the highway (Isa. 35:8), proves the same doctrine. The connection (Isa. 35:9,10) shows that this highway will be for certain of the unsaved dead; and the whole chapter proves that it describes the Millennial Age.... The Bible further demonstrates it by the teach­ing that the free grace salvation will operate after the elective salvation is com­pleted (Acts 15:14-16; 3:19-21; John 17:21-23; Rom. 8:19-23), even as the Millen­nium, the time for its operation, follows the Gospel Age, with its elective salvation now operating.” (See Epiphany Vol. 17, pp. 164 and top of 165-171 and top of 172)

When that highway of holiness becomes available to the class described above, then will apply the words of Rev. 22:17 (Dia.): “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! and let him who hears say Come! And let him who is thirsty come – let him who wishes take freely of the water of life” – as he progresses up the highway of holiness during his anastasis by krisis (the resurrection by trial time). It is well to emphasize here that the evil, the unjust, the non-elect – those who have fol­lowed the broad way that leadeth to destruction in this “present evil world” – all these people will reverse their present trend as they go up the highway of holiness in the next Age – the way that will produce their raising up to life again. Thus, these two ways will be traversed by the very same people, but in reverse order. Whereas, they now go down to destruction, they will then go up to “life more abundantly.”

PERVERSIONS OF THE RESURRECTION

Hardly had our Pastor departed from our midst in 1916 than Levites began to pervert the truth on the Resurrection – just as they did on so many other truths. On this score Vol. E-6:651,653 has this to say concerning J. F. Rutherford (a crown-lost leader “manifested” in this Epiphany) be–clouding the truth on the subject:

“He sets aside our Pastor’s teachings on Psa. 17:15, as referring to the resurrection of the Christ, claiming that it is falsely explained in our hymn No. 105. He sets forth the thought that the Old Testament does not say of its faithful that they hoped for a resurrection. Against this please see Job. 14:13, 39:25,26; Psa. 49:14: Hos. 13:14, etc.... In an attempt to take out the resurrection hope from Psa. 17:15 and to construe the passage as applying to his remnant’s allegedly being with our Lord in the temple since 1918 for judgment, he offers the following false translation of the Septuagint on Psa. 17:15: ‘Let me appear righteous before thee; let me be satis­fied with the display of thy glory.’ The following is the proper translation of the Septuagint on this verse, though its translation is not correct, while that of the A.V. is: ‘I will be seen in righteousness in thy presence; I will be satisfied when I shall be seen with Thy glory.’ But, as said before, the A.V. is here correct: ‘As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.’ ....

“Then he tells us that our meeting the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:17) does not refer to the resurrection, but to his remnant’s being, while in the flesh, in JFR’s temple since 1918.... A theory is hard pressed for proof that to find it tries to tear out of Ps. 17:15 and 1 Thes. 4:17 the saints’ resurrection.”

A further perversion of the resurrection doctrine is to be found in JFR’s inter­pretation of Zech. 13:8,9: “In all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third part shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is My God.” Our Pastor properly interpreted this text in the “two parts” being the Little Flock and the Great Company (classes One and Two on page 1 aforegoing), and the “third part” as the world of mankind, the same being the evil, the unjust, the non-elect, who will be raised up to life again by the refining processes of the Highway of Holiness. But JFR cast away that interpre­tation, placing in its stead his perversion that the “two parts” mean two-thirds of the now living human race who would be destroyed in Armageddon because they do not accept his erroneous teachings, with the “third part” being those people who do accept his errors and become “dedicated” to his program. These errors on the resurrection are still being circulated by the Jehovah’s Witnesses unto this day; whereas, we our­selves still “continue in my word...in the truth.... that shall make you free” – by adhering to the interpretations of both Messengers on the texts aforegoing. JFR, however, grossly and persistently revolutionized against the Parousia Truth on this and other subjects.

A KINSMAN IN PERVERSION

More recently comes the Executive Trustee of the Laymen’s Home Missionary Move­ment (another crown-lost leader “manifested” in this Epiphany) also perverting the doctrine of the resurrection. At the Chicago Convention in October he declared from the platform, in answer to a question, that his Campers Consecrated would experience the resurrection of the “just” – although he admits they cannot be of any of the four classes of the Elect as we have set them forth herein – and that they cannot have a “better resurrection” that will come to those that are the true “just” (those Ancient Worthies and those now “who consecrating and proving faithful in the interval between the close of the General Call in 1881 and the inauguration of the earthly phase of the Kingdom” – See E-4, p. 337). JFR perverted the doctrine of the resurrection; RGJ is now also perverting the doctrine of the resurrection. It seems he just can­not refrain from following in the steps of JFR, as he has been repeatedly doing since 1950 – although this may be done unwittingly at the incept, as his teacher is the same as JFR’S. Thus, he casts aside completely, or offers some perversions on truths clearly and emphatically defined by both Messengers – truths he once accepted and taught himself. As for ourselves, we repeat our conclusion regarding JFR’s perversions: We still “continue in my word.... in the truth.... that shall make you free” ­by adhering to the interpretations of both Messengers and the clear Bible teachings on the doctrine of the resurrection, and other fundamental truths. Crown-loser RGJ, however, grossly and persistently revolutionizes against both Parousia and Epiphany Truth on this and other important subjects, while JFR revolutionized only against Parousia Truth, never having accepted Epiphany Truth.

It is indeed a sound conclusion that one error usually begets other errors; and this is clearly evident in the present instance with RGJ. He well knows he cannot possibly promise his Campers Consecrated the “better resurrection”; yet he must ‘promise’ them something for their present privations in serving the Lord. God never requires sacrifice from any one; and those who do sacrifice in His cause are certain of abundant reward for their efforts. Thus, RGJ tells his Campers they will receive the resurrection of the Just, even though he knows, or should have known, that the resur­rection of the just is the better resurrection – “the resurrection to life” promised by Jesus to those “that have done good,” to those that are of the “just” class – to the called according to His purpose. Thus, RGJ says Yes out of one side of his mouth, and No out of the other side, as he offers a spiritual bedlam akin to that of the foolish and unprofitable shepherd of Zech. 11:17 on his Jonadabs, or presently called the Large Multitude.

Here is another quotation from E-4:334 that should sober – partially anyway ­those who render RGJ partisan support in his revolutionisms:

“Inasmuch as the Youthful Worthies, as well as the other Levites, will be receiving tithes forever from the saved world of mankind, and inasmuch as all on earth as kings (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 21:24) will be equals of one another, it follows that the Youthful Worthies will have a higher than human inheritance on this earth,”

Many of our readers are well acquainted with his teaching that his Campers Consecrated will forever have a higher honor and reward than other Restitutionists; thus, he is revolutionizing against both Parousia and Epiphany Truth on the quota­tion above, as That Servant also substantially taught the same about it. Certainly That Servant taught that all Restitutionists would be equals. He does all this to bolster up his false doctrine (“strange fire”) of Campers Consecrated.

Such jugglery must eventually reap the inevitable reward that is reserved for such – “If any one add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to him these plagues written in this book (the pestilence that walketh in darkness – in this Epiphany night – the “plagues” of Psa. 91:6 and 10). And if any one take away from the words of the book of this prophecy (by injecting error into the teachings of God’s fully faithful mouthpieces), God will take away his part from the word of life, and out of the Holy City (by demoting from The Elect to the Great Company, from the Great Company to the second death – from the just to the unjust, etc.)”—Rev. 22:18,19.

It is our heart’s desire and prayer that all of our readers may be motivated by the Apostle Paul’s inspiring statement regarding all the “Sound doctrine” of Parousia and Epiphany Truth: “I have maintained the good contest. I have finished the race, I have guarded the faith (the Truth)”—2 Tim. 4:7, Dia. And to this would we add the words of Joshua in his final oration to Israel: “Choose you this day whom you will serve; .... As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”—(Josh. 24:15)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and Peace! I know it is way past time I should send a contribution for your kindness. I’m always on the lookout for your most wonderful articles, keeping us informed of what goes on among the Lord’s Epiphany people – a time when all should be proving all things and holding fast to that which is True and good. The Wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable. RGJ surely goes further and further away from the right course given him through the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers.

Here is a quotation from Bible Comment on Prov. 12:15: “Whoever succeeds in justifying himself in a wrong course finds the downward path easy.” I do enjoy very much this past year in going over Epiphany Vol. 15 – Christ – Spirit – Covenants.....

We know the Lord watches over His own, so we can trust Him implicitly. My love to you and Sister Hoefle and the dear ones with you in Mount Dora.

Lovingly by His Grace, Sister ------- (OHIO)

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My dear Brother and Sisters in God’s Truth:

The letter with the surprise notice of your moving was related to Sister----, and she tells me Sister...... will be over this week....... I never seem to benefit myself by my moves, but only Jesus and our Heavenly Father knows what good it has done, or will be......

With this note I’m praying each night – Thanks to God and His beloved Son for you dear souls in the work of the Truth. I’ll close here with my donation – and may God’s blessing be with each brother and sister across sea and land in His Truth.

Keep well – no need to write a letter, just a postcard to tell me this is received O.K. Christian love to each dear soul, and may the New Year be rich day by day in living. I’m keeping up – very richly blest!

Sister ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings of love in our Lord’s Name!

We are enclosing a check to be used in the Lord’s work in any manner it may be needed. We do enjoy the monthly articles and get a great deal of help from them. We are continuing our First Volume study here for the benefit of the young folks. They seem to be enjoying it, and ask many questions – so we are all benefiting.

We ask your prayers that we may be able to give them a good foundation truth. Our love to you and all there.

Brother & Sister ------- (NORTH CAROLINA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied! Your letter came a few days ago. I am also in receipt of five additional pounds from Brother.... for which I am very grateful. I have enjoyed reading the September article. A question: In 1 Sam. 16:14 – Should the quotation be an “evil spirit” from the Lord, or should it be an evil spirit apart from the Lord? Thanks.

The attitude of these crown-lost leaders is surely painful – seeing they have taken their lives in their own hands. But as in the type of Aaron’s sons who were destroyed for their willful acts, God told Aaron not to weep for them. God cannot be mocked, and so the unfaithful shall surely feel the weight of His displeasure.

May the dear Lord bless all your efforts and labour of love, dear Brother. With much Christian love to you and the dear ones with you.

Yours by His Grace, Brother --------- (JAMAICA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace through our Beloved Lord!

Your letters received – also the No. 162 with your newsy nice note, which we deeply appreciate. We are sorry to learn of Sister Moynelo’s illness, but glad to hear she is coming along nicely. Give her our very best love. We shall especially remember her in our prayers as we approach the throne of Heavenly Grace, that it may be His good pleasure to restore her to good health again. While writing these thoughts, they remind me of that beautiful hymn we sing sometimes – What a Friend we have in Jesus! How wonderful to those who have tasted of the Lord’s Goodness and the Blessings we receive daily – and His Providential good from day to day. Yes, dear Brother and Sister Hoefle, we know whereof we stand, and we thank God daily for the Truth, and for His revealing it to us, refreshing our hearts and minds by the way of remembrance through your writings, dear Brother Hoefle. We do appreciate your monthly articles!

We would like to report to you the lovely meeting we had commemorating our dear Brother Russell’s and dear Brother Johnson’s passing from our midst. We sang Hymn 99, one of Brother Russell’s favorite – thanking our dear Heavenly Father for the bless­ings we have received, and are still receiving, from those two great Servants of His, to whom it was His good pleasure to raise up. And we read the thoughts in Reprints, and Brother Johnson on Pastor Russell’s relation to the Pilgrims. We also read the January 1951 Herald of the Epiphany, your delivery, officiating October 27, 1950. In closing we sang No. 299 – My Blessed Portion, Brother Johnson’s favorite hymn ­and closed with prayer. Truly, dear Brother, we felt so refreshed and strengthened because of the honor and privilege of knowing these two great men of God. We met them personally and talked with them, and have been blessed by them through their ministry. Praise His Holy Name!....

We trust that you, dear Brother and Sister Hoefle, are keeping quite well, physi­cally. We know you are rejoicing in the Lord’s service, for which we are grateful. God bless and protect you both and give you strength to carry on this good work for all the dear brethren. We thank you for the Philadelphia and Chicago report of the Conventions. I am glad to say that Sister and I are quite well. She joins me in sending you both and all at Mount Dora, God’s richest blessing.

Your Brother and Sister by His Grace, ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our Lord’s Name!

I was glad to hear from you. The books and tracts were re­ceived in good shape. The tracts came first, then the books came in later. Thank you for sending them. I have some Life-Death-Hereafter books yet,

I cannot find words to describe the blessings, the joy, and peace that I get from your ministry. Those who have been teaching error will soon be ashamed (Isa. 66:5), while the fire of this day will only manifest the truth to all. No power, no tongue, no pen, can successfully contradict the truth – the great Divine Plan of the Ages. It is strong before its enemies and before all who make assaults upon it; and ere long the folly of its foes shall be made known to the whole world. “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” – Reprints 5916. I did not get any tracts out this week, as it is getting cold up here....

I hope this will find you all and all with you happy and rejoicing in the good Lord, is my prayer.

Sister -------- (PENNSYLVANIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied through our dear Redeemer!

We are glad to report that we kept a memorial service for Brothers Russell and Johnson on the 31st of October. Our memories went back to Big Babylon and how God’s people were enslaved in sin and error, and how Brother Russell was used by God to release them, enlighten them by his ministry – and the experiences after his death when his Movement was perverted into a sect that took them back in Babylon. And God again raised up a Mouthpiece – Brother Johnson ­and delivered many of them. Still we can see that even with two such experiences some of God’s people gather together to be carried right back into Babylon – some­thing we experienced since Brother Johnson’s death. But we who have been spared have much to give praise to God, for His mercies toward us. We were not taken cap­tives back to Babylon. We also thank God for you, dear Brother, and exhort you to be of good courage, seeing God is with you, even as all honest-hearted can see: God is using you to perform a good victory in your refutations over sin and error, as you are confronted by your opponents. We receive your monthly articles and carefully read them with references – and we marvel at our brethren! Are they so very blind ­or, are they in deep sleep? We wonder!

Please send us some tract – 200 each of Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5. Thank you! Warm Christian love to you, Sister Hoefle and the dear ones with you.

Your brethren by His Grace, .--------- (JAMAICA)

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SPECIAL EFFORT – ANTITYPICAL GIDEON’S SECOND BATTLE

Our Memorial date for this year is March 30, and we suggest for our Special Effort in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle Sunday, March 16 through Sunday, April 13 for our volunteer and sharpshooting in the slaying of the two King Errors – Zebah (Eternal Torment), and Zalmunna (Consciousness of the Dead). Our tracts No. 1, Where are the Dead, No. 2, What is the Soul, and No. 3, The Resur­rection of the Dead are available free and postage paid, and are especially appro­priate for serving individuals and at Church services wherever opportunity permits. Also L-D-H and The Divine Plan of the Ages can be used to good advantage in this Battle, and will also be available if ordered in time. So place your orders early enough if you desire to participate in this good work.

Be assured of our prayers for all those who participate in this Special Effort, which is an Arrangement made by the Epiphany Messenger, that they may have blessed experiences as they seek to serve Him in Truth and Spirit.