NO. 233: REVIEW OF JULY-AUGUST 1974 PRESENT TRUTH

No. 233

On pp. 59-62 of the above Present Truth we find a number of Questions and Answers in a feeble attempt to rebut our previous refutations of RGJ’s errors on Tentative Justification, and the like. And on p. 61, col. 1, there is this Ques­tion: “Was Cornelius already a ‘truly repentant and believing’ one in Christ as his Savior when the Apostle Peter and six accompanying brethren (Acts 11:12) came to his home at the end of the 70 weeks?” And RGJ’s answer: “The Scriptures show that he was not.”

He then offers numerous citations from Brother Russell to prove his point, although he offers one on p. 61, col. 2, par. 4, to the effect that Cornelius was “a man pre­pared to be a follower of Jesus – a Christian.” We now ask, At what time did Cornel­ius become “prepared to be a Christian”? It will be noted that Peter says not one word about consecration when he came into the home of Cornelius. If Cornelius were not already consecrated, would it not be logical first of all to inform him of that fact, and the obligations that go with it? That Servant teaches that Cornelius, as well as other Gentiles, were consecrated – although the Lord did not accept, or use their consecration, until the 70th week had expired, as we shall subsequently quote in this article.

Let us consider carefully what Peter said to Cornelius. In Acts 10:34-43 he used just 223 words. Of these 128 are words such as “a – an – and – the,” etc. Thus, it would not require rapid speaking to say the whole thing in one minute. Also, in Luke 14:28 Jesus counsels that we “count the cost” before taking such a step. So RGJ is now telling us that Cornelius became “repentant and believing,” and that he “counted the cost,” ALL in about one minute! He says the “Scriptures clearly show” this to him. But the “Scriptures did not “clearly show” this to That Wise and Faithful Servant ­although RGJ’s statements “clearly show” to us that this is just some more of his nonsense.

In Luke 23:47 the centurion (possibly Cornelius) said, “Truly, this man (Jesus) was righteous.” And Acts 10:2, Dia. states that Cornelius was “a pious man, and one fearing God with all his house, doing many charities for the people, and praying to God always.” Further in Acts 10:4: “Thy prayers and thine alms went up as a memorial before God.” Note the Berean Comment on this: “If prayers cannot be answered immediately, they are not forgotten, but are kept as memorials until the right time comes for their answer.” And Cornelius’ right time came when our Lord gave him instructions to send for Peter.

Therefore, with the probable exception of the 81 brethren (whose “names were writ­ten in Heaven”—Luke 10:20; Heb. 12:23), Cornelius was in much the same position as those in the upper room at Pentecost, as That Servant teaches. Those in that room could not receive the Holy Spirit until the “due time” – just as Cornelius could not re­ceive the Holy Spirit until the “due time.” And, in saying this we do not ignore the fact that the Jews as a nation were consecrated to God – “Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:2-4)

However, knowledge is not the controlling factor here (although they did require some know­ledge), for they all, even the Apostles and the Seventy, were very meager on what a Christian should be. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name; shall teach you of all things which I said to you.” (John 14:26,Dia.). The Berean Comment on this text says: “It was impossible for the Apostles to understand the plan of God until after Pentecost; .. To your remembrance – Enable you to recall and reproduce.” We mention here also Peter’s use of the sword in the Garden that night. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal...” (2 Cor. 10:4) Thus, those in the upper room needed the Holy Spirit to clarify things for them – just as Cornelius needed the Holy Spirit to clarify things for him; and even the Apostle Paul studied for three years to be sure he would know what he was doing.

In a ludicrous attempt to ‘prove’ his contentions, RGJ quotes (p. 61, col. 2, of this PT) from Parousia Vol. 5, p. 214: “Again, when the due time came for the Gospel to be preached to Gentiles, the Lord, in accordance with his choice, sent Peter to do this work, telling Cornelius to send for Peter, and telling Peter to go to Cornelius, and to speak the words of the Gospel to him and his household (accordingly, they had not been spoken to him before).”

The words “accordingly, they had not been spoken to him before” are included in this quotation, as though they are from Brother Russell, whereas, they are inserted by RGJ, and simply his own opinion – an opinion which is categorically contradicted in the next few lines of this same page: “On this occasion Peter used the second key, opening the Gospel door for the Gentiles, God witnessing to the fact by the miraculous manifestations of His Spirit upon Cornelius and the other consecrated believers from among the Gentiles with him.” If Cornelius and the others were consecrated, as Bro. Russell says, they were certainly “truly repentant and believing.” Here again he re­sorts to the same tactics of JFR, who used the same technique of the unprincipled trick­ster; and the Lord rewarded him accordingly.

Also, the truth on the Tabernacle clearly disputes the foregoing contention. Con­secration there is typed by the first vail, and spirit begettal by the condition of the Holy; but no one could get into the Holy without going under the first vail, the first vail typing consecration. As we have often pointed out, RGJ has lost the Truth on some important features of the Tabernacle, but this should not surprise us. He self-admitted­ly is one of those people of whom St. Paul says, “God will send to them an energy of de­lusion.” (2 Thes. 2:11, Dia.) He also admits his sins during Brother Johnson’s lifetime, as recorded against him by the Epiphany Messenger in Epiphany Volume 10. His inclina­tion to “make pictures and draw types from every chapter in the Bible” he also admits and records himself in the Nov. 15, 1910 Watch Tower. This should have served as a warning to him, but, self-evidently, this continues to be one of his “besetting sins,” as he “makes pictures and draws types” to substantiate his “strange fire” (false doctrine) of Campers Consecrated – his perversions of the Tabernacle types, and other related sub­jects. Apparently, his past experiences haven’t profited him very much. It seems he was too busy “making pictures and drawing types” in 1910 to find the time to read the Towers of that time – some of which we shall quote later in this paper.

On p. 62, col. 1, par. 6, he says: “Accordingly, in view of the above consider­ations from the Scriptures and oft-repeated and consistent teaching of Bro. Russell from the time he wrote the Z 1922 statement until 1916 (a statement quoted by us to which RGJ strenuously objects—JJH), it is clear that Cornelius was not already ‘.truly repentant and believing’ in Jesus as Savior when he was visited by Peter and six others at the end of the 70th week. And therefore it is clear also that this errorist’s statement is thoroughly erroneous, ‘Those in the (Epiphany) Camp in the ‘finished picture’ will be in the same relative position as was Cornelius before consecration was acceptable for the Gentiles.’” We shall now prove that RGJ’s ‘foolish,’ as well as false asser­tions, that Brother Russell did not teach in harmony with his Z 1922 statement since that time – until in 1916 – are just some more of his false accusations. Surely, if he were not so befuddled by Azazel he would not present such ridiculous false statements – state­ments that can be so easily proved to be false by numerous statements of That Servant after his writings in Z 1922. On p. 61, col. 2, par. 4, RGJ quotes a small excerpt from Reprint 4344, March 1909, to ‘prove’ his contention that Cornelius was not “repentant and believing” before St. Peter’s visit, but he ‘conveniently’ omitted the following from this same article, which is even more convincing than That Servant’s teaching in Z 1922 – ­that indeed Cornelius was “repentant and believing” before St. Peter’s visit:

“Cornelius had his vision first. He saw in a vision ‘openly,’ not in a dream, an angel of God coming in unto him. He talked with the angel and received the assurance that his prayers and alms of years had now been received of the Lord, because the ‘due time, had come – the end of Israel’s covenanted favor. We may be sure that at the same time the aims and prayers of all other Gentiles ascended up as incense to the Lord. We may be sure that blessings were arranged also for all such, and the Gospel sent to them, though not in so marked a manner as to Cornelius, because the Lord would make of his case a special lesson for the benefit of the Apostles and of all of us who have lived since. In recounting this matter elsewhere Cornelius says that the angel told him to send for St. Peter and gave him the address and added, ‘When he is come, he shall tell thee words, which will be the saving of thyself and house.’” (Reprint 4344, col. 2, par. 4)

Although from the above, it is self-evident that God was dealing with Cornelius before Peter came to him, because his “alms and prayers” which had been kept as a memorial, were now received, nevertheless, we now quote further from this same article:

“Let us note carefully what these words of life were. They were the simple story of the Cross... The essence of the message was that ‘Christ died for our sins, accord­ing to the Scriptures, and rose again for our justification.’ The message continued, and showed how the justified ones were invited to become joint-sacrificers with and thus joint-sharers in Christ’s coming glory. The centurion’s heart had been troubled, there was something in the message that satisfied his longings as nothing else had ever done. He believed in the Redeemer and was thus justified. His consecration to the Lord, of years’ standing, now became intelligent and specific. As his heart went out to the Lord in full acceptance of the Divine terms, in full consecration of his little all to the Divine service, the Lord accepted it, and manifested the acceptance; just as he had done with the consecrated Jewish believers at Pentecost. God having thus recognized Cornelius as a disciple and follower of Christ, a new creature begotten of the Holy Spirit, Peter tells us that he could not believe otherwise than that it was right for him to explain baptism to the centurion, and to give him water immersion, symbolic of the immersion into Christ’s death, which he had already experienced.” (Reprint 4345, col. 1, par. 2 – the same article from which RGJ quoted an excerpt to ‘prove’ Cornelius was not “repentant and believing” before Peter came to him.)

Why did RGJ omit the above in his quotation from this article? Is it possible that he can only see what he wants to see and believe – statements that he believes uphold his contentions? Or can it be that he is so blinded and befuddled by Azazel that he can­not understand clear and convincing statements by That Servant, when they dispute his present-day contentions for his errors? Or does he make such ridiculous statements, and omissions, because he believes his sectarian devotees will swallow anything he pre­sents without question – just as is true of a large majority of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who accept, without question, anything Headquarters presents? If we ourselves had made the statement that we quoted from That Servant in Z 1922, RGJ would have shrieked to High Heaven that we were revolutionizing against Parousia Truth, and ‘lawyer-like,’ twisting the Scriptures – an ‘unfit Truth teacher,’ and a ‘sifting errorist.’

In his desperation to make a case for himself and his “strange fire” (false doc­trine) of Consecrated Campers, he goes from one error to a worse error, and from one ‘foolish’ statement to a more ‘foolish’ statement, and from one false accusation to a worse false accusation against the sifting errorist,’ the ‘unfit Truth teacher,’ etc.”, all because we reproduce the teachings of the Epiphany and Parousia Messengers, and re­sist his revolutionisms of these Truths, as we attack his errors with indisputable Truth from the two Messengers and from Scripture. So we rest in the assurance that as we “continue in what we have learned and been assured of,” the promise is ours: “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) So we are resolved to “watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and make full proof of our ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:5)

Just a little reflection here will reveal RGJ’s shallow and irresponsible think­ing on this matter. Cornelius lived in Caesaria, a city on the Mediterranean Sea about 50 miles from Jerusalem and about 25 miles from Joppa, where Peter was staying before he was told to visit Cornelius. Caesaria was then the seat of the Roman governors of Palestine, and also the home of Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8:39); 21:8,9). However, at that time Rome was a pagan country, with its emperors emphatically opposed to Chris­tianity. How then did Cornelius become persuaded to forsake the Pagan Gods of Rome, and accept the true God of Israel? Certainly not by reading Roman literature, or by listening to the Pagan priests of Rome! There was only one way he could have learned about it. Probably he had heard Jesus during His ministry. Also, almost certainly, he would have learned about Jehovah from Philip, his four daughters, and his neighbors, because we may rely upon it that Philip and his daughters would preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” in the city where they lived.

Of course, he had not heard the exact words that Peter spoke in his home; but he certainly had heard enough persuasive speech by others – such as Philip, et al – to convince him that Jehovah was the true God, and that Jesus was His Son – “a righteous man.” Thus, when RGJ says our reasoning on this subject “is another prime evidence that this errorist (meaning JJH) is now unfit to be a Truth teacher,” we would reply that his own irresponsible prattle on this matter should logically go into some comic strip. It is little wonder that Jesus described his kind as a “foolish man who built his house upon the sand.” (Matt. 7:26,27)

RESTITUTIONISTS – “PEACE WITH GOD”

Then on p. 59 RGJ attempts to argue that Restitutionists will have “peace with God” during the Mediatorial reign; and at the top of p. 61 he assails our statement that the “truly repentant and believing” in the finished picture of the Epiphany Camp will be “without any kind of justification.” Well, our statement is simply in har­mony with Brother Johnson’s teaching that, “The tentatively justified, who will not consecrate, lose their tentative justification, i.e., cease to be tentative Levites and are put out of the Court” (into RGJ’s Camp with his Consecrated Campers—JJH). had when this occurs, they cease entirely to be of the Household of Faith.” RGJ may now resort to some more of JFR’s technique and say “Brother Johnson changed his mind about this,” or contend the same as he has about Cornelius regarding what That Servant gave in Z 1922 – that Brother Johnson “consistently taught otherwise in all his subsequent writings up to 1950.”

RGJ contends his Campers are of the Household of Faith in the Camp – but, be it noted, he discovered this Truth (?) for the first time AFTER the demise of the Epiphany Messenger. At least no one heard him teach Campers Consecrated prior to 1950 – nor did we hear him teach that the Household of Faith would be in the Camp after 1950. We, how­ever, continue to uphold and defend the teaching of the two Messengers on the Tabernacle types for the Gospel Age up to 1914, for the Epiphany, for the “finished picture” of the Epiphany, and for the Mediatorial reign. The Epiphany Messenger never changed his teaching on The Fourfold Tabernacle Picture as given in the January 1940 Present Truth. On p. 13 of that Present Truth he states that “the camp in the finished picture repre­sents the formerly faith-justified ones who hold to the Ransom and practice righteous­ness, and converted Israel.” Of course, he at times referred to the Tentatively Justi­fied in the Camp, just as we often refer to a former Judge as Judge “so-and-so” – and as our Lord is called “the Son of Man” (Acts 7:56) at a time when He was immortal and the “glorified Son of God” – after His office as “the Son of man” was finished at the cross.

Since the “finished picture” of the Epiphany, according to RGJ, is now 20 years gone, it would seem that the “finished picture” will be longer than the Epiphany proper. All opportunity for consecrations under the High Calling ceased in 1914 – and, if we accept the Epiphany Messenger’s teaching, all consecrations acceptable to God, while sin and evil are in the ascendancy, will cease at the beginning of the “finished picture” of the Epiphany. However, just as Cornelius’ prayers and alms were held in memorial until the “due time” for God’s acceptance, the Campers alms and prayers will also he held in memor­ial for them until their “due time.” But the difference in the memorials held for the Gentiles and the Campers now is this: Cornelius made his consecration to God, while the Campers will make their consecrations to the Christ, when the New Covenant is inaugurated.

A little reflection will demonstrate the Truth on Tentative Justification: In 2 Cor. 6:1 St. Paul says, “We beseech you that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain.” Thus, we ask, Just what is this “Grace of God”? Is it not tentative justification? And, if they lose this “Grace of God” (their justification), just what is then left of them so far as their standing before God is concerned during the Faith Age, when sin and evil are in the ascendancy? Surely no one will dispute the fact that “sin and evil are in the ascendancy.” If RGJ wants to contend that his Campers are consecrated, thus have not received the Grace of God in vain, we ask him for some support from the Scrip­tures and from the writings of the two Messengers, other than his own imagination, to prove consecration is available in the Camp in the “finished picture” of the Epiphany ­and acceptable to God.

In Rom. 5:1, Dia., there is this: “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom, also we have been introduced into this favor in which we stand.” Note that “this favor” is the result of faith. And note the following from E-11:169, bottom: “When this Age ends Christ’s merit will cease to be an imputable thing.” Brother Johnson tells us in E-6:195, bottom, that the “finished pic­ture” contains those who are less than tentatively justified. And That Servant says in Question Book, p. 312: “At the close of this Age there will he no Tentative Justifica­tion.” And in E-15:261, par. 1, there is this: “Let us see the condition of justifica­tion that will prevail during the Millennial Age. During that Age there will be neither a tentative nor a vitalized justification, since both of these kinds of justification operate on the basis of the imputed ransom merit, as distinct from the applied ransom merit; and the Millennium will have no imputed, but applied ransom merit operating.”

But RGJ would have us believe that Brother Johnson changed his mind about Tentative .Justification, just as JFR contended That Servant changed his mind on Tentative Justifi­cation. Of course, the formerly faith-justified who retain the character qualities they developed when their faith-justification was operative, can be referred to as faith-­justified, as is often done of a Judge, Senator, etc., whose offices as such had expired. When one refers to him as Judge, after the tenure of his office had expired, that does not make his office as Judge operative, anymore than it makes the faith of the formerly faith-justified operative in the Camp after their ejection from the Court. Whether we refer to them as the tentatively justified or the faith-justified when in the Camp, that doesn’t make faith-justification, with all its privileges of consecrating, accept­able to God, as it was when they were in the Court.

RGJ proof-read the above statement in E-15, and this book was published in 1950. It now seems he was as careless with his proof-reading as he is with his statement that Brother Russell made one mistake in his earlier writing (namely, Jan. 1896, Reprint 1922), but consistently taught that Cornelius WAS NOT “repentant and believing” before Peter came to him, in all his general teaching from Jan. 1896 until 1916.

Also, from that same E-15, published in 1950, proof-read by RGJ, there is this:

“The Millennial justification will require the entire Millennium to complete, because it will be an actual as distinct from the reckoned justification of the Gospel Age. (But RGJ claims that the Restitutionists will have a tentative works justification, as distinct from the actual justification—JJH) And the conditions on which it will be bestowed will be faith and obedience unto perfection.” (p. 261) Does RGJ contend that “tentative” justification is NOT an imputable thing in the Mediatorial reign for his tentative works justification? And further: “They will have to obey the Millennial teachings and arrangements completely to gain justification in completeness... The result will be that they will be completely justified by works at the end of that Age. In a word, faith is the justifying instrumentality and thus the condition of justifica­tion of this Age, while obedience will be the justifying instrumentality and thus the condition of justification in the next Age.” (E-15:262, bottom and p. 263, top)

But RGJ sets aside the above Epiphany Truth, as he revolutionizes against both Parousia and Epiphany Truth on Tentative Justification, and heedlessly and wantonly con­tends for his perversions of the Camp and the Court. His loss of the “spirit of under­standing” on these Truths is as apparent as his confusion on what Brother Russell taught regarding Cornelius being “repentant and believing” prior to Peter’s visit. As Brother Johnson has aptly said, such crown-losers, while in the clutches of Azazel, not only cannot receive advancing Truth, but they lose the understanding of many vital Truths they once received and believed. And this seems to be RGJ’s trouble, as he makes one ‘foolish’ assertion after another – assertions that can be easily refuted by any one who takes the time to familiarize himself with the Scriptures, and with the writings of the Messengers.

We now quote from E-8:532: “Both tentative justification and vitalized justifica­tion are acts performed in heaven (Heb. 9:24). While the passage just cited strictly speaking, refers to vitalized and not to tentative justification, it teaches that in heaven is the place where justification is performed; and it therefore implies that there is where tentative justification is performed.” And on p. 548 of this same book: “The Youthful Worthies, accordingly, are of the tentative firstborn now, as they and the Ancient Worthies will also be such during the next Age.” The Worthies are Levites during the Epiphany, and are distinctly separated from the world of mankind; and so they will be in the next Age – they will be Levites and not counted in with the world of mankind, the Restitutionists, even though they are recipients of the New Covenant blessings.

Brother Johnson said in E-10:392 that JFR prevented many, by his perversions of various Truth teachings and arrangements, from entering into the justified state; and we believe the same is true of RGJ as he perverts “various Truth teachings and arrange­ments,” particularly as he upholds and defends his non-existent class of Campers conse­crated. The LHMM and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are unique in manufacturing such false doctrine – unique in the fact that no other groups emanating from the Harvest Truth have invented such classes. These two classes – Campers Consecrated and the Jonadabs, or “great crowd” – are indeed twins.

As we have previously stated, in this Age there can be no acceptable consecration without first having tentative justification – while the Restitutionists’ justifica­tion is actual, and gradual, which they cannot receive, even anticipatorally, until they are consecrated. There is a marked difference in consecration “unto death” dur­ing the Faith Age, when sin and evil are in the ascendancy, and consecration “unto life” under the Kingdom reign. In the Kingdom all who have pure hearts will receive actual and complete justification at the end of the Millennium – and all of this “profusion of words” by RGJ is just a desperate attempt to gloss over his contention that tentative justification will continue all during the Mediatorial reign. In view of our pulveriz­ing refutations of that error, he is now forced to modify it by saying it will be a ‘tentative’ works justification. And when RGJ says the Jews will then be tentatively justified, he is simply indulging in some more of his nonsense! There will be no tenta­tive justification in the Millennium, just as the Epiphany Messenger teaches – no tentative faith justification: The only kind of justification operating during the King­dom will he actual justification, which will he gradual, and will not be completed until the end of the Millennium when they are perfected in mind, body and in heart.

Once more we raise the question: Just what is Tentative Justification in this Faith Age? It is nothing more nor less than reckoned Restitution, reckoned perfection. Thus, there cannot possibly he Tentative Justification in the next Age; otherwise there would he no need for a Mediator. If RGJ’s contention that Restitutionists will have “peace with God” under a ‘tentative’ works justification is true, they would of neces­sity have a ‘reckoned’ actual justification (reckoned perfection). Such a condition would eliminate the need for a Mediatorial reign, because “peace with God” would mean that God would he dealing with them. However, they would need an Advocate before they reach actual perfection, just as those of the Faith Age need an Advocate. So in­stead of speaking of a Mediatorial reign, we should speak of the Millennial reign of the Advocate. If we keep this thought clearly in mind, we shall have no problem at all in giving RGJ’s errors their proper rating.

Such symbolic witchcraft (especially deceptive false doctrine) is abhorrent to God, and “God’s people by pertinent refutations are not to allow false-teaching churches, which practice symbolic witchcraft by erroneous teaching as Satan’s mouthpieces (2 Kings 9:22; Rev. 2:20-23), to go unrefuted, but are zealously to refute their symbolic witch­crafts (not suffer a witch to live, v. 18).” (E-11:388)

“REPENTANT AND BELIEVING”

Let us consider now “repentant and believing.” Repentance has two parts: one as to sin (which the repentant one forsakes and abhors), and one as to righteousness (which the repentant one embraces and champions). Thus, repentance is the first great step toward justification, the next step being faith – the combination of these two produc­ing justification by faith. During this Faith Age this produces “peace with God.” We emphasize, however, that faith is the dominating factor during this Age; but, while some faith will he necessary during the next Age, the real justifying instrument then will be works. Justification by faith will not be possible during the next Age. There­fore, none can obtain “Peace with God” by faith in the next Age, as is done in this Faith Age. And, since God does not accept imperfect works, the Restitutionists cannot have “peace with God” until their works are perfect. That is why a Mediator will then he nec­essary – the same being a go-between for parties who are at enmity with each other. The justification by faith in this Age is an instantaneous thing directly from God; justi­fication by works in the next Age will be a gradual thing obtained through the benevolent offices of the Mediator.

And, when RGJ tries to inject the peace offerings into this discussion, he demon­strates once more his ever-increasing loss of the “spirit of understanding” (Matthew 25:1-10 – See Berean Comments), as he continues in his revolutions and perversions of the Truth he once received, believed and taught – which is self-evident to all those who retain the “spirit of understanding” they received when they came into Present Truth. The peace offering then will he offered to the World’s High Priest, and not directly to God: “And for that reason during the Millennium God will put the race into the hands of the Mediator and will not deal with them at all.” (E-15:332) And further on p. 332: “These peace offerings include the vows that the world will make in connection with their consecration.... Jesus will direct all of the work of the Under priesthood as the World’s High Priest ministers the people’s peace offerings, their meat and drink offerings and their trespass offerings.”

The peace offerings of the Restitutionists will be in fulfillment of a vow, or a thank-offering, as That Servant tells us in Tabernacle Shadows, p. 98: “This offering was to be of the herd or flock; and it could be made either in fulfillment of a vow (covenant), or a willing ‘thank-offering.’” “But notice the difference between the treatment of such sin-offerings and the sin-offerings of the ‘Day of Atonement’ (the Gospel Age—JJH). The latter were offered to God (Justice) in the ‘Most Holy,’ as ‘the better sacrifices’; the former were offered to the priests, who, during the Atonement Day (Gospel Age—JJH) had purchased the people. The acknowledgment of the people will be made to their Redeemer. The Priest, indeed, took and offered to the Lord a portion of the offering, as a ‘memorial,’ as a recognition that the whole plan of redemption as executed on the Atonement Day (Gospel Age) was the heavenly Father’s, but appropriated to himself the remainder as his portion – by eating it.... The offerings of the Atone­ment Day (Gospel Age—JJH), as we have seen were always burned (Lev. 6:30; Heb. 13:11), but the later trespass-offerings, offered after the Day of Atonement (Gospel Age—JJH), were not burned, but eaten (appropriated) by the priests.” (Tabernacle Shadows, pp. 99, 100)

More from That Servant: “It can readily be seen that the world thus under the Mediator during the Millennium will need no Advocate, because they will have no deal­ings with the Father, but merely with Christ, the Mediator.” (Reprint 4584, col. 2 March 15, 1910) Also, “The Heavenly Father has assumed no responsibilities for the race; He is not dealing with the race; He does not even propose to do the judging of them, to see whether or not they shall attain to worthiness of eternal life; on the contrary, we are assured that He has committed the whole matter to the Son.” (Parousia Vol. 5, p. 470, bottom, p. 471, top)

And, if God will not deal with them at all, just how can they be said to have “peace with God”? Only those confused and befuddled with “strong delusions” could come up with such nonsense. (See 2 Thes. 2:11-12 and Berean Comments) We can pro­duce many more statements from That Servant stating that “God will have no dealings whatever with Restitutionists until the end of the Millennium,” statements with which RGJ was at one time in harmony – but we believe what we have given herein will be suf­­ficient for now. Whether he is so confused now on Tentative Justification and “peace with God” during the Mediatorial reign, that he cannot understand these clear statements from That Servant, just as ­he is over Cornelius not being “repentant and believing” when St. Peter came to him, ­remains to be seen. But it is our fond hope that these clear statements from That Servant will give him “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Tim. 2:26)

That Servant says that, “Any one may offer homage to God, bow the knee or express thanks and appreciation.” (Reprint 5379, Jan. 1, 1914) Even the thanks and apprecia­tion offered to God by good worldlings today will inure to their blessing in the King­dom – but that does not gain them “peace with God.” If Restitutionists desire to thank God during the Mediatorial reign, they may do so – but that will not give them “peace with God,” even though such an attitude will eventually lead to “peace with God” at the end of the Millennium. Even though the Christ will receive and appropriate the “peace-offerings” of the people, their thanks to God will be held in memorial for them until their due time for “peace with God” – just as was true of Cornelius before the 70th week had expired.

As we have said, we could multiply quotations from That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger that clearly dispute RGJ’s contentions and refute his errors on tentative justification, the Camp and the Court, etc., without further comment from us – but we believe what we have presented herein is all-sufficient to pulverize all his errors as given in his “Questions and Answers” in the Present Truth under review.

“By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting.” (Psa. 41:11-13) And may the Lord add His blessing!

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

NO. 232: IN MEMORIAM

No. 232

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

Comes again the time of year that we are vividly reminded of the demise of the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers; and it is our fond hope that our readers will ob­tain some good information and uplift from what we now present.

Up to his death on October 31, 1916, almost every one in “present truth” was fully persuaded that Brother Russell was “that servant” of Matt. 24:46; and quite a few still hold that opinion – among whom we include ourselves. During the Dark Ages the doctrine of “restitution” (Acts 3:19-21) had become completely lost; and this lapse injected utter confusion into the Christian fraternity. Without under­standing restitution, it was impossible to produce any harmonious understanding of the general Bible structure; the “plan of the Ages” (Eph. 3:11, Dia.) was a meaning­less expression. The woman having ten pieces of silver of Luke 15:8 corroborates the fact that the doctrine of restitution was lost. (See Berean Comments on Luke 15:8,9)

This problem gave extreme difficulty to That Servant, so much so that he on a certain occasion betook himself to three days of intense prayer and study, at the end of which he was rewarded with a clear understanding of the Atonement Day sacrifices as they are outlined in the 16th Chapter of Leviticus. This enlightenment caused him to realize that God was during this Gospel Age merely laying the foundation for the full atonement of the entire human race with Himself “in due time” – the delay being caused by God now taking from among the Gentiles “a people for His name” (Acts 15:14), the same to be associated with His Son Jesus as His Heavenly Bride to give the human family a rebirth under a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13) – in direct contrast to the degradation now prevailing in “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4)

However, the radical revelation of this understanding actually frightened him; it was actually difficult for him to believe this Scripture which seemed so logical, and with which he could find no fault. He needed to be doubly persuaded that it was actually the truth, so instead of broadcasting his findings immediately, or telling the general household of Faith about it, he summoned leading brethren to discuss this revelation – which he and they did during a period of eight days. When none of them could find any flaws in the picture, he eventually wrote a small book called Taber­nacle Shadows, which some of his ardent admirers have characterized as the biggest “little book” that has ever been written. No one with a clear understanding of that book will ever be confused on the “plan of the ages.”

THE PAROUSIA ELEAZAR

Eleazar was Aaron’s eldest son, and in line to become high priest in Israel at his father’s death.    But while serving as underpriest with his father, he was given very prominent service, as can be seen from Num. 4:16: “And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.” From certain standpoints the Tabernacle typifies the Gospel-Age Church. Therefore, those people who officiated in connection with it would also typify certain people in the Gospel Age. Considering the sweeping powers that Eleazar possessed – “the oversight of all the tabernacle” – it puts no strain upon the imagination to recognize that he typified the twelve Apostles at the First Advent. “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)

Similar language is used concerning Brother Russell: “Shall make him ruler over all His goods.” (Matt. 24:47) And in Luke 12:42: “That faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household, to give them their portion of meat in due season.” From this we do not wish to convey the thought that Brother Russell was infallible, or spoke by inspiration, as did the Apostles; but it is a self–evident fact that his power over the Harvest work and the Harvest Church was well nigh absolute. in course of time he recognized this; he appointed and dismissed Pilgrims as his judg­ment dictated; he was final authority on all Bible House matters, and made all appoint­ments of brethren to important executive positions. And being fully aware of this, he attempted to arrange things in such a manner that after his death would prevent any other individual from “stepping into his shoes,” as it were, by appointing an editorial commit­tee of seven brethren to supervise the Watch Tower publication. Those familiar with the situation know that his wishes were speedily ignored; in little more than a year, J. F. Rutherford had already enthroned himself “in Moses’ seat.”

However, it is not our wish to offer detail on the above statement; rather, we shall treat of the Gospel Harvest Eleazar from the standpoint of the type. In Numbers 4:16 seven executive and teaching functions are set forth, of which the first “pertain­eth to the oil for the light” – the lampstand. Among other things, oil represents the spirit of understanding (Matt. 25:3 – “the spirit of the Truth”––Berean Comment).  For Eleazar, therefore, to have charge of the oil for the lampstand would typify the privi­lege Brother Russell had of understanding the Truth as Pastor and Teacher – not only for himself, but also for the brethren as enlighteners of one another, as he conveyed his Biblical interpretations to them, giving them helps to learn and to teach the Truth. He did this orally and in writing. He gave clear and specific instructions for organ­izing classes, and for organizing distribution of the Truth literature to the general public.

Eleazar’s second duty had to do with “the sweet incense.” The unburnt sweet in­cense represented the actually perfect choice human powers of Jesus and the reckonedly perfect choice human powers of the Church – “much incense with the prayers of all saints” (Rev. 8:3,4). Brother Russell offered deep and truthful detail on such activ­ities of Jesus from Jordan to Calvary; and on the Church in general in their earthly pilgrimage all during the Gospel Age. As to the Church of his day, he acted directly both as the teacher and executive with respect to the sweet incense. He clearly ex­plained justification by faith through Jesus’ merit, which justification once fully ob­tained enabled such brethren to make their own offering of “the sweet incense” accord­ing to the providential circumstances of each one. We have been told that on one oc­casion, when Brother Russell was visiting a city, that a brother asked him to give his talk that morning on justification – which he proceeded to do, giving lucid analysis of the subject for an entire hour.

Thirdly, Eleazar had charge of “the daily meat offering,” – or, more properly, the meal offering.    When the drink offering is not mentioned (and it is omitted in Num. 4:16) it is understood as being included in the meal offering. This offering represents that part of the sacrifice with which the offerer occupies himself – such as setting forth the Truth – lecturing and preaching on the Truth by Pilgrims, Auxil­iary Pilgrims, elders, colporteurs and unofficial persons of lesser ability. It also included oral conversation in testimony of the Truth, serving in the Photo–drama work, serving as laborers of the Bible House and Bethel, doing office and home work in con­nection with spread of the Truth, and encouraging and supporting others in these vari­ous workers orally, with the printed page, by lectures, sermons, question meetings, conversation and letter writing. As executive he discharged this phase of  his  office by arranging for the various forms of service mentioned herein for spreading the Truth, as well as appointing specific persons to their pertinent positions – pilgrims, col­porteurs, department supervisors, etc., at Bethel and the Bible House. The fulfilled facts attest that he exercised his authority in all of these features.

Fourthly, Eleazar had the care of the anointing oil. This oil types the Holy Spirit from the standpoint of its qualifying the elect Church to serve each other. The ingredients of this oil are succinctly stated in Isa. 11:2, the contents of which may be stated thusly: the qualities of wisdom, justice, love and power each developed individually, developed in balance with others, with all of them controlling all our other qualities (2 Pet. 1:5-8), thus qualifying the various members of the Church for the “work of the ministry” (Eph. 4:12) – to the extent of their ability and providen­tial circumstances.

As antitypical Eleazar of the Gospel Harvest his charge as teacher was to instruct the Church as to the nature of the anointing, of the anointed class, of their duties, privileges in knowledge, service, development, endurance as “good soldiers,” etc. This he did in great detail in the Volumes, the Towers, and by his oral ministry. Es­pecially did he stress the development of the graces, the quickening, development, and balancing of the Holy Spirit. It logically followed that he would appoint qualified persons to the respective forms of service – pilgrims, colporteurs, photo–drama workers, Bible House and Bethel personnel, managers of the foreign branches and newspaper work­ers. Inasmuch as the great majority of classes had elected him as their pastor, he had supervisory capacity in their affairs – sometimes acting directly and sometimes indirectly in electing or unseating the officers of those classes – endorsing those qualified, and rejecting those he considered unqualified. All of this he did in efficient and im­pressive manner.

Fifth, Eleazar had charge of the Tabernacle itself – the whole structure, while it was standing, was under his supervision. The tabernacle proper in its Holy types the Church in its earthly ministry, and in the Most Holy in its heavenly inheritance. The humanity of such is typed in the Court, specifically with respect to the brazen altar. This typed the Harvest’s Eleazar’s capacity as Pastor and Teacher, with executive super­vision of the Church during the reaping and gleaning time – up to the time of his death. He also had similar authority over the antitypical Court, which contained the tentative­ly justified. Thus, he was the eye, hand and mouth of Jesus during his entire office as That Servant. While it is true that he did not produce all the advancing Truth dur­ing his ministry, he did produce much more of it than any other person. And, in that which others saw, they were obligated to secure his approval of it before he presented it to the general Church through the Towers. His authority in this respect was also well-­nigh absolute.

Sixth, he had full charge of the holy furniture in the Holy and the Most Holy – “the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is.” ­This would include the two altars, the laver, the lampstand, the table and the ark, all of which was in charge of antitypical Eleazar. The antitypical brazen altar in the Court represented the Church’s humanity in sacrifice; and Brother Russell gave great detail concerning this – the privileges of the brethren in using their human all whenever and wherever op­portunity afforded. This he did orally and in writing, and by his “example of the believers.” (1 Tim. 4:12) Thus he encouraged and directed the general Church as a “good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Tim. 2:3)

His teaching charge to the Church concerning the golden altar in the Holy had to do with encouraging, comforting, strengthening, correcting, warning, and restraining the sacrificing and suffering Church – which he did by explaining, proving, and illus­trating the privileges of the Church toward one another. His executive charge toward the Church was accomplished by his encouraging and directing the Church in such work.

As our readers know, the laver in the Court types the Bible – the base the Old Testament, and the upper part containing the water the New Testament, the upper part built upon and growing out of the lower part. The water in the upper part types the cleansing features of Bible truths. The Harvest Eleazar’s executive charge of the antitypical laver means that the Bible was placed in his care – to preserve it, to com­mend it, and make it influential in its use for its Divinely intended purpose of fur­nishing the proper doctrinal, refutative, correctional and ethical teachings, and to direct the use of pertinent Scriptures to his purpose. (2 Tim. 3:15-17) His teaching charge of the antitypical Laver implied that he was to declare the doctrine of the Scripture, as well as its teachings in doctrinal, refutational, correctional and ethi­cal respects. Certainly those of us who are familiar with his work know that he har­monized the Bible in a manner equaled by none other since the days of the Apostles.

Here we may properly apply this statement to an error that has circulated among some of the Lord’s people to the effect that there are other books – Pseudepigraphs, like the book of Enoch, the Old Testament Apocrypha, etc. – that are inspired writ­ings; thus, a part of the Bible. If they were, Brother Russell would have accepted them as a part of the Bible; and he would wisely and faithfully have shown his teach­ing and executive functions toward them. But he resolutely rejected them; and it is not difficult for any one who reads them carefully to note their inferiority when com­pared with the 66 genuine books of the Bible.

The lampstand represents the Church as enlighteners of each other; it teaches them the Truth.  Brother Russell acted out his office as teacher with respect to the antitypical lampstand in that he explained the nature, the character, privileges, du­ties, etc., of the Church as enlighteners of each other, and how to go about this good work. He also encouraged them to enlighten each other by providing the means whereby they could do this, and the best method to use in doing it. The table of shewbread types the Church in its capacity of strengthening its members with the bread of life unto every good word and work; especially so, with respect to the Sarah features of the Abrahamic Covenant, this being the promises that mother the Church in its earthly pilgrimage toward the Heavenly Canaan, their entrance into the Most Holy when their work on earth is finished. Having charge of this table and bread means he taught the brethren the best means of strengthening each other to “fight the good fight,” and to gain eternal life. He also arranged for conventions and organized meetings in the var­ious classes for this purpose.

Much more could he said about the foregoing, but we would not wish our readers to conclude that we be overmuch given to ‘angel worship.’ However, we consider it perti­nent to stress here that certain members of the Gospel-Age Church occupied positions which could apply to them alone. For instance, there were twelve Apostles, and only twelve; thus, they had no successors, as some of the sects contend. Prominent among such is the Roman Catholic Church. And with Brother Russell it may be stated with equal emphasis that his office as That Servant and as the Steward was unique to him alone; and the words which Jesus spoke concerning Himself may well be repeated for him: “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” (Jn. 17:4) Therefore, he had no successor; he supervised with full authority and finished the reaping feature of the Gospel-Age Har­vest, which provided everlasting tribute to him as antitypical Eleazar here in the end of the Age. We would qualify this, however, by noting that God did provide other faithful “stars” after the Apostles died; and continued to do this all during the Age, as He also did after the demise of antitypical Eleazar.

SOME SECULAR TESTIMONY

It has just recently come to our attention that one authority offers the follow­ing comment: “RUSSELL, CHARLES TAZE, popularly called Pastor Russell (b. Feb. 16, 1852, Pittsburgh, Pa. – d. Oct. 31, 1916, Pampa, Texas), founder of the International Bible Students Association, forerunner of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Of Presbyterian and Congregational background, Russell renounced the creeds of orthodox Christian denominations and in 1872 organized an independent Bible study class in Pittsburgh. From 1877 he preached that Christ’s second advent would be invisible, that the end of the Gentile times would come in 1914, followed by war between capital­ism and communist or socialism, after which God’s Kingdom by Christ would rule the whole earth. Russell (who was never ordained) dedicated his life and his consider­able fortune to preaching Christ’s Millennial reign. In 1879 he started a Bible jour­nal later called the Watchtower, and in 1884 founded the Watchtower Bible & Tract So­ciety, which became a flourishing publishing business. His own books and booklets (notably six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circulation of 16,000,000 copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons.”

By way of comparison and marked contrast, this same publication says this regard­ing JFR: “RUTHERFORD, JOSEPH FRANKLIN, nicknamed Judge (1869–1942), religious leader and author, president of Jehovah’s Witnesses (also called the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society), 1916-42.”

The above statement concerning Brother Russell is so strikingly accurate that it sounds as though he himself had written it. From a purely secular standpoint, we would say it is an excellent testimonial; and, as more of his prophetic interpretations are fulfilled, we are fully persuaded that even better tributes will be forthcoming from similar writers. As Brother Johnson has so aptly written of him, Brother Russell will yet appear in the records of men as one of the greatest of reformers and Biblical logi­cians.

The same publication states further of “Joseph Franklin Rutherford that he was a lawyer who had been closely associated with Russell since about 1910. But he possessed little of the personal magic that Russell had wielded with such success, and, in addi­tion, challenged some of Russell’s views......... A number of small schisms resulted, but Rutherford eventually was successful in organizing the work of the Society so that the transition to his successor in 1942 was made without difficulty. Almost nothing is known about the life of J. F. Rutherford. He shunned publicity and toward the end of his life met with members of the Society only at their annual conventions. Russell had written a good deal, and his seven–volume (? ––JJH) Studies in the Scriptures was widely sold; but it was under Rutherford that the Society work took on its present character of a publishing house rather than a church. Rutherford claimed to have writ­ten 99 books and pamphlets, which appeared in more than 300,000,000 copies.”

When the above publication states that Rutherford “challenged some of Russell’s views,” it is making a major understatement; and the same may be said about the “num­ber of small schisms that resulted.” Those of us familiar with the truth on the sub­ject know that Rutherford challenged the majority of important doctrines in the truth structure taught by Brother Russell, so that at this time there is little resemblance between the teachings of the two men.

The publication states further that Jehovah’s Witnesses, along with Christian Science and Mormonism, constitute the three largest and most significant variants of the 19th-century American Protestantism. The Witnesses now have in excess of 1,000,000 in their world membership. However, when we consider that Rutherford is catalogued in the same group with Brigham Young and Mary Baker Eddy it presents some considerable light on why he “possessed little of the personal magic that Russell had wielded with such success.” We have been told that Rutherford on one occasion went to a woman photographer, one who had made photographs of Brother Russell, to have a photograph made of himself. When he was shown the finished product he remarked that his picture was not as impressive as that of Brother Russell; the woman answered, “That’s because the man isn’t there.”

Just one more quotation from the article: “The Witnesses believe that the King­dom of God began in 1914. Apparently they expected (as did the Millerite Adventists in 1844) some historical and worldly event to take place at that time, but have since taken the position that in 1914 Jehovah inaugurated the Kingdom in a manner apprehensible only to a believer.” Yes, this last clause is emphatically true; and it is just the extreme opposite of the teaching of Brother Russell, who based his belief upon the true gospel of Jesus, St. Paul and others: “God desires all men to be saved, and to come to an accurate knowledge of the truth... Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all” (not just for those who become members of the Witnesses’ sect)––l Tim. 2:4-6, Dia.

In keeping with this, Brother Russell also stressed the words of Isa. 35:5-10: “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped (those that are now unable to “hear” and understand the Truth)... wayfaring men, though fools , shall not err therein... and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Instead of “sorrow and sighing” diminishing and disappearing, it has been pyramided out  of all proportion to what was the case prior to 1914. And being in full accord with his clear and sober interpretation of this Scripture, we can enthusiastically exclaim, God bless his memory!

ANOTHER SECULAR EXPRESSION

Last Spring an item was brought to our attention that appeared in the Sunday feature section of a prominent Florida newspaper – the same written by a professor of one of the nation’s outstanding universities. Some of his contentions were so distorted that we were moved to write him the following letter:

My dear Professor: Christian greetings!

The general content of your “Poster Evangelism” treatise in the March 10 paper is read with considerable appreciation – very well written, I would say.

However, some of your statements regarding Russellism are very much askew; and I am persuaded that a man of your erudition and candor would not intentionally put false statements into your writings. For instance, you say “Russellism employed the sure–fire device of prophesying the imminent arrival of Christ (MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE).” At no time did Pastor Russell ever preach “the imminent arrival of Christ,” or use words that would convey such an impression. He did, however, offer elaborate and consummate analysis of such texts as Matt. 24:3: “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” He contended that this was a very poor and misleading translation (the King James translation is replete with such mistakes).  Present-day Greek scholars give it this way: “What shall be the sign of Thy presence, and of the consummation of the Age?” The word world in the text is from the Greek “aion,” and it means Age or Dispensation.

Furthermore, the “Millions Now Living” idea was never even mentioned during Pastor Russell’s life. He died October 31, 1916; was succeeded in the Presidency of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society by J. F. Rutherford, who invented the “Millions” idea; and time has clearly proven that it was simply an odious vagary – hallucination with no foundation in fact or prophecy.

You also say Pastor Russell wrote seven volumes; whereas, he wrote only six vol­umes of Studies In The Scriptures. The seventh one – The Finished Mystery – is also a figment of Rutherford’s mind. He audaciously declared that it was the “posthumous work” of Charles T. Russell – and the book does contain many quotations from his writ­ings; but the errors injected into it by Judge Rutherford and his assistants offer in­sult to the clear and sober statements of Pastor Russell.

In Luke 21:24 Jesus said, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Some thirty years before 1914 Pastor Rus­sell did forecast that the times of the Gentiles would end in 1914, the evidence of which would be a great world war. Even as late as 1913 he was scornfully ridiculed by his critics; but time has clearly proven that he was right, and they were wrong; the war came as predicted – almost to the day.

As a general statement, the Russellites were “moderately educated,” as you say; but they also did have among them a few brilliant Greek and Hebrew scholars – enough to reveal the erroneous translations of the Bible; and this made the Movement gener­ally basically sound in exegetical deductions. The most brilliant of these was Professor Paul S. L. Johnson, who was a master of Greek and Hebrew. He soon voiced em­phatic protest against the perversions that the Judge and his companions in error were attempting to inject into the harmonious truth structure that Pastor Russell had left. It was my privilege to be a very close friend of Professor Johnson, and I gave him very substantial support after he left the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in 1917 – and which I continued to do until his death in 1950.

A pertinent analogy to the Russell Movement may be found among the Apostles, of whom it is written “they were unlearned and ignorant men” (Acts 4:14). But they also had a man named Paul among them, who was brilliant and highly educated. As respects Professor Johnson, I might add that he graduated from Capitol University of Columbus, Ohio, with the highest honors ever attained by any student up to his time.

It is my hope that you will find the copies of my papers, No. 194–223 and Special Edition No. 7, interesting and informative; and I send with this letter my cordial good wishes for your health and prosperity.  The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.

Sincerely,  John J. Hoefle

In due course we received a courteous reply to the above letter, thanking us for the information we gave him. He also said, “What I wrote was based on intimate con­tact with Russellism when I was in High School in the 20’s... My uncle could talk of nothing else. He was a fervent follower, first of Russell, then of Judge Rutherford. Of course, my uncle never knew of Paul Johnson’s protests, and I was too young to have been aware of the division of thought at the Brooklyn headquarters.”

From the foregoing we may readily discern how easy it has been to ‘make’ history; and that much of what is in the books today may be far from the truth. But when the record is written in full truth, then we shall have full appreciation of Jesus’ words, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43) And this will be especially true of those faithful Pastors and Teachers, such as That Servant, the Epiphany Messenger, and others of the Gospel Age, including all the fully faithful.

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Mr. Hoefle:

Some one has sent me a copy of your paper, No. 221. Brother Russell was totally and hopelessly in error in regard to many things he taught in his “Tabernacle Shadows” booklet. Brother Johnson took hold of these errors and expanded them into much greater and more “advanced” error. Both you and Mr. Jolly maintain that you are faithful dis­ciples of Russell and Johnson: but what you are doing is to tilt each other in this arena of “advanced” error, because each of you sees this error differently. One inter­prets it one way, and the other another way; and the whole thing is a complete waste of time and effort. Jesus and the apostles knew nothing of such stuff.

Even if you, or Mr. Jolly, were right, neither of you would qualify to be in the “Youthful Worthy” Class, because you both fail to give a witness against the two beset­ting sins of the Church and the world – usury, and contraception.  “Watch and be sober.” With Christian love – Yours in the Master’s service, ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

I do enjoy your papers – especially the last one, “The River Jordan – Types and Antitypes,” and how it empties into the Dead Sea, and the landslides in Joshua’s time, etc. This is a very new thought to me of the happenings so Biblically mentioned. But you do have a way of bringing it out in plain language for better viewing.

As ever with Christian love ------- (NEW   YORK)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our Savior’s precious Name!

I received both letters, and I am still in Trinidad. On the 5th of this month I expect to be here. I shall appreciate it if you will send tracts of various titles for me to distribute in Saint Vincent. The interested ones are looking forward to receiv­ing this literature. I found out recently that an interested individuals father was a student of Brother Russell. We are praying that the Truth may find an abiding place in her heart.

God bless you both! Yours in His service ------- (SAINT VINCENT)

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

I acknowledge the receipt of a letter from Brother -------  with .... pounds enclosed for you. I have acknowledged same to him.

We are still on the threshold of a New Year, and it needs so much more to walk it than the years gone by. Let him that putteth on his armor boast not himself.... There­fore we see no room for boasting.  Our strength is not in self, but in the Lord. When we think of self we tremble, but in the Lord we are strong! Yes, the powers of the earth are being shaken, and will soon be at their end.

We enjoy your monthly articles immensely, and with much appreciation. We have lost one of our dear brethren. She finished her course faithfully, I believe. I spent quite a while with her in her last hours. She left us with the feeling “the Lord will provide.”

With all the efforts of the LHMM brethren, their character structure is falling ­they manifest the true spirit of Babylon. As Brother Johnson has said, We fear for them!

May the God of all Grace bless and keep you and all your co–laborers.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: – Grace and peace!

Thank you very much for sending me the May-June papers first class, in advance, as I surely appreciated them. I am enclosing $... as a small contribution, as I real­ize that it really costs to send the papers to me first class. Also, I enjoyed the last two papers – the one on “The Third Watch,” and the one on the River Jordan. They are masterpieces! And I agree 100% that they should be read by every Bible Student.

Well, must close for now. Hope this finds you and all there well.

With much Christian love, ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Yesterday we sent ... lbs. to Brother ------- for you. Sisters ------- joined with us in this contribution. Sister ------- has asked us to send her some Resurrection tracts, which we were pleased to send. Then Sister ------- asked if we could send her a supply of “The Permission of Evil,” which we have sent to her. Sister and I have given out quite a few “What is the Soul.”

The Lord is marching on – and prophecies being continually fulfilled. The Dawn of the Millennium is revealing the corruption in high places – the whole of Society throughout the world keeps tottering like a drunken man. Israel as a nation now is having much trouble.

Sister joins me in much love to you and all the dear ones with you.

By His Grace, Brother ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

I am the Grandmother of ------- of Fresno. Occasionally we have opportunity for a Bible study, but not nearly often enough. I have read and studied your literature for many years, and receive the papers regularly. I enjoy them very, very much! I met you personally when you were with Bro.  Johnson at the Los Angeles Convention. Please use the enclosed check for your work as you see fit.

Your sister in His Name ------- (CALIFORNIA)

NO. 231: KING SAUL - TYPE AND ANTITYPE

No. 231

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

In Vol. E–14, middle of p. 5, we are told that “Saul types the crown–lost lead­ers from early in the third century to Armageddon.” And in E–13:181 it is stated that “Samuel types the Little Flock as a whole, especially in its more prominent mem­bers, and more especially in the star–members and their special helpers during the interim.” In 1 Sam. 10:1 it is recorded that “Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head... because the Lord hath anointed thee (Saul) to be captain over His inheritance.” Sober reflection impresses us with the strange procedure – the greater (Samuel) anointing the lesser (Saul) to be leader over God’s faithful Israel, even while the Judge and Prophet Samuel dwelt among them. This situation can only be reconciled by the knowledge that God was here making a type of the Gospel Age, a most impressive type which unmistakably reveals the course events would follow after the Apostles would be no more. In the comments which follow we are offering much from Brother Johnson as set forth in E–13 and E–14.

Typical Saul was a “choice young man, and goodly... not among the children of Is­rael a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” (1 Sam. 9:2) In all this he portrayed the admirable qualities of the Gospel-Age crown-lost leaders, many of whom were greater intellects than the star mem­bers who had “laid hands upon them.” And at the outset many of them waged valiant war­fare victoriously against the antitypical Philistines (sectarians). Also, just as the typical Saul presented a compelling magnetism for Israel, so the antitypes did like­wise. Among them were to be found the greatest intellects (“higher than any of the people”), the greatest moralists, zealous for human uplift and social reform, although blinded to the real purpose of the “call” to “take out from among the Gentiles a people for His name,” who would during the Kingdom reign have the power and authority to ac­complish to the full what has been impossible of accomplishment during the reign of evil. Also, most of them showed a commendable humility at the outset – just as did the typical Saul (“When thou wast little in thine own eyes I made thee king over Israel”); but they also followed his wayward course of power-grasping and disobedience; setting aside the instructions of the Lord as given through antitypical Samuel (the star-members), they ig­nored the clear exhortation, “to obey is better than sacrifice.”

And the wayward course of these “children of disobedience” (Col. 3:6) always brought them into open conflict with the Star Members that were living at the time ­“there was strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cat­tle.” (Gen. 13:7) Thus they obtained the present advantage (“the plain of Jordan..... well watered everywhere”), and became the mouthpieces to nominal spiritual Israel in most instances until the Harvest – although be it noted that in not a single instance did any of those crown-lost leaders become the Pastor and Teacher to the Fully Faithful, this being an office which the Lord alone could bestow. And in the picture presented in Numbers 7 by the offerings of the princes, in not a single instance did any of them offer a “cup” (symbolic of doctrines), the Lord there making clear to those who “have an ear to hear” that those crown-lost leaders (on up to Armageddon) would never occupy the seat of chief favor in His Household of Faith. In fact, every one of the Gospel-­Age princes (crown-lost leaders) perverted the truths given them by the fully faithful antitypical Samuel (“asses – Teachings – were lost”).

The foregoing far-reaching truths did not become clear until the Epiphany Messen­ger made them clear; and this was undoubtedly for a purpose also. Had these truths been understood throughout the Age, the “blinded Samson” would then not have been blind; he would not have “ground wheat in the mill” for the antitypical Philistines. Even in the case of That Servant who was “made ruler over all His goods” the same course of cen­turies past was trodden once more – he “anointed” crown-losers to carry on the Harvest work in the person of J. F. Rutherford and Company. But those crown-losers walked ex­actly in the footsteps of their kinsmen – they skillfully refuted the errors of the PBI on the chronology (defeated the Philistines), etc., while perverting the stewardship doctrine of Restitution that had been committed to their trust by the Parousia Messen­ger. And the Epiphany Messenger did likewise in anointing antitypical Saul, although we must make allowance for him, because he believed only crown-losers would remain after his demise, so he chose the logical person by asking the 1948 Detroit Convention to ap­prove his choice of R. G. Jolly. Some may now be inclined to fault that action; but we should bear in mind that some of his adherents were very insistent that proper provision he made in case of his death (once more the children of Israel crying unto the Lord, “Give us a king”); and R. G. Jolly at that time was certainly “higher than any of the people” who might he selected to carry on after antitypical Samuel’s death. So we our­selves offer no criticism of the Epiphany Messenger in the action taken at Detroit.

But the “anointing” of this member of antitypical Saul resulted precisely in keep­ing with all the ‘anointings” of the past. He did valiantly in refuting the issue of the High Calling still open; and his booklet exposing Jehovah’s Witnesses is a capable work – he defeated the Philistines. Yet in those very victories he, too, was going astray with the stewardship doctrine entrusted to him – The Epiphany in its relation to the Epiphany Elect – by declaring no more saints among the Epiphany Elect, and by other drastic and inexcusable perversions. For, just as Samuel continued in Israel after Saul’s anointing, so antitypical Samuel has continued in Israel after he anointed the last member of antitypical Saul – although the surviving members of the Samuel Class do not contain among them a star member. As Brother Johnson has expressed it in E–13:190 (8), “full qualifications for the pertinent leadership were given by antitypical Sam­uel to antitypical Saul,” so he also did in the case of R. G. Jolly – by letters and personal instruction before his death. In these endeavors he surely had the best in­terests of all Israel at heart to the day of his death, nor can he be blamed for the deflections that have appeared since 1950, even though it is now crystal clear to us that he gave us an exact blueprint of the actions of the centuries past that occurred in every sect in Christendom by the crown-lost leaders.

In this matter the supposedly enlightened adherents of the LHMM are the more to be blamed, and the words of Samuel to Israel apply with irresistible force to them: “I brought up Israel out of Egypt (from Satan’s evil order of affairs), and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you (the evils of sin, error, selfishness and worldliness); And ye have this day rejected your God, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations.” (1 Sam. 10:18, 19) An excellent companion text is to be found in Psa. 77:20 – “Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses (the Lord) and Aaron (the Church).” We have the inspired warning in 1 Pet. 4:17: “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” – the righteous (the fully faithful), the un­godly (the second-deathers), the sinner (the Great Company), each according to that which he has sown. And when we see those we once respected and loved now being “car­ried about by every wind of doctrine” we need no further testimony that they have left tragic flaws, erosions and rents in their past endeavors to “put on the whole armor of God.” This has affected different ones in various and sundry manner. Some have with­drawn to themselves in spiritual anarchy, making their own decisions, establishing their own arrangements for the study, practice, and spread of the “good word of God,” and flaunting the direct inspired command, “Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (Heb. 10:25) – a counterpart of Judges 17:6 – “In those days there was no king (star member) of Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

The Executive Trustee of the LHMM has also perverted another feature of the stew­ardship doctrine pertaining to the Epiphany Elect when he renounced the Epiphany Mes­senger’s teaching in E–10:672, that new Youthful Worthies would be won even after Arma­geddon. He now claims that work is all in the past – forsaking the truth that both Star Members taught regarding this Class (“flatly denying our dear Pastor’s thought that those who consecrating and proving faithful in the interval between the close of the General Call in 1881 and the inauguration of the earthly phase of the Kingdom and finding no crowns available for themselves, will become associated in reward and ser­vice with the Ancient Worthies in the Kingdom”––E–4:337); he has substituted his spir­itual hybrids (Campers Consecrated), which in turn has forced him to forsake the truth on Tentative Justification.

Bear in mind that it was only after he began his perversions that he began to suffer his defeats – just as was true of King Saul. The typical “child of disobedi­ence” went from one mistake to another worse one after he began his decline, culminat­ing finally in his own death – and the ignominious defeat of the entire nation of Is­rael. His experiences should be a solemn warning to all God’s people to “make straight paths for their feet.” Here was a man come from the smallest family in the smallest tribe of Israel (Benjamin), who rose to the highest office in Israel; then because of disobedience (“to obey is better than sacrifice”––l Sam. 15:22) he plummeted to an ab­ject humiliation far below what he had been when he was a simple herdsman caring for his father’s cattle and sheep. It seems he learned just nothing from his mistakes, because “the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.” (1 Sam. 16:14)

It has been well stated that experience is a dear teacher, but a fool will learn by no other. But, when a man will not learn even by adverse experiences, he is then impoverished beyond description.   Be it remembered that it was the Gospel-Age Saul that built up Great Babylon, which in turn “made all the earth drunken” (Jer. 51:7); so that at this day “the earth is reeling to and fro like a drunkard” (Isa. 24:20) as a direct result of the bunglings of the “children of disobedience.” And, when the “drunkard” finally plunges over the precipice of destruction in Armageddon, then will antitypical Saul perish also (as such, though not necessarily as human beings, or even as New Creatures). This fate will be the direct result of their own sowing.

And, true to his kinsmen of the past, the Executive Trustee of the LHMM now fol­lows meticulously in their steps, he also having learned just nothing from the past failures and mistakes of antitypical Saul. It was when he began to pervert the Truth on Tentative Justification that his defeats also began – the abject failure of his $5 correspondence course – the humiliation of those conglomerate Conventions about which he was so loud and profuse for a time, but which are not even mentioned anymore – his defeats one after another in his various controversies on the Truth – his Flying Sau­cer tract – his bungling mistakes in the Present Truth, etc. “Bungling is the usual and natural activity of the Great Company,” says Brother Johnson; and his defeats will continue becoming more severe, until he drinks the cup of extreme humiliation and defeat of that part of Israel under his leadership – that is, if he is one to come out of the “great tribulation” and wash his robes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). Of this there shall be more comment “in due time.”

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD DEPARTED FROM SAUL

In 1 Sam. 16:14 it is recorded that “The Spirit of the Lord Departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” From this we should not conclude that the Holy spirit departed from the members of antitypical Saul. Had this occurred, they would all have gone into the Second Death.   Rather, they all lost the spirit of under­standing (See Matt. 25:3-9 and 25:30 Berean Comments), so that they not only could not see the advancing Truth, but actually lost important parts of the Truth they once pos­sessed. This is especially evident in this Epiphany period, where the leaders of all the groups in Little Babylon have cast aside large segments of the Truth that once sanc­tified them. Note particularly the confusion in the leader of the LHMM on Tentative justification, Campers Consecrated, the Saints all gone before the real ‘tribulation, of the Time of Trouble (Armageddon) has started, his Campers’ names prospectively (?) written in the Book of Life, before their Book is even opened, the Jews to become Campers Consecrated if they expect to get their promises of “first and chief” in the Kingdom, etc., etc.

The foregoing conclusion is clearly verified in 1 Sam. 28:14: “When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” The antitypical “dreams” we would understand to mean special revelations of advancing Truth from the Lord; the “Urim” meaning the doctrinal teachings of the Bible, which be­come unclear to those who lose the spirit of understanding (no longer understanding Ten­tative Justification, Consecration between the Ages while sin still prevails, etc.); the antitypical “prophets” are especially enlightened teachers, such as Brother Russell, Brother Johnson and others, whose teachings no longer motivate them. Especially here do we emphasize the teachings of both these Little Flock teachers on Abandonment to Aza­zel of all Great Company members, and their clear presentations on those consecrators be­tween the Ages who can no longer enter the High Calling.

AN EVIL SPIRIT TROUBLED HIM

The “evil spirit” that came over Saul is said to have been “from the Lord.” An evil spirit being is not here meant; rather, it means an evil disposition – resulting in God withdrawing His special help from him. Thus, God did not directly induce such a spirit; but it came about by allowing the Saul members to follow their own foolish de­vices – just as we are to understand the meaning of 2 Thes. 2:9-11, “God will send them strong delusion.” God is not the author of confusion, nor is He the disseminator of error. Note Brother Russell’s comments on some features of this text: “Because they received not the love of the Truth – But trifled with it to their injury”; “Strong delusion – That which, from certain standpoints, has the appearance of Truth” (such as Justification outside the righteousness of Christ, etc.). A self-confessed “trifling with the Truth” is to be found in RGJ’s letter published in the Nov. 15, 1910 Watch Tower, a little of which we now quote:

“I sought to make pictures and draw types from nearly every chap­ter in the Bible (just as he has attempted to do with the half Tribe of Manasseh on the west side of Jordan, the Hill Ophel, etc., etc.––JJH) .... Instead of using it to supply my much-needed armor, I was enjoying it more as one would a picture book or ‘Grimm’s Fairy Tales’ .... Finally I came to the point where it became quite difficult for me to distinguish between truth and error. Signed: R. G. Jolly” (And the above still seems to be his sad condition!––JJH)

THE MARK OF CAIN

“Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then I shall be upright, and I shall he in­nocent from the great transgression.” (Psa. 19:12, 13) It is the usual procedure for one sin to beget other sins – for the offender to go from transgression to transgres­sion – just as it is also true that one error begets other errors, and one falsehood other falsehoods. This process is prompted by the necessity to alibi the wrongs or errors already committed; and David’s own experience is an outstanding Scriptural ex­ample of this. His moral offense with Bathsheba was a direct violation of the Seventh Commandment, which quickly led to violation of the Sixth Commandment in his murder of Uriah. Thus, David could well speak from experience when he composed the 19th Psalm.

And so it has also been where the evil of envy is allowed to spawn and grow. “Joseph’s brethren envied him” (Gen. 37:11; Acts 7:9), which in turn prodded them to “conspire against him to slay him.” (v. 18) It was envy that caused Cain to murder his brother Abel; it was envy that prompted the ‘good’ religious people to crucify the Lord of Glory. “Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered Him.” (Matt. 27:18) And after King Saul’s offenses had led Samuel to inform him that the Kingdom of Israel would be taken from him, it was then that the spirit of envy urged him also to attempt the murder of David. And, while he was prevented from actual commission of the crime, he was yet fully guilty; so that in due course he paid for his evil intentions with his own life, just as though he had really murdered the Lord’s anointed.

Envy was undoubtedly the motivation of those princes and presidents in Babylon who conspired to have Daniel thrown into the lions’ den. King Darius had promoted this foreigner, this Jew, over all of them; and it was more than they could bear. However, he who digs a pit for another falls oftener therein himself; and so it was with those conspirators against Daniel. When morning came, and King Darius perceived that some sort of miracle had been performed to spare Daniel from the hungry lions, he then commanded that his conspirators, and all their families, be thrown to the lions; of and all them were consumed. “Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.” (Job 5:2) This picture had its fulfillment with those of our day who conspired to destroy Brother Russell; and it was re–enacted in a smaller way with those who tried to destroy Brother Johnson. On one occasion we asked him why the Society breth­ren treated him so shamefully. His answer: IT WAS ENVY, Brother!    Here was another despicable act of envy on the part of antitypical Saul right at our own doorstep!

A WORD FROM THAT SERVANT

Brother Russell has offered profuse comment on the typical Saul – his weaknesses, his failures, his abandonment by the Lord, and his final abject failure. Two of these articles are to be found in Reprints 4206 and 4210, from which we offer very brief sum­mations, although we believe all would do well to read carefully and consider the entire articles:

“Saul’s difficulty and tests may represent some of ours. (1) A selfish spirit... (2) A man-fearing spirit... (3) Saul’s third difficulty was that he had too slack an appreciation of the Lord’s word; and this is the difficulty which specially besets nearly every one of the Lord’s followers who stray away into error of doctrine or of conduct... The Scriptures clearly indicate a great trial and testing for the Church in the next few years. (Little did Brother Russell realize just how great that testing would be in 1917––JJH) It will determine with very many what Saul’s testing determined for him, whether or not God’s favor will continue, with its kingdom privileges and opportunities ... They will be answered as was Saul, ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice’; thou art rejected.”

It requires no great powers of discernment to perceive “too slack an apprecia­tion of the Lord’s word” among the multitudes of Christendom. “Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11) But this same situation is becoming increasingly so with many so-called Truth people. “Too slack an appreciation of the Lord’s word” starts at the top; and it is a sage observation that the disciple rarely rises above his Lord. Thus, the leaders in the various groups of Little Babylon who should be zealously stirring up a proper appreciation of the Lord’s word are unable to do so because of their own errors – errors which have become so appalling that it prevents them from giving a good defense of those truths which they still retain. That same situation prevailed in Big Babylon at the begin­ning of the century; and it provided many a spark for the controversialists of that time – until they realized that the Parousia David (That Servant) had a “sharp two-­edged sword” which they could neither gainsay nor resist. This led eventually to withdrawal from the battle on the part of the errorists – until today it matters very little what one believes so long as he creates no uproar about it.

And that same “lack of appreciation of the Lord’s word” is rapidly infiltrating the sects of Little Babylon. Let us dwell in peace, they say; the arguments are inconsequential anyway. Their appreciation of the Lord’s word is indeed becoming quite slack! Nor do they do very much about feeding the sheep. As Brother Johnson has ob­served, these crown-lost leaders do much better in their efforts toward the worldlings. Brother Russell and Brother Johnson left us plenty of material to enlighten and fortify us in this Epiphany period when these crown-lost leaders are so prominently manifested. “Therefore, by their fruits you will discover them.” (Matt. 7:20, Dia.) The crown-­lost leaders largely ignore these truths as they seek gain for their own quarters.

As stated above, Saul’s blunders and transgressions became worse with each deflec­tion, although the prophet of God was there to reprove and correct him each time. His was a vivid example of the admonition, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Prov. 29:1) His first gross deflection is recorded in 1 Sam. 13, where Saul himself offered sacrifice in direct violation of what he knew full well was the Lord’s established arrangement. “Because they (the Great Company) contemned the counsel (arrangements) of the Most High” (Psa. 107:11). Immediately the Fully Faithful servant of the Lord was there to reprove him: “And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly” – 1 Sam. 13:13. And because of this he was told, “Thy kingdom shall not continue... because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.”

And other acts of disobedience soon manifested other flaws in his character, and revealed three outstanding sins common among men. He had been told to destroy utter­ly the Amalekites and their herds, but his cupidity was stronger than the clear com­mand of the Lord. He did indeed completely destroy the Amalekites (excepting only Agag the King), but the sight of their fat cattle easily overcame Saul, so “Saul and the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of lambs, and all that was good... but everything that was vile and refuse, that they de­stroyed utterly.” (1 Sam. 15:9)

And once again the Fully Faithful Samuel was there to confront him; and once again Saul made display of the flaws in his character, the sins of hypocrisy and lying: “Blessed be thou of the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” Reproved by Samuel’s stern countenance and sharp questions, Saul then attempted to take refuge in another sin as old as the human race: “The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God,” repeating this falsehood in verse 21, but finally forced to admit, “I have sinned.” And, just as “Samuel came no more to see Saul” (v. 35), so the Lord God came no more to see Father Adam, after his impudent accusation following the transgression in Eden: “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me” (Gen. 3:12). As Adam was bold and impudent enough to accuse the Lord Himself for his deflection, so Saul was ready enough to blame “the people” for his sins. All of which is warning enough for him that “hath an ear to hear.”

Century after century during the Gospel Age, as antitypical Saul was “anointed” by antitypical Samuel, the great majority of the Saul class was goaded by unholy ambi­tion to violate the teachings and arrangements of the Lord as presented through the Sam­uel class. Thus, they overshadowed the Fully Faithful and produced the “golden cup” which “made all the earth drunken: Therefore, the nations are (now in 1974) mad”! And, in exact imitation of their kinsmen of the past, the Epiphany Saul submerged the Fully Faithful, and presented a “cup” of rank intoxication. All of us who were in “the good fight” some fifty years ago remember only too vividly the treatment accorded the Epiphany Messenger by J. F. Rutherford and Company – how they submerged the Samuel class by “bowing the knee to Baal” in unprincipled power–grasping, as they presented to the general public their “Millions Now Living” mirage, their 1925 fiasco, etc., which failing fully in every detail they then seized upon the old Papal anathema of the Dark Ages: No salvation outside of our organization – the same being their shibboleth even at this day.

And in similar fashion the crown-lost leader of the LHMM mimicked his Epiphany kinsmen: he and his are now the “Fully Faithful,” the “light,” the “good and faithful servant” class, etc. – and those claiming to be the Fully Faithful are second–deathers, the same being the identical verdict circulated by the Society some fifty years ago against brother Johnson and his adherents. So once again we ob­serve antitypical Saul “anointed” by Samuel in crystal clear exhibition of the true picture given “for our admonition and learning” (1 Cor. 10:11) some three thousand years ago. The truth of this type will certainly impress all who are “of the truth,” and have even a smattering of Epiphany Truth.

“Fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what a great thing He hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your kind.” (1 Sam. 12:24) This prophetic warning saw exact fulfillment at the death of Saul and his three sons, as Israel also was “consumed” in defeat by the Philistines.

Thus, we close with Brother Johnson’s conclusion in E–13:251: “Let us learn the lessons chiefly inculcated by Samuel and Saul, i.e., that by God’s grace we stand, as we abide faithful, taught us by antitypical Samuel’s life, and that, despite God’s grace, we fall, as we prove unfaithful, taught us by antitypical Saul’s life.” And we would add – “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall he as a tree planted by the waters...” (Jer. 17:7,8)

Sincerely your brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Much has been said about the “repentant and believing” in the “finished picture” of the Epiphany Camp. Exactly what is meant by “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles?

ANSWER: – To repent means “to amend or resolve to amend one’s life as a result of contrition for one’s sins.” (Webster) And “believing” means to accept Jesus as Savior. Such people in the finished Epiphany Camp picture occupy the same character standing as did the tentatively justified in the Court during the entire Gospel Age. When the “finished picture” of the Epiphany Camp arrives, such people are in position to receive the Holy Spirit that is poured out “for all flesh” (Joel 2: 28) when the New Covenant is inaugurated – before the unbelieving and unrepentant Jews and Gentiles can receive the Holy Spirit – although it is poured out for all who eventu­ally become “repentant and believing”

The question may be asked, Can such “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles consecrate in the Epiphany Camp? Yes, of course, consecration is always in order. As That Servant has truly said, that is always the proper attitude for all mankind. But consecration has two parts – one part by the consecrator, and the other part, God’s acceptance. However, God does not deal with Restitutionists, either during this Age or during the Mediatorial reign. He has put all Restitutionists in the hands of the Medi­ator – Christ and the Church. When the New Covenant is inaugurated such “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles will be among the first to receive the Kingdom blessings, as they gladly accept its requirements.

Cornelius was in much the same position at the beginning of the Age – before the door was opened for the Gentiles – as the “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles of the Epiphany Camp here in the end of the Age. The difference with Cornelius, God did accept his consecration when the “due time” arrived for the Gentiles to become prospective members of Christ’s Body. But when the “due time” arrives for Restitu­tionists to receive the Holy Spirit, The Christ will accept their consecration.

The similarity of Cornelius and the “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles of the Epiphany Camp is this: That Servant has said, No doubt Cornelius and his house had already accepted Christ, because the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them “even while Peter yet spake.” However, God did not accept Cornelius’ consecration until the “due time” arrived – until the door was opened for the Gentiles. Nor will The Christ accept Restitutionists’ consecration until the “times of refreshing” have come (Acts 3:19-21), and the New Covenant is inaugurated.

Of course, when we speak of the “repentant and believing” we do not include the mere professors. There are many who claim to be “repentant and believing” but mere lip service and attendance at public worship is sometimes worse than nothing more than “tares ready for the burning,” as tares – not necessarily as people. Such are well described in Rev. 2:9: “I know the blasphemy of those which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” “He is not a Jew which is one outwardly.” (Rom. 2:28)

Although there was no Great Company as a Class during That Servant’s lifetime, yet he well realized that many of those who associated with him were not saints. During the last ten years of his life he wrote copiously about the Great Company – prompted, no doubt, by his observation of those closely associated with him. He said if he hadn’t found such a Class in the Scriptures, that he would he looking for such a Class in the Scriptures. And his opinion of those around him was fully corroborated very soon after his death – when the real character of those people came to the surface. Clearly enough, they had built their house “upon the sand,” and the frailty of their foundation soon became apparent to close observers. Such, however, are not “tares,” although they have much the same experience in the end of the Age: they will come out of “great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:14)

Such crown–losers must not only repent of their sins against their covenant, but they must also be converted. Conversion from the Bible standpoint is the entire pro­cess of turning from depravity into the image of God. But when they become repentant of their partially willful sins, and converted, God will receive them. “Know you, That he who turns back a sinner from his Path of Error will save his Soul from Death (the Second Death), and will cover a Multitude of Sins.” (Jas. 5:20, Dia.) However, there is much more to true repentance than mere remorse for evil deeds. In strict Scriptural definition, it includes intellectual conviction of sin (John 8:9); heart’s sorrow for sin (Matt. 11:21, 2 Cor. 7:9-11); hatred of sin (Deut. 7:26); abandonment of sin (Prov. 28:13, Matt. 3:8); confession of sin (Ezra 10:1, Prov. 28:13, Acts 19:18); restitution for sin (Lev. 6:4,5, Ezek. 33:15, Luke 9:8); and opposition to sin (Rom. 7:15, 19, 23).

All of the foregoing should be considered as vital requirement to classify any one as a “repentant and believing” member of the Epiphany Camp “in the finished picture.”

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

On October 31 it will be 58 years since the Parousia Messenger finished his course; and on October 22 it will be 24 years since the Epiphany Messenger joined him. We would suggest that the various Classes hold a joint Memorial service for them some time during the last week of October. Also we suggest our Special Effort in antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle this year to start with Sunday, Oct. 13 through Sunday, Nov. 3. Please order the pertinent tracts and literature if you wish to join with us in this good work. We invite all those of like mind to join with us in this good work and in the prayer, God bless their memory! (I Sam. 2:30)

NO. 230: "THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE"

No. 230

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

The various writings that have been presented during this Laodicean period have carried copious references and explanations concerning the curse. No doubt this is due to the fact that “the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10) to make the subject crystal clear. In Gen. 3:17 we find the sentence against Adam: “Cursed is the ground for thy sake”; and in Rev. 22:3 is the statement, “There shall be no more curse.” The Dia­glott states it thus, “There will be no more any accursed thing.” The “accursed thing” in this text refers to “death and hell” which would be cast into the lake of fire. Here are the Berean Comments: “Death including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfections of every sort; And Hell – Hades, oblivion, the great prison house of the tomb in which mankind awaits a resurrection.” Thus, Hell is the actual death state of man, with death referring to all the infirmities which have afflicted the human race for the past six thousand years. Therefore, the eradication of the curse includes not only the elimination of the death state, but also those things that have been incidental to producing death – including persons and things.

Pertinent to the foregoing is this quotation from Parousia Vol. 5, p. 193: “Thus shall the great Jehovah and His Spirit of holiness and all who ally themselves thereto finally triumph, and sin and Satan and the spirit of evil shall be forever extinguished and there shall be no more curse. (Isa. 28:17; 1 Cor. 4:5; 6:2; Acts 3:23; 2 Thes. 1:9; Rev. 22:3)”

All the present evils are the gradual result of the disobedience in Eden, Adam bearing the direct responsibility. And in direct contrast, the second Adam (the Lord from Heaven) will be directly responsible for the complete elimination of these evils. This is very clearly related in Heb. 2:14: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Clearly enough, if the devil has the power over death, death itself cannot possibly be for­ever eliminated until the one responsible for death – that is, the devil – is also eliminated.

It is stated that he (an angel from Heaven) “laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should de­ceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Rev. 20:1-3) Self-evidently, if he who “has the power over death” is not destroyed at the beginning of the “little season,” then death also will not be destroyed at the beginning of the “little season.” This leaves but one logical conclusion – namely, death (the dying process) Will not be completely eliminated until “that old serpent” is likewise eliminated – and this will not take place until the full end of the “little season.” “Then cometh the end” (the end of the “little season”) when He (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (including Hades – the death state, and the dying proc­ess—1 Cor. 15:24-26). It should be emphasized here that “Hell” (the Adamic death state) will have been cast into “the lake of fire” many years before the Little Season even begins; therefore, “Hell” cannot possibly be the “last enemy.”

All during the thousand years that Satan is bound the foregoing evils will be gradually destroyed. As each one comes forth from the tomb, Hades (the actual death state) will be instantaneously destroyed for that particular individual; and, inasmuch as each person will be allowed at least one hundred years to make some progress up the “highway of holiness” (Isa. 35:8), it follows that the actual death state that has been inherited by all from Father Adam must be completely eliminated at least one hundred years before the “little season” begins. According to the chronological reckoning, this should be not later than 2774 AD, or approximately 800 years from now.

But with the dying process (all the evils – aches, pains, mental, moral and reli­gious imperfections) it will be considerably different. The release from the tomb for each one is brought about without any assistance or foreknowledge from such persons; it is a gift from God through Jesus. This is well described in Psa. 103:2,3: “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; though healeth all thy diseases.” Jesus made His soul an offering for sin, which guaran­tees to every man release from that iniquity that was inherited through Father Adam. “He will destroy in this mountain (the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem) the face of the covering cast over all people (Hades, the death state), and the veil (of superstition and ignorance) that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people (sin and error) shall He take away from off all the earth.” (Isa. 25:7,8) The forgive­ness of iniquities and the healing of diseases will be a free gift from God to every one as he emerges from the tomb; but the elimination of the various defects now inherent in man will only be eliminated by the cooperation of each individual himself – and those who do not wish to cooperate will, after one hundred years, die the second death – will be cast into the figurative “lake of fire, which is the second death.” (Rev. 20:14)

As the “little season” arrives, all who reach that time will have been freed from all physical imperfection – their physical diseases will all have been healed. But with some their mental and moral diseases will yet be present – (the Adamic Death Process will yet be present with them in their unholy hearts’ condition); and thus will come the division of the sheep and the goats of Matt. 25:31-46. “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand (the sheep), Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34) “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire (the second death), prepared for the devil and his angels.” (v. 41) This clear separation, rewarding and sentencing to the “lake of fire” can occur only at the full end of the “little season”; the sheep could not receive a free, clear and unencumbered title to the Kingdom until all evil persons and things have been fully obliterated. Then will be fulfilled the promise, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain (the microbes of disease and pestilence will be fully restrained): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9) “There shall be no night (error) there... for the Lord God giveth them light” (the pure truth)—Rev. 22:5. “They shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remem­ber their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:34).

Following is a statement from E–12:270: “In the Millennium He will actually heal all the physical, mental, artistic, moral and religious faculties and their con­tents of the unbelief class as from the heart they accept His medicines and other heal­ing helps. The following Scriptures prove this: Jer. 3:22; 30:17; 33:6; Hos. 6:1; 14:4; Ps. 107:20; 67:2; Ezek. 47:1,8,9,12; Rev. 22:1-3; Mal. 4:2. Thus our Lord as the Good Physician heals the faith class now, and will heal the unbelief class in the Millennium from the physical, mental, artistic, moral and religious diseases that sin and the curse (the Adamic death process—JJH) have brought upon them.”

And continuing from E–12:310: “The ransom price guarantees that there will be gradually given to the whole world what it lost in Adam, if and as it obeys in the next Age (Luke 19:10; 1 Cor. 15:21-26; 1 John 3:8; Heb. 1:8; 10:12,13; Rev. 20:4-9; Heb. 9:23). And through the ransom-price Jesus and the Church as the tree of life will actually give to the obedient world all that Adam lost for it – perfect humanity and life, the right to life and its life–rights (Rev. 21:3-5; 22:1–3; Acts 3:19-21).”

Follows now Hos. 13:14: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: 0 death, I will be thy plagues; 0 grave, I will be thy de­struction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” In the sense of rescuing from the power of the grave, the Elect Church will also have part in the ransom process; and, just as various plagues, injuries, violence in various forms now send men to that great abode “where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary be at rest,” so just the reverse is promised under the Kingdom. Then, instead of the people being plagued with diseases, it is the diseases that will be “plagued” out of the people.

Complementing the above is this from E–17:428: “We have now studied Millennial testimonies all the way from Genesis up to and including the last chapter of Revelation: from the time, after the curse of sin and death came upon the human family through Adam’s sin, that God promised Abraham that through him and his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, until the time that the great Seed of Abraham, the Christ, Head and Body, developed during the Gospel Age, will have reigned over the earth as kings and priests for a thousand years and blessed all the families of the earth, living and dead, with the opportunity of obtaining everlasting life on a perfect earth; until the Adamic death state and the Adamic dying process (1 Cor. 15:26) will have been destroyed, and there will be no more curse; until Satan (Ezek. 28:19; Heb. 2:14), the unrepentant fallen angels (Matt. 25:41) and the ‘goat’ class – all the wicked (Psa. 145:20) – will have been utterly, completely and eternally annihilated in the second death, symbolized by the lake of fire (and by the Red Sea destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts—JJH) ­,they shall be as though they had not been’ (Obad. 16). Then ‘the righteous shall see it and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth’ (Ps. 107:42). Sin shall never rise again. God will be glorified forever and ever by perfect creatures, both in heaven and on earth. ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.’”

GRADUAL WORKINGS OF THE CURSE

The question would seem in order here: Did Adam immediately realize the workings of the curse in him after the disobedience? We would say he felt no physical discom­fort. Gen. 3:22,23 would seem to confirm this: “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden.” Here is a clear statement that the man could have continued liv­ing forever – even after the transgression – had he been allowed to remain in his ideal home.

However, there is no doubt that he had great mental disturbance because of what he had done. “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid.” (Gen. 3:10) Here then appears the first human weakness to afflict man, which became greatly magnified in the human race as the years ticked on; and it is probably true that today it is pres­ent in varying degrees in every member of the human family. Shakespeare disputes this conclusion: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant only taste of death but once. Of all the things I yet have heard it seems to me most strange that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”– Of course this statement is the contention of the fatalist; and it finds no support what­ever in the Bible. Nevertheless, some are much less oppressed by fear than others. We find some people afraid of the dark; others imagine that some one is always chas­ing them. Of the Jews it is written that if they would “despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,” then “ye shall flee when none pursueth you.” (Lev. 26:15-17) About like the boy who ran from his own shadow.

A second defect – now universally common among men – immediately showed itself in Adam – that of blaming some one else for his mistakes. “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Gen. 3:12) The impudence of this remark is readily apparent: It was God’s fault that Adam disobeyed; had He not given Adam the woman, none of this would have happened. This second failing also has been greatly expanded during the years that have followed.

Even so, these two things would not have been sufficient to inflict the death pen­alty upon the disobedient man; he could have continued to live forever had he been al­lowed to remain in Eden.   Therefore, “He drove the man out, and placed... a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Gen. 3:24) And it was only after he was faced with the trialsome task of keeping alive under very unfavor­able circumstances (“cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee... till thou return unto the ground”—Gen. 3:17-19), that the aches, pains, mental and moral im­perfections of every sort made their appearance, and have pyramided over the years. Such things are now accepted as a way of our life even by the finest minds, because none are able to escape the ravages of decay to be seen on every hand. And, while some eat their bread with a minimum of “sweat of the brow,” yet all do eat it with plenty of sor­row. All are now resigned to the fact that “The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” (Jer. 31:29) As Adam had to learn by experience what he could not learn by instruction, so all his descendants are being similarly edu­cated.

Cursed is the ground for thy sake” (Gen. 3:17), Outside of Eden the earth was not prepared to perpetuate life in keeping with the ideal conditions that had prevailed in the Garden. This condition of the earth outside of Eden was not the result of the transgression; it had been that way all along; it was simply then used as a convenience to exact the sentence “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) This would be better expressed “dying thou shalt die”; the execution of the sentence was a gradual one – an eroding process, which was fully completed when Adam entered the tomb. “Adam lived 930 years: and he died” (Gen. 5:5). After the great deluge the dying process was greatly accelerated, the evidence of which is clearly ap­parent to this day.

However, for almost one hundred years now we have been “In the day of His prepar­ation” (Nahum 2:3) – the preparation for the new order which will “wipe the tears from off all faces.” This has been easing many of the back-breaking burdens of the past; but the span of life has not been greatly increased thereby. While it is true that the “average” age of life has been raised considerably, this is mostly due to fewer dying in infancy; there is yet no comparison to Moses, for instance: “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” (Deu. 34:7) Also, much of the earth itself has been much improved, although none of it is yet perfect, and much of it is yet very much untamed, very imperfect.

THE WRATH – THE CURSE

These two expressions are often used interchangeably, as can be seen from the following in Par. Vol. 5, p. 439: “The ‘wrath,’ the ‘curse’ will be lifted from all who come into harmony with God through Jesus the Savior, and all who do not avail themselves or this grace will be swallowed up of the Second Death – for ‘the wrath of God abideth on them,—Acts 3:23; John 3:36; Rev. 22:3.”

However, though the “curse” has but one application, applying to both man and the earth, yet the “wrath” has a broad and a specific definition. When Job exclaimed, “O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave till thy wrath be past” (Job 14:13), he was us­ing its general meaning. But other Scriptures speak of a specific time – a “day of wrath.” (Psa. 110:5) – “The Lord shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath.” And Zeph. 1:14,15: “The great day of the Lord is near... That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress,” of which we see plenty all about us now. Also Rev. 6: 17: “The great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” This “day of wrath” began in its broad sense in 1874; but in its narrow sense it began in 1914, when the violent features of the Time of Trouble broke forth. Since that date we have been living in that period of time known as the Epiphany, and which will continue for some years yet – until the end of Jacob’s Trouble – after Anarchy has leveled all ex­isting institutions.

This “day of wrath” in its limited sense has been designed for the world in gen­eral, and for a specific class in particular – “the great multitude, which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14) But this day is decidedly not for God’s faithful people: “We are not of the night, nor of darkness... For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to ob­tain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes. 5:5-9). However, some sections of the earth, and some people in particular, may experience much less of the “overflowing scourge” – the day of wrath – (Isa. 28:18) than will others. Thus, Zeph. 2:3 offers the counsel, “Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s wrath.”

Complementing the foregoing is the following from Parousia Vol. 5, p. 410: “Hence, this Day of Vengeance and of special wrath, additional to what has prevailed previously, it is declared, will be ‘A time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation.’ God’s saints are assured that they shall be accounted worthy to escape all those things coming upon the world, and to stand before the Son of Man. They shall es­cape this special wrath, but they do not escape the general wrath which is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness. They share this with the world, in many respects, and yet there is this finely drawn distinction, which the Scriptures clearly point out:

“Those who accept Christ during this Age are reckoned as having passed from death unto life; as having escaped the wrath, the curse, ‘escaped the corruption that is on the world.” (2 Pet. 1:4; 2:18,20) True, they are still in the world, still subject to death, and may still share with the world the sickness, pain, sorrow and trouble inciden­tal to the curse, and from the worldly standpoint there is no difference; but from God’s standpoint, which is to be the believer’s standpoint, there is a wide difference. Such are not reckoned any longer as dying because of Divine ‘curse’ or ‘wrath,’ but in view of their justification and subsequent presentation as living sacrifices their death is reckoned as part of Christ’s sacrifice... ‘If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.’ (Rom. 6:8)”

A GLARING ERROR

In recent years the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been loud in their claim that they are now separating the sheep and the goats of the great parable spoken by our Lord in Matt. 25:31-46. Concerning that time, when the true separation will be proceeding, there is this prophetic statement: “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and right­eousness to the plummet.” (Isa. 28:17) Properly interpreted, this text can mean only that earth’s affairs in that day will be squared and plumbed with righteousness and brought into strict conformity thereto. Manifestly, this could be accomplished only through perfection of administration. We doubt that even the Witnesses would claim per­fection for themselves; thus, their present attempt to do something perfectly through im­perfect agents can be described only as glaring error – a spiritual mirage. Since they have taken over there has been no relief whatever from the curse; rather, just the re­verse has occurred – “the evil day” is becoming daily more apparent and distressing.

In previous papers we have detailed the striking similarity of the Witnesses to the Roman Catholic Church; and on this particular aberration concerning the sheep and the goats they offer almost identical deception. When the Roman Church was in its hey­day, they also were separating the sheep and the goats, except that they consigned their goats (the heretics) to eternal torment, as they promised their sheep eternal bliss in Heaven. Today the Witnesses predict eternal extinction in Armageddon to the goats (all outside their organization), as they promise their sheep eternal life here on earth. Very few people want to die; thus, the promise of eternal life with unbroken bliss ­either in Heaven or on earth – is a very appealing enticement. They are telling them something they want to hear.

But the facts of the case belie their claims. During the thousand-year counter­feit of the Roman Church from 799 to 1799 the curse probably exceeded all previous ex­hibitions – a time known as The Dark Ages. And now, since the counterfeit reign of the Witnesses – from 1914 up to the present – the curse once more is exceeding all pre­vious experiences – “iniquity shall abound” (Matt. 24:12) – “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time” (Dan. 12:1) – a clear state­ment that the curse would be worse than at any previous time. Instead of “no more curse,” there is curse more abundant; instead of “no more death,” death is everywhere rampant, and it is taking its toll with the Witnesses along with others of the human race. “God will send to them an energy of delusion, to their believing the falsehood”—­2 Thes. 2:11, Dia. Instead of “every man knowing the Lord,” 99% of those living today know little or nothing of the real God.

Even among the Witnesses themselves, a great many of their adherents have a very vague understanding of what their headquarters is teaching. And there is good reason for this: Since 1914 they have changed their teachings so much that today they bear almost no resemblance whatever to what they taught in 1914. Aside from the debacle of 1925 and Millions Now Living Will Never Die, they have changed their chronology so that they now cannot speak with certainty on any part of it. They first came out with the date 1918 as the time for the end of the High Calling; then they changed the date two or three times since then, with about 1935 as their last attempt – although they are even now not certain if it is closed or not. Instead of “the earth being full of the knowl­edge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9), ignorance and superstition prevail in all quarters. Instead of the “law going forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3), the Witnesses contend the Word of the Lord is going forth from them; but, in view of the frequent changes they are forced to make, it is not going forth with convincing clarity – rather, it is proceeding with the unsteady gate of an inebriate.

THE DOUBLE CURSE

While the curse has been passed on from generation to generation, including all nations, there has been a double curse upon a small segment of the human family; namely, upon the Jews. A hint of this is given by St. Paul in Rom. 7:9: “I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” Here the Apostle is speaking not only for himself, but for the whole Jewish race. Just what is he trying to tell us? Simply this – all men, including the Jews, were promised re­lief from the curse through the promise given to Abraham: “in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed”—Gen. 22:18; but, when they agreed to keep the Law given to them through Moses at Sinai, they promised more than they could perform, which placed a double liability upon them – one inherited from Father Adam, and one from their broken agreement to keep the Law. That perfect law was far beyond the reach of the imperfect Jews. St. Paul confirms this conclusion in Rom. 7:10,11: “And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the com­mandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.”

Then the words of Jesus in John 3:14: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Referring to this same situation, St. Paul says in Gal. 3:13: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (which relieved the Jews of the double curse resting on them through their inability to keep the law): for it is written (Deu. 21:22,23), Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”

However, although the Jews have been under a double curse, they will also be the recipients of a double blessing when that double curse is lifted from them. This is well stated in Reprints 5964, col. 1, Oct. 1, 1916:

“At the inauguration of the new Age of blessing; natural Israel will be granted a special place and privilege; “for the gifts and calling of God are not things to be repented of.” We see how in another way, also, this special privilege will come to them; namely, in that the law has been more or less of restraint upon them in their daily lives as a people. They have had more or less of loyalty to God, which has kept them separate from other nations. This special privilege of pre–eminence in the Messi­anic Kingdom, however, will not be granted to all who are Jews by blood; but only to those who prove loyal to the law and the prophets – those who are Jews at heart, and not merely outwardly. All others are merely Gentiles.—Rom. 2:28,29.

“The earthly phase of the Kingdom will be composed of the Ancient Worthies of the Ages preceding the First Advent of our Lord. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, and the Hebrew prophets and other faithful ones will be in power as ‘princes in all the earth.’ (Psa. 45:16)  The orthodox Jews will be more ready to receive the blessing of the new dispensation promptly than will any other people. Therefore, they will have the first blessing (a double blessing for their double curse—JJH) – not by reason of partiality on God’s part in showing favor to these people, but by virtue of the fact that He made a covenant with them as the posterity of faithful Abraham.”

Commenting further on this same thing, there is this on pp. 204,205 of the Book of Covenants: “Since the Mediatorial work of the Millennial Kingdom is to be accomplished through Natural Israel, and since all the families of the earth are to be blessed through them, it follows that nothing can be done until Israel shall have been recovered from their present outcast condition. Then the blessing of the Lord will go forth... will be accomplished through Natural Israel...

“Then, as the people of the various nations shall gather themselves to the Lord and seek to come into harmony with Him, the way of approach will be by coming into accord with the Holy Nation – God’s representative Kingdom in the world... The New Covenant is not to be made with any others than the Jews, for no others were in Cov­enant relationship with God. The words ‘New Covenant’ seem, therefore, to indicate the repetition of God’s favor to Israel under the better Mediator, who will bring the glorious blessings that they had expected under Moses, but failed to obtain because of the inability of Moses to make satisfaction for their sins; for the blood of bulls and goats could never actually take away their sins. The antitypes of these – the sacri­fice of the Lord and the members of His Body – must first be accomplished before this New Covenant with Israel could supersede the old or Law Covenant, which it then will do.”

While the New Covenant will have its initial working at the beginning of the Mediatorial reign, the full effect of the promise “THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE” will not be realized until the full end of the Little Season – when the curse (all the evils which now afflict the human race), and all those afflicted with it in any manner, will be forever obliterated. Then will come “the end” of 1 Cor. 15:24 – “when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” – when He shall have destroyed him that has the power over death, that is to say the Devil.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.” (Prov. 3:13,14)

Sincerely your brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus!

Please forward a supply of your tracts, 1 through 10 – also No. 121, The Ro­man Church and Its Little Twin. I would appreciate a complete set of all your pub­lications similar to those requested, if available. If you wish to have your litera­ture distributed in Alaska, I shall be pleased to assist....

Please give me your views on The Dawn, East Rutherford, NJ, The Pastoral Bible Institute and The Crawfords, Sun City.

Yours in Christ and in memory of That Servant ------- (ALASKA)

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Dear Friends at Mount Dora:

Many thanks for your kind letter and your mention of us in your prayers. To me, and to all of us, this is the most important (saddest and most joyful) time of the year – and the meaning of it all fills us with wonder and amazement. How grateful we are to have been taught these precious truths!     Christian love, ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Friends:

Words cannot express how grateful I am for your kind and generous gift – The Herald of the Epiphany. I realize now how the Lord must have known how my mind and heart have been torn apart by thoughts of life after death and the resurrection. I have prayed for guidance and strength and now I have found both.

You mentioned additional literature available upon request. I would appreciate the following issues – Nos. 3 through 10. I already have Nos. 1 and 2. You have a beautiful way of explaining things which my mind was not capable of comprehending from the Bible. Once again, God bless you for your thoughts and help!

Sincerely ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother J. J. Hoefle, Beloved:

Hope this finds you and all the Bible House family well. You should have been answered before now, but due to pushing to put out the tracts, answer has been delayed.

Immediately when the tracts came I started folding in fours and twos, so that as I hand them out the people do not have much trouble in turning the papers. In doing them this way, it doesn’t seem to intimidate them – and in most cases they are well received.

However, two Adventists abused me about the paper, God’s Great Sabbath Day, saying, “The man doesn’t know what he is talking about!” But when she called back, I started to explain to her – and she and the crowd just stood there listening. The other quarreler was a Wesleyan – and at her church gate nearly every one else re­ceived the papers; but she started to quarrel. I said, Fancy, the Harlot Rahab was more holy than you, for she hid two men from the king, and you won’t even take a tract to read to change your thought-food. Yes, two Adventists in one bunch and one in the Wesleyan. But the Millennium is not known by hearing a sermon or by reading Rev. 20, Brother! The work is nice to serve the Lord, to tell His people of the good times coming.

I have given out about all I have. I certainly do like the size of the print in your publications, Brother. And may the Great Lord bless you in health and in strength to teach us how to carry on the good fight in the different localities, even as the Great Day requires it thus. May love, good hope and peace embrace your heart all the time through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your brother in the Lord ------- (JAMAICA)

NO. 229: THE GREAT COMMISSION

No. 229

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

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

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

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

“THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM”

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

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

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

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

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

THE COUNTERFEIT REIGN

In due time came the Pope of Rome, claiming for himself universal sovereignty over “the Church which is His Body.” By 799 this had made such an imprint upon people and rulers alike that Charlemagne of France virtually ceded his authority unto the Pope; and thus began “the Holy Roman Empire”—the beginning of that thousand–year reign which would cause “every knee to bow, and every tongue to confess that Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:9–11) During the next thousand years the determination that the Church should convert and rule the world was supported by the armies of the various countries, and by all the ingenious tortures that the human intellect could devise. It was indeed a full coun­terfeit of that glorious reign which the Lord Himself had promised would “wipe away all tears from their eyes... no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither any more pain.” (Rev. 21:1-4) instead of “wiping away all tears,” that regime multiplied the tears, the sorrow, the death, so that it is now known as “The Dark Ages,” with much of its history so garbled that it is totally unreliable. The Church today would much rather not be re­minded of the facts of that time.

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

THE CHURCH'S REAL MISSION

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

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

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

THE JUDGMENT DAY

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

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

A SECOND COUNTERFEIT REIGN

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

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

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

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

GOD'S WORD EXPOSES COUNTERFEITS

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

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

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

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

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

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

Therefore, when the Roman Church promised immortality (immunity against death) to their faithful adherents, they were telling them something they wanted to hear, which made it easy to believe. And when the Witnesses now tell their “dedicated” devotees they will live right on through Armageddon, and never die, they are telling them something they want to hear – which makes it easy for them to believe, and understandable that their numbers are increasing rapidly, even as they boast. The founder of their Movement, That Servant, never advocated such a teaching – nor did he boast of his numbers. The nearest support he ever gave to it was to quote Zech. 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.” (John 3:16,17) Here is given us an irrefutable dis­tinction between the faith class (those who have responded to the call of salvation in this Age) and the non–faith class (all others not included in the elective salvation) who will receive their salvation under easier conditions, when their thousand–year judg­ment day is fully established. This is further confirmed by St. Paul in Gal. 3:8, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel (the good news of the Kingdom) unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” And in Gal. 4:28, the Apostle clarifies this further: “We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise” (the elect of God who will eventually bless all the families of the earth – all the non–elect in the great Judgment Day).

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

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 168 June 1969)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Some of the enclosed names you may already have, as the names sound familiar. Thanks for sending me the March and April papers. I surely enjoyed them! We espec­ially enjoyed the Memorial article, which was very informative and uplifting – one of the best I have read. We have not as yet received the regular mailing.

Hope all there are well and will have a wonderful Memorial Season. With much Christian love to you and all, I remain, Your brother in Him ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Loving greetings!

Wishing to have at least a small part in the Lord's work which you are doing, we are enclosing a check from the class here for that purpose.

We received your letter and appreciate your prayers and thoughts for us as we come to the Memorial again. We also wish that it could be possible for us to be to­gether on that occasion. But since it isn't possible, be assured that you will be in our thoughts also, and we pray the Lord's rich blessings upon all there.

With much Christian love ------- (NORTH CAROLINA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Your good letter received, and as always very glad to hear from you. Truly, the thoughts expressed in your letter are true! How blessed we are – blessed in that we have the truth and can celebrate and keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and Truth, to realize that our dear Heavenly Father has revealed His secrets to us – the great Plan of the Ages. And, as you say, dear Brother Hoefle, for which we daily give thanks. Believe me, I am amazed at times when I think of the Truth as we understand it – and stand all amazed in wonder, which reminds me of that beautiful hymn. Be assured, my dear brethren, I shall be with you in spirit on April 5 from 7:30 p.m. on, as we all join together in this great Memorial service....

I will repeat myself, your letters to me and your articles are such a great help to me; they strengthen my faith and stimulate me to holiness. I trust these few lines find you reasonably well, and I know you are rejoicing in the Truth. God bless you both! I am constantly reminded and mindful of your love and deep concern on my behalf, and I wish to be remembered to all the dear friends at the Bible House. I pray that God's blessings will enrich you and keep you steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord. I am glad to say that I am getting stronger in fighting my condition, which has seemingly taken hold of me since my dear wife passed away. I realize I have to do better, and I am trying very hard....

I shall close and say, Good Night and God bless you all, my dears, at Mount Dora.

Your brother in Christ by His grace ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Many thanks for your good letter and your good wishes on our behalf, in par­ticular concerning our Memorial celebration, which we shall, D.v., be observing an April 5 with Brother and Sister -------   We do echo your sentiments re “keeping the feast” together, but it is not to be – however we do indeed have the blessing of the Truth which does bind our hearts together in Christian love.

Thank you, too, for your efforts in producing your regular circulars which are very much appreciated, and keep us in touch with the developments going on in Truth circles. How sad to see so many of our brethren these days floundering and not show­ing that true spirit of the Truth. However, we look forward to the complete binding of Satan and the release of all under his spell...

May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you and your co–laborers.

With much Christian love ------- (ENGLAND)