NO. 258: JESUS A POWERFUL SAVIOR

No. 258

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

“Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21) In Olden Times it was customary for parents to give their children names which would represent their wishes or desires or hopes for the children’s des­tiny, and which would therefore be in measure prophetic of their future. The Bible mentions a few instances in which God Himself indicated the name, and thus propheti­cally marked the child in advance. One of these cases is the name in our text.  Through His angel God had directed that the babe, miraculously born of the Virgin Mary, should be named Jesus, signifying deliverer, savior. In the Hebrew language this name is Joshua, or Jeshua. Thus the angel’s message was a prophecy that the babe to be named Jesus was the One appointed of God to deliver His people from their sins. It should be noted that Mary was not told to name him Jesus Christ. The word Christ means ‘anointed’; and he did not become the Christ until He was ‘anointed’ with the Holy Spirit after His baptism by John in the River Jordan.

The more we consider the statement, “for He shall save His people from their sins,” the more wonderful it seems; and naturally we ask ourselves, “Who are His people? It is true that at the time of our Lord’s birth the Jews were still the people of God, and that no other nation has ever had this distinction. For more than sixteen centuries He had dealt exclusively with the nation of Israel. (Amos 3:2) “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” But it was not the Divine purpose to ignore all other nations forever. The promises of the Scriptures set forth this fact; for they declare that in due time God would make provision for all mankind, so all those who desire might become His people.

After His resurrection Jesus had gone into Galilee to meet the Disciples (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.” The Diaglott gives this much better: “Go, disciple all the nations, immersing them (submerging them in water) into the name (the heart and mind, the disposition) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (See also Acts 19:3-5, Dia.) This opportunity for returning to harmony with God was embodied in the promise which He made to Abraham, saying, “In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 12:3)

The question naturally arises: Who are the “Seed”? The Seed are the “called out ones” whom He has been selecting in this Faith Age for His Name’s sake, to be the bless­ers of “all the families of the earth.” The Apostle Paul assures us, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) So all the faithful footstep followers of Jesus will be part of the “seed” of Abraham ­they will be the blessers of all nations. The Seed have blessed quite a few during this Faith Age, but not with the blessing they will be privileged to do during the Mes­sianic reign when “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9) We know that is far from the case in this present “evil world.” Nor can they eliminate the suffering of the “groaning creation” during this Age: “For we know That the Whole Creation groans together and travails in pain together till the present time. And not only it, but ourselves also, possessing the First-Fruit of the spirit, even we ourselves, waiting for Sonship – the redemption of our Body.” (Rom. 8:22–23,Dia.) Not only will His footstep followers suffer the physical infirmities of the “groaning crea­tion,” but in addition have had to endure persecutions, as well as physical violence in many cases, in “bearing witness to the truth.” (See Matt. 5:10-12; 24:9.) “Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed.” (Isa. 66:5 – also see John 12:42)

In “due time” the Seed that has been so unpopular during the reign of sin and evil will bless mankind – will help and bless those who have persecuted them, and give them an opportunity to repent and believe, and turn away from their sins. God sent His hon­ored Representative, the Logos (Jesus), into the world in order that He might deliver all mankind from the curse pronounced upon Father Adam and transmitted by the Law of heredity to all his posterity. “By one man sin entered into the world, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” All of us have inherited a sentence of death – through no fault of our own.

According to the flesh, the Jewish people, to whom our Lord Jesus had come, were His people, for they had entered into covenant relationship with God at Mount Sinai with Moses as mediator. From the Scriptures we learn, however, that only a few of them received our Lord, and that the remainder of the nation were cast off from spe­cial relationship to Him. “He came unto His own, but His own received Him not: But as many as received Him to them gave He power (privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on His NAME.” (John 1:12) He saved this remnant of Israel from their sins in the sense that by faith they were able to understand that their sins were forgiven them; that they were no longer under the domination of sinful injustice; that they were reckoned dead according to the flesh, but alive according to the spirit. (Rom. 6:11) The sins of the flesh would not be accounted against them; but they would be covered by the imputed merit of Jesus, their Savior, their Deliverer. Thus from Pentecost all down through the Gospel Age our Lord has saved all those who have  believed upon Him. Their deliverance in full will be accomplished through the power of the First Resur­rection. (See Rev. 20:6.)

Even though the First (chief) Resurrection is for His Body – the Saints, the Very Elect – there are others who have been justified by faith who had no opportunity to be of the High Calling. The Ancients mentioned in the 11th chapter of Hebrews are one Class – a special “faith” class. Although they will have no part in the First Resurrec­tion, they are promised a ‘better resurrection, than the world of mankind. They, too, will have part in blessing all the families of the earth. Their resurrection will be glorious, but not so glorious as that of the Little Flock. The Seed is primarily Christ and the Saints.  “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2) “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) All know that a large number have died who not only did not believe in Him, but they didn’t even know about Him – never heard of Him at all.

When He came to the Jews and they received Him not, they knew something about a Messiah and should have recognized Him as their Messiah. But the majority did not recognize Him as their Messiah. Acts 3:17 tells us that “through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers,” even though they had “Much (advantage) every way: chiefly be­cause unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Rom. 3:1-2) It is clear that the Jews are not cast off forever. “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Rom. 11:7) “Blindness in part is happened to Israel.” (Rom. 11:25) “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:26)

And as the Jews were blinded, so is the world in general today: “In whom the god (Satan) of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Cor. 4:4) “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how un­searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:32,33)

When we consider the evil influences so prevalent today, it is small wonder that so many of the people succumb to it – either from necessity, or from the thought that this is the only way to succeed. Some begin to think that Satan and evil are more powerful than the Lord. However, that will not always be the case, because Satan will be bound to deceive the nations no more during His Messianic Kingdom. (Rev. 20:2) At that time the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5) “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9) “And it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:8) The “wayfaring” men in this text are those who are not “justified by faith” during ­this Age when sin and evil are in the ascendancy.

SAVED FROM WHAT?

“The son of man is come to save that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:11) The question arises, What was lost? We would answer that four things were lost, things which man once had in his pristine purity. First of all, after the transgression in the Garden of Eden, he lost his intimate and friendly relationship with his Creator – Fellowship with God. Second, he lost his perfect home in that Garden.  “The Lord sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove the man out.” (Gen. 3:23,24) Third, man’s dominion was lost. “Let man have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the cattle, and over the fowl of the air... and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:26–28)

In Heb. 2:8 St. Paul quotes from Psa. 8:4-8: “Thou has put all things in subjec­tion under his feet...   But now we see not yet all things put under him.” It surely needs no argument that man has lost his dominion; animals often trample man under foot, instead of man dominating them. We have been told that the Kodiak bear (a brown bear larger than the grizzly) is so ferocious that it is not necessary for the hunter to look for him; once he knows there is a hunter in his locale he will come looking for him ­and often with deadly results to the hunter.

And the fourth thing that man lost is his life. “Lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” (Gen. 3:22) Man was not cre­ated to die; he was created to live; and the Scripture is clear enough that he would have continued to “live forever” had he remained in his perfect Edenic home. It is a common expression for men to say, We are living in London, New York, or wherever; but the raucous truth is we are all dying in those places. The dying process is a matter of years, but it eventually exacts its terrible toll from all. “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) Note the marginal reading of this text: “dying thou shalt die.” And in all four of these things Jesus A Powerful Savior said He came to “seek and to save.”

SAVIOR OF THAT WHICH WAS LOST

Just as there were four things lost, so our blessed Savior uses four component parts to accomplish the Restitution, the restoration.(Acts 3:19–21). These are clear­ly set forth in Psa. 103:2–5: “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His bene­fits: (1) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; (2) Who healeth all thy diseases; (3) Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; (4) Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies... Thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’”

The fourth process will also require man’s cooperation, and will receive it with a clear understanding of its import: “Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” This is emphasized in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats: “Then shall the King say to them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” (Matt. 25:34) Today, in earth’s affairs, when a prince inherits a kingdom from his father, he is seated on a throne, and a crown placed upon his head. Figuratively speaking, this same procedure will be followed when the restitution proc­ess has completed its work. Each of the ‘sheep’ will then inherit a kingdom – his full right to life and its accompanying life rights – just as Adam had it in Eden, when he was given dominion over all things on earth. He was then in every sense monarch of all he surveyed.

CORROBORATING TESTIMONIES FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

Because of Adam’s transgression the sentence was pronounced against him – “For the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17 – “dying thou shalt die.”) After Adam’s transgression, he and his wife were driven from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:23) to toil the ground among thorns and thistles. (Gen. 3:17-19) Adam did sure­ly die in that day: “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and a watch in the night.” (Psa. 90:4) Adam died in that thousand-year day, and all his posterity have been dying ever since that time. “Adam lived Nine Hundred and Thirty years; and he died” – seventy years before his “day” had expired. (Gen. 5:5) But the Apostle Paul tells us, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:21-22)

The Scriptures teach that all will “know the Lord” – meaning, of course, they will be properly instructed: “They shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the great­est. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquit­ies will I remember no more. In that he saith, A New Covenant, he hath made the first old, Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:11-13) The ‘old’ is the Law Covenant which the Jews could not keep because it was a perfect Law, and they were imperfect. Only a perfect man could fulfill this Law Covenant, which Jesus did.

Also Jer. 31:31-34 gives us a clear picture of the New Covenant: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for 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.”

David gives us a beautiful picture of the Kingdom in Psa. 103:2-13, part of which has been quoted above: “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities (as High Priest); who healeth all thy diseases (as Physician); Who redeemeth thy life from destruction (as Deliverer); who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things (as Provider); so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executeth right­eousness and judgment (instruction) for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not  always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear (reverence) him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his chil­dren, so the Lord pitieth them that fear (reverence) him.” (Psa. 103:2-13)

Although God’s great attributes are Wisdom, Justice, Power and Love, the Scriptures do not say God is Wisdom, God is Justice, God is Power – but the Apostle John tells us “God is Love.” (1 John 4:16) “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 3:15,17) David’s description of our great Jehovah certainly attests to a “God of love.”

TWO SALVATIONS

Not many people know there are two salvations taught in the Scriptures. Most of us have been taught that all are on trial now – and all the unsaved of this life will be lost forever. The majority of the world is not saved, according to the standard the Lord sets for His people – to be footstep followers of Jesus during this Age. How­ever, there are two Salvations taught in the Bible – a ‘great’ salvation (Heb. 2:3), and a ‘common’ salvation. (Jude 3) The common salvation is future – for all the un­saved of the past and present. But the ‘great’ salvation is for this Faith Age. All who have part in the “great salvation” will be part of the “Seed” of Abraham that will bless all the families of the earth in the Kingdom. They are those “justified by faith” – the footstep followers of Jesus during this Faith Age when sin and evil are in the ascendancy. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” (Heb. 2:3) “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) “For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14)

But there is also a common salvation – a salvation for the world of mankind – the ‘unsaved’ of the Faith Age. “For all men have not faith.” (2 Thes. 3:2) “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) It is through the faithfulness of Jesus and His footstep followers that they will have the privilege in the Kingdom of blessing all nations – those who have not come to a “knowl­edge of the Truth” during this Age. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) We are not to forget the ‘common’ salvation that will bless the world, because the Lord loved the world (John 3:16).

These two salvations are separate and distinct – one for this Faith Age and one for the Kingdom, when the residue of mankind will receive their salvation – their judg­ment and their instruction: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.” Indeed, there is a ‘common’ salvation – common to all men not of the Faith-Age salvation. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

The faith “which was once delivered unto the saints” is clearly taught in Acts 24:15: “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” The ‘just’ are those who are “justified by faith” during the Faith Age – footstep followers of Jesus; and the ‘unjust’ are those who are not “justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1) during this Age.

Our Lord makes this very clear in John 5:28,29: “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The word “damnation’ in this text is from the Greek word Krisis, which means judgment. ‘Damnation, is a mis­translation and has caused a lot of misunderstanding. So they who have done evil – all those who have not been “justified by faith” during this Age, whether they are good-­intentioned or bad–intentioned, God counts them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all. (Rom. 11:32) The ‘just’ are those who will have a “resurrection unto life” ­the footstep followers of Jesus; they are of the Household of Faith. The resurrection of the Unjust is for the very purpose of giving them an opportunity of coming to a knowl­edge of the Truth – the truth of the Divine Plan for human salvation. This will be a much less difficult way, because the Highway of Holiness will be there: there will be no error there – the Truth, and only the Truth will be taught. Those who are fully sub­missive to the Lord will be privileged to become His people. However, there will be no compulsion – each individual must decide for himself whether or not he will obey and live, or disobey and die – be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23)

The presence of the Lord will continue throughout the thousand years of the Messianic Kingdom – on earth. All who will take advantage of the opportunity then offered them will have a full deliverance from the curse of sin and death. Those who will neglect that opportunity will not be forced to come into harmony with the Divine arrangement, but they will be destroyed in the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery. (See Rev. 20:14-15.) Their destruction will be for their own good as well as for the good of mankind in general. It is because they prefer sin to righteousness that they will be accounted better off to be destroyed, as the Scriptures declare.

Those who are saved from their sins during this Gospel Age are Scripturally called the Church of Christ, and consist of the Very Elect who are the “Bride and Lamb’s Wife” – His joint–heirs in the Messianic Kingdom. There are other elect classes that have walked a narrow way,’ and they, too, will receive a resurrection “unto life” (John 5: 28,29) as part of the just, although they won’t have part in the chief resurrection – the First Resurrection. All who are saved from their sins during the Millennium will be the people of Christ by reason of being His children; for they will receive life from Him, “the Everlasting Father” of the race. (Isa. 9:6) They will be given the right to everlasting life on the human plane, which our Lord Jesus surrendered on behalf of the Adamic race, when He became the Redeemer of Adam, and thus indirectly the Redeemer of Adam’s posterity. Those who lost life in Adam will be privileged to receive it again in Christ.

Thus Jesus will save His people from their sins – not merely His Church of the Gospel Age, His Bride and Joint-heir, but also all those of the world of mankind, the children of Adam, who will accept of His grace during the thousand years of earth’s com­ing glory, and become His people by the process of regeneration. They will be regener­ated on the human plane; for our Lord will give them the life-rights and the right to life which Adam lost in Eden, but which Jesus redeemed on Calvary. The earth was made for man: “The earth abideth forever.” (Ec. 1:4) “Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isa. 66:1) “I will make the place of my feet glorious.” (Isa. 60:13)

However, this cannot become true in the full sense of things until the causes that now send men to the grave have been eliminated. St. John states this very graphically in Rev. 21:3-5: “I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” And the Angel who gave those words to John evi­dently realized the disbelief with which the message would be received by the present sick and dying race, for he then emphasized it with these words: “Write: for these words are true.”

This forces the logical conclusion that the Restitution processes will eliminate all crime – all thievery, physical violence, moral depravity, sickness; no more need for locks on doors; no more destructive armies; no more rigid police protection; no more jails, and no more criminals. “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isa. 2:4) “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

The question is asked, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” (Isa. 28:9) The Bible is not a text book, as so many people think, but is a book of texts. “For precept must  be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.” (Isa. 28:10) But, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear (reverence) him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Psa. 25:14)

JESUS A POWERFUL SAVIOR indeed! “Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10) “He shall save his people from their sins.”

Sincerely your brother

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Will the heathen and others be saved by their ignorance?

ANSWER:  – We believe not; for there is no power or anything else good in ignorance to save anyone.  Instead of ignorance being Scripturally a ground of salva­tion it is Scripturally set forth as a reason for alienation from God (Eph. 4:18; Hos. 4:16; Rom. 2:12). Furthermore, the Scriptures show that knowledge is essential to faith and salvation (Rom. 10:14-17; Acts 4:12). This is likewise implied in the fact that obtaining salvation presupposes personal acts by the intellect, sensibilities and will, i.e., a matter pertaining to the domain of character, requiring, as it does, on our part the steps of repentance, faith and consecration. It is for this reason that the Church was commanded to teach, i.e., make others know, that those taught might by their knowledge gain salvation (Matt. 28:18–20); also see 2 Pet. 1:2,3; 2:2–21.

Indeed the theory that the heathen and others are saved by their ignorance is a patent absurdity – although some good people want to believe they will be thus saved ­believing as they do that they will have no opportunity of salvation otherwise. But, why send missionaries to teach them salvation, if they are saved by ignorance? Accord­ing to this theory to teach them would cause most of them – those who will not believe to be lost who otherwise would have been saved by their ignorance. So all through the generations of the Gospel Age to preach to them would have been the cause of perdition to almost all who heard the message. Are we to believe that God who desires that the people may gain life (Ezek. 18:32) is so lacking in common sense and practicability as to institute the office of teaching the Word of God as the means of saving people ­when only a comparatively few are saved by that method – when leaving them in ignorance would have resulted in the salvation of all of them. Manifestly the thought that the heathen are saved by ignorance is unbiblical, unreasonable and unfactual.

Actually the purpose of the Gospel Age is to take out a people for his name. See Acts 15:14. There are comparatively few who become “footstep followers of Jesus” ­as He has said: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14) The only ‘way’ open for salvation in this Age is a “narrow way” – becoming a footstep follower of Jesus, and bearing “wit­ness to the Truth” as did Jesus. See John 18:37. Our Lord said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matt. 5:11) Not many are able to “drink of His cup”: they don’t have sufficient faith; “For all men have not faith.” (2 Thes. 3:2)

After He has selected a people for His Name, He will return, “and will build again the tabernacle of David... That the residue of men might seek after the Lord.” (Acts 15:14–17) This “people” will bless the residue of mankind, which includes the heathen: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) And the seed is expressly mentioned in Gal. 3:29: “And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3: 29) Instead of a “narrow way” unto life as it is in this Age, there will be a High­way of Holiness. See Isa. 35:8. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5) It will be just the reverse of what it is today when “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which be­lieve not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) “Darkness still covers the earth, and gross darkness (error) the people.” (Isa. 60:2)

His way of saving the residue of mankind in the Millennial Age will be by the power of teaching – and by such teaching enabling them to use for their uplift the restitution processes (Acts 3:21) whereby all may be saved – but only the willing and obedient – and no others – will be saved. There will be no “night” (error) there. (Rev. 22:5)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends in Christ: Sincere Christian greetings to you all!

We enjoy so much the newsletter each month, as it gives us much spiritual uplift. Continue to send the papers. Also please send me a copy of The Bible Students Manual. I have studied and enjoyed The Divine Plan of the Ages.

Is the Trinity Scriptural? How are the writings of Pastor Russell viewed by Bible Students? How do you view the LHMM?

Your brother in Christ, ------- (PENNSYLVANIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

I read in No. 254, in the letter section, something about a Bible Students Man­ual. What is it, and what is the cost?

May I also have copies of the March and April issues that tells of the various methods of celebrating the Lord’s Supper, etc. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely, ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Many thanks for yours of the 14th. I was thinking of writing to say that the three E Volumes One had not yet arrived, but they are here this morning and arrived in good condition. And surprise, surprise! with the official LHMM label. Very good! We trust this is a good omen..........

Brother’s wife is not so good and may have to have further treatment and nursing in hospital.  Otherwise we two continue fairly well – rejoicing in the Lord for all His blessings and goodness toward us. We continue to enjoy your papers which are always instructive and helpful – keep us in touch with the developments among the Lord’s people.

We join in sending our Christian love to you and yours. May the Lord continue to bless you as you seek to serve Him in ministering to His people. With Christian love, too, from Brother -------

Yours by His Grace ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Lord!

Your letter received, and I was glad to hear everybody is well. My prayers for you every day – May God bless you and bless your home.

Please send some more literature for me to distribute. The people like to read the papers. I go to the other Islands and give them out. All the family send Christian love to you and all. May God bless you more and more.

Brother ------- (ST.   VINCENT)

NO. 257: THESE THINGS WERE TYPES

No. 257

The above heading is taken from Reprints 5267, July 1, 1913, from which article we shall use some in direct quotations, some paraphrase, and some additions of our own. Immediately under the subject we have this statement: “Now these things were our examples (Greek tupos – types), to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they (typical Israel) also lusted... Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (Greek tupos – types); and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:6‑12)

St. Paul’s words carry great weight with all who are “established in the Present Truth” (2 Pet. 1:12); and, while we may be deeply impressed with the King James version, its force is multiplied when we notice that in the Greek the word type is used – a type being a very exact pattern of the antitype, which is on a larger scale. Every antitype is greater than its type, as witness, for instance, the Atonement‑Day bullock, which typed the sin offering of our Lord Jesus. The gravity of St. Paul’s statement should be recognized readily when we notice that the ends, or harvests, of the Ages are referred to, considering that we ourselves are now in the final years of the Gospel‑Age harvest. “The harvest is the end of the Age” – Matt. 13:39, Dia. Literally, St. Paul says, “They are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages press down.”

Then the article proceeds to say, “A dear brother in the truth writes us at considerable length concerning the five different experiences referred to by the Apostle as ‘our types.’ The brother thinks he sees double fulfillment of these types during this harvest time.”

The first of these is mentioned in v. 6: “We should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” The reference is to the actions in Num. 11:4‑35; and David comments thusly on the matter: “He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (Psa. 106:15) Verse 7 gives the second type: “Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them,” the type for which is found in Ex. 32:1‑31. Then the third one in v. 8: “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. The typical record is found in Num. 25:1‑18. Verse 9 describes the fourth: “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.” Num. 21:4‑6 gives the details on this episode. The fifth type is given in v. 10: “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” This type is recorded in Num. 15:37; 16:40.

SOME GENERALITIES

If “these things” were typical, as stated, then it would be of first importance to understand who is involved in the antitype; and we would say it involves the fully faithful among God’s people, the measurably faithful, and the fully unfaithful. In 1 Pet. 4:17,18, the Apostle emphasizes this conclusion: “Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them be that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” The “us” in this text clearly reveals that St. Peter included himself in his query, and we are assured that he was among the fully faithful. Also, “the sinner” has reference to the measurably faithful, those that become involved in a “path of error.” (Jas. 5:20 – See Berean Comment: “He that was once a member of the Royal Priesthood.”) The third class is “the ungodly,” the fully unfaithful.

In this review we shall give only passing notice to “the ungodly,” our chief concern being with the fully faithful and the measurably faithful – the “sinner.” Before offering details, we would observe that one of the proofs of human depravity is the rise of corruption after a season of good development in most human movements. While this has been true in the world, we shall concern ourselves only with its action in the Church. And in this connection, we would say that all the Little Flock movements during the entire Gospel Age have been followed by more or less current Great Company Movements; and we have outstanding and compelling type for this in the case of Samuel and Saul.

In the Samuel‑Saul record Samuel is a type of the Little Flock, especially in its leaders; and we notice of him that he is one of the few Old Testament characters against whom no criticism is offered. Thus, he would be a fitting type for the Gospel Age saints, who also stand “unblamable and irreproachable” in the judgment of the house of God. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” (Rom. 8:33) And note the Berean Comment: “It is God... The firmness of whose justice can no more condemn the redeemed than it could previously excuse the guilty.”

However, the case of Saul is the opposite to that of Samuel. He went from good to bad, from bad to worse, his first important offense being his offering of a burnt offering without proper authority to do so. (1 Sam. 13:8‑13) Samuel’s rebuke of the offense was a mild one: “Thou has done foolishly.” But from “foolishness” he quickly went to rebellion and stubbornness. (1 Sam. 15:23); and in final desperation he sought counsel from the Witch of Endor – 1 Sam. 28:7‑25) Saul is a type of the crown‑lost leaders (the measurably unfaithful) up to Armageddon. In his first major offense he attempted to usurp an authority that had not been given him by the Lord; and this has been one outstanding transgression of crown‑lost leaders all during this Age. Note the comment on this in E‑4:277:

“Our Pastor once remarked that according to his observation 95% of the leaders who have fallen, fell through pride. In every case of Great Company leaders, they have been guilty of power‑grasping and lording. When we pass them one after the other in review we will see this to be the case. From first to last they want more than the Lord gives them; hence under Satanic temptation they grasp for power and lord it over God’s heritage, which makes them fall under God’s disfavor.”

A few outstanding examples of the foregoing – which we feel no well‑informed Truth person will question – are to be found in the Roman and Greek Catholic Churches. And both of these organizations claim foundation for their systems in the teachings of the Apostles and Jesus Himself – the Roman Catholic laying hold of the coattail of St. Peter, and the Greek Catholic that of the Apostle John. We now regard these perversions as more or less of ancient history; and in taking that position we are often prone to overlook similar performances that are proceeding in like manner in our own day. We have in mind specifically the case of the Society leaders after That Servant’s demise, who quickly ridded themselves of “the opposition” by whatever means seemed expedient to them. Their thinking was in exact duplication of the Roman Church when it was grasping for power: THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS! And descent into error has been much more rapid than either of the two Catholic systems. And true to their forerunners’ conduct, they are the loudest in consigning to destruction all who do not embrace them and their system of error!

The course of such individuals and systems is adroitly concealed in Psa. 75:6, 7: “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Here is outlined the course of the sun in its daily orbit – rising in the East, swinging to the South, and setting in the West. The sun was the visible representation of the God Baal, who is involved in so much of Old Testament doings. Baal means ‘lord or possessor,’ thus fittingly depicting those who would lord it over God’s heritage as power graspers. He is first mentioned in Num. 22:41, during the journey of the Jews from Egypt to Canaan. He is denounced by Jeremiah, and especially by Elijah in his encounter with the Prophets of Baal as given in 1 Kings Chapter 18. That engagement was a test between the true God of Israel, Jehovah, and Baal the sun god. And it will be noted that Elijah gave the Baal worshipers every advantage, allowing them to call upon their god at high noon, when the sun is brightest and warmest, and continuing until 3 p.m. And, when it was apparent that Baal was “either talking, or pursuing, or on a journey, or per adventure taking his noon nap” (1 Kgs. 18:27), and thus giving no answer to his prophets, that Elijah set up his offering, pouring thereon four barrels of water – to allow Baal every advantage – after which he called upon Jehovah, who sent fire from Heaven and consumed his sacrifice.

Baal is an excellent type of power‑graspers during the Gospel Age, who have striven for the preeminence – just as Lot sat in the gate of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), the place of prominence. It is such “sinners” who have built Big and Little Babylon, who have marred their characters and spotted their robes (1 Cor. 5:1‑13; Jude 23; Rev. 7:14); have fellowshipped with the world (2 Tim. 4:10; Jas. 1:8); have accepted and spread various false doctrines, as they were carried away by the “error of the lawless” (1 Cor. 3:12, 15; Matt. 25:3, 8); and have usurped the office and persecuted the persons of their faithful brethren. (Isa. 66:5) Ultimately they experience weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Such power‑graspers and their biased supporters are permitted to imbibe more or less of error; in fact, the Lord actually “sends to them an energy of delusion” (2 Thes. 2:11, Dia.). While the Truth is received through the mind, its purpose is to create in its possessor a “good and honest heart.” But unholy ambition for power works just the opposite, generating in such people “the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1) Such a bad heart condition has a very deleterious effect upon the mind, so that such often accept error for “advancing Truth,” and pervert or lose altogether the Truth which once gladdened their hearts and minds and made them “clean.” Thus they pay a terrible price for deceptive present advantage.

Their lust for power is well given in the parable of the penny (Matt. 20:1‑16), wherein v. 11 tells us that they “murmured against the goodman of the house” for not giving them more than they had agreed to accept at the outset of their service; and v. 12 clearly reveals that such do not want others to be equal to them. While this parable applies specifically to the end of this Age, its principle has been operative all during the Age since the Apostles passed out of the picture. Any one with even a meager knowledge of church history has no difficulty in recognizing this evil in both the Catholic Churches. Their course has been one of much error and fall from grace, as they made fearful wreck of the Truth left in their charge. We shall present more on this later in this article.

THE SIX SLAUGHTER‑WEAPON MEN

In Ezek. 9:1‑11 we have the record of the man with “a writer’s inkhorn by his side” – clothed with linen (“fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints” – Rev. 19:8, Dia.). Prior to 1914 it was the general impression among Truth people that this referred specifically and individually to Brother Russell; but a little analysis should convince us that such is not quite the truth. The “man clothed with linen” was told to go “through the midst of the city... and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” The facts of the case are in direct conflict with the interpretation that this man was an individual, because it would have been impossible for any one man to do what was commanded to be done. And all of us know that Brother Russell did not accomplish that great task all by himself. Quite a few who came into the Truth during his ministry never met him at all; and of those who did make personal contact with him, many of them received the Truth through others before meeting him. Furthermore, the six men with slaughter weapons cannot possibly be identified as six individuals, but represented six classes of people; therefore, the logical conclusion comes that the man with the writer’s inkhorn must also represent a class. While Brother Russell did put the “Mark” (the Truth) upon many more than any other one person, yet it is also probably true that he did not put it upon even a majority of those in the Truth movement.

In the Bible the number six is used to reveal evil or imperfection. Thus, the six men with slaughter weapons in their hands would do an evil or destructive work; and the facts of the case prove this to be true. While the Apostle Paul names only five evils in 1 Cor. 10:6‑12, this is due to the fact that he was discussing only the period from 1874 to 1914; whereas, the sixth evil (the sixth slaughter‑weapon man) did not begin to operate until after 1914, and has been continuing even to this day. The procedure here is in keeping with the general course of the Bible on every important teaching: “Precept upon precept .. line upon line...: here a little and there a little.” (Isa. 28:10) None of the important features of the Bible are completely discussed in any one place; each subject requires substance from more than one – often from many more than one Bible writer to completely provide a clear understanding. Once this point is fully understood, it will discourage any group from attempting direct Bible study verse by verse in any book of the Bible.

“Now these things were types of us (upon whom the ends of the Ages have come – v. 11) to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” (v. 6) In these words St. Paul points out, type and antitype, the first sifting in “the ends of the Ages,” which is typified in Num. 11:4‑35. Shortly after leaving Egypt the people received Manna for their food by Divine provision. (Ex. 16:1‑36) About a year later, shortly after leaving Mt. Sinai, the people began to weary of the Manna and to pine after foods they had had in Egypt. Although their ungrateful murmuring displeased Jehovah, He gave them according to their desire by sending them copious supplies of flesh in the form of quails from across the east arm of the Red Sea. But their gluttony brought upon them a plague – perhaps a heavy head cold caused by too much nitrogenous food – which wrought much distress and death among them.

Manna is used in the Bible as a type of food for heart and mind – the Truth (1 Cor. 10:3,4); and, as Christ is the Truth (John 14:6) it types Him, especially as the Ransom (John 6:31‑58). Just as the Israelites wearied of the literal Manna and longed for the fleshpots of Egypt, so antitypical Israelites “in the end of the Age” began in the Spring of 1878 to weary of the Truth, especially as respects the Ransom. Among Truth people Mr. Barbour was the first openly to display such weariness, soon joined by not a few Truth people. However, those who still retained the Truth vigorously defended it, refuting the disputants, thus causing them to reject one truth after another – until they were pushed into complete darkness.

The Second Sifting – St. Paul describes in v. 7, and relates to the making and worshiping of the golden calf, etc. “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” The calf was an idol; and an antitypical idol is anything, apart from God, to which one devotes himself in active service – the chief one here mentioned being a creed idol. A creed idol is a false religious belief; and the one here in question first appeared among the Truth people in 1881, being sponsored by Messrs. Paton, Adams, Jones, etc. Their views were an infidelistic repudiation of the Plan of God and the substitution of a theory of self‑atonement without a Ransom. In this they perverted almost every important doctrine, and caused many to serve their golden calf.

Infidelism was also the second slaughter‑weapon of Ezek. 9:1‑11 – even as the Ransom deniers had been the first slaughter‑weapon man. With this vicious vagary they slew in the Temple (the Truth Movement of saints – 1 Cor. 3:16). They began this slaughter work just shortly after “Food for Thinking Christians” had been published – that is, “go ye after the man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side, and smite.”

The Third Sifting is outlined in v. 8. It began in 1891, and has to do with symbolic fornication. “Neither let us in the ends of the Ages commit (figurative) forni­cation, as (in the type) some of them committed.” The great Papal System is described in Revelation as the “great whore” because of that Church’s unholy union with the evil governments of earth – “the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.” (Rev. 17:1, 2) Certain ones in the Truth Movement at that time started a drive to combine Truth and Babylonish methods into the Harvest work. This effort is described historically and thoroughly in the 90‑page booklet “A Conspiracy Exposed,” which detailed the offenses and refuted the erroneous charges of the sifters.

These perverters are well typified by Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15, 16; Rev. 2:14), the Berean Comment on these texts being, “Type of a class that teach error for profit.” And certainly at that time the great majority of the clergy in Babylon came under this condemnation, as they endeavored to unite the various denominations in a Federation of Churches; but more especially was this true with the World’s Congress of Religions at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, as they sought to unite the Christian religion with the heathen religions of earth. Their argument was a most insidious one: The Fatherhood of God for all men; the brotherhood of all men; the equality of all religions; and the acceptableness of all religious service to God, provided it is honestly given. This contention was thoroughly excoriated in the 1893 Watch Tower, pp. 323‑349, under the caption, “Echoes from the World’s Great Parliament of Religions.” And we believe it is a fair appraisal that this spirit of Combinationism is more apparent and active today than it was then; so we would accent St. Paul’s admonition: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” The third set of sifters is represented in the third slaughter‑weapon man of Ezek. 9:2.

The Fourth Sifting is described in v. 9, the same beginning in 1901: “Neither let us (in the ends of the Ages) tempt Christ, as some of them (typically) tempted and were destroyed of serpents.” Because the Edomites refused them permission, as a short cut to Palestine, to pass through Edom, the Israelites had to make their way around Edom. The journey was a dreary and trialsome one; and they began to assail Moses (type of Christ) by blaming him for their lot and adding to his difficulties, in punishment for which the Lord sent fiery serpents among them, and many of them died.

Edom types Christendom; and in the effort begun in 1901 many of the Lord’s people had become weary with the burden and heat of the day. Thus they were readily vulnerable to a plan whereby they could use Christendom’s highways as a short cut to gain the Heavenly Canaan without persecution. They readily forgot St. Paul’s conclusion: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12)

And we observe that now this contagion is very widespread among the various Truth groups. During That Servant’s life the Morning Resolve was a morning resolve. It was a prominent part of the morning service in every home of Truth people; and its various parts were studiously considered, one outstanding part being “faithful to the Lord, the Truth, the brethren.” And those of us cognizant of the facts know “faithfulness to the Truth” usually brought plenty of persecution. The generation that has arisen since 1914 knows little or nothing about that; and it merely confirms the fact that the fourth sifting – the fourth slaughter‑weapon man – is yet accomplishing its purposes. “When the Son of Man comes, will He find this belief on the land?” (Luke 18:8, Dia.)

This spirit of reform also involved order in the Church. Some of the sisters resented Paul’s dictum, “Let the woman learn in silence (in the Church) with all subjection” (1 Tim. 2:11), and some of the brethren with more superficial gallantry than “the spirit of a sound mind” upheld them in their protests. But That Servant’s adamant stand on that subject caused bitterness among many. The “fiery serpent” of rebellion bit them, and many of them died. Thus the fourth slaughter‑weapon man “went after him... and defiled the house.”

The Fifth Sifting is set forth in v. 10: “Neither murmur ye (in the ends of the Ages) as (typically) some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer.” The antitype began in 1908 with the offering of the Vow. which elicited strenuous protest from men like Henninges, McPhail, Williamson, etc. No sound basis could be presented for their objection to the Vow, since it merely put into writing and repeated what every one of them had agreed to do at the time of consecration.

However ,the Vow was just the beginning. Extensive controversy was instigated over the Sin Offerings, the Covenants, the Ransom, the Mediator, etc., all of which they gave vicious twists to uphold their position, one of their arguments being that the Sin‑offerings’ doctrine contradicted the Ransom. But it was they who were guilty of Contradictionism; and, as is so often true in such situations, the errorists manifested much more zeal for their errors than they ever did for the Truth. However, those who retained the Truth on these subjects were more than a match for the murmurers; they refuted them thoroughly with sound logic and sharp pertinent Scriptures, clearly revealing them as those described by St. Paul in Heb. 10:29: “They counted the blood of the (sacrificial – Psa. 50:5) covenant wherewith they were sanctified (not justified) an unholy thing” – a thing not belonging to the altar.

When the uproar finally subsided in 1911 all the leaders among the murmurers had been driven from the Truth Movement. “The earth (the present social order) opened her mouth, and swallowed them up ... They went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.” So completely was this done that very little was heard about them after they left the Truth Movement. When the Vow was offered in 1908, its type was established in Num. 15:38, 39, 40: “Bid the children of Israel make them fringes in the borders of their garments... and put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue... that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord... that ye seek not after your own heart, and you own eyes... that ye remember, and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your God.” Certainly the Vow said nothing more than is embraced in this Scripture; yet the fifth slaughter‑weapon man would do his destructive work in full measure.

The Sixth Sifting is not mentioned by St. Paul, for reasons already given, but we have a hint of it in Matt. 20:8‑16: “When even was come... they murmured against the goodman of the house.” The “even” in the parable is the evening of the reaping feature of the Harvest (in the end of the Age), which did not arrive until 1914; thus, could not be a part of the fifth sifting that ended in 1911. But it does coincide very well with the sixth slaughter‑weapon man, who did not begin his work until sometime after 1914.

In this parable of The Penny it was not the Fully Faithful that murmured against “the goodman of the house”; it was rather the Measurably Faithful. These latter wanted more than had been agreed, which revealed in them a wrong spirit. Such grasped for power, and attracted to themselves many partisan supporters, although this was not done by words, but by acts – after That Servant’s demise. The contest then became very animated as to which of them should be greatest. David says of such in Psa. 107:11: “They rebelled (revolutionized) against the words of God (those clear Truth teachings that had been brought to light during the forty‑year reaping period), and contemned the counsel of the Most High” (disdained the Church order, etc., that the Little Flock Movement had established).

Those of us familiar with the facts know that J. F. Rutherford, et al, had hardly usurped control of the Society until they began to do this very thing. They advised the various classes to establish a Sunday School for children, which would be taught by the sisters of those classes, etc., which in turn caused very sharp differences among them, eventually leading to a complete rupture of relations. This revolutionism – the sixth slaughter‑weapon man – was clearly “contemning the counsel of the Most High” as it has been given through That Servant. This revolutionism has continued unabated over the past 58 years, so that the Witnesses have perverted or rejected entirely most of the important doctrines that they had previously accepted from the Lord through That Servant, so that today they no longer know themselves.

And this has been true, but in much less degree, in other groups, so that they can no longer have class study of the six Parousia Volumes without much disputation among themselves. And since the Epiphany Messenger’s death, the same process has been developing in the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement – although not nearly so pronounced as was true immediately after That Servant’s death.

Lest any of our readers presume that we have simply drawn upon our imagination in the foregoing statements concerning “these things as types,” we now quote from Parousia Volume 2, pp. 201‑204:

“God’s dealings with the nation of Israel were of a typical character; yet few have any adequate conception of how fully this was the case. It has doubtless been observed by many that the Apostles, particularly Paul, in instructing the Christian Church, frequently refers to some striking features of type and antitype in the Jewish and Christian dispensations... He calls up the whole Jewish system as divinely instituted... and shows that in all its features it was typical of the then dawning Christian dispensation...

“…The whole Jewish nation during that Age was unwittingly engaged, under God’s direction, in furnishing for our instruction (“on whom the ends of the Ages have come” – JJH)… a typical view of the plan of salvation... It is by drawing upon this storehouse of truth, so abundantly and specially provided for the Church, that the spirit of God feeds us and leads us gradually into a more and complete understanding of His plan... and is now supplying much of the special light and food needful to us in this harvest time at the consummation of the Age... How important in His estimation must be that knowledge to us, and how eagerly we should avail ourselves of it.”

CONCLUSION

“A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” (Prov. 24:16) This text is better emphasized by Rotherham: “Seven times may the righteous fall and yet arise, but the lawless men (those that revolutionize against the Truth and its arrangements) stumble into calamity.” The “just man” here is the Fully Faithful Little Flock during the seven epochs of the Gospel‑Age Church. At the outset of each of these epochs the pure Truth was presented; but at the death of the reformers the “lawless men” (those who “rebelled against the words of God”) were quick to pervert or reject much of what had been given. Most of our readers know that this was pointedly true after the death of the Apostles; but it was also true as respects the various reformers. Of the 95 theses that Luther nailed to the church door at Wittenberg only a few now are advocated by the Lutheran system. And the same may be said for John Wesley and others. The workings of “the just man” in all these instances soon fell into disarray through perversion of “the lawless men,” who “rebelled (revolutionized) against the words of God.” (Psa. 107:11)

And surely those of us who view the happenings since 1916 with a critical but unbiased mind must recognize that this same situation has been pointedly true since the death of That Servant. Yes, while the evil features of the text are brought to mind, we may also take great consolation in the clause, “and riseth up again.” After the falling during the sixth epoch, the “rising up” was markedly accentuated during the period from 1874 to 1914 – more so than after any previous falling. But, though the falling is present with us, we may be certain that the “rising up again” is also sure of accomplishment. Thus we would emphasize that those “established in the present truth” (2 Pet. 1:12) will effect a sturdy and victorious endeavor that will not fall the eighth time. “The just man” falleth only seven times – not eight times – thus, the final rising up will prevail without defeat.

It is our hope and prayer that what has been presented herein will bless, comfort and strengthen the Lord’s people in the “things they have learned and been assured of.” (2 Tim. 3:14) “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – If the Gate to the Epiphany Tabernacle Court was closed to new consecrators in 1954, does this mean that the Gate is permanently closed to all classes now?

ANSWER: – We do not teach that the Gate was closed in 1954, and that consecration is no longer available for prospective Youthful Worthies since that date. In harmony with That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger, we believe such opportunity will prevail so long as Tentative Justification is available. However, RGJ says the Gate was closed in 1954 – with no more opportunity for entry into it for prospective Youthful Worthies. His conclusion prompts quite a few questions – namely: Has he concluded that all the Great Company were cleansed by 1954? If not, does he plan to reopen the Gate for the return of their humanity into the Court after they are cleansed? Or will he leave their justified humanity in the Camp with his Consecrated Campers?

Also, he says the unjustified people of God are in his Camp, too. Does he mean his three classes are all mixed up in one conglomerate group, or does he have the Camp divided into various sections for each individual Class? Once the humanity of the Great Company is ejected from the Court, they are no longer able “to offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” (Mal. 3:3) Surely RGJ should know that prior to his closed Gate in 1954 the humanity of the Great Company was returned to the Court condition once they were cleansed by their Fit‑Man experiences! So the question properly arises: Has that condition changed since 1954?

RGJ should consider it his duty to answer all these questions in order that his followers would be “ready always to give an answer – a reason for the hope that is in them.” (l Pet. 3:15) And while he is at it, he should also state whether Rev. 22:10, 11 applied before his “finished picture,” and to what Classes. Further, if it does apply to any Class before the “finished picture” arrives, then just what position does he ascribe to the various Classes now?

As Brother Russell has taught – and as we have so often stressed – A Place in the Tabernacle types represent a condition in the antitype; and we wonder if this truth has ever registered with RGJ. He is telling us now that his Campers Consecrated justified are in the Camp, and they have their justification there. He also has the unjustified nominal people of God in his present Camp. This means he has unjustified people in a justified condition – that is, if the Camp is now a condition of the tentatively justified. This is the first time that the nominal people of God – the unjustified – are in the same place – condition – with the Justified. It requires a very elastic imagination for pictures and types to produce such a visionary delusion. But let him show us now if there were ever any unjustified people in the Court from 1914 to 1954. He is telling us that the Court during that time is a “parallel” to his Camp now; and he says, too, that JJH is mixed up on this thing. Well, as the Epiphany Messenger would say: This is confusion worse confounded! The clear teaching of both Messengers is that all unconsecrated people lose their Tentative Justification once they are ejected from the Court; but they do remain in the Court so long as they retain that justification. They are in the tentatively justified condition in the Court for the very purpose of consecration; and the time of their stay there would vary with the individuals.

So we ask RGJ to make himself clear on all these points. We freely admit that we cannot do this for him; but it is our fond hope that he will produce a clear statement for the sake of all concerned.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sir:

Please send the following articles: Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 121. I hope I’m not ordering too many. I really desire to know. Thanks. Do you offer other literature?

Sincerely, ------- (VIRGINIA)

NO. 256: IN MEMORIAM

No. 256

It is now just sixty years since Brother Russell finished his earthly journey; but those few who knew him personally still hold warm and fragrant memory of his personality and scholarly understanding of the Bible and related subjects. And many of us who never met him hold fond memories by considering his record, and from the things told us by these who did know him personally. Thus, we shall endeavor to pass on some of such recollections, along with quotations from some of those who are no longer with us.

First, we shall offer 2 Tim. 3:16,17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” It will be readily noticed that this is a very poor translation as found in the King James version, because “is” after Scripture is in italics, telling us there is no corresponding word in the original Greek. But even if this were not so, we could easily deduce that the statement cannot possibly be true, because ‘scripture’ in the broad sense is anything written – including newspapers, magazines, books of fiction, etc. Certainly, no one would contend that such writings are given “by inspiration of God.”

In a more restricted sense, scripture may be applied to cherished writings of the various heathen religions, such as those from Confucius, Mohammed, etc. However, these likewise cannot be described as being inspired of God. It would seem that any one even moderately schooled in Present Truth should know this; yet the Jehovah’s Wit­nesses published a book as late as 1963, the title of which is “ALL SCRIPTURE IS IN­SPIRED OF GOD AND BENEFICIAL.” (Emphasis ours—JJH) And in their strenuous effort to be ‘different,’ they offer the word ‘beneficial’ for profitable; but of the leading Greek scholars – such as Doctors Young, Strong, Rotherham and Wilson – not one of them offers the word ‘beneficial’ as a good translation substitute for ‘profitable.’ Even Brother Russell himself – who was not a Greek scholar – saw the error in the text as early as 1897, and omitted the word “is” from the Manna Comments of May 21; thus, the Witnesses would not have made this blunder had they held proper regard for his excel­lent Biblical interpretations.

Following is an excellent translation of the text by Benjamin Wilson: “All Scrip­ture, divinely inspired, is indeed profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correc­tion, for that discipline which is in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly fitted for every good work.” We have offered the detail aforegoing because some of those who knew Brother Russell intimately before his demise in 1916 often referred to him as “that wonderful man of God,” their substance being taken from this writing of St. Paul.

“A PROPHET UNTO THE NATIONS”

At the outset, we would stress that Brother Russell is shown in more Scripture and types than any other person on this earth, except our Lord Jesus; and it is our belief that one of such typical instances is the Prophet Jeremiah in his acts and words. In Jer. 1:4-6 there is this: “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying.... I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold I can­not speak; for I am a child.” In verse 1 we have “The words of Jeremiah” – the name meaning Jehovah is exalted. Certainly the name itself applies most fittingly to Bro. Russell, whose firm and repeated expression was “God first,” which attitude well ap­plied to him all during his entire adult life. Also, thestatement, “I am a child” points fittingly to him. At the outset of his ministry in 1874, knowing his ignorance of Hebrew and Greek, he considered himself but a babe in Biblical exegesis; and for seven years – to 1881 – he always tried to place those with superior education before him because he considered them better qualified. But the Lord knew what He was doing when He called Brother Russell to be His special mouthpiece – “the prophet unto the nations.” Note verses 7-9, “The Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak... The Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth ... said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”

Looking back, it is very easy to discern the fulfillment of these words. That Ser­vant predicted the end of the Gentile Times (Luke 21:24) 25 years before 1914. During that 25 years he received much vilification and ridicule from various sources; and by 1913 – with the world then in seeming calm – some in high position said a general world war among the then friendly (?) nations was just so much nonsense. But, when 1914 came – with the great explosion on July 28, August 1 – great numbers began to have a differ­ent view and respect for what he said. In fact, a conference of Southern ministers openly stated that Pastor Russell had been right in his predictions.

To emphasize the strong parallel between him and Jeremiah we need only to consider the parallel dispensations: It was just 2520 years before 1914 (in the Fall of 607 B.C) that Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnessar, the temple was ravished and the gold and sil­ver vessels carried away to Babylon. That was exactly what Jeremiah had predicted – in the face of the severe criticism of the Jewish priesthood – just as Brother Russell had predicted against the disputations of the ministers of Christendom. Jeremiah had not predicted the beginning of Gentile dominion, because it was not possible for him to see that then; but Brother Russell, knowing that “seven times shall pass over thee” (Dan. 4 25,32), and understanding that those “seven times” would end 2520 years later, did not have much difficulty in figuring out when they would end, once he knew when they began.

Let us carry on now to Jer. 1:11-14: “What seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.” As explained in Tabernacle Shadows, p. 122, the almond rod symbolizes the royal priesthood, elect and fruitful; and this fact was seen very clearly by Bro. Russell in 1879, when he wrote Tabernacle Shadows. “The second time, What seest thou? And I said I see a seething pot... an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.” This “seething pot” was the Time of Trouble, which would come with the end of the Gentile Times; and those of us who were living at that time still have most vivid memory of that holocaust. Even though the United States was not immediately involved (we did not enter the war until April 1917), the uproar was so great and the shaking of society in all the great countries of the earth was so severe that the New York Stock Ex­change was forced to close down for three months – “an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.”

This great conflict – up to then the world’s greatest calamity – was also typed by Elijah smiting Jordan. In that picture Jordan pictured Christendom; and its smiting portrayed how the various elements of society would be divided into two distinct classes – the conservatives and the radicals; and this has become more pronounced each year since 1914, with the radicals generally victorious – just as the Babylonians (who typed the radicals of our day) won victory after victory until the final one saw the complete collapse of Jerusalem, and the beginning of the desolation of the land for seventy years: “The word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.” (2 Chron. 36:21) The parallel desolation of Christendom began in 1914, and will con­tinue in full force until 1984, of which we may have more to say “in due time.”

God further instructed Brother Russell to confess the sins of Christendom over the head of Azazel’s Goat – “the house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.” (Jer. 2:4) In the Old Testament the Gospel-Age Christians are never called Jacob; rather, Jacob almost always refers to natural Israel; whereas, Israel usually is used to designate the Christian Household. And of both these houses Jeremiah said: “I brought you into a plentiful country... but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.” (v. 7) This statement is indeed a true declaration of the Church history. Under Jesus and the Apostles “the people which sat in darkness saw great light.” (Matt. 4:16) But the intervening years up to 1874 had witnessed the distortion of that “great light” into all sorts of weird concoctions; with practically all of them – Protestant and Catholic – becoming infested with “their resemblance through all the earth.” (Zech. 5:6) The four great errors that arose during the Gospel Age are the Trinity, immortality, eternal torment and probation limited to this life. In these four great errors most Protestants and all Greek and Roman Catholics resemble one another – they are “their resemblance through all the earth.”

Once Brother Russell became fortified with the Truth against these great errors he employed all of his remarkable skill and energy in onslaught against them. His favor­ite address to the public was “Where Are The Dead?” For forty years he battled with all courage against the theory of eternal torment as the wages of sin, and so well did he analyze those Scriptures that treated of that subject, that toward the end of his min­istry one newspaper carried four stanzas of poetry, the last quatrain of which was some­thing like this:

There is a man in our town

Whose name I need not tell;

I’m sure you all must know him,

Because he put the fires out of Hell.

Today few educated ministers believe in the doctrine of Hell-fire, although some of them occasionally preach it, perhaps believing it to be a restraint upon evil-doers. All concordances and critical translations of the Bible clearly dispute the thought of eter­nal torment as the wages of sin.

Brother Russell received strong assurance from the Lord for the work he was to do, as told to Jeremiah in vs. 17 & 18: “Speak unto them (the people of Christendom) all that I shall command thee: be not dismayed at their faces.... I have made thee this day a defenced city” – immovable and strong as against society, against the various sects in Christendom, against the four prominent classes in American society: Rulers, capital­ists, aristocracy and labor, particularly against their leaders. These are the “four angels” – messengers of wrath – as set forth in Rev. 7:1-3 – whose destructive work was restrained “till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Although these all, some more, some less, waged controversies against him, God assured him of full victory: “They shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with the... to deliver thee.” Surely, as we look back, we are able to see how forcefully this was fulfilled in the work he did.

When the prophecy was made, “They (the gainsayers) shall not prevail against thee,” it was not an idle promise; God gave him the Parousia Truth as his “strong tower,” which proved to be impregnable against the combined attacks of all adversaries. The promise made to Joshua (1:5): “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life,” certainly applied to Brother Russell with great emphasis. Those who attempted to engage him in controversy soon came within the scope of Rev. 16:10 “They gnawed their tongues for pain.” Many of them resorted to slander, which was their weap­on of last resort; but it may be said of Brother Russell that he never reciprocated in kind; with the strong and clear and Biblical system of truth he had, there was certain­ly no need to cheapen himself by using the tools of the “god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4) The Parousia Truth was indeed a “defenced city” for him. (Jer. 1:18)

Chapter 2 of Jeremiah carries on in much the same fashion as the first Chapter. Brother Russell was commanded to shout his message from the housetops, and it is a mat­ter of record that he did just that. “Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem (type of Christendom here in the end of the Age), saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord: I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth (when the pristine purity of Christianity was established under the guidance of Jesus and the Apostles), the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness” – “The woman (the true church) fled in the wilder­ness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thous­and two hundred and threescore days” (the 1260 years from 539 to 1799 A.D.) Verse 3 continues: “Israel (the true church) was holiness unto the Lord, the firstfruits of his increase.”

But that condition had become greatly changed “in the time of the end” (Dan. 12:4 – from 1799, and especially after 1874). Thus, antitypical Jeremiah was prompted to raise the question: (v.5) “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” The nominal church from 1874 is described in similar criticism to what Jeremiah said to the Jews before the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.: “Thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17) Following are some of the Berean Comments on this text: “Possessing little of the truth and the spirit of the truth... Cannot see afar off.... cannot see the high calling for the Church or restitution for the poor world... stripped of the robe of Christ’s righteousness by the clergy, in the name of Higher Criticism and Evolution.”

Having come to the condition of full complacency – “rich and increased with goods” – they poised the insolent question (Jer. 2:8): “Where is the Lord, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt (typical of the delivery of the Gospel-Age church, which had been delivered from antitypical Egypt, “this present evil world”), that led us through the wilderness.. the shadow of death (“the wages of sin is death”).. and (v. 7) I brought you into a plentiful country.. but ye defiled my land.. and made my heritage an abom­ination.” “We have need of nothing”!

The question carries on in v. 11: “Hath a nation changed their gods... but my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit”; and because of this they “be astonished... be horribly afraid... very desolate (v. 12).” During this “time of the end” nominal Christendom committed two evils – they gave up God as their God, though He is the only source of life-giving Truth; and they developed creeds: “broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (v. 13) “Their cities are burned without an inhabitant” – an evil which they brought upon themselves. “Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou has forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?” (v. 17)

“Yes I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed.” (v. 21) When we review the superb religious system which God had given Israel under Moses and Aaron, and the downward course they pursued in the following years, it is most difficult to understand how that could have been possible. Yet their course was but a forecast of the downward course of Christendom after the departure of the Apostles. Indeed, “A just man falleth seven times, but he riseth up again.” (Prov. 24:16) The words of Solomon in this text are a terse statement of the history of the Gospel-Age Church in its seven epochs, as outlined in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. Each of these epochs began with a virile mes­sage of Truth – first with Jesus and the Apostles, then followed with the ministry of the remaining “six stars” (Rev. 1:16); but in every instance those that came after the various stars quickly retrograded into much error and decay of morale – as their prede­cessors had done.

Finally in 1874 came That Servant (Matt. 24:46), faced with an accumulation of the colossal errors of the entire Age – a fact which would have discouraged any man who had not the encouragement of the Lord Himself: “I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the priests thereof, and against the people.” (Jer. 1:18) But just as in times past, the finely-tuned system of Parousia Truth which he left was bandied about by some of his followers – particularly by the Jehovah’s Witnesses – so that if his writings and their writings are placed side by side now, no unbiased mind would believe they should he recognized as coming from the same source – which indeed they do not.

THE TRUE VINE VS. THE VINE OF THE EARTH

The “noble vine” established through Moses and Aaron was all that the expression implies; and all will surely agree that had the Jews adhered to the Law Covenant through their continuing priesthood they would have developed into a nation the likes of which the world had never known. On the last night before He was crucified Jesus had told the Disciples, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), thus identifying Himself as the anti­type of the “noble vine” God had planted in Israel; and Christians generally would have done well to “continue in His word.” But instead, they developed the “vine of the earth” (Rev. 14:18,19); and the angel was commanded to “gather it... and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God” – the great Time of Trouble, which began in 1914 at the end of the Gentile Times.

“The vine of the earth” in these texts is the great Papal system which is slowly being consumed – much the same as are grapes that are pressed for their juice. And Paul tells us that this system is “the wicked one” (2 Thes. 2:8), whom the Lord “shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” The word “brightness” in this text is from the Greek ‘epiphaneia,’ which is literally ‘bright shining’; and “coming” is from the Greek ‘parou­sia.’ Thus, the text properly stated should read, “whom the Lord will destroy with the bright shining of His Presence.”

This has been progressing slowly, but surely, since 1914 – in harmony with the state­ment in Dan. 7:11: “I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame” – just another expression for the Time of Trouble. And just as much of Jeremiah’s message is harsh condemnation of the Jews, so much that That Ser­vant wrote and preached was harsh condemnation of the “vine of the earth” – although he never resorted to reviling or slander in any of his statements; the Truth that he had was more than enough. And just as Jeremiah had been told, “speak unto them all that I command thee,” so Pastor Russell uttered the scathing message against nominal Christen­dom as it was revealed to him in the Word of Truth.

It is probably in order here to state that many features of the Gospel Age have been re-enacted here in the end of the Age, one of these being a little Papal System in the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. And just as the large Papal system “shall think to change times and laws” (Dan. 7:25), so this little Papal system has also changed times and laws; in fact, they have made so many changes in their chronology and in some others of their teachings that few, if any, of them know just what they do believe. How­ever, when we analyze big and little Papacy we assuredly do not include all members of those organizations in our criticism. It is our conviction that there are many noble and honorable people in both systems – some of whom are our good personal friends; but they have not given themselves to the research on the subject that we have done.

Jeremiah continues his castigation in chapter 2:21,22: “I had planted thee a noble vine: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?.... Though thou take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me.” Of course, such scathing denunciations aroused the sharp animosity of the Jews, who eventually did Jer­emiah to death by stoning him. He was a “speckled bird” (Jer. 12:9) – a man marked for contempt and persecution from early manhood, as was also Brother Russell. Yet the de­termination of both of them caused them to hew to the line to the end of life’s journey.

But, as some men are determined to declare the Word of Truth in purity and sincer­ity, so others are just as determined to go the way of Balaam, who was a type of those who teach error for profit. Thus they play the symbolic harlot with strangers. “I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.” (Jer. 2:25) “Have gone astray, follow­ing the way of Balaam.” (2 Pet. 2:15) “Thou hast them there that hold the doctrine of Balaam.” (Rev. 2:14) See the Berean Comment on both these texts – “Type of class that teach error for profit.” The Revelation text was directed to the Church of Per­gamos, the third epoch of the Gospel Age, which had its beginning about 315 A.D. when Emperor Constantine embraced the Christian religion and contaminated it with many of his former heathen beliefs.

The heathen beliefs and customs accumulated with each succeeding epoch of the Gospel-Age Church, many of which were discernible even to worldly men of good charac­ter. The nominal church had become clustered with hypocrites, as stated in Rev. 18:2: “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Many “jail” birds were members of some great religious system at 1914; thus, the call had gone out, “Come out of her, my people.” (Rev. 18:4) This is emphasized by the Prophet Jeremiah (2:26, 27): “As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests and their prophets (many of the leading clergy at 1914 openly admitted they accepted only such parts of the Bible as suited their taste).. they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble (which came upon them in 1914) they will say, Arise, and save us.”

At that time we were a faithful member of the Lutheran Church; and, when the preacher arose in the pulpit and urged the congregation to support the war in every way possible, we went to him to inquire how he could do such a thing, when the Lutheran Church had originated in Germany, with a large part of the population then members of that Church. Therefore, he was advising Lutherans to kill brother Lutherans instead of “we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16) as we are instructed by God’s Word; and we left his house never to return. The same could be said of the Ro­man Catholics in Italy, who were pitted against the Catholics in Romanist Austria. Thus, Jeremiah continued his charge: “Where are thy gods that thou hast made? Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble.. Ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 2:28,29) Wars always bring out the worst in people; and this was especially true of the 1914 conflagration. They had made dead churches their moth­ers, having rejected God; yet they called upon Him in their Time of Trouble. Thus, the accusation: “Your children have received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.” (v. 30) These truths were boldly and repeated­ly proclaimed by Brother Russell; and he and his followers received much persecution from the nominal church; hence the charge, “In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents.” (v. 34) This is repeated in Rev. 18:24: “In her (the nominal church) was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”

Thus far we have considered only two chapters of the 52 chapters in the Jeremiah writings; and we hope to continue the book at some future time. However, we believe all our readers who have been even passingly schooled in Present Truth will recognize the pointed application to the writings and sayings of Brother Russell as he repeatedly set them forth. Briefly, Jeremiah was “the prophet unto the nations” for forty years before the capitulation of Jerusalem; Brother Russell was “the prophet unto the nations” for forty years before the collapse of Christendom in 1914. The former foretold the overthrow of Jerusalem, with the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin (the ten tribes had already been transplanted to Babylon 133 years previously by Shalmaneser, the Assyrian king – see 2 Kgs. 17:1-7 – and subsequently became the “ten lost tribes” of Israel); Brother Russell foretold the collapse of Christendom 2520 years later; and he gave his forecast about 25 years before the event occurred. The same conditions prevailed in both places before their collapse; and the current evils were repeatedly and truthfully castigated by both men.

In closing, we would say that much of the foregoing has been gleaned from the writings of the Epiphany Messenger, who left us on October 22, 1950 – 34 years almost to the day after Pastor Russell died. Thus we take this occasion to pay grateful tribute to both of them. We have made the major elaboration for Brother Russell, because his work and office in the Lord’s Household was much superior to that of Brother Johnson. And, just as there were no successors to the twelve Apostles, so there was no successor to That Servant – although since his death there have been faithful mouthpieces, of whom the Epiphany Messenger was foremost. But we would emphasize here that he did not set aside any of That Servant’s basic teachings; rather, he scrupulously defended the gen­eral structure of Parousia Truth, and used that Truth as a foundation for his own teach­ings in the Epiphany.

The same is true of us regarding the teachings of both of these faithful servants; we “continue in that which we have learned and been assured of (from them), knowing of whom we have learned them” (2 Tim. 3:14). However, we would stress that none of the faithful mouthpieces of the Lord since the Apostles fell asleep were infallible; they made mistakes, as Church history relates. The same may be said for the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers: They also made mistakes – especially as relates the time features concerning future events; but their basic chronology we accept exactly as they gave it, although we reject some of their conclusions which time itself has proven such expectations premature. We feel those faulty conclusions were permitted of the Lord for “the trial of your faith”; and we regard them in this light – although we believe that both of them come well within the Scripture: “The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” (Psalms 112:6)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Did the Ancient Worthies have a standing in the antitypical Tabernacle Court?

ANSWER: – To gain a clear understanding of this matter, we should first of all stress there wasn’t even a typical Tabernacle erected when many of the Ancient Wor­thies lived – as instance Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. The typical Tabernacle was erected by Moses at Sinai. Therefore, we agree with Brother Russell’s answer to a sim­ilar question in the March 1910 Tower, Reprints 4579: “No. In their day the Priest had not yet come and the antitypical Tabernacle and its Court established; hence they could not be in it. According to their hearts, as expressed in their conduct, they must have been members of the Household of Faith.” In the eleventh Chapter of Hebrews St. Paul stresses that those named there did what they did “by faith.”

The Levites will occupy the Millennial Tabernacle Court – a “better resurrection” than the world, whose resurrection will be in the Camp. The Ancient Worthies were jus­tified by faith, and had a standing before God, even though they could not be in the anti­typical Court, which began to be erected for the Household at Pentecost. However, they had an anticipatorial standing in the antitypical Court – even though they knew little or nothing about it. We are told that “God calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17); and in Gen. 15:6 it is stated that Abraham “believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.” This Scripture is substantially quoted three times by St. Paul in Rom. 4:3,9,22 – in his proof of a tentative justification for this Gospel Age.

In Rom. 4:6-8 the Apostle quotes from Psa. 32:1-5 to prove that David also had a reckoned justification, although in his case the typical tabernacle had been erected some five hundred years before he became king in Israel. Abraham and David both had the same kind of justification – a justification by faith – which gave them both an antici­patorial standing in the antitypical Tabernacle, which began to be erected by Jesus at Jordan, and was begun for His followers at Pentecost.

However, none of the Ancients could have anything more than a reckoned justifica­tion, because the merit of Jesus did not become available until His death on the cross. Even though many of them knew very little about the Plan of Salvation, they did look for a Messiah – a vague ray of hope was given in Gen. 3:15: “Enmity between thee and the woman... thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head.” As to Abraham, the father of the faithful, our Lord said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” So, even though the antitypical Tabernacle wasn’t established, and the Ancient Worthies could not be in the antitypical Tabernacle Court, they had the same standing before God as do the Youthful Worthies now who have their standing in the Court: BOTH the Ancient and Youthful Worthies had Tentative Justification. (See E-4:352, 355)

Note particularly Rom. 4:11,12 (Dia.): “Abraham received the symbol of circumci­sion as a seal of the righteousness (Tentative Justification) of that faith which he had while in uncircumcision; in order that he might be (1) THE FATHER OF ALL uncircumcized BELIEVERS (consecrated and unconsecrated), that the righteous­ness may be accounted unto them (ALL uncircumcised BELIEVERS); and (2) a father of circumcision, not only to those who are of circumcision, but to those also who tread in the footsteps of the faith of our Father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.”

Those schooled in Parousia Truth understand full well that there are only two types in the Old Testament that picture forth the sacraments that are obligatory on all who “follow in His steps” – Circumcision, which types consecration; and the Passover, which portrays the Lord’s Supper. But the words of St. Paul clearly and emphatically state that Abraham was counted righteous in uncircumcision; and he is the father of all the faithful. Therefore, it logically follows that all Gospel-Age believers would be counted righteous (have tentative justification) before they receive the antitypical cir­cumcision – that is, before they consecrate to do God’s will.

But those Ancients before Moses hold no relation whatever in their standing to Consecrated Epiphany Campers, because the antitypical Court is now established, and rep­resents the only place available for justification in this Gospel Age. Nor can these Campers be placed anticipatorialy in the Millennial-Age Tabernacle Court, because that Court will be occupied by the Household of Faith (See 1940 PT, p. 13) – the three anti­typical Tribes of Levites: Kohathites (Ancient Worthies); Merarites (Great Company); Gershonites (Youthful Worthies). The Consecrated Campers cannot be said to be antici­patorialy in the Millennial-Age Court because they will not be a part of the Millennial-­Age firstborns, as is true of the Worthies. All the Worthies have been anticipatorialy in the Millennial-Age Court, because that is where they will be resurrected. Their “bet­ter resurrection” (Reb. 11:35) will put them in that Court when they come forth from the tomb. The Highway of Holiness will be opened up in the Camp for all Restitutionists, including the quasi-elect. There will be no ‘narrow way’ in the Camp then, nor has there ever been a narrow way in the Camp – in the Patriarchal, Jewish or Gospel Ages ­no narrow, way in the Camp for Restitutionists to sacrifice at any time.

The marked distinction between the Worthies and Consecrated Campers is very clearly defined in Noah’s Ark – where the six saved classes of human beings are set forth. Noah and his wife type Christ and the Church; Shem and his wife the Ancient Worthies; Japheth and his wife the Great Company; Ham and his wife the Youthful Worthies; the clean animals the repentant and believing Jews and Gentiles; the unclean animals the remainder of the restitutionists. The marked difference between human beings and ani­mals reveals the sharp difference between the elect and the non-elect; no sane person would mistake one for the other. Yet RGJ is telling us that his Campers (consecrated Restitutionists) are so zealous of good works, serving the Lord, that it is almost im­possible to discern the difference in them and the Youthful Worthies! It is almost im­possible to discern between the elect and the non-elect, he is telling us – between the faithful elect and the Restitutionists. His claim makes a complete jumble out of the picture in Noah’s Ark. The quasi-elect have an anticipatorial standing in the Millen­nial-Age Camp, the same as all Restitutionists. The difference between the quasi-elect and the other Restitutionists is, they will be better prepared to walk up the Highway of Holiness than the residue of mankind.

NO. 255: JUSTIFICATION IN THIS AGE AND IN THE NEXT AGE

No. 255

The primary power of God’s real people is THE TRUTH; and their secondary power is God’s Arrange­ment for the proper use of that Truth. Thus, the counsel to “give attendance to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13) is sound advice for every time of the Age. And we believe it is proper observation that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the doctrine of JUSTIFICATION will enable us to “continue in the faith” – never to stray far from the general Truth structure.

There are two kinds of Justification taught in the Bible – Justification by Faith, and Justification by Works. Inasmuch as our present Bible is specifically designed for those of God’s people who “live by faith,” it should be only proper that Justifica­tion by Faith should receive preponderance of favor for the past, present and future ­until Justification by works gains the ascendancy. Our understanding that we person­ally are justified is purely a matter of faith with each of us. And, once one enters into Justification by Faith, his fellows will perceive little outward difference in him; such a faith operates in the heart and mind, without pronounced change in outward physical appearance. Time operates upon our bodies much the same as it does on those not so blessed – in due time the grave makes claim upon all. Just the reverse of this will prove true during the Kingdom reign, when a justification by works will actually make right, and all who attain that justification will no longer need fear the grave. But it is our purpose to treat only passingly of this latter; rather, we shall con­sider that justification that applies to all God’s people now and in the past – that which cometh of faith.

Since the time that “Christ brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10), Justification by Faith has had two component divisions – a tentative jus­tification, and a vitalized justification.  And it is herein that much controversy has arisen among God’s people, some claiming there is no such thing as “tentative justifica­tion”; others claiming it not only operates now, but will continue to operate even dur­ing the period of Justification by Works. It is our opinion that those who deny com­pletely a tentative justification for this Faith Age are thus forced to abandon large sections of that Truth which once made them clean. It forced JFR to discard completely Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices, so that the Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer include that book in their course of study. And it is difficult to determine just what interpretation those people now give to Jesus’ words: “I say to you, Till Heaven and earth pass away, one iota or one tip of a letter shall by no means pass from the law, till all be accomplished (fulfilled)”—Matt. 5:18, Dia. Clearly enough, Jesus was thus telling us that the entire Law arrangement – of which the Tabernacle with its ceremonies was the central feature – was typical, and that all those types must continue until the antitypes appeared to fulfill them – fill them full to a completion.

In a flimsy attempt to justify his rejection of tentative justification, JFR made the false claim that Brother Russell rejected the teaching of tentative justifi­cation before he died; but this claim is directly disputed in the foreword of Vol. 6, Oct. 1, 1916. There Brother Russell sets forth tentative justification and vitalized justification as separate and distinct, as he also does in the 1909 Watch Tower, p.360; the 1910 WT, pp. 12-13,93 and 246; the 1911, p. 394; the 1912, p. 152; the 1913, pp. 92-94; the 1914, p. 67; the 1915, pp. 103-104 and pp. 292-293; the 1916, p. 281.

These citations leave no doubt about Brother Russell’s convictions about the teaching of tentative justification. Many others have joined JFR in the denial of tentative justi­fication; and, since this teaching is a fundamental part of the Old and New Testaments, we are justified in concluding that those who once accepted it before October 1916, but now deny it, must come under the classification of 2 Thes. 2:10,11, Dia.: “They admitted not the love of the Truth... And on this account God will send to them an energy of delu­sion.” In our Lord’s announcement of the sentence upon the “unprofitable servant” (the Great Company) of Matt. 25:30, Jesus stated that he would be “cast into outer darkness” ­the “darkness” meaning in this text, as it also does in 1 Thes. 5:5,6 and other Scrip­tures, “giving them over to error.” (See especially the Berean Comment on 2 Thes. 2:11)

Jesus had told the Disciples, John 15:3: “Now are ye clean through the words which I have spoken unto you”; and the conclusion must automatically follow that those who re­ject “the words” which once made them clean would then self-evidently become unclean – ­they become afflicted with antitypical leprosy – “he shall be defiled; he is ‘unclean’” (Lev. 13:46). And this uncleanness will remain with that Class until the full end of the Gospel Age – “until the even” (Lev. 14:46). The cleansing will be accomplished with such in “the great tribulation” of Rev. 7:14, at which time they shall experience “the weeping, and gnashing of teeth” of Matt. 25:30. And until this cleansing is accomplished, we may reasonably expect such unclean ones to cast out (refuse to fellowship) God’s fully faith­ful people who resist such rebellion (revolutionism). Let us keep in mind that it is always THE TRUTH that produces the separation between the Fully Faithful and the Measur­ably Faithful. Thus, the “hail” (the hard convincing Truth) sweeps away “the refuge of lies,” revealing those who have received the Truth in the love of it, and those who re­ceive the punishment of “outer darkness” – ERROR and REVOLUTIONISM – LEPROUS UNCLEANNESS. Thus, we should “think it not strange” as we see this separating influence operate to a completion – “until the even.”

BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES

While we have great respect for the teachings of Brother Russell, yet we believe that a doctrine so weighty as tentative versus vitalized justification should also be taught in the Bible, and that we should be able to produce a clear “thus saith the Lord” to substantiate our position – and not by one text only, but by at least two or three witnesses. And it is the failure to consider all that is written on various doctrines that has produced the great falling away since Apostolic times. Therefore, if we find our thoughts disputed by even a single text, we may be sure of three things: Either the text is spurious; we have a faulty translation; or we ourselves have the wrong in­terpretation. “it is impossible for God to lie”; and, since the Bible is the inspired word of God, it likewise cannot lie – cannot contradict itself.

The first “witness” we shall consider in proof is 1 Cor. 7:14, Dia.: “The unbe­lieving husband is sanctified in the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sancti­fied in the brother; otherwise, indeed, your children were impure, but now they are holy.” The word “holy” in the text is from the Greek word ‘hagios,’ which means set apart, separate, holy. It is the same word that is translated saints more than sixty times. Clearly enough, a newborn infant could not possibly be a saint, but they receive a reckoned saintly standing because of their saintly parentage; and, since their parents are in the antitypical Tabernacle Court, their children would self-evidently have to be there with them until such time is those children reach an age of accountability and can determine for themselves whether or not they wish to retain their faith justification and continue in the saintly footsteps of their parents.

Sometime ago a booklet came into our possession, in which the writer is very posi­tive that there can be no tentative justification, because, says he, justification must be an instantaneous work. This brother also claims – as did JFR – that Brother Russell changed his mind on tentative justification. This contention is simply a ruse in a shab­by attempt to gain support for his error – an error that will be clearly exposed and re­futed in full, as our further comments herein will demonstrate. Surely no one with the faintest understanding of faith justification would claim that the justification of infants is vitalized! Therefore, 1 Cor. 7:14 indisputably proves a tentative justifica­tion; and it is well to note in final summation that we are also clearly faced with two kinds of tentative justification – one acquired by the intelligent desire and coopera­tion of the recipient, and the other by infants acquired through no will or cooperation of their own. Also, it is that justification described in Rom. 5:1, Dia.: “Having been justified, therefore, 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.” This tentative justification – standing – is our “introduction” to God, which gives us “peace with God,” but does not give us the “peace of God” until we offer ourselves in accordance with Rom. 12:1 – to do the will of God, which, if accepted, then gives to us “the peace of God which passeth (human) understanding.” Only after that do we actually possess a “living” (zeal-inspiring) faith.

As our second “witness” we consider Romans 4, starting with verse 3 (Dia.): “What say the Scripture? Abraham believed (had faith in) God, and it was accounted (reck­oned) to him for righteousness.” Here again, it is clearly stated Abraham’s faith jus­tification did not actually make him right; it merely accounted, or reckoned, him right­eous. Thus, v. 7 – “Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” – no longer held against them because of their faith justification. Certainly no one who was ever in Present Truth would contend that Abraham and David had justifica­tion similar to the justification held by those of this Gospel Age who had come into the Body of Christ – vitalizedly, through a real imputation of Christ’s merit. But note now par­ticularly vs. 10 and 11: “How then was it accounted (to Abraham)? When he was in cir­cumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the symbol of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness of that faith which he had while in uncircumcision; in order that he might be the father of all uncircum­cized believers; that the righteousness may be accounted (reckoned) to them.”

All who were ever schooled in Present Truth are well aware that ancient circumci­sion was a type of the Gospel-Age consecration, the physical circumcision typing that figurative circumcision of the heart that is made when one offers his heart and will to God in consecration. But St. Paul clearly states that Abraham’s righteousness was ac­counted, reckoned, to him before circumcision – that he might be the father of all who believe – all who experience a faith justification before they present themselves to God in consecration – before they experience the antitypical circumcision of the heart. St. Paul was truly a great logician, and his reasoning is so clear and direct in this fourth chapter, that it seems unbelievable that any who were once in Present Truth could cast it aside; and then attempt to besmirch Brother Russell by saying he had also cast aside these compelling Scriptures.

Following his clear exposition of a tentative reckoning, St. Paul then proceeds to say in Rom. 5:1 that this faith justification arranges our “introduction” to God – not an intimate close family relationship, but merely an introduction, which will enable us to gain real intimacy of soul with our Heavenly Father if we follow his appeal in Rom. 12:1 to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” – in consecration, which we are now in position to do as a result of our tentative, reckoned, faith justification – to “trans­form yourselves by the renovation of your mind.” (12:2, Dia.)

As our third “witness” we offer what we consider the most compelling proof for tentative justification, the same being the Atonement Day type of the wilderness Taber­nacle as given in Lev. 16. The pattern given to Moses in the Mount was emphatic that all the animals used in that service must be “without blemish” (Lev. 1:3) – no visible flaws of any kind. But we now ask, did those animals have their physical perfection as a result of their presentation to Aaron in sacrifice, or were they offered up that day because they were previously found to be perfect? The answer needs no elaboration: They were already “without blemish” when they were selected from among the children of Israel, and were brought into the Court, before they were tied at the door of the Taber­nacle – their being tied there representing the consecration and presentation of those who were about to enter the Holy “in newness of life” through an instantaneous vitalization of that reckoned perfection which was already theirs before consecration. And it is this tentative faith justification, this reckoned perfection, that is our “introduction to God” (Rom. 5:2) – enabling us to enter into the Holy – into the Divine sanctum – in vitalized justification – a condition exclusive to this Gospel Faith Age, and exclusive to those only who are “begotten to newness of life” through a direct imputation of the merit of Jesus.

Reverting to earlier statements in the above paragraph, we also point out that every antitype is pronouncedly greater than its type. Thus, Jesus as the antitype of the Atone­ment-Day bullock was infinitely greater than was the type, requiring only the one sacri­fice of Himself to cleanse from all sin forever all those who come to the Father by Him. And the members of His Body were also far greater than their Atonement-Day type as repre­sented in the Lord’s goat. Therefore, if those animals in the type must be “without blemish” (typically perfect) before presentation at the door of the Tabernacle, how much more must this be true of their Gospel-Age antitypes? God cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance, thus could never enter into a “covenant by sacrifice” with fal­len beings unless the sin barrier were first removed. Therefore, it should be self-­evident that He must first provide a way – an “introduction” – for fallen man to come to Him; and this He has accomplished by arranging for a tentative, a reckoned perfection ­a tentative justification by faith.

NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME

But no fallen human being could arrange for this “introduction” to God by his own skill or merit; it must come through an intercessor, through one who could give him a reckoned perfection – and this He arranged through Jesus – “that He might be just, and yet be the justifier of him who believeth on Jesus.” (Rom. 3:26) And here again the Tabernacle type gives clear confirmation of this by the linen curtain which surrounded the Tabernacle structure and its surrounding plot of ground. The Divine Presence was portrayed by the Shekinah Light and shone forth from between the Cherubim in the Most Holy of the Taber­nacle; and none could ever reach that presence except through Jesus – by first coming through the Gate into the Court, and inside the linen curtain, there to be reckoned perfect, righteous (“the fine Linen is the righteousness of saints”—Rev. 19:8), to provide proper “introduction” to God at the first veil, and for progress through life’s pilgrimage through the Holy to the Most Holy, where “we shall be ever with the Lord.”

Some may ask how such arrangement could be true of Abraham, who lived before the typical Tabernacle was erected at Sinai. We answer, It was reckoned to him, and to all with “the faith of Abraham” from Abel to John the Baptist. “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and He saw it, and was glad.” (Jno. 8:56) And, while none of the Ancients ever had more than a tentative, a reckoned justification, all that they did have came to them through a reckoned standing inside that linen curtain – which gave them a righteousness they could never attain of themselves. “Mine own righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isa. 64:6)

With this picture clearly in mind, it should now be apparent to all that the RGJ-JWK claims of a faith justification in the Camp, outside the linen curtain, which (curtain) represents Christ, must be errant nonsense, regardless of how they classify such people in the coming Kingdom arrangement. The “faith of Abraham” is a faith-age faith. Even when the Mediatorial reign begins, and justification by works become operative, Jesus’ words will be as true then as they are now: “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” There will be no imputation of His merit then – no more justification by faith (although a certain amount of faith will certainly enter into that arrangement, but not the exact­ing faith for Restitutionists as for those who must exercise faith when sin is in the ascendancy in this “present evil world”) – but He will be the “everlasting Father” until such time as men have regained the Edenic perfection which will enable them to speak to God, as did Father Adam, without an intercessor.

Let us consider also Brother Johnson’s direct contradiction to the RGJ-JWK twosome in E-4:406:

“The Youthful Worthies, from the standpoint of having ‘the faith of Abraham,’ are, of course, like him, Of the Household  of  Faith. They are, however, somewhat different from the tentatively justified who do not now consecrate. The latter during the Epiphany cease altogether to be in the Household of Faith, having used the Grace of God in vain.”

Let us remember that the only thing wrong with those who eventually lose their standing in the Household of Faith in the end of this Age (in the “finished picture of the Epiphany”) is their failure to consecrate.  Thus, when they are forced from the Court into the Camp, they are in every way identical in character, if they maintain what they have gained, as they were in the Court – “truly repentant and believing, but not consecrated.” (E-10:209) They are not forced from the Household because of character degeneracy – the only fault against them is their failure to consecrate, which in due time forces them from the Court into the Camp.  Yet RGJ offers a direct contradiction to Brother Johnson’s teaching when he declares in his Present Truth that his Campers are of the Household of Faith. And let us not forget that the real issue in this instance is a proper understanding of Tentative Justification as taught by Brother Russell and Brother Johnson, but which is now cast aside by RGJ. “He that is able to receive it, let him receive it!”

After That Servant’s death JFR denied the doctrine of Tentative Justification alto­gether because it stood in the way of his “new light.” The Epiphany Messenger clearly refuted his “new light,” and established the doctrine of Tentative Justification in the Scriptures so unmistakably that no Epiphany-enlightened brethren need be deceived now. But shortly after the Epiphany Messenger’s demise RGJ perverted the doctrine of Tenta­tive Justification to accommodate his “new light” – the non-existent class of Epiphany Campers Conse­crated. We must remember, too, that RGJ calls his “new light” (?) ‘Epi­phany’ Campers Consecrated, thereby attempting to palm off his “strange fire” as faith­ful Epiphany teaching – and at the same time offering the “strong delusion” that we are now in the Basileia! The Epiphany as a period of time (beginning with World War in 1914 and ending with Jacob’s trouble—E-4:55, bottom) is the last special period of the Gospel-­Age, with which all faithful well-instructed Epiphany-enlightened brethren will agree – ­all who still accept Brother Johnson’s teaching on the subject. RGJ’s perversion of Tentative Justification also causes him to set aside the faithful teachings of both Mes­sengers on Youthful Worthies. In Epiphany Volume 4, p. 342, Brother Johnson says that “those faithful consecrators from 1881 until Restitution sets in, for whom there are no crowns available, and hence no Spirit-begetting for Gospel-Age purposes possible, will be the Millennial Associates of the Ancient Worthies in reward and service.”

In RGJ’s repudiation of this Truth, and in his perversion of Tentative Justifica­tion, he in effect now tells the brethren that the above quotation from the Epiphany Messenger (and the teaching of That Servant, too) IS NOT THE TRUTH, but that his Camp­ers Consecrated are privileged to walk “a narrow way” with the Great Company and Youthful Worthies without a reward of the heavenly inheritance, or of a Kingdom “Better Resurrection” in fact, he says, there’s no reward at all other than Restitution in the final analysis! They will be closely associated with the Worthies in the Kingdom, he says, and will have opportunity to make great progress up the Highway of Holiness. But do not all the quasi-elect (unconsecrated Class) have that same opportunity? Yes, in­deed, his perversion of the doctrine of Tentative Justification is causing many to go into error. It has forced him to pervert the doctrine of Youthful Worthies as set out in the above quotation by the Epiphany Messenger, as he now denies the privilege of such Youthful Worthy hope to his converts. Great is the responsibility of such ‘mis’leaders! When one does violence to one feature of the Truth, then he must also do violence to other features in order to support his previous error. We would not be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren if we did not faithfully defend the doctrine of Tenta­tive Justification and attack the errors presented by such Perverters (our former breth­ren), just as did Brother Johnson have to defend this important doctrine against JFR, et al (his former associates).

BECAUSE THEY ADMITTED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH

It is grievous indeed to note the condition of those who have forsaken the Truth that once made them clean – it is a real ‘spiritual’ oddity, perhaps peculiar to this “evil day.” But we “think it not strange,” as we are forewarned of these things: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come... But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:1,13,14) Some contend they have become “supremely happy” – have ob­tained a “Peace of mind” never before experienced by them after forsaking the Truth that once made them clean. This seems to be pointedly true when they cast away the Truth on Tentative Justification.

But by far the most extensive example of all is the group known as the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement. Several times since 1950, the Truth on Tentative Justifica­tion has been sorely besmirched by this group in its relation to the Tabernacle Court and to their Campers Consecrated. Yet in those very Conventions in which this was done, quite a few have arisen to testify loudly, “This is the grandest Convention I have ever attended!” And we refer now to those who attended Conventions under Bro.  Johnson, and some even who have attended Conventions under Brother Russell. We hear such people proclaiming that the Conventions supervised by the last two Principal Men of Micah 5:5 (the Laodicean Star) were not nearly so inspiring and elevating as those now provided and supervised by a self-admitted Crown-loser – Conventions where the Truth on Tentative Justification is bandied about by the “unstable and the unlearned” in dis­graceful and disturbing manner.

In summation, we would observe that the full import of St. Paul’s words comes to us more forcefully with each passing year, “Because they admitted not the love of the Truth.... on this account God will send to them an energy of delusion.” (2 Thes. 2:10, 11, Dia.) And once more we quote the Berean Comment on these texts – “Giving them over to error, which they prefer to the Truth.  Great delusions are just before us, and some of these may come closest upon those possessing the most light of Present Truth.” The brethren in the LHMM who had the supervision of the Epiphany Messenger, had more exhaustive proof on Tentative Justification than any other group on earth to­day; thus, now “strong delusion” has come upon those “possessing the most light of Present Truth.” Their ‘peace of mind’ at rejecting the Truth is undoubtedly some of the “strong delusion.” We know of quite a few in Big Babylon who are satisfied with their leaders: they, too, have ‘peace of mind’ as they sacrifice time, energy and money to uphold their ‘quarter.’ (See Isa. 56:11)

And in conclusion let us consider that advancing Truth does not set aside the Truth already established, as some deceivers seem to think; all advancing Truth must be based upon the Truth already established from the Good Word of God.

THE “END” OF 1 COR. 15:24

In the April 1976 Bible Standard, p. 28, col. 2, RGJ presents some rank confusion on this Scripture, which has some bearing on Justification, so we offer the following comments on it: “Then cometh the end.” We cannot give the exact date for the “end”; we can only generalize, because we do not know the exact “end” of the Little Season; but E-17:124 clearly states:

“Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season).... The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things). The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy.” See also Berean Comments on Rev. 20:14.

That the “dying process” is the specific thing meant here is clear when we con­sider Isa. 65:20: “The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” If we accept this text for just what it says, then the last person to be delivered from the grave (the Adamic death state) must be resurrected at least by 2774 – a hundred years before even the beginning of the Little Season – but probably much sooner than 2774.  However, the Adamic death process will remain in the goats until the last one of them is destroyed – which will not be accomplished until the full end of the Little Season.

This is further confirmed by the fact that the Adamic death process will be fully purged from the sheep by the beginning of the Little Season. Those that become His during the Mediatorial reign will not only have physical perfection, but will also have “sin and error” eliminated from their minds and hearts by the benevolent rule of The Christ by 2874. (See E-15:214,215) All who survive the Little Season must enter it with perfect characters at 2874. “Each one must appropriate by faith and works for himself in their entirety Christ’s perfect humanity, His right to life and His life rights before the Little Season sets in. If he leaves any part of these unappropriated, he enters the Little Season with an imperfect character and thus will fall in the final trial of that time.” (E-8:616) And we are told in Parousia Vol. 5, p. 380, top of 381: “In that day he that dies shall die for his own sin. ‘The soul that sinneth it shall die.’ Though such will have weakness of the Adamic nature from which they will never re­cover, for refusing to use the means and opportunities placed within their reach during The Millen­nium by the Mediator of the New Covenant, yet under that New Covenant inher­ited weaknesses will not be counted against them, being fully offset by their Redeemer’s sacrifice.

We know, too, that the willful sinner who is “cut off” at 100 years old, even though he has the Adamic death process still present with him, will not die the Adamic death! And this same condition applies to all who are outwardly obedient and live until the begin­ning of the Little Season, but still have the Adamic death process in their unholy heart’s condition: they too die the second death in the Little Season. The Adamic death process is what is meant in Rev. 20:14: “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.” in Rev. 22:3, “There will be no more curse,” the Adamic death process is included in the ‘curse.’ Please see Berean Comments on Rev. 20:14 and Rev. 22:3.

However, despite these clear statements, RGJ once more repeats his old error on this subject by telling us that “the end” is the beginning of the Little Season. Says he: “Then cometh the end (the Little Season, after the thousand years are over).” of course, the thousand years will be over in 2874 – at the very beginning of the Little Season. Then he continues: “Christ’s reign is thus intended to destroy all the works of Satan – sin, error, sorrow, pain, sickness, death and the grave.” While the goats will be fully perfected physically, they will not be relieved of sin and error. This is cor­roborated in E-17:125, par. 1: “Those who will reform externally, but without a heart reformation (thus retaining some features of the Adamic death process—JJH) will live throughout the thousand years and attain human perfection; but by the trial during the Little Season, their unholy heart’s condition will become manifest, and they will per­ish in the second death.”

The foregoing is actually corroborated by RGJ himself further down on p. 28 of this same Bible Standard: “The last enemy that shall be abolished (destroyed) is death (not the death state or the grave, which by the awakening of the dead will be destroyed before sin, error, pain, sorrow and sickness, but the dying process – the imperfection brought by the Adamic sentence upon all; the annihilation of its last vestiges will complete the work of the Millennial Kingdom; therefore, death will be the last enemy destroyed).”

This clearly disputes the preceding paragraph, which seems to have escaped RGJ’s notice when he proof-read what Brother Johnson had set out on this subject: “The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy; and, because of His faithfulness, Jesus became the one who will after the close of the Millennium finally destroy it.”

Justification in any Age is an instantaneous matter. The tentative justification of the Gospel Age comes instantaneously – which one must have before his consecration can be accepted. The perfection of this Age is only a reckoned one, of course; but in the next Age it will be a gradual process – resulting in actual physical perfection of all who live to the beginning of the Little Season. Some restitutionists will un­doubtedly reach physical, mental and moral perfection in a very short time; but God will not accept them until He justifies them – at the end of the Little Season.

We had hoped that our efforts had “turned back the sinner (RGJ) from his path of error” (Jas. 5:20, Dia.) on this subject of “the end” in 1 Cor. 15:24, as well as his errors on Cornelius, tentative justification all through the Millennial, etc.; but he now comes back with his original error – disputing his own statement right on the same page. He does this in the face of the true teaching on the subject we have pre­sented from Brothers Russell and Johnson – upon which we have elaborated in great de­tail. When we consider the grand antitype of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46), we would be “foolish” indeed to reject the correct Biblical teaching. However, we should make some allowance for “foolishness” from the uncleansed Levites, as Brother Johnson tells us: it is difficult for them to discern between Truth and Error.

To the enlightened observer it is clear enough that many who accept the errors explained above, are very, very drowsy, if not completely blind. Therefore, the words of Deu. 27:18 are pointedly applicable: “Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way (the way of Truth they once accepted).”

“Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands.” (Psa. 90:16,17)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

To: John J. Hoefle –

Someone gave me a pamphlet #246 written by you. You don’t seem to like Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Is it because you know that they are people who belong to the true God today. True witnesses of Jehovah goes back to Abel. Cain was jealous of him because he offered up true worship to Jehovah, so Cain killed him – and true witnesses of Jehovah have been persecuted and killed ever since. For instance, today in Malawi, etc., true Christians are being tortured and killed by the orders of the President of Malawi.... who happens to be an elder of the Methodist Church. I never heard of Epi­phany Bible Students Assn. Were you a witness of Jehovah at one time? I had heard there was a group of brothers in Bethel back around 1919 or thereabouts, that fell away and formed their own way of religion. I would also like to know if you are up in N.J.? A group that’s on the radio called “Frank & Ernest”? I am, Mrs. ------- (FLORIDA)

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST

We suggest Sunday, October 17 through Sunday, November 14 for our Fall Special Effort in antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle in the good fight against the two King Errors – Eternal Torment and the Consciousness of the Dead – antitypical Zebah and Zalmuna.

All who wish to join with us in this good work, please order the pertinent lit­erature in time to participate. Our tracts, Where Are The Dead? What Is The Soul? The Resurrection Of The Dead are especially designed for this good work – also The Divine Plan of The Ages, Life-Death-Hereafter, etc., are timely.

The Special Effort in the Fall was arranged by the Epiphany Messenger in honor of That Servant – and we now do honor to both these faithful Messengers by continuing in the Truth they so valiantly taught and upheld during their entire lifetime. So let us continue in the Truth and its Arrangements as given to us by these faithful Mouth­pieces. We invite all like minded brethren to join with us in the prayer  God bless their memory!

NO. 254: THE GOSPEL AGE TRUMPETS

No. 254

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

“If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Cor. 14:8) This query by St. Paul is undoubtedly prompted by the record of the two silver trumpets which the Lord told Moses to make (See Numbers 10), and which typify the Old and New Testament Bible messages. That these would be typical is evidenced by the fact that they had to do with the Law and the Tabernacle arrangements and the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. They were to be blown “for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.” That these trumpets served more than one purpose is clearly stated in v. 5 – “blow an alarm”; and in v. 10 – “in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons.”

While the main purpose of this article is the feature of v. 5, we first offer some comment on the second feature – the “appointed seasons.” Chief of these was the sounding of the Jubilee Trumpet every fiftieth year, which was to proclaim a special year of rest for man and land; and to set at liberty such of the Israelites whose im­providence had forced them into a state of slavery with their brethren. This Jubilee trumpet year was typical of the great year of Jubilee, the great thousand-year day, the reign of the Christ which is to free mankind from the slavery of sin and death now more than six thousand years gone. This is described in Revelation 10 and 11 as the “sev­enth trumpet,” whose sounding began in 1874 and will continue throughout the entire thous­and-year day during which Satan, who “has the power of death” (Heb. 2:14), is to be bound that he may deceive the nations no more. Thus, we ourselves are now living dur­ing the sounding of this trumpet.

In Num. 10:6 it is stated that “the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets”;  and it is worthy of note that in each of the seven epochs of the Gos­pel-Age Church it was the priests – the leaders in the Church, the Star Members – who began to blow the trumpets. In the first epoch (the church of Ephesus) it was the Lord and the Apostles; and they were quickly joined by the lesser lights in the Church as they embarked on their march toward the Heavenly Canaan. And this same condition prevailed with each Star Member during the Age. When Luther began to trumpet “Justi­fication by faith” (early in the Philadelphia – sixth – epoch), he was soon joined by many capable brethren. This was pointedly true also after 1874 (when the Laodicean period began), when the seventh trumpet began to sound. That Servant soon attracted to him quite an assembly of able men and women – some of them skilled in Hebrew and in Greek, and other branches of secular learning. This situation is clearly emphasized in Josh. 3:6: “Joshua spake unto the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.” This typified the final march of the Church into the Heaven­ly Canaan during the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

And, since we are so directly concerned with the seventh trumpet’s sounding, it is well that we consider a few of its more important messages. Among the first of these is that given in Rev. 10:6: “There should be time no longer.” This statement has been accepted literally by the great bulk of Christendom, even to using the hymn, “When my work on earth is ended, and time shall be no more.” Just a little reflection must im­press us that time must continue so long as there is any intelligence remaining to note and be influenced by time; and, since Jehovah Himself is without beginning or ending, so also time itself must be. Therefore, the hymn is a self-evident inanity.

That Evil Servant also offered a perversion of this text almost equally ludicrous when his “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” and his 1925 deadline were time–proven er­ror. To divert attention from his colossal blunder on that date he proposed the inter­pretation that, since so many mistakes had been made on time interpretations, therefore, no more consideration should be given the subject. This also caused him to cast aside the Pyramid with its many time-feature truths.

To answer this revolting perversion we direct attention to the proper translation of the text from the Diaglott: “The time shall be no longer delayed” – that is, the long-awaited “manifestation of the sons of God,” for which the slave-burdened human race has been waiting with groanings and travailings, would begin to be made manifest by their proceeding to establish the Mediatorial Kingdom in power and great glory for the “bless­ing of all the families of the earth.” And among the first blasts of the Seventh Trum­pet was That Servant’s declaration that the Millennial morning had most certainly ap­peared to eliminate the rule of sin and death; and he began to sound the seventh trumpet with great clarity and energy.

Although the seventh trumpet began to sound in 1874, it will continue until the com­plete separation of the sheep and the goats has been accomplished at the end of the Little Season. This will probably extend then over more than 1040 years. Over such a long period of time it should be evident that the message of “Present Truth” will not be the same at all times. Immediately after 1874 the cry went forth “Behold the Bride­groom,” which not only began the Gospel-Age Harvest message and work, but also thundered forth the message that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This was accompanied by “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” (Rev. 8:5) These identical words are repeated in Rev. 11:19 and 16:18, with the last text adding the words, “there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty and so great.” Some of these things have been in evidence now for a hundred years, with other parts still to occur – some in the immediate future, and some many years beyond this time.

Another of the initial features of the Seventh Trumpet is given in Rev. 10:7, “The mystery of God should be finished” – that “mystery which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25) that the Christ is not an individual, but a composite company (See Berean Comments). It was this text that furnished the name for Volume Seven, “The Fin­ished Mystery,” and which caused the sorest of trials upon God’s people in 1917–1918. That book, which was made a test of fellowship by the Society then, has since become “ex­purgatus,” with the present–day Society adherents forbidden to read it. Those of us who became involved in that grievous trial should have learned well the lesson that we should approach with much trepidation and minutest scrutiny any new publication by crown­lost leaders; but, sad to relate, so very few profited by the experience. At that pe­riod were there not only “great voices in Heaven, but the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged.” (Rev. 11:15–18)

THE CALL TO BATTLE

But, not only did the seventh trumpet announce “your day of rejoicing,” it also gave out the call for all spiritual Israel to gird themselves for the battle of this Great Day, and to wholeheartedly respond to the Harvest message of Present Truth, to proclaim the controversial messages of the Harvest time – the Truth against Error. “And if ye go to war in your land (the sphere of the Truth and its spirit)... ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” (Num. 10:9) Here, then, is the promise of victory to all those who wholeheartedly respond to the Trumpet’s call – “saved from your enemies” – the same being sin, error, selfishness and worldliness.

And the rules of the conflict are the same for all – “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger (the Youthful Worthies), as for one of your own country” – the Church of the Firstborn. (Lev. 24:22) Typical of the conflict in the beginning of this Millennial day is the record of Gideon and his fully faithful band of three hun­dred (Judges 7:15-23), wherein the Truth people went forth to do battle with the antitypical Midianites (present–day errorists). And in that type it was Gideon blowing his trumpet (v. 18) that signaled the others to blow with their trumpets, which brought consternation and complete demoralization to the Camp of Midian. The blowing of the trumpet was the call to Battle.

While the sounding of the Old Testament trumpets called Israel to actual physical combat, the New Testament trumpets have been a call to spiritual combat – by the “sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Eph. 6:17) And the same Apostle tells us that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (not intended to do bodily harm), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:4) But this change in Gospel-Age technique is in no sense to be interpreted as teaching a calm complacency, an indolent satisfaction with any belief we are inclined to accept. Complaints occasion­ally come to us about our controversial writings, so we consider it in order here to quote what That Servant had to say on the subject in Reprint 735:

“So error of every kind wants to be let alone. The Scribes and Pharisees and dev­ils of Jesus’ day, all wanted to be let alone; but Jesus and the Apostles would not­ let them alone. They exposed them, and declared it to be part of their mission to bear witness to the truth and let the light shine which reproved the darkness of error. Every member of the body of Christ should be controlled by the same spirit of opposition to error from love of truth and of those who are made to stumble by the errors.”

Also our Lord warns us – “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you: for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) And That Servant warns in Re­print 2163: “Beware when all men speak well of you, and when multitudes are ready to line up with your work and your methods.”

A letter in the Sept.-Oct 1973 Present Truth describes such errorists: “Last Sun­day, I had a visit from a representative of the ‘J.W.’s’ the ‘little Roman Catholic church,’ who, true to the big version, gave me a very rude and threatening warning to lay off his sheep!” The writer of this letter was a former Jehovah’s Witness, and self-­evidently was of the opinion the L.H.M.M. did not use such methods. But the leaders of the LHMM are just as fearful of those who oppose their “strange fire” (false doctrine) with the Truth as the Jehovah’s Witnesses are of those who oppose their errors with Truth. RGJ manifests the same characteristics of the ‘little Catholic church’ when he tells his followers “not to read the ‘sifter’s’ literature; keep your eyes closed, as well as your ears – don’t speak to them and don’t open your mouths to them.” When RGJ was under the benevolent influence of the Epiphany Messenger he outwardly manifested the same attitude toward the errorists that we do today. He wasn’t afraid for any of the brethren in “present truth” to read what JFR and others presented – just as we are not afraid for any of our readers to investigate anything he presents now. We know that those who are “of the truth” will not be stumbled – that reading such literature, if they have the time and inclination, will only strengthen their faith in the Truth. “But ordinarily, under what circumstances is it that Truth progresses? As our Pastor has fre­quently pointed out, it usually is amid controversies.” (E–8:668, bottom) Also, “How vast is the amount of Epiphany Truth that has become clarified through the Great Company and Youthful Worthies controversy!” (E–8:669, top 670)

The same may be said of the controversies since 1955. RGJ is the only group that emanated from Brother Russell that has invented a new Class of believers here in the end of the Age. And what the Epiphany Messenger has said about JFR may be aptly applied to RGJ in his frenzy to uphold his “newly invented” class of Campers Consecrated: “More­over, his desire to shine as the inventor of ‘new views’ continually leads him to pro­pound errors against which the faithful are duty bound to contend in the interests of the Lord, the Truth and the brethren (Jude 3); and thus he is the cause of much strife among God’s people. Blessed are they who contend against him earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, which is now being corrupted by him.” (E–6:313, bottom)

However, we rest assured in the following: “Those who have been teaching errors will soon be ashamed (Isa. 66:5), while the fire of this day will only manifest the truth to all. No power, no tongue, no pen, can successfully contradict the truth, the great Divine Plan of the Ages. It is strong before its enemies and before all who make as­saults upon it, and ere long the folly of its foes shall be made known to the whole world. ‘There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Reprint 5916, July 1916)

Also the following from Reprint 4826, col. 2 of the June 1, 1911 Watch Tower 0n controversy is noteworthy:

“When Christianity dispenses wholly with controversy it will be like a sleeping man – harmless and helpless; it will be a sad spectacle.

“We were entertained at the house of a friend in New Hampshire, where Henry Ward Beecher was spending a day or two. It was his birthday and he was jubilant.

“He conducted prayers, and his utterances were equal to any of his published prayers in beauty, simplicity, and comprehensiveness.

“Immediately after he arose, he called the writer to him and pointed to a large picture hanging on the wall, representing a huge mastiff sound asleep with a piece of meat placed before him, and a lap-dog quietly drawing it away. Said Mr. Beecher, point­ing to the sleeping mastiff, ‘That is Orthodoxy,’ and to the little dog, ‘That is Heter­odoxy.’

“So it is and ever will be. Controversy was the life of Paul’s works – polite controversy, brotherly controversy; but strong in exposing error and building up the truth. The Epistles are full of controversy. Moreover, many of Christ’s sayings were strictly controversial.

“It is more than a fine art to combine in one sermon the forcible overthrow of an error and a heartfelt appeal; but it is possible to attain unto it.”

It is most pertinent to this discussion to note that Truth has always been more generous with its opponents than has error when contradicting the Truth. As instance, That Servant was preached into eternal torment by the errorists of his day; whereas, he himself not only held a generous view of their ignorance: they will eventually come to a knowledge of the Truth, he said, and thus have full opportunity for salvation – except in the case of those who sinned against the Holy Spirit.

The same may be said for the Epiphany Messenger. Great numbers of his opponents in the Society and other groups had him in the second death – which was giving him the same fate as did the hell-fire preachers of the Parousia time. However, he himself repeatedly said there were many saints in the Society, although some of them honestly be­lieved he was in the second death. And he was also generous with others who were not saints, contending that many of the others would eventually come to a knowledge of the Truth.

And the same comparison may be made of the Jehovah’s Witnesses today – being even more extreme in their conclusions: All who do not accept their errors will certainly go into the second death, even though they do not gainsay their errors. Such a doctrine was counted extremely ridiculous by their founder, Pastor Russell; and the same may be said for the Epiphany Messenger. Some of the Witnesses have openly told us that we are “a dead man” – beyond hope of recovery – although we are always courteous and cordial in our conversations with them.

And what shall we say of Jesus and the Apostles? Of those leaders who were thirst­ing for His blood Jesus said: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven.” (Matt. 26:64) Clearly enough, He was granting them further opportunity for reformation and salvation.

AS “GOOD SOLDIERS”

And be it remembered that it was only after very minute instructions that Gideon and his three hundred proceeded to that battle against the Midianites – typical of the fact that the fully faithful in the end of this Age would also be thoroughly instructed in the cause, the method, and the art of the battle of the Great Day – “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,” but are the “sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.” Thus is stressed the necessity for knowing the Truth and imbibing fully of its spirit – and emphasized in the Manna comment for December 20, “Only the studious find the nar­row way to the Divine approval and acceptance.”

It is well that we bear in mind that our Lord, “the Captain of our Salvation,” never sends forth His soldiers without sufficient instruction to gain for them complete victory, so long as they are faithful. None are ever asked to do more than they are able to do. We recall an instance that was told to us very early in the Epiphany, where­in it was related how Brother Russell on a certain occasion was assigning some symposium topics to various brethren. One of them, receiving a subject which was difficult and new to him, begin to make excuse, whereupon Brother Russell asked if he were going to whimper and whine his way out of the battle, or if he would be a “good soldier.” The brother accepted without further protest, and gave an excellent account of himself for the service! Apropos to this incident are the March 28 Manna comments; “The true sol­dier does not debate his cause. He is rightly supposed to have settled upon its justice and righteousness before he enlisted to serve it.” Therefore, we may properly conclude that we must first learn the rules, then resolve to obey them in every circumstance, whereupon we shall certainly be able to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Tim. 2:3)

Nor does “hardness” come in a day, a week, or a year; it is the result of “pa­tient continuance in well doing – perseverance in good works” (Rom. 2:7, Dia.) – just as the successful boxer must do miles of ‘road work’ in training for a bout, skipping rope, etc., to develop hardness and stamina in his legs, back and arms if he would eventually prevail. And by similar comparison must we engage in persistent study of the Truth if we would be “weaned from the milk” (Isa. 28:9) and become “skillful in the word of right­eousness” (Heb. 5:13), if we would see victory as “good soldiers.” And it is by the victories of such good soldiers who “endure hardness” that the Truth progresses. Most of us have been witness to this, retrospectively or actively, all during the Parousia-­Epiphany days. It is the controversies with error that have advanced the fully faith­ful in Grace, knowledge and privilege of service – even as those same controversies have scattered and discomfited the errorists, so well typified in Gideon’s victory over Mid­ian. It is during controversy that the Truth comes out – much the same as necessity is the mother of invention.

A “BAD SPIRIT”

And all during the Gospel Age, but particularly now at its close, when the error­ists have been so badly routed that they become speechless, they have then embraced the battle cry of last resort – Those who wield the Truth against them have a “bad spirit.” To this day the foremost argument of the Roman Catholics against Martin Luther is that he showed a “bad spirit,” because he stunned them with the unanswerable truth against their many errors. It needs no argument that dear Brother Luther did not assail his op­ponents with ‘kid gloves’; in fact, his wording was at times so rough and uncouth that some of the present-day good friends have questioned his saintly standing – have found it difficult to understand how any one using the language Luther did could be of the Elect Church. But, clearly enough, he had the Lord’s approval, because the times then prevailing required such a person as Luther to make his message effective with the people of that day. Respecting Luther, it seems clear enough to us that he must be included among “the seven stars,” which the Lord has “held in his right hand” during the Gospel Age (Rev. 1:16) – regardless of his ‘bad spirit.’

And in 1917 the same retort of “bad spirit” was hurled at those that differed with “The Channel.” When H. J. Shearn, of England, was described as the most cunning hypo­crite ever, that trickster gave answer, “You see, brethren, the ‘spirit’ that he shows.” Others of the discomfited Levites embraced the same weapon, as their errors were smit­ten hip and thigh, and they were sent into demoralized retreat, yelling ‘bad spirit’ back over their shoulders as they ran. In answer to a letter we sent That Evil Servant, he said among other things, “Paul S. L. Johnson is vilifying me.” Yes, JFR was really being vilified – by the Truth, poor fellow!

Be it emphasized that the errorists have always been good runners, instead of “good soldiers” – just as the Midianites ran over each other that night in the valley of Moreh in their effort to separate themselves in haste from the small handful of men who were blowing their trumpets in no uncertain sound. Moreh means “teacher,” in allu­sion to the fact that so many errorists set themselves up as Pastors and Teachers in de­fiance of God’s faithful mouthpieces. Instance the case of Arius when he boldly faced the overwhelming odds at the Council of Nice – “the Midianites like grasshoppers for mul­titude” (judges 7:12). And against that horde came one old man, supported by but two others, to do battle as “good soldiers” against about 380 opponents. Arius, then al­most 75 years old, was banished from the Roman Empire, a sentence sufficient to crush even a young vigorous man; yet this “good soldier,” who blew the trumpet message that “THERE IS BUT ONE GOD,” accepted that trying edict, not as a runner, but as the good sol­dier that he was; went to North Africa, and there organized a virile group of Christians in the remaining eleven years of his life. And what did they call themselves? Why, Arians, of course! Having responded to the trumpet’s call, Arius was a good soldier to the last. Some of the present-day encyclopedias say that he was a man of clear intel­lect.

Thus, it does not surprise us that we ourselves have had similar experience since 1950 especially in recent years. At times, since 1955, some whose errors we oppose, have been profuse with their accusations of “bad spirit,” even as they confuse and con­tradict each other—in like manner as did the Midianites at Moreh. Note the similarity here with Mark 14:56: “Many bear false witness against Him, but their witness agreed not together.” But in all of this our accusers have been excellent ‘whisperers’ about the “bad spirit” of JJH.

The feature of response to the trumpet’s sound throughout this Gospel Age may be stressed in the good fight against sins of teaching and practice in entrenched strong­holds of error. The fight against sin, selfishness and worldliness, individually consid­ered, has been more of the head and the heart within the “good soldiers” themselves; but the conflict with errors of teaching and practice is the phase of battle that has made voluminous record in the pages of history. It was Jesus’ faithful “witness to the Truth” against Jewish priestcraft that cost Him His life—John 18:27 (See Berean Comment). It was exposure of errors by the faithful against the papal system that brought upon them the excruciating persecutions, indescribable for their heinous cruelty, and which spilled “the blood of the prophets and of saints” (Rev. 18:24). It was That Servant’s attacks against the Midianite strongholds of eternal torment and inherent human immortality that brought upon him the venom and slander of Christendom – so much so that when one brother once said to him, “Brother, you are the most loved man on earth,” to which he replied, “Yes, and the most hated!” The same may be said for Brother Johnson. When he discom­fited the crown-lost errorists, and put them to complete silence, they then proceeded to whisper, “He hath a Devil – He is Satanized – He is an insane usurper.” And, since “The Disciple is not above his Lord,” need it concern any of us if we receive the same treatment, we who are counted among His disciples? All thus abused have the strong as­surance of our Lord’s interceding prayer on our behalf, “Rise up, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee” – let the errorists do the running, as the faithful “good soldiers” do the pursuing with the Truth at their disposal – as their shield and buckler.

“GIVING ALL DILIGENCE”

When St. Peter appeals to the Fully Faithful to “give all diligence” (2 Pet. 1:5), he also offers the appealing assurance that those who do as he counsels “shall never fall” – even though we have need of reminder, though we know these things and “be established in the PRESENT TRUTH.” It is also the counsel of the worldly sage that “Diligence is the mother of good fortune” – to which may be added the words of Solomon, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings.” (Prov. 22:29) And the chief striving of every “good soldier” who answers the trumpet’s call should be diligent to put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil” (Eph. 6:11 – the especially deceptive false teachings of the errorists, the antitypical Midianites). And to all such who give such diligence in response to the trumpet’s call, to all such the promise is sure, “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling” (Psa. 91:10) – no sifting error can possibly contaminate our abode.

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends:

The Bible Students Manual arrived yesterday, and I am so happy to have it. I had placed a question mark beside several verses in the Bible that seemed wrong to me – and now with the help of the Manual and the Diaglott I should be able to find more explana­tions. Many thanks for your thoughtfulness in sending it to me.

Have just finished reading the March and April editions – and they are excellent. The various methods used in celebrating the Lord’s Supper and the method used by the Truth people was most enlightening – and the Three Worlds was written in such a manner that I felt I was living right down through the Ages of history.

The enclosed check for the Manual and the remainder for the Lord’s work. Again many thanks.

With Christian love, ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Mr. Hoefle:

I have read with interest Number 249 and your discussion of the date of the Lord’s death. I am wondering if you could elaborate, however, on the date of the Lord’s birth. I note on page 2 you state that the correct date is the 10th day of the 7th month. I am wondering how this date for Christmas has been determined. I will appreciate any more information you can send me on this interesting subject.

Pastor ------- Christian Church (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Love, joy and peace to you!

We so often pray God’s mercy upon you that you may be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in these last times. We can in good feeling believe that the Lord is so lovingly using you to help us in our journey toward the whole of the land of rest. These are not easy days, Brother, from Captain to Lieu­tenant, nor the soldiers: It is no easy day for us, Brother. So we cannot forget you in our prayers.

Send us one or more parcels of tracts for us to serve. Of late one or two people will ask something toward God. We will have to serve them the best we can till their eyes are opened. Please give my love and good wishes to Sr. Hoefle and the others in the Bible House. You will note my address is a new one.

Yours by the Grace of God, Brother ------- (JAMAICA)

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Dear Brethren in Christ:

Your No. 247 – “RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT” – was given to me by a friend, and I found it very interesting – in fact so interesting I would like to send copies to a few other people in various parts of the country. Would I be asking too much if I asked for about 6 copies? I am always afraid of imposing, but this is such a re­vealing paper I would like to share it with friends and relatives.

I have never heard of this Bible Class before, and I join with the South Dakota reader in expressing my interest.

May God bless all who join in His work and endeavor to the best of their ability to serve Him.  May He open our minds to more understanding of His plan.

Yours in Him ------ (CONNECTICUT)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our Master’s dear Name!

It was indeed a pleasant surprise to receive your letter... I trust all in your household, as well as the friends on your side, are enjoying the best that is per­mitted at this time – you and Sr. Hoefle, especially so.......

Dear Brother, you and all there, are constantly in our thoughts, prayers and con­versations – never a prayer said, be it short or measurably lengthy, but you all are commended to our Loving Savior for your continued growth and success.... Love from the friends, as we continue to ask the Master’s tender care and guidance.....

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian love and greetings!

I hereby acknowledge ––lbs. from Brother... I have also received the papers, which are ever to our appreciation and satisfaction. The refutations given to RGJ’s errors are certainly crushing – but will he take it? He is so persistent in his wayward course that we fear for him. As for his adherents, they are given strong delu­sion, so they believe the lie and reject the truth. What a sad state!

We are thankful for your faithful service to the Lord, the Truth and the breth­ren. God will not forget your labor of love. God will give strength to His people. (Psa. 29:11).... Thank the Lord all here are still striving together as a little band of pilgrims receiving and enjoying the Master’s Grace.... I wonder if RGJ at any time looks back into his “Basilia” Kingdom teaching and compares it with the world condition now. If we are now over twenty years in the third stage of our Lord’s pres­ence what a wishy-washy Kingdom that is!

Let us look to the Lord for wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and with faith­ful eye look for the revealing of His plan in His due time.

With this comes my sincere good wishes for you, Sr. Hoefle and the others at the Bible House. Hymn 93.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

This is a very much overdue letter to thank you for the circulars which arrive so regularly, and are always absorbing and encouraging....

Next time you write perhaps you would let me know how much I still owe you for the volumes, as it might be a good idea to order a few more while the going is good or should I say, not so bad.

When one contemplates the world situation, the groaning creation not knowing which way to turn for relief from the sicknesses of society, how mercifully the Lord is breaking it gently to all that there is no escape, no remedy: the proud must be humbled! We continue in fairly good health, which goes for Brother and Sister -------, whom we saw at the week-end. They are both 80 now and do very well all things con­sidered. The eyesight is the main disability.

I have been looking back on my early copies of your circulars and find that my earliest was date March 27, 1956. If you have any copies previous to that date I would like to have them.

Recently we had a visit from Brother ------- of Darlington after a lapse of 25 years, and we were most impressed by the spirit manifested. The various points of difference were freely discussed, and he may see his way to give us another visit in due course. This meeting was brought about providentially, involving Brother ------- et al. “The Lord moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform!”

Brother joins with us in sending Christian love to you and yours.

By His Grace ------- (ENGLAND)