NO. 288: ANOTHER LOOK AT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

No. 288

Due to several inquiries as to our opinion of the teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnes­ses on the Cross and Torture Stake, we are reprinting our No. 155, May 1, 1968 article in refutation of their February 1, 1968 Watchtower on the subject. The purpose is two­fold: First, to offer some protest against the Witnesses’ perversions and vitiations of Holy Writ; and second, to help our readers inform themselves – to have their “faculties habitually exercised for the discrimination of both Good and Evil.” (Heb. 5:14, Dia.) Thus, we now examine their contention:

THAT THE CROSS IS OF PAGAN ORIGIN

They ask the question, “Did the church ever tell you that the cross is a pagan sym­bol?” And we now ask the question, “Have the Witnesses ever told their followers that the cross was in common usage in Pagan Rome at the time the Pagan Law executed and cruci­fied Jesus?” Their statement of fact we do not dispute – any more than we would contra­dict the statement that temples of religion are also of pagan origin. The Temple of Di­ana at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; its roof was made from the famous Cedars of Lebanon, which are said to have lasted 400 years without showing any evidence of rot or decay; and it was here that one of the outstanding episodes in the pil­grimages of St. Paul was enacted, as the Greeks shouted, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” (Acts 19:28) But the telling feature of such edifices is not that they sanctify the peo­ple who frequent them; it is the people themselves that sanctify any building they occupy – whether it be an ordinary residence (“the church in thy house—Phil. 2), a commonplace meeting hall, or a magnificent edifice. Thus, the frequenters revealed by their treatment of St. Paul that the palatial Temple of Diana had produced little of good in them; where­as, St. Paul offers warm praise of those who attended “church” in the ordinary domicile of the “dearly beloved” Philemon and Apphia. (Philemon 2)

And much the same conclusions may be drawn from the emblem of the cross. Without dispute, it is of pagan origin; but the particular cross upon which Jesus was crucified was sanctified, immortalized by Him who hung thereon – even though  it had been pagan Romans who did it. The Watchtower article says, “the cross was venerated in Egypt and Syria.” Yet, isn’t it odd, so very odd, that it makes no mention at all of the Romans and their use of the cross – although  the Romans and the particular cross upon which our Lord was cru­cified are the special actors in the drama of Good Friday. And at this point it should be stressed that at the time of Jesus’ death crucifixion was used extensively by the Ro­mans – although  only slaves, provincials and the lowest type of criminals were crucified. And the Jews knew full well when they shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him” that they would thus drag Him to the very bottom of the cup of shame and humiliation. Tradition has it that the Romans also crucified St. Peter, but they beheaded St. Paul, because he was a Ro­man citizen by birth (Acts 22:28); and it was only rarely that Romans were subjected to the humiliation and anguish of the cross.

The Witnesses contend that Jesus was impaled on a torture stake; and we realize that such an article was in use by the ancients. In its earliest uses it consisted of a pointed stake used in fortifications, which gave considerable defense from attackers. As an in­strument of torture or punishment the victim was either bound to this stake, from which he hung by his arms, or was impaled – with the stake thrust through his chest or driven longitu­dinally through the back or privy parts and coming out of the mouth. The invention of this atrocity is traditionally ascribed to Semiramus (Mother-wife of Nimrod – the mythical “Queen of Heaven” – the woman in the moon, and one of the most despicable characters in all history – See Jer. 44:17,18,19,25), although it was also originally a Phoenician practice; and used also in Persia in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. This latter method for putting Jesus to death would almost surely be flatly contradicted by the prophetic statement, “A bone of Him shall not be broken.” (John 19:36) It should require little argument that a sharp stake could not be driven through the chest or longitudinally through the body without breaking at least some small bone.

Also, the victim thus impaled could not possibly have had his hands nailed to the stake. Yet, the record is indisputable that Jesus was nailed to the instrument of His death. “Thomas said to them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I shall not believe.” (John 19:25) “After eight days... came Jesus... saith to Thomas, Reach thither thy finger, and behold my hands... and be not faithless, but believing.” (vs. 26,27) Thus, the Witnesses are hard-pressed to substitute their torture stake for a cross.

Various writers also mention a single upright post “on which the victim was tied or impaled” (nothing said here about nails), in addition to three types of crosses: St. An­thony’s cross (crux commissa), shaped like a capital letter “T” (thought by some to be accepted from the symbol of the Babylonian God Tammuz). He it was who supposedly died every Spring, and was then resurrected in several days by the violent weeping of the women of the Empire. This was undoubtedly a counterfeit – in advance – of Jesus’ death and res­urrection, instigated by the great Deceiver; and its degrading influence seems to have been potent enough to contaminate some of the women in Israel (“The gate of the Lord’s house, which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz”—Eze. 8:14) This is vividly brought to our attention in Luke 23:28: “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

Another type of cross was St. Andrew’s cross (crux decussata) – shaped like our let­ter “X” –: and a third one was the crux immissa, shaped as the one commonly seen on many churches in Christendom, with the cross beam down somewhat from the top. This latter would have lent itself very well to the crucifixion story, as it would have provided ample opportunity for nailing Jesus’ hands to it, and to make allowance over His head for the inscription ordered there by Pilate, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” And a little reflection will convince any one that it would place some considerable strain upon the imagination to conclude that all of this could have been done just as an upright torture stake – as the Witnesses would now have us believe.

Nor do they find any support in their position from the critical translation of the Bible; e.g., Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott translation of the New Testament and Doctor Roth­erham’s work. Both of these consistently translate the Greek Stauros (occurring 28 times) as ‘cross’; and the Greek Stauroo (occurring 46 times) as ‘crucify.’ But perhaps the strongest of all contradictions to their position is to be found in the history of the Jews by Flavius Josephus:

“Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be law­ful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works – a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews and many of the Gen­tiles. He was (the) Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross (A.D. 33 April 3, footnote), those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concern­ing him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

Josephus was a contemporary of the Apostles, reputedly dying about 100 A.D.; and, being a Jew, he would certainly be well qualified to report the manner of Jesus’ death. And he reports that it was on a cross – no hint of a torture stake.

The above report is further strengthened by the history of the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman conqueror Titus in the year 70 A.D., which record tells us that, after the city’s fall, there was a circle of crosses around Jerusalem with a dead Jew hanging on each one of them. Thus, the Lord had literally taken them at their word, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) As they had done to Him on the cross, so it was likewise meted out to them by the Pagan Romans. Thus, it would seem that the great weight of consistency supports the story and picture of the cross as we understand it today; and so Pastor Russell accepted it. Had there been any cogent reason to ques­tion it, we may be certain he would have done so; but he was not one to find fault with Christendom for the mere sake of finding fault, or just to be different from the majority. Anything of merit that he could find in other groups, he was ready enough to acknowledge; as, for instance, he did with the observance of Christmas. There is not a single fact to support December 25 as the birthday of our Lord; there is also not a single line of Scripture that tells us to observe His birthday (although we are definitely told to remember His death). And, although we have reasonable assurance that His birth was on the tenth day of the seventh month Tishri (about October 10 of our calendar), Pastor Russell was not in­clined to uproot such a long-established custom. Rather, he modestly stated:

“Although we cannot agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of our Redeemer .... yet upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and appreciation toward God and toward the Savior.” (This the Witnesses now also belittle.)

And his attitude toward the cross was much the same as it is recognized today; and there is strong argument – as we have given aforegoing – that he was right, and the pres­ent-day Witnesses are wrong in attacking the sacred story so generally accepted today. In fact, while he was still alive, the emblem of his admirers was a cross-and-crown pin ­a red enameled cross superimposed upon a crown of gold: “If we bear the cross, we shall wear the golden crowns.” There are yet probably quite a few Witnesses still living who hold in loving esteem that designation of their belief.

THE TABERNACLE

Our Lord said that every minute detail of the Law, of which the Tabernacle was an insepar­able part, was typical. “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets ... Verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and earth pass, one jot (the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet) or one tittle (one tip of a letter) shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled (filled full, completely enacted in antitype).” (Matt. 5:17,18) If Jesus spoke the truth here – and He certainly did – then we are forced to the conclusion that the typical features of the Law are an integral and impor­tant part of the Old Testament, forcing the further conclusion that those antitypes that occur in this Gospel Age are an essential part of Christian knowledge and faith now. This is verified by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples.” The Diaglott translates this doubly emphatic: “These things occurred to them typically (“these things are all types,” or “these things by way of type”—Dr. Rotherham), and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the Ages have come.”

Because of the forceful language in the critical translations, coupled with the words of Jesus in Matthew, Pastor Russell placed great value upon those Tabernacle types; thus, the outstanding production of his early writings was “Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices,” which appeared first in 1881. And in the Foreword of that book he had this to say:

“The careful student will discern that, the application of the types herein presented being correct, the entire Plan of the Ages is thereby corroborated .... To what a glorious gospel, then, is this the key.”

Yet, the Witnesses - who now make loud cry that Pastor Russell is the founder of their Movement – have completely eliminated Tabernacle Shadows from their teachings ­just as the Roman Catholic Church has perverted or eliminated much of the teachings of our Lord and the Apostle Peter, even as they also claim to be following “in their steps.” Such claim, of course, is nothing more than gross fraud, and the names St. Peter and Pastor Russell become only magnetic expressions to perpetrate colossal hoax upon “the unstable and the unlearned.”

Possibly realizing somewhat the enormity of their offense, and in a bungling at­tempt to mitigate their acts, they give 1 Cor. 10:11 this translation in their own Bible:

“Now these things went on befalling them as examples.” It will readily appear to all that this ‘translation’ by the Witnesses bears little resemblance to those critical trans­lations cited aforegoing, which brings us to repeat what we have previously declared; namely, their Bible is not a translation at all – it is merely a paraphrase distorted and twisted to fit what they now want to believe. Thus, it needs little argument that Pastor Russell would have no part of their ‘translation’ were he still living.

Nor should the Witnesses claim to be following Pastor Russell when they cast aside the very foundation of all his Harvest Truth teachings. As he himself emphatically de­clared, the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures all are the direct outgrowth of Taber­nacle Shadows; and Tabernacle Shadows corroborates “the entire Plan of the Ages.” There­fore, in rejecting Tabernacle Shadows, they are in substance rejecting the Good Word of God – all of which causes us to quote Jer. 8:9: “They have rejected the Word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” This one premise alone should cause all to view with a very skep­tical eye anything and everything that the Witnesses now offer as truth. And, further along this line, when any organization begins to “strain at gnats,” as the Witnesses have done regarding “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) – condemning acceptance of the cross because it is of pagan origin – we may very safely conclude that such people are be­reft of the Truth and the spirit of the Truth; and we should follow St. Paul’s counsel, “from such turn away.” (2 Tim. 3:5)

And we might here properly inquire, Is their ‘torture stake’ not also of Pagan origin? And would Christians be any less Pagan if they adopted the ‘torture stake’ instead of the cross? In fact, they emphasize the pagan origin of the cross; then substitute another pagan invention in its place – simply talking without having anything to say. Truly, “Wis­dom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7:35)

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

In previous papers we have stated that the Witnesses are the Roman Catholic Church’s “little twin”; and, in further proof of this contention, we analyze the conditions per­taining to the Jews after the end of that dispensation. Just before His death our Lord said unto them, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matt. 23:38) And in keeping with this declaration the desolation gradually gathered momentum until the full de­struction in A.D. 73 by the Romans, followed by the dispersion that continued throughout the Gospel Age. And with that dispersion came continued and organized contumely and physical abuse upon that race. Especially was this persecution aided and abetted by Antichrist (the Roman Church); and the more apostate that system became, the more they also treated true Christians (the heretics, the real Protestants) in like manner as they did the Jews. Thus the cast-off Jews and the true followers of Jesus found themselves in much the same caldron (without design on the part of either, of course).

Now, here in the end of the Age, some of this same condition finds repetition. Since the death of Pastor Russell the Witnesses have been very determined in their antagonism against those who would adhere to his teachings, branding them as “that evil servant” class (Matt. 24:48), forbidding their deluded dedicated devotees to read any of the writings of such people (in exact fashion as did the Roman Church with respect to the writings of the ‘heretics’ – true Protestants), casting the protesters out of their midst in cruel and un­founded disfellowshipments (“make fire come down from Heaven” – Rev. 13:13) – in exact du­plication of the acts of the Roman Church during the heyday of their power. And along with such proceedings, they, too, are castigating the Jews, consigning them to eternal extinction because they do not accept the Witnesses – identically as did the Roman Church when they sentenced their ‘heretics’ to the Lake of Fire.

This, too, is a diametric contradiction of what Pastor Russell taught. At the over­flow meeting at the Hippodrome Theatre in New York City in 1910, the Pastor so warmed the hearts of the Jews there assembled that many of them for years afterward fondly referred to him as their Pastor. Thus, here again we find no relation at all to what the Witnesses now teach concerning Jewry to what Pastor Russell taught, and whom they claim to be the founder of their Movement. In this connection, we offer the following quotation from his Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2, p. 302:

“Some have endeavored to do as Papacy did, to organize their church under some one person as its head, while others supply the place of this head with a council or synod; but all are under the delusion imposed by the false and misleading interpretations of Scripture doctrine started by Antichrist – that now, and not at a future time, is the reign of Christ’s Kingdom; and, denying the coming Age, as the Antichrist does, they, like that system, are careless of the full development of holiness among believers (the Witnes­ses denying there is such a thing as character develop­ment—JJH) and are zealous rather for the accomplishment now of the work of the next Age, the conversion of the world – so much so that they are often willing to misrepre­sent God’s plan and Word, and to invent theories to frighten and drive the world into a profession of godliness.”

When the Papal System held sway, they consigned the dissenters to eternal torment; now the Witnesses sentence them to eternal extinction in the approaching Armageddon. Then the Papacy (Antichrist) had established the counterfeit thousand-year reign of Christ; now the Witnesses have established their counterfeit Kingdom.

Just a little reflection should cause any unbiased mind to realize their present ri­diculous position. All about us we see moronic, semi-moronic, physical and mental dere­licts who either have not the capacity or the will power to assimilate the Truth when it is presented to them. The Adversary is not yet bound, and is “blinding the minds of them that believe not” – even among the majority of the intelligent. They freely proclaim this in their March 1, 1968 Tower, p. 136, par. 1, telling us the Devil is still with us, “has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.” Yet the Witnesses are telling us that if all such people do not accept them now before Armageddon, they shall experience eternal ex­tinction with no further chance for Kingdom blessings – even though all the minds of the un­believers are BLINDED by the Devil! Note now the prophecy that directly applies to the TRUE Kingdom reign – Christ’s Kingdom reign: “When thy judgments are in the earth, the in­habitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9) And again Rev. 21:25, “There will be no night (error) there.” Further, the words of St. Paul in 1 Tim. 2:4, Dia.: “God desires all men to be saved, and come to an accurate knowledge of the Truth.”

Let us now consider some of the Witnesses’ teachings that are in violent opposition to the foregoing. On p. 659 of the Nov. 1, 1967 Tower, they say: “The ‘stubborn’ resist­ers (meaning actually, the resisters of the Witnesses’ kingdom—JJH) of God’s victorious kingdom are really accomplishing nothing against it. At Armageddon... He will utterly destroy them by means of his exalted Royal Stone, Jesus Christ.”

And further on p. 660: “Jehovah God will perform no ‘saving’ act for his enemies... God will bring them back to punishment. If, even in atomic-powered submarines, they should try to hide themselves in the depths of the sea, the unavoidable Jehovah God will bring them back. To what? To face slaughter, that their life blood may be poured out. This will enable the true followers (meaning the Witnesses themselves—JJH) of the Son of David, in effect, to wash their feet in the blood of their enemies. No decent burial will be given such detestable enemies, but, if we have any Biblically despised dogs in our ser­vice, God will let them lick up the blood of the enemies against whom God has arisen.”

Here indeed is a most happifying anticipation – a glorious reward for the faithful followers of the Lamb! Who but the most obnoxious moral renegades would not enjoy bath­ing his feet in a pool of blood of his former friends and relatives – perhaps your own father and mother will be providing some of that blood for you – if they don’t agree with you now, and don’t join up with the Witnesses! What a reward is here held out for those “true followers (the Witnesses) of the Son of David!

And something more on p. 661: “O how the favored survivors of the war of Armageddon will celebrate his eternal victory with song and music, blessing him who is the source of life of his people!”

Join them quickly – before Armageddon – and you, too, may be among the fortunate ones who will revel by bathing your feet in the blood of your mother, your father, your sweetheart, or your children who had not the favored intellect to realize that they also should have cast their lot with those who will obtain the supreme ecstasy of that bloody carnage. It is but a small step between this picture and the one presented by the Roman Church. The latter promised their adherents a blissful eternity – playing upon golden harps, no more conflicts or toils, in heavenly glory, as they would experience the inex­plicable ‘joy’ in Heaven of watching their former friends and relatives – father, mother, et al – writhing forever in the Lake of Fire, with no hope of escape. Of course, our en­lightened day will no longer tolerate such distortion; thus, the Witnesses have toned down their punishment of the damned to a less hideous sentence in Armageddon (although ‘scary’ enough to induce many of the “unstable and unlearned” to join them): You will just wash your feet in the blood of the lost, instead of enjoying their torment in the Lake of Fire forever.

THE LAST ENEMY

On pp. 524, 525 of the Sept. 1, 1967 Tower there is offered some considerable comment on the “last enemy” of 1 Cor. 15:26. They contend this “last enemy” they declare to be the “Adamic death” (although they also claim that Adam has died the Second Death, which will never be destroyed) – the death resting upon all through Father Adam’s transgression in Eden. Placing Adam in the Second Death is a direct denial of the Ransom (the anti-lutron, or exact equivalent), because Adam is the only person who could properly be ransomed by Jesus – a perfect life for a perfect life. Every one of Adam’s descendants came into this world imperfect; thus the giving of a perfect life for any one of them could not possibly be a true anti-lutron, an exact equivalent, or ransom in the Biblical sense of that word. This “new light” of the Witnesses is a diametric contradiction, and repudiation, of our Pastor’s basic teaching of the “Restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21), as he sets forth in the “Divine Plan of the Ages” (a book they have cast aside for their “New Light”).

Let us keep well before us that the raising of the last one from the grave will im­mediately blot out the Adamic-death state. Those who die after coming to “an accurate knowledge of the Truth” – if not obedient to the best of their ability and in harmony with it – will then die the Second Death – not the Adamic death. Thus, it would seem very elemental that the last one to come forth from the tomb must do so some considerable time before Satan is loosed from the abyss, because it is hardly likely that that person can “come to an accurate knowledge of the truth” in a day, a week, a month, or even a year. This being true, there must be something decidedly faulty with their reasoning here – something wrong somewhere.

So the “Last Enemy” of 1 Cor. 15:26 is not the Adamic-death state, as the Adamic-­death state is destroyed at least a 100 years before the Mediatorial reign ends. The Adamic-death process (the evils inherited and acquired under the reign of sin) will be plagued out of the sheep class by the end of the Mediatorial reign and at the beginning of the Little Season. But the Adamic-death process will not be plagued out of the goat class, because although outwardly obedient their hearts were evil: they will enter the Little Season with imperfect characters. So when the goats are destroyed in the Second Death at the end of the Little Season the Adamic-death process in them is destroyed: The “last enemy” of 1 Cor. 15:26 (the Adamic-death process) will then be destroyed at the end of the Little Season. Then “there will be no more ‘curse’ – the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.” (Rev. 22:3)

To indulge in a slight digression, we remark that the leaders of the LHMM also hold the same view as do the Witnesses on the destruction of this “last enemy”: they, too, teach it is to be destroyed before Satan is loosed from the abyss.

“ONE PROSELYTE”

On pp. 540-543 of this same Tower is the record of one Johannes Weber, long time ad­herent of the Witnesses, who tells us on p. 541 that sometime before 1914 a lady advised him to read The Divine Plan of the Ages. “This I did,” says he, “and read the book thoroughly noting that its teachings were quite different from those of the church.” He does not say to which “church” he refers; but we would now join with him in declaring that the teach­ings of that Divine Plan book are also “quite different” from the teachings of the “church” of the present-day Witnesses – so much so that Pastor Russell (who wrote the book) would speedily disavow any connection whatever with those now attempting to gain prestige by linking his name with theirs. The Divine Plan of the Ages directly contradicts the en­tire structure of the Witnesses present-day teachings regarding Armageddon and the fate of the present unsaved world. This is quite in keeping with the claims of Antichrist and its relation to St. Peter; Antichrist’s claims are an insult to St. Peter – just as the Witnesses’ claim is an insult to Pastor Russell. “Only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” (Isa. 4:1) Pastor Russell had a heart-cheering message for the unsaved world instead of telling them if they didn’t join his group now they would be eter­nally dammed.

Here is a little more from Brother Weber’s statement: “At the end of the war (1914­-1918) one day I spied a huge poster with a picture of Pastor Charles T. Russell, the So­ciety’s first president, advertising a film show entitled Photo-Drama of Creation.’ It turned out to be the most beautiful and imposing drama I had ever seen... The next out­standing event was the widely publicized lecture by J. F. Rutherford, second president of the Watchtower Society on the topic ‘Millions Now Living Will Never Die.’“ In this lat­ter he fails to state, however, that the time limit of this lecture was set for 1925; and, when 1925 came and went with not even a ripple in current happenings to give the slightest credibility to the lecture and the time predictions, the subject was hastily ­and quietly – dropped. Do we hear any one preaching it today? If not, why not? If it was the Truth in 1920, it should be decidedly and more clearly apparent now than it was then. In 1925 the Ancient Worthies were to return from the grave Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the others; and this was so fixedly taught that J. F. Rutherford even built a palatial residence in California, it was reported, to be used by those Ancients when they would return to life. However, a former Jehovah’s Witness told us that the mansion was built for J. F. Rutherford, and was not built for the Ancient Worthies.

But let us consider here that the Divine Plan and the Photo-Drama were the means of bringing Brother Weber into the Truth, although there was not one word in either of them about Millions Now Living Will Never Die – nor of any of the sordid blood-bath predic­tions now being circulated by the Witnesses – not one word about a bath of blood for you in the blood of your former relatives and friends. Indeed, Pastor Russell was “wise and faithful”: he taught that the fully faithful would be able to bless and help their unbelieving friends and relatives, instead of rollicking in their blood; thus, we should not expect such distortion from him, because he did indeed teach “the Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom” – “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Thus we are forced to the painful conclusion that at the first Brother Weber was brought into the Truth by Pastor Russell’s ingenious pen products; but has since been taken out of that Truth by the pen products – the present-day teachings – of the Witnesses. And, if the present-day Witnesses would read that Divine Plan of the Ages with an honest and open mind, they would speedily and gladly be forced to renounce their present beliefs. The honest-hearted among them would be happy to shed their sectarian bonds and receive the Truth that makes you free indeed. (See John 8:32 and Berean Comments)

We offer here just one brief quotation from that Divine Plan book, p. 294: “We find statements by both prophets and apostles which clearly indicate that in the times of restitution Israel as a nation will be the first among the nations to come into harmony with the new order of things; that the earthly Jerusalem will be rebuilt upon old heaps (this prediction is dated 1886, when there was not the slightest intimation of Israel as a nation in Palestine, as we now view it—JJH); and their polity will be restored as in the beginning under princes or judges (Isa. 1:26; Psa. 45:16; Jer. 30:18)... And while Israel will be the first of the nations to be recognized and blessed, it is written also of Israel that ‘The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first’... As Jerusalem was the seat of the empire under the typical Kingdom of God, it will again occupy the same posi­tion, and be the ‘city of the Great King’ (Psa. 48:2).”

Much more of the same is to be found in that section of the book; and all of this the present leaders of the Witnesses have renounced completely – claiming, as they do, that their present “Large Multitude” are to be recognized as the principals in the earthly phase of Christ’s Kingdom – much the same as the LHMM now also claims the preeminence for their “Consecrated Campers,” a class invented for the purpose in recent years, in exact fashion as the Witnesses have invented their non-existent earthly “Large Multi­tude.” Of this perhaps more in a future writing. Both Movements repudiate what Pastor Russell taught concerning the Jews – all the while both of them make loud claim to be­ing his followers.

And here is something else from Pastor Russell’s faithful Scriptural teachings that completely dissipates the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim of “God’s Kingdom on Earth”: “Thus we see our commission as respects all people of all nations who have an ear to hear our message. We are to make them disciples and to immerse them into the name (the disposi­tion—JJH) of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are to teach them to observe all things whatsoever Jesus commands. This is the extent of our authority. We are not to organize human systems and call them kingdom, churches, or other names (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Halls, etc.—JJH). We are merely to prepare the followers of Jesus, cooperating with God, who will work in them to will and to do His good plea­sure.” (Dec. 1, 1914, Reprint 5588, col. 2, top)

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-­kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth.”

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle , Pilgrim

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace to you and the Bible House family!

It has been a long time since I last heard from you. I do regret not writing be­fore now. Anyway, I am still in good health, spiritually and otherwise, although Sister is not quite so bright – has not overcome completely her shocks.

Nevertheless, there is much to be grateful for! The Lord has spared our lives to serve Him. The Apostle Paul points out: “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2 Cor. 12:7) God sees and knows what is best to develop His people.

Yes, dear Brother, our Lord has certainly been manifesting Himself in His Spiri­tual House as well as toward the powers of the earth. They will soon be completely shaken and destroyed We are in receipt of the articles you send to us. They are sure­ly refreshing – like the brook along the way of the weary traveler. May the good Lord continue to bless your great efforts toward His Name.

I received a letter from Brother ------- He sent me five pounds and his sympathy in my bereave­ment. He emphasized that the Kingdom will be set up in 1994. Well, there might be likelihood of that. But, while hopeful, I think we need to watch “the Salvation of the Lord.”

Please remember us in your prayers, even as we always do the same for you and all at the Bible House. With warm Christian love, I am

Sincerely your brother ------- (JAMAICA)

NO. 287: THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES

No. 287

“In those days there will be great distress on the land, and wrath against this people (the Jews) .... and Jerusalem will be trodden down by Gentiles, till the times of Gentiles may be accomplished.” (Luke 21:23,24, Dia.) As most of our readers know, Brother Russell accurately measured off the times (years) of the Gentiles as 2,520 literal years, beginning in the Fall of 607 B.C. (606 years before A.D. 1) and ending in the Fall of 1914. In that year the great war erupted, which afforded positive proof that he had correctly foretold the times of the Gentiles.

However, probably quite a few of our readers may not know that a “foolish virgin,” Doctor Guiness, had come out many years before 1914 with the theory that those Gentile times would not end until nineteen years later – in 1933. And, when the destruction of present institutions did not occur immediately after 1914, with peace being declared in 1918, quite a few brethren in the Truth movement accepted this error, and caused no little furor among the brethren at that time. On the surface it did seem that a mis­take had been made; but when 1933 arrived, and not the slightest event of any conse­quence occurred then, the controversy just passed into limbo. And of those who did ac­cept the error after peace had been restored on November 11, 1918, and things seemed to be going along quite peacefully (with the exception of the overthrow of the Czarist re­gime in the Fall of 1917), it was a puzzling situation – but no answer appeared then to solve the puzzle. And many of those who had accepted the error are now floating around more or less without any anchor at all in the chronology. It is our firm conviction that the Gentile Times did end in 1914; and this will become more manifest when Armageddon confirms the interpretation of 1 Kings 19:11,12.

That Servant himself was thoroughly convinced that The Times of the Gentiles ended in 1914, and that the chronology was correct. Here are some quotations from his Foreword in Parousia Vol. 2, written after 1914 and published October 1, 1916:

“We could not, of course, know in 1889, whether the date 1914, so clearly marked in the Bible as the end of the Gentile lease of power or permission to rule the world, would mean that they would be fully out of power at that time, or whether, their lease expir­ing, their eviction would begin. The latter we perceive to be the Lord’s program; and promptly in August, 1914, the Gentile kingdoms referred to in the prophecy began the present struggle, which, according to the Bible, will culminate in the complete overthrow of all human government, opening the way for the full establishment of the Kingdom of God’s dear Son.

“Our thought is that somehow the Lord is taking a hand in the affairs of the world now as He did not do in times past. We do know that the great Time of Trouble, which has begun, very closely corresponds to the Divine declaration respecting the time He shall take to Himself His great power and reign, the nations will be mad and the Divine wrath will come. A little later on the time will come for the judging of the dead, and the giving of the reward to God’s servants, small and great, leading on finally to the destruction of the incorrigible, who would exercise a corrupt influence upon the earth. (Rev. 21:8)

“All over the world people knew of the expectations of Bible Students in respect to the year 1914; and when so stupendous a war as the present one broke loose, when the winds of strife began to blow with such fury and destruction, thousands remembered what they had heard and read respecting the end of the Gentile Times. Thousands today have come to fully appreciate the times in which we are living.

“The author acknowledges that in this book he presents the thought that the Lord’s saints might expect to be with Him in glory at the ending of the Gentile Times. This was a natural mistake to fall into, but the Lord overrules it for the blessing of His peo­ple. The thought that the Church would all be gathered to glory before October, 1914, certainly did have a very stimulating and sanctifying effect upon thousands, all of whom accordingly can praise the Lord – even for the mistake ....

“Our mistake was evidently not in respect to the ending of the Times of the Gentiles; we drew a false conclusion, however, not authorized by the Word of the Lord. We saw in the Bible certain parallels between the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age. We should have noted that these parallels follow the nominal systems to destruction in both cases, and do not indicate the time of the glorification of the New Creation.......

It should be noted here that Brother Russell put too much faith in “parallels,” and failed to heed his own faithful doctrine – “that parallels, types, as well as Pyramid dates, cannot teach a doctrine, but only corroborate a doctrine already taught in plain terms.” And Brother Johnson often reiterated this same doctrine; but he, too, relied too heavily on the “parallels” and types for the glorification of the last saint in 1956. But, as Brother Russell has stated in the above quotation of his Foreword: “This was a natural mistake to fall into, but the Lord overruled it for the blessing of His people.”

And in the Reprints 5522 and 5523 Brother Russell corroborates his above statements in regard to the Time of Trouble beginning after the Gentiles Times End – also that the Epiphany period started with the Time of Trouble: “These Bible students call our atten­tion to the fact that the Bible distinctly differentiates between the Parousia of Christ and His Epiphania, at His second coming. The word Parousia (5522, bottom) signifies presence, without any sense of the word indicating that the presence is visible. The word Epiphania signifies the revealing of one who is already present. These Bible students claim that in the end of this Gospel Age Christ will be present, invisible to men, dur­ing a period of forty years doing a work especially to His Church – rewarding the faith­ful, as shown in the parables of the Pounds and the Talents, and receiving the ‘wise vir­gins,’ as in the parable of our lesson.... the world will know that He has taken His great power and begun His reign of righteousness, not by seeing Jesus in the flesh, but by seeing the great Time of Trouble which then will break upon the world – ‘A time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.’ (Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21)”

“The Scriptures indicate that the Gentile governments will receive from their own peoples their first notice that their lease of power has expired... The judgments of the Lord will begin to be manifest in the world, and will run counter to many of their interests. This manifestation of His presence is Scripturally called the Epiphania, the shining forth, the revealment, of the King of Glory. ‘He shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Thes. 1:7-10) As a result, the nations of earth will be broken to pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psa. 2:8,9)

“The picture given of the end of Gentile times is that of a stone striking the image of Gentile supremacy in its feet. (Dan. 2:34,35) The impact will be so sharp and so thorough as to leave nothing of them. Having had their day, they will cease to be – ‘become like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.’ The next event in order will be the Messianic kingdom, of which it is written, ‘The desire of all peoples shall come.’” (Reprint 5527, top, col. 2, par. 2)

“Emphasizing the suddenness with which the calamity will overtake the world, Jesus said that on the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained down fire and brimstone from heaven; and he declared that thus it will be in the day when the Son of Man is re­vealed. The Greek text shows a difference between the PAROUSIA, or presence, of Christ before the time of trouble, and the later EPIPHANIA, or revealing.”

Under the Caption of Present Duty and Privilege of the Saints in Reprints 5630-­5633 Brother Russell gives us the following: “What time, then, is signified by the ex­pression ‘in the days of these kings,’ when the kingdom of God was to be set up in power? To our understanding the first step in the setting up of this kingdom was the raising of the sleeping saints of the Gospel Age, which we believe was in the spring of 1878. Then began the glorification of the Church. The work of setting up the kingdom has, we under­stand, been progressing from that date, and is now merely lacking the last members of the Church class. When these shall have taken their places as members of the Church in Glory, the Kingdom will be fully set up.

“This does not signify, that there may not be a part of the kingdom work begun while some of the members of Christ are still in the flesh. Indeed some Scriptures seem to imply that there will be a kingdom work done this side the veil, while a work of still greater magnitude and authority is progressing on the other side of the veil. We read, ‘Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds.’ This seems to imply, as we have mentioned before, that there is a special work to be done while these saints still have beds, while they are in a condition of repose – not ‘tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine,’ but fully at rest in God’s great plan. The Scripture goes on to say that they have a two-edged sword in their hands – this is the Word of God. They use it as the sword of the Spirit. This would not be true of them on the other side of the veil. They would have no use for a sword there. The Scriptures also declare that the high-sounding praises of God are upon their lips. This, too, seems to be applicable to those this side the veil.” (Reprint 5631, col. 2, par. 5)

“The final phrase, ‘to execute the judgments written,’ would seem to imply that there would be something for the saints on this side of the veil to do in connection with the execution of the judgments upon the nations. As to just what this means, we have not yet fully learned. But we see nothing here to conflict with the thought that the Lord’s kingdom may be properly understood to have begun operations and the present smiting of the nations is under kingdom control. The fact that some of the members of the kingdom class are still in the flesh does not militate at all against this thought. We see the kingdoms of the world now being dashed to pieces, and we are expecting to see the process continued until they are completely ground to powder. They shall become as the chaff of the summer threshing-floor, and the wind shall carry them away. Then shall they be found no more at all. (Dan. 2:35)

“The Kingdom of God Set Up: Because certain important things are to be accomplished, we see that God is permitting what others might seem to be purely human devilishness. For a wise purpose He permits this reign of lawlessness, this condition which evokes uni­versal odium. Our thought is that we should look for still further evidences day by day that the Gentile Times have ended, and that God’s kingdom has begun its work. We are ex­pecting to see multiplied proofs of the kingdom power, though the world will not recog­nize it as such until it is manifested in the flaming fire of anarchy, which is still further along... But many will not begin to see until the flaming fire is revealed. When we endeavor to tell them now they will not receive it, but they will be thoroughly convinced when they see the destructive fire of anarchy.

“It was merely during the interval between the destruction of the kingdom of Israel and the setting up of the kingdom of the heavens that the opportunity was given to these Gentile kingdoms to see what they could do toward establishing a righteous government on earth. Now the time has come for God’s kingdom to displace them; but they will not willingly resign their crowns and scepters; they are in defiance. Therefore force is re­quired to destroy them. Their 2520 years of rule are in the past, and they must now sub­mit to a complete overthrow. We are expecting that the work of their crushing will stead­ily continue until its full accomplishment.

“But finally, when the Lord’s ‘due time’ has come to permit it, they broke through their restraint. The Lord has at this particular time especially to do with the affairs of the nations. And this war was allowed to occur at about the end of the Times of the Gentiles, at the appropriate time when they are to be dashed to pieces with the iron rod of the iron rule. (Psa. 2:6-12) ... Now in this great day of the Lord everything that can be shaken is to be shaken to pieces and shaken out, to the intent that nothing unright­eous or unworthy shall remain. God Himself is doing the shaking.” (R-5632. col. 1)

“The Time For Judgment is Ripe: We believe that the Times of the Gentiles ended just on time, as shown in Vol. 2 of the Studies in the Scriptures. The hand of justice is now doing the breaking – the nations shall be broken as ‘a potter’s vessel.’ The whole cataclysm of trouble may be upon the world during the next ten months or it may be longer deferred. We believe that the time for the setting up of the kingdom was on Sep­tember 21, 1914. At that time, when it was due for our Lord to take up His great power and reign, the nations were already angry. They were at war over a month in advance of the time, because so angry.” (Reprint 5632, col. 2)

THE EPIPHANY

From the foregoing we believe there can be no sound argument against our statement that Brother Russell believed that an Epiphany – as a period of time – would become ap­parent once the Gentile Times and the Time of Trouble had arrived. We have gone into quite some detail on the subject, quoting much from Brother Russell. It is our belief that many of our readers still hold him in high regard; they believe that he was That Servant – just as we do. And it strikes us as most unusual that many of those same brethren pay little or no attention to his teachings about the Epiphany and the Time of Trouble.

It is probably in order here to state that the Time of Trouble in the broad sense had its beginning in 1874, during which date and 1914 the reaping work is pretty well consummated. During that forty years such movements as the IWW (International Works of the World), the Communists, Nihilists, etc., persuaded many that the time for radical change had come. When we were in the US Army in 1918 we came into close contact with some of these. And often when we spoke the Truth to them about the Times of the Gentiles, that the lease of power had expired, and that the Lord was then in process of evicting them, they admitted that they agreed – and the only thing then preventing them from tearing down the social institutions of the time was the great war – for which they had no sym­pathy, but were persuaded that the common enemy – the Central Powers – must first be de­feated. After the war ended, some of their leaders, or friends, such as Norman Thomas, openly declared that the conflict had been nothing but a commercial war; and that those who refused to cooperate with the Government were the only ones who had shown good sense.

As most of our readers know, fire in the Bible is often a symbol of destruction; and this was certainly true of the Great War. Note 2 Thes. 1:7-10, Dia.: The Lord Jesus from Heaven ... in a flame of fire dispensing retributive justice to those not acknowl­edging God (the second-death class in Big Babylon), and to those not being obedient to the glad tidings (the second-death class in the Truth Movement) ... when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all those who believe, in that day.” In this Scripture St. Paul is directly identifying the Time of Trouble as a period of great destruction.

Further the same Apostle identifies this destruction as a period of time in 2 Tim. 4:1, Dia.: “Christ Jesus is about to judge the living (those who have “passed from death unto life,” and the fallen angels who have never been under the death sentence) and the dead (the dead world of mankind whether in the tomb or those still living on this earth), by his appearing (the Epiphany) and by his kingdom (the thousand-year reign of the saints on earth).”

It should be stressed here that Brother Russell saw much of what we have written herein – perhaps not as clearly as we see things now; but he gave us the foundation upon which to build. Thus it is our firm conviction that his chronology is correct, and that most of his dates are also correct, especially so of the Gentile Tines. However, as he himself admits, some of his expectations about those dates were not realized. He used types, parallels, etc., to reach his conclusions; and, when we consider the vast amount of error that was so rampant at the time he entered the ministry, we often marvel that this “man of God” did not make more mistakes than he did; so we are generous in our ap­praisal of his mistaken expectations – and most grateful for the Scriptural doctrines he gave to us – in fact, the whole Plan of Salvation, something no other man could do ex­cept that Faithful and Wise Servant, “whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season.” (Matt. 24:45)

SOME BRIEF CORROBORATIONS

In many places does That Servant offer proof for his faulty conclusions, but the fol­lowing from Parousia Vol. 2, p. 245, par. 2, serves the purpose quite well: “Remember that the forty years’ Jewish harvest ended October, A.D. 69, and was followed by the complete overthrow of that nation; and that likewise the forty years of the Gospel Age harvest will end October, 1914, and that likewise the overthrow of ‘Christendom,’ so-called, must be expected to immediately follow.”

In 1 Cor. 10:11 the Apostle Paul makes this statement: “These things (the waywardness of the Jews during their forty-year march to Canaan) occurred to them typically and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.” And after they came into Canaan – and until they were ejected in 69-73 A.D. – any number of things “occurred to them typically” as forecasts of the things that would occur in Christendom during this Gospel Age. And let us keep in mind that the above quotation from Vol. 2 was published in 1889, 25 years before 1914, and was probably actually written for the printer many months before that date. So it was a reasonable conclusion. On the face of it, the logic of it is very convincing.

MASADA – In the above we are told that the Harvest ended in 69 A.D., but the com­plete subjugation of the Jews did not occur until the year 73 A.D. at Masada – just forty years after they had “crucified the Lord of Glory.” We now quote some comments from one of the prominent Encyclopedias on this subject:

“Masada, Hebrew Horvot Mezada (meaning ruins of Masada) ancient mountaintop fortress in southeast Israel, site of the Jews last stand against the Romans in the revolt of A.D. 66-73. The name means ‘stronghold, fortress.’ It occupies the entire top of a great mesa near the southeast coast of the Dead Sea... renowned for the palaces and fortifi­cations of Herod the Great, king of Judea under the Romans, and for its resistance to the Roman siege 72-73.

“The Romans fired the defenders’ wooden walls. The Zealots, however, preferred death to enslavement, and the conquerors found that the defenders ... had taken their own lives (April 15, A.D. 73). Only seven women and children – who had hidden in a water conduit survived to tell the tale... lots cast by the last defenders to determine who should die first. It took 15,000 Roman soldiers to defeat completely less than 1,000, includ­ing women and children, almost two years to subdue the fortress.”

That small group of defenders were imbued with the idea that they were God’s “chosen people”; and, with what seemed to them an impregnable fortress, they concluded that the Romans could not overcome them. But at that time the Romans were experts at destruction; and the Jews were unaware of the words of Jesus just before He died, “Your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38). Thus, they no longer had the Divine protection that followed their fathers. They had become a part of “the great city, which is called spiritually, Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” (Rev. 11:8, Dia.)

But with the Jews so thoroughly eliminated, the early Church – after the Apostles passed away – was readily prepared for the encroachments of the “secret of lawlessness” (the rise of the Papacy to power, especially after 539 A.D., and which eventually domi­nated the governments of Christendom until Napoleon broke that power in 1799 A.D. – a period of 1260 years). “The holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” – months of 30 days each, 1260 symbolic days, but actually 1260 literal years. “Whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth, and annihilate by the appear­ing of his presence” (2 Thes. 2:7,8). The word “appearing” in this text is from the Greek epiphaneia; and this offers just one more proof that the Epiphany is a period of time – that we are still in the Epiphany because the Papacy has not yet been destroyed. See Berean Comments on these texts. The Papacy has truly been guilty of all the crimes that the Gentile nations have perpetrated upon their enemies, and upon their own people – pouring hot lead into their ears, cutting off their noses, putting them on the rack, etc. In 2 Thes. 2:9, 10, Dia., St. Paul details his prophecy of how the apostate church (Roman Catholic) would perform when they would have the power: “Whose coming is according to the energy of the Adversary, with all power, and signs, and wonders of falsehood, and with every deception of iniquity to those who are perishing.” Certainly history offers indis­putable proof that this Scripture is true in every detail.

MORE FROM THAT SERVANT

Now follows some brief quotations from Parousia Vol. 2, pp. 73,101: “The term Times of the Gentiles was applied by our Lord to that interval of earth’s history between the removal of the typical Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Israel (Ezek. 21:25-27), and the introduction and establish­ment of its antitype, the true Kingdom of God, when Christ comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day. Strictly speaking, the Times of the Gentiles are the period during which God leased the earth’s dominion to the non-Jewish nations. (Thus, they are now operating without that authority which expired in 1914, although it is still the obligation of God’s people to be “submissive to the superior authorities.”—Rom. 13:1, Dia.—JJH)

“Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the set­ting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), will begin in A.D. 1914, and that it will end in the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God’s Word.”

When 1914 had come and gone, it caused no little concern in the Truth Movement; and Brother Russell then commented that it seemed the reaping work was not yet ended. He was prompted to this decision because so many people were coming into the Truth after 1914. But he failed to consider that many crown-losers in Babylon had been watching 1914 very closely; and, when the war broke out as predicted, many members of antitypical Lot (Gen. 19:23-26) were fleeing from that “great city, which spiritually is called Sodom” when the fire and brimstone (the destructive effects of the war) began to fall on it. They knew the prediction had been correctly made, so they fled from spiritual Sodom, and came into the Truth Movement – although many of them later left the Truth Movement after the Armis­tice was arranged and things were going along rather smoothly. We were personally ac­quainted with some of them, and we heard their conclusions about it.

Now more from Vol. 2, p. 73, par. 3: “During this interval, the dominion of earth was to be exercised by Gentile governments; and Israel, both fleshly and spiritual, have been and are to be subject to these powers until their time is expired. While God does not approve or commend these governments, he recognizes their dominion. In other words, He has for wise ends permitted their dominion for an appointed time.”

During these Gentile Times some of the basest of men ruled – as instance Nero, Ivan the Terrible, Hitler, et al. However, the glory that was Solomon’s had so captivated the Jewish minds that they failed completely to recognize their Messiah when He came to them “meek and lowly of heart.” Their national standing had been taken from them in the Fall of 607 B.C.; and their idea of a Messiah was one who would cast off the Roman yoke and rule Israel again as had Solomon, when all nations had admired his great wisdom – “wiser than all men,” 1 Kgs. 4:31 – his great wealth and the magnificence of his palace and the Temple he had built, the Holy of Holies containing that priceless piece of fur­niture, the golden ark of the covenant, for which the Jews had extreme reverence, and which had been lost when Jerusalem was taken in the Fall of 607 B.C.

And when Jesus mentioned “the tines of the Gentiles,” it seems the statement had passed right over the heads of the Apostles; they still expected some great person who would throw off the Roman yoke. And this view they held until they were enlightened by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. All this is well confirmed by their question to Jesus just before He ascended to Heaven: “Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) We are told in 1 Chron. 29:23 that “Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord”; and this caused quite a few Gentile rulers to conclude that they were ruling “by Divine right.” And especially in England this opinion was cherished by some of the most debased kings that ever ruled there: it was a general belief that “the king can do no wrong.” Gentiles should learn from bitter experience the futility of their efforts at self-government while the world was in its present sinful condition.

Solomon – “wiser than all men” – gave such a poor performance during the forty years of his reign that there was revolution in Israel immediately after his death; and the ten tribes that left became known as the nation of Israel, and the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, became known as the House of Judah. (Jer. 31:31) Thus we have an excellent ex­ample of the Christian Church; the Roman Catholic Church became so corrupt that it pro­duced the great Reformation, with Martin Luther as its hero – although the great bulk of be­lievers still stayed there, just the reverse of what happened in Israel. In that separation by far the most of the Jews forsook the City of David and accepted Jereboam as their king; and it is said in the Bible at least seventeen times of the various kings that ruled Israel until it was carried captive into Assyria by Shalmanezer in the year 739 B.C.: “They walked in the ways of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin.” (2 Kgs. 10:29) Eventually they were so absorbed by their captors that they disappeared as a na­tion and as Jews; they became the “ten lost tribes.”

That most of these Gentile governments have failed miserably to uplift their Gentile subjects is proven by the prophecy that they will go to extreme ruin in the end of this Age; they will be involved in “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a na­tion.” What the prophet wrote about Zedekiah regarding the overthrow of the Jews is strangely befitting of the Gentile nations now, as we see them “reeling to and fro like a drunkard.” “The earth (society as presently organized) shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.” (Isa. 24:20) This is given in more vivid detail in Ezek. 21:25-27: “Thou, profane wicked prince of Israel (Zedekiah), whose day is come..... when iniquity shall have an end ... remove the diadem, and take off the crown ... I will overturn (in the great war), overturn (in the approaching Arma­geddon), overturn it (in complete anarchy) ... until he (the glorified Christ) come whose right it is; and I will give it him.”

There is much more to be said about the Times of the Gentiles, and we may discuss it again in some future paper; but we think we have said enough about it herein to con­vince our readers of the truth in St. Peter’s statement (2 Pet. 1:21, Dia.): “Not at any time was prophecy brought by the will of man, but men from God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.” And may this help us all to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.”

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother:

Hoping all is well with you. Thanks for every edition of Epiphany you send us. We especially enjoyed the October edition “In Memoriam,” in memory of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson – two great Messengers of our times. Thank God for each one. Through their Bible (God’s Word) knowledge we are blessed with the Truth, and became believers in God’s promises; and that we are living in the last period of the Gospel Age.

God bless you all and keep you in His loving care.

Your brethren ------- (MICHIGAN)

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Dear Friends:

Must let you know how very much we all enjoyed the last two papers, the January on Retrospect and the February on the Bible. They are both most interesting.

In view of all the turmoil between Israel and her neighbors, I am wondering just how Egypt and the Arabs differ. Was not Hagar an Egyptian and Abraham the parent of Ishmael? I know blessings were promised Egypt in the same chapter the blessings were promised Israel. We were trying to figure the relationship between Egypt and the re­mainder of the Arab world. Of course we know blessings are coming to all nations even­tually. I wonder how long it will take before the world leaders realize they can do nothing to bring that peace.

We hope the health of all of you is improving, or at least not causing too much dis­comfort. Brother Hoefle sounded in fairly good shape over the telephone. Now if he just stays off Detroit’s frozen streets, as a fall might set him back. I always go over on Windsor Avenue for lunch each day, but today is the first I stayed home – just too icy to take a chance.

I am keeping all the Epiphany papers in folder as Mother tried to do. Am starting a new folder for 1979. It must have been difficult to get the papers out and take care of the health situation at the same tine. But we all appreciate the effort and are certain you all will reap untold blessings.

Christian love ------- (OHIO)

NOTE: Re Egypt and the Arabs, they have a common hatred for the Jews. Egypt was top­pled from world leadership when their entire army was destroyed in the Red Sea as they pursued the fleeing Jews from their country; and they have not forgotten that. However, the reason they now negotiate with the Jews is because the US Government in Washington is largely Jewish; and Egypt needs our friendship. A newspaper man from Orlando just recently returned from a visit to Egypt, and he says their economy is in a deplorable condition – their sanitation bad, and no air conditioning and no screens on the windows.

Yes, Hagar was an Egyptian, and Ishmael and Isaac were half brothers; both had Abraham as their father. Gen. 16:12 says of him, “He will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him.” Thus, the Jews and Arabs have hated each other for 4,000 years. In the first war the Arabs joined the Germans, and English General Allenby kicked them out of Jerusalem in December 1917. That is one of the reasons the US and England set up the Jewish State in 1948. At that time they wanted to establish an Arab State on the West bank of Jordan, but the Arabs did not want it then. Although they had lived in Jerusalem for almost 2,000 years, they did noth­ing to improve the country. Now that the Jews have done something, they want it; but the Jews won’t give it to them. The details of the origin of this are to be found in Gen. 21:9-11.

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Our dearly beloved Brother Hoefle:

May God richly bless you with Love, Mercy, Grace, Health and Strength, and spare you to be with us to carry on this blessed work which He has bestowed upon you as one of His most faithful. We here would very much like to know of your improvement. We have been very much worried about you. How are you feeling? And how is dear Sr. Hoefle holding up? According to Brother Johnson in Present Truth, June 1919-Ps. 29:11, he ex­plains the strength which the Lord gives... we believe it.

We have received all the papers for the year on to December and have always been re­freshed, strengthened and inspired by the light of clear Truth you give us at all times. We again and again and yet again thank God for you as our light bearer at this time of the Age when error is holding up its brazen head, deceiving and being deceived............

People are refusing to listen to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and always tell me that if I am one they refuse to hear me. Sorry to tire you after such a long time.

We here do daily continue to pray for you and Sr. Hoefle and family, also for your Bible House family and God’s Israel everywhere. May God bless and spare you for His work in His beautiful Plan of Salvation for all people.

Much Christian love to you, Sr. Hoefle and all the brethren at the Epiphany Bible House.

By His Grace -------

NO. 286: THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1978 PRESENT TRUTH

No. 286

It has been about two years of silence regarding Cornelius not being “repentant and believing,” but RGJ has now opened up the subject again – contending for his same old error. We had cherished the fond hope that he had been cleansed from this error. But, No, he is holding on to that error the same as he is clinging to the error that his Campers Consecrated will be Chief and First in the Kingdom. And he does this de­spite the fact that we have refuted him on both subjects with the writings of That Ser­vant and the Epiphany Messenger, as well as with clear Scriptures. When he casts aside God’s Word, as well as the teachings of God’s faithful mouthpieces, it seems that Isa. 28:14 applies to his condition: “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.” The Berean Comment on this text: “Disdain­ful teachers.”

RGJ again tells his readers on p. 89, col. 2, par. 3 of the above PT, that “It is very clear from this Scripture and comment that when Peter came from Joppa to Caesarea, Cornelius was not yet even a believer in Jesus as Savior, despite the claims of an op­posing errorist that Cornelius was already then a Christian.”

Self-evidently, from That Servant’s writings, it was not very clear to him that Cornelius “was not yet even a believer in Jesus as Savior.” The “opposing errorist” that RGJ meant for his readers to believe is JJH – but actually the “opposing” Truth against his error is from the writings we have quoted from That Servant. It has been easy to refute his error about Cornelius by just quoting what Brother Russell taught. We have never said Cornelius was a Christian, but what we did say was that Cornelius was “repentant and believing” before the door was opened to the Gentiles. Our reason for this is the fact that self-evidently Cornelius was a believer in the Jewish faith, but did not become a proselyte Jew. He must have been quite disturbed that the Jews as a nation had rejected Christ. He was aware that the Jews were a covenanted people, while the Gentiles were not. He didn’t know that the door would be opened to the Gen­tiles after the three and one-half years had expired – nor did St. Peter know this until the “due time” came, at which time both Peter and Cornelius were notified. However, Brother Russell goes further than “repentant and believing”: he teaches that Cornelius was converted and consecrated of many years’ standing. RGJ is well aware of That Ser­vant’s teaching – especially from the many quotations we have presented from his writings – yet he continues to cast aside his teachings and contend for his error. Even though we didn’t say Cornelius was converted and consecrated before the door was opened to the Gen­tiles, we do not dispute Brother Russell. Even That Wise and Faithful Servant has a different opinion to ours, and there is no Scripture to dispute his opinion, we accept his opinion rather than our own.

We are cognizant of the fact that even though Cornelius was “repentant and believing,” he would need to have “words” to be saved – “words” that the door was opened to the Gen­tiles, and Jesus could be accepted as his Savior. It was Cornelius’ “due time” to be accepted as a member of His Body. And despite the fact that the “repentant and believ­ing” Jews and Gentiles in the Epiphany Camp know something about the Plan of Salvation, they will have to have “words” from their “Book of Life” when it is opened up for them. (Rev. 20:12) The Highway of Holiness is for their salvation, as they accept the terms of the New Covenant. The “narrow way” to salvation is only for the elect – and only the elect can now inscribe their names in the Book of Life.

That Restitutionists will have to wait for the inauguration of the New Covenant before they can inscribe their names in the Book of Life is an elementary Truth; and all those “rooted and grounded” in Present Truth know these things – but those who have forsaken the Truth on the Two Distinct Salvations, these elementary Truths have become dim and unclear to them, if not completely lost. Brother Johnson tells us that those who revolutionize against the Truth, not only lose the Truth they revolutionize against, but many Truths that impinge against their errors: In other words, they lose some of the Truth they once received and taught and are not amenable to the Truths that are pre­sented against their errors. And we have a classic example in RGJ who refuses to accept the Truth the Lord has provided for his cleansing from such errors. We have quoted these Truths in many of our papers, but to date they have not been sufficient for his cleansing.

“If one who, having an evil heart condition, and consequently having lost Little Flockship and its Truth on doctrine and practice, has thus depasturized the Truth for his followers... makes an invasion as a teacher into the sphere of the Little Flock’s teachings for the benefit of his adherents... he will have to give up as recompense... the best of his teaching on doctrine (and one of the best of RGJ’s teaching on doctrine is Tentative Justification as given in E-6:166-168—JJH) and practice... For God will put such an one into such controversial disadvantages that amid them to defend his errors he will be continually surrendering formerly held Truths that impinge against his new errors (such as Campers Consecrated and Tentative Justification in the Camp—JJH)” (E-11:383)

And all of us have witnessed the havoc that RGJ has wrought to defend his “strange fire” (false doctrine) of Campers Consecrated – how he has gone from one gross error to another in order to defend his Campers Consecrated. Although we have “told the story o’er and o’er” we now repeat what Brother Russell taught in Reprints 1922, bottom, and 1923, top – even though RGJ violently opposes this teaching, says that Brother Russell made a mis­take in this article:

“It is not probable that among the Roman soldiers of Palestine there were two cen­turions of such similarly excellent characters. The residence of the centurion men­tioned by Luke is not stated but that of Cornelius is mentioned: it was Caesarea. Turn­ing to Map No. 10 in a Teachers Bible we found with no little pleasure that the distance from Capernaum to Caesarea is only about 45 miles, and that Nain is on the way, a little to the East, about 20 miles from Capernaum. We note also the remark of Peter, when preaching Christ and His Gospel to Cornelius (Acts 10:37), to the effect that Cornelius already knew the word which Jesus had preached throughout all Judea. In our judgment the circumstantial evidences are strong that the Centurion of our lesson was Cornelius. This would also explain why the Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius even while Peter yet spake, and before it is even stated that Cornelius accepted Christ; for apparently he bad already done so, as narrated by Luke in this lesson.”

RGJ’s whole contention about Cornelius not being “repentant and believing” before the door was opened to the Gentiles is due to our statement that the Epiphany Campers in the “finished picture” will stand in the same relative position that Cornelius stood be­fore the door to the Gentiles was opened for him to be accepted in consecration: Cor­nelius had to await his “due time” for acceptance, the same as Epiphany Campers and all Restitutionists have to await their “due time” for their consecration to be accepted. The “due time” for Restitutionists to be saved is when the New Covenant is inaugurated and their Book of Life is opened. (Rev. 20:12)

Then after quoting the above from Brother Russell, RGJ comes up with the statement that Brother Russell did not teach in harmony with this article in any of his subsequent writings – that is, up to 1916. He quoted a small excerpt from Reprint 4344, March 1909, to ‘prove’ that Cornelius was not “repentant and believing” before the door was opened to the Gentiles – but he conveniently omitted a paragraph from this same article, which is even more convincing than That Servant’s teaching in Z 1922.

“Cornelius had his vision first. He saw in a vision ‘openly,’ not in a dream, an angel of God coming in unto him. He talked with the angel and received the assur­ance that his prayers and alms of years had now been received of the Lord, because the ‘due time’ had cone – the end of Israel’s covenanted favor... Cornelius says that the angel told him to send for St. Peter and gave him the address and added (the Lord dealing with Cornelius even before Peter spoke the ‘words’—JJH), ‘When he is come, he shall tell thee words which will be the saving of thyself and house.’” (Reprint 4344, col. 2, par. 4) The ‘words’ of Peter were that the ‘way’ is now opened for the Gen­tiles the same as to the Jews – that Jesus Christ is now the redemption of all the true believers who come to Him.

We now quote further from this same article: “Let us note carefully what these words of life were. They were the simple story of the Cross ... The message continued, and showed how the justified ones were invited to become joint-sacrificers with and thus joint-sharers in Christ’s coming glory. The centurion’s heart had been troubled...... He believed in the Redeemer and was thus justified. His consecration to the Lord, of years’ standing, now became intelligent and specific.” (Reprint 4345, col. 1, par. 2 ­the same article from which RGJ quoted an excerpt to ‘prove’ Cornelius was not “repent­ant and believing” before Peter came to him. Is possible that RGJ can’t read any­thing but something he thinks supports his errors?)

In RGJ’s desperation to make a case for himself and his Consecrated Campers, he goes from one error to a worse error, and from one ‘foolish’ statement to a more ‘fool­ish’ statement. However, the “sifter” opposing RGJ is That Servant, and we “sift” right along with him. We still prefer the “faith (the Truth) once delivered unto the saints” to the errors and perversions of a self-admitted crown-loser. But as Brother Johnson did toward That Servant’s opinions, If the Scriptures do not uphold our opinion, we prefer to accept Brother Russell’s opinions than ours. So we do not dispute Brother Russell’s opinion that Cornelius was converted and consecrated of years’ standing. How­ever, RGJ is contending that Cornelius was not even “repentant and believing.”

RGJ quoted from Reprint 4344, col. 1, par. 6: “The record shows that Cornelius was a just man, a reverential man, a benevolent man, a man in every way prepared to be a follower of Jesus – a Christian.” RGJ doesn’t finish the sentence, which says, “the only obstacle being that he was not a Jew.” This last clause is certainly essential to a proper understanding of the matter. From this statement, then if he had been a Jew he would have received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost with the other Jews. And from that same paragraph: “That obstacle was not Jewish prejudice, but an insurmountable one – God’s unwillingness to deal with any others than His covenanted people of the seed of Abraham. So as soon as the covenant arrangement with Israel terminated, and God’s due time for dealing with such Gentiles as were in proper condition of heart (the only proper condition of heart is to be “repentant and believing”—JJH), he had no difficulty in finding messengers to convey the good tidings, as our lesson shows.”

“In the case of Cornelius, the Roman centurion... we have seen that he was a just man, a good man , but he did not belong to the Jewish nation, to whom God had given the law. The only way in which Cornelius could have come into God’s favor prior to His appointed time... was to become a Jewish proselyte. (And the only way any Restitu­tionist can come to The Christ in consecration, when the New Covenant is inaugurated, is to become a Jewish proselyte – because the New Covenant is Israelitish—JJH) All this shows us that God has a particular course marked out by which any may become His children. Unless they come in the appropriate way and the appropriate time (the appropriate time for all Restitutionists, including RGJ’s Consecrated Epiphany Campers, will be in the Kingdom when their Book of Life is opened for them—JJH), none will be accepted as sons of the highest.” (Reprint 5834, col. 2, par. 1)

There are many more of That Servant’s writings regarding Cornelius that we have quoted in some of our back numbers, which we will gladly send to any of our readers upon request. Also, those who have the Reprints, we refer them to 5321, 2988, 2990, 1922, and 1923. Also, there are other places that Brother Russell has treated on the subject of Cornelius. The contention of RGJ about Cornelius and about his Campers Con­secrated being “Chief and First” in the Kingdom seems to be a “hobby horse” on which he jumps up and down, but doesn’t seem to be able to get off, despite the clear teach­ings of the two Messengers and the clear Scriptures we have quoted. In his present con­dition, he doesn’t mind setting aside any of the teachings of That Servant and the Epi­phany Messenger – in fact, his own former teachings when he was under the benevolent influence of the Epiphany Messenger, any time they conflict with his present teaching. However, we note with much pleasure that generally speaking his Bible Standard is free from his pet errors. As Brother Johnson so aptly teaches, the Great Company leaders give a more commendable ministry toward the world than toward the Lord’s people. But, then, such a ministry toward the world is pleasing and acceptable to many good people ­and they can “win great numbers and gain great favor” by such teaching.

But we don’t class the Jehovah’s Witnesses in this group, as their ministry to­ward the world is not so good; in fact, they gain “great numbers” by the Truth they still retain, and keep them through fear of Armageddon – fear if they don’t join them they will be annihilated in Armageddon, with no possibility of ever coming to a “knowledge of the Truth.” But with all the other prominent Truth groups, they have adhered to That Servant’s teaching toward the public – and are giving them the Truth of the Sal­vation of all mankind in “due time.” We are appreciative of this good work, and have no wish to curtail it – because it is a ministry approved by the Lord.

However, to those who have been instructed in the teachings of That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger, it is a sorry testimony that some are so befuddled that they refuse to accept the clear teachings of the last two Messengers, as well as the good Word of God as given to us in the Scriptures. RGJ has quite a bit of explaining to do for his type-making, picture-making and “flashes” in this Nov.-Dec. PT. He says on pp. 86-87:

“Therefore this Scripture (Ex. 19:11-25—JJH) proves that generally speaking, Jesus as God’s Mouthpiece, and thus the exclusive Interpreter of the Word, would use in the end of this Age the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers as antitypical Aaron, generally speaking, to interpret to the brethren the Word as due, especially on new doctrines, prophecies and types. And during the earthly lifetime of these two Messen­gers, any attempt of others to unravel these three things as new matters would be the prohibited ‘gazing’ – speculation – of Ex. 19:21-25 .... Had this matter been heeded, the Lord’s people in the Parousia, and especially in the Epiphany, would have been spared much confusion and many a fall from class standings before the Lord.” (p. 86. col. 2. par. 2)

And we heartily agree that many would have been spared the “snare of the fowler” had this admonition been heeded. And we would have been spared in like manner had those type-making, picture-making Levites desisted from such antics, which they would not have done had they been faithful to the Truths left in their charge from the two Messengers. They have their writings, the same as we have, to see whether their teaching is in har­mony with the “faith once delivered unto the saints.” Brother Johnson did not present a new class other than what That Servant gave to us. He only elaborated and “worked out” many features on such classes – such as the Great Company, the Youthful Worthies, etc.

JFR set aside That Servant’s teaching on the Great Multitude and substituted a non-existent class of Restitutionists; RGJ, who had the benevolent influence of both Messengers, came up with a non-existent class of Restitutionists – Campers Consecrated. He says, No more Youthful Worthies can be won after 1954 – his new class is to be won from 1954 “until Restitution begins” instead of the Youthful Worthies. Both Messengers taught that Youthful Worthies will be won from 1881 “until Restitution begins.” JFR discarded Tentative Justification altogether – RGJ just perverted Tentative Justifica­tion – “spread” it out into the Camp after 1954. He also taught “Tentative Justifica­tion all through the Kingdom,” but our annihilative quotations from the two Messengers have subsided his contentions somewhat.

Such subtlety, such sleight-of-hand and such perversions are rampant despite the clear teachings of the Epiphany Messenger. “It will be noted that while God has given the non-star-membered teachers of the General Church and the more prominent local elders visions and dreams, He has never given them to see as a thing a new doctrine. This privilege is limited exclusively to our Lord acting in the star-members. Any attempt on the part of a non-star-membered teacher or of a non-teacher as the first one to work out a doctrine would be speculation, and would, therefore, not result in uncovering a new truth, but would result in error. .... That this is a privilege of our Lord acting in the star-members can be seen especially in St. Paul and our Pastor. The former’s study of the Old Testament types resulted in his working out, e.g., practically all the doctrines presented in the epistle to the Hebrews; and the latter’s study of both the Old and the New Testaments has resulted in his working out, e.g., almost all Truth doc­trines, except some pertinent to the Great Company, the Youthful Worthies, the Epiphany World and to the Priesthood in their relations to these three classes. The working out of these excepted doctrines is the privilege of the Epiphany messenger.” (E-9:134, and top of p. 135)

It should be noted that Brother Johnson did not mention a new doctrine that had been given to him: he only mentioned the doctrines first given to That Wise and Faith­ful Servant – some of which he “worked out” in the Epiphany. Had the Levites confined themselves to the policy of the Epiphany Messenger, we wouldn’t be enmeshed with “new doctrines of error.” Neither Messenger intimated there would be a consecrated class in the Camp during the Gospel Age – while the elect is still with us, or before the New Covenant is inaugurated. We are to “contend for the faith which was once delivered un­to the saints.” There is no Scripture telling us to “contend for the faith” delivered unto the Levites, or the Great Company.

No consecration is acceptable in the Camp during the Gospel Age, including the Epiphany Camp, if we accept the teachings of the two Messengers – the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” The only Camp in which the Restitutionists can make an acceptable consecration is the Millennial-Age Camp; and such consecrations will then be accepted by The Christ. God will not deal with the world of mankind during this Age or during the Millennial Age: He will not deal with the world of mankind un­til they are perfected. Both Messengers taught that Youthful Worthies would be won from 1881 “until Restitution begins”; but RGJ sets aside that Truth: he limits the consecration of the Youthful Worthies to 1954, and substitutes his “strange fire” of Campers Consecrated to be won from 1954 “until Restitution begins.”

If we continue in the teachings of the two Messengers that are supported by the Word of God, we won’t be entangled by the errors of every Tom, Dick and Harry. RGJ and JWK have presumed to correct the mistakes (?) of the two Messengers: they have substituted such mistakes (?) with their newly-found doctrines. Had they been faithful to the teach­ings of the Lord’s faithful mouthpieces, they would have had plenty of doctrine to oc­cupy themselves with, instead of occupying their time in concocting “doctrines” of their own imaginations. Had they thus been faithful, they would have received honor from many good worldlings – and certainly more honor from the Lord. But errorists always grasp for more power than the Lord gives them. Now, since the Epiphany Messenger is no long­er in our midst, these would-be “Pastors and Teachers” want to be SOMEBODIES! And by that ambition they have foisted errors on the Lord’s people – errors that have been most destructive – just as was the case when That Servant was taken from our midst in 1916.

The Epiphany Messenger tells us that “The advancing Truth does not set aside the Truth formerly received, as some deceivers teach.” (E-9:19) And RGJ’s Campers Conse­crated not only sets aside the clear teachings of both Messengers, but also sets aside God’s Word: he tells us his Campers Consecrated will be “chief and first in the Kingdom”; but God’s Word tells us it will be “to the Jew first.” The New Covenant is Israelitish, and it will not only be “to the Jew first,” but it will be “to the Jew last.” All not of the natural seed of Abraham will have to become proselyte Jews if they receive the blessings of the New Covenant.

In par. 3, p. 87 RGJ comes up with the excuse that he was led into the error of picture-making, speculation, etc., by a colporteur brother. He says, “In 1909 we ob­tained the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures in a boardinghouse in Hackettstown, N.C... and we felt great gratitude to God and also toward the colporteur brother whom He had used to bring the Truth to us... It was under his influence that we as a babe in the Truth were misled with the use of Strong’s Concordance into independent spec­ulative Bible study, which resulted in fanciful conclusions that were often self-contra­dictory and at variance with the Truth. After seeing that Satan was thus leading us astray, we remonstrated against our senior colporteur brother’s wrong course of Bible study but could not convince him; so we parted company with him. We then began to re­trace our steps and again to study the Truth only in the proper way. More and more we came to see the dangers of the wrong course.”

After all these years, this is quite a revelation! He does not tell us about the picture-making and type-making the brother had done that caused him to want to go and do the same – nor does he tell us what became of the brother. From the above, it seems that he recognized his “wrong course” on his own, but that is quite different from what he tells us in his Nov. 15, 1910 letter. In that letter he said: “Nor did I realize the great danger I was in until, a short time ago, the Lord used our dear Brother Saphore to point out to me my mistake. I cannot express to you what a blow it was to me to see that most of my Bible study for a whole year was not only of no account, but of a nega­tive influence not only to myself, but to those I may have thus influenced.” (Reprint 4716, col. 2, par. 3)

It is well to note that his statement in his Nov.-Dec. PT is quite different from his 1910 letter. He says, he himself came to see his “wrong course.” However, in his 1910 letter he said: “Nor did I realize the great danger I was in until, a short time ago, the Lord used our dear Brother Saphore to point out to me my mistake.” Which state­ment are we to believe – that he himself came to see his wrong course, or that “dear Brother Saphore” pointed out his mistake to him? We notice he said he did not realize his great danger “until Brother Saphore pointed out his mistake.” Will he please tell his readers which statement is the truth?

Even in the Epiphany, when under the restraining hand of God’s mouthpiece, he withstood the Epiphany Messenger to his face; and that wasn’t enough, his willful course caused him to revolutionize against the Arrangements. And not only that, after he was manifested as a crown-loser, he didn’t study the Scriptures enough, nor pray enough, to prevent him from going to a psychiatrist – similar to Saul (type of crown-­lost leaders up to Armageddon—E-14:5) going to the Witch of Endor when he found out he had lost God’s favor. (1 Sam. 28:6-7) However, since Brother Johnson’s demise, he has not only revolutionized against the Arrangements, but revolutionized against the Truth; and there is a reason for that – he no longer has the restraining hand of a Star Mem­ber upon him: he is a “power unto himself.”

Brother Johnson describes the condition of such as follows: “As these evil qual­ities grow in them under Satanic manipulation they lead their followers into increas­ing errors and Satan-given wrong arrangements for the Lord’s work. These revolution­isms arousing the opposition of the faithful, controversies set in, wherein, to defend themselves against the Scriptural truths that the faithful bring against their errors, to maintain a semblance of consistency in their errors, they give up one truth after another; and their sectarian crown-lost followers partisanly support their leaders in these controversies, and thus with them lose more and more of the Lord’s truths and ar­rangements, though they together with the newly adopted errors hold to those formerly held truths and arrange­ments not involved in these repudiations. With all of this they increasingly lose part of their ability to discern between truth and error. This shows a deterioration in the bad part of their intellects and their intellects’ contents, while it still shows that their intellects still retain some of their former ability to see and to retain some truth—double-mindedness in their intellects in varying degrees.” (E-15:520)

On p. 87, col. 2, pars. 3 & 4, RGJ says: “From a number of lines of evidence from the Scripture, reason and facts, the Epiphany Messenger, the 49th and final star­-member to be glorified (E 10, p. 142), showed that after his demise our Lord would give the stewardship of Truth to the Great Company, particularly to the Good Levites and their Divinely appointed leader (“a companion and the special helper of the Epi­phany messenger” until his demise—P ‘42, pp. 14,15; ‘43, p. 79) ....

As to any Great Company leader who had been a “special helper” of the Star Members during the Gospel Age, we do not dispute that they were the “Divinely” appointed leaders and had the stewardship doctrine left in their charge. But what did they do with it? In their double minds they revolutionized against the Truth left in their care – although they were given the mouthpieceship to the world. And it has been the same in the Epi­phany – they were given the Truth that the Star Member left to them, but they have more or less revolutionized against this Truth. However, when That Wise and Faithful Servant appeared on the scene, the mouthpieceship to the Household of Faith, as well as the mouthpieceship to the world was given to him: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?” (Matt. 24:45) “Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matt. 24:47) So That Servant was made God’s Mouthpiece to the Household and to the world – and the mouthpieceship was taken from the nominal Christians – never to be re­turned to them.

After That Servant’s demise the Epiphany Messenger was made Mouthpiece to the Household of Faith, but not Mouthpiece to the world. The Great Company leaders in the Truth Groups were given the mouthpieceship to the world – and most of the prominent Truth groups have done a commendable service toward the world. However, Brother John­son did a ministry toward the world, but he was not God’s appointed messenger to do the large-scale work toward the world.

So we do not dispute RGJ’s claim of “Divine” appointment for the work that was given to him; but when he claims the privilege of Moses (a Star Member), then he is grasping for more power than the Lord has given him. He has the two Messengers’ writ­ings and teachings, the same as we have; and it should behoove him to be faithful to what he has learned and been assured of, rather than to offer “strange fire” before the Lord, as he has done. There is no Scripture that tells us to be faithful to the find­ings of crown-losers, but we do have a Scripture that tells us to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” And that is what we try to do; and in this good effort we have no time for “imaginations” of our own. As the Apostle Paul tells us – “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Cor. 3:15) And the Berean Comments on this text: “Loss of the reward, because of unfaithfulness ... Singed, scorched and alarmed... ‘These are they that have come up out of great tribulation.’“

Certainly, the Great Company leaders do not have the privilege of the non-star-­members (the saints) under That Wise and Faithful Servant – nor do they have the privi­lege of setting aside the faithful teachings of the Star Members for teachings of their own. RGJ has done this with his contention about Cornelius, his contention that his Campers Consecrated will be “chief and first” in the Kingdom, and with his perversion of Tentative Justification, etc.

On p. 94 of this Nov.-Dec. PT he publishes a letter from G. Hermets, telling of the great work the LHMM is doing toward Israel – and Brother Hermetz’ great success in that work. It is not surprising that RGJ is having success in his work toward the Jews so long as he uses the teachings of That Servant, and does not insert teachings of his own – that his Campers Consecrated will be “first and chief” in the Kingdom instead of the faithful orthodox Jews. Is he giving them his “message” that no orthodox Jew can claim the Scriptural promise unless they become one of his Campers Consecrated, and walk a “narrow way”? His Gentile converts have been told, we suppose, that they are to be faithful to the Lord the Truth, and the brethren – and not just simply to the Jewish Hope and Promises. Spiritual Israel has embraced a “covenant of sacrifice” ­something that is not required of natural Israel. When the Jews were under the Law of Moses, they were not required to walk a “narrow way” – nor will they ever be required to do so. When the New Covenant is inaugurated, none of the Restitutionists will be required to walk a “narrow way.” A “narrow way” in the Epiphany Camp is from the fantasy of RGJ’s mind – similar to his “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” that he enjoyed during the Parousia, as given in his Nov. 15, 1910 letter.

The following from the Epiphany Messenger is appropriate here: “Another aspect of his teachings as to certain Epiphany truths and relations that proves that he is That Ser­vant, is the fact that his teachings cannot in the Epiphany be repudiated or be supplanted by other teachings... Many of those who once held his teachings and who regarded him as That Servant, have presumed to repudiate his teachings, or to put others in their place; but this has always resulted in God’s repudiating them as Little Flock members... Why should this be only in the case of his teachings and not in the case of those of others be­fore the Epiphany? Can it be explained on any other ground than that he was God’s special mouthpiece and that, therefore, his teachings are God’s teachings, and that, therefore, to rebel against them is to rebel against God (Ps. 107:10,11)? This is the only ground on which such a course on God’s part could be explained, and, therefore, we present it as an Epiphany-Truth proof that our Pastor was That Servant.” (E-9:352)

RGJ has presumed to supplant Youthful Worthy opportunity with his non-existent class of Campers Consecrated: he tells us that his new class is to be won from 1954 “until resti­tution sets in,” instead of Youthful Worthies, as taught by both Messengers; he has pre­sumed to set aside the teachings of both Messengers of the Scriptural promise “to the Jew first”; he has presumed to set aside That Servant’s teaching on Cornelius for opinions of his own; he has presumed to pervert the teachings of both Messengers on Tentative Justifi­cation, as well as many other perversions of Truths that impinge against his errors. We desire to reassert their teachings and make them clear to our brethren – to encourage them to be faithful to the Truth “once delivered unto the saints.”

So we continue to defend the Truth, even as we are so encouraged to do by the Epi­phany Messenger: “Their respective attitude toward Great and Little Babylon, which are to be annihilated, was that they who would treat them as they treated God’s true people would be favored by God (8); and that they who would dash the little sects of both Baby­lons against the doctrines of the Truth would be favored by God (9).”

At first we had thought to ignore RGJ’s Nov.-Dec. PT on his error about Cornelius, but he also comes up with a “correction” of his Nov. 15, 1910 letter, as well as explain­ing his “right” (?) to produce new doctrines – actually to produce “strange fire” (false doctrine). As he repeats, repeats and repeats his errors, so we find it necessary to answer him with “precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:13), even though we have refuted his con­tentions about Cornelius in previous papers with our quotations from That Servant.

As has been repeatedly said, we have never stated that RGJ has lost his class stand­ing, even though he has written us out of the Household of Faith, and calls us “sifter” and other vile names. It is his practice and teaching of the Truth that he has set aside and perverted that we attack. Nor do we contend that he has lost all Truth. Some of the Truth that doesn’t impinge against his errors he very skillfully presents – much to our good pleasure.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7) “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psa. 32:11)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

NO. 285: SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

No. 285

Once more we observe the memory of Him who perished on the cross; and while it is good and proper that we “consider Him” at all times, it is especially appropriate that “we stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance” at this Passover Season, lest any should “eat and drink unworthily” of the bread and the cup. And, in doing this, it is not our thought to replace the Passover chapter in Volume 6, or some appropriate thoughts by Brother Johnson. When the typical lamb was gathered in on Nisan 10 and held by the Jews in proximity until Nisan 14, it would certainly have the effect of stir­ring them up to a “good conscience,” as they painstakingly put away all leaven from their domiciles. And so it should be with us.

“Let a man examine himself.” And let this be done without “outward show” if the full blessing is to be had. It has been aptly stated, “The most difficult thing: To know thyself; the easiest thing: To advise another.” The reason so much advice is worth nothing is because it comes for nothing, although experience gained from a good and honest heart over the years of the Christian walk should qualify us to “strengthen the weak hands, to uphold him that is falling, to strengthen the feeble knees.” (Job 4:3,4) Thus, we make attempt again this year to offer some appropriate comment to the benefit of all our readers – the “hoary heads” long in the way, or to those newly come with us.

Here we would impress upon our readers that this 1979 Memorial will be exactly 3,594 years to the day from that awesome event in Egypt that night when every firstborn of man and beast in Egypt was slain; and it is worthy of note that the orthodox Jews still scrupulously make honest endeavor to keep that memory – as they were instructed to do in Ex. 12:24: “Ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and thy sons for­ever.” (Also Ex. 13:10) And their keeping it all these years offers strong evidence that the Bible is the Word of Truth.

Inasmuch as very meticulous care should be observed in this service, it would seem appropriate for us also to determine exactly what the Lord wishes us to do about it. The Jews were told to observe it on the “fourteenth day of the same Month (Nisan): and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Not in the early morning, nor in the afternoon, but “In the evening.” Thus we also should keep the Memorial in the evening – of the fourteenth day. The question naturally arises ­how shall we determine when is the “fourteenth day”? Of course, we must first deter­mine when the first day of Nisan is found. The first day of Nisan occurs when the moon becomes new nearest the Spring Equinox. The Jewish Encyclopedia says the Passover is a “spring festival.”

And what locality should we select for our reckoning? If we consider that such locales as Greenwich, England, Philadelphia or Los Angeles, USA, were not known to the Jews when the Passover occurred in Egypt, the question should not be too difficult. Substantially all of the Bible was written in or near Jerusalem; therefore, it occurs to us we should use Jerusalem for determining Nisan 1. And if we do that, we learn that the moon becomes new there this year at about 3 p.m., March 28. That would start Nisan 1 at 6 p.m., March 27; and, counting fourteen days from there, we come to 6 p.m. April 9 as the appropriate time for the observance.

Here in Mount Dora we shall hold the service at 7:30 P.M., April 9; and we ex­tend cordial invitation to any and all of like mind who may be in this vicinity then and wish to join us in the participation.

Being far from the perfection that was originally in Eden, it is probably a cor­rect observation that all of us are inclined to be creatures of extremes, especially so, at the beginning of our induction into the Household of Faith. Therefore, it should oc­casion no surprise to find some among us much too lax in their appraisal of themselves, just as there will probably be some who are much too severe in their judgment of them­selves. Of course, the very purpose of the good Word of God is to remove such extremes, and to equip us with “the spirit of a sound mind.” This latter has a twofold meaning: The honest imbibing of the Truth should produce in all a sounder mind than they had be­fore they were thus blessed. “Thy words are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Prov. 4:22)

But the Truth in a secondary sense conveys to all honest recipients the spirit ­the disposition – of Him whose mind is perfection, perfection in Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power, and all in perfection of balance with every other quality. And this “spirit of a sound mind” should become more apparent in each of us as we continue to “consider Him” – “the leader and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame.” (Heb. 12:2-4, Dia.) Thus are we strength­ened against weariness of heart and mind. And those who thus diligently add to their “talents” (see Matt. 25:14-30) are primarily and exclusively those who “partake of their Master’s joy” – the joy of the First Resurrection that is the reward of “the good and faithful servants” – those who become partner with Him in “the joy that was set be­fore Him” as they also faithfully “endure the cross, despising the shame.” Secondarily, the expression would apply in limited measure – in principle only – to the good and faithful Youthful Worthy servants, as they also improve their talents to the glory of God, making them also “good and profitable servants” for the work that is theirs to do.

EXAMINATION TO REMOVE ANTITYPICAL LEAVEN

Leaven being a type of sin, St. Paul exhorts that we keep the feast, “not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of vice and wickedness, but with the unleavened princi­ples of sincerity and truth.” (1 Cor. 5:8, Dia.) And St. Paul further expands on this in 2 Cor. 7:1, Dia.: “Having, therefore, these promises, Beloved, let us purify our­selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting Holiness in the fear of God.” These exhortations are addressed by the Apostle to the “Dearly Beloved,” indicating that such were already members of the Household of Faith – those who have “peace with God” and also have “the peace of God which passeth understanding.” All such, of course, “love righteousness, and hate iniquity” (Psa. 45:7), have been anointed with the “oil of gladness,” although in lesser degree than was “our Passover.” However, as our Lord was “anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows” to the extent that He was the one “altogether lovely,” the “Bright and Morning Star,” with a stature which none of His fallen followers have been able to attain, yet among our brethren, our fellow-ser­vants, there have been the outstanding few who have been “anointed with the oil of glad­ness” above their fellows” – “some Apostles, some Prophets,” etc. (Eph. 4:11) for the work of the ministry, for the perfecting of the Saints... that we be henceforth no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.

All such, of course, cannot be in harmony with the evils and the servants of evil with whom they brush elbows every day – even though they be acutely aware of their own shortcomings, and have a dislike for such in themselves even more than they do in others. These indeed will make honest and sincere endeavor to cleanse themselves from all filth­iness of the flesh and mind – to perfect themselves in every good word and work, real­izing as they do that the ideal can never be attained in this life, yet they steadfastly continue to “set the Lord God always before them.” And it is for these that the Memorial is specifically prescribed – and for none others.

For the world in general – the world in sin, in antitypical Egypt – it would be useless even to invite them to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and mind – just as it would have been folly in the extreme for the Jews in typical Egypt to invite the Egyptians about them to join with them in slaying and eating their Passover, lamb, with bitter herbs, with their shoes on their feet, with their staffs in their hand, prepared for the journey to goodly Canaan land. The Egyptians would have laughed them to scorn – just as the antitypical Egyptians today would likewise laugh, since they are all more or less in sympathy with the very filthiness which surrounds them, having no wish whatever to be rid of it, having no intimation of how it appears in God’s sight, and having no desire to “perfect themselves in that holiness without which no man shall see God.”

It needs no argument that some men are better born than others. One satirist has put it this way: Some men are born with brains, some with beef, and some with neither. Such worldly thinkers declare that God has created man in His image, and man has re­turned the compliment. The savages who carve out awesome horrible-appearing totem poles, or other demoniacal figures thereby express their opinion of what they believe God is like. But those who “keep the feast in sincerity and in truth” have set before their minds an ideal of perfection in thought, word and deed. It is well stated that there are three standards of value in the earth today, the lowest of which is things, material objects. By this standard many wealthy personages receive much bowing and homage from their underlings. As one diplomat expressed it, All my life I have made a success by bowing to the right people.

The second higher standard of value is persons. Many admire Samson as the great­est of all people who ever lived. Was he indeed not the strongest? Yet he died revel­ing in the destruction of his enemies. Others have the ambition to be a great general, a great ball player, a great prize fighter, etc.; but the prophet Jeremiah states very clearly what should be the ideal of those who “draw nigh to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith”: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 9:23,24)

Clearly enough, by this measure then the third and highest standard of values is ideals; and blessed is he whose God is the Lord. Therefore, “Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” (Isa. 8:13) Thus doing, we shall indeed “keep the feast in sincerity and in truth.”

Let us keep in mind, however, that such attainment is not the result of a day, or a week, a year; it results from the determined striving of many years, some gaining more, some less, depending upon their inheritance and providential circumstances after birth. “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body has thou prepared me... Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, 0 God” (Hebrews 10:5-7), is the clear declaration concerning Christ our Passover. Such a perfect body was not the inheritance of any of His “brethren,” those throughout the Age who have kept the feast in sincerity and in truth; in fact, of all of them it is written, some more, some less, that “from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.” (Isa. 1:6) Yet the same prophet in vs. 16-19 gives adequate encouragement to such: “Put away the evils of your doings be­fore mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well... though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Therefore, it is not the degree of holiness that determines the right of each one at the feast; rather, it is the heart’s intention of each one; and with this standard let each “examine himself,” then “come ,boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16) And, “if ye do these things, ye shall never fall, for so an en­trance shall be ministered unto you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 1:10,11)

But, of such as do not “these things” we are warranted in drawing certain conclu­sions. “By their fruits you will discover them” (Matt. 7:20, Dia.) is the standard given us for discerning between the false and the true, between the hypocrites and the pure in heart. A good tree yields good fruit; a bad tree yields bad fruit. But in this we are to be ever mindful that proper pruning and diligent cultivation will improve the fruit of any tree, and repentance and reformation are sometimes long in coming. Never­theless, we believe it is a safe conclusion that new creatures that die impenitent go in­to the Second Death; and, had the one recorded in 1 Cor. 5:1-5 continued in his “filthi­ness of the flesh” until the day of his death, those Corinthian brethren would have been fully warranted in concluding such an one as receiving “the blackness of darkness forever.” Charity would no longer apply in such a case. And similar ones here in the end of this Age, who become grossly immoral or gross doctrinal inebriates, especially so of the lead­ers, are just classified as an inseparable part of antitypical Jambres; and from such we should turn away.

It has always been the Truth that has separated the faithful from the unfaithful; and Truth as due represents the Divine presence with God’s people. The Truth then is the measuring rod by which we discover the fruits of each one; but even in this we are not warranted in conducting an inquisition, to pry into the inner reaches of others’ hearts to determine if they have properly removed the leaven from their domicile. Let each one “examine himself” and it is far better that we err on the generous side than that we should “offend one of these little ones.” (Matt. 18:6)

Thus we conclude our thoughts for this Memorial, praying the Divine blessing upon one and all in the preparation for and participation in this year’s “remembrance of Me.” “May the God of all Grace, after that ye have suffered awhile make you perfect, stablish, strengthen and settle you.” “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” (Isa. 30:15)

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PROPER RECKONING FOR THE MEMORIAL DATE

Most of our readers will recall that in 1962 (Supplement to No. 80) we revised our date for the Memorial from March 18 to April 17, our reason therefor being that the March date would bring Nisan l4 before the Vernal Equinox. This evoked considerable crit­icism from RGJ and JWK, the both of them accusing us of procedure contrary to Brothers Russell and Johnson.

Now it is brought to our attention that Brother Russell made a correction in 1913 absolutely identical to our own correction in 1962. In the February 1, 1913 Watch Tower he announced the Memorial date as March 20 after 6 p.m. He based this upon the moon coming new at Jerusalem 2:44 a.m. March 8, thus commencing Nisan 1 at 6 p.m. March 7 Jewish reckoning. The Vernal Equinox in 1913 arrived at 7:21 a.m. March 21, or exact­ly 13 days, 4 hrs. and 37 minutes. (absolute time) after the March moon came new.

Then, in the March 1, 1913 Tower Brother Russell corrected the date to 6 p.m. April 20, basing his change on the April moon coming new April 8, which would begin Ni­san 1 at 6 p.m. April 7 – at least 15 days, 16 hrs. and 39 mins. after the Vernal Equinox date of March 21. Thus, assuming that moon came new at midnight April 7 (the very earliest it could possibly occur), he used the new moon that was at least 2 days, 18 hrs. and 2 mins. farther from the Equinox than was the one that came new March 8. Therefore, we have here one indisputable instance where Brother Russell DID NOT use the moon nearest the Vernal Equinox.

Then there is the time when he gave the Memorial date after 6 p.m. April 22, 1910, thus having Nisan I begin at 6 p.m. April 9. We do not have all the details for that year; but, assuming the Vernal Equinox occurred at the very late date of March 23, it would then put Nisan 1 seventeen days from that event – certainly a longer time from the Equinox than the March new moon of that year. On both those occasions Brother John­son was very closely associated with Brother Russell, and a very careful reader of the Watch Tower. Therefore, he knew the details connected with them in a manner which we do not have; and it was probably that knowledge which prompted him to write in the Feb. 1933 Present Truth that the Memorial should never be observed before the Vernal Equinox.

RGJ would know about the 1910 and the 1913 incidents, too, because he was there just as was Brother Johnson; and it just may be that is the reason he has remained si­lent after our refutation of his contentions in 1962.

However, we would reiterate our previous statements that the correct date for the Memorial is not vital to brotherly fellowship. All of us know that some of the truest and best of God’s people all during the Gospel Age have used the wrong date to commem­orate our Lord’s death; in fact, even Brother Russell used the wrong date a number of times during the Parousia. However, we would stress that we should use the right date if we can determine what it is. It is our opinion that the majority of Truth groups have a good understanding of the meaning of the Memorial, and that it is an annual af­fair. Thus, it saddens us somewhat that all of us cannot determine the exact day and hour that it should be observed. If that could be determined, then here at least would be one special truth on which we would all be in complete harmony – in the consciousness that on that special evening we would all be of “one mind.” Let us all give this sober thought.

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

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

ANSWER: – To repent means “to amend or resolve to amend one’s life as a result of con­trition for one’s sins.” (Webster) And “believing” means to accept Jesus as Savior. If they were sincere they began to practice righteousness and abhor sin. Such “repentant and believing” have entered the Court, and thereby received Tentative Justi­fication. This condition maintained put them in a position to consecrate, and if faith­ful would become one of the elect. This applies to all during the Gospel Age who were truly “repentant and believing”

However, the privilege of entering the Court is not given to the “repentant and believing” of those in the “finished picture” of the Epiphany. They do not enter the Court and do not receive Tentative Justification. But such people are in position to receive the Holy Spirit that is poured out “for all flesh” (Joel 2:28) when the New Cov­enant is inaugurated – before the unbelieving and unrepentant Jews and Gentiles can re­ceive the Holy Spirit, although it is poured out for all who eventually become “repentant and believing”

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

Cornelius was in much the same position at the beginning of the Age – before the door was opened for the Gentiles – as the “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles of the Epiphany Camp in the “finished picture.” The difference with Cornelius, God accepted his consecration when the “due time” arrived for the Gentiles to become prospec­tive members of Christ’s Body. But when the “due time” arrives for Restitutionists to receive the Holy Spirit, The Christ will accept their consecration. The similarity of Cornelius and the “repentant and believing” Jews and Gentiles of the Epiphany Camp is this: That Servant has said, No doubt Cornelius and his house had already accepted Christ, because the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them “even while Peter yet spake.” However, God did not accept Cornelius’ consecration until the “due time” arrived. Nor will The Christ accept Restitutionists’ consecration until the “times of refreshing” have come (Acts 3:19-21), and the New Covenant is inaugurated.

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

It requires no great powers of discernment to perceive “too slack an appreciation of the Lord’s Word” among the multitudes of Christendom; and this same situation is be­coming increasingly apparent with many so-called Truth people. This may be because some of the leaders do not practice what they preach, and have become something like the Scribes: Jesus said of them, “Whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” (Matt. 23:3) And the Apostle Paul tells us in Heb. 5:12: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.” Also in Rom. 2:21,22: “Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou sayest a man should not commit adultery, doest thou commit adultery? thou that abhorest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?” However, we believe that there are many leaders among the Truth groups who are sincere in preaching the Truth they have received, and practice righteousness accordingly. Nevertheless, God not only holds the leaders responsible for the Truth they know, but also for the Truth they could know; and that not only applies to the leaders, but to all of God’s people.

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

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

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

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings of love in the Lord to you and Sister!

Thanks for your letter, also for the circulars coming regularly. We do appreciate your labors of love for all the brethren, keeping us in touch with developments among the Truth people – sad, though, much of it is. However, the Bible forewarns us that some shall arise from among us teaching perverse things. I believe RGJ now expects to be the last of the Great Company to remain on earth, thus the next Executive Trustee of the LHMM must be (?) a Youthful Worthy – sectarian to the last, evidently.

Re Bro. Krewson’s writings, his magazines are still being sent to Brother -------. The references to the percentage of goats is in his No. 138, p. 13.

We have had another blessed and fruitful visit to see Brother and Sister ------- and have left them E Vols. 3,4 and 5, Bro. Johnson’s PT article of “Bro. Crawford and Justification,” Harvest Siftings Reviewed, and the 1950 Herald of Bro. Johnson’s obit­uary. So we are looking forward to word from them.

And now we send our love in the Lord to you and all with you. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. Glad to say we keep fairly well – also Brother -------. We saw him yesterday. Yours by His Grace, Brother and Sister ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

Many thanks for your precious papers. It is marvelous when I think about your age and the power of Truth that is coming from your pen. Most assuredly I think the Spirit of God is with you, and how! You appear very strong in exposing the lie with sound Scriptural reasoning; and I say this not to puff you up (God forbid!), but be­cause I feel obligated to identify the Truth in myself through you. You have perse­vered with me through some difficult, complicated and confusing questions that I have put to you; and through it I have managed to gather strength by my understanding in­creasing, with the web of confusion clearing gradually.

Once again, may God bless you both for your wonderful sacrifice. You also helped me to realize that I was correct originally in suspecting the teachings of the JW’s and RGJ’s dreaming interpretations, which to me was playing havoc with Biblical doc­trines. I fully agree with you that That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger are in harmony and reliable to all who approach their work with an honest, sincere and an ana­lytical studious mind...........

My prayers are for you both and my best wishes. May the Spirit of God be always with you all according to His will. Numbers 6:21–26.

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

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

Am sending a few dollars to help in the Truth – and I hope it finds you pleasing in His sight. My prayer is that all men would see His Goodness and trust in Him ­and enjoy the peace that only He can give. In His name ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Fellow Students in our School of Christ: Peace be unto you!

I have been meaning to write and thank you for the articles you send me. I do appreciate them, and I often think of telling you – but things interfere with good in­tentions. But I do enjoy your papers and I think that is a wonderful service for our Master. I am a Bible Student – grateful for Pastor Russell’s writings. They have helped me so much in the understanding of our Father’s Word. But as our Pastor said, “Accept Truth wherever you find it – no matter what it contradicts, if it is in harmony with God’s Word.” So I read all magazines that hold any interest for me. Some literature is so weak and watered down, it has no interest for me. But I do enjoy your papers, even if I am slack in saying so.

May the Lord bless you and your service. Sincerely ------- (CONNECTICUT)

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Dear Mr. Hoefle:

   Thank you for your fine bulletin which I appreciated reading.

Cordially yours, in Jesus’ Name ------- Institute of Holy Land Studies ------- (ISRAEL)

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

It came as a spring of water in a dry place to receive your love gift which we gratefully acknowledge for use in working for the ‘peace of Jerusalem.’

It is very interesting to read your comments about the Watch Tower. We pray that these deluded but sincere people, that their eyes will be opened to the Truth.

We pray for your recovery – that the Lord’s healing hand be upon you. And we agree with your penultimate paragraph namely, that the Jews in Jerusalem will not get any lasting peace until ‘they cry unto the Lord in their trouble’ (Jacob’s last trouble). We also invoke 2 Chronicles 7:14 which states that if the Jews will repent and seek God’s face that He will ‘heal their land.’

You will shortly receive our members’ Newsletter which is presently being printed. We hope it will encourage you.

Warm Christian greetings and brotherly love.

Jeshua Adonai! (Jesus is Lord!) Shalom ------- (CHRISTIAN ACTION FOR ISRAEL)

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THE EPIPHANY BIBLE STUDENTS ASS’N

Thank you for The Herald of the Epiphany of October 1, 1975 and May 1, 1976 (Where are the Dead and What is the Soul—JJH)

For years this has been my belief about death. Sincerely ------- (FLORIDA)

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Epiphany Bible, Pastor:

I have just read your pamphlet No. 1 (Where are the Dead—JJH), and I agree with everything except the sentence on page 4 and the remainder of it on page 5... I would like copies No. 2 through 10 and No. 121.

Thank you! ------- (MASSACHUSETTS)

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To The Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n:

Please send the following to ------- Editions No, 1, Where are the Dead; No. 2, What is the Soul; No. 3, The Resurrection of the Dead; and No. 8, The Permission of Evil. Thank you!

In Christ ------- (UTAH)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: May Grace and Peace be unto you and yours!

I am acknowledging receipt of five pounds from Brother ------- on behalf of the Lord’s service. We are also in receipt of the November and December articles, of which I am most appreciative.

It is heartrending to see how one who had been so much enlightened in Present Truth could be so blind. Nevertheless, the Scriptures assure us when the Light in one becomes Darkness, how great is that Darkness. We certainly fear for them. RGJ has al­ways resorted to his usual twist to find himself out of his mire of sin – and so his ledlings. Your refutation on his July-August Present Truth is very much to the point. But I believe when he thinks his defeat is forgotten on this and other subjects, he will again continue on his wayward course. I have keenly observed how his errors have de­stroyed so many of his adherents, both by their general conduct and the Knowledge of the Truth: They have lost the “love of the Truth.” The evil days are upon us, and we need to take heed lest we fall. The year is rapidly closing, leaving behind so much to be grateful for – though trialsome they may be, yet we learn obedience from the things which we suffer.

May the dear Lord richly bless your labor of love. With your prayers on my be­half as I endeavor to do His will, that the Lord may keep His faithful ones amidst this severe time of trouble upon whom the “ends of the Ages” are come.

Sincerely ------- (JAMAICA)

NO. 284: THE BIBLE

No. 284

The request has come to us that we offer a treatise on the Bible, and it is our fond hope that all our readers may benefit from the effort. We have acted upon the suggestion because we believe a clear understanding about the Bible is perhaps as con­fused and misleading with the majority in Christendom as an understanding of the things taught in the Bible. The word Bible is from the Greek “biblia,” meaning “little books,” of which there are 66 in the Protestant Bible – and 80 in the Catholic Bible, which in­cludes the 14 Apocryphal books. Thus, when it states in Rev. 20:12 “the books were opened,” it may just as properly be said, “The Bible was opened” – that is, the Bible was explained, made clear.

The most popular work among English-speaking people of Christendom is what is com­monly designated the King James version, which is an elegant piece of work from a liter­ary standpoint, but is admitted by scholars to have about 20,000 mistakes in it. There­fore, it is not the Bible, but a translation of the Bible; and this conclusion may be recorded of every other translation – although some translations show much less defect than others. It was about 1610 that King James of England (whose name attaches to the King James version) selected 56 outstanding scholars in England, divided them into seven or eight groups, and assigned to each group a certain section of the Bible for translation. Before they had finished seven or eight of them had died; but the work was finally com­pleted. And, considering the material at hand, the difficulties of the times, the deep­rooted errors in the minds of the men involved in the work (such as eternal torment as the wages of sin, the immortality of the soul, etc.), we would conclude that they did a commendable piece of work; and the King James version of the Bible is yet today the world’s best seller of all publications.

The decree of King James was probably instigated by the effort of the Roman Catho­lics to introduce a Bible of their own – known as the Douay (France) version – the first edition of which appeared in 1582, reprinted at Antwerp in 1600, and again in 1621, with a fourth edition coming off the press in 1633 at Rouen. The fifth edition much the same as the previous four – appeared in 1728; but a sweeping revision was at­tempted by Bishop Challoner in 1749-52. His purpose was “to meet the practical want felt by the Catholics of his day of a Bible with notes more suitable to the time.” His changes were so many, and so much different than the original Douay attempt that Cardi­nal Newman declared it to be almost a new edition entirely – no longer sensible to re­fer to it as the Douay version. Said he: “It has been altered and modified until scarcely any verse is as it was when originally published.” And in all of their edi­tions there are copious footnotes to give the Catholic interpretation of the Scripture involved; but these, too, have had to be revised along with their translation of the text itself.

Akin to the foregoing is the course of Jehovah’s Witnesses with their Bible, which they have translated to fit their own ideas of what they wish the text to say. A classic example of this is their book copyrighted in 1963, and titled “All Scrip­ture Is Inspired of God And Beneficial” – a pseudo-translation of 2 Tim. 3:16-17. Even the veriest novice should know that the word “is” is not in the original text at all – because the word “is” is in italics, indicating no corresponding word in the original. Furthermore, Webster’s first definition of scripture is “anything written”; and in later detail he says “Any sacred writing; as Buddhist scripture.” We assume the Witnesses would in no sense consider the Buddhist scripture as “inspired of God and bene­ficial,” yet their caption on the 1963 book would indicate they do believe it. A proper translation of 2 Tim. 3:16, 17 is this: “All Scripture that is God-inbreathed is benefic­ial.” That is, inspired Scripture – that which results from the Holy Spirit in the sense given by St. Peter, “Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” is profitable. This leaves no doubt about the real meaning and purpose of St. Paul’s word.

There are very many translations of the Bible, some much better than others. Many of them have fewer mistakes than the King James version, but none of them equal the King James in literary style and fluency of reading. The best of modern translations for both the Old and the New Testament is probably the one by Dr. Joseph Bryant Rotherham. The hon­esty and humility of the learned Doctor are revealed beautifully in his prefaced statement: “It must be obvious to all, that just in proportion to the importance of these documents must be the obligation to translate them as accurately and adequately as possible; and since in the very nature of things no translation can be perfect, improvement is always possible.. It remains only to render in hearty thanks to the scholars whose labors have made this work possible... but first and last – especially in view of preserved life and eyesight and mental freshness – to Him from whom all blessings flow.”

As an example of Doctor Rotherham’s intention to be scrupulously honest in his work, we cite his translation of the word Hell. This word occurs 31 times in the Old Testament of the King James version. Each time it is translated from the Hebrew Sheol; but this same word Sheol is also translated 31 times by the word Grave, and three times by the word Pit. Thus, Sheol occurs 65 times in all in the Old Testament. In the New Testament the word Hell occurs 23 times – eleven times from the Greek Hades, eleven times from the Greek Gehenna, and once from the Greek Tartaroo. The Hebrew Sheol is the exact equivalent of the Greek Hades; and recognizing the prevailing confusion about the meaning of the sub­ject of Hell (his translation was copyrighted in 1897, after about twenty years of work in its preparation), he did not attempt to provide an English word for it in his Bible. Thus in the 65 times that Sheol occurs in the Old Testament the Doctor simply uses the Greek word Hades, which is exactly the same in meaning as the Hebrew Sheol; it means oblivion, or the death state. In the New Testament he leaves the eleven occurrences of Hades just as it is in the original, as he also does with Gehenna; although he does give some English words for the Greek Tartaroo: “pits of gloom in the lowest Hades.” (2 Pet. 2:4) From this example it will be noted that he did not attempt to read his own beliefs into his translation; and this tends to make it a superior piece of work.

THE BIBLE WRITERS – OLD TESTAMENT

For the 39 books of the Old Testament (not counting the 14 apocryphal books, which are not in the King James, but are included in the Douay version) there are 24 writers, the same being styled the “24 elders” in Rev. 4:4, etc. St. Peter says of them that they were “holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21) It should be noted that all of them were Jews; and some of them were among the finest intel­lects ever to appear among the entire human race. We shall consider only a few of them:

MOSES – Just a little reflection should convince us that he was one of the greatest intellects of all time. He spent forty days in Mount Sinai with God, receiving instructions of a wide variety. He could be counted remarkable if we consider only the tabernacle construction, the dimensions, style, construction and material with which the different items of furniture were to be made; and all of these Moses remembered in finest detail – did all exactly according to “the pattern showed him in the Mount.” We need but to read those instructions in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; then reflect how long it might require of us to fix those things clearly in mind – after having them before us on the written page. But Moses remembered all without anything written out for him. As an executive, a law-giver, and administrator he was also among the foremost of all time. And even in his death he was phenomenal. “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” (Deu. 34:7) And the poet gives sublime expression to that final event in his life:

By Nebo’s lonely mountain,

On this side Jordan’s wave,

In a vale in the land of Moab

There lies a lonely grave;

And no man knows that sepulchre,

And no man saw it e’er;

For angels of God upturned the sod

And laid the dead man there.

That was the grandest funeral

That ever passed on earth;

But no man heard the trampling

Or saw the train go forth;

Noiselessly as the daylight

Comes when the night is done,

And the crimson streak on ocean’s cheek

Grows into the great sun.

This was the truest warrior

That ever buckled sword;

This the most gifted poet

That ever breathed a word;

And never earth’s philosopher traced,

With his golden pen,

On the deathless page, truths half so sage

As he wrote down for men.

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God hath His mysteries to grace,

Ways that we cannot tell,

He hides them deep like the hidden sleep

Of him He loved so well.

He may well be regarded as perhaps the grandest character that ever lived; and the Jews have a saying that God kissed him there that final night.

David – He is the greatest religious poet ever to be found in Israel, and probably in the entire world. The Psalms which he wrote are in poetry in the Hebrew. Next to Moses, he is probably the greatest intellect among the Jewish race – a great general, a gifted ruler and administrator – a very versatile man. And this is all the more remark­able when we consider his humble boyhood, and his phenomenal rise to power. “I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel .... and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.” (2 Sam. 7:8,9) Unlike Moses, who was reared in the palatial surroundings of the Egyptian court, David’s early life was spent in the peaceful hills of Palestine as a lowly sheep boy. To arise from such surroundings to the pinnacle of his nation would self-­evidently place him head and shoulders above his fellows, many of whom had greatly super­ior advantages of physique, birth, family, wealth, etc. He is one not to be easily dis­counted from whatever angle we view him.

Solomon – Solomon is familiarly known as “The wise man,” and for good cause. “God said, Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. God gave Solo­mon wisdom and understanding exceeding much ... Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men ... his fame was in all the nations round about. And he spake three thousand prov­erbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees ... of beasts, and of fowl, of creeping things, of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” (1 Kgs. 3:12; 4:30-34) While the Proverbs of Solomon are most familiar to the general public, his mas­terpiece of expression is to be found in the Book of Job, which many scholars regard as the finest piece of poetry in existence. Even Gibbon, an unbeliever, ascribes the supreme place of all literature to the book of Job. It is so superb in the Hebrew that it cannot be properly translated into English; therefore, the poetic force of Job is lost to the English reader. Thus, in some respects Solomon outshone his illustrious father David.

Isaiah – He is regarded by many as the gentleman of the Old Testament, which is re­flected in his scholarly writings. According to tradition, he was of royal blood – at least of noble descent, but there is no certainty about this. However, the quality of his writings reflect a finely-tuned intellect. Some of his statements offer proof apparent that he was indeed one of those “holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” as evidence Isa. 44:28: “Cyrus, he is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” This Scripture was written about 200 years before King Cyrus was born; therefore, it can only be attributed to inspiration. And the same may be said about the 53rd chapter of the book, which offers the very minute details of Jesus’ exper­iences when He was on earth – even forecasting that he would die in company with criminals, “He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors.” This was written about 800 years before Jesus’ appearance on earth, and could have been predicted only through inspiration, as the writer was “moved by the Holy Spirit.” Isaiah, too, must be counted with the great intellects of all time.

THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS

As stated, the 39 books of the Old Testament were all written by Jews; and all of the 27 books of the New Testament were also written by Jews – excepting only the Gospel by Luke. And when we consider that St. Paul dictated that book to Luke, then we may say with assurance that all 27 of the books were written by Jews. Thus, the entire Bible of 66 books has come to us through Jewish writers. And this poses an intriguing theory: Either the New Testament writers also “spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” or they were rank frauds. As we examine the record, it is not too difficult to determine which supposi­tion is the correct one. While it is true, that most of the Apostles were “ignorant and unlearned men” (Acts 4:13), there is no evidence of this at all in their writings. Thus, their coarse exterior must have received a speedy overhaul, or they wrote what they did by inspiration. But the question logically arises, if they were frauds, what benefit did they receive from their knavery? We know that all of them suffered much privation, and most of them came to a violent end – extremely so in the case of Peter, who is reported to have been crucified head down; Paul who had his head chopped off in Rome; and James with a sword in Jerusalem. It is also rumored that John was thrown into a kettle of boiling oil. However, we shall offer detail on only two of the Apostles:

St. Paul – This Apostle was a master logician, a lawyer, a Pharisee, from a wealthy and influential family in Israel – a man who had everything according to the standards of this world. Hear, then, his own statement of his estimation of it: “I esteem all things to be loss, on account of the excellency of the knowledge of the anointed Jesus my Lord; (on whose account I suffered the loss of all things, and consider them to be vile refuse, so that I may gain Christ”)—Phil. 3:8, Dia. If this statement be true – and even his critics do not dispute it – then his sincerity is not to be doubted. It is contrary to all human logic and thinking that a man should perpetrate fraud to bring great loss upon himself; so we are forced to the evident conclusion that Paul must be classed with those “holy men of old who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

St. John – He is described as “that disciple whom Jesus loved” – because of his warm affability and open sincerity. Next to St. Paul, he is the most copious writer of the New Testament – although the Gospel that bears his name, and the Revelation are presumed to have been written during the last ten years of the first century A.D. That would be about sixty years after Jesus had died, and would put John close to 100 years of age. Yes, even at that advanced age, he has given us in minute and fluent detail the happenings of the last night before Jesus died – chapters 13 through 19 of the Gospel bearing his name; and he pro­vides in those chapters an exact reproduction of the prayer given by Jesus that night, along with some of the most sublime and appealing of all Scripture. This, too, we conclude would have been impossible at his advanced age had he not written by inspiration.

Conclusion – With this sort of evidence to guide us, we ask in wonder why the Jews have not raised the same questions. With the many keen and brilliant men in their nation since the dispersion in 70 A.D., it is one of the marvels of the Age that such overwhelm­ing logic should not have persuaded them to inquire into the matter. St. Paul did recog­nize this situation, and he offers the proper answer: “Brethren (addressed to the Gen­tiles), that you may not be conceited with yourselves, I wish you not to be ignorant of this secret, that blindness in part is happened to Israel.” (Rom. 11:25) In Psa. 107:17 David has offered a proper appraisal of their situation: “Fools because of their trans­gression (they crucified the Lord of Glory), and because of their iniquities (sins against the Mosaic Law Covenant), are afflicted.” All plainly in evidence during this entire Age since 70 A.D.

THE BIBLE’S AUTHENTICITY

There is no original text of the Hebrew Old Testament. The originals had been scrup­ulously preserved by the Jewish priests, so much so that they would have given their lives to preserve them; but Nebuchadnezzar and his army were more than the priests could with­stand. Therefore, when he overcame Jerusalem in the Fall of 607 B.C., the sacred writings suffered at his hands, as did also the sacred vessels of the temple. “He broke down the walls of Jerusalem... And took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door, and the principal scribe... and three-score men of the people... and slew them at Riblah.” (2 Kgs. 25:9-21) This account tells what was done with the sacred vessels: they were demolished and carried away to Babylon for their in­trinsic value. But nothing at all is said about the sacred writings.

However, it would seem reasonable that some zealous keeper of those writings did suc­ceed in preserving them, because the Massoretes, who were Hebrew scholars during the years 450 to 900 A.D., worked on the writings then in existence, and produced what is commonly known as the Massoretic text. After they completed their work, they destroyed all other texts, leaving only the product of their own minds. But it seems they did a commendable job, so much so that Dr. C. D. Ginsberg used their work in his rescension of the Hebrew Bible, the latter being one of the foremost of Old Testament translations.

Then there is also the Septuagint, which is a Greek version of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew. It is so-called because 70 (actually 72) learned Hebrews at Alexandria, Egypt, undertook in 285 B.C. to produce the Greek copy. All things consid­ered, it is the most valuable of all translations of the Old Testament – with many margi­nal notes, some of which are valuable, but some self-evidently wrong, in view of informa­tion now available. Jesus and the Apostles quoted from the Septuagint, but they cor­rected it when necessary – when it contradicted well-established teachings.

As for the New Testament, the three oldest manuscripts are the Vatican, the Sina­itic and the Alexandrian. The Vatican (dating about 250 A.D.) is in the Vatican Library in Rome, and considered the Roman Church’s richest treasure. The other two (about 100 yrs. later than the Vatican) are both in England. There is also the Vulgate (about 400 A.D.), which is the Latin, by Jerome. Another very influential translation is the one by Martin Luther. There are many others, of course, but we shall not now detail them.

THE BIBLE’S VERACITY

In view of the foregoing, the question properly arises, What are we to believe? Admitting that the originals were by inspiration, they are now lost, so we know not def­initely what the originals contained. Some atheists, scoffers, etc., attempt to make capital of this, which offers the conclusion that men usually believe what they want to believe. Jesus gave us the “Golden Rule”: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” (Matt. 7:12) Today we find this high ideal so little practiced that the scoffers attempt to discount it because of human frailty; but the fact still stands: A universal practice of this teaching would make immeasurable improvement in hu­man relations. It would indeed end all wars, all violence, robbery, rapine, etc. Thus, the critics must admit the sound philosophy and the general good that it contains.

This Rule by Jesus is the only all-embracing teaching of known religions. Confu­cius offered a negative in the same direction: Whatsoever ye would not that men do to you, do not to them. But a little analysis reveals the weakness of the statement. In Luke 10:25-37 is given the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which it will be noted that the Priest and the Levite passed by the man that had been beaten and robbed. The rule of Confucius would absolve them; they did not attempt further abuse upon the victim, which was a negative attitude. But the Rule by Jesus demands a positive response when distress is in evidence, which the Samaritan indeed did proffer.

As presently composed, the normal man is possessed of four appetites: (1) The ali­mentive, the desire for food and drink; (2) The procreative, the desire for the opposite sex; (3) The acquisitive, the desire to accumulate, to add house to house and field to field; (4) The religious, the desire to worship something higher than himself. All of the brute creation possess the first two of these appetites, some of them possess the third, but none of them possess the fourth. All normal men have an inherent desire to some form of religion; and this is apparent even among the lowest forms of heathen. It has been so since the dawn of history; but without the Bible we would have nothing more to guide us than what our five senses might reveal. Thus, the need for our Bible, which gives us much of the past, foretells much of the future, and offers elaborate laws for man’s physical, mental, moral and religious guidance. Its inherent strength is apparent by its gripping force upon any who come within its influence. This is noticeable even among the lowly and unlearned, who gain some uplift of heart and mind merely from reading it, which demonstrates its inherent magnetic force. It is the product of the Holy Spirit, operating through the finest minds in history, and its Divine origin is evident in that it inspires and enables men to rise above themselves, an attribute not apparent among the heathen.

One of the outstanding reasons for Christendom’s superiority over the heathen is the help received from the Bible. The laws of Moses were far superior to anything then in existence anywhere else on earth, and can logically be said to have been far ahead of their time. In the case of Jesus Himself, He arose far beyond His natural ability after He received the Holy Spirit at Jordan when He was thirty years of age. Before that time He could not heal the sick, raise the dead, turn water into wine, etc., all of which He did after He received the Holy Spirit. And the same may be said for the Apostles. They, too, arose far above their inherited strength and ability after they were “endowed with power from on high.” Viewed from this standpoint, the words of David are given added force: “The entrance of thy word giveth light”! Thus, in addition to forecasting events many years in advance of their occurrence, we have here a second reason for believing the Bible to be of Divine inspiration – a superhuman revelation. Its immediate effect upon those who accept it is far beyond the influence of any other religious or secular writing.

THE BIBLE PLAN

A third proof of the Bible’s Divine inspiration is the “plan of the ages,” which it has contained since the year 100 A. D., which plan has been working according to outline before and since that date. In Eph. 3:9-11 St. Paul offers a clear reference to this: “To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been his in God ... according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is much clearer in the Emphatic Diaglott: “To enlighten all what is the administration of that secret, which has been concealed from the ages... ac­cording to a plan of the ages, which He formed for the Anointed Jesus our Lord.”

It should be noted that St. Paul says this “plan” has been a “secret” during the ages; and none can dispute this statement. The Bible itself is a book of very moderate size, as small or smaller than most textbooks in any university. Yet the brightest minds have been unable to master it until the “due time” arrived for it to be understood. That is because it is “here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10), with the “secret” ex­pertly kept until it should be made plain. Without offering great detail, we notice that the “plan” embraces three “worlds” (from the Greek “Kosmos,” meaning “order of affairs”), the first one described in 2 Pet. 3:6 as “the world that was” – that Kosmos, or order of affairs, that existed from creation until it “being overflowed with water, perished.” The world that was lasted for 1656 years.

The second world, or order of affairs (“this pretent evil world”—Gal. 1:4) began with Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives (a total of eight persons), emerged from the great deluge, and has been continuing to the present time. Accord­ing to 2 Pet. 3:7, “the present heavens and the earth (this Kosmos, or order of affairs), by the same word (The Bible), are treasured up, being kept for fire (destruction) to a day of judgment and destruction of impious men” – this “destruction” being now in prog­ress, as is evidenced on every hand.

Then 2 Pet. 3:13: “We, according to the promise, are looking for new heavens and a new earth (a new Kosmos, or order of affairs, the third world – he Kingdom) in which dwells righteousness” – just the opposite of “this present evil world.” Of that third world it is written (Rev. 21:4): “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more, nor mourning, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; because the former things passed away.” This third world we now “see dimly, as through a dark glass”; and it is beyond belief except by those who now have the faith to believe it. The forecast is clear enough: If there be no more death or pain, then there must be perpetual youth, with ideal food, water and climate. “And there shall be no more curse ... no night (ignorance, error, superstitution) there.” (Rev. 22:3-5) In this “present evil world” it is easier to do wrong than right; in the world to come it will be easier to do right than wrong. It is well to keep in mind that all of the Bible was written at some time during “this present evil world”; yet it is the only book that gives a clear and logical record of the happenings of the “world that was” before the flood –just one more proof of its Divine inspiration. Also, skeptics may declare the “plan” briefly discussed herein is too good to be true; but we answer that it is too good not to be true. No secular fiction writer has ever imagined anything half so good; such a plan could result only from Divine inspiration.

SUMMARY: – The Plan of the Ages mentioned aforegoing has its introduction in the first three chapters of the Bible, and its conclusion is given in the last three chapters. In the first three chapters of Genesis we are told what man was, what he had, and why and how he lost it. In the last three chapters of Revelation we are given man’s ultimate des­tiny, and how that is to be accomplished – the grand finale being the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-23), restoration of what was lost in Eden.

In between the introduction and conclusion of the Plan we find seven lines of thought: doctrines, precepts, promises, exhortations, prophecies, histories and types. And St. Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 3:15 that these teachings properly understood “are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” He continues in verse 16 to state that these seven lines of thought serve four teaching purposes: “Doctrine, reproof (refuting), correction and instruction in righteousness.” When clearly understood, it becomes apparent that the Apostle has itemized all the essentials in teaching and character development that man needs for his religious welfare. Doctrine is what we believe; refuting (of error) re­veals what we should not believe; correction, when properly received, rids the faults from our character (tells us what we should not do); and instruction (training) in right­eousness informs us of the good things we should build into our character (what we should do). And all of this is “profitable... that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur­nished unto all good works.” It is elemental that religion should make us better; other­wise it fails in purpose and becomes merely a ritualistic waste of time.

Of the foregoing Bible subjects, some of them are relatively easy to understand in certain of their parts, while others are intensely difficult of comprehension. In this respect the Bible allows excellent comparison with the ocean, which is deep enough for a whale to swim in it, and shallow enough for a child to wade in it. It is also per­tinent that the Bible is not a text book; it is rather a book of texts. Thus, no sub­ject of importance finds complete clarification in any one section; but it is rather “here a little, there a little.” (Isa. 28:10) This has resulted in the apparent confu­sion evident in the different Christian organizations – a situation akin to the poem:

It was six men of Hindustan,

To learning much inclined,

Went to see the elephant

Though all of them were blind

Therefore, they had to rely upon their sense of touch; one touched the leg, one the side, one the tail, etc., which resulted in six vastly different opinions of what the elephant was really like, which produced the result:

They argued loud and long,

Though each was partly in the right,

But all of them were wrong.

A safe rule to proper understanding of the Bible is that it cannot contradict itself. It speaks of itself as “the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15); and, if this be correct, then it must be truth, and not falsehood. If our opinion of any Scripture is contradicted by other Scripture, then one of three things is wrong: We do not have the right interpretation; or we may have a mistranslation; or the text may even be spurious. It is certain that ambitious men have attempted to impose their own opin­ions in some places, which has resulted in much mischief and erroneous beliefs. It is well also to note that manifold schemes of mice and men have tried in vain to destroy the Bible, or to distort its meaning; but all of them have failed. The Bible is still a living book, and as sturdy in its application today as it has been over the past. There is very good reason for this: Its Author, who is perfect in Justice, Wisdom and Power, has been its Preserver; and the promise to those who rely upon it, and who have full faith in it, applies with equal force to the book itself: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”

It might be well here to note how foolish some of the scoffers of this Sacred Book have been, while those who had faith in its Divine inspiration and truthfulness were not so foolish. Sir Isaac Newton, the celebrated astronomer of the seventeenth century, was greatly interested in the words of Daniel: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4) He declared his belief that in fulfil­ment of it human knowledge would so increase that men would possibly travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour. When Voltaire, the noted French infidel, got hold of this state­ment he scornfully remarked:

“Now look at the mighty mind of Newton, the great philoso­pher who discovered the law of gravitation: when he became an old man and got in his dotage, he began to study the book called the Bible, and in order to credit its fabu­lous nonsense he would have us believe that the knowledge of mankind will yet be so in­creased that we shall by-and-by be able to travel fifty miles an hour! Poor dotard.”

Both of these men died long before the “Time of the End” had brought its wonder­ful increase of knowledge, which more than fulfils the prediction of the Christian phi­losopher, based upon the Divine revelation. Fifty miles per hour is merely snail’s pace today.

The subject matter herein has been treated very briefly, perhaps too much so, yet it is our hope that enough has been said to generate interest by our readers; and to such we would quote the words of St. Paul: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 192

June 1, 1971)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sirs:

Please send me literature as follows: Where are the Dead? What is the Soul? The Resurrection of the Dead and Two Distinct Salvations. Thank you!

Sincerely ------- (GEORGIA)

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Dear Sir:

Could you please send me sample copies of your publication?

Thanking you ------- (MISSISSIPPI)