THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL. IV. May 1, 1921 No. 9
Table of Contents
OUTLOOK
FROM THE WALLS OF ZION
IN
COMMEMORATION OF THE SAVIOR'S SACRIFICE
THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
REMINISCENCE
OF THE BOSTON CONVENTION
ANNOUNCEMENT
OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE JUNE 4, 1921
REST
AND RECREATION
WORKING
WITH OTHERS
WHAT
A CHRISTIAN HOME SHOULD BE
VOL. IV. May 15, 1921 No. 10
Table of Contents
ISRAEL'S
JUBILEE YEAR
THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
MAKING
THE NEIGHBORHOOD. CHRISTIAN
MAKING
THE NATION CHRISTIAN
BEREAN
STUDIES IN THE REVELATION
VOL. IV. May 1, 1921 No. 9
"CATHOLIC EUROPE AND THE PROTESTANT INVADER"
ALL who are carefully watching present-day events and developments,
and are observing history fulfilling prophecy, will be interested in reading the following
copied from the Literary Digest of April 2nd,
which reveals pretty much the present attitude of the two great divisions of Christendom
constituting the present ecclesiastical heavens -- Federated Protestantism and
Catholicism:
"Visions of a religious war following upon the heels of the
Great War between the nations have appeared to some Catholic writers as they note certain
after-war developments. The defeat of Germany, according to a writer in La Documentation Catholique (Paris), was really a
Protestant disaster which the victorious Anglo-Saxons have tried to remedy at the peace
table by weakening the forces of Catholicism as much as possible. But more important, we
are told, is the effect of after-war Protestant propaganda in the Catholic countries of
Europe. This propaganda is partly direct, like the American aid to Protestant churches and
institutions in France and Italy, and partly indirect in the shape of relief work carried
on by non-sectarian relief organizations which are directed and financed by Protestants,
While as yet European Catholicism has suffered little actual loss from these movements,
the cumulative effect, especially up-on the rising generation, we are assured, is not to
be ignored, and the writer in the Catholic weekly calls upon all good Catholics to meet
the attack of Protestantism by counter-education, by excelling in piety and good works and
by constant watchfulness and prayer. Though it is a French Catholic weekly that presents
these facts, and reaches this conclusion, the situation described should be of as much
interest to, Protestants as to Catholics, and is worth attention as one of the important
religious consequences of the Great War. I
"In Central Europe, we read in La Documentation Catholique, Protestantism has
made a decided advance, largely in consequence of the notable services rendered to
stricken peoples. President Masaryk, of Czechoslovakia, born a Catholic, has an American
Methodist wife and has lent his influence to Protestant movements. The cult of John Huss
has been revived by the anti-Roman clergy and has been made the center of a great national
religious movement. Hungary passes for Catholic, but Protestants are becoming numerous and
powerful; the Protector, Admiral Horthy, is a Protestant. Austria dreams of joining
Germany; when it does, the influence of Protestant Prussia will be preponderant.
"Last year La Croix (Paris)
issued a warning against the ,mobilization' and the great 'offensive' planned by
Protestants against French and Belgian Catholicism. At the head of this movement is the
Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America with its enormous resources. From 1915 to
March, 1920, the Council allotted to the Protestant churches of France and Belgium the sum
of $757,219. 'For each of the three years 1920, 1921 and 1922, the Churches of America
have promised to the French Committee of Protestant Union $1, 000,000.' The purpose is
aggressive, we are told, as is indi cated by the announcement of the Federal Council
describing the opportunity for work among French people upon whom ,ecclesiastical religion
has no hold,' and asserting that 'the Protestant churches of America desire to work for
the moral, social, and religious reconstruction of France and Belgium.' One of the chief
means to this end is found in the Red Cross and other relief organizations. They exist
undoubtedly for charitable purposes alone, but this purpose is abused, avers the
Catholic organ. 'The most crying example is that of the Y. M. C. A., whose Protestant
sectarianism has been remarked in repeated instances. At present the chief leaders of the
Y. M. I C.
A. in all Europe are Protestants, the Catholics having been reduced to supernumerary
roles, and in the military and civil foyers supported
by the Y. M. C. A. with official protection and with funds furnished in part by Catholics,
there is being carried on slowly but surely, discreetly but effectively, propaganda in
favor of free reading and personal interpretation of the Bible and of individualistic
religion-in fact, in favor of all principles hostile to the Catholic faith. The same
holds true of the Y. W. C. A., and to a limited extent of the Boy Scouts and the Girl
Scouts.' The program of the Committees' of Protestant Union includes the establishment of
schools, workshops, and dispensaries. Propaganda through books and newspapers is by no
means forgotten. 'Everybody who was in the war knows how violently on, certain days there
was poured forth on the trenches, hospitals, and battle-ships a great wave of Protestant
publications: newspapers, tracts, pamphlets, illustrated books of all kinds. This flood
did not cease with the Armistice. The addresses of our soldiers and sailors were carefully
noted in the Foyers Franco-Americains, and
Protestant propaganda is now being sent to their homes to influence their wives and
children.' Everywhere there are being opened foyers, lodging-houses or clubs for students,
to which young Catholics are attracted. 'They find there good society and a healthful
freedom and from time to, time conferences on morals or the Bible led by Protestant
pastors!
"The Protestant -offensive, we read, is particularly active in
Italy and Rome. La Documentation Catholique sums
up a number of facts presented in a recent book on the subject;
"'Wesleyans, Baptists, and American Methodists are flooding
Italy with Bibles, organizing missions and founding schools, and in fifty years of effort
have succeeded in winning some 80,000, souls. Besides their churches, the American
Protestants have started in Italy a number of institutions which, in themselves
praiseworthy,, have become, under the cover of charity or social service, instruments of
prosetlyting. There are three great theological schools. There are several colleges,
industrial schools, and an international institute for Methodist young women, which
prepare for government diplomas and are altogether too successful in attracting young
Catholics from all over the peninsula. There are a number of organizations for young
people, including the Y. M. C. A., which has a beautiful palace in Rome and more than 300
members; there are orphan asylums, cooking-schools, farm colonies, and visiting missionary
organizations. The charitable effort is enormous and it is powerfully seconded by a press
abundantly provided with newspapers, magazines and tracts.'
"The objects of this great movement are declared to be: first,
the separation of church and state; and, secondly, a union of all Protestants in carrying
the attack on the papacy to its center at Rome. The results of the Protestant campaign in
Italy are set down as follows:
"'In positive gain for Protestantism almost nothing. But in
influence upon the minds, and religious life of poor people succored by English or
American gold-- considerable. The destructive effects of imported Protestantism in Italy
are sadly disquieting. Those affected by the propaganda do not become Protestants, but
they do cease to be Catholics, and in official statistics the number of those who declare
themselves without religion is, constantly increasing.'
"While the writer sees no evidence that Catholic Europe is
turning Protestant, he warns Catholics against a false feeling of security. 'To the
tenacity of Protestantism's plans for conquest the Catholics of the Latin nations must
oppose a watchful resistance that overlooks nothing.' To meet the attack, Catholics are
told first of all to present their side of the story of the Reformation, to show how the
abuses of the sixteenth century were done away with by the Church herself. And there must
be parallel instruction in the history of Protestantism. It must be everywhere understood
that Protestant Christianity is social, and not spiritual, that in France, Germany,
Switzerland, America, and England its creed is pitifully weak. This weakness must be
published abroad wherever Protestants are trying to establish themselves, and, in
contrast, Catholics must be told of 'the solid foundations, the splendid light, the Divine
beauty of the Credo which they sing and the
Church of which they are the sons.' Moreover:
" 'Because the progressive abandonment of religious practices
inevitably weakens faith., Catholics should live a true Christian life in order that the
Protestant attacks may the better be met. The mass on Sunday, the daily prayer, frequent
confession and communion, and obedience to the Ten Commandments should be everywhere
taught and assured. These are the sources, of life. The Protestants take it upon
themselves to accuse us of having a religion purely external, entirely ceremonial. What a
mistake! And what a calumny on the purposes of Christ and the Church! "The Lord
looketh upon the heart." It is by one's daily life that one shows that one is a true
Christian. The more that life is habitually regulated by the principles of the Ten
Commandments and the Gospel, the more the will of God will dominate our consciences and
the less will be the temptation to yield to the suggestions of those who say: "Don't
listen to the Church, become a Protestant."'
"In order to accomplish its essential task, Catholics must match
Protestants in good works, -and we are assured that Archbishop Hayes, of New York, and the
National Catholic -War Council have begun relief work in France and Belgium which can
easily stand comparison with that done by their Protestant compatriots. We are reminded in
La Documentation Catholique that the French
Catholics themselves have done an enormous amount of effective relief work which has never
been advertised. In Rome the Society for the Preservation of the Faith has been encouraged
by three successive Popes and is now taking care of 12,000 babies a year despite its very
modest financial backing. Finally, Catholics everywhere must pray, not only for the
preservation of the faith among the peoples subject to Protestant influence, but also for
the conversion of the Protestant propagandists them-' selves, so that those who desire to
win souls to their own special sect may come to understand and observe the words of the
Master, 'love one another."'
Notwithstanding the fact that for some years past the spirit of union
and federation throughout Christendom has been very active and so continues, it is noted
from the foregoing review that there is a measure of the old hostility still in existence.
However, this fact need not be considered 'as discouraging to our expectations with regard
to an ultimate sympathetic co-operation between a Federated Protestantism and Catholicism
in fulfillment of the prophetic picture. As a matter of fact, prophetic students-have
never been given reason to expect that there would be a uniting or an amalgamation of
Catholicism and Protestantism, rather the inspired statement seems to more nearly present
what we would expect: "The heavens [Protestantism and Catholicism] shall be rolled
together as a scroll." This does not signify the union of these two great branches of
Christendom, but it does imply that certain influences and forces that have held them
apart for centuries will be largely removed so that there will be a coming together in the
sense of looking favorably toward and approaching each other in fulfillment of the symbol
of the ancient scroll composed of two parts that roll together. There has been a partial
fulfillment of this in modern times, but we may reasonably suppose that there will be
still something further in the way of the breaking down of the old enmity and hostility
preparatory to a sympathetic action and co-operation by which, at the opportune moment,
effort may be made to sway and induce the world to recognize the need for and dependence
upon the power and authority of these two great forces of Christendom in a final attempt
to prevent social and industrial disaster and in preserving the old order of things.
"AMERICAN REPRESENTATION AT THE VATICAN"
Another review of the Catholic attitude and activity from still
another angle is observed in the following, taken from the same number of the Literary Digest as the foregoing. It quite clearly
reveals, however, that any official recognition of the Vatican on the part of the American
Government at the present time would be met with stern and swift rebuke:
"A 'resumption of diplomatic relations' with the Vatican seems
natural and desirable to the Catholic press of this country, especially when they consider
the part to be played by the Pope in organizing for world-peace. But when Protestant
editors hear that the President may send a diplomatic representative to the papal court
they arise in protest against a move that would seem to lend American support to the
Pope's claim, to temporal power. The report that Mr. Maurice Francis Egan, formerly
Minister to Denmark, 'may be America's first minister to the Vatican' has 'the
unmistakable look of a "feeler"" to The
Baptist, which asks: 'When did the Vatican become a civil government, a court entitled
to a diplomatic representative from the United 'States? We do not believe that our
Government has so far forgotten its fundamental principle of the separation of church and
state as to send a diplomatist to represent us in the councils of a church.' But The Central Christian Advocate (Methodist) cautions
its readers that I "the
Roman question," that is, the temporal power of the Popes, is not dead; it is
scarcely sleeping.' That there has been some increase in papal influence in the Foreign
Offices of Europe is evidenced by the fact that the end of the war saw an increase in the
number of diplomatic representatives at the Vatican. To Protestant critics it seems that
the Roman pontiff is seeking to regain the power exercised when all European sovereigns
bent their knees to the Pope and acknowledged his suzerainty. France and Great Britain are
taking steps to make permanent their diplomatic connections established with the Vatican
during the war, and this, it is said, encourages American Catholics to hope that the
United States may follow their example. Some of the Protestant papers quote from the
London Morning Post a report from its Washington
correspondent that ,early in the coming year (1921) an agent will go to Rome to ascertain
the views of the Vatican' on the subject, and The
Living Church (Episcopal) sees a significant connection between this and the report
that the consulship at Rome has been promised to the Rev. Joseph Denning, a Roman Catholic
priest of Marion, 0., who last year had an audience with the Pope. 'If,' says The Living Church, 'Mr. Harding is really trying
out public sentiment, and if he has actually committed the indiscretion of sending an
emissary to the Vatican to lay before its astute diplomats "the whole situation as it
exists here and leaving it to the Pope and his advisors to suggest the proper
policy," we, who. do not -care a rap which party receives the Irish vote, must voice
the stern denunciation of, we believe, an enormous majority of plain Americans at the
indiscretion.'
"'Happily, nothing in this matter can be determined without full
and open discussion, for Congress, must create the post before the President can fill it.
In view of the certainty that such a project would mean an intensely bitter controversy,
in which the American vote might for once demand that it be respected in American affairs,
it would seem incredible to us that Mr. Harding can really be contemplating such an insane
policy!
"Surely the report that Mr. Egan is being mentioned as the first
minister to the Vatican 'must be an error,', says The
Presbyterian, which remarks that if we are to send a delegate to the Vatican, 'why not
send one to Canterbury, or to Constantinople? We are living in strange times, but we were
not prepared for this. Why should the Roman Catholic Church have special recognition,
power, and prestige in this nation ?' It is hard for the Nashville Christian Advocate (Methodist) 'to believe that
Mr. Harding has been so unwise as to send an agent "to ascertain the views of the
Vatican,"' and it says that if Mr. Harding wishes
"'He can 'get very quickly a response from public opinion on
this subject. This public opinion will be expressed not by editors of most of our great
dailies, who would, we have no doubt, favor the appointment and try to shame those
protesting; but from the great mass of American citizens, who, uninfluenced by the fawning
course, of England and France in this respect, would speak with an indignant and mighty
voice against such temporal supremacy of any Church in this land of religious and civil
freedom.'
"On the other hand, America, a New York Catholic weekly,
observes that 'nearly all the civilized nations of the earth are now represented at the
Court of the Vicar of Christ, not excepting England, which does not allow its Protestant
bias to obscure the fact that the Vatican is the world's greatest religious and moral
influence.' And we are told that 'should the United States send a representative to the
Pope, it will be in the way of resumption of diplomatic relations,' though, 'under vastly
different 'circumstances, it is true, from those that obtained in 1848, when our first
representative went to Rome.' The possibility that Washington may be the meeting-place of
another international gathering to discuss an association of nations 'has stimulated
interest in the question of the resumption of relations with the Vatican,' according to a
Washington dispatch sent out by the National Catholic Welfare Council news service and
published in Catholic papers and
"'From this point of view the position of the Pope is one of
commanding importance and his approval of an association of nations which is to direct by
moral rather than military force international activities would have great weight. And if
the United States is to take the lead in the formulation of the broad general principles
upon which the proposed association of nations is to be founded the assumption is that
exchanges of views between the President and the Vatican would be facilitated by, the
appointment of an American Minister to the Holy See without in any way transgressing upon
the American ideal of complete separation of church and state. The action of France has
already pointed the way."'
A LEAGUE OF CHURCHES TO SAVE THE WORLD
As bearing further upon the Federation of Ecclesiasticism. we read
with interest the Literary Digest account (April
16th issue) of the agitation that is observed in Great Britain., Those favoring Church
union advocate "a League of Churches" as the hope of a depressed and troubled
world. The term. "League of Churches" is merely another way of saying Church
'Federation, with the thought of associating all. the ecclesiastical forces and influences
of Christendom and thus forming what would be considered God's Kingdom to establish the
reign of righteousness, or to fulfil our Lord's prayer, "Thy Kingdom Come." As
stated earlier in this issue, it is our surmise that the time may not be far distant when
an attempt at such a proposition may be made, but of course not authorized of God it would
be doomed to failure; then man's extremity will become God's opportunity-He will establish
His Kingdom in His own time and way. The article referred to follows:
"Where diplomacy has failed and the League of Nations is yet
untried, a League of Churches can succeed in maintaining peace, say Field Marshal Earl
Haig and Prof. William A. Curtis,- of the University of Edinburgh, who, though so
differently schooled in experience, reach identical conclusions in surveying the results
of the World War. 'The Gospel of Christ is the world's only social hope and the sole
promise of world peace,' declared the British soldier before a Scottish audience when he
spoke in behalf of a Federation of Churches in the British Empire and visualized it as the
beginning of a federation which would include all the nations of the world. 'It is a
crusade to which I urge you,' he exclaimed, 'a crusade not having for its object the
redemption of a single city, however holy, but the freeing of the whole world from the
devastating scourge of war.' Professor Curtis quotes Earl Haig as a man who speaks with
the voice of authority on questions of unity of effort, and writes in The Hibbert Journal that 'such a league ;devoted to
the peace of the world is an urgent necessity.', Everywhere, argues Professor Curtis,
'federations have become the rule, not only for kindred churches holding essentially a
common system, but for churches less intimately related which are awakening to the world's
profound need of common action on their part.' And now 'it has become plain to the dullest
perception that, if the Christian Church is to play its appointed part as the arch
peacemaker in the world, its divided ranks must be closed, its militant energies
confederated and co-ordinated and redirected, its inward unity expressed in some external
fashion, so that the world may take cognizance of its world mission on behalf of peace and
good will and reckon upon its undivided influence.' The Church must intervene, not merely
nationally, as in the past, but internationally. It must review and widen its conscious
mission. The whole world, says Professor Curtis, 'desires the Church of Christ to achieve
and occupy a worthier position.' He continues:
" 'I believe the Church requires, and is called to create, some
effective counterpart to the diplomatic service of the state. In addition to its Home
Mission and its Foreign Mission it has an international mission to prosecute, and nowhere
more urgently than in Europe, the seat of historic Christianity. Already the way is
opening. The war has shattered many prejudices, racial and religious. University life is
very largely emancipated from ecclesiastical restraint . . . . .
"'A new opportunity plainly offers itself to the Christian
conscience and imagination, and a very solemn call is sounding. Men look to alliances of
nations, to the League of Nations, to labor federations, to Socialist combinations, to
bring in the political millennium of international peace. Have they not a right to look
also to the Christian Churches, to the Church, incomparably the completest organization in
the world, with the highest potentialities and the deepest obligations for the service of
reconciliation?
" 'The problem is essentially a spiritual one. Not money, not
force, not expediency, not even intelligence or humanity is an adequate instrument for the
enterprise. Moral and spiritual persuasion alone will suffice. The horrors of war, the
barbarity of war, the suicidal exhaustion of modern war between conscript nations, the
costliness of war, the anarchronistic folly of war-men may be persuaded of these features
of the ghastly business and yet be impotent to save posterity from its renewal. Beyond and
above these all too fleeting impressions and convictions, which spring up in the agony of
each cruel crisis and anon are forgotten, to be relearned by each successive generation at
an ever-increasing cost, the Christian spirit must be invoked, and its unique estimate of
the value and purpose of the solidarity and sanctity of human life brought home to the
hearts of men. With tedious and monotonous reiteration the apologists of Christianity have
asserted that Christ came to break down the barriers that separate nations and continents,
and that Christianity knows no distinctions of race or language. It is time, high time,
that a new chapter of practical and unanswerable apologetics should be written by the
fingers not of scholars but of churches. Let the Church, which avows itself the Body of
Christ still incarnate, obey His spirit and glorify His name by inscribing this work upon
the page of history as a fait accompli.'"
Bearing in mind that our Master, the great Head of the Church,
admonished His followers to a unity and oneness of doctrine, purpose, and service, and so
prayed to the Heavenly Father while on earth that it might be so, we are to make a
distinction between this oneness and unity which Jesus encouraged and that which is
advocated in Christendom today. The latter refers to a unifying of the various mechanical
forces, human organizations, systems, etc., of Christendom; and while outwardly seeming to
fulfill the New Testament requirements, yet the real spirit of unity would be lacking on
account of the various conflicting interpretations and teachings of the Bible maintained
by each of the Christian bodies participating in the Federation. Let the true disciple of
Christ bear in mind that the only unity that he is to be interested in here is the unity
of the Spirit; and each follower of the Master should be on the alert to discern and
recognize the spirit of Christ wherever it exists, regardless of what human system or
organization in which the individual may be; and hence we are to endeavor to preserve the
spirit of fellowship among all of those who have the Holy Spirit, for the Scriptures
assure us that those who have the spirit of Christ are recognized by the Master, and He
knoweth them that are His.
IT has been the privilege of Christians once more to celebrate the
anniversary of our dear Savior's death--on the evening of April 21st, which we believe
was, according to ancient Hebrew reckoning the, 14th of Nisan; this being the time
appointed for the observance of the Jewish Passover established in the Law of Moses.
Again, saintly followers of Christ, singly and in little groups, in all parts of the earth
memorialized the great redemptive sacrifice made in behalf of all the race, by partaking
of the simple emblems, the broken bread and the cup of "the fruit of the vine."
This simple Memorial, so expressive of the Savior's love, devotion
and humility, is strangely at variance with that of any other as established by the
customs and dispositions of men. How different from the world's procedure to celebrate the
death of a man as a mark of reverence and love rather than the anniversary of his birth;
and in place of some imposing arch of triumph with special festival days of the blowing of
trumpets, the sounding of cymbals and noisy demonstrations, a quiet season of communion
and partaking of simple emblems. How like the meek and lowly Son of Man, the Lamb of God,
to thus arrange for the commemoration of the great transaction by which the world shall be
delivered from sin and death, and which in due time seals and makes effective a New
Covenant in which all may rejoice everlastingly in the glorious freedom of the children of
God!
Not only is the death, the redemptive sacrifice, of, our Lord
represented in this Memorial, but also that which only the sanctified followers of the
Master are able to discern-the Mystery of God concealed from ages and ages and now made
known to His saints. (Col. 1:26.) The gracious invitation of the Lord inviting His
disciples to share with Him in His cup of sacrificial sufferings and death, and to be
broken. with Him as part 'of the unleavened loaf in behalf of the world--"all the
people"--this oneness with Christ as members of His Body to suffer with Him now and
to reign with Him when the Kingdom is fully established in power and authority, is
devoutly recognized by God's true and saintly people as a part of this grand Memorial.
Sharing with the Savior in His death we shall also participate with Him in His
resurrection-the Chief Resurrection.
From every indication in all of the signs developing in this day of
stupendous events it is recognized that ere long the cup of suffering will be fully
drained by the final members of the Church of Christ and then in accord with the Savior's
promise, the faithful ones shall drink of "the new wine" in glory, honor and
immortality.
With these and similar thoughts the Brooklyn Ecclesia, consisting of
about 1,00, met on the evening of April 21st ,and partook of the Lord's Supper. We sang
together hymns of praise and thanksgiving. We worshipped the Lord for the privileges of
this occasion. The significance of the Passover was reviewed. The solemn meaning of the
emblems was considered.. Additionally we sought to have before our minds afresh the
necessity of seeing to it that our hearts were cleansed of the leaven of anger, malice,
hatred, bitterness and strife, and to come to the Lord's table in sincerity and love. The
season was indeed one that brought to our hearts rich blessing. The Lord's people the
world over were remembered at the Throne of Grace, and we prayed that the occasion might
prove a blessed one to all, and too, we were comforted with the thought that we were
remembered in the prayers of others.
Let us, dear brethren, as the times grow. more momentous and the
evils of this day increase, seek to preserve the sweet spirit of the Lord's Memorial, and
let us have in remembrance the Lord's special admonition to His follow. ers uttered at
this season of the year: "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation."
* * * * *
We shall be pleased to receive a postal from those Classes so
disposed, stating the number who partook of the Emblems. This includes also the ones and
twos.
SERIES LII
THE EPILOGUE OF THE APOCALYPSE
"And he said to me, 'These
Words are faithful and true,- and the Lord God of the Spirits of the Prophets sent His
Angel to show to His Servants what it is necessary to have done speedily."--Rev.
22:6.
WITH the words of the revealing angel recorded in the preceding
verse, "they shall reign forever and ever," the prophetic visions of the
Revelation cease and thus closed this series of wonderful symbolic pictures or photographs
representing the eventful history of the Church, spiritual, nominal and apostate,
throughout the Gospel Age, including also the destruction of the nominal and apostate
Baby-lonian systems-the union and exaltation to glory of the true Church to reign with her
Divine Lord, and the blessings to flow to humanity through that glorious reign resulting
in Paradise restored the most marvelous drama of' all time had passed before the
enraptured vision of the beloved Apostle.
The time occupied by the revealing angel in giving these visions to
St. John must have been very brief, at the most but an hour or so, on that memorable
Lord's day. The matters represented as hidden in the symbolic seven-sealed Scroll were
then to. be written by St. John and sent immediately to the seven Churches-the whole
Church-to be understood by the Church as the events of history gradually unveiled their
meaning. We who now live see clearly the fulfillment of these remarkable visions,
describing the experiences of the witnesses of Jesus as they came in contact with worldly
powers, false professors, nominal and apostate Christian systems, in their endeavors to
proclaim the Gospel. Thrice, including the messages to the seven Churches (Rev. 2 and 3)
had the visions in their fulfillment traversed the whole Gospel Age, bringing the history
down into the closing scenes, the great tribulation that ends the present World order.
Thrice also had the events of the Harvest period, the end of the Age, been covered by the
visions. The visions describing the closing scenes of the Age we have found constituted a
large proportion of the book. After viewing these things the Apostle was next permitted in
vision to look over beyond these present scenes and behold the faithful followers of
Christ, exalted to glory and honor, and united with their Divine Lord and Master, becoming
sharers with Him in His heavenly glory and associated with Him as kingly judges and
priests in the grand work foretold by all the holy Prophets, of restoring the obedient of
the race to mental, moral and physical perfection, and making their home, the renewed
earth, a never-ending Paradise of beauty and blessedness.
It will be well to note at this point that history records the fact,
thus proving the truthfulness of the historical interpretation of the Revelation, that St.
John himself afterwards understood the meaning of certain features of the visions that he
was permitted to see; and he made known the same to his disciple Polycarp, who in turn
communicated them. to the saintly Irenaeus and others. Some of the visions were so like
those seen by Daniel centuries before, which were familiar to St. John, that he
immediately saw their application to the suffering saints of God in their trials,
tribulations and persecutions at the instigation of the rulers of the Roman Empire.
"BEHOLD! I COME SPEEDILY"
The words we now consider constitute what we may properly call the
epilogue, the conclusion, of the book of Revelation. Having fulfilled his appointed
commission of showing to St. John the visions, the revealing angel comes to him directly
and in the language of verse 6, in the solemn asseveration, assures him of their
truthfulness--that they were Divine disclosures of the future, and that they would
speedily begin to come to pass. Three different times is St. John told that these visions
were true, were of Divine origin. (Chap. 19:9; 21:5; 22:6.) In the opening vision of the
Revelation, St. John is told that Christ sent His angel to him to make known to His people
things that must shortly come to pass; and now when St. John had beheld all the visions we
have the similar utterance, "And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets hath sent His
angel to show to His, servants what it is necessary to have done speedily." And, as
doubtless designed to show the importance and give emphasis to this statement, the Apostle
a moment later hears the Divine Master Himself testifying to the same fact, in the words:
"I Jesus sent my Angel to testify to you these things in the Congregations."--V.
16.
After the angel had solemnly affirmed to St. John the truthfulness of
the prophecies contained in the several visions, the Master Himself is heard to speak,
saying: "Behold! I am coming speedily; blessed is He who keeps the words of the
Prophecy of this Book." (V. 7.) The words, "Behold! I come speedily," are
designed to teach the importance that the Second Advent of the Lord should have in the
instruction and experiences of His faithful followers. That most significant of all events
must be held in the highest and most sacred regard as the time when the long cherished
hopes of the Church would be fully realized, and as the time of the culmination of the
Lord's great purposes for the human race. In proportion as it has been kept before the
minds of the Lord's followers throughout the centuries of the Gospel Age, has the Church
preserved her primitive piety and purity of life and doctrine. One who wrote sixty years
ago has truthfully and forcefully said concerning this:
"When men [of the Church] forget to think of the coming again of
the Lord Jesus in His great Apocalypse, when they cease to look and long for that as the
crown and goal of their faith and hope, when they make light of it, and treat it as a
fable, and regard all concern about it as fanaticism, they show and prove that they do not
belong to that elect body of God's saints which constitutes the Bride of the Lamb; for the
deepest heart-voice of the Bride, with that of the spirit itself, is, 'Come Lord Jesus;
come as Thou hast promised and foreshown; come quickly.' Taking all the precepts and
inculcations of the sacred Scriptures with regard to Christ's return, it becomes a plain
and evident impossibility for people to be true and obedient followers of the Gospel and
not look and watch and long and pray and make it a great point in all their religious
activity and devotion to be ready 'for the glorious coming of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ. The Apostles and early Church were all alive to this subject, beyond
everything else in Christianity. It was their life, their aspiration, the pole-star of
their faith and hope. It was the thing which most marked them, set them apart from the
world, and was their great distinguishing spirit as ,compared with other people. And if it
is not so with Christians now, it is because they 'have sunk away from the original life
of their religion, and lost their proper fellowship with the true and only Bride of the
Lamb; for the voice of the Bride to her Lord continually is, 'Come! Nor can she be in the
spirit and life of a true bride, without having this feeling ever living in her soul, and
permeating her whole being. Destined for Christ, and having her chief joy and salvation in
Him, and what He has ordained to accomplish for His people, she cannot but go out with all
zeal and fervency for His revelation [manifestation] or she ceases in soul from her
character as His Bride."--SEISS.
VITAL IMPORTANCE OF REVELATION MESSAGES
The words, "Blessed is He
who keeps the Words of the Prophecy of this Book," also come from the Divine Master
Himself. We are reminded by these words of the seven-times-repeated admonition ut tered
by Him and recorded in chapters two and three: "Let him who has an ear hear what the
spirit says to the congregations." The language teaches very clearly that the Master
saw beforehand the neglect, the prejudice, and the ill-treatment these prophetic visions
of the Revelation would encounter at the hands of the Church-not only the nominal, but
even many of His true followers. How much these exhortations were needed, history now
informs us in no uncertain tones. Only the flew have given heed to these encouraging
messages and salutary admonitions. Many leaders of the Lord's people have by their example
and teaching discouraged, instead of encouraged as the Savior did, the read ing or
hearing of this book read. Others have ridi culed those who have sought to heed these
exhorta tions of their Divine Lord. It is said that James Robinson who wrote on the
Revelation in 1730 gave expression, to the words: "Some are. not ashamed directly to
flout at, and spit contempt upon those that meddle with the exposition of this prophecy;
which is an indirect battering of a great part of God's Word. Thus Dr. South, in one of
his sermons, affirms that none but a madman will meddle with the Revelation; or, if he has
wits at the beginning, before he has done, they will be cracked. And Da vies, a Welsh
bombastic barrister, has the impu dence to insult a learned and reverend prelate, yet
alive, because he consumed two full years and more on this prophecy." But as another
has said, "we can afford to let men sneer when we have the sure benediction of
God": "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this
prophecy."
To keep the words -of the prophecy of this book would necessitate at
least a partial understanding of the prophetic utterances contained in the book. Those who
have in the past heeded the Master's exhortations and, admonitions along these lines have
been enabled to realize their importance in the help which they have received in their
service for the Master, and in keeping themselves free from the false systems referred to
in the visions of the book. As history has gradually unveiled the meaning of the symbolic
visions, not a few of God's people throughout the Age now closing have been helped by
being built up in their most holy faith, encouraged, cheered, and comforted in their hours
of isolation and their days of trial and misrepresentation and persecution, by
understanding its visions. If this has been true in the past, how much more is it true
today, when nearly all of its visions have met their fulfillment, and by understanding
these, such are enabled to forecast with measurable correctness the fulfillment of the few
that yet remain, and thus come to a knowledge of the nearness of the realization of the
Church's hope, Israel's restoration to favor and the Divinely predicted restitution of all
things. The time is now come for the Lord's people to understand all these wonderful
visions and this is one of the many evidences that we are living in the days of the Second
Presence of the Son of Man.
ST. JOHN WORSHIPS REVEALING ANGEL
St. John next informs those to whom he was to make known the visions,
God's servants, that when the angel had finished his Divine commission of showing to him
the visions, that he was so overcome, so overawed, that he fell prostrate before the
revealing angel. The emotions of St. John at this moment are variously interpreted by
expositors. MR. SEISS has thus expressed himself concerning this:
"So wonderful were the revelations, and so wonderful was the
knowledge and understanding of the angel which communicated these things, that St. John
was filled with the profoundest adoration. Twice he fell down before the feet of the angel
to worship him. He meant no idolatry; but so wonderful in wisdom and intelligence was his
heavenly guide, and so transcendent were the things shown, that he could not but think
that it was God Himself. The presentations all along were such as to make it hard to
distinguish whether it was God Himself speaking, or whether it was through a created
messenger that He spoke. And in this instance particularly, it certainly was the Lord
Jesus whom he heard say, 'Behold I come quickly'; and not distinguishing between Him who
spoke and the messenger through whom He spoke, John 'fell down before the feet of the
angel.' This clearly shows that the holy Apostles held Christ to be a worshipful being. *
* * The only mistake was that he did not at the moment perceive that it was a created
angel speaking for Christ, and not Christ Himself in the form of an angel. Even the best
and holiest of men may make mistakes from their human impulses, as Mose's when he broke
the tables of the Law, and Peter when he avoided the Gentile Christians at Antioch. But
innocent mistakes and those which result from the truest and devoutest intentions may be
very injurious and need to be promptly corrected. There was danger here of a double sin,
one on the part of John in giving worship to the angel instead of to Christ, and one on
the part of the angel in accepting worship -which belongs only to Deity. But John was in
doubt which the angel was not, and therefore, it belonged to, the angel, in truth and
fidelity to John, as well as to God Himself, to correct John's mistake on the spot. The
Devil solicits adoration, but holy angels repel it as a detraction from Jehovah. Hence,
when John fell down to worship before this holy angel's feet, promptly came the word,
'Take heed, no; I am a fellow-servant of thee and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of
those who keep the words of the Book. Worship God.'
"SEE THOU DO IT NOT"
"The incident shows that no saint or angel worship can have the
approval of heaven. If it was wrong to worship this glorious heavenly messenger in and
through whom came forth the very voice of ,Jesus, how can it be right to worship and pray
to the Virgin Mary, to whom is assigned no dignity or ,office? The impulse and intention
may be devout and good; but it is a great mistake and we take the :side of heaven and holy
angels, when we say to those -who do it: 'See, no, no; you do greatly err; you are taking
Christ's honor from Him, and bestowing it upon a human mother or friends; worship God, for
it is written, "Him only shalt thou serve [worship]."'
DAVID N. LORD has similarly interpreted this action of St. John and
the admonitory words of the angel. His thought was that the homage which the Apostle was
about to pay to the angel was probably not of -adoration but of gratitude merely, for his
condescension and benignity in showing him the visions which were soon to begin to take
place, and especially those that related to the reign of Christ and His glorified saints.
This writer's comment on the admonition of the angel to St. John has been always timely
particularly so at the present time. The lesson he draws from it is that the angel
exhibits in his reply the spirit of the true worshipers in contrast with the usurpers of
the rights of God and their idolatrous followers. It was God who appointed him to that
work, and in fulfilling his appointed work he was acting toward Him in the same capacity
of a servant as was St. John himself in receiving it and giving it to the Church. And all
who keep the words of the book are simply fulfilling their offices as witnesses for
Christ.
MR. BARNES' thought concerning this matter is that St. John probably
entertained a suspicion that it was Christ Himself who had manifested Himself to him in
this remarkable manner; and that the angel's words were simply designed to correct this
misapprehension and to make known to him that he was like St. John and the other divinely
chosen Prophets, and as they were not entitled to worship, no more was he. This
interpretation appears to be most reasonable. for angels have nothing of their own to
deliver but are simply messengers, "doing His commandments and hearkening unto the
voice of His words," and so the utterances of all inspired men of old are His, and we
simply hear His voice through them. Looking at the matter from this standpoint it rather,
therefore, speaks of the faithfulness of St. John to the Word of God. It also brings forth
the faithfulness of the angel who at once announces himself as simply and only a
fellow-servant of St. John and of his brethren the Prophets.
There is, however, a significant lesson taught in this incident. St.
John represented, doubtless, those favored members of the Church who live now in this
present time, and to whom are granted the privilege of understanding more and more of this
wonderful revelation. The understanding of these things, for some years past being
unfolded by different messengers represented by the one angel, might result in some
'imbibing the spirit or disposition to do too much honor to those used of God in
interpreting and applying these visions. This was the thought Of PASTOR RUSSELL who thus
expresses himself concerning the matter:
"The proprieties of the case are set forth to us, in the conduct
of the symbolical angel who talked to John and who represented some [not necessarily one
special one] in the end of this Age commissioned to present God's Truth to His people. He
said, 'See thou do it not'-do not worship me, for I am not the author of this Plan. I am
thy fellow-servant, a brother to all the Prophets and all those who keep the message of
this revelation. God alone should be worshiped: He is the Author of the great Plan and
will be the finisher of it. It is brought to our attention now by. Him because it is now
'due time' for His people to come to an appreciation of His Plans."--Z '05-173.
SEAL NOT THE WORDS OF THIS PROPHECY
The revealing angel's next words were, "Seal not the Words of
the Prophecy of this Book; for the Time is at Hand."--V. 10.
It is truly refreshing and encouraging, as well as interesting and
profitable, to contrast the attitude of some of the older expositors of the Bible, those
living in the first half of the nineteenth century, who' did their part in unfolding the
visions of this wonderful book, with most of the professed ministers of the Word today.
St. John was not to seal them up, that is, not to conceal them, but to record them, to
make them known, to publish them to the Churches. Not from any self-will or choice on his
part, therefore, were these Apocalyptic records put before the Lord's people, but by
direct command of our God and Savior; such is a brief summing up of the words by one of
these expositors. He further- says, "And if he commanded the writing of them, I
cannot see how men can excuse themselves from reading and studying them, or put them from
them as of no practical worth, and yet retain their holy faithfulness to the plain will
and inculcations of our blessed Lord and judge." In a lecture discoursing on the
words under consideration, over fifty years ago, this same man of God thus entreats his
hearers: "0, my friends, let us beware how we neglect or despise a book upon which
God Almighty has laid so much stress, urgency and importance. If John had sealed it up, or
failed to lay it before us as it is, he would have forfeited his place and standing as an
Apostle of Christ; how, then, can we think our duty discharged, or the 'provisions of our
highest blessedness duly accepted and used, if we pass it by as a dead letter, or make it
to us as if it had never been ?"
MR. BARNES, a most godly writer, although in his .expositions
inclined toward the Post Millennial theory, thus very truthfully and forcefully expressed
himself in 1851: "Isaiah (8:16; 30:8) and Daniel (8:26; 12:4, 9) were commanded to
seal up their prophecies. Their prophecies related to far-distant times, and the idea in
their being commanded to seal them was that they should make the record sure and
unchangeable; that they should finish it and lay it up for future ages; so that in
far-distant times, the events might be compared with the prophecy and it might be seen
that there was an exact correspondence between the prophecy and the fulfillment. Their
prophecies would not be immediately demanded for the use of persecuted saints, but would
pertain to future ages.
"On the other hand, the events which John had predicted, though
in their ultimate development they were to extend to the end of the world and even into
eternity, were about to begin to be fulfilled
and were of immediate use in consoling a
persecuted Church. John, therefore, was directed not
to seal up his predictions; not to lay them
away to be opened as it were in distant ages, but to leave them open ,so that
a persecuted Church might have access to them, and might in times of persecution and trial
have the assurance that the principles of their religion would finally triumph."
The expression "For the time is at hand," implies that they
would soon commence, not that they would soon,
be completed. The thought evidently is that as the scenes of persecution had already
commenced in St. John's day, and would continue to increase in severity, it was very
necessary that the saints should have these prophetic visions to comfort them, and as they
looked forward to the final outcome, the triumph of the Church, they would be sustained
and upheld in their trials.
THE Convention appointed for Boston, Mass., to which only a few days
ago the brethren eagerly looked forward, is now in the past. In this, our first general
gathering of the year, April 16-19, we feel that our expectations were quite, if not more
than fully, realized so far as spiritual results are concerned; and, of course, it is for
such results that all of our gatherings and conferences on holy things are called. Upward
of 200 brethren were present participating in the fellowship at the largest session on
Sunday afternoon, April 17th.
Though some of the outward conditions, weather, etc., were
unpropitious throughout, yet this seemed not to hinder a full and hearty expression of
that deep, spiritual peace and joy known and possessed by all the sons of God. One feature
that contributed largely to the success of the Convention was the desirable location of
the auditorium in which all the meetings were held in THE FRANKLIN SQUARE HOUSE, a large,
spacious building. This is not an ordinary hotel, but is regarded and used as a "Home
Hotel" for working girls and student girls with moderate incomes. Thus this
institution is far more than a mere hotel enterprise. It is a hotel containing recreation
rooms, and the care of nurses and physicians when needed, and above all, the advantages of
the sympathetic, human interest of the management in every girl who becomes a resident.
Such an institution does credit to the City of Boston, and, indeed,. its kind is needed in
every large city.
The occasion of our assembling in this building, therefore, was one
for us, to return thanks to God afresh; that in the presence of so many unhappy and
unfavorable circumstances there exists amongst men those of high ideals and noble
impulses, and whose lives are largely dedicated to the execution of benevolent designs.
The proprietors of this building in which the Convention was held
were gracious and kind to us, giving us every liberty and courtesy that we could
reasonably desire; and having access to the large dining room throughout the day-, it was
unnecessary for any to leave the building from the time of entering in the morning until
after the last service of the evening; hence it was manifest that the blessings of the
Convention were undisturbed by the outside storm. The dear brethren of the local Class in
Boston extended hearty greetings to all the visiting friends and kindly looked after their
needs.
The program providing 14 speakers
seemed to be very pleasing to all. These brethren who ministered from the platform
manifestly endeavored to engage the attention and thought of the friends on the things
pertinent to the inner life, the new life, the "new creature in Christ Jesus";
on things, also, seasonable and such as it was hoped would assist all to "lift up the
hands which -hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for their feet, lest
that which is lame be turned out of the way." The Divine warnings and admonitions
were repeatedly referred to, bearing upon the race course of the Christian here in the
house of his pilgrimage, and the necessity of holding fast to sound doctrine, thoroughly
established upon the sure Word of God; additionally, the urgent need for all to jealously
guard their liberty in Christ and the right of personally deciding all matters of doctrine
and Christian living. Attention was repeatedly called to the great lessons of obedience,
humility, and love before us in the Bible, and to the fact that our inheritance in the
promise's of God awaits, and is dependent upon our learning and living according to those
solemn lessons which alone will produce the fruitage of character that will win the crown
of glory that fadeth not away.
The brethren were once more asked to lift up their heads with
courage, in view of the close proximity of their glorious deliverance. The signs all about
us that mark the presence of the Son of Man on earth were reviewed, and the good
foundation we have for our confidence in the early establishment of the Kingdom of God.
This did not mean that the brethren were to regard any particular hour, or day, or month,
or even any exact year, as of first or chief importance in their minds. Rather, the
friends were admonished to press on in bearing the cross and to continue their labors in
the ministry--their service of love for one another, and for all men as they have
opportunity, and to leave with the Lord the matter of the exact day or year of their
deliverance; and while thus -doing, to so order their lives before the Lord that should
the call come today, tomorrow, or next week, or even some years hence, it would be well
with us and find us ready, and so we would be enabled to say with St. Paul: "I have
fought a good fight, I have kept the faith," etc.
The spirit of full consecration, humility, love, and of Christian
forbearance observed amongst the brethren, gave refreshment to our spirits, an evidence
indeed that the spiritual interests of God's children are all bound up together in one
common union in Christ, and center in the promises of God, which are all yea and amen in
Christ Jesus. And in all of this there was the forcible reminder that as the years are
coming and going it is not without bringing their opportunities and privileges of growing
in the knowledge and grace of our Lord and Savior; and that there are faithful souls
successfully laboring under the weight of the cross and striving with' heroic courage to
gain the mastery, over the self-life, over the world, and the Evil One. 'While we were
together during the days of this conference God's people the world over were especially
remembered. Many prayers were offered for His children everywhere, and at the Throne of
Grace earnest petitions were expressed for especially those who are isolated, those who
dwell in solitude, and the troubled -and tried.
The Convention concluded as usual with a feast of love, which was the
occasion for the friends to once more bid each other godspeed, and to give assurance to
one another that fervent Christian love and prayers would continue for all fellow-members
of the same body. Surely none of those who were in attendance at the Convention could have
any other sentiment than that it was good to be there and have a part in this Season of
fellowship.
ALTHOUGH the brethren' associated in the work and ministry, of the
PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE are generally aware that the regular annual meeting of the
INSTITUTE is, according
to its Charter, to be held the first Saturday in the month of June, we are now giving the
required official notice. As the office of the Directors expires annually, this meeting of
the -members is for the purpose primarily of electing Directors and of course for the
transaction of such other business as may be desired by the members. The meeting this year
will be held on June 4th in the Tollner Block, corner Bedford Avenue and Madison St.,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
The following are the names of the brethren who are serving as
Directors at the present time and whose term of office expires June 4:
I. I. MARGESON, I. F. HOSKINS,
F. J. PRITCHARD, H. C. ROCKWELL,
P. L. GREINER, F. H. McGEE,
J. L. COOKE.
At this annual meeting a full report of the activities of the
PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE from June 5, 1920, to June 4, 1921, will be made. At this time we
would briefly state that the brethren who have been serving as Directors or Trustees of
the INSTITUTE firmly believe that the Lord's blessing has rested upon their endeavors in
the ministry during the past year in a marked degree. It gives us pleasure to report that
the Lord has blessed us with a state of harmony in our midst. The oneness of mind
-existing amongst the Directors on all of the essential features of our work and ministry
has made the occasion of our coming together one or more times each month one of special
pleasure and profit. This harmony of vision has led more and more to a singleness and
unanimity of purpose in carrying forward the various branches of the ministry committed to
our trust.
.For further information regarding the PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE see
January 1, 1919, issue of this journal, page 11; also April 1, 1919, page 100, and Dec.
15, 1919, page 347. It is important that the following provisions of the Charter and
by-laws be noted by all, viz.:
(1) Only those holding voting Certificates of Membership will be
eligible to take part in the annual meeting or in the election, though others may be
present. If you have made a donation of Five Dollars at one time to the funds of the
"Institute," and have not received a Certificate of Membership, you should
notify us regarding the matter.
(2) No voting Membership Certificate is transferable.
(3) Any voting Membership Certificate in order to be valid for voting
on June 4th must have been issued in the office of the "Institute" not later
than 20 days prior to the election, which this year would be not later than May 15th.
(4) It is not necessary for one holding a voting Certificate to be
present in order to cast his vote. If any so choose, they may send in their proxy to the
Secretary, or to another in attendance, but in so doing they must state on the proxy the
names of the exact seven brethren for whom they wish to cast their votes for Directors, so
that no discretion is left to the one using the proxy as to the person for whom the vote
is to be cast. A proxy form will be mailed to each member prior to the election.
While we could wish that all the brethren might attend this annual
meeting, yet we know that not all will find it convenient, and as indicated in item 4
above, those unable to be present may have a voice in the election of the seven Directors
to serve another year by giving their proxy to another to act for them.
GENERAL CONVENTION IN BROOKLYN
In harmony with a previous notice a General Convention will be held
in Brooklyn in connection with the annual meeting, the dates being June 3-5. It is hoped
that this will prove a favorable season for a considerable number to suspend their usual
home tasks and come apart to praise the Lord and to participate in convention joys. The
PASTORAL B113LE INSTITUTE, in association with the Brooklyn Ecclesia, extends a cordial
invitation to all fellow-members of the same Body to meet with them in June, feeling
assured that if we unitedly seek the Lord in purity of purpose and with the love of Christ
filling our hearts He will grant the smile of His approval and make the occasion a blessed
one to all. With exception of the public meeting all the sessions of the Convention will
be held in the Tollner Block, corner Bedford Avenue and Madison Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.
The public meeting will be at 3 o'clock, Sunday afternoon, at the Academy of Music,
Ashland Place and Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Those desiring that accommodations be
engaged for them or who wish further 'information should address the Class Secretary, F.
H. Mundell, 201 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.
OTHER GENERAL CONVENTIONS
Chicago, Ill., May 28, 29
and 30. We are looking forward to a most successful gathering of the brethren at this
time, believing the dates indicated should be quite favorable to many, and the occasion
should afford opportunity to a good number of the scattered friends throughout the Middle
West to participate in convention joys. Of course, our greatest success at this
Convention, as well as at all our gatherings in these days, would be expected to be along
the lines of rich spiritual fellowship, and in the encouragement of one another in Faith,
Hope and Love, rather than in numbers. However, let us earnestly seek the Lord to see if
He may not open the way for us to attend and share this blessing. The dear brethren in
Chicago wish us to extend a very cordial invitation to all those trusting in the precious
blood, and especially to the consecrated, to unite with them at this Convention in making
a "joyful sound unto the Lord." We are sure you will be warmly, welcomed by the
Chicago friends. We 'believe we can safely promise an interesting program and that
brethren well equipped in the things of the spirit of the Lord will address the various
sessions of the Convention. All sessions of the Convention will 'be held in the Masonic
Temple, State and Randolph Streets. For information concerning lodging, etc., address the
Class Secretary, Miss E. M. Hoskins, 6016 Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Toledo, Ohio, July 2, 3
and 4. This also will be a very good time for the friends to assemble, and the location is
excellent. We trust for many rich spiritual blessings on this occasion. All sessions of
the Convention will be held in the Memorial Hall Annex, Adams and Ontario Streets. For
further particulars regarding lodging, etc., address the Class Secretary, C. H. Gilson,
630 Walnut Street, Toledo, Ohio.
Providence, R. I., in the
month of September (exact dates given later). We have but to mention the name of
Providence and we are at once assured that a Convention in that city means riches of
Divine truth and grace and precious fellowship, for such have been our experiences in the
several gatherings of the friends there in recent years. Further details of this
Convention will be noted later.
--MAY 8--LEV.
23:39-43; DEUT. 5:12-15; MARK 6:31, 32--
Golden Text.--"The streets
of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof."--Zech. 8:5.
THE Jewish Sabbath system (the seventh day and the fiftieth day, the
seventh year and the fiftieth year), as well as the system of Feasts, constituted
important features of God's provision for the highest good and blessing of ancient
'Israel, to say nothing of the beautiful and helpful lessons contained. there in for
spiritual Israel.
The theme selected, Rest and Recreation, logically leads to the
consideration of Israel's Sabbaths and Feasts, which were seasons when they retired from
their usual pursuits to enjoy rest, and were made occasions of special thanksgiving and
worship to Jehovah, as well
as for the observance of certain ordinances and ceremonies, all of which we believe were
illustrative, or pictorial of certain duties, blessings, privileges of a spiritual kind,
some of which apply to the New Creation of this Gospel Age, and some to humanity in the
coming Age.
The spiritual Israelite, although in no sense of the word under the
Law of Sinai, which was given exclusively to the fleshly Israelite, has nevertheless his
Sabbath day-his rest day. It is a larger and a fuller day than was the Jewish. one, as his
rest is a grander and more perfect rest than :the physical one of the Jew. The spiritual
Israelite rests in faith, rests in Christ. Having taken upon him the yoke of this new
Master he finds, as was promised, rest to his soul, and
not merely rest to his flesh--mind-rest, not merely bodily rest. (Matt. 111:29.) This is
the rest or Sabbath mentioned by the Apostle (Heb. 4:3), saying, "We which have
believed do enter into. rest." Our rest in the Lord is as complete as is any belief
in Him.
THE CHRISTIAN'S SABBATH
While the spiritual Israelite should never lose sight of this, his
real Sabbath, the antitype of fleshly Israel's -Sabbath days and Sabbath years, and while he should never forget that he
is completely freed from the Law of Sinai respecting any and all Sabbaths, holy days, new
moons, etc. (Col. 2:16), nevertheless he does rejoice in and should avail himself of any
arrangements of nominal Christendom which may appear to be favorable to his spiritual
resting, his continual Sabbath-keeping.
It so happens that nominal Christendom has set apart one day in seven
as a Sabbath of rest -- not the seventh day, which was commanded to the Jews, but the
first day of the week, which was never commanded to anyone by Divine authority. No matter
by whatsoever misconception this first day of the week, called Sunday in commemoration of
the ancient heathen worship of the sun, was originally set apart as sacred, and is still
set apart by the laws of Christendom, it contains a great blessing, not only to the people
at large, but especially to the true Israelites.
To the people at large it means a day of rest from toil, .a day of
recreation, refreshment, change; a day for different sights and sounds; a day different
from other days immersed in toil; a day of opportunity for mental development according to
the best lines they may have knowledge of and be willing to follow. For a time some
laborers, mechanics and merchants regarded the compulsory cessation of toil as a hardship,
injurious to their interests, but they very generally have come to see that there is an
over-supply of labor anyway, and that as far as the whole people is concerned, the labor
of the six days will be worth exactly as much as the labor of seven. Consequently we find
that now labor organizations are earnest for the enforcement of Sunday laws, and that
practically the only persons of contrary mind are those who own and operate machinery.
While the fourth commandment to fleshly Israel was chiefly in the
nature of a type, foreshadowing the rest coming to spiritual Israelites, nevertheless,
like every Divine law, it was in no wise injurious, but on the contrary very beneficial to
fleshly Israel to observe the seventh day, even as it is now beneficial to all mankind to
observe a seventh day-whether the first day of the we&, observed by Christendom, or
the seventh day of the week observed by the Jews. Experience proves that such a rest is
necessary from the human and physical standpoint.
To the true spiritual Israelite Sunday is and for long centuries has
been a great boon, a great blessing--the only drawback has been that not infrequently he
has been mistaught to believe that Sunday is the Jewish Sabbath or a Divinely appointed
substitute for it, and in consequence has been brought under a bondage--the bondage of the
Jewish Law, with which really the spiritual Israelite has nothing whatever to do, he being
under the covenant of sacrifice the law of which is love. But the spiritual Israelite,
already resting in heart (Sabbath-keeping antitypically, by faith in the Redeemer's
finished work), rightly understanding the matter and appreciating the privileges which a
general 'Sunday observance brings, may use this day to wonderful profit and blessing. And
the fact that he has an opportunity so to do means to him an obligation so to do; because,
though without stipulations of law to bind him, he is under the general Law of Love, and
by it is obligated to do with his might what his hands find to do-to glorify the Lord, to
bless the brethren, and to do good unto all men as he may have opportunity: and the day
and customs are favorable to his exercise in all these respects.
The spiritual Israelite is to esteem that whatever mistaken nations
humanity may have had which led them to set apart the first day of the week, the matter
has nevertheless been evidently of Divine providence to present special opportunities for
profit and progress to the spiritual Israelites now called to be of the Royal Priesthood.
And such are prompt to avail themselves of these privileges and opportunities; to assemble
themselves for the study of the Divine Word, for praise, for prayer and for spiritual
fellowship, building one another up in the most holy faith.
In view of the fact that the -majority of the Lord's consecrated
people are poor-not many great, not many wise, not many learned, not many rich-how
necessary it has been that the Lord should provide such an opportunity as this day affords
for release from earthly toil and afford spiritual refreshment; and how fortunate it is
for such that the masses of Christendom esteem Test on this day to be compulsory from the
Divine standpoint.
It is our privilege therefore to let this day of rest be entirely
separated from business, and so far as possible from all labor not actually necessary; to
let it be employed in the upbuilding of ourselves and families, and the household of
faith, and as many as the Truth shall draw into our sphere of influence--in moral and
spiritual directions.
The Golden Text selected for this lesson we do not think relates
specially to the subject under consideration, but is rather a part of the prophecy
picturing the restoration of Israel in the future when the Lord shall have returned to
Zion and when "Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the Mountain of the
Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain." -Zech. 8:3.
--MAY 15-1 COR.
12:4-27; JOHN 6:1-14--
Golden
Text--"Ye are the Body of Christ, and severally members thereof."--1 Cor. 12:27.
IN the beginning of this Age, Jesus, quoting the prophecy of Isa.
61:1, 2, clearly gave the inference that then the acceptable year of the Lord began., In
fact from the Scriptures in general we have gathered that this entire Gospel Age is the
"acceptable year of the Lord," during which He has been willing to accept the sacrifices of believers, their full
consecration unto death. Each sacrificer thus responding to the Call of the Age (Rom.
12:1) has at once been accepted to a place, a membership, in the "Church of the
First-born, whose names are written in heaven." The Apostle says, "As the body
is one, and hath many members * * * so also is Christ. For by one spirit we are all
baptized into one 'body * * * and have been all made to drink into one spirit." But
this acceptance, as we have seen, does not :conclude the matter: it is required of all
consecrators that they shall "die daily"--that is, that their attitude of entire
consecration shall be continued daily until they too can finally declare, "it is
finished." It is required by the consecration that this perseverance in sacrificing
and well-doing shall be continued patiently and faithfully, and that the end, with us
as-with 'our Lord and Head, shall be literal death. As it is written: "I have said,
Ye are gods [elohim--mighty Ones] all of you
sons of the Highest -yet ye shall die like men, ye shall fall like one of the
princes"--not like Prince Adam, convicts; but like Prince Jesus--participators in His
death. (Psa. 82:6, 7.) 'This faithfulness, this daily dying, is requisite to our making
our calling and election sure; and it is to such as faithfully walk in the footsteps of
the Lord that He promises the glory, honor and immortality reserved for the faithful
overcomers who shall constitute the "Very Elect" members of the New Creation.
Our Lord's words are, "Be thou faithful unto death.
and I will give thee a crown of life."--Rev. 2:10.
With the starting of the Church at our Lord's First Advent, the
Wisdom of God saw fit to accompany the ministry of the Word with certain miracles, gifts
and demonstrations of Divine power by which special attention was called to this feature
of God's purpose. There must be no uncertainty about the matter, it must be clearly
established that the time was then at hand for the Kingdom in embryo, to commence.
GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
We do not think that after a careful scrutiny of the subject, any one
today would claim to possess those gifts. The gifts described by St. Paul were given only
to the -early Church, as a means for its introduction to the attention of both Jews and
Gentiles, and also as a means for edification and instruction to the Church itself. For
this last-named reason one or more gifts were bestowed upon each one who associated with
the Church (1 Cor. 12:7, 11; 14:26), being conferred, by the laying on of the hands of the
Apostles, upon all who confessed Christ by immersion. Thus it was that these gifts became
a token or sign of the possession of the Holy Spirit. Yet the gifts of the spirit and the
spirit itself are separate and distinct. Today we possess the spirit, but certainly not
all of those miraculous gifts. And even then some had gifts of the spirit who were evidently far from
being filled with the spirit. That One might have those gifts and yet be
"nothing" and as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals, devoid of love, and hence
without Christ's spirit, the Apostle clearly shows in 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
The power of conferring those gifts was vested in the Apostles, and
in them only: none others in their day or since have been able to confer those gifts which
St. Paul describes; hence they did "vanish away" when the Apostles died. By that
time the Church had been brought prominently before the attention of the world, and
therefore those miraculous gifts were not necessary for that purpose; and by that time,
too, they began to have the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament in the possession
of each congregation, so that coming together they could edify and instruct and build one
another up With the Truth from those inspired sources, and not longer require, as at
first, the miraculous gifts as a means for their edification and instruction.
That only the Apostles could confer those gifts is proved: first, by
the fact that the claimed successors of the Apostles cannot communicate them since, and
second, by the cases recorded which show that none except the Apostles ever did have the
power to bestow those gifts. Notice, in proof of this, that though Philip, the evangelist,
possessed gifts and preached and baptized, yet he was not able to bestow gifts of the Holy
Spirit upon others, and when a necessity arose for their impartation the Apostles Peter
and John were sent from Jerusalem for the purpose. Further, notice the case of Simon
Magus: although one of the baptized, and evidently one of those granted a gift, he had no
power to bestow gifts upon others. It was this apostolic
privilege, of bestowing these gifts upon others, which Simon -wanted to purchase with
money, and for which he was so sharply reproved.--Acts 8:13-20.
Instead of miraculously receiving gifts as at first, we now grow the fruits of the spirit, which are meekness,
gentleness, patience, moderation, brotherly kindness, charity, etc. These fruits may
really be counted as gifts or acquirements also, though they come to us not by apostolic
benediction, but in a different way-by cultivation. 'Hence we find, too, that although St.
Paul calls these graces- "gifts" in one place, he calls them "fruits"
elsewhere. (Compare Gal. 5:22; 1 Cor. 13:1-8. In Eph. 5:9, these are called fruits of the light. See readings of old MSS.) Under God's
present dealing, all the needs of the Church are none the less provided for than when the
"gifts" were bestowed, as at first, in a miraculous manner, by the laying on of
the Apostle's hands. Now we find that the spirit of Truth is pleased to mould and fashion
and use every consecrated one by utilizing his natural
talents and advantages of education, language, etc., in teaching, edifying and
nourishing the true Church which is the Body of Christ.
Proper aspirations are very beneficial, both to the person himself
and to those with whom he comes in contact. Our Lord had an aspiration. We read of Him
that He "for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the
shame." (Heb. 12:2.) There are worthy incentives; otherwise the Father would not have
set one before His Son. The thought which should inspire us is that if we are faithful in
the things of this present time, the Lord will make us ruler over many things. So the
ardent desire to obtain these things which God has reserved for those who love Him, is
laudable; for these blessings are of God.
Every New Creature has high aspirations. In fact, every one should
have an ideal toward which he is striving; and having this wish to attain it indicates
that there is a motive behind the desire. It is altogether proper to have incentive's
before the mind, and it is proper to know what kind are worthy of our efforts; otherwise
wrong ones might lead us astray. In our text a most laudable aspiration is placed before
us.
The Church, which is the representative of Christ, is the Body of our
Lord in the flesh. And the Apostle Paul, speaking of ambitions, advised the Church that
they should have the more profitable aspirations, that they might be teachers, instructors
of the flock; for this is the most useful office in the Church. It is known that one gift
of St. Paul's time was speaking in an unknown tongue. It was a very remarkable gift. But
the Apostle pointed out that to speak. in an unknown tongue was not so much to be sought
after as some gift that would be useful in the Church.
We do not have these miraculous gifts in the present time, but we
have the World of God, and the desire to be able to make 'known the Truth of the Lord.
Therefore the gift of oratory is still a desirable one. The Apostle proceeded to point out
that we should desire to have the fruits of the spirit-that they may have a controlling
influence upon us.
RESPONSIBILITY UPON EACH ECCLESIA
As respects positions in the Church, the Lord indicated that He would do the setting. "Now Gold hath set
the various members of the Body as it hath pleased Him." God ordained that there
should be in the Body this setting; for instance, the service of the eye. As the eye
member assists the human body, so the eye member in the Church may be very assistful to
the Body of Christ. Also there are ear members, foot members, hand members and tongue
members. These different members have unlike services to perform for the welfare of the
whole body. The hand is not to say to the foot, "I have no need of thee," or'
vice versa. -1 Cor. 12:14-31.
If the body tries to walk on the hands, it is not the Divine order. The body
should walk on the feet. So it is in the
congregation. But if the congregation lays too much on the feet members, it is depriving
the hand members of their use. The various members should be in the positions where they
can render the most efficient service. In other words, the congregation should seek to
know the service God has evidently prepared each individual to perform. They are to seek
to use their best judgment, to place the right person in the right position.
We see congregations occasionally where they try to make all walk on
the hands and not on the feet. That congregation loses in not putting every member into,
the place for which Divine Providence has especially qualified him. To do so is the
responsibility of the congregation. However, if it tries to make the Body walk on the
hands instead of the feet, it will learn in time, probably, to get the hands to exercise
themselves in their own position, and likewise the feet in theirs; and each member will
finally do, the service for which he is fitted.
HUMILITY INDISPENSABLE TO GOD'S SERVICE
Not only is it to the disadvantage of the congregation for the
members to be in the wrong positions, but it is also wrong for the members to try to -do
other services than those which they should be
doing. It is not in our power to change ourselves from what we are by nature. Only Divine
Power could prepare us for service in another part of the Body. Our proper attitude should
be to really serve the Body of Christ, to serve the Lord. We should notice wherever there is
a service to be rendered which we can do. "Do
with thy might, what thy hands find to do."
The difficulty with many in the Church is that they desire to do what
somebody else is doing--something that they admire. They are not looking around to see
what they can always do-do good unto all men, as
they have opportunity, but especially unto those who are of the household of faith. They
have not the proper spirit it of discipleship. Therefore the injunction of our text should
lead them to say to
themselves, My highest ambition should be to serve
the Lord acceptably, and let Him take care
of the place where I may serve. Here is a little
place; there is a little corner. I will try to do the thing which is needful in my
position. 'If the Lord shall open the way, and show me something else which seems to be
more important, I will take that. But I will do with my might what it is my duty to
do--whether it is sweeping, or engaging a hall for a -meeting. Whatever comes as an
opportunity to me, that I will do,
This does not mean that we have no aspirations. The controlling
impulse is to serve the Church. Here we have a laudable motive, a proper desire. But it
seems that some are ambitious-seek -- to be chief. Our
own ambition, (and we believe it would also be the spirit of the Lord) is not to help one
who aspires to the chief place, into the position which be seeks. To assist him in such a
course would do injury both to him and the cause. But if we find any one, seeking to do
with his might what his hands find to do, we may be sure that this will be approved of by
the Lord; and perhaps the Lord will later give him some more important work in recognition
of his faithful service to Him.
SELF-SEEKING TO BE DEPRECATED
Each is to be content with what the Lord's Providence opens up to
him. He is not to be self-seeking. "He that exalteth himself shall be abased; and be
that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:14.) He that exalteth himself is not to be exalted by the Church; for he will not be exalted by the Lord. He
that humbleth himself will be exalted, either by the vote of the congregation or by the
Lord's will.
As the matter is stated in our text, we think the Lord meant this:
There will be some of you who necessarily will be recognized as chief. There are various
kinds of service, and it is necessary to have a chief in connection with the services of
each congregation. God has recognized this Himself. He made Jesus a Chief. He passed by
Satan, who was self-seeking. He chose Jesus, and made the road very narrow to Him! But
after Jesus had proved His humility, then the Father gave Him the high exaltation, gave
Him the great reward promised.
The Father is seeking now those who will have the same spirit of humility, the same spirit of service, that the Lord Jesus manifested. We look at
Him, and we see that, while the Father held out the condition of being Chief, He also held
out the condition of being servant. Jesus, we
see, was the Servant of all. Therefore Gold exalted Him and gave Him a name above every
name.
So it should be with each little congregation of the Church. It is
the Lord's will that not every one who would be its chief servant should be recognized as
the chief. But the Lord will recognize the one who will show himself humbleminded, as He
has shown Himself to be, in doing anything for
the brethren. Let such be your servant. Each should consider that the chief honor amongst
you, amongst the Lord's brethren, is to be servant.' And the one who is most faithful
should be given the opportunity to serve. In that sense he would be your chief.
"While place we seek, or place we shun,
The soul finds happiness in none;
But with a God to guide our way,
'Tis equal joy to go or stay."
--MAY 22--LUKE
10:38-42; 2:51, 52; 2 Tim. 3:14, 15--
Golden Text.--"Children,
obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. Fathers, provoke
not your children, that they be not discouraged." -- Col. 3:20, 21. 1
HE highest authority and information as to an ideal Christian home,
as to what a Christian home should be, as to what it is based upon, are found in the Holy
Scriptures, and the examples recorded in the texts cited at the head of this lesson, are
amongst. those that present to us most helpful suggestions.
While little is said of the home life of the youth Jesus, yet surely
no one can read the brief account of the matter without appreciating the fact that the
influence pervading His home must have been of the most peaceful and elevating character.
Although He did not have a Bible in His home, that He could consult respecting the Divine
testimony, He did have the common privilege of the youth of His day of attending meetings
in the one little synagogue of Nazareth, which was but a small country town. There, from
Sabbath to Sabbath, He heard the Law read and to some extent commented upon, sometimes
also the Psalms and prophecies. With these sources' of information the eager mind of the
boy had grappled, and on the occasion of His first visit to the, great city of Jerusalem,
nothing attracted Him so much as the Temple and its symbolical services, and happening
upon a court or chamber in which the great questions of the Law and the Prophets were
being discussed by the ablest teachers of the time, Jesus became so deeply interested and
enthused in the Bible study that seemingly He forgot all earthly things, so intent was He
in studying about the Heavenly Father's business-the Plan of God, in which He Himself was
to be so principal an actor.
The narrative records that, when found by Joseph and Mary, Jesus was
both hearing the Doctors and asking them questions. There is a valuable lesson
here for all young persons respecting their conduct toward their elders and instructors.
How different the 'thought we get from this statement than we would have gotten had it
read that they found Jesus instructing the
Doctors, or attempting to teach them. We do not doubt for a moment that the Doctors were
as much instructed by Jesus as He was by them, possibly more so on some points at least;
nor do we doubt that if they were truly great men they would be humble-minded enough to
receive instructions from any one-even from a child; and it is even intimated in the
context that they :asked Jesus certain questions, "and were astonished at His
understanding and His answers." In both
cases the proceeding was that of deference to the other, as implied in the asking of the
questions: Jesus having deferred to the Doctors and asked them questions which manifested
His depth of mind and clearness of understanding and logical reasoning, led them to turn
to ask questions of Him.
THE IDEAL CHILD
Quite possibly the mind of the boy Jesus, at the age of twelve, while
investigating the subject 'of His own responsibilities toward the Heavenly Father and His
Plan, had wondered whether or not His mission might not in some degree begin with His
thirteenth year, since at that time He was recognized as a "son of the Law."
Quite possibly some of His questions before the Doctors of the Law were along this line,
and quite probably He had finally about reached the conclusion that the types of the
priestly office indicated clearly that His mission would not begin until He was thirty
years of age. His reply to Mary's chiding was along this line: Did you not expect me to be
about my Father's business.? Did you not know that I bad reached the age when I am a
"son of the Law," and that therefore certain respon-sibilities have come upon me
in respect to the Heavenly Father and His Word and His Plan? And then, as though
remembering the conclusion that He had just reached in discussing the subject with the
Doctors, He broke off the conversation, yielded Himself to their wishes, and accompanied
them to Nazareth, making (so far as recorded) no further suggestion of any other than the
ordinary course of life until He had attained the age of thirty years. This is expressed
in the words, "And He was subject unto
them." Joseph and Mary realized clearly that the boy was more than ordinary, very
extraordinary indeed, yet they did not fully comprehend the situation nor fully grasp the
import of His words.
The home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary is brought to our attention in
this lesson; and the very fact of our Lord's connection there would seem to teach that in
some important respect this must have been an ideal home. It has been well called the
"Beloved Family." We read again, "Now, Jesus loved Martha, and her sister,
and Lazarus." Some have thought that they discerned Lazarus among later disciples of
Christ-possibly Barnabas. But anyway, he was one whom Jesus loved, even though he was not
one of the Apostles who followed with the Lord. And Martha has come down to us as a
synonym of bustling , energetic hospitality, "busied about many things." Yet
surely she was loving and loyal to the Master. Jesus loved Martha, and we may be sure,
therefore, that He loves all of similar character. But He loved Mary also. And we do not
forget that when she gave up, some of her 'housework that she might sit at the feet of
Jesus and learn of Him, the Master declared that she had "chosen the better
part." This was the same Mary who anointed the Master with the precious spikenard
ointment five days before His burial. Martha and Mary both loved and were loved of the
Lord; yet, evidently, Mary's love and the form it took was specially approved of the
Master. So then in our service for the Master let us have this in mind that He is
specially pleased when we give earnest attention to His words and seek to be filled with
and guided by His Holy Spirit. It is most evident that to the extent that the lessons of
the Bible are disbelieved or ignored in any home 'Or any community, the real peace and
light of life are proportionately lacking. Sore indeed are the needs of the world today
along, the lines of the holy influences of faith in God and His Word.
AN INUNDATION OF UNBELIEF
In our day the shackles of ignorance and superstition are breaking.
Men, women and children are beginning to think for themselves. They no longer believe the
fairy tales of other days: the dreadful hobgoblins and nightmares of the Dark Ages
respecting purgatory and eternal torture are doubted by all, and by the great mass totally
disbelieved. What have they, now to attach them to the Almighty, since they have never
been taught the love of God-the lengths and breadths and heights and depths passing all
human understanding? This is the world's great need-to know God as He really is, a Father,
a Friend, a God of love! And to thus know Him the people need to be taught how seriously
they were mistaught in the past along the lines of hell and purgatory. How could they ever
truly love and worship a God of injustice and of hate--One inferior to themselves-One who
knew, foreordained and prepared for their torture, before they were born. They must see
that these things, taught by the creeds of the Dark Ages, are wholly at variance with the
Bible, else they will never come back to the Bible nor be able to see its teachings in
their true light. They must be taught the wage or penalty of Father Adam's disobedience.
They that the sin and death, sorrow and trouble, all around us are must learn that God
proposes a blessing and uplifting which will be as world wide as is the curse. They must
learn that the foundation for this work was effected by the death of Jesus, the Just for
the unjust. They must learn that God is now selecting a saintly class to be associates
with the Redeemer in the work of uplifting and blessing Adam and his race: and that each
will he held responsible and receive stripes in proportion to his knowledge and wilful
disobedience: and that the persistently rebellious will be destroyed "like natural
brute beasts," in the Second Death.
"I HAVE LOST MY GOD"
A lady addressing a Christian Minister said with great concern,
"I fear that I have lost my God." As a child of religious parents she had had
helpful influences in her home, but in school she had come in contact with the general
spirit of skepticism, which, instead of repudiating the Bible, as did Ingersol, Paine and
Voltaire, merely smiles at any reference to a Divine revelation, a faith in God and a
respect for His will. These teachers are as 'honest, we believe, as were Ingersol, Paine
and Voltaire; nor can we deny that they have the same right to their disbelief that we
claim for our belief. We can, however, say with all sincerity that it is a great pity that
the learned men of Christendom are nearly all infidels, in the sense of not believing in
the Bible as a Divine revelation.
Many of them even deny that there is a personal God and ascribe every
thing to--a great Nothing, which they designate Nature-God. Is it surprising, in view of
the fact that these teachings are being promulgated in the universities and colleges and
theological seminaries, in the high schools, and even to some extent in the common
schools--is it any wonder that the rising generation is losing its God? If it even be
claimed that a bad thing is better lost than kept, we must dissent from their course. We
must claim that the misconception of God can be destroyed only by the introduction to the
heart and mind of the true God, Whose glorious attributes, of Justice, 'Wisdom, Love and
Power will take the place of the malevolent misconception of the Dark Ages.
It is high time that parents realize the true situation-it is almost
too late -now. The seeds of unbelief, already sown in the minds of the rising generation,
are being watered con tinually and are growing. All who love their families, all who
love mankind in general, should awaken to the fact that a world that has lost its God must
of necessity be an unhappy world. Platonic philosophy may for a time serve the purpose's
of the few, but surely cannot serve the masses of our race. A godless world will ere
long mean a discontented world, an unhappy world and, bye and bye, a world of anarchy and
strife. This is what our world-wide -education is leading to. Few of our race can stand an
education which recognizes no God, no revelation of Him, no responsibility to Him, and no
hope of a future life which will be effected by the conduct of the present.
GOD IN THE HOME
We are urging that in every :home God be recognized to the extent of
the opportunities and influence we enjoy. Parents have a special responsibility. Every
father, in particular, as the head of his family, should recognize the Almighty Creator,
and hold Him up to his family--"God First." We need not urge upon God's
consecrated people the privileges of prayer and the blessed influence which comes through
prayer to the younger members of the family. This is one way of putting "God
First." "In all thy ways acknowledge Him," or, as Joshua said: "As for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Let us now step into, your home and measure things there by the
Golden Rule. As husbands, how do you treat your wives? As wives, how do you treat your
husbands? Can you apply the Golden Rule to your words, to your conduct to your demands of
each other? Or do you act meanly, selfishly, taking advantage of each other, to the limit
that the other will forbear? Do you deal with your children according to the lines of the
Golden Rule? Are you an ideal parent, according to your own advanced standard of what a
parent's duty should be to his children?
Do you remember that you have a responsibility for their training, a
responsibility so far as your circumstances will permit, for their environment and
happiness and education and general preparation for usefulness in life? Or are you
indifferent to their interests, neglectful of your responsibilities ? Do you recognize
that your children have certain rights and that these increase as they near maturity, or
are you forgetful of these, disposed to keep the children under the restraints of
childhood, souring their dispositions and making them unhappy, until they resent the
injustice, and a family quarrel" results ?
As children, are you thoughtful of your parents, their welfare, their
wishes, their happiness, as would like your children to be thoughtful of yours? Do you
remem-ber the. hours and weeks of feebleness and sickness and toil which you cost them in
your infancy, and are you seeking to repay those kindnesses and seeking to make their last
days the happiest of their lives? Are you observing the Golden Rule toward your parents ?
How is it in your relationship to your brothers and sisters? When
they borrow your things without leave, do you retaliate by borrowing theirs without leave,
and thus keep up a continual fret and vexation of spirit in the family? Or do you practice
the Golden Rule of justice and do nothing to your brother and sister, or their belongings,
that you would not wish them to do to you or your things ?
"LOVE WORKETH NO ILL"
All of the Lord's people are to love Him and the brethren; yea , even
their enemies. However, let us now, stop short of love and merely consider what the simple
justice of the Golden Rule would imply in our conduct. How do our daily lives square with
this Golden Rule of absolute justice, omitting love entirely?
If you are an employer, do you treat your employee in harmony with
this rule and do unto him as you would have him do unto you, if your positions were
reversed? If you are an employee, inquire of yourself, "Do I treat my employer and
his business as I would have him treat me and my business, if our relationship were
reversed?" Do you treat your butcher, your baker, your grocer, etc., as you would
like to have them treat you, if your positions were reversed? Are you polite to them and
not inclined to give them unnecessary trouble? Do you pay them, promptly? Or if you are
the tradesman, do you treat your customers as you would wish to have them treat you, if
conditions were reversed? Do, you charge them a reasonable price only? Do you give them
proper weight and measure? Do you properly represent your goods to them, as you would have
them represented to you? Are you a good neighbor? Do you see to it that your children are
not a nuisance to others: that your chickens are not permitted to damage your neighbor's
garden: that your dog is not a ferocious one, and that his bark does not keep the
neighborhood awake? In a word, do you treat your neighbor justly, along the lines of the
Golden Rule, doing unto him only as you would wish him to do to you?
He who is faithful in little things will be faithful in the greater
ones. He who practices the Golden Rule during the six days of his contact with business
will surely be faithful on the seventh, but faithfulness to the Golden Rule on the one day
only will never win Divine approval.
In no way can we better honor and show our reverence for God than by
following to the best of our ability His commands, which are just and righteous
altogether.
VOL. IV. May 15, 1922 No. 10
ITS IMPORTANCE AS A CHRONOLOGICAL FEATURE
THAT many of the arrangements that God instituted with the nation of
Israel during the Jewish Age were of a typical or pictorial character is believed and,
accepted by all earnest Bible scholars. St. Paul confirms this thought when he says the
Law foreshadowed "good things to come.' (Heb. 10:1; 8:5; Col. 2:17.) Amongst those
features of Israel's history that have specially interested God's people in modern times
is that of the Sabbath and jubilee
system which provided special days and years of rest; and from this arrangement there has
been deduced quite an important line of reasoning that has been woven into our chronological system, the
results of which have greatly strengthened the conclusions of Bible students during the
past 50 years that The times of restitution were chrono-logically due to begin about the
year 1874, that date marking the time when what is called
a great jubilee period reckoned upon a grand scale was due to commence.
Referring briefly to the system as it was given to Israel, we observe
that the year of jubilee was a Sabbath of rest and refreshing, both to the people and to
the land which God gave them. It was the chief of a series of Sabbaths or rests. They had
a Sabbath day every seventh day; and once every
year these typical Sabbath days reached a climax--i. e., a cycle of seven of these
Sabbaths, thus marking -a period of forty-nine days (7 X 7 = 49), was followed by a Jubilee day, the fiftieth' day (Lev. 23:15, 16),
known among the Jews as Pentecost. It was a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving.
JUBILEE YEAR RECKONED ACCORDING TO
SABBATIC SYSTEM OF SEVENS
The Sabbath year occurred
every seventh year. In it the land was allowed to rest and no crops were to be planted. A
climax of these Sabbath (rest) years was reached in the same manner as the Pentecost or
fiftieth day-Sabbath. Seven of the Sabbath years, embracing a period of seven times seven
years, or forty-nine (7 X 7 = 49), constituted a cycle of Sabbath years; and the year
following, the Fiftieth Year, was the Year of jubilee.
The system of year Sabbaths being identified with their land, Canaan, and their inheritance in it, the
first cycle of forty-nine, years, leading to the first jubilee, should begin to count from
the time they entered Canaan. This reasonable inference is made positive by the Lord's
words--"When ye come into the land which I
give you, then shall the land keep a. Sabbath [observe the Sabbath system I unto the Lord
- Six years shalt thou sow thy field, and six years shalt thou prune thy vineyard and
gather in the fruit thereof; but in the seventh 'year [from entering the land] shall be a
Sabbath of rest unto the land." So, then, the cycle of seven times seven, or
forty-nine years (7 X 7 = 49), began to count at
once, and the fiftieth year after entering Canaan was the first typical jubilee.
Those familiar with the presentations on the subject of the jubilee
in Scripture Studies Vol. II will readily recall the. method of reckoning by which the
conclusion is reached that 1874 marks the beginning of the great Jubilee or times of
Restitution.
It will be remembered that in our treatment of the subject of
chronology in the April 15th issue of the HERALD under the caption "Watchman, What of
the night?" we discovered a discrepancy of 19 years in connection with the
"period of the kings," that instead of starting the Times of the Gentiles, and
Israel's 70 years of servitude, at Zedekiah's overthrow in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth
'year, as we have been doing, all the data and evidence stands overwhelmingly in favor of
locating the commencement of those two features 19 years earlier, viz.: in the first year
of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, and in Jehoiakim's third year. This means that the period of
time from Israel's entering the land, when the jubilee system went into effect, to 536
B.C. is 19 years shorter than what we have heretofore calculated, and, of course, this in
turn proportionately effects the chronological results so far as the jubilee line of
reasoning is concerned; that is, according to the method by which we have heretofore
'reckoned the jubilee cycles. Our purpose, therefore, in this article is to present to our
readers what we now find after the most careful search and investigation, and to show
that, notwithstanding the fact of the 19 years discrepancy ,above referred to, the results
are seen to be exactly the same as we have heretofore regarded them, namely, that the
great thousand-year jubilee was due to begin about the year 1875, marking also the
commencement chronologically of the Times of Restitution of - all things.,
Again let us caution all. We do not insist on anyone accepting either
our method of reckoning the matter or the conclusions reached. To the contrary, we urge
upon all the most critical examination of the matter and that each one thoroughly satisfy
his own mind upon the' subject. To us the- conclusion- to which we are now led seems most
remarkable as well as Scriptural land reasonable.
It has been a very general understanding of Bible students, based
upon the interpretation given by, PASTOR RUSSELL of Israel's jubilee system, that seventy
jubilee's with 49 years between, was the full number Divinely intended to be celebrated;
that with the expiration of these seventy cycles-, provided they had been faithfully kept,
by the nation of Israel, the great antitypical jubilee, the Times of Restitution, would
begin to be ushered in. It is stated in Lev. 25:10, 11; that these Jubilees were to be
celebrated every fiftieth year. The conclusion that seventy Jubilees constituted the
entire number, is based wholly on the "Sabbaths" referred to in the words of 21
Chron. 36:2l, which read: "To fulfil the
word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until
the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths, for ' as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten
years" ; the supposition being that jubilee Sabbaths. were referred to. it. is not
our purpose to question the claim that this Scripture proves conclusively that seventy
Jubilees were the Divinely intended number to be celebrated, but rather to consider how
the change of nineteen years in the chronology of Gentile rule affects the ending of the
jubilee cycles. We take for granted that PASTOR RUSSELL'S conclusion that the seventy
years, during which the land was to enjoy her Sabbaths, referred to the Divinely intended
number of jubilee year Sabbaths to be kept by the nation of Israel. It was taught by him
that a long antitypical cycle would logically be expected to follow the last celebration
of the jubilee before the seventy years of servitude of the nation began, which cycle
.would reach the antitypical jubilee, the beginning of the Times of Restitution.
Concerning the beginning features of these times, PASTOR RUSSELL has described them in the
words:
"While in the typical jubilee Year many restored liberties and
blessings were at once entered upon, yet probably most of the year was required to
straighten out affairs and get each one fully installed again in all his former liberties,
rights and possessions. So, too, with the antitype, the Millennial Age of Restitution. It
will open with sweeping reforms, with the recognition of rights, liberties and possessions
long lost sight of; but the work of completely restoring (to the obedient) ALL THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY LOST will require all of that Age of Restitution. * * * The first work in the
typical jubilee Year would naturally be a searching out of former rights and possessions,
and the ascertaining of present lacks. Tracing the parallel of this, we should expect in
the antitype JUST WHAT WE NOW SEE GOING ON ALL ABOUT US; for, as will shortly be, shown,
we have already entered upon the great antitypical jubilee period, and have been in it
since October, A. D. 1874. What do we see about us? We see investigation on the part of
the people of their original, Godgiven inheritance, and their present lacks, rights, etc.,
many in ignorance and selfishness claiming what others have; and the attempt to hold on to
as much as possible on the part of 'those who have
possession-causing disputes, controversies, strikes and lockouts, with, more or less
justice and injustice on both sides, which must finally be left to Christs adjudication,
as disputes under the Law were settled by Moses, and after his death by those who sat in
Moses' seat. (Matt. 23:2.) -With these fixed conclusions and expectations, let us seek the
date which God evidently hid for us in this type, 'that we might know the things freely
given unto as of God,' now due to be, understood."--STUDIES, VOL. II-179, 182.
Now let us again bring before our minds the Divine instruction to
Israel as to how they were to count to reach the typical jubilee year. We read: "And
thou shalt number seven. Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years and, the
space of the, seven Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years." (Lev.
25:8.) Concerning the year of jubilee itself, we read: "And ye shall hallow the, fiftieth year, and proclaim' liberty
'throughout all-the land unto all the inhabitants thereof ; it shall be a jubilee unto you." (Lev. 25:11.) The fiftieth year was
therefore to be the
Jubilee year, and was to begin immediately at the close of the
forty-ninth year. The time of year for the jubilee to begin to be celebrated was in the autumn (October), as , we read:
"And thou Shalt. number seven Sabbaths of . years unto thee, seven times seven years:
and the space of the. seven Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine. years, Then shalt thou cause ,the trumpet of jubilee to
sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in
the day of, atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye
shall hallow the fiftieth year.* * * A Jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto
thee."--Lev. 25:8-11.
TWO METHODS OF RECKONING
Before proceeding to note the change in the date of ending, that the
19 years shortage causes (if there be any change), we
call attention. to two different methods of counting to reach the Jubilee. One of
these, that observed by PASTOR RUSSELL, was as follows: Basing his calculation of course
upon the Seven-year cycles, 7 X 7, each
seventh year being a Sabbatic year, the conclusion would be reached, namely, 49 years, the
forty ninth being a Sabbatic, or rest year, the 0 "'following
fiftieth year would be the jubilee year. Thus this method of reaching the next fiftieth or jubilee year proceeds as follows:
commencing the first year of the next seven year cycle after the jubilee and permitting a break or a
skipping over one year in following out the seven year cycle system, thus 7 X 7 again
brings us to another jubilee at the end of 49 years and constitutes each Jubilee-cycle 50
years. The following diagram may serve to illustrate this method, supposing in our
computation in the diagram we have reached -the seventh, seven-year cycle where the
fiftieth or jubilee follows:
(ART TO COME)
Thus it, will be readily observed that in this method of reckoning
the seven-year cycles, one year is lost or passed by in every 50 years--that of the
jubilee. To our understanding now, this method of reckoning the jubilee is erroneous and
unscriptural; the point of error being in, permitting, the break to occur in the Sabbatic
system or the seven-year cycle every 50 years-the passing over of one year, that of the
jubilee. There was not the slightest intimation in the Law to Israel that this break
-should ' be ' permitted to occur. The Sabbath
system of seven was intended to count without cessation or break, either on account of the
Jubilee or for any other reason. This brings us to the considera tion of the second
method of computing the jubilee, which we now, regard as the correct and Scriptural one.
As is indicated in the following diagram, supposing again that in our calculation in the
diagram we have reached the seventh seven-year cycle when the fiftieth or Jubilee year
follows:
(ART TO COME)
In this method it will be
seen that no break is permitted to occur in the Sabbatic system, the fiftieth year marking
the jubilee is also the first year of the next cycle of seven, and accordingly would also
be the first year of the following larger, or jubilee cycle. If the objection is raised
that this method means that there is a lapping of one. year in the commencement of each
jubilee cycle: Very true,, we answer, and this was doubtless anticipated and designed in
the establishment of this system because the jubilee years were founded altogether upon
the' Sabbath system, 7 + 7+ 7, etc., and as God had indicated that the seven-year Sabbaths
were to run on I ceaselessly without
dropping a year it would, of course, mean, that the jubilee was a lapping year.
But the objection may still be urged that this method of, counting
really permits of only 49 years ',to each Jubilee' cycle, whereas Israel was instructed
that the fiftieth year was to be the jubilee year, thus making 50 years to each cycle
instead of 49. Our reply to this is that there was nothing in the Divine instruction to
the effect that each jubilee' cycle was to be 50 years. It did, indeed, imply that in
every case the fiftieth year should be the Jubilee, but this did not mean that they ,must
necessarily reckon 50 years to each cycle, and as a matter of fact, in the method we have just indicated above, every jubilee is seen to be the fiftieth year even though that
result, is reached by the lapping of one, year in each jubilee cycle;
such an overlapping of one year being made necessary because the year of Jubilee was, as
we have shown, based upon the Sabbatic system of sevens.
REMARKABLE HARMONIOUS ADJUSTMENTS
Commentators in general who have written on the subject have adopted
this method of counting the fiftieth year as one
of the cycle of seven. seen then by those who carefully
observe this difference in counting, that the course of 70 Jubilees in the old method
would be 50 + 50 + 50, etc., making in all 3,500
years, while in the other, which we regard as
the correct method, the course of 70 Jubilees would be 491 + 49 + 49, etc., making 3,430
years. It will be recalled by our readers that in the April 15th issue of this journal
treating chronology, in considering the two features
of the chronology of Gentile lease of power and
Gentile exercise of power, we discovered that
the date of Zedekiah's, over-throw was 587 B.C., instead of 606 B.C., as formerly
understood by us. A moment's thought will, cause one to see that while the period from
Zedekiah's overthrow has been affected to the extent of lengthening out the period of
Gentile rule by nineteen years, the period from
the entrance of Israel into the land of Canaan, up to Zedekiah's day is not affected. This
period is 969 years, and is found as follows:
To
the division of the land 6 years
Period of the 450 years
Period of the kings to Zedekiah's overthrow 513 years
Total 969 years
It will be remembered, by those familiar with PASTOR RUSSELL'S
exposition of the typical jubilee that the method pursued. to discover when the last typical jubilee was due to he celebrated before the Babylonian servitude began, was to
divide these 969 years by 50. By thus doing, it was found that 19 Jubilees had been
celebrated, with 19 years remainder. It will be seen then, according to that reckoning, that 19 years had
elapsed at Zedekiah's overthrow, since the last one was celebrated. This is easily seen
because 969 years had elapsed since the entrance of Israel into the land, and if 50 + 50 +
50, etc., was the course of Jubilees, then dividing 969 by, 50 would give the number
celebrated. As it was until recently our understanding that 606 B.C. marked Zedekiah's
overthrow, then 19 years before this date would
reach the year the last one was celebrated, which was 625 B.C.
Now mark the result of following the other method, that of making the
course of Jubilees to be 49+ 49 -+ 49) etc. Understanding that Zedekiah's. overthrow
occurred 587 B.C., when, of course, the same number of, years had elapsed, namely, 969, we
divide this number by 49 instead, of 50, and find the result to be in the number of
Jubilees celebrated exactly the same--19; but the remainder we find to-be 38 years instead
of 19. Adding the 38 years, instead of .19, to 587 B.C., instead of 606 B.C., we discover
that we reach the same date, 625 B.C., as the time the last typical jubilee was due to be
celebrated. 969 / 49 = 19 and 38 remainder: 587 + 38 = 625 B.C.
OUR FORMER CONCLUSIONS REGARDING 1874 SUSTAINED I
In other words, allowing but. 49 years to each jubilee cycle instead
of 50, we gain 19 years over the other method, from the time of Israel's entering the land
to Zedekiah's overthrow, and the 19 years exactly off-sets ,,the other 19 years we loose
in computing the Times of the Gentiles from Nebuchadnezzar's first year. More than this,
we thus discover that the long antitypical cycle is to be reckoned from precisely the same
date, 625 B.C., in both methods of counting.- We believe that the same method employed by
PASTOR RUSSELL to determine the length of this cycle, applies in both methods of,
counting. This method is thus described by him: "We have already referred to the
method of, counting the Sabbaths--that the multiplying of, the Sabbath or seventh day by
seven, (7 X 7 -_ 49) pointed out Pentecost, 'the jubilee day which followed; and the
multiplying of the seventh year by seven (7 X 7 = 49) made the cycle which pointed out and
led to the fiftieth, or jubilee year. And the same system carried out would indicate that
to reach the great antitype which we seek we should in like manner square the Jubilee--
e., multiply the fiftieth year by fifty. That is to say, the antitypical cycle, by the
method of multiplying here taught us, should be reckoned by multiplying, the typical
jubilee or fiftieth Sabbath year by fifty, just as in reaching it we multiplied the
seventh year Sabbath by seven.-Lev. 25:2-13."--STUDIES, VOL. II, 180.
It will be seen that while both methods of I counting
the Jubilees make a difference of 19 years in the remainder, the 19 years difference in
the chronology of Gentile Times perfectly balances and, makes 625 B.C. to be the date for
beginning the antitypical cycle 50 X 50 = 2,500 Years. - Thus, therefore, it will be seen
that both ran their full course in 1875: 625+1,875 = 2,500. And now concerning another
feature:
It has been quite generally understood among Bible students for some
years past that as the Jubilees -were a part of the Law Covenant, and, like all the other
features of the Law, were very imperfectly kept or celebrated, and sometimes, perhaps the
Jubilees were not celebrated at all, the proper way to discover when the great antitypical
jubilee would be reached would be by counting the full number of years which would elapse
to make seventy Jubilees. This would be done by adding 49 + 49 + 49, etc., until 70 had
been counted; or by multiplying 49 years by 70, which equals 3,430 years. This will be
found to reach the same time--1875 -- thus:
To
the division of the land 6 years
Period of the judges 450 years
To Jehoiakim's third year 494 years
Period of servitude 70 years
To Christian Era 536 years
Total 1,556 years
3,430 - 1,556 = 1,874
full years.
Does this not appear to be indeed an illustration of a Divine
overruling--calculating incorrectly the two matters, as we have, been accustomed to doing
in the past, that of Gentile dominion and of reckoning of the Jubilees--our mistake in the
one instance perfectly counterbalancing the mistake made in the other?
CORROBORATIVE TESTIMONY
We now give a remarkable corroborative evidence that the method of
counting herein set forth, i. e.,
49 + 49 + 49, etc., solar years is the Divinely appointed one. To appreciate this, it will
be necessary to keep in mind that the jubilee was not only regulated by years, for it was
to occur every forty-ninth year. at the time of the autumnal harvest, but it was also to
be regulated by months, and it Was important that the year and months in-the time of its
celebration should agree. This will be seen when we realize, that the month, reckoning,
which was the one regulating the time of the observance of Jewish feasts, etc., was by the
moon; and the moon or lunar time was continually falling behind the sun or solar time. We
quote an eminent writer bearing upon this matter:
"The Divinely ordained chronology was solar-lunar; i. e., it was
regulated by the revolutions of both sun and moon. Its years were solar, for they followed
the seasons as in the various 'ordinances connected with the ingathering of the fruits of
the earth; while the months were strictly lunarnot artificial months, -but
lunations--certain ordinances being connected with the recurrence of every new moon. The
adjustment of solar to lunar years was affected by the intercalation of months as the
epact [the excess of the solar month beyond the lunar] -,grew by repetition to
complete lunations. . . . The nature and closeness of this adjustment was very remarkable
-in the case of the Jubilee. The jubilee reckoning . . . began with the day on which
Israel crossed Jordan-and entered Palestine. Like the Sabbatic law, of which it [the
Jubilee] was the expansion, its point of commencement is thus defined, 'when, ye be come
into the land! (Lev. 25.) Now, as the Jubilee was regulated by years, for it recurred every forty-ninth year at
the time of the Autumnal harvest, and was also regulated by months, for it was reckoned
from the tenth day of -the first month when Israel crossed Jordan, and the jubilee day
[not year] was the tenth day of the seventh month (that [-day] of atonement) ; it. was
most important that the year and, months should, closely agree. It is most interesting to
observe that -such is their natural adjustment
that, in the first place forty-nine years form a solar-lunar cycle; -and in the second,
place the interval from the tenth day of the first month of the first year, to the tenth day of the seventh month
of the forty-ninth is exactly 600 lunations."
Let the reader note carefully the next statement:
"Forty-nine complete [solar] years are a soli-lunar cycle
containing 606 lunations. The 606 lunations are less than forty-nine, solar years by
[only] 1 day, 7 hours, 58 minutes'; an agreement
of the month and year in the Jubilee sufficiently close to render the intercalation of
an extra month unnecessary in any period under one thousand years."--Approaching End of the Age--509, 510,
511.
The writer's thought is evidently that the 606 lunations or
forty-nine full solar years (7 X 7) would not be reached until six months after the
Jubilee year itself had begun. This ending of
the forty-nine full solar years would be, of course, on the tenth day of the first month
Nisan, in the spring, which would be the time to begin the count for the next jubilee; and
in the same manner, i. e., by the passing of 600 lunations from the tenth day of the first
month, each jubilee year would be reached. The writer next calls attention to the
significant fact that "as 600 months are exactly fifty lunar years, the fiftieth
lunar year terminated on the day of atonement, on which day (close of) the jubilee year
commenced."
Now, note carefully the conclusion of the matter, that is to say,
that the way we have in this article calculated the counting of the full number of years
(49 + 49 + 49 years, etc.) is proven by this remarkable and ,natural adjustment of the
years and the months. We quote again:
"The Jubilee year, which is called the fiftieth, extended from
the day of atonement in the forty-ninth year to the same date in the fiftieth year, and
was thus an overlapping. year,. the course of Jubilee being 49 + 49 + 49 years, etc.
"The Jubilee year began in the seventh month of the forty
ninth year, and extended to, the' same date, in the fiftieth, and thus. overlapped and
linked together the forty-nine year period."--Approaching
End', of the Age--545.
It will thus be seen that there is a close adaptation in lunar phases
to the septiform arrangement of the calendar. This is seen or illustrated in the prophecy
of the seventy weeks to Messiah the Prince. (Dan. 9:24-27.) Thus the period of time to the
end of Jewish favor was not ten times fifty, but
ten times forty-nine or 490 years-the "seventy weeks" of Daniel 9.
THE DATE 1925 NOT INDICATED IN THE JUBILEE SYSTEM
As we have been preparing the foregoing explanation, the objection is
raised that the deductions we have, herein presented would seriously interfere with the
realization, of certain hopes and expectations that some entertain with regard to the
overthrow of the present order of things and the establishment of the Kingdom in 1925 ;
and we are asked, to remember that the 51 jubilee years that have not been kept since the
last one observed before Israel went into servitude, added to 1874, brings us to 1925,
when, as some think, we should look for the Great jubilee to commence in full.
Our reply to this is that we quite fully agree that in following
this, which we find to be the Scriptural method of reckoning the Jubilees, the results in
some respects are quite different from I those
of the old method, for in calculating the jubilee cycles, allowing 49 years to each, and
counting the Jubilee year as one of the 49 years and as one of the cycles of seven, we
discover of course that there are no grounds for the accumulation of 51 extra years since
the last one was observed in the days of ancient Israel, but at the end of the 70 cycles
of 49 years each, which is-reached about the year 1875, the entire matter ends, and there
is no extension of it, beyond that point. Since,, about the year 1875, it would therefore
seem -that we have, been realizing the fulfillment of the antitype, the blowing of the
jubilee Trumpet--the general awakening of the world as to its rights and liberties,, and a
general preparation looking toward the introduction of the great Thousand-Year jubilee
period in full, in due time.
We must conclude, therefore, that that there is not the slightest
foundation for believing that anything of an unusual character will take place in the year
1925, no reason whatever for expecting this order of things to pass away by that time, nor
that the Kingdom will then be established,.
Again we urge upon the brethren everywhere great conservatism and
modesty in this time, when so many seem to be giving loose rein to, wild fancy and foolish
speculation with regard to fixing of dates for this, that or the other thing to ha n. Let
us require a "Thus saith the Lord" for all that we receive as truth on the
subject of time features, as,' well as upon every other line that has to do with our
System of faith. Let us Cultivate more and more the disposition to wait upon the Lord for
His due time, and so far as our own departure or deliverance is concerned, to strive to be
ready at All times. And, while we are waiting, to give heed to our Master's solemn warning
to "watch" and keep our lamps trimmed and burning.
SERIES LIII
THE EPILOGUE OF THE APOCALYPSE (Cont.)
"Let the Unjust one, act
unjustly still; and let the Filthy, be filthy, still,- and let the Righteous_ work
righteousness still; and let the Holy, be holy still."--Rev. 22:11.
WHATEVER may be the correct interpretation of the language- with
which this series is introduced, it would appear that
the words must be understood as closely associated with and related to the preceding
statement: "Seal not the Words of the Prophecy of this Book; for the Time is
near." Commentators in general have admitted that they were puzzled and that they
have met With special difficulty in the exposition of the language of verse 11.
Most expositors separate these words from their connection and apply
them to a future time when the destinies of . mankind will be forever settled. Those who
do this as a rule believe in the eternal, conscious existence of such in misery and
torment. . We believe, however, the Scriptures when tightly. understood do not teach
anything of this kind, and we therefore look further for the correct and consistent
interpretation. DAVID N. LORD'S exposition of these words recognize their close connection
with the angel's statement, "Seal not the Words of the Prophecy of this Book,"
etc., and in substance his explanation is that the injunction, "thou must not seal,
the words of the prophecy of this Book for the time is near; he that is unjust, let him be
unjust still," etc, is addressed to St. John, doubtless as the representative of the
witnesses of God, the followers of Christ, throughout the Gospel Age, and its meaning is:
Thou must not withhold from the Church, nor misrepresent the revelation of. this Book, but
proclaim it in its truth, representing those as unjust whom the prophecy exhibits as
unjust and those as defiled whom the prophecy represents as defiled and those as righteous
and holy to whom it ascribes that character. The Redeemer enforces this injunction by the
annunciation of His Deity and title to implicit obedience and the assurance that He is to
come quickly, to retribute to everyone as his work shall be. (Vs. 11, 12.) His coming will
usher in the thousand-year judgment Day when the unjust, the filthy and the unrighteous
will have their trial. This judgment Day, as it relates to' the deeds off the present
life, is explained in a previous article--"The judgment of the Great White
Throne."
PASTOR RUSSELL'S explanation is much the same, and perfectly
harmonious with the Divine Plan, and is, that so far as these, revelations are concerned
they who are righteous may be righteous still, they who are filthy may be filthy still,
and they who are holy may be holy still. The unrighteous and the filthy simply ignore this
message and are not moved specially by it.. During the Millennial Kingdom time, however,
we may expect that the vigorous processes of the Kingdom ' will correct many of these
filthy and unrighteous and ultimately develop many of them into lovers of the Light and
the Truth and the Way, bringing many of them into full fellowship with the Lord, which
will secure to them everlasting life. (Z '05-173.) Thus we may properly gather the thought
that as marvelous and meaningful as are the visions that St. John beheld they were not
intended to especially affect degenerate humanity. The visions Would have little or no
effect upon the world in all its sin and depravity. Neither were the visions intended to
change the true Church in the sense of adding to her numbers, for it would appear that
when the time would come that the, visions would be generally understood (as is the fact
today), the Church would be about complete, and the, visions of Revelation would not be
intended to cause any additions to the Church -- the holy would be "holy still"
and the righteous be "righteous still.".
Again the Savior announces, "Behold, I come quickly," as
if to doubly impress upon the believing hearer the solemn importance of that event, and
its close connection with the fulfillment of much that St. John had just seen and heard
spoken. "And my reward is with me, to give to each one as his work is,"
evidently applies to, the great judgment Day, at the beginning of which the Church will be
rewarded and during which- the world ' will, have their trial, retribution and reward.
Verse 13 has also been explained in the comment on Chap. 18.
THE REGENERATION OF THE WORLD
The correct reading of the next verse (14) is not "Blessed are
they Who do His commandments," etc., as rendered in the Common Version, but rather,
"Blessed are Those who Wash their robes, so that their right may be to the Wood
[grove] of the Life, and they may enter by the Gates into the City." It is evi dent
that the words apply to the inhabitants of the earth, during the Millennial Kingdom. This
benedic ion, writes MR. LORD, is, a benediction upon those who are to live under His
reign, after the establishment of the Kingdom of the glorified saints on (over) the earth,
manifestly from the representation that they are to acquire by their obedience a title to
the Tree of Life and an entrance- through the Gates of the City. They are to follow the
descent of that City, therefore not to precede it, and to be of those who enter and dwell
within it (finder its sway), not
of those who constitute the City itself. They are to include the whole race, inasmuch as
all others, the Dogs, the Sorcerers, the Fornicators, the Murderers, the Idolators, and
who ever loves and practices, Falsehood - (v. 15) are to be excluded, and (as the City
is to open its gates to all nations) to be banished from the earth-destroyed.
That this is the correct interpretation is very evident. The question
may arise, however, How shall we explain this in harmony with what is quite generally
acknowledged to be the correct translation? How can it be applied to the world during the
Millennium? What would the washing of their robes mean? This expression, in its
application to the world during the Millennium, can hardly mean the same as applied to the
Church during this Gospel Age. The members of the Church, Christ's Body, are now reckoned,
counted, by the Heavenly Father as perfect, because of, their having Christ's
righteousness imputed to them. This is called their robe of righteousness. This
imputation, this being counted perfect as human beings, is to the' end that they may
consecrate themselves, their reckoned perfect humanity to death, as our Lord consecrated'
Himself, His perfect humanity to death. thus, following in His footsteps:. The fulfillment
of this vow of consecration, secures to these the privilege of being of this Holy City,
the Heavenly Kingdom, the Divine Government.
The application of the words, "wash their robes," to the
world during the Millennium would seem to mean that on account of the Redeemer's sacrifice
applied by the Divine Christ to justice in behalf of all humanity, therefore the world
will be no longer considered as condemned in Adam--no longer to be treated as strangers
and aliens from God, and His promises and blessings, as it now is, but will rather be
treated as His people, because purchased by the sacrifice of His Son. The washing of their
robes would mean to them their making use of the cleansing process of the Millennial
River, the Word of God, then provided; thus being, brought up gradually to human
perfection-restitution. We have already called attention to what we believe is the proper
thought or meaning of the revealing angel's statement, "Without are Dogs," etc.,
and the words "I, Jesus, 'sent my Angel to testify to you these things in the
Congregations."
"THE ROOT AND OFFSPRING OF DAVID"
The further expression: "I am the Root and the Offspring of
David, the Bright Morning Star," are significant titles, pointing to certain
characteristics of the nature and glory of Christ. DR. SEISS, who was a believer in the
dual nature of Christ, and also in what is termed the Orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, uses
this text to support these teachings. He says, "The duality of His nature as at once
God and man, is here affirmed. As God, He is the Root or origination of David-He who gave
David being and place, and out of whom David was raised up, even David's Lord; and as a
man, He is the offspring of David, David's son, one born of the house and lineage of
David'." He, like many others, failed to see that Christ was made "a little
lower than angels," a man, for the suffering of death -that by the grace of God He
tasted death for every man; in other words, that He gave Himself, His humanity for the
life of the world. Like many others, who sincerely believed that the death of Christ was
for the salvation of the world, he failed to discern, that if Christ in any sense or
degree is now human, it 'could only be by His taking back the price of human salvation.
The fact of the matter is that while it is true that the Pre-existent
One, the Logos, the Only Begotten Son, was the Heavenly Father's agent used in the
creation of all others, it should be kept in mind that all God's creations through the Son
were perfect. In the strict sense of the word "create." Adam was the only human
being created. David, as all others,
of humanity, sprang from Adam after he had fallen, and. in this sense, David was not
"created" or even given life by God, or the Logos of God.. We will, therefore,
have to reject the interpretation of this writer. MR. BARNES also dissents from this
Writer's interpretation of the expression, "the Root of David," and to our mind
grasped more nearly, although not wholly, its true significance. His interpretation is
that Christ was "not the Root in the sense that David sprang from him, as a tree
does from a root, but in the sense that He was the 'root-shoot' of David, or that He
Himself sprang from him [David], as a sprout starts up from a decayed and fallen tree--as
of. the oak, the willow, the chestnut, etc." The meaning then, is not that He was the
ancestor of David, or that David sprang from Him, but that He was the offspring of David,
according to the promise in the Scriptures that the Messiah should be descended from Him.
"No argument," he says, "then, can be derived- from this passage in proof
of the pre-existence of Christ " although MR. BARNES was a firm believer ill His
pre-existence. It will be noted that MR. BARNES makes no distinction between the two
expressions "Root" and "Offspring." However, we believe that his
interpretation of the expression "Offspring" is the correct one, and is embodied
in the statement of St. Paul: "He was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh." (Rom. 1:3.) , But what is meant, then, by the expression "Root of David
? We reply, the expression unquestionably I applies
to Him after His glorification to the Divine nature. In other words, they apply to Him as
the Life-giver, the One who is to give , eternal life, not only to David, but unto all who
will receive it under the conditions of the New Covenant that will be -inaugurated during
the Millennial times of restitution. We now quote one whose interpretation, harmonizes
with all the Scriptures :
"We have seen how our Lord is the branch, or offspring, or son
of David, and the line through which His genealogy is properly to be traced. * * *
According to the flesh, our Lord Jesus was, through His mother, the son, the branch, the
offshoot, or offspring of David. It was by the virtue of His sacrifice of His, undefiled
life that He became the "root" of David as well as His Lord: for the thought
suggested by the word "root" differs somewhat from that furnished in the word
"Lord." The "root" of David signifies the ORIGIN, source of life,
and development of David.
"The Scriptures declare that David was 'a STEM out of Jesse':
his [David's] father, therefore was his root, according to natural generation. When and
how did Christ be come David's root or father? We answer, Not before He 'was made
flesh';--it was when made flesh that, as the man Jesus, He became related to Adam's race
through His mother. (Heb. 2:14-18'.) And in that relationship to the race and to David He
was 'branch' not 'root.' How and when did He. become the 'root? We answer, By, the same
means and at the same time that He became David's Lord: the MEANS was His death, by which
He purchased LIFE rights of Adam and, all . his race, including David's; the TIME was
when He was raised from the dead, Adam's Redeemer, the race's Redeemer, and hence David's
Redeemer."-- STUDIES, VOL. V- 134, 136.
THE STAR OF THE MORNING.
Christ, also, in the 'same connection, speaks of Himself as the
"Bright Morning Star." ' What is the significance of this name as applied to
Him? May it not be that He is referring to the covetous prophet, Balaam's prediction, who,
moved by the spirit contrary to his own wishes, gave utterance to the words: "I
shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him but not nigh: there shall come a Star out
of Jacob and a Scepter shall 'rise out of Israel. * * * Out of Jacob shall come He that
shall have dominion, etc." (Num. 24:17-19.) That Star, now that the morning has come,
is seen by the eye of faith ushering in the dawning of the bright Millennial Day. One has
truth fully said: "'It is not uncommon to compare a prince, a leader, a true
teacher, with that of a bright and beautiful star, which at some seasons of the year
precedes the rising of the, sun, and leads in the day. The reference here is to that star
as the harbinger of the day, and the meaning of the Savior is, that He sustains a relation
to a dark world similar to this beautiful star. At one time He is 'indeed compared with
the sun itself in giving light to the world.' Here He is compared with that morning
star, rather with reference to its beauty than its light. May it not also have been one
object in this comparison to lead us when we look on that star, to think of the Savior? It
is perhaps the most beautiful object in nature; it succeeds the darkness of the night: it
brings on the day--and as it mingles with the first rays of the morning it seems to be
so joyous, cheerful, exulting,. bright, that nothing can be better adapted to remind us of
Him who comes to lead in the eternal day.".
The next verse has already been considered as referring to the
gracious, invitation that will be extended to all mankind, both those who will live to
pass in under the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly government's sway, and those who have died
ignorant of the great salvation that is to be offered to all.,*
__________
*See Comment in preceding article on this verse--H '21-103
___________
THE SOLEMN WARNING
We now come to the consideration of the words of warning and
threatening addressed to everyone who hears the words of this prophecy, i. e., the book of
the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The words read "I testify to Everyone who Hears the
Words of the Prophecy of this Book, if anyone add to them, God will add to him Those
Plagues Written in this Book; and if anyone take away from the Words of the Book of this
Prophecy, God will take away his Part from the Wood [grove] of Life, and out of the Holy
City which have been written of in this Book." (Vs. 18, 19.) The writer, St. John,
does not say who is referred to by the pronoun "'I." Some think it refers to the
Lord Jesus, others think that it, refers to the writer, St. John, himself. The meaning, in
any event, is that the writer makes the solemn affirmation contained in the worlds as a
conclusion., The object of these threatening words is doubtless to guard the book against
being corrupted by any interpolations or changes. The threat would, of course, have regard
more especially to the manuscript as originally given by St. John to the seven Churches to
whom he was instructed to deliver then!. In re-writing there doubtless has crept into
the different' copies of the original, interpolations, and possibly there have been some
omissions. The former has been proven by a comparison with the oldest manuscripts now in
existence, and which were not used in the making up of the Common Version, the King James
translation. Against this dan ger the words were given. "If any
man shall add to it," would mean to add to it with a view, to furnishing a more
complete revelation than that given to St. John; or with a claim that new truth had been
communicated by inspiration, since St. John wrote it. The words of warning apply to the
book of the Revelation, only, although the same principle may properly apply to all the
original Scriptures.
THE SIN OF WRESTING THE SCRIPTURES
"If any one take away from the Words of this Prophecy,"
would mean, if he shall reject it altogether, or in copying from the original he
designedly leave out any part of it. One has said concerning this:
"It is conceivable that from the remarkable nature of the
communications made in this book, and the fact that they seemed to be unintelligible, John
supposed there might he those -who would be inclined to omit some portions as improbable,
or that he apprehended that when the portions which describe anti-Christ were [being]
fulfilled in distant ages, those to whom those port-ions applied would -be disposed to
strike them, from the sacred volume, or to corrupt [or mis-apply] them.. The whole book
was to be received with a its
fearful truths -- as a revelation from God, and however obscure it might seem, in due time
it would be made plain; however faithfully it might depict a fearful apostasy, it was
important both, to show the truth of Divine inspiration and to save the Church, that these
disclosures. should be in their native purity in the possession of the people of God. 'God
shall take away his portion out of the Book of Life. Perhaps there, is here an intimation
that this would he most likely to be done by those who professed to be Christians, and who
supposed that their names were in the -book of life. In fact most of the corruptions of
the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have professed some form of
Christianity. Infidels have but little interest in attempting such changes, and but little
influence to make them received ,by the Church. It is most convenient for them, as it is
most agreeable to their feelings, to reject the Bible altogether." -- BARNES.
MR, D. N. LORD'S explanation, though brief, is a most reasonable
interpretation of these words. He says: "The terrific threat to those who add to i
the prophecy, or take from it, indicates that men are to be under violent temptation to
reject or misrepresent it in order to evade the application of its predictions to them
selves. And 'how needful to presumption, to 0 party zeal, and to ambition, is the
restraint it is suited to impose! With what a perverse and dating spirit have not a few,
especially of the friends of, the nationalized hierarchies, set aside the, obvious meaning
of its symbols, and forced on them constructions the most un authorized and unnatural,
in order to escape the demonstration that the great apostate powers which it fore
shadows are those to which they belong!"
In addition to the foregoing on the Divine warning: "If any man
shall add to?' and "If any man shall take away from," etc., We believe this
thought is also evidently intended, viz.: If any man shall by a wresting or twisting of
the Revelator's statements add to their meaning some thought that is not there and never
intended, or if he shall, by such unholy practice take away from, and thus pervert the
force and significance of those messages. It is most evident that many so called
expositors have been guilty of such proceedings -of so misconstruing and misapplying the
Apocalyptic messages as to a considerable 'extent vitiate the beautiful truths therein set
forth and to draw inferences and conclusions altogether unwarranted. Let him that readeth
understand!
The expression, "God will add to. them the plagues written in
this book," seems to give force to this interpretation, The "seven last
plagues" have,' in so far as they have been fulfilled up to the present time, fallen
upon the systems that have corrupted, neglected, or misapplied these prophecies; and the
last plague of all, the great winepress feature of the time of trouble, as we, have shown,
will. destroy them from the earth. The individuals who have been responsible for these
neglects and misapplications and persecutions of God's true saints, will meet their
punishment, retribution, in the great individual judgment Day, which will follow. This
feature has been enlarged upon in the article on "The judgment of the Great White
Throne."
"YES, I AM COMING SPEEDILY"
We have now come to the last, the concluding words of the book. The
words are those of the Lord Jesus, Himself, and read: "He who testifies these things
-says, 'Yes, I am coming speedily." Twice does the Savior utter these words, and, as,
already suggested, apparently to give emphasis to the paramount importance of the 91
Second Advent, toward which all the visions point, and into which
they all finally merge. Next comes the response of St. John, as representing the true
spirit and longing desire of the true Church: "Amen! Come! Lord I Jesus."
On this, the concluding statement of the Revelator, we cannot but submit the beautiful and
forceful illustration which another has given us:
"Fiction has painted the picture of a maiden whose lover left
her for a voyage to the Holy Land, promising on his return to make her his beloved bride.
Many told her that she would never see him again. But she believed his ward, and evening
by evening she went, down to the lonely shore and kindled there 'a beacon-light in sight
of the roaring waves, to hail and welcome the returning ship, which was to bring again her
betrothed. And by that watch-fire she took her stand each night, pray' to the winds to
hasten on the sluggish sails, that he who was everything to her might come. Even so that
blessed Lord, who has loved us unto death, has gone away to the mysterious Holy Land of
Heaven, promising -on His return to make us His happy and eternal Bride. Some say that He
is gone forever, and that here we shall never see Him more. But His last word was, 'Yes, I
am coming speedily.' And on the dark and misty beach, sloping out into the eternal sea,
each true believer stands by the love-lit fire, looking, and waiting, and praying' and
hoping for the fulfillment of His word, in nothing gladder than in His pledge and promise,
and calling even from the soul of sacred love, 'Amen! Come! Lord Jesus."'
"EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS"
And we would call, attention to the sequel to which this beautiful
picture points: The long, predicted, dark, misty, stormy morning, that was to witness the
return of Him who gave the promise, is at last dawned; but before the full dawn of the
light, comes the darkest of the night and precedes' ' the blessed sunshine of His
revealing. And while a stricken world has been reel ing to and fro with the shocks of
dreadful misery, war, revolution and I strife;
and the sea and waves of anarchy have been roaring, and lashing the doomed ship of state
of present institutions, and the pilots have been endeavoring vainly to weather the
terrible storm, some of those of the Lord's saints who have preserved the true spirit of
betrothal ("Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly") and have been watching and longing
for the glorious Apocalypse of the Divine One who said that His coming would be like a,
thief, have by the eye of faith through the sure word of prophecy, seen a form rising up
through the stormy mists, growing more and more distinct, as once it was seen on Galilee's
sea, and have recognized it to be -the One, for whom they have been longing. And though
these still find themselves in the midst of life's tempestuous sea, they, have the
assurance that soon they will once more hear their Divine Lord command the sea and the
waves, saying, "Peace, be still!" And in obedience to that voice, the storms and
tempests of earth will cease and again there shall be. a great calm. Yea, verily, His
presence will yet, soon we trust, bring in the day long promised when all the mists,
shadows and darkness, of the night time will pass -away; the day of the prisoner's
release, the awakening time, the morning of the resurrection; the day for which the whole
creation for six thousand years has waited and travailed in pain; indeed the day of the
great consummation, the day that shouts the Harvest Home, the day that never dies! For St.
John had heard the voice from Heaven saying, "There shall be no, more death, neither
sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things ,shall have
passed away." (Rev. 21:4.) The Prophet, too, had declared this same day, saying, '
"The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting
joy upon their heads -, they shall obtain joy and gladness,, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away."--Isa. 35:10.
Who indeed that has this vision of the Divine Program, this vision of
the great Prince of Peace and of His victorious, reign; this vision of Him who will usher
mankind,ilnto one grand eternal day of unbroken fellowship and of unspeakable joy; who
would not from the depth of his innermost being cry out with the beloved Johh--"Even
so come Lord Jesus!'' Ali, yes, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is
done in heaven.."
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
"A little
while, now He has come;
The hour draws on apace
The blessed hour, the glorious morn,
When we shall see His face.
How light our trials then will seem!
How short our pilgrim way!
The life of earth a fitful dream,
Dispelled by dawning day!
"A little while;' with
patience, Lord,
1 fain would ask, 'How long?'
For how can I, with such a hope
Of glory and of home,
.With such a joy awaiting me,
Not wish the hour were come?
How can I keep the longing back,
And how suppress the groan?
"Yet
Peace, my heart! and hush, my tongue!
Be calm, my troubled breast!
Each passing, hour prepares thee more
For everlasting rest.
Thou knowest well, the time thy God
Appoints for thee is best.
The morning star already shines;
The glow is in the east.
Then, 0 Lord
Jesus, quickly. Show
Thy glory and thy light,
And take God's longing children Home,
And end earth's weary night.,"
--MAY 29--LUKE
10:25-37; ACTS 2:44-47--
Golden Text,-- "Love
worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfillment of the law."--Rom.
13:10.
THE International Sunday School Committee, laboring under the
impression that the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles was purposed to affect humanity in
general during the present dispensation and was intended to accomplish a reformation and
cleaning up of the "rid in this Age, have endeavored to expound their teachings and
to so apply the lessons of the Bible as -to make them fit present conditions, And humanity
in its present unregenerate state. This, We believe, is all wrong. Neither our Lord nor
the Apostles addressed their messages to the world in its unconverted state. Rather they
appealed to those who were at heart already converted -- the meek, the teachable-those who
were hungering and thirsting after righteousness, truth.
Those to whom Jesus ministered at His First Advent were, said to be:
His own. Thus says the Evangelist: "He came to His own and His own received Him
not." We do not dispute that the influence of 'the Gospel has throughout the past
nineteen centuries had its, salutary. effect upon the world at large wherever it has gone,
but as for applying the teachings and lessons of the Bible to the world with the thought,
that they would now come ' under the power and control of those lessons, such was never,
intended in this Age.
The sermon of our Lord, contained in the lesson we are ,now
considering, therefore, while it sets forth a wonderful lesson containing the essence of
the Golden Rule, was never given with the thought that it was to be received and applied
by unregenerate men. Rather the context shows that our Lord had seized upon a special
opportunity,of expounding the Divine Law and showing how comprehensive it was and .how far
reaching were its provisions. Our Lord recognized that the real import of the Law was
little understood by the masses--that under the influence of misguided leaders the people
in general were given.. wrong, impressions, just as it is recognized, today that much of
the Truth as to the Divine will and plan is hidden because of misconceptions And
misinterpretations that have been handed down by those who are recognized as the only
proper authorities and, established leaders in Christendom. It was doubtless therefore for
the benefit of our Lord's, disciples', and in fact for the edification, of I-Us followers
all through the Age that the Master gave us the interpretation of the Law, and the lessons
set forth in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus was a teacher and expounder of the Law to the common people,
but He did not class Himself with the Scribes and Doctors of the Law amongst the Jews. He
had a different view of the Law from theirs and taught in' a different manner. The common
people heard Him gladly, whereas the Jewish Doctors of the Law did not appeal, to the
common people at all or attempt to teach them, but merely discussed the great problems of
Divine Law amongst themselves and with the more ascetic of the people-the Pharisees.
WISE AS A SERPENT, HARMLESS AS A DOVE
The common people, although they heard the Lord gladly, did not
clearly compre-hend His teachings, for He spoke,, to them in parables and dark sayings, to
the intent that the mass might not understand, but that the specially zealous Israelites
indeed might be attracted to closer study and inquiry. To these He explained the parables,
saying, "To you it is given to. know the mysteries of the Kingdom, but to all those
without [outsiders, not specially interested followers] these things are spoken in
parables." (Mark 4:11.) Nevertheless, there was something very attractive in the
Master's style, so that even those who did not fully comprehend His teachings said,
"Never man spake like this man"; and again we read, "They wondered at the
gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth ... For He taught them, as one having
authority [as one who understood his subject thoroughly] and, riot as the Scribes [not
doubtfully]."--John 7:46; Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:29.
For this reason jealousy of Jesus sprang up amongst the Doctors of
the Law. To them He was a rival teacher,
and accordingly they sought to entrap Him, with a view to, exposing Him to ridicule before
His followers, whom-they recognized as "unlearned men." But in no case did they
succeed; in every instance recorded, the Lord's wisdom was too great for them-He entrapped
them in their own arguments. The present lesson is an illustration of this. One of the
Doctors ,of the Law, evidently thinking that our Lord's teachings along the lines of love
and mercy were contrary to the rigid lines of justice as laid down in the Law, thought to
entrap our Lord by a question. He would ask Him upon what terms he could have. eternal
life. He expected Jesus to answer, "Eternal life will be given to, all who manifest a
God-like, loving, generous character," or that He would say, "You can have
eternal life by becoming My disciple and practicing My teachings." There-. upon this
Doctor of the Law would at once call attention to the fact that the teachings of Jesus
abrogated the Law, made it null. and void-that He ignored the Law.
Our Lord answered this Scribe thoroughly out of his own mouth.: He
said to him, "You are a teacher of the Law; give us your statement of what the Law
says respecting how eternal life may be obtained." This was a pointed reply, and the
lawyer was fully prepared to answer it, for, What saith the Law? was a common question
amongst the Jews who quoted from the Law. (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18.), This was the very
definition which our Lord a short time before quoted to the rich young ruler who, came to
Him on one, occasion. The lawyer evidently repeated a well-known formula of the Law,
"Thou ' shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all
thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself." , Jesus replied, "Thou hast answered
right: this do and thou shalt live"--have eternal life.
THE LAW VERSUS. THE GOSPEL
Why did Jesus thus refer to the Law? Why, did He not avail Himself of
this opportunity for preaching the Gospel? '"Thy did He not say to the
lawyer--"The only way to obtain eternal life is through faith in Me, followed by a
full consecration to walk in My footsteps as My disciple"? Why did He not tell the
lawyer, "There is no other name given under heaven whereby men must be saved but the
name of Jesus"? Why did He not tell him, "He that hath the Son hath life; he
that hat not the Son shall hot see life"?--Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:12.
We answer that this would have been too strong meat for the lawyer in
his condition of mind. It was necessary that first lie should realize his own inability to
keep the full letter of the Divine Law' so that he might be prepared to look for Divine
mercy through Jesus. The difficulty with, the Pharisees and Scribes was that they were
pretending to keep the Law, pretending that they were justified by it, pretending to gain
eternal life by it, although, they very well knew that they all died like. other men, and
knew also, when they would reflect upon the subject, that the Divine Law was so high, so
grand, so complete, that in their weak and fallen condition they were unable to meet all
of its requirements perfectly.
There are some people of I the
same, kind -today, who are ready to acknowledge that God has a perfect standard and that
none can expect eternal life except 'as they harmonize with that standard; and many today,
as well as formerly amongst the Jews, believe that they are sufficiently near the Divine
standard to have eternal life, and are therefore not looking for any Savior--not looking
for a Redeemer to pay a ransom price for them and to grant them immunity and forgiveness
of sin 'and reconciliation through I Him to
the Father--the covering of their blemishes. . It is necessary for all such to learn first
the lesson that Divine justice has but one standard and that is a very high one. When they
find how high God's standard is and how imperfect are their best endeavors to measure, up
to their requirements, then and not until then do they begin to look for help from the
Lord in the attainment of life e eternal. The Lord Wished the lawyer to learn this lesson,
and therefore exacted from, him a statement of what the. Law required.,
The lawyer, did not stop to haggle over what would be included in
loving God with his entire heart, soul, strength and mind. Someone might claim to be
loving and serving God and others might doubt the truthfulness of the claim, though unable
to prove anything, since only the Lord and the man's own heart could judge perfectly in
this matter. The lawyer passed. over that great question as though it were nothing, .as
though it were settled, but had he sought to critically examine what such a complete
consecration to the Lord would signify he would doubtless have found himself far short of
its standard.
Let us not pass the question too quickly or too lightly-lit us know
that to love the Lord with all our heart would mean that the sum of all our affections
would center upon the Lord, so that our love for Him would far excel all of our love for
the dear ones of the home and the family, and of the whole world. To love the Lord with
all our soul would signify with all our being--to manifest our love not only by our words
and looks, by our praises, but by our services and all of our conduct in life, everything
testifying that God is first in our affections and in all of life's interests. Thirdly, to
love Him with all our strength would signify that time and talent and influence would all
he at the service of our God, that 'in everything we would be ready to be used, spent, in
glorifying His name, in serving His cause as we might understand it to be His will.
Fourth, to love our Lord with all our mind would seem to imply that we are to
intellectually attempt to appreciate the Lord, to understand His Divine Laws and to enter
into heart sympathy with them, so that our service and worship would be the more
intelligent,* after the kind described by our Lord when He said, "They that worship
Him must, Worship Him in spirit and in truth"--intelligently.
"LOVE TRY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF"
The Scribe, passing over the obligations to the Lord, seemed to
realize that his daily conduct would condemn him as a violator of the latter part of his
own definition of the Law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." He
apparently recognized this as his most vulnerable point, and that the Lord had entrapped
him, in 'his own answer. He knew how in his daily life tie was not , loving his neighbor
as himself-that he was making a wide discrimination between those of his own class and the
common, people, the publicans and the sin ners; and that even, in his present endeavrr to entrap Jesus he was not
loving Him a's himself, as his neighbor, but treating Him as an opponent.. He felt that,
like others of his class, he had a haughty, -disdainful attitude toward the lower classes
of his Own race. He was skilled in' the Law, however, and this was not A new point for him
to evade. He had the same explanation of the matter that was common to others of the
Scribes and Pharisees, namely, that their neighbors whom they were, according to the Law,
to love as themselves, were those who belonged to their class, to their set, to their
station in life. Apparently, therefore, with considerable confidence he replied to Jesus,
"But who is my, neighbor?" as though he would say, "That is a point, I
presume, upon which we might possibly differ. I think that I keep the Law when I love and
respect and fellowship those of my own class, and treat others with more or less of
disdain. How could you apply the Law of Moses differently? I feel sure that you will
agree that the Law meant that each person was to consider those of his own class as his
neighbors, and to love them and co-operate with them and not with others of the outside
world."
With marvelous, wisdom the Lord framed a parable,. such as the Scribe
of the Law well knew might take place any day. He pictured the road, between Jerusalem and
Jericho, a bridle-path, in some places quite steep, passing through a gorge in the
mountain--a vicinity infested with robbers, who lived in the numerous caves" and who
not infrequently attacked passengers. Even today it is the custom for travelers to have an
armed escort of Arabs on this journey to Jericho.. Our Lord pictured a traveler on this
road beset by the robbers, beaten into helplessness, stripped of his clothing. He pictured
a priest passing by, seeing the man and hastening on, lest 'he also might be beset by the
robbers; similarly a Levite passes by, unwilling to spend the time necessary to render
assistance. Then a man of Samaria comes along, and, moved with sympathy, assists the
injured one, binding up his wounds; and finally, taking him- on his own beast to the
nearest, inn, he cared for him over night and made some provision for his further care.
The force of our Lord's illustration is only seen when it is
remembered that the Levites were specialty set apart for holy service to the Lord. as
instructors of the people, to guide them by word and by example in the ways of the Lord,
and when it is -further remembered that the priests, also belonging to this tribe, were a
special family chosen of the Lord for -the very highest service toward Himself and toward
the people of Israel. , The picture is still further heightened when, we recall that the
Samaritans were a mixed people, whom the Jews despised and with whom they would, have no
dealings.--John 4:9.
With these things in mind mark the Master's question, "Which of
these three was neighbor. of the man who fell amongst thieves?" There was only one
answer for the lawyer to make. He himself belonged to the Levite class condemned by
the parable. The reply was, "He that showed mercy on him." Our Lord approved of
that answer and responded, "Go thou and do likewise"--go and 'show mercy, go
and understand that any man in the world, friend or foe, is your neighbor, and is to be
loved and served by you as you may have opportunity. As you would have him do for you do
even so for him; love him and serve him as yourself, as you would have him love and serve
you under reversed conditions.
THE GOLDEN RULE
We have found some of the Lord's people disposed to evade the force
of this requirement of the Law and its illustration by the Lord's parable by saying,
"Yes, the Samaritan who showed mercy to -the wounded man was indeed his neighbor,'
while the priest and the Levite who did At show mercy to him he Should not 'consider to be
his neighbor; hence the wounded upon . recovery, should he ever have any dealings with
that Samaritan who assisted him, should love him as himself, should be willing to lay down
his life in this service. Whereas the other two Who did not do neighborly acts ought ,not
to be considered as his neighbors, and he should. not try to love them as himself.
We answer that this is a distortion of our Lord's language. Indeed,
He 0 was
seeking to counteract this very thought, which was common to the Jews, for it was a
proverb amongst them that they should be, loyal to neighbors but bitter to enemies. The
word neighbors signifies those who are near, and the Scribes and Pharisees 'were in. the
habit of applying this to those -who were near in sympathy, in sentiment, in faith, in
sectarian relationship. Thus a Pharisee would gladly serve another Pharisee, and a Scribe
would gladly serve another Scribe, from- a clannish, selfish spirit, regarding each other
as neighbors in the sense of the Law, and that others of a different class were more or,
less opponents, 6ther to go unloved or, if they oppose themselves, to be hated.
As Christians we must take a much higher view of the matter than
this. We remember our Lord's words in opposition to this . very thought. He said, "Ye
have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and bate thine enemy. But
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that- curse you, do good to them that hate
you,, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the
children of your Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 5:4345.
Our Lord originated the Golden Rule as a full statement of the Divine
e will, which must. govern all who would be His disciples. That Golden Rule does not say
that we shall love as brethren those who have done kindness. for us. Our Lord condemned
that selfish kind of love when He said, "If ye love them that love you what thank
have ye? Do not even the publicans and sinners the same?" Such an interpretation,
therefore, as would make this parable to teach that we should love as our neighbors those
who have hazarded their lives for us would be far beneath the teachings of our Master,
and, he says, would be on a parity with the usual sentiments of sinners.
As followers, of the Redeemer we are to have the much higher
standard; we are to recognize every-one who is in adversity and needing our help as our
neighbor, whom we should love sympathetically to the extent of. being ready to. do for him
or her whatever service we might be able to render, to the extent that we should wish that
person to do for us if we were in his difficulty. To whatever extent we can get this high
-standard of love, sympathy, co-operation, generosity, kindly feeling in control of our
hearts and to be the rule of our conduct, in that proportion surely we will be the more
God-like, the more Christ-like, for_ as our dear Redeemer remarked, God is kind even to
the unthankful.
--JUNE 5--ROM.
13:1-10; PSA. 33:12; PROV. 14:34--
Golden
Text.--"Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any
people."--Prov. 14:34.
AGAIN the Sunday School Committee in selecting. the title at the head
of this lesson, indicate that they believe the Scriptures under consideration apply to the
worldly and to the unbeliever. We think, of course, that this is not the proper thought,
nor is there anything in the language to imply that the writers were addressing
unbelievers; but to the contrary, the words axe wise instruction to Christian believers as
to, how they should conduct themselves consistent with their profession.
Some one has well denominated this 13th chapter of Romans "The
Christian Citizen's Chapter." We might consider it remarkable, almost to the extent
of amazement, that every feature of Christian life, duty and character is set forth
somewhere in the apostolic writings, did we not remember that the Apostles, as the stars,
or bright ones, of the Church,, were specially held in the hand of the Lord; specially
guided in their utterances, that they should set forth the whole counsel of God, that the
man of God might be thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work.
There is a vast difference between the governmental conditions of the
present time and those which, prevailed at about the time of - the writing of this,
epistle. Monarchs are . no longer absolute; and 'it is' -difficult for us to conceive the
condition of things in which an emperor had authority not only to set apart culprits as
victims for death in public spectacles, but after these had been destroyed, had the
authority also to instruct his 'servants to select further victims from amongst the
audience. It is when we get before our minds this view of atrocious government which
prevailed in the Apostle's day that we get 'the full scope . Of - his injunction,
"Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for the powers that be are ordained
"of' God." It is comparatively easy to be. subject to the higher powers in
civilized lands today, for although absolute justice might not be mated out in every
instance, there is at least an endeavor to render a show of just* such as the world has
never before known. We should be very thankful that bur lot has been favorably cast in
this respect. In declaring that "the powers that be are ordained of God," we are
not to understand the Apostle to mean that they are endorsed by God, nor that their
decisions, rules, etc., are approved by Him or are in harmony with His rules and laws. The
Apostle's intimation means simply -that in Divine providence things are as they -art, and
our God, who knows all the circumstances and conditions, permits them to be as they are,
though He could overthrow and overturn and substitute His own Kingdom of righteousness.
Nevertheless, this is not His Plan; but rather for the time being He permits the kingdoms
of this world, whose. rulers are under the prince of this world, and largely blinded by
his deceptions, to take much their, own course -- subject only to certain limitations by
which the Lord hinders Satan and any of his misguided dupes from doing, real injury to the
best interests of the Lord's people or to the thwarting of the Divine Plan. His Divine
power overrules the wrath of man and makes it to praise Him, and the remainder, which will
not accomplish anything of good, but which would be subversive of the Divine arrangements,
He will restrain.-Psa. 76:10. -
"YE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD"
"Render, therefore, to all their ,dues"-to all men as well
as to all rulers--in financial as well as political matters. A great mistake, we believe,
is being made along these lines to day. The general sentiment amongst Christian, people
is that Christian citizenship implies engaging in political strife-and endeavoring to
determine who shall be the rulers, striving to better the laws and have them obeyed, and
putting forth efforts to 'oppose
and rebuke bad laws. It will be noticed that the Apostle gives no such advice. On the
contrary, he elsewhere declares, "Your citizenship is in 'Heaven." (Phil. 3:20,
R. V.) We are strangers and foreigners in the kingdoms of this world, Our Kingdom is yet
to come; it is promised, and we are praying for it. "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be
done on earth," and we are expecting it; but meantime, as foreign ers, "not of
this world." (John 18:36), it is our business to render obedience to,. the laws,
customs, usages, of this world, in ;so far as these do not infringe upon our conscientious
obligations -to the Lord and the Truth; but this does not mean that we are to become
partisans in political strifes, and contentions amongst men. Let the world elect its own
rulers in whatever way it sees best; we put :up with whatever it pro vides with
thankfulness, with gratitude to God for whatever may come,, with the realization that He
will guide and care for us under all circumstances, and that in any event our highest
interests are being conserved.
The Apostle, however, stipulates more particularly what he means by
dues, showing that he does not mean that we owe it to others to vote, to participate in
political-, strifes. He had particularly in mind the paying of tribute, custom, fear,
honor, to whom these are due. Tribute was the tax payable by a subject nation to the
principal power, -as, for instance, by the Jewish nation to the Roman Empire while its
vassal. Custom is a tariff duty, or tax, levied in one form or another for the support of
government, by a tax upon imports or * exports or by direct taxation. Fear, or reverence,
is differentiated from honor, or respect, in the sense that it may be the duty to salute
an officer or representative of the government, by baring the 'head or bowing the knee, or
otherwise, thus showing him honor or respect, not necessarily as a. man, but as an
officer, regardless of his personal character. The fear -that is to be rendered is in the
sense of obedience, as we elsewhere read, "Fear the judge." The commands of the
judge or court are to be obeyed--whatever others might be disposed to do, Chris tians
are never to be found in contempt of court, but Are to obey its rules to the very letter,
whether they consider them just or unjust, because the judge is the representative of the
law, and God permits the, law and the judge, and commands us to be subject to whatever He
permits. If, therefore, as our Lord explained, someone shall sue us at the law, and take
away our coat, or if it include our cloak also, all that we had, we are not to resist; we
are to be obedient to the powers that be. This does not mean, however, that we shall
willingly submit to the coat or cloak or other articles being taken from us illegally or
unjustly without process of law.
OWE NO MAN ANYTHING BUT LOVE
Having thus considered the Christian's obligation to the. government,
the Apostle next passes to the- "consideration of the Christian's obligation to his
neighbors. He is to owe no man anything. This does not necessarily mean that he must not,
under any circumstances, borrow, but that if he borrows with a specific understanding
respecting the time of return of the money or goods, he shall be prompt to meet the
obligation. And unless he is absolutely certain of his ability to meet the obligation, -or
can give security such as a mortgage, he should not borrow. There is, however,. the
standing advice of the Word of God that the children of the great King should be lenders,
and not borrowers. "Do good and lend." Indeed, we believe that it would be to
the advantage of every child of God if he would put in practice the Apostle's words in
this lesson in the most absolute sense, and never borrow anything; never owe any-thing;
paying for what he needs at the time of purchase, or else waiting :for it until, in the
Lord's providence, he is able to pay for it in advance.
There is one thing, however, the Apostle implies we are continually
owing to our fellow-creatures, not only to the members of our own family and our own
neighborhood, but to all men; viz., love. We owe them this under the Divine Law, and it is
a part of Christian duty to discharge, this obligation daily. A parent or member of the
family is to see that he does his part in support of the home and its comforts and
privileges and quiet and harmony, that his influence in his neighborhood amongst his
friends and acquaintances shall be for good and not for evil, for peace and not for
strife. And as the Apostle elsewhere remarks, if he is to do good unto all men, as he has
opportunity, and because he loves all and desires their welfare, much more especially is
he to have such sentiments and conduct toward those of the household of faith. (Gal.
6:10.) He is to be ready to do good at the expense of his own time and convenience, to all
men, but he is to be ready to lay down his life for the. brethren-he is to seek
opportunities for laying down his life day after day, in the sense of giving his time to
the communication of the Truth, or helping, the Lard's brethren in any, manner, to put on
the whole armor of God, and. to stand -in the evil day.
The Apostle calls attention to the comprehensive. statement of the
Law set forth, by our Lord; viz., that love is the fulfilling of the law, and that,,
therefore, love for the neighbor signifies that the law of God is fulfilled toward our
neighbor. It will be remembered, however, that the law of love is divided into two parts;
first, love to God; second, love to our fellows; and the loving of our neighbor would,.
therefore, be only a part of the fulfilling of the entire love to God. After loving our
neighbor, and even laying down our life for him, we would need to see to it that we do not
neglect the first feature of this law; Viz., that we should love God more than our
neighbor and more than -ourselves, so that every human interest and, matter would be
sacrificed gladly in response to our conviction of the Divine will.
Going on to speak of the fulfillment of this second part of the Law
of Love--the duty toward the neighbor-the Apostle enumerates, -the, essence of some of the
commandments respect ing murder, adultery, false witness, theft, covetousness, and all
other commandments that relate to our fellow-creatures--they are all met by the Law, of
Love to our neighbor. The commandments of the Decalogue were all of a negative char
acter, "Thou shalt not" do this or that which would be injurious to thy
neighbor. ,But the new Law of Love is positive, and declares, upon the other side of the
question, "Thou shalt love" thy neighbor. Love, -therefore, meets all the
requirements of the "shalt nots" of the Ten Commandments and much more. For
whosoever, in obedience to this Law of Love, is seeking to, do good
to his neighbor, will surely not slander him, nor' murder him nor steal from him nor covet
his goods, nor otherwise do, or wish to do him injury, or even to think of him With
unkindness.
"AWARE THOU THAT SLEEPEST"
Having considered these two points, viz., duty to rulers and duty, to
neighbors, the Apostle next turns to the Christian's duty toward himself, declaring,
"Knowing the time, that now 'it is high time to awake out of sleep." The
Christian is to realize that he, and in general the whole world, has been asleep in a sort
of stupor, in . respect to the highest and best and noblest things.. Now having gotten the
eyes of his under standing opened, and being, at least, partially awake to
righteousness, he begins to, weigh and measure matters after a fashion, different from
his previous course. He begins, to estimiate rightly the things of this present life, as
not worthy to be compared with the glorious things which belong to the eternal life. He
begins to realize that the world has now been six days (a thousand years each--2 Pet. 3:8)
under the reign of sin and death, and that the morning of the great Sabbath -- of
refreshment and blessing and rest is at hand. As he realizes this he should feel disposed
to arouse himself and shake himself thoroughly from the dust of ignorance, superstition,
blindness and I sordidness,
and to live in harmony with the glorious -hopes he now entertains-living for the new era,
the new dispensation, which he sees is approaching, realizing that day by day since first
he believed, his salvation is drawing nearer. Instructed by the Word of God, he will not
expect his salvation except in connection with the Second Corning of our Lord Jesus and,
the establishment of His Kingdom; as the Apostle in another
place declares, "The grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."--1 Pet. 1:13.
The thought of the Second Coming of the Lord was continually before
the Apostles; and our Lord evidently designed that it should be constantly an incentive to
all the members of His Church throughout the Age. This, undoubtedly, was one reason why He
did :not particularly explain the length of time that would intervene--it would be a short
time, from God's standpoint, and even from the human standpoint it would be a short time
to each individual who would, e only the few remaining years of life wherein to make ready
for the glorious things of the future; since "in death there is-no remembrance of
Thee; in the grave who can give Thee thanks?"--Psa. 6:5,
Looking back, and perceiving that about 4,160 years had already
passed in sin and gross darkness upon. the world, the Apostle realized that the night was
surely far. spent, and the day not far distant. And now we living eighteen centuries
nearer to the day, are highly favored, by the Lord in this due time, in that we are
permitted to, see the particulars that were obscure to some extent in the Apostle's day.
We believe that the day is actually at hand; that we are now living in the early dawn of
the new Dispensation, and that as soon as the Harvest of this Gospel Age shall be
gathered, the work of change, or transformation, by. which the kingdoms of this world
shall, in a great time of trouble, become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, will be
at hand.
What is the force of the Apostle's argument to those who see as he
did, the approaching Kingdom, of light, that shall banish all the darkness of sin,
ignorance, superstition, etc.? It is expressed in His words, "Let us, therefore, cast
off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." The works of
darkness would be any works whatsoever that would not stand the fullest investigation;
that would not stand approval in the light of the new Dispensation, if it were already
fully ushered in. Let us remember that we belong to the
new Dispensation, and not to the-
old, and should, therefore, live in accordance with our citizenship and our
responsibilities toward the Prince of light and in opposition to the prince of darkness,
his works and his ways.
EVERY MAN'S WORK TRIED
We have elsewhere considered this matter of putting on the armor of
light; And the necessity, as expressed in the Apostle's statement, that'-the particular
period of time in which the change from the dominion of the prince of this world to the
Kingdom of God's dear Son will be a specially evil day--a day, a period, in which all the
children of light will he crucially tested; such a day as will try every man's work and
faith what they are; a day and a fiery trial through which only the gold, silver and
precious stones will pass unscathed, and in which all the hay, wood and stubble of error
and sin and human tradition and falsehood will be entirely destroyed. No wonder, then,
that the Apostle repeatedly urges us to put on the armor of light-preparation by the
Lord's, people for the trials of this particular time, which we perceive is now just upon
us-in fact, we Are already passing into these very fires of this day of trial. We are
already in the time, when the wood, hay and stubble is being consumed, and when Higher
Criticism, Evolutionary theory, Christian Science, Hypnotism, and others, are devouring as a flame all that are
not fully devoted to the Lord, and, therefore, specially kept by His power through His
Word and providence.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day. We are not yet fully in the day,
but we belong to the new era, and are, therefore, to live even in this present time as
nearly a-, possible up to the perfect standards of the future. So to live will signify
self-denial-will imply that we will be misunderstood by the world; will imply that we will
be thought foolish, and that we will be considered enemies, not only by those who are in
gross darkness, but particularly by those who profess to be the Lord's people, children of
the light, but who really prefer darkness and error rather than light and truth. We are
inclined to lay special stress on this word "'honestly," and to believe that the
Apostle used it advisedly and in a particular sense.
As we look all about us we find that dishonesty is very prevalent;
not merely in the world, where we expect a certain amount of duplicity and
misrepresentation and deception, and people passing for what they are not, but we find
this kind of -dishonesty very prevalent amongst professing Christians; yea, we have known
ministers to boast of their dishonesty to declare that they never did believe the creed
which they had professed to believe and vowed they would teach to others. Intelligent
ministers are today preaching in all denominations what they do, not believe, standing for
creeds and theories which misrepresent their' true sentiments. They are acting
dishonestly; they, are searing their own consciences; they are putting themselves into a
condition where they cannot make progress into the light of, the Truth; for surely God
does not want dishonest people in His elect- Church. Surely, unless they become honest,
-they will have their portion with the hypocrites, for the hypocrites are the dishonest
"Let us walk honestly," appeals to every true child of God. , Each one should
see to it that he is honest, not only -in matters of dollars and cents, but honest in his.
treatment. of his neighbors, in his treatment of the brethren, in the Church, and, above
all, honest in his confessions respecting his God and his faith. The test -is being made
along this line, and those who love the favor of men rather than the favor of God, and who
dishonestly are willing -to confess and profess a lie, will be given up to their lie, will
be permitted to blight their eternal interests, will be proving themselves unfit for the
Kingdom--whatever else, they may ultimately become fit for. This is the very essence of
the Apostle's declaration, in his letter to the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 2:11), when,
speaking of this evil day, And the great trial that would come upon the Church, he
declares that God will send them strong delusions that they might believe a lie-because
they were not honest because they did not obey the Truth in the love of it, but acted
deceptively, hypocritically, two-facedly.
BE SOBER AND WATCH
Our translators seem to have forgotten that these epistles were
written to "the saints" (Rom. 1:8), and not to the world, hence, When speaking
of certain sins they used English words, which would be applicable to the most depraved
class in describing the crimes and wrong course--instead of using such language as would
properly represent the misdemeanors that might he expected amongst the -saints. There is
an illustration ,of this in our lesson, (verse 13), where the Apostle is represented as
saying to the saints that they should not indulge in rioting, drunkenness, chambering and
wantonness. It is true that the saints should not indulge in any of those things; but it
is true also that no saints would think of indulging in ,such, orgies.
The Apostle's meaning, to our understanding, is a much more. refined,
one -than these words would represent. He urges us that in 'view of the time, and that we
are children ,of the day, that we should not engage in worldly revelries, time-killing
pleasures, harmless though they may be, and that we should not be intoxicated with the
spirit of this world. As, for instance, some have an intoxication for money, wealth;
others an intoxication for business; others for dress; others for music; others for art;
but as the Lord's people, who have gotten a glimpse of the new day, and the great work of
God which is to be accomplished in that day, our hearts should be so absorbed in the work
of God, that these matters, which would be thought proper enough and right enough in
others, worldly people--because they are not awake as we are, and because I 'they
see not the future as we see it--should be far from our conception
and. our course.
In urging the saints to avoid chambering and wantonness, we are not
to understand the Apostle to mean fornication and adultery, and general lasciviousness, as
he might warn the most depraved and most benighted of the children of this world. We are
to understand him to address these words to the saints, urging , them to continence in
their social relations urging that the thoughts of the Kingdom shall lift their minds
and disengage their affections to a large extent, at least, from the earthly affections
and the lawful sexual congress. This is a statement to the Romans of the same thing that
he mentions to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 7:29) ; "Brethren, the time is short; it
remaineth both that they that have wives be as though they had none, * * * and they that
use this world as not abusing it." The Apostle, however, puts limitations. to this
counsel, as expressed in vs. 5-7 of the same chapter. This interpretation of the Apostle's
sentiments is fully corroborated by the concluding words of this verse (13). By the
general rules of language he would not begin his argument with the grosser sins, and end
with the less, but reversely, conclude with the stronger argument. , Here he concludes
with the exhortation that 'the saints, in watching as in the day, shall avoid strife and
envy.
WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT
The other difficulties would be comparatively their own
concern--their participation in revelries might do no harm to others, their being
!overcharged with a spirit of intoxication for wealth or fashion or art or music,
might do no injury to others, their inordinateness in lawful-, sexual matters might do no
injury to the cause in general; but when 'he comes to strife e and envy he notes two
qualities which reach out and would not only imply a, wrong condition of. heart on the,
part of the transgressor '. which indulged would ultimately bar him from, the Kingdom, but
would represent also elements of character which would be injurious to the whole Body of
Christ, which is the Church. And be it noticed that these various dispositions,
carelessness of life, the overcharged, or drunken condition, as respects -earthly, affairs
(Luke 21:34), and lack of self-restraint 'in, connubial relationship, would be very apt to
go hand in hand With a wrong Spirit in the Church--a spirit of strife, contention,
wilfulness--not Submitting to the Divine Word and providence, but, on the contrary, the,
arousing of jealousies, ambitions, on behalf of self or others, for prominence in the
Body.
To the contrary of all this, the saints are tot Seek more and more to put
on the Lord Jesus Christ--to take each to himself the characteristics of the Lord
Jesus--His meekness, 'His patience, His gentleness, His forbearance, His love, His
willingness to be servant of all His temperateness and moderation in all things, His
complete devotion to, the Father, His complete submission to the Holy Spirit in all of His
affairs.
In thus seeking to be like the Lord the saints are to "melee no
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." They ,will find the flesh
continually insisting that it he recognized, that it- be not mortified, that plans and
arrangements shall be made for its comfort, pleasure, gratification. The saints, however,
are to make no such provision; they are to ignore the flesh, to the extent they are able ;
they are to consider its tastes, appetites and preferences,, as generally depraved and
improper to be gratified. They ate to do: this so -
thoroughly that they will make no provision foe it, but merely provide for the doing of
the will of the 'Lord in all things, whether the will, of the Lord be pleasant or
unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable to the flesh.
STUDY LXIV--MAY 22
THE SEVEN HEADS OF THE SCARLET COLORED BEAST
(416) What may be said as to the views ' that expositors of the past
in general have held with regard to the symbolic "seven Heads"? And why would we
logically suppose that later expositions would exhibit more clearness -on this subject? H
'20-21.
(417) What was the iew held by MR. GUINNESS and MR. ELLIOTT on this
matter and how did they apply the symbol of the seven Heads? Explain in what features,
they seem to have been in error and to have differed from PASTOR RUSSELL, . and point out
which of their applications appear to be correct. H '26-22-24.
(418) What particular statement does St. John record that assists- us
in establishing the meaning Of the seven Heads, and what they We -properly consider a very
important factor in the interpretation and application of this vision? H '20-23.
(419) 1 What
other applications of the "seven Heads" have been made by, expositors, and point
out in what respect they seem to fail of, meeting the requirements of the vision. H
'20-25, 26.
(420) What was PASTOR RUSSELL'S understanding of the ,seven Heads,
and at what point in history should we properly .look for the commencement of the
fulfillment of the vision of the seven Heads? H '20-25. 1
STUDY LXV--MAY 29
THE SEVEN HEADS OF THE SCARLET COLORED BEAST (CONT.)
(421) What- bearing does verse 3 of chap. 17 have upon the
interpretation of the Symbolic' seven Heads? H '20-25, 26.
(422) Why does St. John state in verse 10 referring to the seven,
kings - that five are fallen, and, dues this mean that in the Apostle's time this much of
the vision had met fulfillment? H '20-25
(423) What. would, seem to be, the most consistent and reasonable
interpretation of verse 11? And what are the evidences of the near fulfillment of the
symbol of the eighth form of the Beast or the Beast without a head? H '20-25, 26.
(424) In view of what we, have learned foregoing, in connection with
which Head of -the Beast do we locate the ten Horns? H '20-26.
(425) Since the, seven Heads seem to refer. to, seven successive
forms of government ruling from the City of Rome, what would be the reasonable conclusion
as to each Head as it became displaced by its successor? And what, further observations do
we make with regard to the Head that received a deadly wound--chap. 13:3? H '20-26. a a
STUDY LXVI--JUNE 5
THE VISION OF THE TWO-HORNED BEAST
(426) Give a description of the two-horned Beast, and the. Image of
the Beast, as outlined in chap. 13:11-18.
(427) Why has this vision been a difficult one for expositors who
lived in the early part of the nineteenth, century to interpret? and what were the views
generally set' forth by expositors at that time? State what is the seeming defect in them
all, H '20-37.
(428) How have some of the later expositors, such as Seventh Day
Adventists explained the two-horned Beast? and Point out how their explanations fail to
meet the requirements. of the vision? H '20-38.
(429) What period Of time is covered by this 13th chapter describing
the ten-horned and two-horned Beasts and the Image? What system, existing to-day with
which the Lord's people ,have been associated 'would seem to be of sufficient importance
to be portrayed in the Revelation? H '20-37.
(430) What would seem to be signified by the expression, "Another Wild Beast," and of the fact
that he came up from .the "Earth"? H '20-38.
STUDY LXVII--JUNE 12
THE VISION OF THE TWO-HORNED BEAST (Cont.)
(431) In our previous studies what have we found to be the
significance of a horn when 'Used as a symbol, and what would therefore be one of the
requirements to meet the fulfillment of, the two-horned Beast? H '20-38.
(432) What in the vision would enable us to locate the time of the
fulfillment of this vision ? What events and development seem to meet all the requirements
of this vision? Relate from the historian some of the circumstances bearing upon the
establishment Of this government, ' H '20-39.
(433) What important statement did PASTOR RUSSELL make regarding this
two-horned Beast? H `20-39
(434) What, is the significance of the horns being "like a
lamb!"? and of the further statement that "he spake as a, Dragon"? Explain
how this feature of the symbol has been fulfilled according to the historian. H '20-39,40.
(435) State the view regarding the foregoing as set, forth .by PASTOR
RUSSELL. Show the claims of the Church of England are similar to those of Papacy. What is
the present condition of the English church government? H. '20-40,
1921 Index |