THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL. XXI August, 1938 No. 8
Table of Contents
Things Coming to Pass
Buried with Him in Baptism
The Three Parables
Uttered by Christ at Matthew's Feast
The Christian's Warfare Against
Pride\
The History of the Church
Convention of Young Bible Students
"Bearing Much Fruit"
Convention Blessings
"When ye see these
things come to pass, know ye that the Kingdom of God is at hand." - Luke
21:31
THE FINAL shaking of the social earth
is, we believe, close at hand. During the past twenty-five years every nation of the
world has received harder and more severe shakings, financially, socially,
politically. Strong as the nations feel themselves to be, all tremble in dread at the
results of their distresses. Only the Bible can or does speak authoritatively respecting
results. In the same breath it tells of disaster and of blessings-disaster to the nations,
but ultimate blessings to the people through the new government of Messiah's Kingdom.
St. Paul, referring to our day and to
present conditions, declares the Lord's message, "Yet once more will I shake, not the
earth only, but also the heavens." By inspiration the Apostle informs us that this
will be the last great shaking which the world will ever have, because in this troubled
time in the early dawn of the Millennium, everything shakable will be shaken and destroyed
so thoroughly that nothing will remain except that which is unshakable-that which will
fully have the divine approval. The Apostle says that the only thing remaining unshakable
will be the Kingdom of God in the hands of The Christ-Head and Body. - Hebrews 12:18-27.
We should not get the thought that the
shaking of the nations is just beginning, but rather that the shaking that has been in
progress for some time is now reaching its violent stage. For years all nations have
been trembling with occasional violent shocks; but now they are preparing for the great
shock, the great "earthquake," as the Bible symbolically styles it. - Rev.
16:18.
Nations
Hurrying to Armageddon
Knowledge is power. For the past fifty
years in particular knowledge has been preparing the masses of humanity, and their
power has been growing apace. Proportionately the powers of the past have been obliged
to yield. The entire world is honeycombed with social unrest, which, like yeast, is
fermenting the entire social fabric. The great Armageddon of the Bible may soon be
expected. Every man's hand will be against his neighbor. Various factions and parties have
proclaimed panaceas, and have forced them upon the public. As a result, foretold in
prophecy, "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation." - Daniel 12:1.
The shaking process will continue, the
Apostle tells us, until Messiah's unshakable Kingdom shall assert itself and take
control of the world's affairs. The Lord through the Prophet Haggai tells us this, saying,
"I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come." (Haggai
2:7.) All people really desire peace, joy, happiness, blessing, such as God purposes to
give them; but they do not comprehend their needs, and are seriously misled as to the
methods by which they might be obtained.
We as students of the Scriptures are
coming more and more to appreciate the fact that the divine plan presented in the Bible
is wonderful in its simplicity and its comprehensiveness. More and more we are coming to
see that our error in the past has been that we studied not the Bible, but the creeds-and
correspondingly had darkness instead of light.
Symbolic
Shaking and Burning
Note again St. Paul's quotation of the
Lord's words, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." (Heb.
12:26.) We have seen what the shaking of earth signifies as respects society,
governments, social order. In the same symbolic language of prophecy the heavens represent
the ecclesiastical systems, as the earth represents the social. The meaning of the Lord's
words is, therefore, clear; the coming trouble is not to be merely one upon the world of
mankind, but in a very special sense it is to signify a shaking of the Church-the
ecclesiastical, or spiritual, or heavenly powers.
'There are doubtless saints of God in
various organizations. And these alone constitute the true Church "the Church of
the firstborns, whose names are written in heaven." (Heb. 12:23.) The masses of
Christians of all organizations, according to this prophecy, will be shaken-shaken in
faith, shaken from their self-conceit, superstitions and bigotries. Only the true Church,
only those who are in vital union with Christ, only the saints, will remain unshaken in
the strenuous storm described by the Apostle.
While the masses of humanity have been
shaking the political earth for the past twenty-five years, other forces have been shaking
with great severity the ecclesiastical heavens. Inquire where we may, we find that many of
God's professed people have been shaken loose from a faith they once thought was sure and
steadfast. Indeed, it is the habit of many Christians to boast amongst themselves that
they are not as devout today, as they once were. It most assuredly is the fashion today
for the majority of Christians to honor God with their lips, while their heart is far from
Him. In vain do they worship-teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Let no one think that the shaking of
the ecclesiastical heavens is ended. The Bible pictures the culmination as a sudden
catastrophe which will awaken and set free all in Babylon who are the Lord's people --
"Israelites indeed," without guile. - John 1:47.
New Heavens
and New Earth
The shaking of the heavens and the
earth mentioned by St. Paul, corresponding with the shaking mentioned by the Prophet
(Haggai 2:7), is referred to under a different figure in St. Peter's writings. St. Peter
describes the end of the nominal church systems of our day under the figure of a fire.
The heavens being on fire shall pass away with a great noise-great disputation,
confusion, etc.; "the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned
up," writes St. Paul. -- 2 Pet. 3:11; 1 Cor. 3:13.
Those who have built with gold, silver,
and precious stones supplied by the divine message and its promises, will survive the
conflagration, because their faith and hope and relationship to God are indestructible.
But all those who have built with wood, hay, and stubble of human tradition and
churchianity will find their work utterly destroyed in the fire of that day. All their
hopes, all their anticipations, will be utterly gone. "Yet themselves shall be
saved, so as by fire." (1 Cor. 3:11-15.) Then he explains that God will save this
class because they have been truly consecrated Christians, who have built their false
hopes and wrong expectations upon the sure foundation-Christ and His redeeming work.
The passing away of the present
symbolic heavens, or ecclesiastical powers, will leave the place of spiritual control to
the "new heavens" -- the Church in glory. The passing away of the present social
earth will give place to the new order of things styled "the new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness." (2 Pet. 3:13.) The new earth will be this same planet, but
under new conditions, new social arrangements, provided by the Messianic Kingdom. At that
time the prophecy of Haggai will begin to be fulfilled-the portion which declares
"the desire of all nations shall come." That new earth condition is pictured
by St. Peter most beautifully, saying:
"Times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, as before was preached unto
you, whom the heavens must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things
spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began." - Acts 3:19-23.
- Contributed by W. J. Siekman
Dear Brethren of the Institute: Greetings in our dear Redeemer.
Today it was my great privilege to witness, and to have a small
part in, one of the most beautiful and inspiring occasions of my long pilgrimage toward
the heavenly Canaan. Tonight, just as twilight shades were beginning to settle down, a
little band of seven consecrated children of the Lord drove some miles to a cottage on
the banks of the picturesque Chemung River, near Elmira, where permission had been given
to hold a baptismal service.
Here, in this lovely setting, at a bend in the swift flowing
stream, five earnest Christians, bent only upon doing God's will and witnessing "a
good confession" of their entire consecration to the Lord, led by two older brethren,
threaded their way through a barbed-wire fence and down the rocky bank to the flowing
water's edge. It was a scene I shall never forget. The baptismal candidates were two
young married couples and another young brother, all of whom had been faithfully
instructed in God's Word and Plan by our beloved Brother L. L. Benedict, and that
instruction climaxed several months ago by the death of Sister Benedict, when the Lord
spoke to them convincingly in the funeral discourse by our dear Brother Paul Thomson.
The original plan to hold this service at Ithaca, our next stop,
on Sunday, could not be arranged and hence the hurried gathering in the twilight on the
shore of the lovely Chemung. Owing to the fast-gathering shadows, singing of hymns was
omitted, but with the expressed sentiment
"Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow
Thee,"
It was our great privilege to extend a right hand of fellowship,
in the name of the great Head of the true Church, to these five dear ones there at the
river's brink.
Tears of joy filled the eyes of the dear father, beloved Brother
Benedict, as he officiated in placing under the waves in symbol of their real baptism into
Christ and into the will of God, in obedience to Romans 6:3-6, two of his own sons, a dear daughter-in-law, and our dear
young Brother and Sister Lawrence.
While time did not permit us to sing audibly, our hearts sang, and
who shall say the invisible heavenly choir did not join in an anthem of praise to our
heavenly Father and to our Redeemer, through whose great love and ransom sacrifice this
scene was made possible and precious to all.
A dear infant daughter of Brother and Sister Lawrence, too young
to leave at home, was happy in the care of small relatives in one of the cars.
Having been richly blessed by this wonderful witness to the power
of God and His truth, and to the constraining love of Christ, even today, the little
procession turned city-ward through the deepening shadows and gathered, with others, in
the home of Brother and Sister Laroy Benedict, where beginning after 9:00 p.m., the
concluding service of an address and farewell was held.
It has been, dear brethren, my happy privilege to witness many
baptismal services throughout the past sixty one years, but never one quite like this. We
give praise to our God, who blesses us abundantly and who "addeth no sorrow
therewith." And so again we sing:
"Faith can firmly trust
Him,
Come what may."
Your brother by His grace and in His love and service,
Harvey A. Friese.
"Why do we
and the Pharisees fast oft, but Thy disciples fast not?" -
Matt. 9:14.
BEFORE CONSIDERING the parables
themselves, it will be helpful to note the conditions which led our Lord to give them
expression. They were uttered at the feast which Matthew, either in the evening of the
same clay on which he had been called to be a disciple, or shortly thereafter, had
prepared in our Lord's honor. - Luke 5:33-39; Mark 2:18-22; Matt. 9:9-17.
There was no lack of conversation at
Matthew's table. Besides the publicans (that is to say, tax collectors) and sinners (those
who made no religious claims or professions) who reclined with Him, there lounged in the
court outside the room, or even in the room itself, many neighbors whom the customs of the
East permitted to add themselves, uninvited, to the company. Among these were certain
Pharisees, and their scribes, rabbis, and doctors of the. law, who had already been
worsted in their dispute with Christ when He healed the man who was sick of the palsy
(Matt. 9:1-8); certain also of their ardent young disciples. Some of the disciples of John
the Baptist were there too. Among these bystanders there arose a discussion, a discussion
which was mainly an adverse criticism. The discussion turned on eating and drinking, as
was natural at a feast, and various issues were raised, as for instance whether it was not
better to fast than to feast; and, with whom was it lawful to eat.
The Pharisees did not approve of eating
with "publicans and sinners"; but with a certain awe of Jesus, and remembering
how He had previously discomfited them, when He had forgiven the paralytic his sins and
cured his palsy, they first put their disapproval into the form of a question, and then
asked the question of His disciples, not venturing to ask it directly of Him. To their
question: "Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?" His
disciples not being ready with an answer, our Lord made a threefold reply. First He cited
a well known proverb "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are
sick." Next He advised them to learn the real significance of the Scripture found in
Hosea 6:6, "I desired mercy and not sacrifice," and finally He gave them a
distinct declaration of the object and character of His mission: "I am not come to
call the righteous but sinners."
Bigotry and How to Meet It
No sooner is the question "Why
eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?" answered than another is raised,
raised first, probably, by lie disciples of the Baptist. They object, not so much to the
company in which Jesus sits; for they cannot forget that the Baptist himself called
publicans and sinners to repentance (Luke 3:12) ;.but they are amazed that He, to whom
John gave witness, should sit at a well-spread table, and partake of sumptuous fare.
That was not like the Baptist. He lived in a
wilderness, on locusts and wild honey. Was it right, was it kind, that One whom John loved
so well should feast when John was in prison? Was not fasting always better than
feasting? Was it not much more suitable and becoming in view of the times of stress
through which they were passing?
The mistake which these men made was a
mistake which has been repeated many times since, a mistake which, we trust, all of our
readers as well as ourselves, seek to avoid. It was the mistake of making themselves the
standard by which all others were to be measured, and not only measured but condemned.
Even Jesus, it seems, must come under their censure if His thoughts are higher than
their thoughts, His ways broader than theirs. "We do this or that; we think thus and so; why don't you? We will lay
our ban on you if you don't"-this has been the cry of the bigot in all ages and
generations. "We do not see this feasting
to be right, and therefore it must be wrong." We cannot too carefully guard ourselves
against being infected by this self-righteous and intolerant temper which must be a
thousand-fold more base and wicked than any errors of thought sincerely held. Christ was
in the right, though "we and the Pharisees" thought Him wrong.
When we meet a bigot we are tempted to
meet him in a temper as arrogant and as self-sufficient as his own. Let us therefore the
more carefully mark how the Lord Jesus met these austere bigots of the law. Their
objection lay against the new tone which he seemed to be giving, and really was giving, to
the religious life of men. They held that religion demanded a rigid and austere life; that
it enjoined fasting, abstinence from comfort and joy -- in one word, -- asceticism. Their
real complaint against Christ was that He was departing from this conception of
religion. What they meant was: "You are giving a festal tone to life. You rejoice
with those that rejoice, as well as weep with those that weep. You do not fast and make
your disciples fast. You go to a marriage-feast as readily as- to a house of mourning. You
even feast with sinners, who should do nothing but bewail their sins, and their exclusion
from our synagogues. You give an added joy, and the sanction of your presence, to their festivities."
To all of which our Lord replies by
three exquisite parables: the parable of the bridegroom and the bridechamber; the
parable of the old garment with a new patch; and the parable of the new wine poured into
old wineskins.
Parable of the
Bridechamber
First of all He speaks the parable of
the bridechamber. "Can the children of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom
is with them?" "Can the friends of the bridegroom be gloomy and mournful when he
is about to be married?" This figure of a bridegroom is one of the most precious to
be found in the Scriptures. As all are aware, it is used in the New Testament to denote
the bonds of love and affection which unite our Lord, the heavenly Bridegroom, to the
Church of this Gospel Age. As St. Paul, writing to the Church of Corinth, declares:
"I have espoused [or betrothed] you to one husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Cor. 11:2.) And how the true lovers of Jesus long for
the time to come when they shall experience the consummation of their hopes, and go in
with Him to the marriage-feast, entering fully and for ever into the joys of their Lord!
In the passage before us, however,
Jesus was not presenting Himself as the betrothed Bridegroom of the Church. There was no
spirit-begotten Church to whom He could be betrothed when He spoke these words at
Matthew's feast. Not until after He had given His life for her sake; not until He had been
raised from the dead by the Father's power; not until He had ascended on high, there, at
the Father's right hand, to appear in His presence on her behalf; not until the waiting
followers of Jesus received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, was there even the
nucleus of a Church to whom, as a spirit being, He could be betrothed. Then, indeed, it
was, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, that our heavenly Bridegroom
betrothed the Gospel Church to Himself, in love.
Jewish Bride
Rejects Bridegroom
But the figure of the bridegroom had
been used in the Old Testament of Jehovah and His relationship to the Jewish Church or
nation. When Christ came, He came as the Father's representative, to claim this Jewish
Church for His own. "And His own," we read, "received Him not." -
John 1:11.
From this standpoint, this brief parable, quite apart
from the beauty and interest it has for us, had a special force both for the disciples of
the Pharisees and for the followers of the Baptist. The Pharisees 'held by the "law
and the Prophets." And the Prophets had spoken of a coming Bridegroom who should
betroth Israel unto Himself "in righteousness and in loving-kindness and in
mercies," who, though her "Maker," should become her "Husband"
and "Redeemer." (Isa. 62:5; Hos. 2:19-20; Isa. 54:5.) Their own rabbis had
pronounced this "Bridegroom" to be the Messiah, and had foretold, "All
fasting shall cease in the days of Messias; there shall only be holidays and festivals,
joy and gladness and cheerful feasts." So that, by His brief parable, our Lord was
recalling their own Prophets and rabbis to the minds of the Pharisees. He was announcing
Himself as the expected "Bridegroom" and "Messiah" and showing them
how even their own teachers had foreseen that the sons of the bridechamber, the companions
of the Bridegroom, should not fast in His day, but hold holiday and festival, with joy and
gladness and cheerful feasts.
The Baptist's
Faithful Witness
In like manner the parable had special
meaning and force for the disciples of John. They
held by their master's words. To them the Baptist was the last and greatest of the
Prophets. And when the Baptist saw all men flocking to Jesus, he had said to his
disciples: "Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but
that I am sent before Him. He that bath the bride is, the Bridegroom, but the friend of
the Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the
Bridegroom's voice; this, my joy, therefore, is fulfilled." - John 3:28, 29.
The disciples of John could hardly fail
to recall their master's words as they listened to the parable of Christ. And as they
recalled them, they would see how even the austere, ascetic Baptist had claimed, as a son
of the bridechamber, to rejoice greatly, while the Bridegroom was with him. And if he
could do so, why could not they also?
Obviously there was a special force in
the parable for both sets of critics. It referred the disciples of the Pharisees to
Hebrew prophecies of a coming Messiah and Bridegroom, anointed with the oil of joy above His fellows, in whose days all fasting
would cease; and it referred the disciples of the Baptist to the teaching and example of
the Baptist himself -- to his prophecy of a
Bridegroom, and his great joy as long as he stood and heard the Bridegroom's voice. So
that, in place of meeting these austere and narrow-hearted critics in a temper as narrow
and arrogant as their own, our Lord Jesus adopted their standards, condescended to their
modes of thought, and sought to convince them out
of their own Scriptures-leaving us once again, an example, that we should thus, as
well as in all other respects, seek to follow in His steps.
True Fasting
by Gospel Church
But there is a deeper meaning in His
next words, a. meaning which neither the disciples of the Pharisees, nor the Baptist's
disciples could grasp. As long as they have the Bridegroom with them, the children of the
bridechamber cannot fast. That they are
beginning to understand. "But the days will come." He continues, "when the
Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days." In
these words it is evident that our Lord is thinking of the experiences, of the true Gospel
Church, of which the Jewish Church was but typical. Some of these disciples of His.
members of the Jewish Church, would be transferred to the Gospel Church, and others
would believe on Him through their word, all down through the Gospel Age. Throughout
these centuries He, their Betrothed, would be absent. Now fasting is always associated
with sorrow and trial, and as at times the long delay on the part of the Bridegroom
would cause the heart of the waiting Church to grow sick and discouraged, she might well
fast and doubtless would. But no one would need to urge this on her. It would not be a
rite or ceremony imposed on the Church at certain solemn seasons, but the expression of a
real sentiment of grief and weariness. It would proceed from the sorrow which the Church
would feel in the absence of her Bridegroom, and is designed to lend intensity to her
prayers and to ensure with greater certainty that assistance of Jesus (the Holy Spirit in rich measure) which alone can supply the place
of His visible presence: Mark 9:29; Acts 13:2, 3; 14:20.
Parable of the
Old Garment with the New Patch
To the parable of the bridechamber our
Lord adds the parable of the old garment with the new patch. "No man seweth a piece
of new cloth on an old garment; else the new piece that filleth it up taketh away from the
old and the rent is made worse."
In this second parable our Lord again
condescends to the imperfections of His critics, that He may lead them to think more
accurately, and with a broader vision, of Him, and of the work He has come to do. He
states the view of the Law and of the Gospel which they
(not He) held. To them, the Law was an old
cloak, a religious garb, which they had long worn, and their fathers before them. They
'had honestly tried (at least some of them had) to clothe themselves in the righteousness
which is by the Law. To a large extent its precepts had shaped their lives. Still, its
ordinances were, for the most part, ordinances of outward observances, which had not
vital, or vitalizing power. It could not, as
St. Paul found out by bitter experience, give life. It was not graven on their hearts, but
only on their phylacteries and doorposts-on the hen! of their garments. It did not
touch, quicken, and renew their spirits; it was a mere robe, concealing rather than
removing, the deformities and pollutions of their moral nature.
They did not themselves deny that it
was an old cloak, getting somewhat thin and
threadbare by long use. They were willing to have it patched; they were even trying to
patch it themselves. The Pharisees, besides supplementing the written law by oral
tradition, were willing to take a few hints from the teaching of John the Baptist. The
disciples of the Baptist, though as a rule they did not
become Christian, were willing to take a few hints from the teaching and example of
Christ. They cut out a shred here and a shred there from the Gospel fabric, and were
sewing them on to their old garment, the Law. But this feasting in Matthew's house perplexed them. They could not
tell what to make of it-how to use it. It did not fit into any rent, or match with any
texture, of their hereditary cloak. They were willing to take from Christ any form or
custom which would make the Law more perfect or more suitable to the times; but this
feasting with tax-collectors and sinners-what could they make of it? This would not give an added air of austerity or sanctity to
their lives. It would neither make them more righteous, nor even give them a wider
reputation for righteousness. It might even lessen the reputation they had. How could
this patch be wrought in upon their old garment?
For their instruction our Lord adopts
their view. Virtually He says to them: "You
regard the law of Moses as an old cloak, a religious garb, rather than a religious life;
-- form rather than spirit. And for you, this Gospel of Mine is simply a new cloak, a new
religious garb, another series of outward forms. Be consistent, then. Do not spoil both
cloaks by cutting a piece out of the new and sewing it on to the old. The new will not
match with the old. The patch of new, undressed, unfulled, cloth, sure to shrink when once
it is wetted, will pull away from the frayed threads of the shrunk and long-worn garment,
and the rent will grow worse than ever. Either wrap yourselves, as best you may, in the
scanty folds of your ancient and tattered cloak, or fling that away, and accept in its
place the new cloak, which, you are supposing, I have come to offer men."
Parable of the
New Wine and the Old Wineskins
Having thus taken their view, Jesus
proceeds to give them His own view of both Law
and Gospel in a third parable, the parable of the new wine and the old wineskins. To
Him, the Law was like old wine rather than like an old cloak -- wine which had not been
without its refreshment and cheer to those who honestly sought to regulate their lives by
it, even though it could never give them life; and the Gospel, so far from being a new
cloak, a covering to be put on, was a new wine, a new
vivifying spirit, to 'be put within men, making them strong and glad.
The wineskins, it would seem, would
answer to the representatives of these two principles -- the Law and the Gospel. The
Scribes and Pharisees at this time were sitting in Moses' seat. They were not divinely
appointed to this service, but our Lord does not blame them for undertaking to instruct
the people in reference to the mind and purposes of God, so long as they did not assume
too much in consequence of what they were doing, and if they were consistent in
themselves, conforming their conduct inner and outer, to the precepts of Moses and the
instructions of the Prophets. But this they did not do, but, as our Lord stated,, they
"bound heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and laid them on men's shoulders, but
they themselves did not move them with one of their fingers."
Selection of
New Wineskins
These were the representatives of the
Law, at the time of Christ. They were the wineskins in which the old wine of the Law,
sadly diluted by the precepts and commandments of men, was contained. The new wine of
the Gospel represents the life-giving message which was to flow so abundantly through the
teachings of Jesus. And the wineskins were the men who were to become the depositaries of
this message, who were to preserve it for mankind. And whom, in Israel, will Jesus
choose to fulfill this mission? The old practitioners of the Law? Pharisees puffed up
with the idea of their own merit? Rabbis jaded with textual discussions? No, indeed! Such
persons have nothing to learn, nothing to receive, from Him. If associated with His
Gospel, they would not fail to falsify it, by mixing up with His pure teaching, the old
prejudices with which they were imbued; or even if they should yield their hearts, for a
moment, to the lofty ideals of Jesus, it would put all their previous views and routine
devotion utterly to rout, just as new and sparkling wine bursts a worn-out leathern or
skin bottle. Where, then, shall He choose His future instruments? Among those who have
neither merit nor wisdom of their own. He needs new wineskins, wineskins that will be able
to stand the stress of the fermentation sure to come. He needs fresh souls, whose only
merit is their receptivity, new men in Christ, new creatures in Christ Jesus.
"God," prayed He on one occasion, "I thank Thee, because Thou hast hidden
these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." (Luke 11:21.)
These babes will save the truth, and it will save them. This thought is expressed in the
words "new wine must be put into new bottles, and both [that is, both wine and
wineskins] are reserved."
Truth of
Gospel Cannot be Restrained
In other words our Lord teaches then
that it Would be worse than useless to endeavor to restrain, within the limits of their
traditions and ritualisms, the powers and graces of the new life which He came to bestow.
That life could not endure to be confined within limits so narrow, by restraints so
feeble. It would rend them asunder. The new wine must be put into new skins.
Fast! Of course, under appropriate
circumstances. But His disciples should neither fast nor feast by rule, in deference to
mere customs, however antique and venerable, which did not naturally express their
inward life. They should be fettered by no ancient law graven on stones or inscribed
on parchments, but should simply act out the laws of the life implanted by the Gospel in
their hearts. While He, the Bridegroom, was with them, it was natural and right that they
should make merry and be glad; when He was taken away, it would be natural and right that
they should mourn and fast. Let them in each case, in every case, follow the impulse of
their renewed spirits. For Himself and for them, He claimed freedom; freedom of thought,
of emotion, of action. Austere, ascetic John the Baptist is not their ideal, still less
the Pharisee, however learned, and punctilious. They are to honor, not a hermit, nor a
ritualist, but a Man, the Man Christ Jesus. He is
to be their ideal, and they are to serve Him as their hearts prompt in perfect liberty. He
is their life, and His life in them may be safely left to manifest itself in all innocent,
comely, and appropriate forms.
It is a question here, then, of the
preservation of the Gospel, and of the salvation of the individuals who are to be the
depositaries -of it. The old wineskins, men such as these carping, criticising, Pharisees
and rabbis of Judaism will not do. Mere babes, such as this tax-collector, Matthew, and
his associates, will do better.
Later on, we find this teaching which
our Lord here presents in germ, in the form -of a parable, expanded by St. Paul's labors,
when, on a larger scale, the Gospel passed from the Jews (as a nation) to Gentiles, to
those who, out of every kindred, tribe and nation, engage in the glorious ministry of
the Gospel of His grace.
Our Present
Day Privileges and Responsibilities
It is interesting, too, to notice, that
this sane question, namely, the preservation of the Gospel, and the selection of those
fitted to engage in its ministry, has recurred again and again, since then; and, each time
after a period of falling away, the Gospel has been given again, and has seemed like new
wine in its power to reinvigorate those whose hearts were ready for it. Each time too, the
old wineskins were rejected-new wineskins had to be found. Luther and others of the
Reformers were doubtless the new wineskins when the great Protestant Reformation had its
beginning. In our own day, the day of Protestantism's decline, who that is at all
acquainted with the facts fails to realize that our dear Brother Russell was selected as
a fit vessel, a new wineskin, to preserve and uphold the glorious Gospel, all the
wondrous features of which he clearly saw, and plainly stated, in the harmonious unfolding
of the Divine Plan of the Ages, in which we all so greatly rejoice? How certain it is,
too, that the old wineskins, the leaders of nominal Christianity, with all clue respect to
a few devout souls amongst them, were in no condition for this service, and had to be
rejected for the same reasons that obtained amongst the Jewish leaders at our Lord's first
advent? How careful, too, should we be today, who have been permitted to engage in this
same ministry, that we continue to prove ourselves worthy thereof, lest it be taken from
us, and given to others more worthy, and more appreciative of the honor!
Our Lord's
Grace Toward Those Slow to Accept Him and His Teachings
Thus, then, by three exquisite
parables, our Lord Jesus vindicates His disciples and Himself. But has He no thought, no
tenderness, for any disciples than His own? Yes, indeed He has. For, having vindicated His
own, He instantly begins to make excuse for the disciples of John and of the Pharisees.
"No man," says He, "having drunk old wine, straightway desireth new; for,
he saith, The old is better." - Luke 5:39.
And here we have one of the most
gracious touches in this table-talk about weddings and feasts, old garments and new wine;
for it comes to this: A man loves his old cloak and his old wine. He has grown used to
them; he has many pleasant associations with them. He likes the old garment, which habit
has made easy; it is better to him than a new garment, even though the new be of finer
material, and cut more in the fashion of the time. He likes the taste of the old wine,
which he has had in his cellar many years, and to which he has grown accustomed, better
than that of the new wine, however superior may be
its quality. New wine, however others may praise it, is always repugnant to the palate
of a man accustomed to wine the roughness of which has been softened by age.
In like manner old habits of thought
and worship, old customs and forms are not easily given up even in favor of more
excellent habits, even though God Himself has sent new methods and new opportunities. The
Pharisees were used to their rites, their ceremonies, their traditions. It was not easy
for them to give up the religious habits in which they had been bred, with which their
names had been honorably associated; and our Lord patiently allows for the force of
custom. He admits that it must be hard for them to turn away from the old wine they had
drunk so long, even to take to a better wine. Hence He will not have the rabbis and their
disciples hurried to a decision. It was very natural for them that they should hesitate to
renounce the old Law for the new Gospel, that they should want to patch up the old garment
a little longer, and to pour the new wine into the old skin. The Law had come to them from
God; it was the Law of the Lord; they knew that, and were sure of it. The Gospel also came
from God, but they were not sure of that yet. Let them wait, and put it to the proof. As
yet it was early times with them. Christ had not long taught in their streets, nor clone
many of His mighty works among them; and because He knew how custom clings to men, and how
new His words were to these men as yet, He virtually says to them: "Take time and
thought. The whole habit and bent of your lives cannot be altered in a day. I do not
expect you straightway to accept My words. You are quite right in not accepting them until
you know that I too am come forth from God; and I can wait until you do."
Concluding
Thoughts
How many, and how weighty, are the
subjects for reflection suggested by the talk at Matthew's table. It suggests, first, that
whatever the sor-rows by which we may be tried, there is set before us a joy capable
of sustaining us under all the sorrows and fluctuations of time; and that having this
joy we should let it give a festal tone to our lives-lives which would otherwise be
overcast with sadness. It suggests, in the second place, that the true ritualism, the
service in which we best express Christian piety, consists of love and holiness; that it
lies, not in our scrupulous observance of ecclesiastical forms, but in acts of kindness,
and neighborly good will, and in keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. It suggests
in the third place, that we are neither to impose our conceptions of truth and duty on our
brethren, nor to submit to them when they try to impose their conceptions on us; but
that, walking in the holy freedom which bows to no spiritual authority save that of
Christ, we are to act out our own views of truth and duty, and to cheerfully accord to
others the freedom we claim for ourselves. And finally it suggests that in our
endeavors to minister the Gospel to others, either in the Church or in the world, we are
to proceed warily and patiently, remembering that it is only as our labors have the
cooperation of God's Holy Spirit that any lasting result, whether in ourselves or in
others, may be secured.
----------------------------
In the preparation of the above we have drawn liberally from the
writings of Samuel Cox, a Bible expositor who wrote some years earlier than Brother
Russell. Our indebtedness to our late Pastor is well known to our readers, and is
specifically indicated towards the close of the article.
"The weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalt eth, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ." - 2 Cor. 11:4, 5.
SOLDIERS OF the cross are of a
different kind and are differently armed from the soldiers of the world. Ours is a fight
against the spirit of the world and against the flesh. It is the fight not only against
the imperfections that came into our flesh through our forefather's disobedience, but
against the natural opposition of the flesh to sacrifice. The flesh instinctively
struggles to avoid sacrifice. Moreover, our fight is against unseen spiritual foes.
The world have their swords and their guns as weapons of warfare. And the Lord has
provided us an armor; namely, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation,
the shield of faith, the Sword of the Spirit, and the sandals of "the preparation of
the Gospel of Peace." These are all weapons of defense, except the sword. The sword
is an aggressive weapon. - Eph. 6:11-18.
In the case of the Christian, "the
Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God," is to be handled to accomplish good,
to be " used in opposition to Satan and sin. But the thought of this Scripture seems
to be, not that we are commissioned to fight the world, but that we are to strive to be
loyal to the Lord, to fight sin in ourselves and wherever it might properly be under our
jurisdiction, and to repel the attacks of the Adversary. The exercise of our powers in
bringing self into subjection means a great deal in the way of sacrifice, much in the way
of battling. God has given us "exceeding great and precious promises." The new
creature is made strong by these promises-strong in proportion as he perceives the
significance of these promises, and feeds upon them.
Mental
Strongholds to be Cast Down
The Apostle is pointing out that these
strongholds which we are to pull down are in ourselves. Sin is entrenched in our minds,
in our imaginations. Pride, selfishness and various other kinds of sin, are entrenched in
us through the long centuries of the downward tendencies of our race. These things have
dug deep trenches in our system; they are firmly fastened there. But, urges St. Paul,
"Let not sin have dominion over your mortal body." Destroy the stronghold. Bring
your entire being into subjection to the will of God.
By way of pointing out what these
strongholds are-that they are mental strongholds
-- the Apostle says, "Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth." Our imaginations may be of many kinds. We
may be beset by false doctrines and superstitions that have come down to us from past
ages. The Word of the Lord is the only thing that can effectually cast these down and make
us see God's real character, make us see His glorious promises to the Church now and to
the world in the future. The Word of the Lord is the only thing that will cast down
imaginations-ignorance, superstition, pride, unholy ambition, idle speculations, and every
form of thought that would lead us astray and hinder the work of grace in our hearts and
minds. These imaginations of the natural mind exalt themselves against the true
knowledge of God, the Spirit of God -- "high things," the Apostle calls them.
We are to "mind not high things.
The Apostle does not mean that we are not to mind the high things that are spiritual; for
in another place he says, "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the
earth." (Col. 3:2.) In other words, Set your affections on the very highest things. But the "high
things" of the world are very different; they exalt themselves against the things
which are truly high, which are of God. The Lord's children are to be humble, not
high-minded, not to be carried away by the empty
honors, projects and ambitions of earth. The desire to have a place among men, to shine in
society, to have wealth and influence, to have whatever things would bring us into high
esteem amongst mankind, is a temptation that the disciple of Christ must guard against.
It has been noted by those who have the
care of the mentally defective that a great deal of difficulty lies in the imagination.
It is said that if one visits an insane asylum, he will find one here who thinks he is a
king; there another, who imagines that she is a queen; another who imagines he is
fabulously rich and could draw checks for millions. The organ of self-esteem has been too
large. The Lord only knows how much the individual himself has had to do in cultivating
this tendency. But he has always more or less to do with the matter; the high imaginations
and the desire to be great obtain dominion over him-get the mastery.
Pride Leads to
Mental Unbalance
The same thing applies to Christians.
After coming into the Church -of Christ, they are still liable to the ambition to become
some great one, to do some great thing, to find or promulgate some great doctrine, to
discover some new interpretation of Scripture or some new type. All these are "high
things that exalt." Our Lord gave a discourse upon this subject, telling us that
when we are invited to a feast, we should not take a high seat, but a low seat-and perhaps
afterward we might be exalted. To desire these things and to seek for them is to have
"strongholds" of pride and unholy ambition in the imagination, aspirations for
exaltation and honor. Then comes the thought that we are great, that we are worthy of
attention, of special notice. Mental unbalance is there. The fact is that we are all
insignificant, of very little importance in the execution of the Lord's Plan.
The Lord could have done all His great
work without us and our cooperation, probably more easily than with us. But He very
graciously permits us to have a part in His work, for our own good and blessing. He is
dealing with us as children and is training us. Having begotten us of His Holy Spirit, He
helps us to overcome our weaknesses and rewards us if we do overcome them. He drills and
disciplines us to fit us for a noble and glorious future. A part of this drilling as
soldiers of the King of kings is our fight against self-esteem and a desire for great
things, high things, according to the standards of this "present evil world."
"Bringing
into Captivity Every Thought"
The thought of casting down unholy and
unprofitable imaginations is also borne out in the final words of our text, that we are
to "bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Whatever we do we have first thought about. We sometimes say, "I acted before I
thought." What we mean is that we acted before we gave the matter serious thought. No thought should be harbored
in our minds which is not in full harmony with the Word of God. As Christ was obedient to
the Father in everything-saying, "Let not My will, but Thine, be done"-so every
one of us should bring our thoughts into obedience to Christ. Our Redeemer is our
Exemplar.
All the members of Christ's Body must
have the same mind that was in Christ, must manifest the spirit of our Master. "Let
us humble ourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us in due
time." (1 Peter 5:6.) No one can wholly follow the Lord without much of the spirit of
humility, without bringing his thoughts into
subjection to the Lord. This is not the time to exalt ourselves and to show how we can
shine. But we are to "show forth the praises of Him who bath called us out of
darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9), who has called us with this
Heavenly Calling, not for our own sakes merely, but for His own glory and the blessing of
others. God's glory is to be our chief concern always. We are to be efficient servants of
the Lord, through His grace, not of our own strength. If we are to be great in the end, we
must be humble, we must gladly be servants of all now. We must be glad to serve, not only
when there is honor attached, but when the service is unnoticed or unknown.
God has arranged for our learning
certain lessons of self-control, bringing ourselves into full obedience to God in a
voluntary way, with a view to our being His representatives by and by, and of then
enforcing obedience to God's requirements on the part of the world. It is a generally
accepted principle that no one is qualified to rule others who has not himself learned
obedience. At the cost of great suffering, our Lord Jesus learned what obedience means. He
promptly and fully submitted Himself to God. This Spirit of Christ is to be manifested and
developed in us, that we shall thus be ready for the future work of The Christ, the work
of the Millennial Age.
In proportion as the Truth is received
and assimilated, it brings to us the spirit of a sound mind. It does not bring us
perfect soundness of brain; but where rightly received, it brings meekness,
teachableness, thoughtfulness, seriousness. It leads us to take careful heed to the
instructions of our Heavenly Guide. It thus gives balance to the judgment, greater than we
had ever before known. This should increase
as we go on in the good way and become disciplined soldiers in the army of the Lord. But
if the Truth is not received in the spirit of the Truth, in the love of it, it might not
only fail to be of any benefit, but might engender a spirit of pride and boastfulness.
This quality of pride seems to be
particularly associated with all kinds of insanity. Many of the inmates of insane asylums
are affected with a large degree of self-esteem-thinking of themselves more highly than
they ought to think. Their minds are unbalanced in that direction to a notable degree.
We cannot be too careful to cultivate nearness to the Lord, which always brings humility
and a proper realization of our own unworthiness and littleness before Him.
Keeping Close to Christ Our Only Safety
Satan is especially alert to trap the
Lord's children in this "evil day." We might give an illustration which we
have used before, but which seems well to picture wherein lies our special danger and our
entire safety. Suppose we should consider a large circle, with Christ as the Center of
that circle. Suppose the circle contained an abundance of space, so that there might be
varying degrees of closeness to the Lord. Let the outer edge of that circle represent the
utmost limit of God's care over His children. Any one, then, nearing the outside line
would be coming more and more into a place of danger. We believe that in proportion as any
of us live close to the great Center of the circle -- our Lord Jesus -- we are safe. In
proportion as we fail to do this, and allow ourselves to drift or to wander away from
Him, we shall be getting near the danger point, and are amenable to the evil influences
from outside. Should we wander entirely over the outer line, our case would be beyond
recovery.
The Lord has in a way put around the
human race a barrier against danger. This barrier is, largely, man's will. Those who have
given up their wills, their minds, to the Lord, to have His will done in them, are
particularly liable to severe and subtle attacks of the Adversary. He especially seeks to
delude and entrap the true children of the Lord, thus again to bring them into bondage to
sin. Upon such as come under his influence, the delusion is gradual.
We are all born with unsound minds. As
to the degree of unsoundness we need not quarrel. The armament which the Lord gives us is
not merely a knowledge of how to quote Scripture. Neither is it merely to have the
ability to dispute and to debate, though that ability is very good in its place. The real
thing that God is looking for is in our hearts. He is not looking to see how much you
know; for He could pump a good deal of knowledge into you in a few minutes if He so
desired. But the Lord is looking to see to what extent you are meek, patient, fully
submitted to His will. Let us have more and more of the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit
of a sound mind, and the earnest desire to help one another.
"The Lord shall judge His
people." (Heb. 11:30.) If they get into trouble through not being sufficiently
watchful, the Lord will give them some experiences which will be good for them, if rightly
received. Let us remember the warning words of the Apostle Paul: "If we would judge
ourselves, we should not be judged" of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:31.) This means
that when we neglect to judge ourselves, He has to do it for us. Thus we are being
chastened with a view to our correction, that we might attain unto the heavenly reward
and favor that is to be ours as new creatures in Christ, if we remain humble and faithful
unto death. If we continue to be meek and filled with the spirit of humility, not craving
present honors and exaltation, but willing in perfect patience to await the Lord's -own
good time, our exaltation will come; and we shall share our Savior's throne and His glory
forevermore.
"O blows that smite,
O wounds that pierce
This shrinking heart of mine!
What are ye but the Master's tools,
Performing work divine!
How blest that all these seeming ills
That draw my heart to thee
Are each a proof that Thou hast set
Thy seal of love on me!"
- The Watch Tower.
The History of the Church
No. 9
Martin Luther
STANDING UPON the pinnacle of God-given light and understanding,
the earnest Christian is stirred as 'he turns to view those time-recorded events which
men call History. To the alien mind it may seem but a jumbled mass of chance happenings,
confused and with no pattern; but to the heaven-enlightened it is a majestic edifice,
planned by the greatest of all architects, steadily and symmetrically moving onward to
completion-not by the skilled laborers of a Hiram or a Solomon, but by the activities of
the wise, the stupid, the blindly ignorant, actuated at times by noble purpose, but
oftener by selfish aims and desires; God using their very wrath to His ultimate praise
and the bringing about of His invincible purpose.
When the current of human history is changed by some great and
turbulent movement to another and quite diverse channel, the practiced eye may trace back
of it a long series of events preparatory to that momentous happening. We follow onward
through the pages of the Holy Word four thousand years of God-prepared happenings and
circumstances that brought to pass surely and steadily its intended culmination-the birth
of a Redeemer. And no less surely did the same imnipotent Hand set into motion and control
those forces which would lead His people forth from the cold and barren pastures of an
apostate Church.
Faithful Witnesses of the Reformation
Back of those stars which shone so brightly in the darkened
firmament,-Luther, Calvin, Zwingle, and Knox -- were the less brilliant but contributing
lights of other earnest men holding aloft their individual torches, that other, eyes,
straining to pierce the obscuring mist of Papal bull and boasting error, might also behold
the Gospel Sun still shining in the blue vault of heaven.
In the year 1170 Peter Waldo, rich merchant of Lyons, desiring
the poverty of his Lord, sold his possessions, gave all to the poor, and attempted to
restore to its original purity the Church which he believed to be utterly corrupt. He
continued to preach and after repeated warnings, he was excommunicated, as were his
followers.
In England appeared John Wycliffe, "Morning Star of the
Reformation," emaciated and weakened by study and asceticism. At first he confined
his protests to those against the corrupt clergy and the tyranny -of Rome, then brought
his great intellect and knowledge of the New Testament to bear in an examination of the
doctrine of Transubstantiation, held by the Church which had substituted the Sacrament
of the Mass for the holy simplicity of the Supper of the Lord. In the tongue of the
common people his co-workers gave forth the plainer truths of the Gospel, while Wycliffe's
English version of the Bible removed the sackcloth with which it had been bound and gave
it, open and unchained, to a grateful people. Against his influence Papal decrees were
useless, and nearly a half century after his death, his bones were removed and burned,
and the ashes scattered upon the surface of the river. But the flowing water could not
carry away from men the sound of his voice, nor the breezes remove the
ever-ascending incense of the truth he uttered.
In Bohemia John Huss pointed with a steady finger at the
appalling vices of the clergy and was consigned alive to the blazing fagots, whose
roaring flames but lighted with a greater intensity the surrounding darkness.
Men Destined and Chosen by God
Through Huss the truth taught by Wycliffe reached the eyes of an
awakening monk in Saxony, bold of speech and impetuous in action-Martin Luther. Violating
at times in his earnest vehemence the very law of love, but standing in heroic disregard
of all personal safety, Luther was a man destined and chosen by God to fling wide open
the. door which the delicate, scholarly hand of an Erasmus had already set ajar. But a
mightier Hand than theirs had reached down from the great white throne of heaven and
turned that stubborn door upon its time-bound hinges; for without divine help the timid
fingers of a scholar and the virile hand of the Augustinian could have availed nothing.
"Lo, I have set a door open before you which no one is able to shut; for though your
strength is small, you have kept My Word, you have not renounced My name." . Praise
God there is One who opens and none shall shut, who shuts and none shall open, who sets up
and puts down, whose mighty Word shall not return to Him empty, but shall work out His
glorious will in all the affairs of men.
Beside the great reformer there must ever stand the frail body
-of Erasmus-he of the weak and gentle voice, who shrank from every form of violence in
speech and deed, accomplishing by the strength of his intellect alone so telling an attack
upon the haughty Church that the world listened and, charmed with the delicacy of his
satire and the brilliance of the mind that guided his pen, fell admiringly and trustingly
at his feet. Though they were never to meet in person, the pictures of Erasmus and Luther
appeared side by side, hailed as the first honest German reformers. Yet great is the
contrast they present; for though both were deep in their natures and their view the same,
in temperament their fundamental difference clashed all along the way.
The sway that Erasmus held over his own time and generation seems
to lie in the fact that he became a symbol of all that men longed for in the depths of
their consciousness. He held up before them a blessed vision of men dwelling in
brotherhood, of peace instead of war; and they were sick at heart of constant strife and
bloodshed. The humanist dream of Erasmus was that of a world united in speech, religion,
and culture, with all bickerings and controversies laid aside for all time. Viewing the
constant quarrels of the nations, the hatred that existed between French, English, and
German, he exclaimed, "Why do such foolish names still exist to keep us sundered,
since we are united in the name of Christ?" In his idealistic vision the pen and not
the sword would bring about a new spiritual form of a universal unity, would bring men
into the fold of an all-embracing Christliness where love of fellow and an absorbing
desire to serve others should prevail. But, beautiful as was the idea, men in general
were inadequate to receive it. It was beyond man's power then as now to write upon the
fleshy tablets of men's hearts so high a law-hardened more or less to stone as their
hearts are through their continued alienation.
And so Erasmus and his followers instituted a new kind of
nobility, of culture and high aspiration. They buried their tell-tale names of humble
origin under the Latin or Greek equivalents of those names, even as Gerhard was called
Erasmus, and Schwarzerd became Melancthon. But, alas, such intellectual atmosphere was but
for the happy few, and the threshold of the door too high for the masses-"the
barbarians," which a weary earth under varied forms of tyranny has held in such
numbers.
Various Methods of Reformation
The brilliant criticisms of the ruling domineering Church
penned by the scholarly hand of Erasmus became in Luther's brawny grasp a heavy weapon
in an active personal battle with the arrogant foe. Still say the Catholic theologians,
even as it was remarked in his own time, "Erasmus laid the egg and Luther hatched
it." While reason and mockery were the best of tools in the delicate fingers of the
scholar, sitting within the four walls of his study, swathed in furs to keep within his
frail, anemic body what was there of heat, Luther wielded the scapel blade, cutting with
bold and certain strokes at the malignant sores which he loathed But Erasmus hated force,
and the harsh, dictatorial tones of the monk fell upon his ear with much unpleasantness.
However, he said, "If God, as may be surmised by the magnificent swing with which
Luther's cause has gone forward, wishes that matters should run this course, and needs a
rough handed surgeon like Luther to heal the sores of a degenerate epoch, it is not for
me to question His wisdom." Calmly seated behind his books, again he remarked,
"How should I be able to help Luther by merely turning myself into a companion in
danger? By so doing I should lead two men to their deaths instead of one."
But in just the same measure that Erasmus shrank in disapproval
from Luther's noisy assault upon that which he himself had held up to the world in
ridicule in his "Praise of Folly," so Luther despised the lukewarmness and
indecision in matters of faith that Erasmus displayed. He scorned his evasion when a
pointed question was put to him, his refusal to say Yes, or No, his seeming lack of
conviction. The public attack Erasmus had made upon him he could not overlook, and for a
year waged a fierce war of words against him whom he called, "the greatest enemy of
God." Later Erasmus refused Luther's overtures to peace. He would not be the friend
of him who had brought war where the teacher had believed himself about to establish good
will amongst men. But Luther had said, "This war is our Lord God's war. He has
unchained it, and never will it cease raging until all the enemies of His Word have been
wiped from the face of the earth."
Melancthon and Luther, however, walked hand in hand, a loving
John and an, energetic Paul; but the gentle fellow-laborer was often hurt by the
excitable outbursts of Luther, and Erasmus ever remained in his eyes as the great
teacher, the revered master.
On the outside, the Roman Church presented itself as a fair
edifice indeed, but the supporting pillars were weakened by the dry-rot of formalism and
the boring termites of Papal error. Already in the deep grooves made upon its outer
walls by a scholar's pen, the pick of a miner's son was at work, each forceful blow
shaking its very foundations. But small attention was given this at first by those
complacently seated within. They were too busy with the decorating of St. Peter's, too
engrossed in master paintings for the Vatican to direct much attention to the noisy Saxon
monk. They had handed Savonarola over to the flames, and had escorted the dissenting ones
out of the Spanish peninsula, now they hoped for quiet that they might give their full
attention to art. But the sound of storm grew into the threatening roll of thunder.
Divine Protection Afforded the Reformer
Brother Streeter, in his "The Revelation of Jesus
Christ" remarks: "In the Lord's providence the Reformers were protected in their
witnessing by some of the world's princes." Otherwise the reformers of this
particular period would have met with violence as did some we have mentioned of an earlier
time. The most outstanding of these powerful protectors was Frederick, Elector of Saxony,
of whom we have already spoken as the founder of the new University of Wittenberg. He had
invited the young priest, Luther, there as a professor, protecting him in both his pulpit
and in his university chair. Strange as it may seem, no more ardent son of the Roman
Church was to be found in all Germany than Frederick, in the collecting of relics and the
bones of saints, the superstitious tokens which Luther despised. Then fate seemed to lay
the whole outcome of the Reformation into the hands of Erasmus. When Frederick was passing
through Cologne, he asked for an interview with this indisputable; leader of religious
thought that he might determine his opinion of Martin Luther. Was he the head of a new and
better evangelism, he queried, or was he merely a fanatical sectarian. The whole issue of
the Reformation trembled in the balance. Would the answer be that the fiery monk was
justified in what he was doing or would it imply that he was wrong? Luther's rebellious
methods were distasteful to Erasmus. "If Luther remains within the fold of the
Church, I shall be happy to rally to his side," he had said. Even with the same
horizon they were in a sense, rivals. One word of disapproval from Erasmus, the master,
and Frederick would withdraw his supporting arm; as nearly as Erasmus would take sides on
any question he now stood on the side of the Reformer, and the Elector straightway
requested the Papal delegate not to excommunicate Luther and burn his books as threatened
until a careful and public inquiry had been made into his cause.
And so to the town of Worms, already filled with people who had
come to witness the entry of its recently crowned young emperor, Charles V, came Luther
now under the ban of the Pope and with an official letter of safe-conduct in his purse
lest he be waylaid and burned at the stake as had his noble predecessor, John Huss, one
hundred years earlier. The next day he stood before the assembly; demanded to recant
portions of the books he had already acknowledged as his own work and to be the first to
consign one to the flames, he asked for time to consider. The next day he gave them his
reply-noble, brave, and worthy of his Christly 'ambassadorship: "Unless I am
convinced by the testimony of Scripture . . . my conscience is taken captive by God's
Word, and I neither can nor will revoke anything, seeing it is not safe or right to act
against conscience. God help me. Amen." Ordered ten days later by the Emperor to
leave Worms, he was waylaid in the Thuringian forest by a party of five horsemen and
carried captive to the castle of Wartburg where, known only as Knight George, he remained
a year-a captive only that he might be safe from those who would have taken his life. Thus
did Frederick, Elector of Saxony, come to the rescue of the Reformation. Thus did he press
his name deeply and dramatically on the pages of the history of the Church, a ready
instrument, noble and willing, in the hands of his God.
Luther in his quiet forest-surrounded sanctuary continued his
letters and controversial papers which, fluttering through the bars of his prison, went
their way to gladden all the world. At the age of sixty-three he passed quietly away, as a
mighty wind, its force all spent against resisting oaks gently moves the sleeping flowers
with a final sigh. His last word on earth was a decided, "Yes," when asked if he
still stood by the doctrines he had taught. "The just shall live by faith," the
young monk had declared as he arose from his knees when ascending the Scala Scanta -- and
so shall the just die; and so died Martin Luther.
A Prophet Sent by God
In the funeral discourse given before his interment at
Wittenberg he was likened to that angel of the Apocalypse who flew in mid-heaven with the
everlasting Gospel. He was declared to be a prophet sent by God to deliver His Church from
thee power and corruption of Rome. Surely, the listeners were reminded, it was his
prerogative as such a messenger to speak so forcibly that to some it would seem to be
bitter and lacking in gentleness, but the result of 'his labor and fortitude might well
be summed up in the words of the second angel, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the
great." Brother Streeter, who so ably wrote an exposition of Revelation in our own
day, 'has an embracing but more complete explanation of these angel messages by virtue of
the later and clearer epoch in which he lived.*
Melancthon, faithful friend and
fellow-laborer, who' had himself often suffered under the vehemence and strong words of
Luther, gave also on the solemn occasion his eulogy. He declared him to have been a
Jeremiah into whose mouth God had placed His Word, mighty to the tearing down of
strongholds of sin, a word sufficient also to plant and to build. There might be truth, he
admitted, in the complaint of some good people that in controversy Luther was too rough
and outspoken, but even Erasmus had reputedly said, "God in these last times, in
which great and terrible diseases have prevailed, has given the world also a sharp
physician." And he, Melancthon, associate and friend of thirty years, in his own deep
loss bore testimony to the deep spirituality of the Reformer, of his constant dependence
upon prayer in all the trials and difficulties of life, of his freedom from personal
vice, and his eye of single devotedness to God's will and purposes, relying on Him for
help in all his times of need. Thus spoke Melancthon, the gentle scholar and loving John,
of whom Luther had lovingly said, "Our master of arts, Philip, goes forward quietly
and gently, cultivating and planting, sowing and watering joyfully, according as God has
dealt to him so liberally of his gifts."
And what of Erasmus? Had he escaped the
noisy battle which he so detested and to which he had paved the way? His wish had been to
reform the Church from within. He had sat calmly in his study as Luther stood before the
hostile assembly at Worms, when one word from the scholar would have had weight with the
decision. He hoped instead that the Pope's ban would curb Luther. Could he, now in his
fifties, hide himself in student quiet and be thought of kindly by both parties? Not so,
for in times of great crises the people insist on a decisive stand -- for or against, yes
or no -- and Erasmus found himself named by the Catholics as the promoter of this,
"Luther plague." Priests spoke against him from the pulpit, while radical
students threw down his chair at the university. He could not live happily in any
decidedly Catholic town, nor did he find a suitable haven in one gone over to the
Reformation. It has been said, "A free and independent mind which refuses to be bound
by any dogma and declines to join any party, never finds a home upon this earth," but
Switzerland, loved refuge for all who have sought freedom of thought and conscience,
became his dwelling-place. Here he lived for eight years, linking his name inseparably
with Basle as he carried on his great literary work, sought by the learned.
Outside, the battle waged fiercely, for
Luther had found upon his own hands a storm that he had never wished nor bargained for, as
an oppressed peasantry, now taking matters into their own excited hands, staged a social
insurrection where the Reformer had intended one of spirit and of truth. His spiritual
sword, keen and two-edged, became a carnal weapon in their hands; words of the spirit
resolved themselves into fleshly commands. One sea-like surge succeeded another as they
stormed cloisters and destroyed graven images, and at Luther's reproof they taunted him
with the term, "Friend of Antichrist." "I was born for struggling on the
field of battle,'-" Luther had said, "with parties and devils. Thus it is that
my writings breathe war and tempest. . . . I am like the sturdy wood-cutter, who must
clear and level the road." But this insurrection he had not reckoned for, and
deciding that "the brute populace must be governed by brute force," he took his
stand on the side of authority against these who had followed him so devotedly but
mistakenly. Surely with sorrow as well as with characteristic courage and honesty he
exclaimed at the end, "I, Martin Luther, have slain all the peasants who died during
this rebellion, for I goaded authority to the slaughter. Their blood be on my head."
Erasmus, old and sickly, pricked to the heart at tidings of the violent deaths of
friends, uttered his sorrowful prayer, "May God gather me soon unto Himself so that
I quit this mad world." The wrath of man, the overruling of God! To those standing
upon a sea of glass, how beautifully the sun is shining, though storm-clouds gather and
men's hearts fail them for very fear.
"No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Refuge clinging,
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?"
---------------------------------------------
*See "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, in two volumes,
published by our Institute.
- Contributed.
Next of this series JOHN WESLEY
The following is at hand from our young
friends in Detroit, Mich.
"Joyfully, we once more remind the
friends in all parts of the country of our coming Labor Day convention, September 3, 4. 5.
All sessions will be held in the auditorium of the downtown Y. W. C. A., 2230 Witherell
Street.
"Reasonably priced and suitable
accommodations are available, as well as restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the Hall
for those whom the local brethren are unable to provide for.
"Those wishing to symbolize their
consecration to the Lord by water immersion are asked to- notify the secretary of the
Detroit Class as soon as possible.
"We whole-heartedly invite all
young people interested in the truth to this feast of spiritual food. No one else,
however, is barred and any wishing to attend whether they be young or old are very
welcome. A very fine program has been arranged which we are certain will be to the
blessing of all.
"For further information, address
the Class Secretary, Brother Frank Niemczak, 5807 N. Lawndale Avenue, Detroit,
Michigan."
"It is the
branch that bears the fruit;
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
A fuller life.
"Though every
budding twig be lopped,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
Be lost a space.
"O thou whose
life of joy seems reft,
Of beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
All bruised and torn,
"Rejoice, tho'
each desire, each dream,
Each hope of thine
Shall fall and fade; it is the hand
Of Love Divine
"That holds the
knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That thou, whose life has borne some fruit
May'st now bear much."
Waupaca, Wis.
"This convention afforded, as do
all occasions of fellowship with those of like precious faith, a season of spiritual
refreshing and encouragement. The attendance was relatively small, possibly 150 to 200
being present. The setting of the convention provided more than the average for a
recreational change from the human standpoint, particularly for the brethren living in
cities or towns. Some of those who had had a share in the preliminary arrangements had
hoped for a larger representation of scattered sheep from the vicinity adjacent to
Waupaca, but this was not disappointing inasmuch as it is our privilege to sow the seed
and' the Lord giveth the increase. The encouragement the convention afforded those who did
attend and subsequent work in Central Wisconsin may bear more fruit than the convention
itself gave promise of.
"The discourses were spiritually
upbuilding and uplifting.- We rejoiced to hear the old, old story in a public talk,
for which some 2,000 announcements were distributed in Waupaca and surrounding towns, as
well as to many of the farm homes. Another public opportunity was afforded as a sort of
postscript to the convention at the Veteran's Home, some two miles from the convention
grounds, in the evening after the regular convention had closed. An invitation to return
was given and another talk is scheduled for the near future.
"The Testimony Meetings were
perhaps one of the most refreshing and stimulating portions of the convention. The
testimonies echoed and re-echoed praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. for the way in which
He had led some in being brought back into full faith and renewed determination to keep
the sacrifice bound with cords to the altar. There were friends present who were isolated,
so that association with others was not possible, and some who had lost the desire for
fellowship and had forsaken the assembling of themselves with others. All rejoiced
together in their privileges of fellowship and in the liberty wherewith Christ makes free.
"Another outstanding session was
that of the sunrise baptismal service held on 'the shores of beautiful Columbia Lake,
Although water immersion is but a symbol, it has a solemnizing effect upon the heart of
all the consecrated, and each witness of friends observing this symbol reminds us of our
covenant and prompts us to diligence in carrying it out faithfully unto death. 'Being
buried with Him in baptism, we also should walk in newness of life.'
"We thank our heavenly Father; for
so many opportunities of feasting with our present Lord in communion with others of like
precious faith, and for the harvest truths which have been so graciously assembled for us
through the faithful service of His servant. Our spiritual appetites have been whetted
for further opportunities of fellowship with the brethren in convention as the Lord may
provide."'
Dear Brethren:
It is with rejoicing hearts that we take
this opportunity to write you. The Detroit convention is over and we are left with many
sweet thoughts for meditation. We can truly say the Lord has blessed us abundantly, above
all that we asked or thought, and our hope is that we may go forth strengthened and
uplifted and better fortified by the lessons learned, to continue our journey along the
narrow way, and that we may be not only hearers of the Word, but doers also.
We wish to thank our dear brethren off
the "Herald" for all their help and cooperation and for sending us dear Brother
Friese whose message was so helpful and much appreciated by the brethren in Convention.
'The testimonies offered were a source of
inspiration and encouragement to all, and we were much favored by a fine array of talented
speakers. The music rendered too, was commented on by many. Six dear ones symbolized
their consecration, and many eyes were moist with tears of joy as they remembered the day
when they took the same step. We pray that the Heavenly. Father will gently lead them by
the hand until their earthly pilgrimage is over and He receives them unto Himself.
After receiving our "Herald"
and scanning the Annual Report and especially noting the small working margin, the thought
came forcibly to us that we may never know on this side the veil how much you dear
brethren have sacrificed on our behalf in the sending of speakers to us for our comfort
and encouragement along the way. We know however that the Lord is not unrighteous to
forget your labor of love in that you have ministered unto the saints and do minister.
May the Lord richly bless you as you seek
to serve His little ones, and again thanking you for your prayers and labor on our behalf,
we remain,
Yours in the bonds of Christ,
M. H. -- Mich.
Dear Friends:
Greetings in His name.
We wish to express our gratitude for the
part you played in making our convention possible. The discourse by Brother Friese was, we
feel sure, very helpful and strengthening to the faith of all who heard him.
We had an attendance of approximately one
hundred, drawn from a radius of about 200 miles. The spirit manifested was one of love and
solicitude for one another in these days of severe trial.
The convention opened Sunday morning with
an address of welcome, followed by two discourses. After the noon intermission, services
were resumed with a prayer and testimony meeting, after which three discourses were given.
Again thanking you for your cooperation,
and praying the Father's richest blessing on your efforts to do His will, we remain
With much Christian love,
The Cleveland Ecclesia
Mrs. V. E. C. - Sec.
1938 Index |