THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL.
XLIV July/August 1961 No. 7
Table of Contents
Christian Liberty
A Snare, a Trap, a Stumbling-Block
Israel Today
Signs of the Master's Parousia
Annual Report of Directors
The Annual Meeting
Laborers Together With God
The Question Box
Recently Deceased
"Stand
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ bath made us free, and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." - Gal. 5:1.
THE
impression very widely prevails that the battle for Christian liberty
has been fought and won. So far as regards persecution of the more active
kind, this is the case in the larger part of the civilized world. The
right of the minority to free speech and free 'action in the line of
conscientious conviction, is, in theory at least, conceded.
But
it is a mistake to assume that because harsh laws have been softened,
human nature has been radically changed. The grosser forms of
persecution have disappeared, but subtler forms remain. Christian
liberty is still, in a considerable degree, conceded only in theory. Men
still endeavor to punish those who have the temerity to differ with them.
There
is no cause for astonishment at this manifestation of inconsistency. It is
one of the curious things in human history to see how generally the
persecuted have become in turn the persecutors the moment the power
was lodged in their hands. And why? Because the true principle of
Christian liberty had not been grasped, and is to this day apprehended by
only a few. The right of any body of men to differ with others has always
been claimed by them; there is no novelty in that. From the beginning,
every Christian sect that has arisen has vehemently contended for its
right to differ with others. It has protested against persecution-that is
to say, the persecution of itself by others. But in few cases has any sect
conceded the right of others to differ with it, or forborne to persecute
when it had the power. And in our own day each man is prompt to claim and
assert the right to think for himself, but how loath most are to concede
the equal right of all other men to think for themselves. Every one
resents any attempt to coerce him into the avowal of anything that he does
not honestly believe, but how few fail to attempt to coerce others.
The
true doctrine of Christian liberty is not our right to think for
ourselves, but the right of the other man to think for himself. There is
no danger now that out right will not be insisted upon and enforced,
particularly if our thinking happens to fall in with that of the
majority. It is the other man's liberty that is in danger, particularly if
he is in the minority. It is his liberty that demands defense at all
hazards; for, if liberty is denied him, how long will it be conceded to
us?
To
demand liberty for the other man, even when he differs with us, is not to
admit that truth and error are essentially one, or to deny that it is of
great consequence what the other man believes and teaches. It may be our
duty to. oppose with all our might what he teaches, to denounce it as a
deadly error. But this may be done without identifying the man with what
he teaches, and without the display of
the spirit of
intolerance
and persecution. We need not try to make the man odious because his
opinion is odious to us. To be loyal to the truth, and yet faithfully to
recognize the equal rights of all men to free thought and free speech,
is not always an easy task. The two may, however, be combined. And nothing
can be more certain than that the preservation of Christian liberty for
any is conditioned on the concession of that liberty for all.
(It
was over 80 years ago when the foregoing paragraphs appeared in the N.Y.
Examiner. Evidently they appealed strongly to our late Pastor, for
he published the in full in his Journal - Reprints 203.)
Perhaps
the first great blessing enjoyed by one who becomes a follower of the
Master is that of Christian liberty. Liberty from the bondage of sin is
first experienced-liberty from both its guilt and power. (Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:1; Rom. 6:12-14.)
Almost simultaneously comes liberty of conscience, which demands freedom
to examine all sides of any matter pertaining to Christian faith and
practice. (This phase of Christian liberty, indeed, is seen to be a duty,
as far as ability and circumstances may permit, for "he that
answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto
him." - Prov. 18:13.) Ere long Christian liberty is found to include
also freedom from sectarianism.
At
this stage in his development a young Christian is likely to be given
experiences designed by his heavenly Father to teach him how to
distinguish the "not many fathers" from the "ten thousand
instructors (or would-be instructors) which crowd him on every side. - 1
Cor. 4:15.
Today,
when changes, events, and circumstances are causing many of the Lord's
faithful people to re-examine and search the Scriptures more diligently
than ever, if possible, to discover what the foundation principles of
Christian liberty, fellowship, unity, and eldership are, it is instructive to review, the considered counsel of
one who, for about the space of fort years, proved his right to be heard
with respectful attention. The following paragraphs are from his pen:
"The
first danger against which the Apostle warned the Church was
sectarianism; and he was evidently heeded at the time at least, for no
great sects of Paulites or, Apollosites developed. But, as usual, the
great enemy, thwarted in one direction, moved to the opposite extreme, and
attempted to insist upon oneness very different from what our Lord or the
Apostles ever taught. This attempt was to have every recognized member of
the church think exactly alike, on every minutia of Christian doctrine.
This attempt finally developed into Papacy, where every matter of
doctrine was decided by the popes and councils; and every man who
desired to be considered a church member was obliged to accept such
decisions fully, and to profess, that such decisions were his belief,
his faith; whereas they were not his in any sense but that of
adoption. They were generally either blindly received or hypocritically
professed with mental reservations.
This
was not at all the oneness urged by Paul. He urged a oneness of heart and
mind, and not a thoughtless, heartless, or hypocritical profession. He
urged a oneness such as naturally results from the proper exercise of the
liberty which we Lave in Christ-to search and believe the Scriptures,
and to grow in grace and in knowledge, every man being thus fully
persuaded in his own mind, and firmly rooted and grounded in the one faith
as set forth in the Scriptures. Reprints
R1571.
The
value of true liberty amongst the Lord's people cannot be over estimated.
It becomes a part of their very life. It was because, under a wrong
conception of union, this spirit of true liberty was crushed out of the
church shortly after the Apostles fell asleep in death that the "dark
ages" resulted -- with all their ignorance, superstition,
blindness, persecution, etc. The Reformation movement of the sixteenth
century was but a re-awakening of the spirit of liberty; . . . liberty
to think inside the foundation lines of the doctrines of Christ; liberty
to believe as much or as little more, in harmony with this, as the mental conditions and
circumstances will permit, without being branded as a heretic or
persecuted by brethren, either in word or deed... . Let all who are the
Lord's people, and who have tasted of the liberty wherewith Christ makes
free, see to it that they stand fast in that liberty, and as soon as an
attempt is made to restrain it, if not sooner, let them get out
completely from all the bondages of human systems, that they may stand
firmly and loyally with the Lord, our Redeemer, our Instructor, our King
- R3020.
Every
one who comes to realize the liberty of the sons of God and full freedom
from Babylon's bondage, should expect to meet other attempts of the great
Adversary to bring him into other bondages, or to stumble him. The Lord
permits these severe testings, that the class now sought may be
manifested, and prepared for his service in the Kingdom of glory. - Vol.
III, C188.
We should remember our Lord's teachings, . . . that
those who are not against us are on our part, and that we should neither
reprove as wolves nor disown as brethren those whose hearts, whose
characters, give evidence that they belong to the Lord, even though they
follow not with us in respect to his service, the promulgation of his
message, etc. In other words, we are to love all and wish Godspeed to all
loving the Lord and manifesting his spirit, whether they associate with us
or not. - Reprints
R3747.
The
true teacher's place, and the true Bible student's place, is outside of
all human bondage, free to examine and feed upon all portions of the good
Word of God, and untrammeled to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads. -
S.S. Vol. III, p. C145
The
foregoing paragraphs contain wise counsel indeed, from a pastor who surely
was faithful. It is in agreement
therewith that the ministry of the Pastoral Bible Institute, both by the
printed page and by the spoken word, has been and is being rendered. (See
the notices, which regularly appear on the second page of each issue of
this journal.) May we who have sought to follow this counsel "through
the years"-"through evil report and good report"-be granted
grace sufficient to continue therein; careful that, though others may
count us deceivers, especially in our handling of the Word, we may yet
remain true -- scrupulously careful to maintain integrity of heart and
life, and in our teaching, giving no cause for stumbling -- no offense in
anything, that our ministry (the ministry of the Gospel) be not exposed
to justifiable reproach. For we
are not as
many, which corrupt the Word of God, but as out of a heart of transparent
sincerity-yes, as under prompting from God and in his presence, we write
and speak in Christ. - 2 Cor. 6:8;
4:2; 6:3;
2:17.
-P.
L. Read.
"And
David saith, Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense unto
them; let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see." - Rom.
11:9, 10.
AT
one time these words seemed irreconcilable with either justice or love.
Supposing that the poor Jews who were blinded, stumbled into eternal
torment, God's conduct seemed inscrutable-no matter if, through the
Apostle, he did promise (Rom. 11:25-26) that,
generations after, the blindness should be turned away-after the fullness
of the elect Church, the Gentiles, had been brought into divine favor.
We
reasoned that the recovery of a man's great-great-great-grand-children
could never compensate for his own loss, if he went to eternal misery. And
although trained in Presbyterian thought it seemed terrible to read the
calm, cold assertion, "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which
he seeketh for; but the elect hath obtained it, and the rest were
blinded" -- "stumbled," "snared,"
"trapped."
KNOWLEDGE OF THE DIVINE PLAN
ENABLES US TO UNDERSTAND THE
SCRIPTURES PROPERLY
But,
thank God, our own blindness was removed and the breaking of the
Millennial dawn, revealing the Divine Plan, set our ideas right, enabled
us to rightly divide and apply the Scriptures and brought the grandest
order out of our confusion. We found that the hell to which Israel went
was the grave -- hades; that there is no consciousness in hell (Heb.
sheol; Greek, hades - Ezek. 37:12;
Psa.
6:5); that blinded, stumbled Israel is still there, and that not merely
their grand-children, centuries after, will
have their
blindness removed and their sins forgiven, but all of them will
individually enjoy these favors.
They
all were
included in the unbelief and blindness and stumbling, that God might
have mercy upon all and recover every one of them from that blindness and
bring every one of them to that full, clear knowledge which will render
every man without excuse and fully responsible for his choice of life
through obedience to Christ, or
of the
"second death" through disobedience. See verses 27-32; John 5:28; Ezek.
37:12, 13; John
1:9.
To
see the matter thus clearly was a great relief; but still our heart cried
out to God for an explanation and a just reason for the blinding,
stumbling, and entrapping of all but an elect few of a nation to which, as
a whole, he had made many gracious promises, and for whom he had already
done so much, for eighteen centuries -- a nation which alone of all the
nations of earth recognized him as its Ruler and were under covenant
relations to him and his law.
ISRAEL'S PROMISES EARTHLY NOT
HEAVENLY
The
answer of God's Word is that, while he had called Israel by his promises
to a, great and noble part in his plan of salvation, he did not call them
to the place of chief favor and honor. His promises to them were earthly,
not heavenly. And although all of the sons of Jacob were called or
invited, it was a conditional call which the nation as a whole never
complied with. Only the few ever kept his laws (or were reckoned to have
kept them by proper intention) and hence, all along, it was true that
some children of Jacob, professedly children of God, were really of
their father the Devil (John 8:44), because they were not all
Israelites
that were of the nation of Israel-Rom. 9:6.
When
God's due time came for the great Atonement for sin to be made by our
Redeemer's sacrifice of himself (Heb. 7:27), that also was his due time
for beginning the selection of his spiritual Israel, to whom he extends
heavenly promises and for whom he has reserved the very highest place in
his great plan-next to himself.
EARTHLY ISRAEL SET ASIDE UNTIL
THE COMPLETION OF THE
SPIRITUAL ISRAEL
Christ
himself became the Head and Chief of this spiritual or heavenly Israel, of
which fleshly Israel with its precious but earthly promises had so long
been a type or shadow. And as soon as Christ's sacrifice was completed the
work of selecting the spiritual Israel as his "Bride" or
"Body" or "brethren" and "joint-heirs" was
due to begin.
It
was not God's purpose that the two Israels should continue side by side;
hence, as soon as the spiritual was begun, the earthly was set aside;
not set aside forever, but merely until the spiritual Israel had been
selected. But although the fleshly house of Israel was set aside at the
time of Christ's crucifixion (Matt. 23:38),
yet the
first opportunity for membership in spiritual Israel was given to that
people.
It
is not surprising that only a handful, a "remnant," of fleshly
Israel was able to stand the tests of faith and sacrifice exacted of the
spiritual Israelites. Those "hypocrites" to whom it was said,
"Ye are of your father the Devil," would surely not be in
condition to be attracted by the Truth and its spirit into fellowship in
the new spiritual Israel. And even of those who were Israelites indeed,
who trusted in the promises of God, we cannot suppose that many would be
without guile, pure in heart, and just ready for faith and obedience under
the Gospel Age call. By the divine arrangement, therefore, the preaching
of the Gospel of the Cross skimmed off, as it were, into the Gospel Church
the cream class of that people -- "and the rest were blinded";
and God was agreeable to their being blinded.
THE GREAT GULF BETWEEN THE
EARTHLY AND THE HEAVENLY
ISRAEL TO BE DESTROYED
God
would allow "a great gulf" to be fixed by their prejudices
between them and the spiritual Israel; he would make of them a spectacle
before the world, and although outcasts from his favor for a time they
should, as a dead nation, be witnesses to his Word throughout the world;
and, finally, when he shall have selected and polished and glorified his
spiritual Israel, he will destroy the "great gulf," turn away
their blindness as a people, and receive back to favor all of them who
then will come -- showing mercy upon them through the glorified
spiritual Israel-vss. 31, 32.
"O
the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God"!
How grandly systematic and reasonable and just is the Divine Plan of the
Ages! - Rom. 11:33.
HOW THEIR TABLE BECAME A
SNARE, A TRAP AND A CAUSE OF STUMBLING
But
now another point deserves consideration: In what way was their- table
their snare and trap and cause of stumbling?
Their
"table" signifies their food; and the table or food spread
before fleshly Israel, God's fleshly children, consisted of those special
favors and promises of God to them as his chosen people. (Matt. 15:26,
27.) Thus seen, it was God's goodness and favor toward them that stumbled
and entrapped them and prejudiced their unconsecrated hearts. They
presumed upon God's favor. They said within themselves, "We have
Abraham to our father." (Matt. 3:9.) They concluded that God must
keep his promises to Abraham and that they, being his children, the
Kingdom to bless the world must sooner or later be themselves. They
trusted in themselves and despised others; they became arrogant, haughty
and self-confident, and hence that much the less the humblespirited,
that the Lord sought, for his spiritual Israel.
PRIDE LED TO OVERSIGHT OF CERTAIN
SCRIPTURES FORETELLING
"THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST"
Their
pride led them to look only at the promises of glory and honor and power
to accompany the exaltation of Israel, and led them to ignore the
passages which tell that Messiah must first be rejected and "led as
a lamb to the slaughter" and "pour out his soul unto
death," being smitten for our sins, "the chastisement of our
peace being laid upon him."
For
the same reason they overlooked the statements of God's Prophets that they
should first be scattered amongst all nations, where God would show them
no favor; and that their later blessing would be in connection with
their regathering out of all nations (Jer. 16:13-17; Deut. 4:26-28; 28:36,
37, 63-65), and that when the Lord shall deliver them "they shall
look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as for
an only son." - Zech. L2:10.
Thus
their "table" became their "trap," which still holds
them tightly -- their pride of heart, built upon those promises, still
blinds them. But we should notice carefully that their stumbling was not
because of any wrong done them by God. No; "His way is perfect."
"Every good and perfect gift cometh down from our Father."
"He is not a God of confusion" and "he is the same
yesterday, today, and forever." The "table" which he
provided was good. The entire difficulty was that Israel's consecration
was incomplete; hence the majority of them were not of the class whom the
Lord intended should know the Truth before the Messianic Age, when the
eyes of all shall be opened and all shall come to an accurate knowledge of
the Truth.
THE THINGS WRITTEN WERE SPECIALLY FOR OUR LEARNING
But
now we come to the most important feature of this subject. These things
were written for our learning, upon whom the ends of the Ages are come. (1
Cor. 10:11.) As fleshly Israel was a shadow or type of spiritual Israel,
so the stumbling, trapping, snaring in the harvest of their Age
foreshadowed a similar sifting out of all except a faithful
"remnant" here.
Here,
as there, many in nominal spiritual Israel are not Israelites, but
"hypocrites," and of their father the Devil. Here, as there, all
who are really of Israel and before whom the "table" of God's
bounties has been spread with Providential care-"exceeding
great and precious promises" -- all of these do not digest and
appropriate God's promises to the upbuilding of characters pleasing to God
and fit for the Kingdom; and hence, even while feeding at his
"table," such receive the grace of God in vain. To these,
as well as to their prototypes, the "table" of Truth which they
delight in is sure to become a snare, a trap, a stumbling-block. And it is
specially for the sake of such that we now write to put them on guard as
to how they use the "food" now so abundantly supplied to
us. - Luke 12:37.
Only
those who have at least some hunger and thirst after righteousness [Truth]
are at all welcomed at this "table"; it is the children's table
and others than God's true children may gather and eat only the crumbs
that fall from it.
UNLAWFUL FOR ANY EXCEPT THE PRIESTS TO
EAT THE SHEW-BREAD
It
is the table of the consecrated believers at which others "have no
right to eat." (Heb. 13:10.) The truly consecrated are the
antitypical or Royal Priesthood, whose "table" was typified in
the Tabernacle and in the Temple by the table of shew-bread, of which it
was not lawful for any except the priests to eat. If, therefore, you have
"tasted that the Lord is gracious"; if you have "tasted of
the good Word of God"; if you have had "meat [food] to eat that
the world knoweth not of"; if you have tasted the "present
truth"-"meat in due season"-it implies either that you are
one of the consecrated ones, one of the Royal Priests, or else that you
are in contact with them and receiving crumbs from their "table.
The
giving of all truth, and especially "present truth," implies an
object. That object is the sanctifying or setting apart to God and to his
holy service. The crumbs of truth are to awaken a desire for and to lead
to the act of consecration or sanctification. The full table of bounties
is for those who have taken the step of fully consecrating themselves,
their wills and their all to the Lord-and the bountiful supply of
exceeding great and precious promises then granted to them is that by
these they might be strengthened and enabled to carry out fully, step by
step, the full consecration they have made-even unto death.
The
object of our consecration and subsequent disciplining under the
guidance and power of the truth is for the formation of character, for
"perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." The Apostle
clearly shows the object of our precious promises, our spiritual food,
saying, "Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; perfecting
holiness in the fear of the Lord." (2 Cor. 7:1.) He assures us that
knowledge may be received and used for a different purpose and produce a
bad, instead of good effect and puff up or make proud and self-willed.
WHAT EFFECT HAS THE TRUTH UPON OUR
HEARTS?
It
becomes each of us to ask himself the questions, Have not I received
considerable knowledge of the Truth of God's character and Plan? Has it
had the bad effect of puffing me up and making me feel that I am
somebody? Has it caused a self-satisfied feeling, which ignores my own
weaknesses and failings and merely relies on God's mercy and seeks to
exaggerate that mercy and to ignore Scripture texts which clearly show
that "God is angry with the wicked every day"; that "the
wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness," for "all
unrighteousness is sin"; that "whosoever committeth sin
[willfully] is [a child] of the Devil," and that "all the
[intelligently and willfully] wicked will God destroy"? Or has it
caused me to feel more humble and dependent on the Giver of all good?
And has it, properly, caused me to feel divine approval and rest and
security, only under the merit of the precious blood when I am using my
best endeavors for righteousness, godliness, purity, and truth?
The
latter is the only legitimate and proper use of the truth. If the true
view of God's character, seen in his plan and the exceeding great and
precious promises held out to the overcomers, reaching our ears and
our hearts, fails to awaken there a responsive adoration of things that
are true, things that are honest, things that are just, things that are
pure, and things that are lovely, and a desire to be more and more
transformed to that Godlikeness and accordingly to cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit to become more and more
perfected in holiness -- if these are not the effects of the truth upon
our flesh and our spirits (minds, dispositions) we are receiving the
grace o f God in vain; for it was given for no other purpose.
And if we receive God's grace and truth in vain, we may be sure it will be
but a little while until it will slip from us and be replaced by
misconceptions.
Let
us, therefore, take heed to the illustration given us in God's typical
people, lest our table, so bountifully spread and served by the Master
himself, become to us a snare, a trap, and a stumbling-block into
blindness-the "outer darkness" of the world; because of a
failure to properly use its blessings already received.
"Let
us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest [by full
consecration and perfecting holiness in our hearts and conduct and thus
developing our characters and being changed from glory to glory into the
likeness of God's dear Son] any of us should seem to come short of it
" - Heb. 4:1.
-C.
T. Russell.
"Then
shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he
fought in
the day of battle." - Zechariah 14:3.
THE
arrest of Yisrael Beer (Israel's leading military analyst) on charges of
espionage has caused a profound shock in Israel. Not even the
overwhelming absorption of the public in the Eichmann trial has been
able to mitigate the effects of this scandal. It would not be an
exaggeration to say that the average Israeli has been more gravely
shaken by this event than by almost anything else in the short history of
the State." So writes Carl Alpert from Haifa in his column I
think As I Please which appears in The National Jewish Post and Opinion published in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mr.
Alpert has been residing in Israel for some years and is personally known
to us. He is in charge of public relations at Israel's Institute of
Technology known as The Technion.
Spies
are not a new phenomenon. Israel was spied upon early in its history
(Numbers 21:1) and used spies itself (Numbers 13:16, 17 and Joshua 6:23).
Other countries in our time have had their espionage affairs. Nor has this
been Israel's first spy case. Every few months, small fry, Jews and Arabs,
are apprehended for passing information to enemies of the State.
Sometimes the violations are purely technical. Many of the violators are
Arabs.
The
most prominent figure arrested thus far has been Prof. Kurt Sitte,
distinguished cosmic ray authority, and head of the Physics Department
at the Technion. Prof. Sitte's appeal against his conviction is now
pending. Israel had not been shocked by the Sitte caseas he is a
non-Jew, and had been a newcomer to the country.
Another
suspect is Aharon Cohen, whose trial had been under way, and had been
postponed because of his ill health. Cohen is a philosopher and political
theoretician. His contacts with foreign agents, if he had maintained such,
were presumably on the same level, since he had no access to state
secrets, according to Mr. Alpert.
With
Beer the situation is quite different. Carl Alpert writes: "Here is
a man who had served with distinction in the Haganah (military arm of the
Jews in Palestine in pre-state days), and had earned a right to discuss
Israel's military and security affairs with top level people. He had
claimed to be Ben-Gurion's military adviser, and had gotten away with such
claim. He was military commentator for the country's leading newspaper,, Haaretz.
Only a
few weeks before his arrest, government spokesmen had revealed, in quite
another connection, that Beer had access to restricted military files.
"Various
thoughts run through the minds of the Israelis, though not until the trial
will all the facts be clarified. There are those who experience a
terrible and sickening feeling at the thought that such a man could be a
traitor to his country and to his people. He might have been responsible
for catastrophe. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that if secret
information regarding Israel's military affairs should be passed to an
unfriendly nation in Eastern Europe, it would very quickly find its way
into the hands of the Arabs. One report has it that Beer was almost taken
into confidence during the planning for the Sinai campaign, and he later
complained at his exclusion. The possibilities could have been
horrifying."
The
Jerusalem Post states that, "Beer had no access to current information, but
occasionally attended informative meetings held for high-ranking officials
of the Defence Ministry.
"It
is understood that the Security authorities began to have serious
misgivings about Beer a year ago and top persons in the Defense
Establishment were then warned that he should not have access to secret
information."
There
are grounds for believing that Beer may not be Jewish, and had studiedly
assumed a Jewish identity as part of his mission in Israel.
Time
magazine
in covering the Beer arrest on spy charges has this to say about him,
"Israel's mystery man became even more mysterious: it was
discovered that he had never been circumcised. Stunned Israelis could
only wonder if it were possible that the man known as Dr. Yisrael Beer
was not even a Jew."
The
Jerusalem Post, in an editorial, makes this comment: "We are a country of
immigrants and have a large proportion of citizens about whose origins and
past nothing is known except -what they themselves tell us. Hundreds
of persons in responsible positions, in theory, offer the same kind of
security risk as did Mr. Beer. We have tens of thousands who have come
away from Communist indoctrination in Eastern Europe, and tens of
thousands of others who have never known anything but an Arab background.
To exist at all we must assume that those who come are Jews and wish to be
Israelis. If a small number prove disloyal or open to bribery or
brainwashing by foreign powers, this is just one more risk of the specific
Israel situation. We cannot choose only safe citizens, though we may
recall that even Soviet intelligence, which is usually reluctant to
release its servants, commonly breaks off contacts with the Jews who come
here, on the grounds that they tend to become 'unreliable,' once they
build new lives in Jewish surroundings."
Time
magazine
reports," Nearly every statement Beer had made about himself during
the 23 years he had spent in Palestine and Israel was found to be untrue.
".
. All that seems certain is his arrival in Palestine in 1938. Posing as a
veteran of the Spanish Civil War, he was eagerly welcomed into the ranks
of Hagaaah, the Jewish underground army. Beer served in the 1948 war
against the Arab states, but was kicked out of the Israeli army in 1950 by
Chief of Staff Yigael Yadin, who recalls today that Beer 'could do a
brilliant job of military planning, but you always had to suspect his
motives.' Despite a sneering, officious manner, Beer rose swiftly in
government circles. In 1954, he dropped out of the Marxist Mapam Party
and joined Premier David Ben-Gurion's ruling; Mapai Party. Soon he was
back in the Defense Ministry to write a history of the 1948 war."
There
are naturally varying opinions expressed as to how deeply Yisrael Beer
plumbed the secrets of Israel's military establishment. For instance,
contrary to other reports, Time magazine says that "Beer is known
to have had advance information about the Sinai campaign and, presumably,
the coordinated Franco-British attack on Suez which he allegedly passed on
to the Soviet Union. The Russians clearly did not inform the Egyptians.
They seem to have used their foreknowledge to- behave with brutal
swiftness in crushing the Hungarian rebellion, confident that the Suez
attack would be certain to divert world public opinion."
Probably
all the facts regarding the extent of Yisrael Beer's spying success will
never be generally known or released to the Israeli public.
Nevertheless, what has forcibly impressed the Israeli is that if a man
like Beer has gotten away with his spying operations for so many years,
very likely there are others who have been successfully working for the
Soviet Union, divulging to this power bent on world domination the inner
workings of Israel's armed forces, its strength, location of military
installations, security plans, etc., etc. Now the question is, to what
extent has Israel been made vulnerable by this espionage? To what extent
can Israel now depend on its defense system for survival against its
avowed enemies?
COMMUNISM IN ISRAEL
While
Karl Marx, the father of Communist ideology, was a Jew, the vast
majority of Jews today are anti-Communist. In Israel the Communist party
operates openly, but is not able to get more than 3 % of the total vote.
Furthermore, most of the Communist ballots in Israel are cast by Arabs.
Strange as it may seem, the headquarters for the very small Communist
Party in Israel is located in Nazareth, where 20,000 Arabs live.
WARNING OF POSSIBLE ATTACK
On
the heels of the announcement regarding the Beer spy operation in Israel
came some dire statements from leaders of the defense forces of the
nation.
General
Zvi Tzur, Chief of Staff of Israel's armed forces, joined Prime Minister
David Ben-Gurion, who is also Defense Minister, in warning the Israeli
population of the possibility of a renewed military attack on Israel by
the United Arab Republic. Simultaneously, Shimon Peres, Deputy Defense
Minister, said that the UAR is now building up its aggressive weapons
on a "tremendous" scale. All three Israeli top defense leaders
spoke publicly of these threats.
Mr.
Ben-Gurion warned that "a true third round" of anti-Israeli
aggressions is a genuine threat from the neighboring Arab countries now.
"The people of Israel should be told of this threat to their very
existence," he stated. Reporting on recent, large-scale Egyptian
military exercises, he said these maneuvers were "of an aggressive
nature, and nothing but preparation for the days ahead." Eastern bloc
countries sent over 200 observers to these games.
General
Tzur emphasized that today's United Arab Republic army "is not the
same" as the army encountered by Israel during the Sinai campaign of
1956. Egypt's five-year plan, in which four and one-half billion dollars
has been earmarked for military build-up, said the general, has given
Egypt top priority for strategic expenditures. Egypt has now integrated
new weapons such as T-54 tanks and MIG-19 jet fighters, and has provided
intensive training "to thousands of army officers," he
stressed.
DIVINE INTERVENTION THE ONLY HOPE
All
military experts know that Israel's army is exceptionally well trained and
equipped. Its air force and navy is small but very efficient. The crack
troops of Israel have proven themselves in battle. In the Sinai campaign
they moved with lightning speed. But what could the armed forces of Israel
do against overwhelming odds? What chance would Israel have against the
combined might of the Arab states and Russia?
Furthermore,
it is significant to note that Israel has no military alliance with any
nation. It is not in NATO. Israel is on its own. Quite an unusual thing in
these days of countless military pacts!
Students
of prophecy however know that Israel is actually not alone. She has the
greatest power in the universe behind her. The Scripture at the head of
this article pointedly foretells what the outcome of Israel's great future
battle will be and how it will be fought and by whom. From now on there is
to be no defeat of Israel or conquest of God's ancient Chosen People in
the Promised Land. - Amos 9:15.
With
Israel, dependence upon God's help is imperative. In connection with
Israel's redemption it is written, "I will yet for this be inquired
of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. - Ezekiel 36:37. It could be
said that Israel's extremity will become God's opportunity. Thus will come
the prophetic miraculous deliverance.
WHAT MAY SOON HAPPEN
Is
it possible that Russia will in the near future endeavor to create
economic chaos in Israel by permitting much of her unassimilated Jewish
population of well over two million to go to Israel? The Lord foretells
the return of His people from the north country. (Jeremiah 3:18; 16:15;
23:8.) The influx of Russian Jews, in whose midst would undoubtedly be
plenty of planted spies, would create further security hazards for Israel,
but no one well informed regarding Israel's hope and attitude toward her
harassed brethren in Russia doubts for a moment that Israel would gladly
take the risk and wholeheartedly welcome home her Russian kinsmen.
Persistent
rumors have it that Soviet meddling in Laos and other places are possibly
decoys for her planned assault on shaky Iran which would bring her i n
direct land contact with Arab states. There would then be no land barriers
to prevent moving her weapons to Iraq.
Arab
military chiefs are considering a proposal said to have come from
General Kassem of Iraq, that units from the UAR, Saudi Arabia and
possibly Lebanon should join in a parade of the Jordanian armed forces
to be held in the Old City of Jerusalem in June. What does this portend?
Israel
and the nations will learn the meaning of such Scriptures as Zechariah
4:6 - "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of
hosts."
- Casimir Lanowick.
"What
will be the sign of Thy
Presence, and of the
consummation of the
Age?" - Matt. 24:3, Diaglott.
IN
our February, March, April and May issues, writing under this caption,
we expressed the following convictions:
1.
The object of Messiah's Second Advent is a glorious one-not the
destruction or enslavement of our race, but the salvation of both the
Church and the remainder of mankind. - John 14:2, 3; 1 Chron. 16:31-34.
2.
Since the Millennial Age is to be a time of restoration, and since the
retention of Jesus in heaven is to be only until that time, it follows
that his Second Advent must take place before, not after, the Millennium.
- Acts 3:21; Rev. 20:4.
3.
Antichrist must first come-and has; the predictions concerning him having
been abundantly fulfilled in the Papal system. - Dan. 7:26; 2 Thess.
2:1-12.
4.
Christ's Second Advent is to synchronize with the end of the Age; any
sign, therefore, which denotes the end of the Age must also constitute
evidence of his presence. - Matt. 24:3; Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7.
5.
The word "parousia" is correctly translated
"presence"; it does not have the thought of "being on the
way" nor does it refer to a "moment" of arrival. Its
meaning is established in Phil. 2:12 where the period
of the
Apostle's absence
is
contrasted with the period
of his presence.
6.
Our Lord is no longer a man but a great spirit being, partaker, indeed, of
the divine nature; the express image of the Father's person, invisible to
human eyes. - Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1:3.
If
our Lord were a human being, it could be said of the Church: "Since
we are to be like our Lord, and since he is a human being, it doth even
now appear what we shall be." St. John, however, in 1 John 3:2 writes
otherwise. There, in harmony with the thought of his brother Apostles,
he tells us: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
7.
At our Lord's First Advent many failed to learn from the signs which
attested him that Messiah was in their midst. Even the disciples had been
slow to recognize him, and had needed a revelation from the Father to
enable them to do so. (Matt. 16:16, 17.) The possibility that at his
Second Advent they might experience a similar difficulty was probably
back of their question: "What will be the sign of thy
presence?" If the indications of his presence were to be so plain
that none could fail to recognize him, there would seem to be no point to
their question; no sign or signs would be necessary. On the other hand, if
there was a possibility of his being present unrecognized, as had proved
to be the case at his first advent, then a sign which would reveal his
presence to them would be most desirable. "What, Lord, will that sign
be?"
8.
Our Lord's reply is seen to be divided into two main sections: (a) a
description of the long interval which must elapse before the end of the
Age and the period of his presence would be reached, and (b) a description
of the end of the Age and period of his presence.
9.
The long interval between the First and Second Advents known as the Gospel
Age, was to be a time of tribulation. In the world it would be marked by
wars, famines, pestilence, and earthquakes. The world would hate his true
disciples, and in many cases they would undergo martyrdom. In the Church a
great falling away would take place. False teachers would arise, deceiving
many; and because iniquity (opposition to God's laws of truth,
righteousness, justice, and love) would everywhere prevail, the love of
many (the many, the great majority) of Christ's professed followers would
wax cold. Notwithstanding all this God's good news would be preached in
all the world for a witness unto all nations. - Matt. 24:3-14.
AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH
After
thus describing the conditions which would obtain in both Church and world
throughout the Gospel Age, and after warning them against false Christs,
our Lord, in Matt. 24:27 (of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew) comes
to the heart of their question as to how they shall learn of his presence,
and declares "As the bright shining cometh out of the east and
shineth even unto the west, so shall the presence of the Son of Man
be."
Matt.
24:37-39 he adds a further word: "As in the days of Noah, so shall
also the presence of the Son of Man be." The point of comparison, as
the context clearly shows, is not the arrival of Noah and the arrival of
our Lord. It is not even the coming of the flood and the coming of our
Lord. The comparison is between the days of Noah before the flood and the
days of the presence of our Lord before the time of trouble with which
this Gospel Age ends. - Luke 17:26.
Moreover
the comparison is not between the respective degree of wickedness of the
people living in the days of Noah, and that of those living in the days of
the second presence of our Lord. The point of comparison is the
ignorance of the people. In both periods the people were in ignorance of
the coming storms. In the case of Noah, except for his immediate family,
no one heeded Noah's warnings; in the days of our Lord's second presence,
similarly, the existing order of society will not know.
WATCH, THEREFORE
The
first thing, then, to be remembered, from our Lord's own words, is that
there will be no sign at all for the worldly. With this agrees the word of
the Apostle Paul: "The day of the Lord cometh as a thief." -1
Thess. 5:1-3.
Not
only will the people of the world be in ignorance of the presence of the
Son of Man, our Lord warns, but unless they are alert, his disciples will
be in danger of being in darkness as to his return. Is it asked:
"Where does he thus warn?" We answer: In Matt. 24:42 and those
which follow. There he brings this danger to their attention: "Watch,
therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. If the good man
of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore,
be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man
cometh."
In
other words, in reply to their question our Lord cautions them to remain
alert, to be on the watch, and the implication is that when he did arrive,
the watchers would be made aware of it; all others would be taken unawares.
With
this word of our Lord the counsel of the Apostle Paul is found once more
in harmony. In 1 Thess. 5:4, 5 he says: "But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." Or to quote from another inspired
writer, Daniel the Beloved: "None of the wicked shall understand,
but the wise shall understand." - Dan. 11:8-10.
A FEAST OF FAT THINGS
Perhaps
one of the most convincing proofs to the consecrated child of God that
for some years we have been living in the parousia of the Son of Man, is
the fact that there has been spread before us a "feast of fat
things" -- an unfolding of the vast storehouse of precious truth, the
like of which was unknown since the days of the Apostles.
Nor
does the fact that slight errors have appeared here and there, nor the
further fact that we still await the Lord's good time for further
clarification of some matters, change or disturb this conviction. The path
of the just was long ago predicted to be one which would shine more and
more unto the perfect day. (Prov. 4:18.) We do not demur against our
Father's plan of progressive enlightenment; rather we rejoice in it.
However,
if, as we think none will question, "present truth" along all
lines has been made available to us in these latter days, does not this
very fact imply our Lord's presence? Who but he could have spread so
bountiful a feast? If we have had (or if, as the writer thinks, we are
still having) a harvest-the harvest of the Gospel Age, does not this
imply the presence of the Chief Reaper? Did he not say: "In the
time of harvest I (not one of my assistants, but "I") will say
unto the reapers," etc., etc.? - Matt. 13:30.
In
the foregoing paragraphs, and in the recent issues referred to in our
opening paragraph earnest effort has been made to present our convictions
in a Christian spirit, with due consideration of others who may view
matters differently. We have made it clear, we trust, that so far as we
are concerned, differences in viewpoint on the various phases and features
of our Lord's Second Advent have not been, nor, please God, will they be,
permitted to mar the sweet fellowship in Christ which should always
obtain between the members of the one Body -- the Church.
Furthermore,
we hope it has been made clear, that we stand ready at all times, to
reconsider our views on this, as on all other matters of faith, and we
shall most certainly abandon our present views should others come to our
attention which, on examination, appear to us to be better supported
by the Scriptures and by sound judgment. Grateful as we are for the light
now shining, we nevertheless recognize with the Apostle that we see but
dimly, as through an opaque glass, compared with the vision which will
be ours ere long (1 Cor. 13:12); that if we imagine we already possess any
true knowledge, on this as on any other subject, we have as yet attained
to no knowledge of the kind to which we ought to have attained (1 Cor.
8:2, Weymouth and Moffatt); and that at present, at the very most, we
are but learning bit by bit, whereas then -- in only a very little while
("how short 1 how short!" - Heb. 10:37, Rotherham),
we
shall understand as all along we have been understood by him. - 1 Cor.
13:12, Moffatt.
In
our own studies we have found it helpful to group the "signs and
groanings promised to precede a second birth, " under five main
captions, which may first be stated and then discussed, as follows
1.
Gentile Times
2.
Ecclesiastical Heavens
3.
Israel
4.
General Social Conditions
5.
Chronology
1. GENTILE TIMES
No
one that is at all acquainted with the pages of history, and with the Book
of Daniel, will question the statement that the broad outline of Gentile
history, twice forecast by Daniel twenty-five hundred years ago (chapters
2 and 7), has had a remarkable fulfillment in the succession, order,
and events of the four great empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and
Rome. Nor will such question the statement that the last of these four has
been the greatest of them, as Daniel foretold.
Rome,
however, at the time Daniel wrote, was, according to the historian,
"a mere cluster of huts." Its existence was unnoticed and
unknown beyond the limited regions of its neighbors in Italy. Yet Daniel,
writing under the inspiration of God, of the One who calls things which
be not as though they were (Rom. 4: 17), sees this cluster of huts made
over into a mighty empire, the mightiest of them all-and tells us what he
sees.
Now
if this were the only "sign" we had, if no other line of
evidence were available, if this grand outline of fulfilled prophecy were
all -- if Scripture contained nothing else to guide us but this one broad
outline of Gentile Times, would we not even then have real grounds for
strong convictions that we are living in the very end of the Age?
Plainly
-- so plainly that he who runs may read (Hab. 2:2) -- it was forecast in
these Daniel prophecies that during the long centuries intervening,
until he should come whose right it is (Ezek. 21:27), four great empires
would hold sway in the affairs of men, four empires governed by Gentile
rulers, and that the fourth should, in its final stage, give place to the
Kingdom of God. Do we not find ourselves living at the close of the fourth
world empire? Surely so, and not only at its close, but at the close of
its last form, the Papacy, deed, but the Kingdom for which so
long we
have prayed.
(To
be
continued)
-
P. L. Read
Last
year our Annual Meeting was postponed to September; consequently the
report submitted then covered a period of nearly sixteen months. Today's
report, on the other hand, deals with the Institute's ministry for a
period, of only a little more than half that time.
THE HERALD
Prominent
among the several branches of the Institute's ministry is that of our
monthly magazine, The
Herald o f Christ's Kingdom. Recognizing the truth implicit in the Apostle's
inquiry: "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8), each issue of the Herald has
carried a statement of its position under the caption, "This Journal
and Its Mission." To give more emphasis to this feature, the small
type in which it was formerly printed, was changed to a larger size, and
the entire announcement relocated in a box on the back page. There, not
only what the Herald
11 stands
firmly for," but what "it stands free from,'' is also plainly
stated. Notwithstanding the views of some to the contrary, we must
insist that our "trumpet" gives forth no uncertain sound, and
each, therefore, should prepare himself to the battle.
"He
whose soul does not burn,
Let him take up his tent and return."
Encouraging
reports reach us that the Herald continues
to be used of the Lord for the spiritual comfort and strength of the
brethren. While each month finds us listing the names of those
"Recently Deceased," our subscription list has not grown less.
For
the benefit of brethren able and willing to contribute to the pages of our
journal, we take this opportunity to again remind such that articles sent
us should be typed double space, on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Our Editors tell us that short
articles, from seven to ten pages, are preferred. Furthermore, while they
are glad to receive any articles
having to do with those things that'pertain to life and godliness, there
is presently a
shortage of
articles on such regularly recurring seasonal subjects as (1) New Year,
(2) Memorial, (3) Resurrection, (4), Whitsuntide, (5) Liberty, (6)
Thanksgiving, (7) Christmas.
We
desire at this point to again express our appreciation of the privilege
of co-operative association in the ministry of Brother Casimir Lanowick,
whose sympathy with, and labor on behalf
of, Natural Israel are widely known. His contributions to the Herald
in the
series "Israel Today," have provided stimulating reading in
evidencing in Israel's restoration what is perhaps the greatest testimony
of the proximity of Christ's Kingdom.
In
our last report, we discussed the question of Herald costs. We noted that, whereas, when the Herald
was
first published, the $1.00 subscription price was almost sufficient to
cover its cost, that was no longer true. Today, as most of our readers
know, the cost of printing and circulating the Herald, far exceeds the subscription price. At that time we observed that such
excess costs must be met, either by increasing the subscription price, or
by contributions received for that purpose. Since contributions have not
substantially increased, and since the idea of increasing the
subscription price continues to be repugnant to your Directors and, we
believe, to the friends generally, we have concluded, at least for the
present, to reduce the number of Herald
issues Accordingly,
instead of the five issues we would have
published during the second half of this year, we plan to issue only
three. This will- not only help us materially in reducing costs, but will
also relieve the pressure on our limited office staff. Whether or not,
next January, we return to a monthly basis, will depend on developments
between now and the end of the year. The prayers of all are solicited,
that the brethren who will be serving you as Directors for the coming
fiscal year, may be guided aright in the matter.
THE PILGRIM MINISTRY
"Feed
my sheep" -- thrice did the Master indicate this as the way in which
Peter was to prove the existence of the love for the Master which he
claimed to possess. And faithfully he carried out his commission. This has
been the keynote of our own Pilgrim ministry "through the
years," and not less so in the year just ended.
Our
four full-time Pilgrims, Brothers F. A. Essler, A. L. Muir, J. T. Read and
P. F. Thomson, have just completed extended trips through Canada and the
United States. From every quarter word comes that their services continue
to prove most edifying and spiritually uplifting. On their part, they
assure us that the gain is not at all one-sided but, as it is written, so
they have found, "He that watereth shall be watered also him.
self." - Prov. 11:25.
Besides
these four full-time-Pilgrims, a number of others have served on
week-ends. Additionally, our Institute is often
called upon to send brethren to conduct funerals. Only the bereaved know
what it means to have a consecrated brother, possessed of the necessary
ability, declare clearly, considerately, and courageously, our
resurrection hopes. Letters in our files tell of the strength and
spiritual uplift their services have brought.
Brother
F. A. Essler, as all
know, was
able to accept an invitation from the British brethren to spend last
summer with them. His trip not only confirmed their faith and
consecration, but contributed also to strengthening "the ties that
bind" us to our overseas brethren.
HELPS TO BIBLE STUDY
A
number of our recent Herald subscribers
have written us for particulars as to any courses of Bible study offered
by our Institute. After informing them that we do not offer any residence
courses, we invariably counsel all such inquirers that, before they
consider any other method of study, they read and study the Bible itself.
Foremost amongst the helps to its study we continue to rank The Divine Plan of the Ages.
As
our older readers know, this able work furnishes satisfactory proof that
the Bible is a revelation from God; that it discloses what God's plan for
mankind is; and shows it to be in full harmony with the principles of
wisdom, justice and love.
In
brief, it shows that God's plan is to select and save the Church during
the Gospel Age, the Age now nearly ended, and then to use the Church to
bless Israel, and through Israel the remainder of mankind, during the
next Age -- the Millennium.
Brother
Streeter's volumes on Daniel and
The
Revelation continue
in steady demand, and readers write us telling of the blessings
experienced as they study and meditate therein.
It
is gratifying to us to find that our new edition of the "Hell"
booklet, continues in steady
demand.
This
particular edition consumed no little time in its preparation, but the
results already in evidence, convince us that the labor was more than
justified. It has three distinguishing characteristics: (1) In the first
place, our Editors wished it to be a true condensation that is to say, not a "re-write," or a
"paraphrase," but in the author's own words, as they appeared in
the original edition. (2) Furthermore, they wanted the material which the
earlier version contained to be substantially condensed (to about
one-third size). And, of course, they wanted this result secured without
the new edition suffering from the deletions. (3) Additionally, they
desired an index for ready reference. (We obviated the necessity of
providing an index by re-arranging the texts in
Bible sequence.)
We
are hopeful that it will serve as a Bible Class study text-book, as well
as a reference booklet in private studies -for young and old alike.
In
a recent printing, just off the press, the cover has been changed to
white, which all who have seen it, regard as an improvement over the
previous buff-colored edition.
WITNESSING TO THE PUBLIC
Some
of the brethren may feel that the time for witnessing to the public is in
the past. This does not seem so to us. Indeed, in our report last year we
said that opportunities for witnessing to the public, far from
diminishing, appear to be increasing. This is even more true today. From
every quarter the Macedonian cry reaches us: "Come over and help
us."
As
in the days of our Lord's first advent, we read that all men were in
expectation of the Messiah (Luke 3:15), so now, at the close of the Gospel
Age and the dawn of the new dispensation, a similar spirit of inquiry and
expectation seems to be abroad.
Because
of this, we are disposed to increase, rather than diminish, our labors in
this direction. Additional follow-up literature is being made available.
Two new booklets have been published, namely, Elias Shall First Come and
If a Man
Die Shall He Live Again? Our
other ten booklets and four tracts continue to be widely circulated. The
first of our booklets, The Place o f Israel in the Plan of God, is now
in its sixth printing. We still have a sufficient stock of Our Lord's Return booklet, to take care of current orders.
No!
-- we do not expect to convert the world. But who knows whether or not a
true grain of wheat, or two, or three, may yet be found? "In the
morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for
thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether
they both shall be alike good." - Eccl. 11:6.
CORRESPONDENCE
Supplementing
the various branches of the ministry mentioned foregoing, is
correspondence. The nature of the correspondence varies. Some are brief
words of appreciation, in connection with the transmission of orders for
literature, Herald
subscriptions,
etc. Some request further explanation of a difficult passage of Scripture;
or ask questions in regard to one or another feature of the ministry.
Others, again, are of general fellowship, sometimes relating to Christian
experiences of both joy and sorrow; others asking for counsel in
connection with some deep perplexity or crucial trial. These messages
are all most welcome, even though we are not always able to give as
extended or as prompt replies as we could wish. 'When time does permit
such replies, far from considering it a "burden," we esteem it
a sacred privilege to minister a word of good cheer to weary
fellow-travelers -- "a cup of cold water" in the name of the
Lord.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership
in the Pastoral Bible Institute is, and always has been, open to any
consecrated
brother or sister who "is in full harmony with the purpose, spirit,
and policy of the Institute," and who intends to support it "in
all reasonable ways as he or she shall deem to be the Lord's will."
This
being true, it is particularly gratifying to note that during the year
just ended, 38 more brethren applied for, and were granted, membership. To
these, on behalf of the directors, and of the entire membership, we extend
a hearty welcome in the name of the Lord. 'We feel sure, brethren, that
your association with us will be mutually profitable, and trust that the
continued favor of the Lord will be with us all, as we labor together in
the ministry.
We
cannot close this report without expressing our keen appreciation of the
kindly patience and loving consideration extended us by all the friends,
during the somewhat difficult transition period, when we were arranging
for the retirement of our long-time laborers in the ministry, Sisters
Edith Hoskins and Jeanne Scott, and disposing of the property at 177
Prospect Place, Brooklyn, N. Y. Since November, Sister Hoskins has been
making her home with Brother and Sister Earl Higginbotham, 707 Church
Street, North Syracuse 12, New York; and Sister Scott with her sister,
Mrs. Walter Shanks, Box 95A Western Avenue, Essex, Mass.
Our
prayers continue with them both in their new environment.
Your
brethren in the Master's service,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: James C. Jordan, Chairman
The
forty-third Annual Meeting of the members of the Pastoral Bible
Institute, Inc., was held on Saturday, June 3, at 2:00 p.m. in the
auditorium of the Berean Bible Students Church, 5930 West 28th Street,
Cicero 50, Illinois. After the customary devotions, Brother J. C. Jordan
was elected chairman of the meeting, and Brother P. L. Read, secretary.
Next followed the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous
meeting, held September 24, 1960. The annual report of the Directors, for
the fiscal year ended April 30, 1961, was then presented. This, including
the Treasurer's Financial Statements, is published on Pages 107-109.
The
names of recently deceased members were next read-also of those brethren
who had become members of the Institute during the previous year; after
which the meeting proceeded with the election of a new Board. Brothers A.
Jarmola and C. A. Loucky were appointed to act as Tellers. While they were
counting the votes, the rest of the friends availed themselves of the
opportunity of discussing the unfolding scene, particularly as it
relates to the Bible Classes served by the Institute's Pilgrim brethren.
At the conclusion of the count, the names of the following brethren were
announced as elected: F. A. Essler, J. C. Jordan, A. L. Muir, J. T. Read,
P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman and P. E. Thomson.
A
devotional service concluded the meeting. Immediately following the Annual
Meeting, the new Board met. Among other actions taken, they elected
officers as follows: J. C. Jordan, Chairman; F. A. Essler, Vice-Chairman;
P. L. Read, Secretary-Treasurer; W. J. Siekman, Assistant Secretary; A. L.
Muir, Assistant Treasurer; W. A. Eliason, A. Gonczeweki, L. Petran, P.
L. Read, J. B. Webster, Editorial Committee.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, FISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1961
(1)
Balance Sheet as of April 30, 1961
Assets
Cash in
Bank
$
8,670.81
Accounts Receivable
229.89
Prepaid Expense
601.98
Inventory of Books, etc.
Pocket Edition - Divine Plan
(2360) $1,652.00
Revelation Exposition - Vol. 1
(170)
85.50
Revelation Exposition - Vol. 2
(580) 870.00
Daniel Exposition
(290) 145.50
Our Lord's Return Booklet
(30) 3.00
Miscellaneous Items
150.00
Total Inventory
2,905.00
Total Assets
$12,407.68
Liabilities
None
.
Net Worth (as per Analysis below)
$12,407.68
(2)
Statement of Income and Expense and Analysis of Net Worth
Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 1961
Income
Contributions
$ 7,704.87
Herald Subscriptions
4,480.00
Legacies
819.92
Total Income
$13,004.81
Operating Expense
Pilgrim Expense
$7,690.63
Herald Expense Including Printing,
Mailing and
Clerical
9,761.38
Free Literature
398.79
Maintenance of Property Including Taxes,
Gas, Electricity, Insurance, and Repairs
657.21
Administrative and Office Expense
2,488.06
Total Operating Expense
$20,996.07
Net Operating Expense
7,991.26
Expense of Relocating Headquarters and Moving
Personal Effects of Staff
3,072.72
Net Income for Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 1961 $11,063.98
Net Worth, May 1, 1960
23,471.66
Net Worth, April 30, 1961 (as per Balance Sheet above) $12,407.68
"These
were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges:
there they dwelt with the king for his work." - 1 Chronicles
4:23.
With
infinite care and forethought God has chosen the place in which you can do
your best work for the world. You may be lonely, but you have no more
right to complain than the lamp has, which has been placed in a niche to
illumine a dark landing or a flight of dangerous stone steps. The master
of the house may have put you in a very small corner and on a very humble
stand; but it is enough if it be his blessed will. Some day he will pass
by, and you shall light his steps as he goes forth to seek and save that
which is lost; or you shall kindle some great light that shall shine like
a beacon over the storm-swept ocean. Thus the obscure Andrew was the
means of igniting his brother Peter, when he brought him to Jesus. - Author unknown
The
lesson seems twofold, - First, that anywhere and everywhere we too may
dwell with the King for his work. We may be in a very unlikely or
unfavorable place for this - it may be in a literal country life, with
little enough to be seen of the goings of the King around us; it may be
among hedges of all sorts, hindrances in all directions; it may be,
furthermore, with our hands full of all manner of pottery for our daily
task. No matter! The King who placed us there will come and dwell there
with us; the hedges are all right, or he would soon do away with them, and
it does not follow that what seems to hinder our way may not be for its
very protection; and as for the pottery, why, that is just exactly what
he has seen fit to put into our hands, and therefore it is, for the
present, his work.
Secondly,
that the dwelling and the working must go together. If we are indeed
dwelling with the King, we shall be working for him too, as we have
opportunity. The working will be as the dwelling-a settled, regular thing,
whatever form it may take at his appointment. Nor will his work ever be
done when we are not dwelling with him. It will be our own work then, not
his, and it will not abide. We shall come under the condemnation of the
vine which was pronounced empty, because he bringeth forth fruit unto
himself.
We
are to dwell with the King for his work; but he will see to it that it
shall be for a great deal besides -for a great continual reward according
to his own heart and out of his royal bounty-for peace, for power, for
love, for gladness, for likeness to himself.
Laborers
together with God! workers together with him! the Lord working with
us! admitted into divine fellowship of work!-will not this thought
ennoble everything he gives us to do today, even if it is among plants and
hedges! Even the pottery will be grand!
-F.
R. Havergal
When
the Master of all the workmen
Called me into the field,
I went for him light and happy,
The tools of his service to wield;
Expectant of high position,
As suited my lofty taste --
When Lo! He set me weeding
And watering down in the waste.
Such puttering down in the hedges!
A task so thankless and small!
Yet I stifled my vain discomfort
And wrought for the Lord of all,
Till, meeker grown, as nightly
I sank to my hard-won rest
I cared but to hear in my dreaming,
"This one has done his best."
The years have leveled distinctions,
There is no more "great" nor "small";
Only faithful service counts
With the Lord of all;
And I know that, tilled with patience,
The dreariest waste of clod
Shall yield the perfect ideal
Planned in the heart of God.
-
Author unknown
The Question
Box
"Lead
us not into temptation" - Matthew 6:13.
Question:
Will
you please discuss that phrase in our Lord's Prayer which reads:
"Lead us not into temptation"?
Answer:
The
Lord's Prayer is recorded in the sixth chapter of Matthew and in the
eleventh of Luke. The phrase "Lead us not into temptation"
appears in both accounts. We have no reason to question its genuineness.
How, then, shall we understand it?
The
difficulty which some experience with this petition may be stated as
follows: Temptations, tests, or trials are known to be good for us; why,
then, should we request the Father not to lead us into them?
Others
say: The very thought of temptation is evil; it is a suggestion to do
wrong. Since our Father could not possibly be disposed to ensnare us; is
it not superfluous to pray him not to do so? Indeed, would he not be
grieved if
we approached
him with such a request?
Scholars
tell us that the word "to tempt" originally meant "to try
or "to test," without indicating in the least whether the
purpose of the trial was good or bad. Hence the word "attempt,"
'Which may be employed in either a good or a bad sense. So, also, the word
"tentative," which is but a contraction of the word "temptative,"
and which we know means trial, as for example in the ease of the
unforgiving servant. He 'was forgiven the ten thousand talent debt he
owed, tentatively, provisionally, with the understanding that his own character
and conduct would show some correspondence to the grace of the one who had
forgiven him. (Matt. 18:33-35.) In Gen. 22:1 we read that God did
"tempt" Abraham, that is, he made a holy trial of Abraham's
faith. In John 6:6 the word is translated "prove":
"This Jesus said to prove Philip, for he himself knew what he
would do." This was a good trial or temptation, intended to test and
develop Philip's faith. In 2 Cor. 13:5 we read: "Examine yourselves
whether ye be in the faith." If the word had been uniformly
translated, it would read: "Tempt yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith."
We
thus see that the word is often used in a good sense. However, its
prevailing use is to denote an evil trialtrial that would ensnare,
trial that is with the purpose of alluring to wrongdoing; morally
insidious, seductive temptation.
Now
concerning the first sort of trial, trial that is intended to have only a
good result, the Apostle James exhorts: "My brethren, count it all
joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of
your faith worketh patience." Again, he says: "Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."
Surely, then, we are not to understand that Jesus, in the Lord's prayer,
is instructing his disciples to implore their Father not to lead them into
this sort of temptation.
On
the other hand, if we adopt the bad sense in which the word
"temptation" may be taken, another difficulty arises. How
could we ask God not to lead us into a trial with the malicious intent of
ensnaring us into wrongdoing? God himself cannot be enticed into evil,
neither, in that sense, does he tempt any man.
We
believe the solution of this problem depends upon our settling the
question as to who is the author of the temptations which this petition
anticipates. And the next clause supplies the answer to that question.
It is none other than our Adversary. "Lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from the Evil One." The one who is responsible for the
temptations
referred to in this petition is Satan.
Now
of course our Father would not lead us, guide us, impel us, into the
snares of the Adversary. On the contrary, he would lead us in an
opposite direction. But if any one is led away by his uncontrolled
desires, our Father's usual method of awakening such an one is to
withhold, for a moment, his guiding and protecting hand. Especially does
he do this with one whose heart is lifted up in pride, one who is
beginning to think more highly of himself than he ought to think. Let
him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
We
hear a good deal, these days, of "independent" Bible students.
No doubt, from one standpoint, the word may be rightly used, as suggesting
freedom from bondage of one sort or another, but it is quite possible to
use it in a wrong sense, as indicating self-confidence. None of our
readers, we trust, are independent Bible students, in the wrong sense of
the word. We are very much dependent on each other, are we not? And we are
especially dependent on our Father. And that is the point of
emphasis here. In the petition which has immediately preceded this one,
the Christian has just finished asking the Father to forgive him his
trespasses. With the remembrance of past trespasses there succeeds in
his mind the realization of his weakness and the danger of further
stumblings and failures. His prayer, therefore, passes naturally
from the petition to be forgiven sins already committed, to a petition for
guidance and protection so as to
avoid sins in the future. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from the Evil One."
This
petition, then, is a recognition of our dependence on him, and is
equivalent to asking him not to abandon us and thus leave us to resist
the snares of the Evil One in our own unaided strength. It is as though we would petition our Father for our brethren and for
ourselves: "Father, if today an occasion to sin presents itself; if
the enemy of our lives seeks to ensnare any of us today, grant, Father,
that any one of us open to such a snare may be found walking so close to
thee, that it will not be necessary for thee to chastise him by abandoning
him to that
snare, with the certain s h a m e and humiliation which must result to him
ere he is recovered out of the snare of the Adversary. But, on the
contrary, deliver us, rescue us-the term is a military one, denoting the
deliverance of a prisoner who had fallen into the hands of the
enemy-deliver us, Strong Deliverer, from the Evil One."
And
his gracious word to us is that he will. As St. Peter writes: "The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations" and he will
do so. Moreover, as St. Paul declares: "There hath no temptation
taken you but
such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to
be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it." In
this confidence we rest-not forgetting to "watch and pray."
-
P. L. Read.
Bro.
Horace K. Blinn, Cincinnati, Ohio-(May)
Sr. Anna Downs, Reading, Pa. - (May)
Sr. Anna Fuerst, Grand Rapids, Mich. - (June)
Sr. Stella Jozefowicz, Milwaukee, Wis. - (May)
Bro. Robert Krebs, Stockton, Calif. - (April)
Bro. Joseph Musial, Kenosha, Wis. - (May)
Sr. Jean Rowe (Rozanski), Jersey City, N. J. - (May)
Sr. Sarah Vero. Pittsburgh, Pa. - (May)
1961 Index
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