VOL.
LIV. November/December 1971 No. 6 "Peace to Men of Good Will"
"Be not afraid! For lo! I bring you
good tidings of a great joy, which shall be for all the people: That there hath
been born unto you this day a Savior -- who is an Anointed Lord -- in the City
of David! ... Glory in the highest unto God! And on earth peace, to men of good
will." - Luke 2:10-14, Rotherham, and Tischendorf Footnote. THE
THUNDER of burly guns, reverberating to. day in the ears, of "all
people" of earth, well nigh drowns out the sweet strains of the angelic
Proclamation echoing down the corridors of time, from that first Christmas
morning. Instead of the promised peace, the art, the science, and the practice
of war are still, after nineteen centuries, the chief pre-occupation of
mankind. It
is therefore no wonder that men generally have come to regard this heavenly
Proclamation as being in the same category as the Santa Claus tradition a
pleasant story for children, a tender reminder of a young mother and her babe,
"lying in a manger," and so of all motherhood and childhood, of
sweetness and light; and, perhaps, of a kindness of intent on the part of
heaven and of a God who means well, but cannot do much practically to end the
woes of earth. Because
of the long delay and apparent failure, the sweeping significance of the Proclamation
has been generally overlooked or disbelieved. Still do "the kings of the
earth set themselves, and the rulers
take counsel together, [unwittingly] against Jehovah and against His
Anointed." The lords of earth -- of the present order-would not dare set
themselves against the Creator of the Universe, or, against His Son, did they
recognize that They are the authors
of the "bands" and "cords" that hamper them. These comparatively
slight hindrances on the reign of selfishness and evil, during the past six
thousand years, have been mostly through What the Apostle calls "the foolishness
of preaching" - mere talk. A
modern and typical instance of the continual conspiracy of earth's rulers to
rid themselves of these "bands" and "cords" has been the
effort on the part of the European dictators and their associates to destroy
the influence of Christianity on their peoples. "Yet" -- in spite of all disbelief, and
conspiracy and confusion and opposition, "Yet," saith Jehovah,
"I have set My king upon My holy hill of Zion." This is a prophetic
statement of divine intention, not of previously accomplished fact. Not yet
has the head of "this present evil world," Satan, been laid hold upon
by the Apocalyptic Messenger and bound "with a great chain" for a
thousand years. Not yet have his kings, been bound with chains, and his nobles
with fetters of iron, as it is declared they shall be. Not yet has his kingdom
felt the "iron rod" of Jehovah's King, dashing it to pieces like a
potter's vessel. Not yet has the King, so "set" by Jehovah; assumed
His throne and issued His own inaugural Proclamation: "I will tell of the
decree: Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son;, this day have I begotten
Thee" (or, "brought Thee forth" - Young; or, "acknowledged
Thy paternity," or "declared Thy pedigree" - Num. 1:18).
"Ask of Me and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the
uttermost parts of the, earth for Thy possession....'' "Behold, I make
all things new. It is accomplished! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water
of life freely." - Psalm 2; Rev. 21:5-8. But
-- "Who hath believed our' message, and to whom hath the Arm of Jehovah
been revealed?" "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth," said Jesus, "that Thou didst hide these things from the wise
and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes." The world drowses on
in darkness; it does not hear the Christmas Proclamation. But when the due time
comes, there will be no delay, no hesitation, no procrastination, no
commutation of sentence upon an evil and rebellious world. "For a full
end, and that determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, make in the midst of
all the earth." (Isa. 10:23.) The sovereignty of this King whoser birth on
earth we celebrate, is to be autocratic; His dominion co-extensive with the
boundaries of earth. Herein
is an apparent inconsistency in the Proclamation of the herald angels, as
reported in the Authorized Version of our Bible. It promised, without
limitation, "Peace on earth, good will toward men." But the following
nineteen hundred years have been years of warfare on earth; and the Kingdom of
Christ, as foretold by all the Prophets, will be inaugurated, not by peaceful
means, but by force, involving the destruction or restraint of His enemies.
However, when the most ancient manuscripts of the Gospel are examined, the
inconsistency disappears. All three of these MSS, the Sinaitic, the Vatican,
and Alexandrine, show that the text originally read: "Peace on earth to men of good will." . The Peace
is extended only" to those who, like the King Himself, "love
righteousness and hate iniquity." "Great peace have they who love Thy
law." On the contrary, "There
is no peace, saith Jehovah, to the
wicked." "Oh, that thou hadst hearkened unto My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and
thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." It would appear that; the
Apostle Paul had the Proclamation in mind when he wrote to the Romans:
"God . . will render to every man according to his works . . . unto them
that . . . obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation,
tribulation and anguish . . . but glory and honor and peace to every man that
worketh good." - Isa. 48.18 24; Rom 2.1 11 All
this is not inconsistent with the prophecies that paint the peace and
prosperity of Christ's reign. Inaugurated as it will be amid scenes of
violence, all opposition will be quickly suppressed. Once the intent and
adequacy of His authority becomes generally known, the reaction of the people
of. earth will be as foretold by the Prophet Isaiah: "It shall come to
pass in that day that Jehovah will' punish the host of the high ones on high.
[the evil spirits, spoken of in Eph. 6:12] and the kings of the earth upon the
earth... . For Jehovah of hosts will reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem....
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have 'waited for Him
and He will save us: this is Jehovah; we have waited for Him, we- will be glad
and rejoice in His salvation." (Isa. 24:21, 23; 25:9.) St. Peter declared
in his second recorded sermon (Acts 3:12-26) that the return of "the
Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus" will be to bring
"seasons of refreshing" in fulfillment of the sworn covenant to
Abraham: "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed." Of this reign of blessing, asserted the Apostle, all God's holy
Prophets had spoken "since the world began." The
extension of a divine offer of peace, to the welldisposed individuals in a
world in rebellion against God, two thousand years before the inauguration of
His Kingdom in power and glory, has been a favor of the greatest importance to
its beneficiaries. All are members of a fallen race, "born in sin and shapen in iniquity," unable from inherent weakness to serve God perfectly
in the environment and atmosphere of "the present evil world,"
however good their desires and intentions. But
through this divine offer, "Ye that once were far off are made nigh
in the blood of Christ. For He is our peace," writes Paul to the
Ephesians. (2:13, 17.) "He came and preached peace to. you [Gentiles] that
were far off, and peace to them .[the Jews] that were nigh: for through Him we
both have our access in one spirit unto the Father." "Being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom
also we have had our access by faith info this grace wherein we stand; and we
rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (Rom. 5:1, 2.) Thus, through the
"peace to men of good will," proclaimed by the angels that first
Christmas 'morning, has been made possible the great "High Calling of God
in Christ Jesus." No wonder this offer of amnesty was prefaced by the
chorus: "Glory in the highest unto
God," the Author of so beneficent a Plan. So
the ones who can still hear the Christmas Proclamation of the angels, know that despite all discord and
opposition, all the folly of men and the, malignancy of demons, "A King shall reign and prosper, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." (Jer. 23:5.) And
they know that this King will be the resurrected Christ' Jesus, who was once
born as the Babe of Bethlehem. "Even so, come quickly. Lord Jesus.", - H. E. Hollister. Glad World
We, according to
his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
- Grace M. Harris A Song of Thanksgiving"Tell . . . how great things the Lord hath done for thee." -
Mark 5:19. IT
IS through the Psalms chiefly that the saint of God finds utterance for the
praise and thanksgiving of a gratitude filled heart. Thus has the Lord wisely
provided means of expression for the pentup emotions within. From
among the many beautiful expressions of praise and thanksgiving we have chosen
for consideration the 30th Psalm which perhaps was composed after the
Psalmist's recovery from a sickness which had nearly proved fatal. The circumstances
which called it forth are no longer clear to us. But what child of the Lord can
consider these words of warm gratitude without his heart burning within him at
the thought of his own "many benefits" received from the "Giver
of every good and perfect gift."
Is
not this descriptive of our own experience? Do we not remember "the hole
of the pit whence we were digged"? We "who were dead in trespasses
and sins, wherein in time past we walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in
times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of
the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
(Eph. 2:1-3.) "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,
hateful, and hating one another." (Titus 3:3.) And what of our many foes
who so frequently triumphed over us; those "works of the flesh," the
enemies within the fortress so graphically presented in Galatians 5:19-21?
"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For
the end of those things is death." (Rom. 6:21.) Yea, our feet were almost
gone; our steps had well nigh slipped. We looked for some to take pity, but
there was none; and for comforters, but found none. - Psa. 73:2; 69:20, Then
"this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his
troubles." For "He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from
heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to
loose those that are appointed to death." "But after that the kindness
and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; which He shed on us abundantly,
through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by His grace, we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." For "God, who
is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved),
and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace, in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." "So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ." - Psa. 34:6; 102:19, 20; Titus 3:4-7; Eph.
2:4-7; 1 Cor. 15:54-57.
Sing
praise ("sweep the strings" or "make music" -Rotherham)
unto Jehovah for "praise is comely for the upright." (Psa. 33:1.)
Again, "Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God;
for it is pleasant; and praise is comely." (Psa. 147:1.) "I waited
patiently (suffering, intensely, with earnest longings, an intensity of feeling
which amounted to real suffering) for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and
heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry
clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put
a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." - Psa. 40:1-3. In
its highest and truest significance, Praise is the instinctive outburst of
adoring worship that rises from a pure spirit at the knowledge and vision of
an Infinite, Self-existent, All-Creative, and Sovereignly Ruling God, a God of
Holiness, Justice, Goodness, and Truth. It occupies a higher vantage-ground
than Thanksgiving, since it represents reverent homage and appreciative
adoration for God in Himself, as He is in His eternal, glorious, perfect, and blessed
Being, utterly without thought of the good He bestows upon the worshiping, recipient
creature. The offering of Praise, therefore, is the one spontaneous act of the
true saint, unaffected by promise of good and uninfluenced by expectation of
return for service. As thus unmixed with any thought of self, Praise is the
highest expression of honor to God, and it brings the purest and loftiest
element into the Christian's communion with God. In both Testaments it is
characterized as an "offering" or "sacrifice" by which God
is glorified. (Psa. 50:14, 23; 107:22; Heb. 13:15.) Joined with the tenderer
and sweeter note of Thanksgiving for ineffable and unlimited "goodness
and mercy," Praise is the one revealed employment of the sinless, and
redeemed hosts in the Heavenly Presence. (Rev. 5:7-14.) "Praise waiteth
for Thee, O God, in Sion." - Psa. 65:1. The
"remembrance of His holiness" means literally "His holy
memorial" ("celebrate His holy memorial" - Darby) and refers
probably to the passage (Exod. 3:15), "This is My name for ever, and this
is My memorial unto all generations." God's name is His revelation of
Himself, in all His various attributes of love, wisdom, power, holiness,
truth, righteousness. God's memorial is that great history of redemption, which
was, so to speak, the setting up of a monument to His glory, on which all these
attributes were inscribed. The Revised Version brings out the precise thought
in translating: "Give thanks to His holy memorial name." The
things of this Psalm are of continual interest. They do not belong to any one
time or any one type of experience. Some of the notes in it are suitable to
home and family and individuals through all the years of their history.
Eminently so is the fifth verse, which tells us of the bitter and the sweet,
the dark and the light, which run in various distribution, along human lives.
The underlying doctrine is the great fact that "God is love," that
love runs through all, rules over all, explains all. Here
is a reason why God is to be praised-because He manifests Himself in love, not
in wrath; or if in wrath, but for a moment. Love directs all. Rotherham renders
this verse, "For there is a Moment in His anger, a Life-time in His
good-pleasure (or favor); in the evening cometh Weeping to lodge, but by the
morning 'tis a shout of Triumph (or joy)." The parallelism is carefully
preserved in each member-"anger . . favor"; "a moment . . . a
life-time"; "evening . . . morning"; "weeping . .
joy." Weeping is described under the image of a wayfarer who comes in at
evening to lodge for the night. The suddenness and surprise of gladness, on the
other hand, in the morning, are beautifully represented by the simple "at
dawn, a shout of joy," without a verb. Just as the sun in Eastern lands,
without any long prelude of twilight to announce his coming, leaps, as it were,
in a moment above the horizon, so does the light of God's love dispel in a
moment the long night and darkness of sorrow. From Isaiah we quote a beautiful
parallel passage: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with
great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for
a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the
Lord thy Redeemer." (Isa. 54:7, 8.) And in the greater picture of the
Restitution day which the Psalmist's words bring to mind, with what thrilled
hearts do we in foretaste picture the glorious revealing, through His Christ,
of the great God of the Universe, whose righteous and holy character will then
be made manifest to all humanity. In that new "heaven and earth,"
God's blessings abundantly poured forth upon astonished mankind will result in
the wiping away of all tears from their eyes and will more than offset their
experience under the terrible Night of Weeping: - Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:4; Isa.
35:10; Isa. 25:6-9.
In
their times of trial God's people in all ages have been brought to feel their
entire dependence on Him. In days of flowing prosperity we have little sense of
that dependence. As the Psalmist expresses it here: "In my prosperity I
said, I shall never be moved. We are very apt to dream, when things are well
with us, that they will always be so, and never otherwise. "Tomorrow shall
be as this day." Yet prosperity is more pleasant than profitable to us.
Though in show it look like a fair summer, it is indeed a wasting winter, and
spendeth all the fruit we have reaped in the harvest of sanctified affliction.
For we are never in greater danger than in the sunshine of prosperity. It is
rare to receive much of this world, and not as the prodigal to go afar off;
'tis hard to keep close to God in prosperity, when we rave much of this world
to live upon and content ourselves with; to live upon God and make Him our
content and stay, as if we had no other life nor livelihood but in Him. We are
very apt in such a case to let go our hold of God, discustom ourselves to the
exercise of faith, abate and estrange our affections from God. It
is more common to pray for strength to endure through times of adversity and
suffering than for strength to endure through times of prosperity and gladness.
Yet it is these latter times of buoyant self-reliance that are most full of
peril. It is not in those perilous ways when every step gives fresh evidence
that without our Leader we are lost, that we are most likely to turn away from
Him. That supreme peril comes rather when we walk in the open plain, and have
forgotten the serpents that lurk among the flowers. For every soul that is
harmed by adversity, ten are harmed by prosperity. Yet you will find a hundred
persons who pray against that adversity which so often brings men closer to
God, where you will find one who prays against that pleasant prosperity which
too often lures men away from God and from their own best future. And
how deceiving is that prosperity! When the days run smoothly, "involving
happy months, and these as happy years," all seems certain to continue.
But a change comes over our life. Ill health fastens on us death invades our
circle; relatives bring us into deep waters; our means of living fail; we are
plunged into a very wilderness of woe. How falsely we judged when we thought
that it was by its own inherent stability our mountain stood strong! No; it was
solely the result of God's favor, for all our springs are in Him; the moment
He hides His face we are most grievously troubled. Sad but salutary experience! "Thou
didst hide Thy face and I was troubled." What soul can be deserted and not
be afflicted? All the world does no good without the favor of God. As all the
stars, though they shine together, do not dispel the darkness of night; so no
creatures can comfort us sufficiently when God hides His face. His absence
cannot but be lamented with greatest grief, whose presence the soul prizeth
above all earthly joy.
How
moving is the Psalmist's plea to his God in verses 8 and 9! And yet his prayer
for prolonged life was not offered with the view of any earthly possession or
enjoyment, but only- with a view to the honor of God. He dreaded death as being
an end of praise to God. His plea is, what would my life-blood avail if Thou
shouldest send me to the grave? If I may live I shall praise God and witness
to His truth before the 'living, and this will avail to the glory and honor of
God. But, cut down in death, my lips are dumb thenceforth as to any testimony
for God in the land of the living. Essentially the same reasoning appears in
Psalm 6:5 and 88:10-12 and Isa. 38:18, 19. Every
better spirit, just in proportion to its thoughtfulness and nobility, is
saddened as it coinpares performance with aspiration and work with aim. There
are times when the words of God's most believing children about this fleeting
life, and the shortness of our time for doing God's appointed work, run in the
mould of the Psalmist's. There was a point of view from which life presented
itself to our Lord Himself as a golden day, and death as a cheerless night.
"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day; the night
cometh when no man can work." As
we ponder our own brief span, our "fleeting breath," well may we
repeat the poet's words: "What need hath God of this poor clay? Thank
God for the assurance that we shall not lie silent in the grave, but in the
glorious Age of the future we shall show forth the praises of Him who hath
called us out of darkness into His marvelous light-Him whose workmanship we
now are, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. We therefore, with the
Psalmist, ask aright for life when we have in view that we may live and praise
Him. "Lord,
be Thou my helper." In every duty, in every conflict, in every trial, in
every effort to promote the Lord's cause, in every season of prosperity, in
every hour we live, this short prayer is suitable. If the Lord help us, there
is no duty which we cannot overcome; there is no difficulty which we cannot
surmount.
To
bless God for mercies is the way to increase them; to bless Him for miseries is
the way to remove them. No good lives so long as that which is thankfully
improved; and no evil dies so soon as that which is patiently endured. The
concluding words of this Psalm raise a responsive chord in our hearts: "I
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a
bride adorneth herself with her jewels." - Isa. 61:10. "To
the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee." This word
"glory" is also found in Psalm 16:9 and signifies "tongue,"
and is so translated in the quotation of this verse found in Acts 2:26. As
light is the glory of fire (Exod. 24:17), so speech is the glory, the bright
shining of the intellect. "Because Thy loving-kindness is better than
life, my lips shall praise 'Thee." (Psa. 63:3.) For what have we to do in
the world as once and again His creatures, anew created unto good works, but
to exercise ourselves in those, and by those to advance His glory? That all
may return to Him from whom all is, as the rivers run back to the sea from
whence they came. Of Him and through Him, and therefore for Him are all
things. "I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in
the morning; for Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Unto Thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my
mercy. I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all
Thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee: I will sing praise to
Thy name, O Thou Most High." - Psa. 59:16, 17; 9:1, 2. -W. J. Siekman. Love's True Basis and Purpose"We know
that we have passed from death unto life." - 1 John 3:14. THROUGHOUT
our Lord's teachings he made it clear that an understanding of God's purposes
is reserved for those who are in harmony of heart with the Father. The Apostle
Paul explained this in several ways, and particularly in his second letter to
Timothy where he links "rightly divide the word of truth" with
"give diligence to present thyself approved unto God." - 2 Tim.
2:15, R. V. When
the Jews marveled at Jesus' teaching, saying, "How knoweth this man
learning, having never learned?" Jesus replied, "My doctrine is not
mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the
doctrine, . . ." (John 7:16, 17.) From these and many other passages it is
clear that the development of Scriptural understanding is dependent on our
making ourselves acceptable unto God. At
the outset he requires that we shall demonstrate a sincere faith, for without
faith there is no basis for the Lord's "mighty works." (Matt. 13:58.)
To understand the deep things of God, however, we need the guidance of the holy
spirit, which God grants only to those who have made an acceptable consecration
of their lives and wills. Thus we learn of God's purposes not by our own
intellectual efforts, but by submitting ourselves to God so that his holy
spirit may reveal him and his purposes to us. Love,
Jesus explained, governs our entire relationship with our Lord and with the
Father. "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love
him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." (John 14:23.)
"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my
love." (John 15:9.) In these closing days of the old dispensation, when
real and imagined differences have divided the brethren, are we not in danger
of losing sight of the fact that no matter how profound we believe our
understanding of God's Word to be, it is "as nothing if we have not love. It
may seem that love for the brethren is easy compared with love for our
enemies, but that does not seem to the thought which our Lord gave to the
disciples. We might say with equal truth that it is easier for a mother to love
her own child than the child of a stranger, but the strength of mother love is
nevertheless known to be much greater. So it is with that higher love for the
brethren. If we have the holy spirit within us, we shall find no difficulty in
recognizing it in others. Thus shall we know that the divine spirit of love is
within us. The
Psalmist wrote, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity." (Psa. 133:1.) In the 55th Psalm he shows how
real is this love between brethren by describing the, pain which is caused when
it is withheld. "For it is not an enemy that reproached me, he wrote,
"then would I have borne it, but it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide,
and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the
house of God in company." - Psa. 55:12-14. The
Master knew that the evidence of the holy spirit of love within us would be
shown in love for the brethren, and so during the last Supper with his
disciples he said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another as I have loved you." (John
13:34.) Later, he added, as if to emphasize the seriousness of this new charge,
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15.) By this test of
love for the brethren, Jesus explained, "shall all men know that ye are my
disciples." The
cultivation of that higher standard of love which is understood in Christ's
word's, "love as I have loved you," is vital if the child of God is
to make his calling and election sure. Too often it is regarded only as a very
desirable quality exercised primarily for the benefit of others, but this standard of conduct is sometimes reached by those who are not even professing
Christians. The Lord requires much more from us: namely, that our love for others
shall not be an end in itself, but
evidence of the development of a loving character. "Now the end of the
commandment is love out of a pure heart." (1 Tim. 1:5.) That is to say,
explained Brother Russell, that the object of all instruction and discipline on
God's part is to bring us to this character-likeness of himself. Learning to
love the brethren is part of our development, and its expression is, therefore,
a symptom, not of some merit of our own, but
of the holy spirit of love within us. The
Scriptures clearly distinguish between the duty love (Greek-Phileo), which we are to show to all, and the higher love
(Greek-Agape), which Jesus showed to the Father and which he enjoins us to
cultivate. The Apostle Peter shows that brotherly kindness or Phileo love is a necessary step in our spiritual development,
but he put its acquisition at an earlier stage than the higher love which is
to crown all our spiritual endeavor. (2 Peter 1:7.) This is the love of which
the Apostle Paul said, "suffereth long and is kind . . . envieth not . .
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth
not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with truth; covereth all things [with a
mantle of sympathy], believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things. (1 Cor. 13:18, R. V.) Finally, he concludes that love is the thing
that "never faileth." Its acquisition indicates that the new creature
has reached a high standard of character development. "The
fruit of the spirit is love," wrote the Apostle Paul, and using another
metaphor, Christ referred to the fruit of the spirit as a "light" --
"Ye are the light of the world." It is the holy spirit within us that
provides that light and causes us to shine both in love to the brethren and in
doctrinal truth. Our Master knew, nevertheless, that many unconsecrated
brethren would obtain a knowledge of true doctrine from those who are living
under the influence of the holy spirit, although those who are not growing in
Christ may not appreciate the depth of the truths they are taught. Only those
who have the Lord's holy spirit, however, can have that rare and precious
quality of love by which "all men shall know that ye are my
disciples." - John 13:35. Let
us therefore put first things first by continued diligence in our consecration,
maintain God's loving holy spirit as ruler of our lives and wills, and let us
give evidence of this by the love' we have one to another. On that basis and on
that alone will the Lord help us to resolve our differences and maintain the
unity of faith. "Beloved, let us love
one another; for love is of God.; and every one that loveth, is born [R.V.
"begotten"] of God and knoweth God. ... If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." - 1 John 4:7, 8, 12. -L. H. Bunker, Eng. "Rejoice in the Lord"
"Rejoice in the Lord
alway: and again I say, Rejoice." - Philippians 4:4. NO
OTHER epistle of Paul's expresses such tenderness and love as is found in this
letter to the Philippians, where we find such expressions as, "I thank my
God upon every remembrance of you"; "For God is my record, how
greatly I long after you all"; "Dearly beloved and longed for, my joy
and crown"; "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service
of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you." In regard to some of the other
churches, he was under the necessity of using the language of reproof -for
instance, to the Galatians in regard to doctrinal error, to the Corinthians
about strifes and divisions and moral irregularity. In Philippi, however, there
was scarcely anything that called for rebuke: on the contrary, there was much
that called for commendation and gratitude. Their conduct toward the Apostle
had always been noble and generous, having always shown the tenderest regard
for him in his troubles, providing for his needs on every possible occasion.
His response as shown in this letter is that of a tender and affectionate
pastor to a much beloved flock, indicating as it does the spirit of a ripe
Christian, one who was near the end of his course. REJOICING IN PRAYER"I
thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for
you all making request with joy" (Phil. 1:3, 4, Authoized Version). What
was it that gave the Apostle this joy in remembering his Philippian brethren at
the throne of heavenly grace? The context indicates that it was the
manifestation of their generosity and loyal support, not because of the
personal benefits that were his as a consequence, but rather that it was proof
to him of their love and sincerity as Christians; their willingness to
participate in the sacrifices entailed in proclaiming the Gospel. The
thought of their constancy was to him an assurance that God was still working
among them "both to will and to do of his good pleasure," that he would
thus complete the work begun years before under the leadership of the Apostle
himself. This knowledge not only gave him personal strength, but filled his
heart with gratitude as he remembered them before the throne of heavenly
grace, making supplication for them with joy. "For God is my witness how I
long after you all with the tender sympathies of Christ Jesus"- (Phil.
1:8, Diaglott). Let
us now consider the prayer that the Apostle offered with such joy: "And
this I pray, that your love may yet abound more and more in knowledge, and in
all perception, in order that you may examine the differences of things; and
that you may be sincere and inoffensive in the day of Christ" (Phil. 1:9,
10, Diaglott). Weymouth
gives a very interesting translation of the tenth verse as follows: "For
testing things that differ, so that you may be men of transparent character,
and may be blameless, in preparation for the day of Christ." "Having
been filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the glory
and praise of God" (Phil. 1:11, Diaglott). It
is worthy of note that in the ninth verse the Apostle ties in love (abounding
love) as most necessary in the development of knowledge and perception, in
order that they might carry on the work suggested in the tenth verse. The
Apostle in 1 Corinthians 8:1 writes that "knowledge puffeth up, but love
buildeth up." Therefore,
knowledge and keenness of intellect, perception, used in the testing of
differences, in weighing differences of opinion, etc., apart from, or without
love, even abounding love, will not bring forth that which will be pleasing to
God, or edifying to the Body of Christ. How often it has been the case amongst
the Lord's people that those with the most brilliant minds experience the
greatest difficulty in working together harmoniously, due obviously to failure
to work along the lines suggested in the Apostle's prayer, to let love abound
in the acquisition and use of knowledge. The
Apostle also prays that they might be sincere in their efforts, and no doubt
this would be true if love were permitted to overflow or abound in the measure
which God would supply, and thus there would be purity of motive, no working at
cross purposes, no self-promotion in their cooperation one with the other. The
word "sincere" means, literally, without wax, or pure and
transparent, as honey. Applied to Christian character, it would mean that
which is not deceitful, ambiguous, or hypocritical, that which does not proceed
from selfish and interested motives, and where there is nothing disguised. He
also prays that they might be "inoffensive" in the day of Christ,
having been filled with the fruit of righteousness -- that which righteousness
in the heart produces, fruit that will be seen in the life, such as honesty,
truth, love, kindness, meekness, and goodness. He prays that they might show
abundantly by their lives that they truly were lovers of righteousness. With
qualities such as these holding sway in their lives, giving offense to any one
would be a remote possibility during their schooling in Christ. Realizing
the spiritual heights to which it was possible for them to attain, and aware of
their good beginning, the Apostle found it a deep source of joy to remember
them in the presence of the One who had begun the good work in them and would
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. The
great Apostle continued to declare his determination to preach Christ, whether
"by life or by death," and that he was "set for the defense of
the Gospel." Even though it should mean persecution and imprisonment to
him, he rejoiced in the privilege of magnifying his Lord. "For to me to
live is Christ, and to die is gain." That was the spirit that animated the
Apostle, and the spirit that he longed to see in his brethren. REJOICING IN THE GOSPEL"Now
I would have you know, brethren, that what I have gone through has turned out
to the furtherance of the Gospel rather than otherwise. And thus it has
become notorious among all the Imperial Guards, and the people generally, that
it is for the sake of Christ that I am a prisoner; and the greater part of the
brethren, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, now declare
God's Word without fear, more boldly than ever. "Some
indeed actually preach Christ out of envy and contentiousness, but there are
also others who do it from good will. These latter preach him from love to me,
knowing that I am here for the defense of the Gospel; while the others proclaim
him from motives of rivalry, and insincerely, supposing that by this they are
embittering my imprisonment. "What
does it matter, however? In any case Christ is preached - either perversely or
in honest truth; and in that I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice" (Phil.
1:12-18, Weymouth). Nothing
but purely unselfish motives could bring out such sentiments as are expressed
in the foregoing passage of Scripture, for obviously bonds and imprisonment or
any other thing could vitiate the power of the Gospel. Having been directly
commissioned by the Lord Jesus to proclaim the message, this was of the utmost
importance in the Apostle's life, and proclaim it he did, "in labors:
abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons frequently, in scourges to
excess, in deaths often, in stonings, in shipwrecks, in dangers from robbers,
in dangers from kindred, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the cities, in
dangers in the desert, in dangers in the sea, in dangers from false brethren,
in labor and toil, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness." And
besides all these outward troubles, the anxious care of all the churches (2 Cor. 11:23-28, Weymouth). What love, loyalty, and burning zeal we see
manifested here! How it contrasts with the manner and the circumstances under
which the message is preached today. If
sentiments such as the Apostle expresses to the Philippians prevailed at the
present time among the Lord's people, there would be no spirit of rivalry or
envy such as was found at Rome, but instead there would be a mutual rejoicing
in the fact that Christ is preached. If
received into each individual heart as "Good tidings of great joy,"
the preaching of the message, from whatever source or through whatever channel,
would elicit the same response as was the case with Paul, a prisoner at Rome:
"I therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." REJOICING IN FELLOWSHIP"If
then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive
power in love and any common sharing of the spirit, or if you have any
tenderheartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind,
united in mutual love, with harmony of feeling giving your minds to one and the
same object" (Phil. 2:1, 2, Weymouth). The rejoicing in this
instance would come to the Apostle with the knowledge that his Philippian
brethren were living up to their privileges and responsibilities in the
cultivation of the "unity of the spirit"; thinking the same thing;
having the same mind; having the same love one for the other. In
what respect would the Apostle have them think the same thing? Surely he is not
advising that there be no difference of opinion, no diversity of thought, or
that they must see eye to eye on every point of doctrine. Succeeding verses
indicate in what particular he would have them be of the same mind. He is
pointing out a lesson in humility as an effective stimulus to true fellowship.
He is not intimating that there is lack of humility in their midst, but he is
emphasizing it as one of the most important graces for the Christian to
cultivate if he would be like the one true Pattern, the Lord Jesus Christ. To
this end he continues, "Let the very spirit which was in Christ Jesus be
in you also. From the beginning he had the nature of God, yet he did not regard
equality with God as something at which he should grasp. Nay, he stripped
himself of his glory, and took on him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a
man like other men. And being recognized as truly human, he humbled himself and
even stooped to die; and that, too, a death on the cross" (Phil. 2:5-8,
Weymouth). None
but a true pastor could have such a desire for the Lord's ecclesia. Not by
knowing of their professions of love for the Lord, but by knowing that
they loved, consoled, and served one another in their fellowship in Christ,
would his joy be made full. This would give him more joy than anything else he
might know concerning them, for it would be pleasing to the One who had called
and sanctified them in preparation for the great exaltation to the Divine
nature. In
order to promote this most desirable condition in their midst, he admonishes
them to see to it that nothing be done through "party spirit" or
"vainglory, but in humility esteeming others as excelling
yourselves," not each one regarding his own interests, but each one also
those of others. In
this connection he cites Jesus as the supreme example of self-effacement and
humility. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" -
the mind or disposition which must be found in each individual who will
ultimately be of the little flock, joint-heirs with Christ, and concerning
whom it was long ago predestined that they should be copies of God's dear Son.
In pointing out Jesus as their great Exemplar, he takes their minds back beyond
the horizon of human experience, back to the time "before the world
was," when the plan of redemption was conceived, before even the
foundation of the world was laid, to the time when as the Logos, the One who
would be the Father's Agent in all the creative work, was alone with God. It
would be impossible for the finite mind to comprehend the glory of that
position! That it was indeed glorious is suggested by the words of the Son
just before Gethsemane, when faced with the immediate prospect of death on the
cross and contemplating the joyful reunion with the Father, he prayed,
"And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was." It was indeed a high
position, one beyond human powers to properly appreciate. From this exalted
position of power and authority he stepped down - divesting himself, intent on
carrying out the Father's will, entering wholeheartedly into the "Plan of
Salvation," and even though he was in the form of God, a "glorious spirit
being" of the highest order, next to the Father himself, yet he willingly
was made in the likeness of men! Tremendous step! Wonderful condescension! --
from the realm of spirit and life down to Satan's dominion of death! But even
more than this was necessary, yes, even more than being made in the likeness of
men, a still further humiliation was in the Father's will for him. Even after
taking upon himself the human nature with its limitations, the Apostle says,
"he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross," thus demonstrating his willingness to carry out the Divine Plan
to the very letter by dying as man's ransom price; and not only so, for when it
pleased the Father to require that the death should be a most ignominious one
in every respect, even going beyond the requirement of the ransom, he did not
draw back, but said, "Thy will not mine be done," and stooped to the
horrible death of the cross. Here, as the Apostle points out, we have the most
wonderful demonstration of humility, meekness and obedience to God that has
ever been manifested or could be conceived of, and this is the pattern that
the Apostle admonishes the Philippians and us to copy. "Let
this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," thus making my joy
complete in the knowledge that you are having genuine and satisfying fellowship. REJOICING IN SACRIFICE"But
even if I be poured a libation on the sacrifice and public service of your
faith, I am glad, and rejoice with you all; and for this be you also glad, and
rejoice with me" (Phil. 2:17, 18, Diaglott). The
mention of his labors on their behalf, in the previous verse, seems to have
suggested to him that further sufferings were to be expected. He had labored
for their spiritual welfare. He had exposed himself to peril, that they and
others might hear the Gospel. To this end he had suffered much. He had been
made a prisoner at Rome, and there was a possibility, if not a probability, that his life might be a forfeit for his labors on their
behalf. Yet, if this should occur, he would not regret it, but would in the
experience find that joy which the world cannot give, neither take away. The
word "libation" -- rendered "offered" in the Authorized
Version -- means to pour out as a drink offering and was an adjunct to many
of the sacrifices in Israel (Num. 15:5; 28:7, 14). Webster, in his definition
of the word, quotes from Dryden as follows: "The act of pouring a liquid
or liquor, usually wine, either on the ground or on the victim in sacrifice in
honor of some deity, also the wine or liquid thus poured out." In
Israel it was in the law of the offerings as a requisite in "sweet savor
offerings." Wine in so
many cases being a symbol of joy, it may have had such significance, indicating
that the offering, whatever it might be, was being offered with joy as well as
being devoted to God. In like manner Paul may have regarded himself as being
prepared for sacrifice, for he is thinking of the faith of his beloved
Philippians as an offering to God, and if it were necessary that he should die
in order to make that offering more acceptable, pouring out his life and
strength as wine is poured out to prepare a sacrifice for the altar, he would
rejoice in the opportunity. In short, he was willing to lay down his life, if
by so doing he could help them make their calling and election sure, and if
this should be his privilege, they should in turn rejoice with him. What
a standard this sets before our minds in regard to what we may be privileged to
do for the Lord! Can it be said of what we offer that it is "willingly and
with the heart?" Do we pour upon our acts of devotion, our sacrifices for
the "Body members," the libation of joy? In his letter to the Hebrews
the Apostle offers words of commendation for some who were apparently holding
to this standard in their sacrificing; that is, they were doing it with joy.
"But continually recall to mind the days now past, when on being first
enlightened, you went through a great conflict and many sufferings. This was
partly through allowing yourselves to be made a public spectacle amid
reproaches and persecutions, and partly through coming forward to share the
sufferings of those who were thus treated. For you not only showed sympathy
with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property
was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more
valuable possession and one which will remain." "Through him, then,
let us lay on the altar a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of
lips that give thanks to his Name. And do not forget to be kind and liberal;
for with sacrifices of that sort God is greatly pleased" (Heb. 10: 32-34;
13:15, 16, Weymouth). REJOICING IN THE LORD"In
conclusion, my brethren, be joyful in the Lord" (Phil. 3:1, Weymouth). In
the foregoing we have seen how completely the Apostle's thoughts are centered
in Christ, and with those, his footstep followers in Philippi. It was
manifestly a great source of joy to Paul to observe the power of the holy
spirit working in their midst, bringing forth a fruitage acceptable and pleasing
to God. His own life had been so enriched by them that in "bowing the
knee" before the Heavenly Father he always remembered them with joy. Their
generous support of him in his efforts to spread the Glad Tidings of Salvation
was proof to him of their mutual rejoicing in the glory of the message. Their
mutual love for Christ and their efforts to emulate his life of humility and
obedience was the basis of their fellowship, and this to the Apostle was cause
for rejoicing. Their
union with Christ was to Paul the most surpassing experience possible, beside
which all else of this world could be counted as refuse. To be found in him, to
know him, to know the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his
sufferings, would be realizing the supreme desire of his heart, for it would
also mean a part in the resurrection from among the dead, the first
resurrection. It was reason enough for the singleness of purpose which so
marked his life, so aptly expressed in "this one thing I do." With
thoughts such as these coursing through his sanctified mind, what more fitting
exclamation could be found than appears in his letter to the Philippians:
"REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAY: AND AGAIN I SAY, REJOICE."
The Question BoxIMMERSIONQuestion: Is
water immersion a required symbol in order to be of the Church? Answer: No!
Water immersion is a symbol of what has taken place in the heart of one who has
already become a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. What has already
taken place in the heart of such may be briefly indicated as follows:
The
same is true of the "Memorial." The loaf and the cup which we share
each spring are but symbols of the spiritual feast of which the truly consecrated
partake every day in the year. This annual celebration, which shows forth the
Lord's death, in the way he himself appointed, is not a requirement; rather it
is a privilege. -
P. L. Read Annual Report of Directors"The night is far spent,
the day is at hand." - Romans 13:12. Each
year, as we report the Institute's activities of the past twelve months, it is
with an increased realization of the evidences, both in the world and in the
Church, that the Kingdom for which we pray is near at hand. How apropos then,
our Master's exhortation to lift up our heads. In this realization, too, the
words of the Apostle seem to take on a deeper significance: "The night is
far spent, the day is at hand" (Rom. 13:12). In
deep gratitude for the privilege of serving as laborers with our Master, the
seven brethren whom you elected to office last year, having rendered their
account to the Lord, now submit to you this report of their stewardship. THE HERALDProminent
among the several branches of the Institute's ministry is that of our bimonthly
magazine, The Herald of 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 "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.
Encouraging
reports reach us that the Herald continues to be used of the Lord for
the spiritual comfort and strength of many. It has been especially encouraging
to receive testimonials from distant lands, and to mark the hunger for the
light of God's Word. Who but the Lord can measure the spiritual benefits
resulting from this expansion of The Herald's testimony? At
the close of the Fiscal Year the total number of Herald subscribers was
11,194 (slightly less than at the end of the previous year). This included
readers in 76 foreign countries. Again
we remind the brethren of their privilege of sending us the addresses of any
whom they have reason to believe would profit from a free six-month trial
subscription. Excellent results have come from this method in the past.
Doubtless there are many more who would appreciate the spiritual inspiration
of the Herald if they were introduced to it. We urge upon all who
themselves appreciate the ministry of our Journal to make use of this simple
means of service. THE PILGRIM MINISTRY"Feed
my sheep" -- thrice did the Master indicate this as the way in which the
Apostle 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. Just
what the future holds for us, in this branch of the Institute's ministry, we
are not presently able to say. For the last couple of years the number of
brethren serving full time in the Pilgrim service has been reduced to three,
namely, Brothers Essler, Muir, and John T. Read. It seems clear that, for
reasons of health, their own and/or their immediate relatives, it will become
mandatory for each of these three brethren to substantially reduce their labors
in this direction. Besides
these three full-time Pilgrims, a number of others have served on weekends.
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 such services have brought. HELPS TO BIBLE STUDYSome
years ago, in a report which appeared in these pages, we said: "The
writings of our late Pastor, Brother Russell, providentially preserved to us
in the six volumes of Scripture Studies and the Reprints, continue
to hold first place among the helps to which we ourselves turn for assistance
in understanding the Lord's Word, and we are conscious of the fact that they
cannot be neglected or ignored by us without appreciable loss to both our
clearness of vision and consequent walk in life. Believing thus, we strongly
recommend them to others." This
position we still hold. However, some of the friends evidently received a
mistaken idea from our words-an idea which they do not contain, and which did
not enter our minds. We were not recommending these works "as being the
whole truth." That was not our intention. Our words appeared under
the caption, "Helps to Bible Study." That is what their
author intended them to be; and valuable helps they have proved to be, and
still do. However, we did not, nor do we now, recommend them instead o f the
Bible, but as helps to its study. Almost as though he had foreseen the
danger of some stumbling along this line, the author, in the very First Volume
of his justly famous Scripture Studies, included a few paragraphs
directly in point. We quote: "The
truth is progressive, shining more and more unto the perfect day, to those who
search for it and walk in the light of it" (page 11). "We
believe it to be a common failing of the present and all times for men to
believe certain doctrines because others did so, in whom they had confidence.
This is manifestly a fruitful cause of error, for many good people have
believed and taught error in all good conscience" (page 12). "The
light will continue to increase beyond the present [1886] -- 'unto the perfect
day.' It is one continuous path, and the one continuous and increasing light is
the Divine Record, illuminating as it becomes due" (page 21). "There
are other dispensational truths constantly becoming due, of which, if walking
in the light of the lamp we shall know; so, if we have all the light which was
due several hundred years ago [or eighty years ago], and that only, we are
measurably in darkness' (page 24). "Perfection
of knowledge is not a thing of the past, but of the future-the very near
future, we trust; and until we recognize this fact we are unprepared to
appreciate and expect fresh unfoldings of our Father's plan" (page 25). These
are but samples of the wise counsel our faithful Pastor gave us. Moreover, when
we open Volume II of his Scripture Studies, we find this theme
reiterated. For example, on page 16, the seeker after truth is counseled
"to cast away" his "preconceived opinions as fast as he comes
to see their lack of harmony with God's Word." Such
counsel, to the best of our ability, we have sought to follow, and we have no
intention of forsaking it in the days ahead. We recognize, of course, that the
difficulty is not in stating the principle, but in practically applying it to
the constantly changing conditions arising in these closing days of the
Church's history. A
number of our recent 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 among 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 The Revelation and Daniel, the Beloved o f
Jehovah continue in steady demand; and readers write to us telling of the
blessings experienced as they study and meditate therein. (We are presently
out of stock of the Daniel volume and of Volume I of The Revelation. Volume
II of The Revelation is still available). WITNESSING TO THE PUBLICBecause
we believe it to be still true, the back page of each issue of the Herald contains,
among others, the following statement: "To
us the scriptures clearly teach ... that the present mission of the Church is . . . to be God's
witness to the world." In
addition to growing in grace, the Church is to be a light-bearer, bearing
witness to God, and to Christ, and to the Gospel. While it is true that
throughout the New Testament the Apostles stress, above all things, the supreme
importance of holiness, at all costs, in the common, everyday life, they
nevertheless take it for granted that this spirit will not be allowed to degenerate
into a mere amiability, which makes itself pleasant to everyone, and forgets
the solemn fact that the consecrated ones are servants of a Master whom the
world knows not, the messengers of a King against whom it is in revolt. The
truth and beauty of a life possessed by Christ is to be the basis of the
Christian's witnessing activities. But the witness is to be articulate, not
merely implied; he is to hold out the Word of Life; he is to seize
occasion to give a reason of the hope that is in him, although always
remembering to do so in meekness and fear. In conduct he is to be kind and
gracious, letting his light shine that men might see his good works. But
he is not only thus to shine; he is also to speak. In
agreement with these beliefs, and with a sense of urgency because of our
conviction that "the time is short," we continue to make available
followup literature for public meetings. Our twenty booklets continue to be
widely circulated. Others are in preparation, and will be issued as soon as pressure
of other matters permits. Perhaps
it would be appropriate for us to say here that, except for a few issues, we
can still supply, and will be pleased to do so, complete sets of back issues of
the Herald. Price: twenty copies for $1.00. 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). CORRESPONDENCEAs
in prior years, the various branches of the ministry mentioned foregoing, are
supplemented by 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. Moreover, such fellowship
through the mails is mutually profitable, and often serves as a guide to our
Editorial Committee in the preparation of articles for publication in the Herald
dealing with the questions, problems, and issues which are very evidently
uppermost in the minds of the brethren who write. MEMBERSHIPMembership
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, 11 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. Your brethren in the Master's service, Board
of Directors The Annual MeetingThe
fifty-third Annual Meeting of the members of the Pastoral Bible Institute,
Inc., was held on Saturday, September 18, at 10:00 a.m. in the Central Y.M.C.A., 1315 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City, New Jersey. After
the customary devotions, Brother J. C. Jordan was elected chairman of the
meeting, and Brother W. J. Siekman, secretary. Next
followed the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting, held
September 19, 1970. The
annual report of the Directors, for the fiscal year ended April 30,1971, was
then presented. This, including the Treasurer's Financial Statements, is
published on pages 92-95. 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. Sisters Ann-Truth Lange and
Alice Smith were appointed to act as tellers. While they were counting the
votes, the rest of the friends enjoyed a season of fellowship in praise and
testimony. At the conclusion of the count, the names of the following brethren
were announced as elected: F. A. Essler, A. Gonczewski, A. L. Muir, J. T. Read,
P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman, and J. B. Webster. A
devotional service concluded the meeting. Following
the Annual Meeting, the new Board met. Among other actions taken, they elected
officers as follows: J. B. Webster, Chairman; A. Gonczewski, Vice-Chairman; P.
L. Read, Secretary-Treasurer; W. J. Siekman, Assistant Secretary; A. L. Muir,
Assistant Treasurer; J. C. Jordan, L. Petran, P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman, P. E.
Thomson, Editorial Committee. FINANCIAL STATEMENTSFISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1971
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