DOS2 DOS3 THE DESOLATIONS OF THE SANCTUARY

A description of the Tests of Faith and struggle of God’s People for Truth, with special regard to the present time

—————-An earnest warning to all Bible students——————

By EMIL and OTTO SADLACK

Angerburg (East Prussia) Germany

—————Published by the Translators from the German—————

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Gal 5:1

First English Edition 1930.

DOS4 ARE YOU CONSECRATED TO THE LORD?

Then do not forget: That you owe your first love to Him.

That He alone is your teacher and master.

That His Word is to you above all else.

That you must hold fast and defend His Truth in love.

That your brother next to you, however great his capabilities may be, is your brother, and not your lord.

That a toleration of errors and abandonment of Truth is unfaithfulness to the Lord.

Therefore: Remain faithful to Him the only Lord and Head, and with all of God’s consecrated ones, fight with determination for the Truth and against error and enslavement of conscience..

DOS5 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE

* The conflict between light and darkness, between truth and error, from Paradise onward to the first advent of Christ.

* Continuation of the conflict, from the first advent of Christ to the present time (to Brother Russell’s appearance).

* The latest movement. Its richly blessed way. Its mission and its final fall.

PART TWO

* The omniscience of God.

* Satan in heaven.

* The outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all flesh.

* Elijah—Elisha.

* The entering into the joy of the Lord.

* The riding upon white horses— Re 19:11-21.

* "This gospel of the kingdom"—Mt 24:14.

* The vengeance upon Babylon.

* Character development.

* The treasure in an earthen vessel—2Co 4:7.

* The angel with the golden censer—Re 8:3.

* "1914"—"1918"—"1921"—"1925"—"Time is no more."

* The trial of the ancient worthies. Is it past or future?

* The parable of the sheep and the goats.

* The execution of the judgments written, according to Ps 149.

* "The Finished Mystery." Also: The "Millions" booklet and "Millions" message. The shortening of the tribulation. "Deliverance." "Bible students’ yearbook 1927."

* The parable of the wise and foolish virgins.

DOS6

* Further erroneous teachings of the Watch Tower Society: (The secret place of the Most High. The laying of the precious stone in Zion. The highway for mankind.

Christ’s second advent. The judgment of the church. Errors in the Bible? "Thy kingdom come." "The servant, " the "prison, " the "prisoners, " the "desolated heritages, " The angel flying in the midst of heaven. The golden girdles of the seven angels.).

* The work of the Lord.

* Organization.

PART THREE

* Retrospection. The appearance of the Protestants. Their protest. The consequences.

The repetition of the Christian church’s experiences in the end of the age. The "movements" of God’s "free" children.

* Closing thoughts. ("Our duty toward the truth.—What is costs; its value; its advantage.").

DOS7 FOREWORD TO THE GERMAN EDITION

"For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth." 2Co 13:8.

Never, even for a moment, should the watchers on Zion’s lookout entertain the thought, that preparedness and watchfulness concerning spiritual things may be permitted to relax. Even during these times, when the Spirit of God in a special way flows through the circle of the faithful, revealing the secrets of the Divine Plan of the Ages, absolute sobriety and watchfulness are necessary. Has it not repeatedly happened that God’s children have deprived themselves of many blessings, merely because they did not watch sufficiently and in times of danger they did not avail themselves of their blessed privileges? They slept and were silent, whereas they should have watched and spoken, yea, should have cried aloud "in the City of Jerusalem." To be sure, it is easier for the flesh to look on inactively, while hostile powers force their way into God’s sanctuary to pollute it. Simpler, and far more agreeable is it, to be quiet, and let others fight against the desolations, thereby avoiding all slander, unkindness, hatred, etc.

But will the Lord say "Well done" if we show so much fear of and respect to men, and so little reverence for Him? Did He not entrust us with many riches over which we should watch with fear and trembling? Would we show our thankfulness to the giver of every good and perfect gift by being careless or indifferent? Today we have profound reverence for the heroes of Faith, the courageous protestants of the past, for their faithfulness to the Lord and to His Truth, so far as it was revealed then, but we are prone to forget—too, what a wall of enemies they had to oppose in their day, and what a barrage of insults and persecutions they had to ear. We say, "Yes, it was a grand time, " but, perhaps e let the "grand time" often go by us, without taking advantage of it and proving our own faithfulness.

We firmly believe that we are again living in such a "grand time, " and we very clearly see that a renewed desolation of the sanctuary of God is taking place. Oh, that all may

DOS8 yet awake and see the things as they are; oh, that all may clearly and plainly discern their Lord, their own selves, their privileges and responsibilities. How deep is the slumber of many of God’s children, who drank the mixed wine of Babylon—imbibing the errors which the old. wicked enemy so well understands how to mix in the cup. By this we mean the newest seduction of God’s people from the Truth by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, whose work was once so richly blessed. May these pages be a loud cry to all of God’s people to awake, a warning cry not to fear and delay in opening heart and eyes, to see what is being taught and done by that Society! The following pages will show calmly, but clearly and convincingly, what a great falling away has taken place, and thus demonstrate to every one the necessity of waking up, discerning, deciding and acting without delay or doubtful deliberations, and of being constrained by the love of Christ, which breaks the fetters and removes all obstacles. At the same time these pages will be an attempt to help those dear ones who, though they have been delivered from bondage, fall into unreasonable theories, speculations and daring predictions. We do not deal with mere suppositions or unfounded assertions, but with facts which are accessible and manifest to all.

From the bottom of our hearts we wish that all of the dear ones may be sincere enough to see these facts, and not close their eyes to them.

Although it is true that the Lord alone can give true Faith, and straighten out the confused sheep, it must not be overlooked that in so doing He constantly makes use of His children. Ro 10:14, 15; Jas 5:19, 20, and other Scriptures show us what our privileges and duties are. A passive state toward the desolations of the sanctuary, which generally leads to inactivity, can not be well pleasing to the Lord.

Beloved of the Lord, let us not cease to carry out the important duties of this "grand time"; let us not forget that we are consecrated to Him, and that we seek His approval. If we do not cleanse ourselves from the doctrines of errors, Isa 52:11, we will be found guilty and will have to atone. Let us act according to the Truth, regardless of possible consequences. Let us reject everything, even the smallest

DOS9 item, that is not from God, and only assent to that which is of the Lord decisively acknowledging:

THY WORD IS TRUTH!

With fervent prayers we look to the Lord, to whom we are consecrated, for whom we desire to live and die, that He may bless our feeble efforts to serve Him and His precious Truth. The only motives we have for the publication of this work are the glorification of His great name, and the furtherance of the spiritual interests of His people. We wish especially to stress the fact that this work is not perfect, but only in part, 1Co 13:9-12, and that our conclusions should not be considered authoritative.

In conclusion we are thankful to and appreciative of all the dear brothers and sisters who in any way, be it through encouragement, contribution, advice or act have assisted in this work. May the Lord richly bless their labors and sacrifices.

THE PUBLISHERS.

Angerburg (East Prussia) Germany, New Year, 1928..

AUTHOR’S PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION

The German edition of this work, which has been distributed in several thousand copies and in various countries of the earth, has found an exceeding lively echo by God’s people. Many dear ones have confirmed us in pleasing communications, saying that the contents of the book have been very helpful to them and shown them still more clearly the wrong way of a shallow grown movement, and also thereby the glorious divine truths. A further number of dear friends have by the Lord’s grace been awakened from spiritual slumber and reminded of their chief duties toward the Lord through a study of the book. Indeed, we may say, that very many brothers and sisters, yes, entire classes have passed through into the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free (Gal 5:1), after the perusal of this work. It will doubtless interest the dear readers to learn that the dear brother mentioned on page 138 (conversation between

DOS10 A & B) has been cleared up spiritually through the reading of the book. The same thing is true with the maker of the organization sketch; this dear brother sees today also with clear eyes where such an organization leads to. so we rejoice that "our labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1Co 15:58). A pamphlet issued by the German office of the Watch Tower Society against the authors of this book, which pamphlet is strongly personal and offensive, was not able to hinder these very pleasing results. With numerous friends the very opposite was gained by the Watch Tower Society from what was intended. Individual attempts to controvert our presentations set forth only a confirmation of the errors of the Society, and show that the Society is not ready to humble itself before the Lord and forsake its wrong way.

And now we lay this work into the hands of the hands of the dear brothers and sisters of the English tongue, while at the same time heartily thanking the brethren who have incited and carried out the publication of the book in the English language. But above all we give hearty thanks to the Lord, who has visibly smoothed the way for this. May He himself accompany this book with His blessing.

The dear readers will find that the contents of the book in part illustrate more the conditions among the German friends. But since the conditions on this side of the ocean are only the result of the direction of one central office, it seemed appropriate to carry the considerations in question over into the English edition also. only a few small parts, which would not be interesting to the dear friends in America and the other English speaking countries, have been omitted.

In general it might be remarked yet that the Watch Tower Society has departed still more from the truth and the methods in accordance with the truth. It would lead too far to examine the latest erroneous teachings presented by the Society since the publication of this book, which teachings are continually represented as coming from the Lord. The request has indeed been made to us to issue a supplement of the book, because of the newly added errors of the Society; we do not believe however that this is necessary. The ones obedient to God have been warned (not by us.

DOS11 alone!) and are awake, the ones obedient to men would not forsake their men-service because of further presentations.

In giving favorable mention on a few pages of this book to the "Herald" movement, the thought to set them up as authoritative (as so many dear ones do with the Watch Tower Society), was far from us. We mentioned them especially because of their good Christian spirit. In this connection we would mention that there are also still other movements among God’s people which seek to procure the acknowledgement of the Lord and His word. As concerning questions of knowledge, we d well to build upon the infallible word of our God alone and to examine everything by this authority (Ac 17:11). There is no standstill in knowledge; but progress is necessary, of course not by sensationally lusting after the new, but by "meditating upon His law day and night."

It was also far from us to glorify Brother Russell. As much as we esteem him for his humble walk and Christine spirit, so much have we emphasized and do we emphasize, that we are to follow and worship the Lord alone. Let us love the brethren, but let us not love them more than the Lord, whose word should be Yea and Amen to us! When we mentioned the presentations of Brother Russell with esteem, alongside of the testimony of the Scriptures, it was done chiefly to show how far the Watch tower society, which claims to be his "successor, " has departed in the period of a decade from his mostly correct teachings and good methods.

Thus we send this edition also forth with the prayer to the Lord that He might let it serve as a means to open the eyes of those who have given themselves into spiritual dependence to men, and to be a strengthening to those who thus far already have stood up in decisive loyalty for the Lord and His Truth. May God grant this! We greet all yokefellows in brotherly love with 1Joh 4:7.

EMIL and OTTO SADLACK.

Angerburg (East Prussia) Germany, October, 1929..

DOS12 ABBREVIATIONS

Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, as used in this book—"Studies in the Scriptures, " by Charles Taze Russell (Pastor Russell).

Vol.7 ............." The Finished Mystery" W.T. ............ The Watch Tower Del. ............ The Book "Deliverance" Millions Booklet ..." Millions Now Living Will Never Die" W.T.R. ........... Watch Tower Reprints Example: W.T. 1927: 164, par. 16= 1927 Watch Tower, page 124, paragraph 16..

DOS13 PART ONE

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS, BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR, FROM PARADISE UNTIL THE TIME OF THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST

Enmity was ever upon the earth since Satan, the adversary of God, brought forth sin and taught men to do so. It was convenient for him also that conflicts arose amongst his people, mankind, who loved his sin, and it is evident that his greatest joy is the spirit of hostility.

But this enmity, this conflict, waged on the one hand with growing bitterness and on the other with increasing passion during the thousands of years of human history, was the conflict between light and darkness, between good and evil, between those submissive to God, and those obedient to the prince of darkness. Who does not here recall those ancient words of omniscient foresight spoken by Jehovah at the beginning of human history, so that both parties could hear: "and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."

If the prince of sin expected that man would serve him with praise and pleasure, he was doomed to disappointment, for man served him with reluctance; having fallen a victim to sin, he was forced to follow in it, without being grateful to Satan. On the contrary, though generations passed without the fulfillment of the divine promise, the hope, born out of that promise for the crushing of the serpent, did not fade. Even today, after 6000 years, that hope has not perished, but is the common property of every race. Humanity hopes instinctively, and this is not in vain, for its fulfillment.

However the evil one may have appraised Almighty God’s determination to make the hope a reality, the specific promise concerning the "Seed of the Woman" disturbed him considerably.

"The Seed"—his enemy! The woman who had listened to him and sided with him, was to bear the "Seed!" How strange! A "Seed" came—and Eve burst out in exaltation as she remembered God’s promise. "I have the Seed, " she

DOS14 may have cried. And now Satan employed all his cruel wisdom, all his cunning, to bring that seed under his feet. We know that he again succeeded masterfully. Two "seeds" lived at that time, Cain and Abel. While the one inclined toward God, endeavoring to learn His will, the other was merely a plaything for the passions of the arch-enemy. The one on Satan’s side slew the one on God’s side, the evil killed the good. Such was the first conflict between the two "seeds" that were brought forth from man and yet constituted differently.

Satan may have imagined that God was outwitted, and may well have celebrated his victory that day. The donors and nourishers of the "Seed" suffered great sorrow. Their hope was grievously impaired by this occurrence, yet hope did not die. It cannot die, for God has put it into the heart.of man.

After Abel’s murder Satan saw another "Seed" appear—Seth. His peace and self assurance was disturbed once more. How he hated "the Seed!" How he would like to exterminate it, root and all! He planned further and worked with cruel cunning and trickery. He wanted to exterminate the "Seed" and finally have peace. And he had success continually, for men came to his side en masse. On the other hand there were very few searchers after God who sought Him earnestly.

We know little definitely of that early period of human history, but we do know that a bitter conflict raged between the two seeds. It went so far that "all flesh was corrupted upon the earth, " that only a few still lived who were of pure Adamic stock, so that God said that He was prepared to intervene, that the "end" (extinction) of all (human) flesh was come before Him.

How so? The Scriptures give us enough knowledge of it, even though briefly stated therein.

Satan again had his destroying hand in it, and apparently reaped complete success. That word about the "Seed of the woman" gave him neither peace nor rest; it pursued him whether he came or went. He must make void the promise of God relating to the "Seed, " no matter how. He made alliances with the angels to whom the "first world" was entrusted, picturing the most wonderful results and placing before them, as he had done to man,

DOS15 such delusively convincing propositions, that a part of the angels esteemed it an honor to pleasantly surprise God by carrying out such lofty plans.

As daughters were born unto men, it seemed to Satan an exceptional opportunity to carry out his wicked scheme. Cunningly he suggested to a part of Jehovah’s angelic host to help man (and so bring to a grand finale the commission of God) by establishing a new race of men, apart from the lineage of Adam, a new race, not subjected to the workings of sin and death received through Father Adam. The "daughters" of men would serve the "sons" of God to this end. When they refused, force was used. this story is described in Ge 6, and is briefly mentioned in several other Scriptures. This is the incident which supplied gods and demi-gods for many ancient myths. From this inter-marriage, desired and obtained by Satan, came the giants of mythology.

"There were giants in those days, " says the Scripture significantly and emphatically. Here was a new race, and a sevenfold woe now attacked Adam’s posterity. Satan’s intended results materialized; the earth was filled with violence "through them, " i.e., the giants, the Scripture says (Ge 6:13).

What a terrible drama took place on earth at that time! The scenes can hardly be described by the liveliest imagination. What a conflict, with Satan the victor! His final victory seemed at hand. "All flesh" had corrupted its "way" (or creation); in a few centuries the Adamic stock was almost wiped out. We do not know how long this went on, but probably more than ten centuries, possibly "one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (years) or even more. Ge 4:26 seems to suggest this. "Then" men began to call upon the name of Jehovah for relief from oppression.

Jehovah means the Unchangeable One, the God who keeps His word, who is faithful, and it seems that men, remembering God’s promises, given at the beginning of Satan’s destroying work, cried to Jehovah for help..The result of the conflict was as prophesied by God. God always seems to succumb, and Satan’s banner victorious; but when danger is greatest (not before, for such are God’s superhuman purposes), then God shows His hand

DOS16 and shows to all His astonished creatures, that He, Jehovah, is the All-faithful one, who keeps His word unto thousands of generations. The His Seed (the little flock of faithful ones) takes new hope and courage and clings with renewed strength to His merciful promises. The flood came, and with one stroke destroyed them all; "the world of the ungodly" was suddenly wiped away. (Lk 17:27; 2Pe 2:5.) Satan had his day of mourning after many feasts had been celebrated.

Did he stop? Did he give up his burning hatred, his deep-set plans against that mysterious "Seed of the woman"? No! Spitefully he schemed further, new ways and means must be looked for and found, for he must reach his goal. He again tried to have willing subjects, by driving a wedge between the few of pure Adamic stock, who had been saved. Lo and behold, the cast prospered. Only one sang the song of the unchangeable Jehovah God, the majority served "other" gods. Shem was chosen to further the promise given in Eden concerning the seed of the woman and all those which had been added as branches of that original promise, perhaps also those which God gave to devout Enoch, who had probably lived in the days of terror and who was saved in special way by the Lord, on account of his devotion, from the violence of the giants of those days. After Shem, Abraham appeared, and, as the "Seed of the woman" frightened the adversary of God. One seeker after God who serves Him, can fill thousands of God’s enemies with fear and terror, for God the Almighty, the great God of miracles, is with him. God always makes use of the humble, the devout and the obedient. He did not use the natural first-born, but the moral, spiritual first-born.According to the flesh they were not the first-born, but second or third-born, as for instance, Seth, Shem, Abraham, Jacob, David, etc. This was the divine choosing according to His plan of eternal unending wisdom.

We have only to read a little to find out how often Satan tried to root out those whom he knew to be on God’s side, one of whom he suspected, yes, anxiously might expect, would be the cause of his end. Why was Sarah taken into the house of Pharaoh? Was it not in connection with

DOS17 the destruction of the "Seed of the woman"? Why did Esau the first-born pursue Jacob, who had lawfully bought* the birthright, which the idolatrous Esau had considered worthless? He had to flee far from Esau, and endure "frost and heat" in a strange land. Why did Joseph, through whom the "stone" came (Ge 49:24) have to go out form his people into the world as a slave, and then into the prison where the inmates were most severely punished by the king? The answer to this "Why" is in connection with the "Seed of the woman" which the evil one at all times hated.

————— *Here we refer to the interesting and evidently correct explanation in the short article "Jacob and Esau in a new light." (W. T. 1910:377). —————

So it was in every generation, in fact in all the 60 centuries past. Enmity and conflict were the signs that the promise of God had not yet been fulfilled. How much could we learn by thoroughly and zealously studying the way of those devout ones who thus walked during the thousands of years. Indeed, how much would we learn for ourselves; we stress "for ourselves !" Even though one often looks to God’s heroes of the past in greatest recognition of their devotion to Him, when living co-laborers, for their faithfulness to God, praise enthusiastically each member of the "Seed of the woman"—how often do the living heroes forget, that they, even they themselves, must do their duty just as well as the former? How often does it happen, that such who could be used of God, in the course of time bid "Him Farewell" (Job 1:5, 11), often without knowing it. When the conflict became less bitter (for Satan is a cunning War- Lord), then the fateful end was near: those who had been called by God relaxed in fighting courage. "God’s people" (Israel) were in Egypt a little over two centuries, and it was high time for God to lead them "up" into His land. Satan had caused Israel to be pitilessly enslaved, because he felt, and rightly so, that the mysterious "Seed" must be or come out of Israel. He stirred "The Iron Furnace" (De 4:20) and worked God’s design without wanting to do so. Should not Israel be saved from dissolution amongst the Egyptians, and be led out? For this reason a fiery furnace had to be made, so that Israel would flee. Would they have gone out otherwise? Perhaps not! In this way Satan always works out God’s designs even now.

DOS18 CONTINUATION OF THE CONFLICT FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRST ADVENT OF CHRIST TO THE PRESENT. (TO THE APPEARANCE OF BROTHER RUSSELL.)

We pass over the intervening millenniums, and come to the time of Christ, although much of profit may be said of that period. To speak like St. Paul in Hebrews 11:32, what could we say of David, the youngest of the eight, the "little one" of God’s choice (in contrast to the "great" Saul) whom the "great one, " driven by the evil spirit, persecuted; what could we say of God’s prophets also, who were persecuted unto death by those prophets and teachers who in their own opinion "lawfully" sat in Moses’ seat; always the same picture: a conflict between good and evil, between those who seek after God and those who do Satan’s service. How many of those who were once called by God and chosen for a special service, joined the ranks of the persecutors, after they came to the point of considering their position as a "right ." What a great desolation was wrought by them amongst the real "first-born, " the first-born of God! God always had to reject those who fought for their "right ," and accepted others, who were better than they (1Sa 15:28), who really sought after Him, without resorting to agents or associations which have fallen into mischief. Such noble ones, made perfect through much varied experiences of affliction and suffering, will be co-workers with God when His time has come for the crushing out of evil that will stir the whole world.

Jesus, the first-born of all creatures, came. Satan may not have calculated on that. We do not know if he knew when Jesus the Savior of the world was born, that the long promised "Seed of the woman" had come. At least no one can be certain. We will have to leave it undecided as to whether or not he knew of the extraordinary birth of Jesus (that Jesus had no earthly father, but was in truth the "Seed of the woman"), but we do know, that he immediately appeared upon the scene to destroy the child Jesus. Herod, the "great" the "heroic" was goaded on, and the plan seemed

DOS19 to be a complete success. The unrest of the arch-fiend certainly increased at that time, for something peculiar seemed to be going on. If the demons knew the Holy One of God (Mk 1:24), then the chief of the demon host surely knew Him also. The one, by whom everything was made, even Lucifer himself, came as a child upon the earth, something that never happened before. "What can that mean?" may have been Satan’s anxious question. No wonder that he gave free vent to his cunning and cruel thoughts. But "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, " wiser also than the greatest adversary (1Co 1:25). Therefore the child Jesus was removed at the right time, and, how peculiar, that "Egypt, " the world, hostile toward God, granted Him protection.

How crafty did Satan appear again and again in the long millenniums. From the time that he in self-exaltation steeped out of his divinely appointed element, he heeded no instruction. On the contrary, he practiced evil more and more, hateful and furious against those who served God. At all times it was as Luther said: "For still ancient foe; doth seek to work us woe; His craft and pow’r are great; and, armed with cruel hate; On earth is not his equal."

These things from time to time are more or less forgotten even by those who served God, and therefore again and again came to pass a new "falling into sin, " by those covenanted to God, and then others were raised up to keep alive the conflict for Truth, Light and Right.

Thirty years passed, and the time was come for the man Jesus to (1) give His unblemished human life (to God) as a ransom price for man, and (2) at the same time to be begotten to a new spiritual life, the highest, even the divine. This occurred at the due time. And as it occurred, Satan again tried his hand to destroy the "Seed" he feared. With surpassing craft he worked to attain his end. He possibly made some seeming concessions. Perhaps he proposed to do the work of God together with the "Seed, " asking only an acknowledgment for himself. But Jesus, who had His God and Lord set before Him always (Ps 16:8), knew

DOS20 that the slightest deviation from the Will of Him who had sent Him would mean eternal loss.

Looking up to His father, He conquered. And so He has become the brightest shining example, the beginner and the finisher of the faith to all who want to serve God in this world of darkness and sin. "Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside—" should be the continued and unchangeable wish of those who are faithful to God. Let us note that Jesus was here left to Himself, as later also for a while on the cross, in a special sense the Father had forsaken Him. But after passing every such especially difficult trial He was divinely strengthened. After the temptation in the wilderness angels came and ministered unto him. We also, if we are firm in our faith, and do not deviate willingly even an inch from the divine path, if we come through the severest trials as conquerors, receive special strength through the loving providence of the almighty God. This is our consolation; taught by such experiences we are exercised, at all times and in all ways to trust the Lord and leave to Him the outcome of every trial.

Absolute trust in the Lord is always rewarded, even though we cannot see a step ahead. And we must often suffer an apparent defeat, in order to be victorious. Satan rejoiced, as Jesus hung upon the cross, satanically tormented, helpless, rejected by nearly all, bending His head, dying; for Satan surely believed that after thousands of years he had finally succeeded in his attempt to destroy the "Seed of the woman." Truly, it seemed as if he had conquered; as if Jesus’ trust in the Father had been of no avail. But we know that in this way only the greatest victory of all the ages could be won, and so won. In apparent defeat was the victory! The arch-fiend’s joy of seeming victory received a most damaging blow a few hours later, when, to the glory of the Father, Jesus was resurrected! Jesus not only came, 1900 years ago, to lay down His life as a ransom-price, and so to provide a basis necessary for eternal life of humanity; He came also, to prepare the way for a "New Creation" of Jehovah’s. At the moment of His presentation as a sacrifice (giving up the human life for all time in sacrificial death), He was begotten of the

DOS21 highest plane of being, and the same incomparable opportunity was given to His disciples, His true followers for some of the human family, under condemnation of sin and death; a privilege that can hardly be grasped! Without further explanation it can be understood why God put such stringent requirements upon those who are called to such glory, and why He demands from them absolute faithfulness and unqualified acquiescence to Him and to His cause. Is not the necessity for this clear? If those who are so called are to be joint-heirs of Jesus Christ, if they are to be clothed with the glory of the Father, together with Jesus the Head, if they are to occupy royal thrones; and if they are to receive immortality as the very essence of their being, then they must first be most severely tried to prove that they will never fall into sin, as Satan did. Glory, Honor and Immortality (Ro 2:7) upon the highest heavenly plane will be given to no one who has not first shown an implicit submission in respect to God’s will—thus proving himself fit for such a place.

Jesus imparted those terms to His followers clearly and distinctly. He advised well-considered and not hastily conceived decisions and resolutions (Lk 14:26-33). Whoever does not forsake all and follow only Him as a leader will not reach the heavenly goal.

No one can ever expect that the requirements will be lowered on his account. And the faithful ones can testify from experience that in looking unto Jesus their strength takes root; that it leads us to victory in the pathway; "following Jesus, e’en through shame, " carries us forward to the.goal. Every victory may be traced back to this looking unto Jesus. Every defeat can be attributed to a neglect of this chief duty. But this "looking" includes much more than is usually realized. As we found Jesus, and entered into communion with Him, as we believed in the forgiveness of our sins and our hearts were glad and free, we were so fervent at this turning point of our life, that we felt and resolved, like Peter, that: "Though I should die with thee, yet will I deny thee." Did it always remain so? If it remained so and still is, happy are we. But it is not always

DOS22 so. The love to Him, the "Betrothal love, " the first, the holy, the strong love permeating and penetrating our whole being, becomes oh, so often, less and less—it is withdrawn from the Lord—and placed upon others, perhaps a group of God’s people, some congregation or ecclesia, which often tries by all means to hold that first love for themselves. And if the danger is not recognized in time, this may lead to a condition of coolness and loss of the "first love." If this love, which rightfully belongs to the head of the body of Christ, is given to a man, and association, or organization, then the "shining light " of such an association will eclipse that of our glorious Lord and Redeemer. Unfortunately it is . It frequently happens, that the Lord, in place of the people who forsook the close-hearted relationship with Him and love ecclesiastical contacts (associations, classes, etc.), more than they do Him, draws others to Himself, and always the little ones, the humble, those who consider being near His feet the most desirable place. Some are left to themselves, because they do not put Him above all else, while others, because they love Him more than everything else have His blessings in a special manner, but are left atone by the world. But always from those who are less appreciative of the Lord’s blessings there must "come out" the true disciples, those who give Him their first love. This is the command of Him who called them.

The apostles and others in the beginning of the Gospel age were in full heart-harmony with the bridegroom. They loved Him and died for Him. We well know they all had their weaknesses, as well as we, but their devotion to God is well known to us all. With the exception of one, the son of perdition, all the apostles were absolutely faithful. They put the Lord before themselves at all times. Also after his going away they reminded themselves of His admonitions to be faithful, and they obeyed them under all conditions, even when human wisdom dictated a seemingly better way. They followed in His footsteps.

Yes, our Lord and master firmly established His church. The foundation was laid in wisdom.

Nothing that was necessary was lacking. Thus endowed with the greatest conceivable good, the church of the living God began to walk the

DOS23 narrow and troublous path. Satan’s joy and confidence in seeming victory was not at all increased by what he saw. God again seemed to have a special purpose. Satan’s restlessness increased; his fears concerning the realization of the ancient, though unfulfilled promises about the work of the "Seed of the woman, " increased. Had he not learned that the Logos, who had become man and resisted all his crafty attacks, ad as a victorious hero ascended into the heavenly realms, experiencing an elevation above his previous exalted position? Then he saw this highly exalted one send a special heavenly gift to the waiting disciples: the spirit of the Father, which became in them a begettal to the same high nature, the divine nature. Now it was necessary to work with greater cunning and artfulness. If he could not cause Jesus, the head of God’s church to fall, he would have to make the greatest effort to accomplish that with His followers, His "body." Into them, as with the angels before the flood, he injected the thought that the same purpose (of the Lord) could be carried out more successfully in another and better way. They must lose sight of their master and guide.

Did he accomplish his ends? Rather too quickly: His ambition, his urge for self-exaltation found the desired planting ground in the hearts and minds of many of God’s people. An undercurrent impelled by Satan was already noticeable in the early Church; a spirit began to develop that was intended to destroy the foundation and superstructure of the temple of the Church. We only have to read the account in the Acts, and specially the letters of the Apostles, to establish through them that a "falling away" had taken place in the earliest period of the Church. The "first love" was perceptibly cooled off, and was withdrawn little by little from Him to whom it was vowed.

Self-wisdom was highly esteemed, and it was the most able and outwardly prominent ones who in marked degree aided the "falling away"—partly unknowingly. The glitter of their personal wisdom dimmed their eyes to the brightness of the Lord, their only master (2Pe 1:2; Jude 4).

Their own methods, conceived by their own wisdom, took first place and demanded peremptory "acknowledgement and rights, " and that with unyielding passion. The suffering for Jesus’ sake, the waiting for Him, and the promised exaltation gradually became less desirable,

DOS24 and the second coming of Christ, which was once soon expected, because it tarried, was lost sight altogether. From time to time men, leaders in the Church, arose with definite messages and prophesies, and as these were not confirmed in time, and were proven to be earthly wisdom, they were not humble and honest enough to admit that their messages were a product of their own wisdom. Such dishonestly was and has at all times been the great obstacle that hinders the children of God from making headway in the path "after Jesus." Just consider how certain leaders in Thessalonica, in spite of the opposing evidence, held fast to the bold assertion that the day of the Lord was here already; yes, even more, they ascribed that assertion to others, even the Apostles. St. Paul explicitly states, that no such thing proceeded from him (2Th 2:1, 2). It seems that even spurious letters played a role, for Paul said that the brethren in Thessalonica should not so soon be shaken "in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us. .." In almost every letter of the Apostle it is shown that the corruption, sown by the hand of Satan in the field of the Church, for the most part found good ground. It tends to the greatest strengthening of faith, it makes more secure our best resolutions made to God, it lets light fall upon our way, when, as seen through the telescope of God’s Word, we compare that time with our day. The similarity is most striking. Exactly the same stamp, exactly the same development! At that time there was a love for the Truth then shining, satisfying the heart and mind, the Truth "in person" (Jesus Christ, see Joh 14:6) and in Word; then afterwards an abandonment of this Truth, and the adoption of unsupported, self-wise, result-promising theories; and finally the great."falling away." In the last days of this same age of salvation there was the same development: First there was ardent admiration for the valuable and imperishable Truths of God which were found again, for the light of His Plan of the Ages, the joy in Him, and His revealed and for the most part recognized Truths; then, as at that time, after the special guardian of the great gifts of grace left this stage of life, the discovery of private wisdom, "New Light" that eclipses everything else, new plans, new methods, a giving

DOS25 up of the wonderful symmetrical Truths, and an acceptance of entirely new theories that are sensational, grasping, effective, and which attract general attention; and thus gradually the devouring cancer was born anew: the falling away! Once, joy in Him and His work and His Gifts, now, joy in "her" (any association or organization, and "her" work, "her" offerings. We know that it is hard for many to understand the things as they really are; but time will write the history, and a little distance will give a better perspective to the connections, the causes and the effects. Then many will admit that we called attention to a development of things, which, becoming more powerful, is not for the good of—but to the greatest harm of the sanctuary. Even today it is not hard for some to see the striking similarity of the two ends (beginning and ending) of the gospel-age. In the following pages we will examine facts and proofs to show to all the honest and sincere of heart, what duties are theirs, what requirements they will have to comply with if they would have the approval of their God.

The falling away in the early church was quite gradual, and yet so that all the faithful watchers could discern its signs. We think it very appropriate to quote here the truly momentous words of our dear Bro. Russell, which are of greatest significance in this connection. He says in Volume One, pp. 285-287: "With the early church the promises of kingdom honor and joint-heirship with the Master were strong incentives to faithfulness under present trials and persecutions, which they had been forewarned to expect; and in all the words of comfort and encouragement in the Apocalypse, given to the Seven Churches, none shine out more clearly and forcibly than those which declare, " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne"; and, "To him that overcometh will I give power over the nations."

These are promises which could not reasonably be misconstrued to apply to a present work of grace in the heart, nor yet to a reign over the nations in the present life; since they who would overcome must do so by death in the service, and thus gain the kingdom honors (Re 20:6).

But human nature seeks to avoid suffering and is ever ready to grasp honor and power; hence we find that even in.

DOS26 the Apostles’ day some in the Church were disposed to appropriate the promises of future honor and power to the present life, and were beginning to act as though they thought the time had already come for the world to honor and even obey the Church. The Apostle Paul writes, correcting this error, knowing that such ideas would have an injurious effect upon the Church by cultivating pride and leading away from sacrifice. He says to them, ironically, "Now ye are full, now ye are rich; ye have reigned as kings without us." And then he adds, earnestly, "I would to God ye did reign, that we (persecuted Apostles) also might reign with you" (1Co 4:8).

They are enjoying their Christianity by trying to get out of it and with it as much honor as possible; and the Apostle well knew that if they were faithful as followers of the Lord they would be in no such condition. Hence he reminds them that if indeed the long-looked-for reign had begun, he also would be reigning no less than they, and of the fact that he by faithfulness was a sufferer for the Truth’s sake, which was a proof that their reign was premature, and a snare rather than a glory. Then, with a touch of irony, he adds, "We (Apostles and faithful servants) are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised." I do not write these things merely to shame you: I have a better and nobler object—to warn you; for the path of present honor leads not to glory and honor to be revealed; but present suffering and self-denial are the narrow path to glory, honor, immortality and joint-heirship in the Kingdom. Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Suffer and be reviled and persecuted now, that you may share with me the crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all those that love his appearing (1Co 4: 10-17; 2Ti 4:8).

But, after a great deal of persecution had been faithfully endured by the early Church, theories began to spread to the effect that the mission of the Church was to conquer the world, establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and reign over the nations before the Lord’s second advent.

This laid the foundation for worldly intrigue, pomp and pride, ostentatious show and ceremony in the Church, which was designed to impress, captivate and overawe the world, and which led step by step to the great claims of Papacy that as God’s kingdom on earth it had a right to command the respect and obedience to its laws and officers of every kindred, nation and people.

Under these false claims (and they seemingly deceived themselves as well as others) Papacy for a time crowned and uncrowned the kings of Europe, and still claims the authority which it is unable to enforce."

Thus far Bro. Russell. Now we ask: Is not history repeating

DOS27 itself today? Has not the wisdom of men (1Co 2:4, 5) again supplanted the wisdom of God (1Co 2:7)? Have not certain things been proclaimed with the greatest intolerance, as ready to take place at such and such time, which did not occur, because God’s thoughts were not the thoughts of these very fallible men? Did these men, who acted with such presumption, then repent? No! Were they of contrite heart, and again ready to be kind and loving to those who had long warned against such proclamations and dangerous desire for power? No! Did the complete failure of the message which they so spectacularly advertised among men, make them.small? Did they take pains to keep themselves under a more appropriate restraint in the future?

No! Or did they continue with their proud activity and proclamation? Yes! Did they insist that they were right, despite all the failures in their "work"? Did they continue to smite, injure and treat with hatred those who were earnest and established, the sober and warning ones among God’s people? Yes, alas! Ah, that this had to come! Knowing the terrible results of the great apostasy which culminated in the pompous system of Papacy which enslaved all, we should not hesitate, for our own sakes, to diligently trace the causes for this fiercely vicious movement. And today, as we call attention to such causes planted anew in these last days, and bring everything in line with the infallible Word of God, then everyone in his own interest should open his eyes wide to see these evil things and do his part in keeping the disastrous outworkings of these causes that are bound to come from reaching the degree which Satan desires. Just as we are sometimes to blame for our physical ailments, even so we are to blame for our poor spiritual condition, we are also to blame for the poor condition of our spiritual communion; and even for the spiritual condition of God’s people in general. Would that each child of God might recognize this! And speak and act rather than endeavor to avoid reproach and suffering by keeping silent. Would that there might be uncovered no crookedness and dishonesty toward God, the Omniscient One, who searcheth the heart and reins! How often did the apostles have to oppose erroneous

DOS28 teachings of the "brethren" who had been taken in the snares of the apostasy. We have already referred to the apostles’s plain warning to God’s children in Thessalonica, who were in danger of "acknowledging" brethren who taught error, and of letting the genuine message of God slip. The teachers of error declared: "The day is already here!" The apostle had to flatly contradict this and say: "The day is not here yet!" He had to exhort them urgently to cultivate their love for the truth, and to stand fast in the teaching which they had received, both orally and in writing (2Th 2:10, 13-15). The evil referred to in the epistle to the Thessalonians, which later worked so destructively, was also present in the church at Corinth; indeed, it had penetrated into the churches everywhere. Satan was interested in it. He had planted and watered it, and it had prospered greatly according to his evil expectations. Some of these Corinthians were over-wise like the Thessalonians, in believing that the time had already come. A patient waiting for exaltation and enthronement was thought unnecessary; and, contrary to the will of the humble class of watchers they began to judge and to reign! Paul had to warn those Corinthians to "Judge nothing before the time" (1Co 4:5). Were they able to bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and to make manifest the counsel of then heart? No! Does not this show that some were already controlled by evil schemes? Yes, their thought was to judge, but they manifestly did not use the necessary zeal to properly judge amongst themselves and in their own affairs.

That was just it! Others were prematurely judged, but where judgment was most necessary, i.e., of themselves, nothing was done. Paul rebukes them saying: "Is it so, that there is not amongst you? No, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers" (1Co 6:5, 6). They were unable to judge among themselves, and therefore went to the unbelieving judge. All this shows very plainly that.their inclination to judge was a sprouted sowing of the evil one. The fearful consequences of this evil sowing were fully manifested after several centuries, especially during the "brightest" period of the "dark" ages. But the evil causes lay in the early days of the deflection

DOS29 from the express admonition of the Lord and His inspired apostles.

And today, inn the end of the age, do we not know that this old doctrine is publicly proclaimed?—the doctrine that we are to judge already in this life? Do we know that is is expressly stated that the judgment of the sheep and goats takes place now, and the fulfillment of this parable of Mt 25:31-46 could not take place during the Millennial Age! Yes, we know. And is it not known, that one cannot or will not use the necessary energy to judge one’s self? Is it not known that an appeal has been made to the masses, to help secure for the accursed a favorable judgment? Did the apostles so appeal to the masses? Was not their trust wholly in the God whom they served? And did they not, when the Lord permitted an oppression to come, turn to the believers, whom they exhorted to pray for them?

When the Corinthians (and some in other churches which had departed from the everlasting truth) judged, they of necessity had to reign also. and so it was! suffering and bearing reproach were less pleasant and desirable and it was so nice to be above others and keep them in their proper place. what does Paul say to the wise Corinthians? "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us; and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you" (1Co 4:8). Do not almost the same expressions occur in the message to the Church of the Laodiceans, which portrays the conditions among God’s people in the end of the age (Re 3:17)? The Laodiceans ruled—but "to their own hurt, " as Solomon says (Ec 8:9), because in their condition they were still strongly natural, imperfect men, and in the eyes of the Omniscient One not competent to carry out a divinely intended reign.

Alongside of Paul’s warning "Judge nothing before the time" can be set, "Don’t reign before the time." Alas, so many no longer were pleased with the truly beautiful "activity" of sitting at the Savior’s feet and hearkening to His word in order to learn of Him, and then to bring the glad message to other hungering and thirsting ones. Such service brought but little gain pleasing to worldly ones, and when it did bring something, it was reproach and suffering. Another "activity" had to be

DOS30 sought, and it was found: to rule. Satan made it desirable, like the fruit of the lust of the soul in Paradise (Ge 3:6; Re 18:14). The fruit was chosen, and disaster came. The Kingdom of god had come—so it was declared among those wise in their own conceits, who, after being warned, were too insincere to perceive and acknowledge their course as destructive and a failure. Should they as "authorities" yield to the humble little ones who had warned them, and acknowledge their warnings as justified? That they would not do; "authorities" are unwilling to yield to nobodies. And so the accepted thought of reigning had to be continually enlarged upon and built up. these "rulers" (Nicolaitanes, Re 2:6, 15) were reigning in God’s Kingdom, as they said, and demanded acknowledgement and submission. And so cleverly had the arch-enemy introduced the matter, that a very large part of God’s people of that time failed to perceive the disastrous effect of it. Most of them loved to have it so, and the Lord’s truly faithful ones, who set His word above all things else, were placed in a difficult position.

Side by side with the "upward climb" of the apostates to glory and rulership, the Lord’s faithful ones "descended downward" into suffering and tribulation for His sake. Both of these movements in opposite directions developed side by side, till the one brought the other to the rack and the stake! Oh people of God, guard your holiest treasures! Take knowledge of the danger in which you find yourselves anew! Take your stand promptly against every thought and endeavor to centralize ecclesiastical power, right of rulership, and the sole right to teach in the Church of God! behold the original development, see its bitter fruits and learn therefrom for yourselves! Do not hesitate; thy Lord demands that you take a determined stand for Him and His truth.

Yes, the Corinthians reigned! Their kingdom of course was the Kingdom of God, because all who came thus, desolating the sanctuary of God, came not in their own, but "in His (!) name." in order to make the deception the more complete. But the Lord had foretold this to His own, with the important addition: Then do not follow them. They with their kingdom should have hung their heads for shame, for in their "Kingdom of god" things happened which were similar to the orgies of heathen festivals. After St. Paul

DOS31 had earnestly reminded them that they were reigning without him, without the apostles, he showed them the utter miserableness of their reign and their Kingdom of God, by saying: "It is reported commonly that there is fornication (!) among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles..." (1Co 5:1). A nice Kingdom of God, in which such devouring abominations are around about! And then, despite all this, to sit upon a high horse and reign from above! This is very like the spirit of the evil one. Did God’s people in Corinth do their duty in this matter? Did they act or were they silent? Or did they permit the Nicolaitanes to do as they pleased? Most of them were deficient in their zeal for the Lord, and most likely squandered their zeal in favor of those who deserved such approval by the Lord and the Apostle, for Paul, in the sorrow of his heart, had to rebuke thus: "And ye are puffed us, and ye have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from you" (1Co 5:2).

Thus it was with the wise Corinthians, who were already infected with the spirit of the evil one.

Is if any different today? How about these very things which Paul scourges? Are such evil doers removed from our midst? Or do they continue to "reign" and to judge and to condemn those who are better than themselves (1Sa 15:28)? Is such a puffed-up condition unknown today? Has judgment been held in the church of God? Alas, the voices of the few who cry out for a return to the "first love, " to simplicity and humility, to purity, to a desire to learn from and to a single mindedness toward Christ the Lord (2Co 11:2, 3) are drowned out by the shoutings of the many who enthusiastically sing Hosanna, not to Him who bought them and who deserves such Hosannas, but to themselves and to their self-made pompous organizations, to which they have attached the beautiful badge of honor "The Lord’s work." Yes, everything that is being done, however foolish it may be. and which time has long since proven untenable, is.done "in His name." "And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned"—says Paul, and this reproach hits a large part of God’s people today.

DOS32 The Church of Christ is the "mystery of God, " generally unknown; its members’ lives are hid in God (Col 3:3). The apostasy, culminating in the grand system "Babylon, " is also a "mystery, " hidden to many, not recognizable by the many as such. The former is the "Mystery of God, " which He planted and is causing to thrive in the midst of "much tribulation"; the latter is the "mystery of iniquity, " of the evil one, who planted it and is causing it to prosper in the glory of rulership. One is opposed to the other, one wars against the other. It is nothing else but the old enmity pronounced in Eden. If all were immediately manifest, the Church of God as well as the devastating system of iniquity, then the purpose and goal of each could easily be recognized by all, but it was God’s Will that the revealment of His own should not take place till after their course in faithful service, in the footsteps of Jesus, in the way of suffering and ignominy was completed. Thus the Church had to pass through a time of much persecution and affliction. The divinely appointed leaders were, to a certain extent, taken from her by divine permission, and her path truly led through the "Valley of the Shadow of Death." But she remained faithful; nothing could force her away from the "Rock of Ages, " not even the gates of hades. Even the source of all light, the Word of God, was taken from her; the Christian Nicolaitanes appropriated in masterly fashion the methods of their Jewish predecessors (Lk 11:52) and yet the church felt the hand of her Lord. They "who cheerfully, though weeping, gave Him their goods and blood" were not without light. Even though they were only a few in number, surrounded by deepest heathen darkness, and a Christian (?) darkness like unto it, yet they could more or less clearly discern the origin and growth of the oft-mentioned "mystery of iniquity." And this caused them to draw all the closer to the Lord, and to love His word and His law. They continued victorious, and heroically maintained their faith in him who loved them and gave Himself for them; and for this they willingly died upon the rack and at the stake or in the gruesome dark dungeons of the earth. They died by the hands of those who had made false progress in pursuing the evil thought of the Corinthians ("we are reigning and judging already").

The Lord will reward their faithfulness in His due time, and to

DOS33 those who have already been full and rich and rulers, it will be said: Sit down there! Where do we stand? Let us not hesitate to see, and decide.

Pride and vainglory always bring with them the desire to supplant the truth, because the truth is the light which makes the evil manifest. Thus we find at the very beginning of the Christian Church the attempt to set aside the truth. The truth delivered to the Church by the Apostle Paul was opposed; yes, some highly esteemed leaders withstood the Apostle, and even questioned his apostleship. John, the loving disciple, also experienced the same thing. He who continually exhorted the faithful to love, had his letters, which were likewise written in the spirit of love, rejected by such self-conceited would-be lords. So he complains in his third epistle: "I wrote unto the Church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not." With evil, judging words, this would-be-preeminent one "prated" against the chosen apostle of love, and not satisfied with that, he even forbade those to do so who wanted to receive the brethren, "fellow-helpers to the truth" (3 John 8) and cast them out of the Church. Still we have the same picture: the "fellow-helpers to the truth " are being cast out of the Church. They might let the light which they possess shine too much into the evil, secret places of the rulers, and because the truth is the weapon most dreaded by these evil ones, it has to be removed from their midst. The "key of knowledge" was removed anew.

This, beloved, was the impression of the first days. And if the undercurrent was there already, when the specially chosen witnesses of the Lord, the apostles, were living, when the Christian doctrines were fought by the world-empire Rome (which certainly could not discern the difference between the true Christians and the tares!) how much more must it have spread after the special watchmen of the Church fell asleep, and after the "something" which was hindering the full appearance of the "mystery of iniquity" (2Th 2:6, 7), the heathen power—imperial Rome, had vacated its place. Then the destruction became greater and greater.

Erroneous teachings increased terrifyingly, and like a horrible incubus Satan’s system of oppression, Great Babylon,

DOS34 raised her head. The once faithful one fell, and by her union with the world became a harlot.

Exactly so as Israel of old. How very appropriate at this point are the words, once addressed to typical Israel: "How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers" (Isa 1:21). The same church which had been planted a noble vine, transformed itself, in the hands of the arch-deceiver, into a persecutress of God’s faithful ones, those who, out of love to their Lord and Master dared to avoid her pernicious ways, and who bore witness to the divine truth, both in doctrine and practice. How few there were who did this. The majority walked in the way of those who were entrenching themselves more and more in their enthroned positions.

By and by the thought was passionately presented, that the Church is god’s only organization here on earth, and that outside her pale and boundaries salvation cannot be had. This found lodgement in the hearts of those who failed to examine critically, or who loved human theories more than the word of God. The unthinking masses followed the ensnaring sophistries of their self-deceived leaders. To all those who failed to act upon the prophetic counsel given by Solomon the Wise in Proverbs 1 and 2, etc. (to "dig deep into divine wisdom") in order to be protected from the evil man and his equally evil wife (Pr 2:12, 16), it has happened as he described in the course of his presentations (Pr 7). This woman, in her passion, has ensnared all such who passed throughout the street near "her " corner, and went the way to "her " house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night (Pr 7:8, 9). Had not the "goodman" gone on a journey and would not return until the day appointed (Pr 7:19, 20—compare Lk 19:12)? "with her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she carried him away." And what happened? "He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks" (Pr 7:21, 22). And the thought that outside the church (organization) there is no salvation, was made into a strong creedal-dogma. As long as the Church was faithful to her Lord she made no such claims, but as soon as she had fallen, she defended this dogma most passionately. Thus she brought it about,

DOS35 that many received a holy fear of her, a fear to be "outside" her communion. Freedom of thought upon, and opinion concerning that which is true or divine, was banned, and those who had more fear of God than his so-called "vicar, " were persecuted without mercy, and finally with satanic fury and cruelty. the ruling class among God’s people, the Nicolaitanes, eventually controlled everything; every agitation or heresy among the members of the Church was known to them. A grand espionage system was set up, which investigated the consciences of the believers, and woe unto him who dared to suspect such a divine (?) organization. To the cross with him! And did not this put more fear into the "believers"? Who could think of resisting? Of course, God’s truly consecrated were not deceived by the sophistries of the defenders of these designing organizations, such as: "If this were not the Lord’s work and according to His will, He would not permit it, and He would simply remove these leaders, " but the majority considered such arguments as entirely correct, and looked more upon outward appearances, upon that which men had set up, than upon God and His word. It is ever the same mistake; one defends men in such cases, but not God; one supports some men and fights against others. This is only because we do not keep within the boundaries drawn for us by the word of God. Going beyond the teaching of God’s word causes one to b puffed up "for" the one, against the "other" (1Co 4:6).

All of us, perhaps, are to some extent informed of the development of the great "apostate" system. Many Church historians have sympathetically written of the experiences of the true Church. Ah, what a finished product did Satan make of his "mystery of iniquity!" with what excellence and refinement did he organize everything. when the espionage system no longer sufficed amongst the professed people of god, a stronger and better one was added: auricular confession was introduced. Oh how crafty is our ancient foe! Tighter and tighter he drew the reins of his government. Liberty became unknown, not only in the realm of the spiritual, but also in purely secular matters. The whole world eventually came under the rule of these spiritual tyrants. The "great city" ruled over the kings of the earth (Re 17:8).

DOS36 However, we note that at no time was the world without the light of divine truth, "Ye are the light of the world, " Jesus said, and this word was truth. The Lord in His infinite wisdom cared for His true disciples, who were in the wilderness, far from all other provisions, and dependent upon Him alone. The word of God was dear, very dear, but they paid the highest price for this precious gift and for the light streaming from it. As they came in touch with it, and gave it a place in their hearts, they shook the dust from their feet with confidence in the Lord, and went forth out of that "city" with joy. Such a going forth took place continually during all of this Gospel-age. Naturally, those who came out, or were cast out, were branded as disloyal, and the allies of Satan; but the knowledge of these cast-out ones, that they were privileged to bear shame, and suffer for the sake and name of their leader, who was similarly cast out, gave them strength, and thus they became overcomers, faithful to the end. We must refrain from citing the names of the many witnesses of the Lord, who out of love to Him rose up to pull down strongholds, and cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God (2Co 10:4, 5), who were faithful unto death; and of how many do we not even know their names! These also form a cloud of God’s witnesses. And as Jesus, their leader, was mocked when He was in the power of the servants of darkness, during "their hour" (Lk 22:53), so are these mocked also. We see them all in a vision, how they, in sole dependence upon God, with rejoicing, with a face "as the face of an angel" (Ac 6:15), suffered and died for His sake, and it pains our hearts when we see with what derision and cruelty they were treated. When Huss, that faithful man of God, was condemned and sentenced to be burned at the stake, the priestly garments which had previously been put upon him, were torn form him with curses (as with the royal robe which had been put on Jesus), and the poor brother had to allow them to place upon his head a paper hat in the form of a crown, decorated with caricatures of devils. And thus they burned him. Thus has the loyalty of the faithful ones always been rewarded by the evil side; their standing up for the Lord and His holy and sanctifying truth was always followed by curses and imprecations, and they were

DOS37 honored with "caricatures of devils." We are reminded of a child of God of our own days, against whom, after he could no longer refrain from announcing the downward trend of the Church, this statement was publicly made: "I now call the attention of the friends to this, that they may now consider ...( Here follows the name of a well-known brother) as an ally in the intrigues of the enemy, and conduct themselves accordingly" (translation from German Watch Tower 1926, page 352). "And conduct themselves accordingly, " thus another demand upon God’s people to hate this protestant as a lawless one (formerly such people were called heretics).

The command to consider this particular truth-witness as an ally of the enemy brings vividly to mind similar experiences of the above mentioned truth-witness Huss. When the paper crown fell from his head, which had been fastened to the stake with a chain, it was placed back with the words, that it must be burned with the devils whose ally he had been.

We remark here, that most of the separations from the the fallen and rejected system were good and noble in the eyes of God (1Co 11:19). We had long ago become like Sodom and Gomorrah, if such separations had not come. Before and since the Reformation there were such beneficent separations, or shall we say, a coming out of the midst of her (Babylon). These movements were at first noble and good, but the Lord has shown time and again, that the motive to come out of the evil systems in order to honor a new group of God’s children (instead of Himself) is not that which will have His complete approval. Is it not known to us, that thus far every one of these movements, born of noble intentions, had in time honored its new group more than the Creator? In other words, that less of the first love was given unto the Lord, to whom it rightfully belongs, than to their new group of associates! We do not say one word against the various separations from the ruling Church, on the contrary, we affirm, that these movements preserved the Church of God from putrefaction and Sodomic conditions, but we would that all might recognize with open eyes, how each one of these originally good movements followed in the way of the mother system. We are well acquainted with the various movements, and know also that with them the period wherein they had divine approval, is past. And.

DOS38 out of each movement, when it was following ways of its own wisdom, a new one had to arise, which in turn had to be supplanted again, when it also finally went in the way wherein God has no pleasure. Thus the true Church has always consisted of "movements" and "heresies, " and how important is this! What would have happened, had she not been constantly in motion? She would have expired long ago under the creeds, stark dogmas and errors.

Do we not find then that it was the greatest wisdom on the Lord’s part, when He tore asunder the cords wherewith His people were bound to any particular visible organization? Was it not for our best interests that He did this? Did He teach that we should love a visible group of people (even the best) more than Him, "the fairest among the children of men, the one altogether lovely?" That we should heed the teachings of men (even the best), more than Him and His teaching? When He saw with His all-searching eye, that His faithful ones were in danger of acknowledging human institutions and teachings more than Him and His gifts, then He did not hesitate to break the golden fetters of His people. And then each time, all the faithful, who permitted themselves to be freed from the glittering bands, found the Lord again, and sitting at His feet were refreshed anew by the marvelous gems from His treasure-store of truth. They permitted themselves to be served by Him, and realized, that by a quiet and grateful acceptance of His service, they could submit to Him in the very best manner. Oh noble band, which, sitting at His feet, are thus serving Him; you who are receiving into good and honest hearts His gracious, lovely words, quietly let your Lord answer, when your own sister, who is very busy along the line of outward things, rebukes you before the Lore, because of your "inactivity."

Learn from Him, and you shall become wise and able to "work" His work, which He has entrusted to you in this life. Then you will realize, daily and hourly, that you have much, much to do, and will barely find time in all your life to finish the work which has been given you, to the satisfaction of the Lord. Of course, you will not join in the well-liked phrase: "Character-development is unnecessary, " but will rather use your whole strength in this divinely-required chief activity. Do you clearly see that this

DOS39 is one of the most essential requirements? Do you realize that this present life has been given to you that you might do this work yourself, till it is finished? Do you know that in carelessness in this work you are in danger of missing the abundant entrance into His heavenly kingdom with all its joys, glories and privileges of joint-heirship and joint-rule with Him? Do you know what "first-love" is? Do you have it? Or do you desire to have it again in your heart? Then look, decide and act! But do not hesitate, take no counsel with flesh and blood, but with thy Lord and with Him alone! He will lead you forth into a large place, and you will be free..

OUR MASTER

O Lord and Saviour of us all! O blessed Christ, divine! We own thy sway, we hear thy call, We test our lives by thine.

We faintly hear, we dimly see, In various phrase we pray; But, dim or clear, we own in Thee The Light, the Truth, the Way.

Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord, What may thy service be?—Not name, nor form, nor ritual word, But simply following Thee.

To do thy will is more than praise, As words are less than deeds, And simple trust can find thy ways We miss with charts of creeds.

From Poems of Dawn..

DOS40 THE LATEST MOVEMENT—ITS RICHLY BLESSED WAY—ITS MISSION AND ITS FINAL FALL

It was but little more than 50 years ago, that the Lord poured out special blessings upon His watchful and waiting people. Just 70 years had passed at that time since the presumptuous claims of the great city "Babylon" suffered another powerful eclipse. The supporters of this system themselves say that the "little season" of the Loosing of Satan then began (Re 20:3). From this we can realize much of the extent of the terror which had overtaken that system because of these events, which took place under the wise providence of God. And immediately thereafter as if by divine command, the Bible Societies ("pestiferous societies" as the almost impotent system of oppression called them) were founded, which revived hope like a mild, refreshing rain. Believing people by thousands turned to a thorough study of God’s precious word, and not without being richly blessed by Him who gave it. The result of the labors of this believing band of searchers was exceedingly satisfactory, and served to whet their appetite for further food. In this way the zeal for study increased, and God’s people were always "in motion."

We do not say that the faithful found everything, nor that their findings were in every point divine truth; but the majority of our readers will agree with us in this, that they received a due reward for their humble endeavor to know God’s word and will, not a meager one, but rich according to the bounty of their God. The light increased continually, to the joy of the searchers, to the discomfiture of those who, bound fast to creeds and dogmas, could only gaze helplessly upon this spiritual progress.

Then came another new movement, because God’s people must be in "movement." It happened a little over fifty years ago, that God called Brother Charles Taze Russell upon the scene of action. Through him He made known to His searching people further details of His great, exalted plan. True, some of the outlines of the divine plan of salvation had formerly been more or less understood and taught,

DOS41 but the relation of the individual parts to the whole was not or only slightly comprehended.

Brother Russell was especially (not exclusively, as is sometimes thought), called to forward this movement. It was a wonderfully glorious time. It was a time in which the spirit of God touched the hearts of His people, and of God’s people as a whole in a special manner. Whoever has gone through it with a humble heart and pure conscience can testify to that. "Yes, it was a wonderful time, " is still said today. Many of God’s children who were blessed therein, think of those beautiful days with a feeling of sadness.

It is indeed true that Brother Russell was the central point in this movement; it is also true he himself felt this. It is further true, that many dear ones leaned too much on him; but with all this the fact remains, that God’s people in general, during this time which is already in the past, were drawn by the beauty of the truth which shone forth so brightly. The knowledge of the divine plan of salvation, as it has been worked out in various ages, and as it will yet be worked out in the glorious future, was due, and therefore the Lord opened the eyes and ears of His people to receive it. We would not make a mistake (which has its foundation mostly in an ignorance of history, or even upon a certain kind of egoism), and say that before Brother Russell there was no "present" truth, i.e., no timely understanding of truth, and that only through him did light come to God’s people. This is not according to facts. God’s people who diligently searched and were duly blessed, were like a chain, of which not a single link was missing. It does not matter, whether many or few represent the Lord’s cause. It is a true fact, that during the long Gospel age there was an uninterrupted line of witnesses who had "present truth." As already stated, even Brother Russell had not found all the marvelous truths. They were already recognized and more or less known, but without order, lacking harmony and symmetry with, and toward each other.

Not even the truth concerning restitution did Brother Russell "discover, " as sometimes supposed. His time was, so to speak, a time of fitting together the various parts of God’s truths into a well-ordered whole—the knowledge of the divine plan of the ages. Brother Russell himself was greatly surprised, when

DOS42 he found, in fitting together the precious truths, how singularly even the smallest part of God’s plan harmonized with every other detail of this plan.

In fairly rapid sequence one part of the truth was added to another, and the joy among the watching ones continually increased. It was as if the holy vessels, long desecrated in the temple of the rulers of Babylon, were brought back into their places, and restored for the their own appointed purpose. That which had so long been darkened, now for the most part lay open and clear to the understanding of God’s consecrated. Doubts, apparent contradictions, questions, which caused a certain unrest because they could not be satisfactorily answered—all such things gradually disappeared. The eternal torment bugbear "ceased, " because the doctrine of the natural immortality of the human soul was now recognized as a product of the arch-liar, form whom it originated. The fires of hell were quenched by the water of truth. The uselessness of masses for the sufferers in purgatory was readily seen. Everything seemed to adjust itself in the best and most simple manner. The dark future was brightened, its horizon suddenly glowed with glorious signs of blessed hope and joy. That which had been withheld by the wiles of the adversary, the glorious future of Christ’s millennial kingdom of peace, which was made applicable to this present life alone (because of easily discerned motives), was put back in its proper place. since then it stands there clothed in exalted beauty. Truly, how many promises, which cause the heart to shout for joy, in the course of many centuries ("while men slept") had been torn from their divinely appointed place and in a distorted, shortened, minimized, clipped condition, forced into the present. And because much of it would not fit into the scheme of things, the sly thought was conceived and taught, that all these things could not be understood except in the seminaries and universities. But now it all was revealed. "Then human inventions collapsed! There tottered and fell what grasping rulers had planned! There, like vapor, the web of lies dissolved! As far as the morning had dawned." All this transpired in less than half a century. Around the year 1970 Brother Russell began to discern the various

DOS43 parts of the truth, and to connect them with each other as a whole. He was not alone active in this. A small circle of searching children of God shared the joys with him, which at that time came to those who allowed themselves to be led by the spirit of God. It is strengthening to faith, to read his own descriptions of the course of events of those days. Many a light beam of the dawning millennium was sent out for the benefit of the watchers upon Zion’s Watch Tower, and joyously hailed by these. The year 1886 is significant, because his first and best volume of "Studies in the Scriptures" (formerly called "Millennial Dawn"), entitled "The Plan of the Ages" was then issued. We believe that this particular volume has contributed most to transmit a knowledge of God’s wonderful plan (and in a comparatively short time) to the waiting people of God in all countries of the earth. Then the Lord’s faithful ones understood much clearer that God is working all things according to the counsel of His Will (Eph 1:11; 3:11). The quick and unique manner in which the "present truth" spread among God’s people at that time may well be called a miracle. "His word runneth very swiftly" (Ps 147:15); this Scripture verified itself. In the days of the reformation only was there anything like it—at that time also the moving spirit, the message of the hour, moved rapidly through the lands.

Those who were blest with the truth in America, who had relatives or a acquaintances in Europe, felt the joyful urge to "send" the gladdening knowledge to Europe. It was as if God’s children in all countries stood ready, waiting for the signal; when they "saw" and "heard, " there came in unison the cry: "That’s it." Quickly did the truth concerning the divine plan of love capture in one country after another the individuals who were looking for the truth. And all these blest ones became "one heart and one mind." Oh, what the truth, received into a good and honest heart, can accomplish! The fruit of this blessed labor of Brother Russell increased year by year. But despite all successes Brother Russell remained "small, " humble. Not that he never made a mistake, but when we consider that he supervised this blessed movement not one, two, five or ten years, but nearly half a century,

DOS44 we can honestly say, that he made very few mistakes, that he proved his submission to God, his humility, his consideration toward "others" in a manner seldom done by anyone. Knowing that even with God’s people the inclination exits, to accord the leaders of a movement too much honor, he exercised care to reject honors and approbations, modestly, but sometimes emphatically. This very thing made him great in the eyes of the similarly faithful and humble ones. This is our testimony concerning him, after he has left the stage of this earthly life.

It seems that the first decades of this movement brought a special fulness of divine light. Today one still hears this testimony from such as know and appreciate the truth. "How beautiful are the old Watch Towers!" This is indeed true. The "old" Watch Towers excel by compelling logic and an abundance of glorious thoughts. And we designate it as not only indecent, but objectionable in the extreme, when those who outwardly profess to esteem this man, say that the devil is hiding behind the old Watch Towers (W. T. 1925:174)*. Oh, how loveless and bitter! This faithful champion of the truth did not deserve such a thrust. But we will not make long dissertations, since we presume that most of our readers are sufficiently acquainted with these things, and they still have pleasure in that which really was, and still is truth, and that they know its inestimable value.

————— *The following letter written by the same author four years later, will interest our readers: "As re the letter of mine in the Tower will say that it represented what at that time seemed to me to be the proper conclusion as to the cause of my experience. It is now my belief that it was due to the fact that I had failed to abide in the ‘truth’ as presented by Pastor Russell. I am not now identified with the I.B.S.A. However, there is no bitter feeling between myself and any of the brethren in the W. T. B. T. S. to my knowledge. You can use all this letter but not a part."

J. E. C.

—————

It could not always remain thus. The happiness of God’s children here below must always have an admixture of sorrow, else it is not genuine. The seasons of special joy are good; that God removes them after having permitted His people to enjoy them, proves that this is well and necessary. There must be "growth, " else God’s people would be stunted, and spiritual slumber would force itself upon them. Thus it came about that this special movement of these last days

DOS45 also showed its sad features. It would be quite improbable that the ancient foe, who had so long fought, should now, after seeing the jubilant joy of the Lord’s people, lay down his arms in resignation acknowledging: "I see that in the end all my labor avails nothing. I will put my sword in its sheath. I will cease to fight against God and His work and His people." Anyone else might do this, but not he, in his blind madness. He did not sleep when the watchers were awake and partook of the rich blessings. He was eye and ear witness of all that took place. Each beam of truth is like the thrust of a lance in his side. What should he do? How let this movement seep into the sand? How hinder these forces? That was his question. He was old and experienced enough to solve it to his own satisfaction, and not without a measure of success.

The specter of the promise about the "Seed of the woman" caused him continual unrest and he must labor unceasingly to carry out what he in his evil, malicious wisdom contrived against God and His consecrated people. His move succeeded again, and alas, only too well.

"Honor shall uphold the humble in spirit, " Solomon says truly, and on this very point God’s people, mostly the leaders, begin to "fall." The waiting for the honor, so absolutely necessary to the preparation of God’s children, lasted too long, and the way to shorten the suffering here below lay often so seductively near, and was so favored by various circumstances, that it seemed like a refusal of divine providence, and not to grasp these opportunities. They were grasped, and then the concomitants drew near with gigantic steps. Leave the place at Jesus’ feet, turn your eyes away from His face, give room in your heart to the thought that you are something, can do something and have something, and that you can become much more still, and you are no longer His disciple, for you have practically renounced Him. Then you can no longer sing in adoration: "He is in the midst, be silent all within me, and lowly bow before Him, " because you or your work (of course, you call it the Lord’s work), or something else is standing in "the midst..."

Beloved, we have seen and experienced enough to know this is truly so. Humility began to vanish among God’s people. The place at Jesus’ feet did not seem so urgently necessary

DOS46 any more. The eyes were focused on the "field" which was so full of tares, and, although its individual component parts were not "immortal souls" (not yet?) still they were important enough and worthy enough to have a work done with them. One felt so much courage, adroitness and desire to labor, to tackle this "neglected" work. And at that these dear ones imagined that they discovered this as a wholly new truth. But this has all been here before; "there is nothing new under the sun, " Solomon said long ago. For many predecessors of these dear ones had this wisdom (?) and applied it. But eventually they convinced themselves of their own unwisdom and failure, even though they wouldn’t admit it.

Although it cannot be claimed that Brother Russell saw clearly in every point of biblical doctrine, or more clearly than any other child of God in his days, the fact must be mentioned that he early and clearly saw a matter specially fraught with danger. The Watch Tower is the manifest proof of this. When we read its pages, we find that Brother Russell had to take a stand from time to time against unsober thoughts in the midst of the Church. Not alone this.

Concurrently with the various misleading thoughts there appeared the age-old evil: ambitions.

Yes, we might say the ambition is the point of departure for all unscriptural thoughts. Brother Russell says very truly that "ambitious leaders mostly bring in false doctrines" (W.T. R5981 205981).

Always this old evil! Brother Russell refused the praise which was forced upon him continually, but others were susceptible to praise. They were undoubtedly capable, and were not far wrong, when they thought that the work could be made to move still more rapidly. "Could"—yes, but the question was, whether the Lord was prepared to say "well done" to it. Many a "good suggestion" concerning the work was submitted to Brother Russell, which however, when considered in the light of God’s Word, he set aside as useless, yea, as dangerous. In general he went on his way, as his sanctified reason indicated. Not only other, new methods of work, were recommended to him as promising success, but especially "new valuable thoughts" were presented to him, which were said to be of utmost importance for the work in these last days. We will not decide how far Brother Russell

DOS47 yielded to these continuous offerings (it does seem a fact, that in some of his expositions during the latter days, signs of such doctrinal suggestions are here and there found), but we can ascertain without a doubt, that he knew of this undercurrent. We need only to glance through the Watch Towers, specially those of the last years, to find that he was fighting this under-surface smoldering. This movement of the "strange fire" took more concrete form and increased continually, and was recognized by Brother Russell and others as of greatest danger. He finally pointed it out as something which could be compared to the conditions depicted by Paul as existing amongst the elders of the church as Ephesus (Ac 20:17-35).

Spiritual pride has always been the cause of the ever reappearing "apostasy." By apostasy we do not of course understand the going out of some communion of professing Christians, whatever its name, but the departing from Christ, the forsaking our "first love" (for Him), the "not holding fast the head" (Col 2:19), the entering upon our own paths. Verily, one can only fall away from the Lord to whom he has been joined. He always, and in every way is to be the head of His church, and it is His wish, that this headship should always, under all conditions, be acknowledged by His people, both teachers, and those who are taught. And since He knew that the temptation to accept another head, to esteem another ruler and commander, would be laid at the feet of His people, He warned His own of this very thing with all earnestness. The heathen, those totally estranged from God, would not be their greatest hindrance, but men of their own rank, their guides and teachers, with whom they took sweet counsel together (Ps 55:13, 14), followers in the footsteps of Jesus. The abilities of a child of God never give the right to appropriate more authority and privileges than all the others have. In the Church of Christ all have the same rights, the same authority. If a child of God has more ability, it has thereby increased opportunity to serve God and His people. If a servant of God uses these as a power to control others, to obey his dictates, then his divinely intended service (note: service!) is ended, then he is in that condition which Jesus calls "Nicolaitanism" (lordship over God’s people) and condemns as hateful. This

DOS48 "Nicolaitanism" has really always been present in the church, but made its appearance in a special remarkable manner at the beginning and end of the age. The Revelator has clearly outlined its origin and growth in his messages. The evil of "Nicolaitanism" was at the time of its mention in the message to Ephesus only in its beginning. It was exalted as a doctrine in the Pergamos epoch. It is no accident that it is mentioned for the first time in the description of conditions at Ephesus (Re 2:6). Does this not prove, that it came from the ranks of the leaders? We immediately think of the prophetic warning of the Apostle Paul in Ac 20:18-35.

Jesus had already pointed out in His discourses that the persecutions and false doctrines would come from the circle of the leaders. Blinded, they would cast the faithful "out of the synagogue, " yea, kill them and verily think they were doing God a service (Joh 16:2). "From among yourselves"—this word has proven true to this day.

Following we cite some remarks from Brother Russell’s pen, which show how clearly he saw the ever-threatening peril of spiritual pride and desire for lordship, and from time to time he brought continually graver indictments against this spirit of "Nicolaitanism" and warned more and more emphatically against it, against unscriptural methods and unscriptural doctrines, the inevitable consequence of ambition.

"The Church’s dangers have always arisen from those who sought to lord over God’s heritage and to dispense their own wisdom or the wisdom of other men instead the Word of the Lord" (W.T.R3356 203356).

"As he (Satan) tried to persuade our Lord that there were better ways—ways that involved less personal sacrifice and self-denial than the Father’s ways—by which he might bless all the families of the earth, so he, during this Gospel Age, has been intent upon persuading the Lord’s truly consecrated brethren to adopt his plan—not to give careful heed to the Father’s plans and rules.

He would have them otherwise—to feel that they can serve the Lord better by other methods than those the Scriptures point out. He would puff them up with feelings of zeal for and pride in their human systems, the work they are doing, and the organizations they have perfected...

"It was not long after the apostles fell asleep, we may be sure, until the spirit of rivalry under the guidance of the Adversary led step by step to the ultimate organization of the

DOS49 great Antichrist system—Papacy. Its organization as we have already seen, was not effected instantly, but gradually—beginning to assume its power about the fourth century. The great Antichrist flourished so successfully for a time that all the histories written form that period onward to the ‘Reformation’ practically ignored the right of every person and class to the name Christian or to be considered orthodox and faithful who did not belong to or in some manner support this Antichrist system. Others were not permitted to exist except privately and under ban, and if there were histories of them, apparently they were destroyed; but, possibly, like those walking in the light of the present truth today, the faithful of that time were so insignificant in proportion of numbers and influence that none would have thought them worthy of mention in comparison with the great and successful system which they assayed to oppose, and which so rapidly climbed to the influential place of power in both temporal and spiritual matters.

"Since the ‘Reformation’ the adversary has again showed his cunning in organizing every new departure (every fresh effort to reach the truth) into another Antichrist."

(Vol.6, pp.199, 200, 201, 202)" We perceive the attack of the adversary, referred to in our caption (Take Heed to Yourselves), in every direction—the grievous wolves of error and ambition among ‘your own selves.’ We must sound the alarm and tell that ‘the hour of temptation’ is come..." (W.T. 1907:53, 52) "If the meekest man in all the earth and one of the greatest men in the world’s history was thus overcome by the circumstances of his position amongst the people, it should not surprise us if we find that in Spiritual Israel some who start out meek and humble become more or less arrogant, too, and talk about what they do and must do, and assume that the others are dependent upon them for the water of life." (W.T. R3866 203866) "Emphasizing the caution already given, the Apostle prophetically declared that there would be great need of their taking heed to themselves, because of their own selves, of the flock itself, and especially amongst the elders, men would arise speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them; desirous of being leaders, they would not hesitate to produce a schism of division in the Church to help along their ambition. The word perverse (here) in the original signifies distorted, twisted. The thought is that those who begin to lose the Spirit of the Lord, begin to lose their clearness of appreciation of the Truth. As personal and selfish ambitions cloud their vision they see the Scriptures more vaguely and feel free to twist or distort them to make them support their ambitious sentiments. How true the

DOS50 Apostle’s words; how great a danger there is along these lines, especially to the elders, the overseers of the flock! Evidently selfish ambition is one of the greatest of foes with which they must contend.

"Nor do these ambitions suddenly germinate, bloom and bear fruit; the process is a gradual one and hence the more dangerous, the more deceptive, the less likely to have our notice. How important then that all of God’s flock, and especially the elders, take heed to themselves and scrutinize their conduct, and above all, the motives lying behind their deeds! Let us remember, that absolute purity of the will is essential, every admixture of selfishness, however little, is a poisonous virus which, if unchecked, would lead to the second death. "Take heed to yourselves, is the admonition, for, the Apostle goes on to say, that of their own selves would men arise telling truths in a distorted fashion, for the purpose of drawing away disciples after them; for the purpose of being leaders in the flock; for the purpose of having praise and honor of men. Ah, how dear the price—the loss of divine favor and of eternal life." (W.T. R4458-4459) "He (Paul) expressly indicated that these defenses would be provided for ‘the evil day’ with which our age would close. He specially advised that while this armor was available to all of God’s people and to be had for the putting on, nevertheless only those who will put it on will be safe. Why so, it is asked? We reply that this is one of God’s tests by which we would prove our love, our devotion, our loyalty to Him. Those of little love will be careless respecting the details of the divine plan of the ages. ‘They will not have time’ to search the Scriptures. They will not be disposed to make use of the agencies which God will use for providing this armament in this evil day. they will have preference for some sectarian brand of armor or insist that it must come form some particular quarter, or refuse to wear any armor that they have not manufactured for themselves, or refuse assistance in putting on the armor of light." (W.T. R4438-4439 204438) "It was not to be wondered at that the more prominent brethren have the more severe trials along this line. It must not surprise us, if in this evil day into which we have entered, we should find a considerable number of those possessed of talents or influences stumbling. Of this condition of things the Apostle forewarns us, saying, ‘Be not many of you teachers, knowing that he who is a teacher will experience the more severe trials’ (Jas 3:1). The deflection of some recognized as teachers will prove to what extent they have a personal relationship to the Lord through an individual consecration to him and through his instructions by his Word and the prophecies—in the school of Christ." (W.T. R4448 204448)

DOS51 "Let us remember that humility is the first of the graces and will have much to do with our standing the tests now multiplying in so many ways upon all who have named the name of Christ. As the testing begins with the Church and proceeds to the world, so apparently in the Church the testing comes first upon those in prominent positions. And these need to be the more watchful, the more prayerful, the more earnest, that they may be able to stand. The adversary’s attempts are various. Some he beguiles with flattery, pride and ambition; others he would vanquish with despondency mingled with humility; others he attracts with pleasures of the present life; others with ease and popularity; others with misdirected energy, which gradually leads them from the narrow way. Some are seduced through too great a reverence of human teachings, human authority, subserviency to creeds and theories; while temptation comes to others along the line of disloyalty to God and to the leadings of his providence. Let us each remember that love for God means loyalty to him and his Word, and to every leading of his providence and grace, and loyalty to the brethren. A little while and our trials will be ended. A little while and we shall see his face if we are faithful." (W.T. R4524 204524) Despite every warning this harmful movement increased more and more. Willing eyes and ears were found, to which this "fresher" spirit was pleasing. Only the great respect enjoyed by Brother Russell generally, kept this undercurrent with its new methods, its new light (?), from breaking forth at once. Quite gradually it come, increasing exactly like the first "Nicolaitanism" of the days of Ephesus. We say "quite gradually, " although when compared with the progress of the first apostasy, it came up quickly, and has spread quite phenomenally since Brother Russell’s death. Perhaps Brother Russell counted on the sound judgment of those blest with the truth, to bar the progress of this evil, but if he did entertain this hope, he did not witness its realization.

On the contrary, he had to experience that the desire to lord it over God’s people on the part of some leaders became continually more intense. "New light" was lauded ever more obtrusively.

The fundamentals of the simple heart and mind satisfying truths were attacked; in a deceptive manner the sacred rights of God’s people were withdrawn. In exchange the requirements were ameliorated by removing the duty of diligent Scripture study, etc. Perceiving this growing danger, several years before his death Brother Russell wrote the serious article "Perilous Times at Hand, " in the very title of

DOS52 which he showed the severity o the trials in store for God’s people. We cannot here reprint the entire article, but would advise all the dear friends to carefully reread this important article (W.T.R1319 201319. Sept. 1891). The deductions of our dear brother read like a prophecy in the light of what happened since. What heaviness of heart he must have had, when he beheld from Zion’s Watchtower how the spirit of pride and the desire to lord it over the Church of God became more bold. Out of love for the Lord and His people, the cultivation of whose spiritual gifts lay so heavily on his heart, yet notwithstanding his modesty and consideration, he nevertheless spoke plainly against this evil development. In the above mentioned expositions, under the heading of the Scripture 2Ti 3:1, he points out the blessings of the last days, and of the marvelous spread of knowledge, then tells us, that despite these blessings, despite the light of the last days, the greatest dangers are threatening. Responsibility for these perils he attributes to self-will, pride and desire for lordship of some of God’s people. He describes very plainly the plans of this class among the truth people, and shows how they are shaping the course of their own new light, into the desolation of the sanctuary. Among other things he says: "But hand in hand with all these advantages, strange to say, comes the Church’s great peril..."

"The peril of these times is to the spiritual nature of the saints and to their valuable property in the exceeding great and precious promises of God, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus.

Subtle influences are now at work seeking to dwarf and extinguish the spiritual life and to rob the saints of their glorious hope, to sap stealthily the very foundations of Christianity, and thus effectually to overflow the whole superstructure of the Christian faith in the minds of many...

"The present besetments, being of this subtle character, are the more calculated to delude and ensnare, so that if one allows himself to be for a moment off his guard, the agencies of the adversary will gain an advantage and use it to entrap the unwary one...

"Paul was often in perils among false brethren who, concerning the faith had made shipwreck, and who greatly withstood his words—his efforts to build up the Church in the most holy faith (2Co 11:26; 1Ti 1:19; 2Ti 4:14-17)...

DOS53 "But why, you ask, should any one who had once received the truth desire to pervert it? The Apostle answers that their object is ‘to draw away disciples after them.’... Well we may inquire, as we realize that we are living in the last days here referred to, is there such a class of enemies to the Truth and to the Church in existence today? Truly, the voice of prophecy has never set up a false alarm, or foretold an uncertain event. The perilous times have come and the foretold perils are all about us. Side by side in the same communities with the humble, faithful, consecrated saints—in the same little assemblings together of those who have escaped from the bondage of Babylon, in the same households, and often at the same table of the Lord, there has also been developing a class who are ‘lovers of their own selves (selfish), covetous (of honors and distinction and the praise of men—ambitious), boasters (as though the credit of the truth now due and received were in some way due to them, as though they had a right therefore to alter and amend it at their pleasure), proud (of that knowledge which should be received with only humility and thankfulness, and which can be retained only under these conditions).

"Because the light of newly unfolding truth has dawned upon their pathway, they, in common with the faithful saints, no longer are of the same mind as were their parents, but the goodness of God thus manifested to them, instead of cultivating in them a spirit of thankfulness and of co-operation, which is its design seems to arouse a spirit of pride and ambition, which does not long hesitate to make merchandise of the truth for ambitious ends, however trivial and foolish those ends may be.

"And in pursuance of the ambitious policy, by degrees they become ‘evil-speakers’ (against the doctrine of Christ and those who believe and teach it), unkind, unfriendly to those that are good (who hold fast the truth in righteousness), and false accusers (of such). As they proceed in this way they seem to lose all former strength of Christian character. They become irreconcilable to the truth, so that neither Scripture, nor reason, nor example of the faithful, has the power to restore them. Loving their own wills more than the Will of God, they grow more and more boastful of their attainments—high-minded and heady. Not submitting themselves to the Head of the Body, Christ Jesus, they are ambitious to head new factions themselves, and thus they turn traitors to the truth. "They claim, too, to be very earnest students of the Word of God; and so they are, but they never come to a knowledge of the truth. They are after something new, some new and peculiar ‘find’ in the mind of God that will attract the wondering gaze of many curious disciples. But, alas for

DOS54 their purpose! there are no such real curiosities in the blessed Word of God; but the zeal of these ambitious ones is equal to the emergency, and one after another the actual truths are beclouded, distorted and perverted to this ignoble end and presented as newly found truths. And the unwary receive them as such, not recognizing at first that they are subversive of the entire system of divine truth. Thus their faith in the truths already learned is unwittingly undermined; they are caught in the snare of the enemy; and as they continue to ear to these seductive influences they become more and more entangled, until, having lost their anchorage they find themselves adrift on a vast sea of unbelief, floating they know not whither. Like their leaders, they may retain the form of godliness but they have lost its power."

Their Policy Will Be Deceitful

"But there is another feature of the description of these false teachers, whose ambitions place so many perils in the pathway of the saints which should not be overlooked. Verses 6 and 8 describe, or rather illustrate, the manner in which the influence of such teachers will be brought to bear upon the Church. Their opposition is not expressed in bold, defiant terms, and emphasized and enforced with vehemency as here intimated, their policy is crafty, deceitful, sly...

"...the studied effort of false teachers—false brethren developing in the very midst of the church—is to offset the truth by plausible forms of error, to unsettle confidence in the truth and all teachers of the truth, thus to lead away disciples after them and their theories. And in consequence of the allurements of these false teachers, and of the unfaithfulness of many to the love and service of the truth which they have received, a class in the midst of the Church will give much encouragement to the ambitions of these false brethren; ‘for’ says the Apostle (2Ti 4:3, 4), ‘the time will come when when they will not endure sound doctrine, after their own desires (desires for something new) shall they gather to themselves teachers, having itching ears (for new and strange things); and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.’ Nor will this class be only a small minority ..."

"From Such Turn Away"

"But how shall the faithful believers act toward these false brethren in their midst? Shall they take them by the hand as formerly and bid them God-speed? Shall they recognize them as brethren in Christ when they have denied the faith, when they have rejected salvation through the precious blood of Christ and now claim it of God as their just right, as the reward of their own righteousness, after they have, .

DOS55 as they say, slain the enmity that is in them? Are such indeed our brethren? Are they owned of God as sons? And shall we indeed walk with them and be guiltless? What does the Apostle say we shall do? He says, ‘From such turn away.’ (2Ti 3:5) "Such ‘evil men, ‘says Paul (2Ti 3:13) ‘shall wax worse and worse (more and more bold and aggressive, as they receive encouragement form that rapidly increasing class who will no longer endure sound doctrine), deceiving (others) and being deceived’—themselves being more and more firmly entrenched in the snares of their own weaving, so as to make it impossible to extricate them."

And then Brother Russell turns to the humble, believing people of God with earnest and loving counsel, and says: "But, beloved, our advise to you in these perilous times, when error is taking on its most baneful and deceitful forms, and when it is finding its most active agents amongst false brethren and sisters in your very midst, and when fidelity to the truth, therefore, occasions the severing of some of the tenderest social ties you have ever known, even among those with whom you held sweet converse as you walked together to the House of God—yes, in these times let us again urge the counsel of Paul—’Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them’;...

"Therefore, dearly beloved, what you have learned concerning God’s glorious plan of the ages, and concerning your privileged place in that plan, as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, his Son, and concerning the conditions upon which you hold this precious promise and may finally realize it, and concerning the great foundation doctrine of our redemption from sin and death through the precious blood of the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all, upon which fact rests the whole superstructure of the wonderful and glorious plan, hold fast these things, knowing of whom you have learned them...Search and see for yourself, and be not faithless but believing. It comes not to you on the miserable authority of vain imagination, or dreams, or doubtful visions, but on the authority of God’s most holy and authentic Word...

"Continue therefore in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of (having proved them yourself from the Scriptures), and be not of them who turn away their ears from the truth and are turned unto fables. And observing them who have a form of godliness, but who, nevertheless, by their false teachings deny the power thereof, ‘from such turn away, ‘and ‘have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.’ We cannot serve

DOS56 two masters; we cannot espouse the cause of truth and the cause of error as well, nor can we retain the friendship of God and of the advocates of error also.

"Who is on the Lord’s side? Let them rally around the Lord’s standard. All told, they will only be a ‘little flock.’ Like Gideon’s band, the company now gathered by the proclamation of the harvest-message of truth must be tested and sifted until the loyal, faithful, true-hearted, brave and valiant soldiers of the cross remain; and to these, though their numbers be small, will the laurels of victory belong when truth and righteousness finally prevail. Let no man boast of numbers now when the highest interests of the elect of God are all bound up with the faithful few, to whom it will be the Father’s good pleasure top give the kingdom." (W.T. R1319, 1320, 1321 201319) These are words of exhortation written by Brother Russell 25 years before his death. How significant are they now! As already remarked, this humble servant of the Church of the living God saw, almost with the vision of a seer, the things which were coming in the midst of the believers more and more rapidly, without restraint, to desolate God’s sanctuary in our days, after his death. New leaders of this once so richly blessed movement by their authority chocked the living truth of the Church and the divinely intended liberty, and each truth was desecrated by old errors newly brought forth and also by entirely new errors which were presented as new light.

The watchmen upon Zion’s Tower, however, were not asleep, but every protest against the assumed authority and against the wresting of precious truths, which these who are truly consecrated to Him made, out of love for Him and His truth, was and is decried as criticism of the Lord (!), as slander, with the abundant and powerful means which the lords of consciences of God’s people have at their disposal. Was it ever otherwise? Do we not continually experience how history repeats itself? Did the leaders of the "official" movement ever grant recognition to the few and unimportant ones of the little flock, when these fulfilled their duty, and with the divine weapons of the spirit cast down imaginations, and every height which exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2Co 10:4, 5)?

When God’s servants stood up against false methods and doctrines, or an assumed authority, it was not done from a mere desire to oppose, or slander, but from fervent love to

DOS57 the Lord, whose good gifts they prized above all else. The exposing of false doctrines is under some circumstances an unavoidable duty, and we would be guilty of the sin of omission if we kept silent while this evil was raging among God’s people. An exposing of errors (not of men!) of course brings much ignominy in consequence, but every defender of the truth knows this in advance. Brother Russell in his espousal of the truth experienced this with those nearest him, those who were dipping their hands with him in the dish. In a description of his experiences along this line he says: "All this meant another strain, another sifting, another cutting loose of friends, who erroneously supposed that our criticism of the false doctrines were prompted by a spirit of rivalry, and who did not o soon see whither his teachings were drifting, nor how great the importance of holding fast the first principles of the doctrines of Christ..." (W.T. R3826 203826) And regarding the so-called slanders (of error teaching brethren) he writes in another place as follows: "Some fail to get the proper thought on the subject of evil-speaking and appear to get the impression that any kind of criticism and any kind of objection to the beliefs of another is evil-speaking.

This is not the right thought. According to this thought our Lord and the Apostles did evil-speaking. Whoever has this conception should readjust his ideas so that they may conform to the Scriptural lines.

"To tell that a certain brother now disbelieves what he formerly believed is not evil-speaking, if it be true. St. Paul spoke quite freely of false doctrines and mentioned particularly the names of some of those whose perverse teachings had been injurious to the cause, ‘overthrowing the faith of some.’ Our Lord Jesus criticized the misconduct of some in his day. He called attention to some as being hypocritical in that they did not practice their own teaching. But neither the Lord nor the Apostles made personal attacks, slandering others. To tell fairly what another believes and to show that it is wrong is far from evil-speaking. It is speaking the truth, which should always be spoken in love. In many instances it is a duty to speak." (W.T. R4524 204524) Is it then slander when God’s children stand up for the pure preservation of the God given goods (truths, etc.), against perversion and despoiling of the Truth? Would it be a grateful loyalty to the giver of all good and perfect gifts,

DOS58 is one remained silent in such situations, so as not to displease a human system? Describing "teachers, messengers or servants of new light, " Brother Russell says of such, that "they imagine to have made great progress in the light, " and also pointedly puts the great question, "are we ready to defend the truth in spite of all revilings, or will we let it be misused, in order to escape the unavoidable ignominy?" We ask again: Is a determined standing up for the truth, slander?

Let each one decide, and let each one also take heed, where and how he himself stands. All those heroes, who from love of the truth, as it shone to them in their time, took a stand against the errors and entanglements of the "official" systems, Huss, Luther, Russell and many others, are today honored by many, as brave protestants, and rightly so. And they are given titles of slanderers, apostates, servants of Satan only by those who fanatically defend their own human teachings. Whoso readeth, let him understand.

From the foregoing citations from Brother Russell’s pen if can be perceived (this we continually emphasize) that he more and more clearly saw the rise of these evil things. This is also evident from the fact that sometimes articles in which he describes them were reprinted repeatedly.

Other submissive ones to God felt, with him, the necessity of continually calling attention to these things. In the Watch Tower of July 15, 1908, there appears a short article, "Tests of the Royal Priesthood, " which has been reprinted repeatedly, in which Brother Russell points out first that such few victories in the battle are attained among the truth people and then shows very aptly that the difficulties are threefold, namely:

(1) A selfish spirit, a desire for some of the best of the things which the Lord has condemned;

(2) A man fearing spirit. This is the spirit which brings a snare (Pr 29:25). The danger of paying more attention to the meaning of others, than to the Word of the Lord. Of such the Lord says, "How can ye believe (continue in proper discipleship) which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh form God only?" (Joh 5:44)

(3) Negligence in the appreciation of the Word of God.

And in the same article Brother Russell says further:

DOS59 "We must be tested by the hatred, the malice, the evil speaking and evil surmising of those who dipped with us in the dish, of those who partook with us of the present things of divine bounty at the table of the Lord, the spiritual food...We write thus pointedly, because in various parts we have some instances the manifestation of a loveless spirit, a hypercritical, unbrotherly spirit, a spirit in direct opposition to the golden rule and the Lord’s instructions, to go to him alone, and seek to win thy brother, and not to cast him off, nor excommunicate him." (\W.T. R4207 204207) Oh, if all of God’s people were free, and willing to take things just as they are! The majority will not see them! The majority will not consider the spiritual fetters put upon them as such, but will consider and wear them as ornaments, as badges of respect and marks of character. Yes, orthodoxy is made dependent upon the possession of such doubtful embellishments. We recommend the reading again of the very pointed exposition concerning this is Vol. 3:184, 185.

Nine years prior to his death Brother Russell deemed it wise to mention some of the things we have just quoted in his will. This fact is exceedingly important. In this, his last Will and Testament he gave as reason for a provision mentioned there, to "safeguard the committee and the journal from any spirit of ambition, pride, or headship and that the truth may be recognized and appreciated for its own worth, and that the Lord may more particularly be recognized as the Head of the Church, and the fountain of truth" (W.T. R5999 205999). And it is of further note that he expressed the desire in his Will, that these requests, etc., should be brought to the knowledge of all the friends in the issue of the Watch Tower immediately after his death.

All these exhortations and warnings were useless in so far as some of the leaders were concerned. For these servants of the ecclesia, which looked with approval on other (and presumedly better!) methods, the exhortations were only there to be thrown away. Had the dear friends in general, as truly earnest Bible students, opposed such endeavors, then this smoldering fire could never have spread so rapidly. But only a few were watchful and gave warning. The majority did nothing, or very little, in this respect. The thought was, that all these were brethren through whom the truth

DOS60 was imparted to us; and further, that they were watching over our souls. Yes, much more was imagined, at first with diffidence, but soon with more confidence. And now it is taken as a matter of fact, "that it is not the brethren, who write the Watch Tower for us" (Translated from the German W.T. 1927:32). When, therefore, we are distinctly told that the brethren who write the "Watch Tower" articles are divinely inspired, it only proves that we have correctly grasped the thought expressed in the above W.T. citation. It was also seen that those who took a stand against these evil developments received many a slap, but it was desired to live in peace and quietness. At times it was also plainly felt, that some things really did not harmonize, and that the "protestants" were espousing the real truth, but they, the few courageous ones, were left to struggle alone. They did struggle, looking not upon their thin ranks, but they looked only unto Him who was their strength. Even if some were inclined for a time to partly sanction the efforts of those "protestants" toward cleansing of the doctrines of strange things, this gradually ceased, because the influence from that side, which was at work with great energy, prevailed, and finally "convinced" them. The former feeling of uncertainty, the mental weighings of what is truth or error, the leaning first here, then there, at last gave place to a settled condition. Some rooted themselves in error, and the others in the truth (Manna of May 9). Many times did we experience that the friends, who for a time had much power of discernment, ability to see what was reprehensible in the action of the management and its methods and doctrines, because so fixed, that they inconsiderately and unthinkingly took their stand against those whose opinion of the new methods and doctrines they had shortly before shared. It has even happened, that men, brethren, who had seen clearly, suddenly decided to return to the "bosom" of the latest "one and only." Only solitary ones are standing upon the watch, looking up to their leader and working according to His Will. "Ye watchmen! Remain standing upon Zion’s tower!" In the same measure as the movement toward the desolation of God’s sanctuary grew, the requests and exhortations of Brother Russell became more urgent. We have already mentioned that he finally compared the conditions among

DOS61 God’s people with the conditions in the Church at Ephesus and nearly 1900 years ago. "After my departure..." Paul said, and it is by no means unreasonable to believe that Brother Russell had his own early departure in mind, when he made this comparison. The fact is, his departure came almost immediately after—Brother Russell took his leave from us all in the same year. Whoever reads our dear brother’s article here referred to, cannot escape the impression, that the counsel given therein, was so to speak the last effort to hinder the growth of the evil that had been sown long before, to root it out, as it were. All in vain! Every one who reads the article ("The Hour of Temptation") can feel in it the tender care of our beloved brother for the dear Israel of God.

Indeed, how much concern had this wise and lovable servant of God for the people of His Lord! What he said in his will, was here also, as at all times, the basis for his counsels, to safeguard the editorial committee and the journal from every spirit of ambition, pride and leadership, that the truth might be recognized and appreciated for its own worth and that the Lord might be more clearly recognized as the Head of the Church and the Fountain of the truth. In this manner Brother Russell wanted to "uphold" the rights and authority belonging to the Church. The Church was in the greatest danger of losing this possession, so very necessary for its further spiritual progress. "We see, " Brother Russell says in the article, "how such elders and deacons are gradually becoming still bolder; it is therefore urgently necessary, that all who have the right spirit, and who recognize that in our study of the divine plan of the ages by the grace of God, we have not followed ‘cunningly devised fables, ‘take a firm stand now for their own sakes, and also for the sake of the leaders who manifest a wrong spirit..." When we today, a little more than a decade after the publication of this article, review developments, and take the things as they were, and still are, then we will agree with Brother Russell, that the condition among God’s people in these last days, especially among the leaders, may be compared with the condition which existed when Paul at Miletus spoke touchingly and earnestly to the leaders of the church of Ephesus, which only too plainly showed the apostle’s fear of the rising Nicolaitanism. His counsel: "Take heed therefore

DOS62 (1) unto yourselves, and (2) to all the flock" was not heeded by a part of the servants of the church at Ephesus. They were probably glad that Paul with his influence would get out of sight.

to only did Paul surmise that Nicolaitanism would arise amongst them, but he, in a most positive way, declared it to the assembled elders. He said, no doubt deeply sorrowful in spirit: "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things..." And then he reminded them that for the space of three years he ceased not to warn every one with tears; how he had endeavored to walk in their midst as pleasing to God, and that he was free form the blood of all; that he had coveted no man ‘s silver, nor gold, nor apparel, but rather he labored with his own hands to supply his own and his companion’s needs. This shows plainly, that the "grievous wolves, " the men of perverse things" were guilty in these points, that they did not, like Paul, endeavor to exhort the believers with tears to faithfulness toward God , that rather they were coveting silver, gold and apparel, and that they were opposed to laboring with their own hands. Instead of pointing to the Lord who bought them, to Him who alone is worthy of worship, they pushed themselves forward and striving selfishly, they began to rule and to command. Re 2:1-6 well describes the conditions in Ephesus less than half a century after the occurrence recorded in Ac 20:17-38, and shows that the predictions of the Apostle Paul exactly found a fulfillment.

The Church of God was still at Ephesus, but the "first love" for the bridegroom had become cool, being lavished upon others, who stood "in their midst, " and with this also the "doing of the first works" had vanished: The Church was "fallen" (Re 2:5). When the "first love" (which appeared at the espousal) grows weaker, because "another" successfully courts it, then it is quite likely that there are only a few steps to the renouncing of the "altogether lovely" bridegroom and an apostasy which culminates in fornication. And so we find in Pergamos an already accomplished "apostasy"—fornication (Re 2:14)! The Nicolaitanes had made great progress by that time (Re 2:6; 2:15). The sanctuary was quite desolated; the congregations had hesitated too long to take a stand against the withdrawal of the authority vested in them, by the ambitious Alexanders, Hymenauses and

DOS63 Diotrepheses. Much too long did they permit the few Antipases to battle alone against these usurpers (Re 2:13). All these were the beginnings of the system of oppression that is known everywhere, which in due course withdrew from the eyes of the "laity"amongst God’s children, the Bible and the truth, and as the "only sanctifying church" gave to the true warriors of God’s holy truth a taste of divine love (?) at the stake and on the rack! Thus it was, beloved; let us remember! Let us keep in mind what he Babylonian wine, the "wine of her fornication, " can work in God’s children! Let us remember that the departure from God’s ways, if only for a finger-breadth, or even by silent omission, when the battle for God and His gifts rages, can lead to such satanic intolerance and methods of proselyting! Thus seen, have not all the exhortations of Jesus and His inspired apostles, to hold the head, to love the truth, to be loyal toward the chief teacher and only commander been absolutely necessary? And, all this considered—have not the many, oft repeated admonitions, entreaties and warnings of the special servant of God during the last 50 years (we have just shown a small part) been an imperative necessity? And is not the anarchy, predicted with a seer’s vision, present in the Church because of such conditions? Have God’s people preserved their liberty? Have they opposed those interlopers, who, lusting after power, creep into houses to lead captive silly women? Only solitary ones are standing upon the watch! One can justly again use those words of rebuke spoken of God’s typical people, saying that a horrible thing is committed: False prophesying, rule over the people by the priests under the leadership of the false prophets, and—the people love to have it so! (Jer 5:31) the people, captured and harnessed in golden and jewel covered fetters, deprived of individual thinking and a free spirit of investigation, can hardly do anything now. How pitiful! We present here extracts from the repeatedly mentioned article, "The Hour of Temptation, " which prove that in the "V.D. M. Questions, " therein described, Brother Russell gave his last counsel for the preservation of the Church’s authority. Among other things he wrote as follows: "What we are about to write is far from what we would prefer, but it seems to be our duty as respects the Lord’s

DOS64 cause and people. We believe that a great crisis is upon the Bible students; and that the sooner it is discerned, the more successfully it may be passed. It may mean divisions; but as the Apostle remarked, divisions are sometimes necessary that the approved course and the approved doctrines and the approved methods may be discerned, and that the true teachers may be more fully appreciated. (1Co 11:18, 19)...

"So far as we are able to judge, the same conditions prevail today amongst Bible students which the Apostle pointed out to the elders of the church of Ephesus when he charged them: ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own’ (Son) (Ac 20:28).

St. Paul’s prophecy came true: ‘After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace.’...( Ac 20:29-32) "...From reports given us, a horrible state of affairs prevails in some classes when an election is to be held. The servants of the Church attempt to be rulers, dictators—sometimes even holding the chairmanship of the meeting with the apparent object of seeing that they and their special friends shall be elected as elders and deacons. We have heard of cases in which an elder refused to speak to one of the congregation because the latter had not voted for him. Yet doubtless that very elder would think himself the personification of modesty, humility and meekness.

"Oh, for shame that such a spirit should have any place amongst those who have any knowledge of the teachings of God’s Word and of the conditions upon which we may hope for joint-heirship with the Master!...

"Additionally, it may be generally expected that such as manifest an ambition of this kind to be leaders and teachers and to ignore the principles of the Golden Rule, as well as the special instructions for the New Creation, are generally the ones who bring in false doctrines. The same ambitious spirit of the Adversary which leads them to strive for honor in the Class seems to lead them on to pose as great teachers—bringers forth of new light...

"...Time and again we have noted how the Lord’s Cause has been hindered, and spiritually amongst the brethren has been stifled, by attempts to imitate the nominal

DOS65 Church in putting forward persons glib of tongue, lacking in spirituality.

"In such a case, is it not pride on the part of the Class, a desire to make a fair show in the flesh before the world? If not, why do they not at once rectify it in a quiet and positive manner?

When elders seek to bring the Class under their power and control and succeed, does it not show that the Class lacks the very quality the Lord tells us He desires to see—courage, overcoming?

And does the Class not injure such a would-be ruler, as well as itself, by permitting him to succeed in his unscriptural methods?

DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED!

"We have already alluded to the ambitious and selfish spirit in the world leading on to anarchy, and we have just pointed out how the same selfish, ambitious spirit is leading on to anarchy in the Church. We foresee the Time of Trouble for the world upon this score, and a Time of Trouble also for the Church. The world cannot purge itself of this class; for the leaders and the led have the worldly spirit, which is sure to wax worse and worse. But not so in the Church of Christ. Ours is the spirit of the Master, the spirit of loyalty to Truth, the spirit of the Golden Rule, the spirit of brotherly love, the spirit of liberty and helpfulness, the spirit of fidelity to what we believe to be the Truth. It is inexcusable for the Church, possessed of this spirit, to continue under the domination of ambitious men (and sometimes ambitious women). If they have not been conducting their Class affairs along proper lines, should they not begin at once? We believe that this is the time to set the House of the Lord in order.

"But someone will say, ‘We would have a great disturbance if we attempted to do anything contrary to the wishes of those who have fastened themselves upon us as our leaders and rulers.

To make a move at all, would endanger a division of the Class, and how could we think of anything which would result in that catastrophe?

"But, we inquire, which would be the better, to have a smaller Class operating along the lines which the Lord has indicated, or a larger Class upholding principles contrary to the Lord’s provision, injuring themselves, hindering their influence, and encouraging as a leader one who is either a ‘wolf’ or else a sheep which has been mistakenly mislead into the wolf spirit? We encourage all the dear brethren who are in such trouble to be very heroic; to see that they do nothing from strife or vain-glory, but everything in the spirit of meekness and love, that they may get back in again to the liberty wherewith Christ made free, and be not again

DOS66 entangled in any human bondage." (W.T. R5981-5982 205981 Nov. 1, 1916) With what accuracy did he foresee the coming developments! How correctly did he further foresee that the apostasy, the desolation, would even come from within the circle of the prominent brethren. Change of methods, of the truths, new light, spiritual control, banning of the protesting ones, fornication—all these have come! The anarchy in the Church which he feared, is present in a monstrous form, and lays its hand on everything that it can.

Although we must admit that the V.D. M. Questions were not the means for extirpating the growing evil, yet their recommendation by Brother Russell shows how great the peril was. Does he not expressly say: "We have not given such strong advice before, but we notice that many of the Lord’s dear sheep were disturbed, hindered in their development and deceived." He recommended the Questions (not coercingly or commandingly) as a help to preserve the authority of the class, the ecclesia (not of the leadership, which was striving for this authority!). The Questions mentioned dealt mainly with doctrine and conduct, and Brother Russell probably made both of these things the subject of the Questions, because he saw that the threatening desolation was aiming especially at these features. But as already stated, all this did not suffice to check the destruction. The V.D.M. Questions, given with good intention, were thought to be a wall of protection against the plainly seen endeavors to rob the ecclesia of its proper rights, but they were insufficient, and seemingly (as judged by the final outcome) neither necessary nor useful. If Brother Russell could have foreseen that the V.D.M. Questions would bring about the very opposite of what he expected in their final outworkings, he probably never would have made the attempt with them. It must be expressly stated however, that he was far from prescribing only just these 22 Questions to the ecclesia. Did he not literally say, that he advised that these Questions be presented to the brethren, "or a set of other questions which the class might prefer." (W.T. R5983 205983) If the matter of the 22 Questions was at first too highly appraised (we were ear witnesses of all that was seen in

DOS67 them—symbolically, etc.), and it was at first stated: "The V.D.M. and the pastoral work were the two character-features of the harvest work, which the Lord impressed on the mind of our beloved brother and pastor shortly before his departure (W.T. R6051 206051), and also said, that the Questions had to do with the sealing of the saints in their foreheads (W.T. R6096 206096), then all this was suddenly thrown over board as unnecessary ballast, as a hindrance (W.T. 1926:242). How peculiar! At first almost worshipped and acclaimed as of divine origin, and set forth as absolutely necessary, then rejected. we call to mind that the Watch Tower under its new management previously declared, "that this V.D.M. Department should remain a permanent feature of the work until the harvest shall end and the labors of the little flock shall Cease".(w.T. R6097 206097). "The two character features...which the Lord impressed on the mind of our beloved brother..." are vanished today without a trace. The Church’s authority is not preserved, although the rights of the ecclesias are well assured, but—vested in the leaders. Brother Russell’s expectation re the V.D.M. Questions were not fulfilled. One is amazed how the matter which at first was set forth as so indispensable could be set aside so suddenly as unnecessary. One asks: Why? May each one read over the reasons given therefor, and accept them if he will. But we will scarcely go amiss, if we accept another, deeper-seated reason for the discarding of the Questions. Among these 22 Questions there is one, which, like the forbidden tree, invited transgression, and it was a burdensome hindrance. "19"?

But another important point is connected therewith. "The only honorary degree which the Society accords, viz. "Verbi Dei Minister" (V.D.M.), which, translated into English, is "Minister of the Divine Word" (W.T. R6051 206051), as stated for a long time on the inside of the title page of each number of the Watch Tower, was bestowed only if the applicant correctly answered the Questions to a certain degree (85%), in the way indicated (W.T. R6096 206096). This of course necessitated the creation of an office which would judge the correctness of the answers and make final dispositions. Too little consideration as seemingly given to the fact that with this a new "central" was practically created, which

DOS68 would decide the doctrines, the rules, although the original intention was that the ecclesia should decide the fitness of its servants (W.T. R5983 205983). Brethren who had misgivings about such a "central" institution for a time were considered as opponents of the work. A result from the use of the V.D.M. Questions, in the course of time, was, that the accredited title "V.D.M."

approached (or was already?) an outward show; some wanted to shine with the "honorary title, " to show it outwardly. (W.T. R6047 206047; W.T. 1921:200) As already stated, the dangerous undercurrent could not be restrained by the V.D.M. Questions.

It became continually stronger and stronger, and, carefully at first, feeling its way, it was (wonderful are the divine permissions) exalted to power, to be a scourge, in spite of and after the man who had fought against centralization for nearly half a century, departed from the stage of this life. Let us not be misunderstood: We know that incorrectness of doctrine or conduct will creep in, because even the best, and we ourselves, yes, all err, even with the purest intentions, because we are not yet perfect! And if we desire mercy for ourselves, because of our own shortcomings, we should not be hasty to immediately sound abroad the errors of others. But it is not an unavoidable weakness which is present here, or an unintentional mistake in doctrine; quite a different matter lies at the bottom of this fatal movement. Here the question is about something quite systematic, a steady pursued aim. There is a system at the bottom of this movement, a conscious striving, whose issues are not rooted in God and in His Will. We repeat: The "apostasy" which has so terribly desolated the Church during many centuries is here raising its head again. Here are powers at work which are not from above, not of God. And although a cry will be raised about this, yet it is a fact, and will become generally known as a fact. We only desire that none may close their eyes tightly, to avoid seeing the good and the evil; that all who live in faith of being virgins might trim their "lamps" and see what is being done, that each might seriously weigh the thought that some will arrive too late and therefore will not be accepted by their bridegroom as His bride, and the present movement, against which we raise our voice, has to do with the arriving too late! It certainly

DOS69 has to do with it, and the sooner we have our eyes healed (Re 3:18), our bright-shining lamp in hand, and see this, the better it will be for us. Let us not submit to our own or others deceptions! Each one is personally tested and weighed in the perfectly adjusted balances of God.

It is not your Communion, Association, Society, Organization, your only sanctifying Church, your only channel. or whatever else the outward ties may be called, which decides for you and for your eternal destiny (remember this!), your own conduct and decisions, your standing before and toward God will settle this. And is any organization wants to relieve you of the burden of thinking, deciding, Scripture study, etc., if it recommends itself as a go-between you and your God and your Redeemer, then recognize such relief as the destruction, the desolation of the sanctuary, and do not hesitate to discern that this is no gift of grace from above, but call the thing by its right name. Do not cast to the winds the warnings of those observers who stand upon Zion’s Watchtower. Do not hesitate. "He who runs, but runs poorly, will miss the right to the crown." If you do not make use of the privileges which belong to you, others will quickly step in, and you will never obtain them again.

Only because we are firmly convinced (not leaning upon surmisings, or possibilities, but upon the facts as they become evident, especially in the course of the last decade) that there is something more than a few unintentional mistakes, and that the powers of "apostasy" are at work here, do we turn to God’s people and cry loudly and plainly: "Wake up!" We did indeed, for several years, see the decline of so beautiful a movement, but with all our fears we could not at first believe that the apostasy would come so rapidly and so destructively as the facts now teach us. We refrained from giving louder alarms in the hope that the evil would not progress so rapidly because of the general soundness and sobriety of the friends, who, we thought, were really earnest Bible students. But we were disappointed in our expectations. We have lived to see almost unbelievable things...

In the degree that earnest Bible study was stressed and also really practiced during decades, so far is Bible study—

DOS70 earnest Bible study, gone today. There is scarcely a trace of earnest study today. In place of Bible study there is Watch Tower study, alas, not even this, but Watch Tower assenting, and whatever does not harmonize with the Watch Tower presentations, may it be ever so much in harmony with the Bible, is error—we are told! Such as really are earnest Bible students, who still place the conclusions they have drawn from the Bible against the special wisdom of the "Watch Tower" are of course always against the much lauded "work of the Lord." Of course, if one yields to the thought, taught a thousand times, that the Watch Tower Society is the divine channel for the transmission of divine truths, etc., that it alone, and always, is carrying forward the "work of the Lord, " then one must indeed condemn everything opposed to this "work of the Lord, " yes, indeed, everything—the sound, sanctified common sense, logic, and not least, the word of god itself, when standing in opposition to it. Many times we have experienced how afraid God’s children are to open their eyes, in order to see Scriptural proofs. If these were in conflict with the Watch Tower presentations they were afraid to open or look into this book of most marvelous wisdom, the Bible. One was always very considerate to save the honor of the Watch Tower, even though one had to abandon the honor of God’s precious word. The "remaining in harmony" with this "work of the Lord, " whose real aspects the majority of its supporters knew not at all (the more mysterious a cause is, the more reverence is often given to it), was such a coercive necessity, that everything was, and still is, made dependent upon harmony with this mysterious work. Now we can understand much better, how the idea of this first, the chief work, could be maintained during the many long centuries, among really intelligent men. Whoever drinks of the cup, into which the first apostate jugglingly puts his gift, comes under a spell and is robbed of his clear, earnest, logical thought and action. Indeed, only in this way can all this be accounted for. The nations have drunk of the mixed wine, and—they were made drunken and were made mad. And as long as the adversary can go about, planning and working, he will put his gift into the cup; oh, the danger is not past. Is it only an accident, dear watching people of God, that immediately after those words concerning the vision of

DOS71 the appointed time (Hab 2: 1-3), which we have studied during the last fifty years with such increased interest, that there is a description of a puffed up condition, of insincerity, of wine of transgression? (Hab 2:4, 5.) The decision of dear Brother Russell to recommend to the ecclesias his 22 Questions (or others, to be determined by the Class) for preservation of their authority, and as a protection against unscriptural methods and teachings, came only (indeed not till the last year of his life (see W.T.R6051 206051) after he had hoped in vain during many years for the manifestation of a healthy and humble spirit on the part of the leaders. Only because this evil became more threatening, did he decide upon this advice. For the old Watch Towers are, as we have repeatedly stated, the incontrovertible proof that he saw the ever increasing corruption in the bosom of the church.

And with all his modestly he often used plain words to point out the evil and warn against it.

Long before 1916 we find quite plain remarks in the Watch Tower from time to time, that certain features appearing among serving brethren displeased him. Ever and again one concluded from these remarks that Brother Russell saw the chief trouble to be, that some brethren wanted to push themselves to the front by unwise methods, which have their origin in self-conceit and ambition.

It was his thought also, that the leaders "...are generally the ones who bring in false doctrines" (W.T. R5981 205981). Whoever compares his presentation with conditions prevailing—especially since his death, will understand fully and completely why we are describing these things. Alas, that the people of God might wake up, and always set the Lord and His gifts and truths above the gifts and self-conceits of fallible leaders! We declare therefore quite plainly, that we must now openly warn against the spirit, the methods, the doctrines of the movement which unfortunately carries the beautiful name "Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, " since it is evident that it continues in its self-conceit to keep its wrong course, even after the failure of its proudly and sensationally proclaimed teachings; since it is further evident, that many, very many, are drinking the mixed doctrinal wine of this "only channel, " and are thereby suffering loss; since every hope

DOS72 of a "reformation" has proven deceptive; since earnest Bible study has been displaced by unconditional Watch Tower assenting, and, in short, since the movement has become an "apostasy." Our warning would simply be self-conceit, did we fail to bring from the divine Word the proof that this movement has robbed God’s children and ecclesias of rights belonging to them, and has twisted the divine truths in an astonishing manner, mixing them with error. We want to let his light, is truth shine forth according to the grace be stowed upon us, and we ask each one to prove whether the evidence presented here is from the word of God, or whether we speak of ourselves (Joh 12:49). At the same time we ask each one to feel his responsibility and duty toward God and His truth, and not only this: but to fulfill them. We urge each one in god’s name to read the "epistle" which He caused to be written (1Th 5:27), i.e., His eternal, only authoritative word of truth, to acknowledge it, and to judge and decide everything by it alone. Before we enter into the scriptural refutation of the erroneous teachings, etc., of the "Watch Tower" we will show first, in the following extracts form Brother Russell’s works, the thoughts of this wise man of God concerning the personal rights and duties of the ecclesias of God and the servants of the ecclesias. When we cite Brother Russell here and in other places of this work, it is not done with the intention of having him speak as an authority. Much as we esteem him, we would just as much warn every one, not to put the decisive weight on him nor on other men of God. The fact that the Scriptures alone speak with compelling authority should never be lost sight of. The citation of some of Brother Russell’s thoughts is done only because of their fitness. We must confine ourselves to but a small portion of his excellent thought, but wish that every truly earnest Bible student, every one serving God and not human institutions, might open wide their heart and mind, and see it unclouded, without fear or hesitation, to discern and compare it with the Scriptures, and to act in submission and loyalty to the exalted and wisely beneficent God and Father, and His Anointed, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

In the year 1889, there appeared a lengthy article from Brother Russell’s pen, which particularly called attention to the rights and duties of God’s children, and also showed how

DOS73 a self-exalted hierarchy had gradually seized upon the rights of the ecclesias, until at last the church was deprived of these rights and every vestige of liberty. We present herewith a few extracts from this important article, written in such brisk and stirring manner:

"PROTESTANTS, AWAKE!"

the underlying principle of the Great Reformation, to which all Protestants look back with pride, was the right of individual judgment in the interpretation of the Scriptures, in opposition to the papal dogma of submission to clerical authority and interpretation. On this very point was the whole issue of the great movement. It was a grand and blessed strike for liberty of conscience, for an open Bible, and the right to believe and obey its teachings regardless of the usurped authority and vain traditions of the self-exalted clergy of Rome. Their councils (of the Catholic church), at first harmless if not profitable, began gradually to suggest what each individual should believe, and came finally to decreeing what should be considered orthodox and what should be considered heresy, or in other words deciding what each individual must believe. There the right of private judgment by individual Christians was trampled upon, the "clergy" were put in power as the only official interpreters of God’s Word, and the consciences of the "laity" were led into captivity to those errors of doctrine which evil-minded, ambitious, scheming, and often self-deluded men among the clergy, were to establish and falsely label, Truth. And having thus, gradually and cunningly, secured control of the Church’s conscience, as the apostles had foretold, they "privily brought in damnable heresies, " and palmed them off upon the conscience-fettered laity as truths (2Pe 2:1).

Protestants generally, except Episcopalians, admit the fallacy of these claims of Papacy. And yet the habit of centuries, of regard of certain forms and ceremonies and for a certain class of self-exalted fellow-mortals, called the clergy, still clings to the people, and the Protestant clergy consequently receives much of the same homage and reverence against which the reformers of the sixteenth century protested.

Nor can we wonder much that even some very earnest, honest ministers accept this customary submission and reverence of the people, and the title of Reverend, and that superstitious respect which looks up to them as possessed of almost superhuman authority as religious leaders. It is a general weakness of the fallen human nature to take all the respect,

DOS74 honor and authority others are willing to accord. And then, too, many ministers have become possessed of the same ideas, and really themselves to be worthy of homage and reverence. Many get the old papal idea that the ruling and teaching of the Church belongs to the clergy by divine arrangement.

That false teachers would arise in the church, who would pervert the truth, was foretold. The Church, therefore, is not to blindly accept whatever any teacher may set forth, but should prove the teaching of those whom they have reason to believe to be God’s messengers, by the one infallible standard—the Word of God. "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is not light in them" (Isa 8:20). Thus while the Church needs teachers, and cannot understand God’s Word without them, yet the Church individually—each by himself and for himself, and himself only—must fill the important office of judge, to decide, according to the infallible standard, God’s Word, whether the teaching be true or false, and whether the claimed teacher is a true teacher by divine appointment.

God himself provides these teachers; they are His gifts to the Church (1Co 12:28).

Any superior wisdom and ability granted such, is as much for the sake and for the good of the other members of Christ’s Church as for themselves. And whichever of God’s children comes to see some important truth generally disregarded by the Church and finds himself possessed of ability to make it clear to others, should do so, should teach it, to whosoever has an ear to hear. If a new truth, it belongs to the entire household, and he who keeps it from them, for any cause, defrauds the family of God, misuses a great favor, and deprives himself of a ministry (service).

We exhort all God’s true Church—the one Church, which includes all consecrated believers—to awake to the principles of the Reformation—to a recognition of the right of individual judgment upon religious questions. Demand Scriptural proofs for all you are asked to believe, take neither the decisions of Rome nor those of Westminster, nor of any smaller councils or synods, as final settlement for the question, "What is truth?" And be sure, that you believe and confess nothing that you do not understand fully and clearly. To subscribe to, or confess, what you do not understand, and therefore cannot truly believe, is solemn lying in the presence of God and witnesses, no matter if it be true that others, by the hundred, have done the same before you. If you did this once, thoughtlessly, even though it were years ago, in joining the Church, now that your attention is called to it, you are bound to procure a copy of the "covenant, " or "articles of faith, " the belief of which you confessed publicly,

DOS75 and after careful, prayerful study of it, if you find that you do not so believe, you will be bound to deny it as publicly as you confessed it, or else forfeit in god’s sight all claim to honesty.

Require of all who shall attempt to teach in the name of the Lord the exact words of the Lord or the Apostles which they claim support their teaching. Get the chapter and verse and look the matter up for yourselves, critically examining the text and the context. Weigh and test every item of teaching which you receive as your faith, regardless of how much you esteem the person who presents it. We know that no fellow-mortal is infallible, and that His Word is the only standard by which God wishes us to square and measure and build up our faith.

The object of Rome in establishing a clerical class, as separate from what she terms the laity, was to gain and to hold full control of the people. Every one admitted to the Romish clergy is bound by vows to submit implicitly to the head of that system, doctrinally and in every way. Not only is such a one held fast to those doctrines and hindered from progress by the strong chain of his vow, but also by innumerable smaller ones—his living, his dignity of position, his title, and his hope of advancement in the same direction; the opinions of his friends, their pride for him, and the fact that should he ever confess to greater light and renounce his position, he would, instead of being honored as an honest thinker, be maligned, despised and misrepresented. In a word, he would be treated as though to search the scriptures and to think for himself and exercise the liberty wherewith Christ made all his followers free, were the unpardonable sin.

We challenge any one to produce a solitary passage of Scripture giving one member of the Church of Christ more liberty or authority than another in these respects.

But in showing that the Scriptures recognize no separate clergy class, but that the entire Church of Christ is the Priesthood and that they each and all have the same authority to do anything that the Lord and the Apostles enjoined, as they find they have the ability, let no one suppose that we urge disorder. It is proper that each congregation should select or elect some of their number, best qualified, for these services. But it should always be remembered that the one who thus serves belongs to no higher class or caste than his brethren who chose him to thus minister or serve.

"All ye are brethren, and one is your Master." Such a servant of the Church is no more reverend or sacred than others, though if he be a very faithful and Christ-like servant he should be esteemed very highly "for his work’s sake, " because of loving, faithful service, but for no other reason (1Th 5:13).

DOS76 While glad to acknowledge that Baptists, Congregationalists and Disciples approach the true idea that the entire Church is the royal priesthood and that each congregation stands independent of the jurisdiction and authority of all others, yet we beg them to consider that their theory is not fully carried out; and, still worse, that the tendency among them is toward centralization, clericism, denominationalism; and worse still, that the people "love to have it so" (Jer 5:31), and take pride in their growing denominational strength, which means their growing loss of individual freedom.

The tendency of Protestants in this respect is to follow the method and practice of Rome. With Papacy the councils declare the doctrine to be believed; and the people, denied the right of private judgment, are required to believe whatever these councils decree to be the truth.

In view of these facts and tendencies, we sound an alarm to all who hold to the original doctrine of the Reformation—the right of individual judgment. You and I cannot hope to stem the current and to prevent what is coming, but we can by the grace of God imparted through this truth, be overcomers and get the victory over these errors (Re 20:4, 6) and as overcomers be granted a place in the glorified priesthood of the incoming Millennial Age (see Re 1:6; 5:10).

Hold to God’s Word and demand a "Thus said the Lord" for all you accept as your faith. (W.T.R1134-1138 201134) How important are these words of our dear Brother Russell! Could he have thought then, that this small call, "Protestants, Awake!" would also have to be cried aloud to this last glorious movement, in which he himself stood? Possibly not! It is as if Brother Russell had expressly written this cry of alarm for the "I.B.S.A." (International Bible Students of America) lying in the fetters of spiritual rulers since the mysterious year "1918."

And what was Brother Russell’s thought concerning the duty and responsibility of those who are not totally blind to this decline? He warns them urgently against letting a few fight in front and reap abundant ignominy for it, but to draw back themselves. Explaining that in this battle the questions about the defense of the things of God, His message and His truth, he says in another place: "The time has come for each one to declare himself boldly. He who is not for the cross (the ransom) is against it! He that gathereth not scattereth abroad! He who is silent on this subject, when it is being assailed by foes on every hand, whether it be the silence of fear, or of shame, or of

DOS77 indifference, is not worthy of the truth, and will surely be one to stumble quickly. He who from any cause sits idly by while the banner of the cross is assailed, is not a soldier of the cross worthy the name, and will not be reckoned among the overcomers who shall inherit all things.

And God is permitting these very siftings, in order to sift out all who are not "overcomers, " and to test and manifest the little flock." (W.T. R3826 203826) God’s children should not be faint-hearted in holding fast and defending the truth; but trusting fully in God they should courageously lift up the banner and thus demonstrate their true faith and heart-loyalty towards Him who has called and so graciously blessed them. They should never be wanting a "thus saith the Lord, " an infallible pebble for striking every Goliath. What, after all, is faith, if it does not manifest itself in this manner? Concerning this Brother Russell says in the short article "Your Precious Faith": "...If an attack is made upon the intellectual foundation of our faith we should see to it that we have a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ for every item of our belief. Let the Word of God settle every question, and let no human philosophies, however ingenious, lead us in the labyrinths of error; for if the foundations of our faith become unsettled, the superstructure cannot stand when the winds and the floods of adversity and temptation beat against it. Doubt and fear will cause it to tremble, and when it is thus weakened the vigilant adversary will surely send a blast of temptation against it, and great will be the soul’s peril.

"Let us, therefore, look well to the foundations of our faith—study the doctrine and get a clear intellectual conception of every element of divine truth which the inspired Word presents to the people of God; let us become rooted, grounded, settled, established in the faith, the doctrines of God, and hold them fast: they are the divine credentials; and let us give earnest heed to them, lest at any time we should let them slip" (Heb 2:1). (W.T. R1822 201822) And in regard to being established in the faith and in the truth Brother Russell writes beautifully and truthfully in the Manna of May 9 in consideration of the text, Col 2:6, 7: "The general sentiment among the teachers of false doctrine, who think it is neither necessary nor advisable to be established in the faith is—that to be established is to be a bigot. And so it is if one is so unfair in mind as to accept and tenaciously hold that which he has never proved neither by sound logic nor Bible authority. But he is not an unreasoning bigot who, in simple faith, on the authority of God,

DOS78 accepts the Word of God. And such, and only such, as do so are established in the Truth. The difference between a strong and steadfast Christian and a bigot is that one is established in the Truth, while the other is established in error." That a child of God should have the consequences of a courageous stand for the faith and the Truth once delivered unto the saints, to the Almighty and Omniscient God, and not shrink back, we have learned long ago—theoretically! but we must demonstrate practically that what we have learned is not only of the head but also of the heart. In considering the passage 1Sa 15:22 in the Manna of May 13, Brother Russell deduces as follows: "...Let us hearken to the Word of the Lord and keep close to it, not fearing the results, but having faith that He who keeps us never slumbers nor sleeps, and is too wise to err, as well as competent to meet every emergency that could possibly come upon us as a result of our obedience."

To the question that only the infallible Word of God should serve the child of God as a foundation of faith, and not the doctrines of human organizations, though they come to us with great positiveness, Brother Russell writes: "It will be well for us to remember, that all the graces of the Spirit, all the progress in the knowledge of divine things to which we have already attained, that may have helped us nearer to God and to holiness, have come to us through the Scriptures of the Old Testament and through the words of our Lord and his inspired Apostles; nor will it ever be necessary to go to other channels for the true wisdom which would prepare us for the salvation promised." (Manna of May 21) As soon as we perceive a teaching running contrary to the scriptural Truth we should at once do our duty and if necessary warn the defenders of error, Brother Russell has well expressed in the following words: "When we see others walking in forbidden paths, in the way of transgressors, we are not to follow them there in order to help them out, but to show them the right path by keeping in it and calling to them. When we see some confusing themselves with doctrines and teachings of men, which we know are fundamentally wrong, we are not to wade through those doctrines in order to help them out; but we are to remind them that the study of any doctrine which will not square with the foundation is not only a misuse of consecrated time, but all trifling with that which we know to be error is wrong and dangerous, as all violations

DOS79 of conscience and principle are dangerous." (Manna of June 8, compare also December 20) Is it not true? Can a grateful child of God act otherwise? Will a child of God fear men if this grateful love and loyalty is dwelling in the heart?

"The true children of God love the truth because they have an affinity for it. When they have found the Truth they recognize its value; they prize it and meditate upon it. They say it is just like God; it is the manifestation of His glorious goodness, the reflection of His loving, benevolent character. And therefore they love the Truth and the God who gave it; they treasure it up in their hearts and consider it over again and again..." (Manna of June 19)."let nothing becloud or obscure this truth—neither other truths nor errors. Let it dominate our course in life, and then, if God’s will is really our will, we have a clearly marked pathway before us, which is very important." (Manna of July 1) "Let us remember, that the first condition of acceptance with God is loyal obedience to His Will, the evidence of love for Him and faith in Him." (Manna of July 5) If we thus thank the Lord for His providences through His word of truth, the true foundation of our faith, then we will not praise ourselves, but Him, the giver of all good gifts. He will be the one to whom we will point everyone, but never to ourselves. To this Brother Russell says very truly: "All of the Lord’s servants should call attention to the Lord and not to themselves. Let us each bend our energies to pointing men to the Lamb of God, and not to self seeking. Modesty is a gem wherever found, one of the graces of the Spirit, which all of the Lord’s consecrated ones should seek to largely develop and well polish." (Manna of July 7) Wherever this modesty, the emanation of grateful loyalty to the Lord is present, there is less danger of falling a prey to seductive voices and organizations. Such as possess this modesty love the well-known voice of their Lord who said that He is the Truth, and "the voice of the Good Shepherd is a blending of various sounds in a manner in which they are blended by no other voice. His voice sounds forth the chord of justice commingled with the chord of love, and the whole intoned with wisdom and with power. Other theories, plans and schemes of men and devils have no such harmony of sound as has the message which the Great Shepherd has

DOS80 sent us through His Son. Moreover, when the true sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, it satisfies their longings as nothing else could do. They will no longer be in danger of being attracted by other sounds or voices, theories or schemes, but will reply to all: Jesus has satisfied, Jesus is mine!" (Manna of July 9) How strictly God’s children should prove new light which is offered them, and how they should in a given case promptly reject it, Brother Russell has well expressed in these words: "However much they should ever come to respect prophesyings, or public speaking, the Lord’s people should learn proportionately not to receive what they might hear without proper examination and criticism; they should prove all things that they hear, should exercise discrimination of mind, as to what is logically and scripturally supported, and what is mere conjecture and possibly sophistry. They should prove what they hear with a view to holding fast everything that stands the test of the divine Word, and shows itself to be in accordance with the Holy Spirit; and they should as promptly reject whatever will not stand these tests." (Manna of August 18) Many other Manna comments also contain striking thoughts applicable here (for example see.Manna of September 4, 9, 23), likewise many Watch Tower expositions of Brother Russell and in The Studies of the Scriptures, but the above quotations are quite sufficient. We are convinced that all who still decline with thanks the golden chain offered them (Da 5:16, 17), recognize their duties toward God and His Truth, toward themselves and their fellows, moreover, they will comply with them.

After having shown in the preceding pages the course of the constant enmity between the servants of God and of Satan; that Jesus Christ founded His Church holy and pure, and on a good foundation, and that this Church was then led into Babylonian captivity and slavery, where the holy vessels of the temple were desecrated, having further pictured before your eye the finding again of the precious, divine truths, and the placing of them together into a well arranged whole, especially during the time of Brother Russell’s work, we also stated our conviction concerning the decline of the blessed movement (of the "Watch Tower"), and finally the duties of an obedient child of God—we will now examine

DOS81 some of these teachings of the "brighter" light (?) separately, that we might be able to decide whether or not our fears are justified, whether we should support the new light (?), or if we must declare it to be darkness and reject it. May the love and loyalty to the Lord give us all enough determination, to always say yes to His word, which has proceeded out of His mouth, and not simply to keep silent (in order to avoid disagreeable experiences) to every teaching which is not of Him (2Joh 9:10; 1Ti 6:3), but to reject it positively, thus protecting other children of God from deceptions. We would be guilty before God if we should look on inactively, while "the name of God and the doctrine" is being blasphemed. How the church at Thyatira was rebuked, simply because she "suffered" the woman Jezebel and her errors (Re 2:20). Let us not suffer errors, self-conceit, arrogance and blasphemy of the Truth! Ours is the duty and the obedience toward God! Let us rise quickly, without hesitation! Omnia ad dei gloriam! All to the glory of God! Let us not be forgetful!

BE VIGILANT

Up then, and linger not, thou saint of God! Fling from thy shoulders each impending load; Be brave and wise, shake off earth’s soil and sin, That with the Bridegroom thou may’st enter in.

O watch and pray! —From Poems of Dawn..

DOS82 THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP (Lk 9:23)

Would you be my disciples? Consider again: Can ye follow my footsteps through trial and pain?

Can ye throw away pleasure, and glory and fame, And live but to honor my cause and my name?

Can ye turn from the glitter of fashion and mirth, And dwell like a pilgrim and stranger on earth?

Despising earth’s riches, and living to bless, Can ye follow the feet of the shelterless?

When ye hear i am come, then can ye arise, The joy of your heart springing up in your eyes?

Can ye "come out" to meet me what’er the cost be, Though ye come on the waves of a storm-crested sea?

Yea, we’ll take up the cross, and in faith follow thee, And bear thy reproach, thy disciples to be.

Blest Saviour, for courage to thee we will fly; Of grace thou hast promised abundant supply! —From Poems of Dawn..

DOS83 PART TWO

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD

Whoever believes in the existence of a creator, a Most-high God, unquestionably believes it true also that this God is not only unlimited in His power, but also infinite in His wisdom. Not only does the Word of God teach this, but it is accepted as self-evident by believers. Yes, even the heathen who believe in the existence of a Supreme Being ascribe to this Being Omnipotence and Omniscience.

Can we imagine of our God that He might not be master of any situation? Can we suppose that anything could take place without His knowing its minutest detail in advance? Must not common sense tell us that this God stands infinitely above all creatures in knowledge and ability? Every believer in the Bible will confess with Job: "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee" (Job 42:2).

Truly the God "who has and can do all" also knows all. He knew all before it came into being.

Although this is self -evident to us, the Holy Scriptures give the testimony which is valid confirmation to all believing ones, and "the end of all strife" (Heb 6:16). We entreat our readers, not to lock the door of the mind and throw away the key.

While even the great and powerful systems of nominal Christendom have believed and still believe in the omniscience of God, the most enlightened part of God’s people (?) comes forward and announces as "the only channel of truth, "that God did not know everything! It is hard for us to decide whether this doctrine, this "food from the Lord’s table, " should be received with laughing or weeping. Consider this: The God to whom heaven and earth and all their host belong, whom the worlds unprotestingly obey who "understands our thoughts afar off, and every word before the tongue can utter it" (Ps 139), who, according to 1Pe 1:20 and other passages, foreordained Jesus as the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (which presupposes the fall)—this God should not have foreknown the fall into sin and the sacrificial death of Jesus! This God should, when

DOS84 the fall did actually occur, have regarded the situation as critical! (page 30 of "Deliverance"). So teaches the present Watch Tower Society! We have experienced that friends, from whom something better might be expected for the time they have been in the Truth, are even thanking God for the "wonderful spiritual food which the Lord now dispenses through the Watch Tower, the only channel." To thank God for it! Oh, the disgrace! Brothers, sisters! See with us, with eyes open, and show your love for the Lord indeed! We are not setting forth the state of affairs with a desire to stretch matters, to be one-sided or biased. We cite the "precious food" of The."watch Tower" literally, so that each one can convince himself, and we entreat you: Remember whom you are to believe: "God could have had foreknowledge that Adam would fall, and he could have withheld this knowledge from himself had he so desired...

It would not at all be necessary for God to foreknow that Adam would fall. If he did foreknow and foreordain his fall, the it follows that Adam did not have freedom of action. The opinion is therefore here expressed that God made His plan in the alternative; by this we mean that he made if in such a manner that it would meet any emergency. If Adam sinned, then redemption would e necessary...For this reason it appears that he did not foreordain or even foreknow that Adam would sin ...

The fact that God made provision that in the event of man’s deflection he would redeem him by the precious blood of his Son, would not at all make it necessary for God to foreknow that Adam would sin. As soon as Adam did sin God began the execution of his plan. There is no reason to believe that God had foreknowledge or foreordained that Adam would sin and that his Son would die, but he made his plan so as to cover either emergency; as the Scriptures declare, "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning" (Ac 15:18). This does not say that God foreknew all of his works before the beginning of the world." (W.T. 1926:169) The same train of thought is found in W.T. 1927:147; please read these carefully.

Brothers, sisters! Is it not clear to you, before the eyes of the All-seeing and All-wise One, that this food of the Society has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the "table of the Lord?" Does not this food show very clearly (even if not victuals were given) how low the fall, how evil

DOS85 the self-conceit and arrogance of the Society must be, which palms itself off as the only food-dispenser, the possessor of the greatest treasure of wisdom? They dare to present such a thing to the household of faith for consumption? Such a thing? Without hating the publishers of such an infamous doctrine, we not only regret such a deplorable, bungling work, but have also contempt for it; we turn from it with disdain. Friends, there are situations in which we may not be irresolute, or faint-hearted, thinking to seal the lips for the sake of peace. There are conditions in which manly determination is not only useful, but even absolutely necessary. Such a state of things is present here; it will not do to be weak and reserved, our vow of faithfulness to the Lord requires that we say unhesitatingly: Away with it! What does the Lord say to such a work which offends Him in the highest degree? Are such "works of the Lord, " of which the Society likes to speak in self-praise, works which find His approbation? He that has eyes like unto a flame of fire says: "These works I hate" (Re 2:6). Brethren in Christ! Do not permit yourselves to become embittered against the poor ones who are deceived by such teachings, but have no communion with such unclean food, hate it, as the Lord hates it. "Touch not the unclean thing."

According to the above Watch Tower exposition divine foreknowledge would have hindered Adam in his freedom of action. Then God would have to be without foreknowledge, in order to let Adam have freedom of action...And "God could have foreknown that Adam would fall, and He could have withheld this knowledge from Himself, had He so desired..." And He did "doubtless desire to withhold from Himself the peculiar knowledge of the way which Adam would take, and did doubtless withhold from Himself such knowledge"—the Watch Tower teaches with dumbfounding assurance. "Doubtless"—and many readers believe it, since it is the Lord who is presenting as food that which the Watch Tower brings, as we are assured, for example W.T. 1925:71, 72; 1926:158. But "doubtless" such a train of reasoning is absurd and nonsensical. Consider again, beloved, the wisdom of this "only channel, " in the sentence: "There is no reason to believe that God had foreknowledge (!), or foreordained that Adam would sin, and that His Son would die (!), but

DOS86 He made His plan so as to meet any emergency" (!) and judge fro yourselves. To believe this, means not only to doubt the omniscience of our God, it means its denial, more: It means the denial of the doctrine of the (one) divine plan in which knowledge we all once so greatly rejoiced, and God be praised, in which we still rejoice today. For if God reckoned with possibilities, if He did not foresee and foreknow man’s fall into sin, then He was either working without a plan, or with several plans! See, dear people of the Lord, into this frightful error do we fall, if we follow the "new light" of the Watch Tower without criticism. But how remarkable: While our exalted God did not (according to the Watch Tower teaching) foreknow the fall into sin, He did foresee other things. We mention only a few of the many instances: God’s prerecognition of Jeremiah ("Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, " Jer 1:5); His foreknowledge of Pharaoh’s stubbornness (Ex 3:19); The work of Cyrus (Isa 44:28); The birth of Isaac (Ge 17:19); The world empires and their development (Da 2:37-45); The rise and development of Antichrist (2Th 2:3-8); The foreknowledge of the members of the body of Christ (Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4; 2Ti 1:9; 1Pe 1:2). If God knows our thoughts before we think them, as shown in Ps 139:4, then He surely knows our deeds before we do them; then He also foreknew the fall into sin. Truly, He knows everything in advance, else He would not have said: "Ask me of things to come" (Isa 45:11). "Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world" (Ac 15:18); the Scriptures declare, and as believers in the Scriptures we cannot contradict this. If He knew all the above-mentioned events, etc., in advance, then of course He also knew much more—in fact, everything. Since He knew these things mentioned 100 or 500 or 1000 or 4000 years in advance, He certainly knew of them 10, 000 or 20, 000 before, yea, "eternally." Surely! Did He not know when He gave the promise concerning the bruiser of the serpent’s head (Ge 3:15), that the first-born of all creatures would give his life on Golgatha more than 4000 years later? If He did not know this—was then sending of Abraham with Isaac (the type of the Seed of promise) to Moriah merely an accident?

Beloved, let us treat the divine word in a serious and

DOS87 worthy manner! Let us beware of revising and dressing it according to our thoughts and theories! Beloved in Christ! We are standing in the presence of the all-knowing and all-seeing.One, and are very sharply watched by Him. He desires that we accept and believe His word, which tells us concerning Him, the great God "...declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done" (Isa 46:10). Will we accept and believe His word, or disregard or totally ignore it, as the Watch Tower does in the question under consideration concerning the divine foreknowledge. Once more: Let us beware of making frivolous sport of the holy word of God. Let us not speak like those of Ps 73:11! The Watch Tower says that God can withhold from Himself a knowledge of coming things.

Although the folly of this thought is apparent, yet we ask: What advantage would there have been in the self-withholding of the foreknowledge of man’s fall into sin, or what disadvantage does the foreknowledge have? The Watch Tower will not be able to give a Scriptural answer to this. Why? Because the dogma proclaimed by it is senseless an unscriptural.

Those who are still able to think clearly we ask to consider, if there is not proof in the creator’s charge to Adam in Paradise to "dress and to keep" the garden (Ge 2:15), that God foreknew the fall? From what should the man keep the garden entrusted to him? Is it not from the evil, the unholy? Certainly not from the good.

Whoever finds pleasure in the dangerous doctrine of the Watch Tower concerning God’s lack of foreknowledge will "eat" it with voracious appetite; whoever loves that which is "clean" (Isa 52:11), will not first eat, and then vomit it again (Vol. 7 comments on Re 19:18), but will reject it, without partaking of it. Many friends are in great haste to eat every dish offered in the Watch Tower expositions (W.T. 1926:158). With an amazing superiority it is "pointed pout" in all seriousness, that the Watch Tower is perfectly right in its assertion, because Ge 22:12 is claimed to show that in the situation there described, God only then said: "for now I know ..."

Thus passages are sought and "found, " which support (!) the

DOS88 Watch Tower teachings. And Mt 25:12? The Most High does not "know" all things, and His Son does not "know" all persons...Only the "exclusive channel" knows and understands even that which the "layman" misses, it knows even what the devil "thought" in the year 1918 (W.T.1925:72, par. 63). No, no, beloved, God has long foreknown everything, but the Society is the one of which it must be said that they have no foreknowledge (and of course of us also). It evidently does not yet know that it has departed from the truth, and that with such foolish doctrines it is causing the adversary to rejoice. Like those teachers in Ephesus, the new teachers of the Society are verily "understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm" (1Ti 1:6, 7).

One sin begets another, likewise one error another. Is the Church proud and will not "confess her sins" in repentance and sorrow, does she turn and twist to justify her errors, then each error must bring new errors in consequence. This error of non-foreknowledge of God, proceeding out of error, has, in its defense, brought forth new errors. Since the Scriptures repeatedly state, that God knew this or that before the foundation of the world, etc., and since such plain declarations would upset its doctrinal house of cards, the Watch Tower lets the world begin only since the flood, or the time of our Lord’s first advent (Compare the totally deviating article W.T..1927:196). As a concession he adds: "But supposing he (Peter, in 1Pe 1:20) really refers to the first world, or world that was, even this was organized after man’s fall." Thus may scriptural expressions, such as "before the world" and similar ones now be taken only in the sense as set forth by the "only channel." Of course! Because otherwise they brand the doctrine of divine foreknowledge as of man, yes as darkness. What does our teacher say? "Such works I hate!" May we do likewise. "Doubtless" the Scriptures often speak of the world as of something which was long before the flood, also long before man’s fall. We believe that God literally knew everything before each world (whether in the sense of age, order, or the creation of the heavenly bodies); Peter, however, refers to the foundation of the world through God, and not through Satan. Why, we ask, should God have foreknown the slain Lamb only just before the flood, or shortly before his slaying? Does the Watch Tower draw conclusions

DOS89 concerning the great God from its own shortsightedness and increasing ignorance?

We believe also, that God in His Omniscience has not the desire to withhold from Himself the knowledge of any event whatsoever. such a thing would be paradoxical.

It appears useful to again call to mind the fact here that Brother Russell’s time was especially characterized by the perception of the divine plan. We began to perceive the "divine plan of the ages, " and were filled with a joyful exuberance when we appreciated how wonderful God’s plan is, based on Omnipotence, Omniscience, Love and Justice. But who could still speak of a plan of God, if God had to arrange for several possibilities, as taught by the Watch Tower? How strikingly did Brother Russell write of the divine foreknowledge in his work "The divine plan of the ages" (especially in the treatment of the question concerning the permission of evil); but now in the juggling the foreknowledge has become non-foreknowledge. And then they dare to say boldly: "No fundamental truth has been changed!" "It is still the same teaching" (W.T.1926:119; Yearbook 1927:14). Of course an intoxicated person will find no difficulty in saying this...

We neither measure nor have a boundary for the Omnipotence and wisdom of our God (Ps 147:5; Isa 40:28). We say adoringly and with sacred reverence: "Oh the depth of the riches—both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! "How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out !" For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor?

"Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto his again?" (Ro 11:33-36.) Do we believe in this God? "This God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death." (Ps 48:14.).

DOS90 SATAN IN HEAVEN

"The Scriptures do not support the thought that Satan has been barred from heaven since the fall of man in the garden of Eden, nor yet about the time of the flood. On the contrary, the Scriptures and the physical facts seem to indicate that for some good purpose Satan was permitted to remain in heaven. That is, God permitted it, and therefore it was for a wise and good purpose" (W.T.1925:69, par. 30).

So, "for some good purpose" Satan was "permitted to remain" in heaven! This is taught in the year A.D. 1925 by that portion of Christian people which considers itself as the most enlightened, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, the "only channel" for the dispensing of divine truths! Will the society tell us fairy tales, as is done to little children? For the following sentence forces a grown-up person to smile: "Satan and his official family must have been cast out of heaven upon the earth some time after 1914, and before 1918. After this battle he must have been stunned for some time, so that he did not comprehend what had happened to him" (Par. 51).

It is not wonder when someone remarked, after reading of this alleged "stunning" of Satan because of his being cast down to earth: "I can readily believe that—from such a height!" Truly with such fairy tales mockery is made of the holy Word, it is played with as children play with sand. They seem to have forgotten that the Word of God is worthy of better treatment than that of men.

The article, "the Birth of a Nation, " in its entirety is a single great slander of the Word of God.

Amazed we ask: Why is this so? Why such unsupported theories? What gave the occasion for them? Truly is this is the better light which the Lord is supposed to have given since 1918, then the Lord himself is hastening to make His Word contemptible, and to cause "the way of the truth to be evil spoken of" (2Pe 2:2). But we entreat each one to inquire into the motives from which the articles of the present head of the Watch Tower Society have sprung. Surprising conclusions are arrived at then. Once the motives are discerned, enough will be known then.

DOS91 What was the motive for the article which turns divine truth upside down, and twists and throttles it? The writer cannot hide the motive at all, the trace of his thoughts is too plainly impressed in the article. Namely, he became president (people of God! Did you inquire of your God at that time?), and according to his mind, everything should move differently, better, of course. But there were a few watchmen who had a great reverence for God and His will, and these dared, out of love for God and in fulfillment of their vow of sacrifice, to say a plain and widely-heard "No" to the arrangements and doctrines of the president. But these had, however, been active in the "Lord’s work, " so to speak grown up under Brother Russell in part (or wholly?), and were fairly well-known and esteemed among the household of faith. That these objectors should now step in the president’s way was a thing unreckoned with.. What was to be done? The Bible was searched all over, and a weapon was found against the "enemies of the work" (of the Lord!?): Re 12. And these were given, like Huss and other martyrs centuries before, a paper cap with the "devil’s caricatures, " and then they were catapulted out of heaven with Satan. This happened (is supposed to have happened after the "vision") around 1917. Now the hated protestants were out of the way. But the supposedly dead were tougher than was thought, for soon they stood upon their feet again to the terror of those whom they had found against. Let us read this exposition of the "Watch Tower" literally: "Stars" symbolize leaders in the church who possess a knowledge of present truth. Stars could not symbolize nominal leaders, because they have no knowledge of present truth. "And his tail drew the third part of the stars, " etc. In the trouble that began in the Fall of 1917, which is really the beginning of 1918, it would not be unreasonable to estimate that one-third of the then leaders of present truth on earth were turned against the Lord’s kingdom work, and have been against it since. It was the tail of the devil’s organization down at this end that drew them (W.T. 1925:68, par.22).

Dear Brethren in Christ! Sometimes we ask ourselves, if there is not too much said against the doings and teaching of the Society, but when one looks at the hodgepodge of doctrine which it offers to God’s unsuspecting children, thus

DOS92 deceiving them, making the Lord’s work contemptible; when one sees how that which was laboriously built up is laid waste again, and how all the conditions fro a renewed fulfillment of Re 2:20 are re-created, then one is filled with a holy zeal to take hold of such trashy nonsense, not with tender hands, but with determination, to expose it. How systematically the self-lauding Society proceeds to stop all voices protesting against her ungodly methods and doctrines! This article, containing particularly serious errors, is a poisoned weapon against the brethren antagonistic to the president. Those courageous brethren who at that time said "No" in fulfillment of their vow of faithfulness, were immediately (and it was done in great haste) styled as constituting the "tail of Satan’s organization" (!!) and a hatred was systematically sown and furthered among God’s children against these disturbers of the supposed greatest, and far-reaching plans. The entire chapter in Re 12, was correspondingly dressed down, and everything fitted "wonderfully!" There was great joy in "heaven, " of course! But a few, who were loyal to God, wept! Go the way which to you seems wise, successful, and gain joy for yourself in it—at the same time while you are rejoicing over the success of your self-wise way, others must weep. The first "only one" (Isa 47:8) should be a warning example in these things seen afar off (Re 17:5). Did she not develop herself from the very smallest beginnings to a system of might which ruled the world, and eventually even sold salvation for gold and silver, and rewarded a refusal of the salvation thus offered with the rack and stake?

Consider! That "work of the Lord" (yes indeed, those abominations were also done "in His name"!) had a very small beginning. Woe unto a church, when this tiny mustard seed finds lodgement in the soil of her heart! From that same moment she will increase powerfully outwardly under new methods of her leaders, but inwardly be darkened in the same degree—only to be rejected of God, who will call new "movements" upon the scene which will further His cause and truth, according to His methods, for the church must have "movement." The Watch Tower exposition in question is truly a great error. No wonder, for it has arisen from the spirit of hatred against the protesting brethren. It is moreover the most

DOS93 fertile soil for countless miasmas of error which since then have actually ascended. It is to be rejected by "earnest Bible—students with deserved contempt. If its author, the president, thinks that his assertion will serve such Bible students as proof, then he does not know what an earnest Bible student is. His argument: "This proof should be sufficient to establish the fact that Satan was in heaven, and for some reason had access and opportunity to accuse the brethren in Christ before God—Revelation 12:10" (W.T. 1925:69) is a rotted support, but shows what a high opinion he has of his own assertions. If this rotted support breaks down, then the entire hate-inspired exposition is a deplorable heap of ruins. For there is neither "proof" nor "fact."

Proof and fact is , that Satan had fallen form heaven to earth long before 1917 or 1918; we will leave wholly undecided whether or not he was stunned by his fall and could undertake the work only after his recovery (W.T. 1925:73, par. 87). It is established that he had already been cast out of heaven in the time of Jesus, 1900 years before 1917-1918 (Luke 10:18). And if he was cast out then, he certainly was not "permitted" in the meantime to appear "in heaven for some good purpose." For what purpose? How often? Who determined the times of his appearance?

Indeed, according to the Watch Tower exposition Satan seemingly had a right to stay in heaven just as he pleased, for we read in W.T. 1926:275, that: "God did not prevent him from being there." We refer also to the equally foolish expositions in W.T. 1925:276, 277, 280; 1926:24, and others. This heaven furthermore, it is said in W.T. 1925:345, should be the heaven in which unrighteousness was deliberated, the "old heaven, " which according to the Scriptures is to pass away! This heaven, in which Satan had access to Jehovah?

Mt 18:10 seems to permit the conclusion that not all the angels may always appear in the presence of the Most High (actually we know very little about this) how much less Satan! Lk 10:18 does not refer to a future event, which should take place in 1917-1918, but looks back into the distant past. Ps 5:4 ("the evil one shall now dwell with thee, " literal rendering) shows that a dwelling of evil (in person or act) with God cannot take place, because of His holiness.

Eze 28

DOS94 and Isa 14, which we also consider is a figurative representation of Satan’s conduct, cannot be taken as decisive proof that Satan’s fall, his casting out as profane (Eze 28:16), should take place 1917 or 1918. This passage, like Isa 14, describes mainly the past evil time, during which Satan, because of his sin 6, 000 years ago, is cast off from God. According to Isaiah’s delineation the burden of the king of Babylon (confusion), will be pronounced retrospectively in the day of rest, the seventh day, the day of the millennial kingdom. Therefore the objection of the president and his defenders, that Satan’s fall from heaven could not have taken place 6, 000 years ago, because there were no peoples and nations at that time (Isa 14:6), collapses (W.T.1925:345). It is established that Satan, like our first parents, was banned form his holy environments immediately after the fall, and that at that time he became the prince and god of this world, and not merely since the time of Israel’s rejection, as the Watch Tower thinks (W.T.1925:67, par. 4).

The "proofs" of the Watch Tower, especially Job 1:6, when considered in their true light, are proofs to the contrary. The combination of the Watch Tower is somewhat like the one given by someone who said: "It is written: ‘He went and hanged himself’ (Mt 27:5), and it is written: ‘Go and do thou likewise’"( Lk 10:37). Is this rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15)? Certainly not! The power of God’s glorious word does not always lie on the surface merely, where each one can take it freely and without labor; often, yes most frequently, one must stoop and gather the "Manna" each morning; one must "search" for the truth, as one searches for silver, and seek as for hidden treasures (Pr 2:1-5). Then one reaps the joy of the seeker! We should not be merely nominal, but real, earnest Bible students, who approach the word of God with reverence and adoration, since through it God is speaking to us.

In setting forth its supposed proof, the Watch Tower says that Satan made an accusation against Job there, i.e., in the presence of Jehovah in heaven ! Is there one syllable in the book of Job which says so? It is always well, not to put anything into the Bible which isn’t there, nor take away anything that is there (Re 22:18, 19). We entreat you to

DOS95 look at our counter-evidence, and we believe that it will be worthy of the consideration of all students.

Jehovah is the eternally existing, and unchangeable and all-faithful One, that God which keeps His promises to a thousand generations (De 7:9; Mal 3:6). It is a very striking, pregnant designation of the exalted God. This infinite One had a Logos (speaker, announcer of messages), His first and highest Son, by whom all things were made, who has a preeminence in all things, through whom alone therefore the redemption from sin could be accomplished (Joh 1:1-3; Pr 8:22-36; Col 1:15-20; 2Co 8:9; Re 5:13). This Logos often spoke and acted under the commission of the Infinite One in His name (Jehovah). When, for example, he appeared to men as His ambassador (angel), then he spoke as if the sender Himself were delivering the message. This can easily be ascertained by every student from the various Biblical accounts. Three men came to Abraham—in reality angels, one of these the Logos, but the spoke continually and used the name Jehovah. Ge 19:24 is otherwise unintelligible, and clearly shows the correctness of our exposition. At times the name Jehovah stands for the Logos, at other times for the Most High Himself. The seeming difficulty, or disharmony, as text critics are wont to say, dissolves itself into most perfect harmony in the divine light of truth. The angel of Jehovah appears to Moses at Horeb (Ex 3:2), but he never says: "I, the angel of Jehovah, " but as representing Him who sent him he says: "I Jehovah." The same thing is true of the (same) angel who later talked with Moses on the mount, and gave the law to him. We recommend the reading of this. The New Testament likewise confirms this everywhere. Read, for example, Stephen’s discourse in Ac 7:30, 35, 38). Why did the angel call himself Jehovah, if he was not actually Jehovah Himself? We have already given the answer to this, but the Scripture itself gives the answer to the student. We read in Ex 23:20:."behold I sent an (Mine, Ex 23:23) angel before thee...Beware of him and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions (because he is faithful, true, unchangeable), for my name is in him." Jesus, the Logos, the representative of the Host High carried His name, Jehovah. This explains much, and solves difficulties.

DOS96 If Jesus came to Abraham, Moses, Gideon and other men under the name of Jehovah, then the assumption of earnest established Bible students, that in the case of Job 1:16 we have to do with the representative of Jehovah is quite Biblical. Such an assumption clears up that which the Watch Tower darkens. We have already stated that nowhere in the Book of Job it is mentioned that the meeting of Jehovah with Satan took place in heaven. we also have abundant proof in the Scriptures that the angels are divided into "ranks, " and that all the angels, of whatever rank (Cherubim, seraphim; comp., also Col 1:16) would treat the archangel, the Logos of God, with deserving respect (Heb 1:6; 1Pe 3:22). Even the evil angels under Satan’s dominion knew how exalted he was, and even acknowledged it (Mk 1:24). How much more those angels loyal to God! We know further, that angels, as "doers of His pleasure" (Ps 103:20, 21) have been and are active upon the earth in great numbers, although we cannot see them with our human eyes. We need to refer only to Ps 34:7. The service of angels to men is much greater than we are aware of . When this representative of Jehovah came to earth, in the days of Abraham or Moses, how did the angels who were active on the earth conduct themselves toward this high visitor? Did they take little notice of him? Or did they show him becoming respect as the representative of Jehovah? It was natural for them to present themselves before him, that they would do this without being requested. Such a position of honor for himself did Satan strive after, as shown in Isa 14:13, 14. The presenting of themselves before the ambassador of Jehovah took place especially when commands were to be received or resolutions passed (Da 4:17; 7:10).

Is our exposition stretched or pressed, when we thus "expound" Job 1:16? Does it not rather naturally impress itself upon the student in his humble and reverent study? Let each one examine and judge according to his sanctified understanding.

Here then, on the earth, was the meeting between Jehovah’s representative (the Logos), and Satan. Satan was the despot of the air, and he was bold enough to step into the circle of those assembled. But we find further beauties of divine wisdom in Job on closer examination.

Because of lack

DOS97 of space we cannot give the details here, but if it please God, some of it shall be published later for the benefit of truth lovers. In Ex 33 (especially Ex 33:14) the angel (Exodus 32:34) is called "My presence, " and we know that the Logos (Jesus) was this angel, this "presence of Jehovah." On careful examining Job 1:12 and Job 2:7 we will find that it is stated there also that "Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah." Who then was this Jehovah in Job? We believe that the readers themselves will be able to find that scriptural answer. But in order to assist them in this, we will ask if Jehovah Himself (the Father) in His holiness could have had.intercourse with Job, a member of the sinful human race, without a mediator? Note in this connection that "Jehovah" held a dialogue with Job later (Job 38-42, see especially Job 42:7).

One sin begets another, and one error another. And the correctness of Bro. A. H. J’s deductions in W.T. 1926:78 (which, of course, he seeks to reject utterly) that "if there is error in this article...would we not expect that subsequent articles get even further away from the truth?" have been confirmed before our eyes. An error, when begotten of selfish motives (hatred of brethren who for the sake of the truth are saying a "No" (W.T. 1925:68, par. 22) is a sin. And it is a further and greater sin, if, in our efforts to "justify" this error, we bring forth a second error, which in turn leads to a third, fourth and still further errors. This is sin indeed. Men with spiritual pride are to be held responsible for this. They make everything dependable upon the very simple, and as they say, easily conceivable "fact" that it, and it alone, is the only channel for divine truths (yes, in a letter published in the German W.T. 1925:208 they have even gone so far as to use the expression "bread factory"); and that the message is in truth not its own, but that of the Lord (German W.T. 1924:157). Since then this is being emphasized with many different variations. Once they had established this principle and carried it through with the friends, then their "authority" will not permit them to acknowledge an error; it must be defended and colored, so that it will look like the truth. And because the word of God (the truth) does not support error, then a new error must be manufactured, to fortify the first one. Usually another Scripture is put on the rack and "worked over" until it is suitable for the purpose; but sometimes,

DOS98 when no Scripture can be found which would even distantly support the error, then the "assertion" of the "channel" is given out as truth. And then we wonder that the first "only one" (the papal church) made "tradition" of equal value with the written word! What does Jesus say?

Answer: Mk 7:9, 13; Mt 7:9; 15:6. It is unfortunately true as the Watch Tower says, that "no man likes to be beaten in an argument" (W.T. 1925:108, par. 6). Unfortunately! and yet not always: the humble ones, and they only, when "overcome by the testimonies of the holy Scriptures, " will gladly permit themselves to be beaten by the divine arguments, and give up their own just as readily.

It was soon found that the new light of the president, when closely inspected, is in reality dark. Students remembered that the Bible throughout says that the angels who kept not their first estate, have since been kept in chains of darkness, here in the air, and that Satan is their chief prince (Jude 6; 2Pe 2:4; Eph 2:2; Lk 22:53). It was correctly argued: If they were chained in the air here, then they could not freely appear with Satan in heaven above in the presence of Jehovah, as the Watch Tower teaches. What to do in order to be right in any event? The Watch Tower was not embarrassed for an answer. It replied: There were two armies of demons, of which the one, to which the above cited Scriptures are applicable, because of their being bound in chains of darkness was, of course, deprived of the possibility to seek the presence of Jehovah above with their chief prince, Satan. But Satan had a second army which was not limited as to their abode, and this was his "official" family, which was with him above, and then was cast out of heaven at the time stated (after 1914), and has since been totally deprived of every possibility to ever again desecrate the holy courts above, by their unholy presence. Now we know it! And this assertion does not come hesitatingly, but quite boldly, to the "Anointed." Is it not stated: "Without a doubt (!) there was a band of evil spirits..., " i.e., such as were not restrained in earth’s atmosphere, but could ascend with Satan into the heavenly courts (W.T. 1925:346).

"Without a doubt"—but, where in the Scriptures? The writer either forgot to quote it, or the prophet has spoken "presumptuously" (haughtily, out of his own) De 18:20; Col 2:18; 2Ti 4:3, 4.

DOS99 How did Brother Russell write? "Demand of all who seek to teach in the name of the Lord, that they quote the exact words of the Lord of the apostles, which they claim in support of their teaching. Turn to the chapter and verse, etc. ...Demand a ‘thus saith the Lord’ for everything which you accept as your faith.—Ac 2:10." Students will demand this! And because they demand it, and the president will (can) not give it, therefore he constitutes them as the "tail of Satan’s organization" (!!), worthy of the Second death! But pebbles for the sling, taken for the brook, hit every Goliath-error so squarely in the forehead that it sinks to the ground (Manna Sept.4 and May 9). we seek the honor of God and honor of His truth, and adoring Him, it is often necessary for us to cast down without indulgence the height which exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and which deceives God’s children. we may not hesitate even there, where it concerns the "organization of God, " erected by men, the "work of the Lord" established by men, the "prescribed way of the Lord" planned by men. Sentimentalities are entirely out of place in such situations. Fro it is here not a question of trifles, but of the rapidly growing, anxiety causing evil of the renewed "apostasy, " the renewed desolation of the sanctuary... "Cry aloud, spare not! lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression." (Isa 58:1.) We would mention just a few more unsupported statements for an article having its origin in hatred against protesting children of God; the "Birth of a Nation." We have already said that the exposition is praised as "new light, " and the Watch Tower itself takes pains, from easily understood motives, to make it clear to the friends that the better light is due and obtainable only since the pretended coming of the lord to His temple in 1918, and that logically much could not be understood before that time. And as a matter of fact so much of the old has already passed away, and so much has become new since 1918, that one seriously asks oneself, what was there really understood in accordance with the truth in the days before 1918? (In the days of Brother Russell.) Thus also the year 1918 is playing its part in this article! (W.T. 1925:67). It is only a wonder, if it could not be understood before 1918, that they waited with the dissemination of the

DOS100 true light till 1925! Why this? Would an earlier publication of the ‘better" light injure? Oh, certainly! Because thus early the then generally earnest Bible students would have said more emphatically "No." But by 1925 the "earnestness" of Bible study had gone down so far, through systematic labor, that the new lightning-flash could be sent out without danger. And it found—mostly—receptive minds. but the tangled skein grows still bigger. Before the new light on Re 12 and the cast out and stunned Satan was issued from the "bread factory, " the true exposition of Re 12 had already been given. Volume 7 contained it, and to exclude every doubt, it was said then that Volume 7 and its exposition was of the Lord, yes, that the Lord was responsible for Volume 7! So then, both form the Lord, and both not perhaps similar, but diametrically opposed; according to the one exposition (from the Lord) in Volume 7, the male child was the Antichrist, according to the new light it is the true Christ. What now? From the Lord, and rejected? Did the Lord Himself perceive that it was incorrect? Or was there an oversight? Or did God give what was correct, and the "bread factory" handed out what was false? We ask thus, because it has always been asserted that what was offered was from the Lord ! Of course we are hardly permitted to think logically. But we thank God that we can still think.

Since 1918 the friends can see what had been unknown to them till then. "since 1918 the Anointed understood ...for the first time..." (W.T. 1925; 68, par. 20). Satan is said to have been cast out of heaven, where, it is stated, he had access to Jehovah, down to earth about that time.

"From that time onward the battle has proceeded upon the earth. Before this the battle was fought out in heaven" (W.T. 1925:68, 237, 276-280; 1926:25). Let it be considered: The dragon of Re 12 is Satan literally, who for some good purpose is permitted to be in heaven, to seek even the face of Jehovah; this literal Satan was cast out of the literal heaven upon the literal earth, where he suffered a literal stunning, from which he had to literally recover. We ask therefore with all seriousness the logical question: If the dragon of Re 12:4 is literally Satan—must not Satan have a tail? Must he not also have seven heads and ten horns? (Re 12:3). Our questions still continue: If the protesting brethren (contrary to the uniform exposition

DOS101 of the Watch Tower) are designated as the stars of heaven (par.22), and the heaven is said to be literal—must not these brethren have been in the literal heaven then? Did they not fall down?

But another curiosity: These same brethren "stars of heaven, " are said to be Satan’s "tail" at the same time! (same article par. 22). How many-sided! Truly these are fables which are brought to the ears of God’s consecrated people! (2Ti 4:4). People of God! See how the convulsive defense of one error originates a hundred others and worse errors! Take heed! Turn away from them! Such "works" are never worthy of the demanded "exception." Jesus says: "I hate them." (Re 2:6).

The new nation has not been born, in spite of the trumpet-like exclamations of the Watch Tower.

And although in this question we would speak less positively than the Watch Tower, we would ask with Isa 66:8: "Shall ... a nation be born at once?" The close-lying answer, however, is seemingly "No, " and not "Yes." What if this starting point had been explained falsely by the Watch Tower? Then the entire exposition structure resting so proudly upon this would be one huge self-deception, then the glorified young men would have seen a mirage, a false "vision" again. (See W.T. 1925:342.) Who then is the "she" in Isa 66:7? We will not, as we said, give a positive answer here, but the following arrangement may perhaps give some students an incentive for searching the Scriptures: 1. Before she (Isa 66:7) travailed, she brought forth, before her pain came she was delivered of a "man child" (singular). this is so extraordinary (indeed, since the fall into sin impossible), that the question is asked if anyone has heard or seen such a thing. The answer evidently is: No.

And because it was foreseen that this remarkable birth would be applied to a "nation, " the question is asked in Isa 66:8. The answer here evidently is also: No. What if the "she" is no one else but the virgin who brought forth a son? Isa 7:14.

2. "As soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children" (plural). When, therefore, the Watch Tower says that the new nation is born as the "man child, " we repeat the question already put by the Scriptures: "Can a nation...?"

DOS102 There are so many curiosities in the "Watch Tower" in the themes "Birth of a Nation" and "Satan Cast Out of Heaven, " that it is hard to know where to begin with the clearing up, and where to stop. That which is , like the above mentioned thing, impossible, the Watch Tower accomplishes with playful ease. It’s Zion, God’s organization, as it is called a thousand times, i.e., the church of Christ gives life also to its individual members! So says the Watch Tower repeatedly since (for exam. W.T. 1926:141-142; Del. 246). Thus the church, the woman, brings forth the church, the man child ! either we must bow before this "wisdom" in reverence and say:" Knowledge too wonderful for me, too high, I cannot attain unto it, " of this wisdom is one of those fables of which Paul warned (Tit 1:10-14). A woman brings forth herself! That, of course, has never been. But to some this is not only clear, they even claim to have seen this unheard-of and strange birth. How great are religious systems which err from the truth in the invention of "mysteries!" Is not the above described teaching concerning the birth of the new nation as much a mystery as the doctrine of the trinity, etc.? All who duly reject all such idle babblings are, of course, quickly styled as lawless ones, apostates, offenses, tail of Satan’s organization, etc., etc., by the Lord’s representative (the Watch Tower). In spite of the multitude of its absurdities the Watch Tower sees only itself as God’s favorite, all else is Satan’s organization. It says literally: "Satan is our worst enemy, and we are his only earthly opponent" (W.T.1925:356).

Concerning Re 12 otherwise we would refer to the exposition of this chapter given in the "Berean Manual" (Commentary), which seems to have various points in its favor. We think that in the dragon figure we are not to understand the literal Satan, but the world empire, Rome.

Perhaps in this the Scriptures are also more exact than we think. In Re 12 we are told that the dragon (the Roman world empire here) is called the devil and Satan (Re 12:9-10, while in Re 20:2, where evidently Satan is meant personally, it is said: "Which is the Devil and Satan." The man child ("Son’) of Re 12 reminds of the "Son" of perdition in 2Th 2:3. And just as the Son of Re 12 ascended (advanced) very quickly (was "caught up") to a God and to his throne, so it is also

DOS103 said in 2Th 2:4 that the "Son" mentioned there exalts himself above all that is called God, showing himself that he is (a) God. How appropriate in this case does the naming of this deified "son" as Michael (One like God) in Re 12:7 seem. The sound of rejoicing in Re 12:10 is, it seems, nothing else but the confession of this new leader and his adherents in "heaven" (just as symbolical of course). They taught that with this victory of Christendom ( in reality of Nicolaitanism, i.e., the papacy), the longed-for reign of Christ and His kingdom had come. And this teaching became continually more passionate, until it brought to the protesting children of God, who would not submit themselves under the scepter of this counterfeit kingdom of God, torture and death of the rack and at the stake. One evil idea—and what terrible consequences! And yet this idea asserts itself to this day, and when a new communion of Christians introduced it, then they always thought again to have discovered a new message of "the Lord, "" His work!" If a still clearer exposition of Re 12 should be given, e are ready to accept it.

In paragraph 69 of this marvelously twisted article (W.T. 1925:72) the writer has requested that reader to take a pen in hand and calculate the 1, 260 days of Revelation 12 (which he applies literally). "Behold the result, " he says theatrically. The co-workers were "released from the custody of the officials of Satan’s organization" on March 26, and consequently, he says further, the time must be figured from the subsequent whole days, from March 28 onward." From the 28th onward? Why not from the 27th?(see also par. 64 and 87.) Answer: Because, then (from March 27 inclusive to September 8 inclusive; comp. par. 83) it would not be 1, 260 days! (1920 was a leap year!) This we have calculated with pen in hand! The assertion of the Society is an inexcusable misleading of the friends. So with exact "calculation" this exposition also collapses within itself lamentably.

Beloved in Christ! How much more could there be said concerning this foolish "brighter" light, but it is truly impossible for us to touch each point. Anyone who has solid ground under his feet can, without difficulty, distinguish the false from the true. Whoever will read again the article, "Birth of a Nation, " will find that there are many absurdities

DOS104 which we have not touched here. Love to the Lord should cause us to immediately recognize, without hesitancy, such spiritual babblings, and to reject them, and if somehow they have already taken root, to cast them out of the understanding. Yes, love to the Lord demands this! How difficult it is for some to lastingly maintain their first love to the Lord! How many testings, siftings are often necessary to get back to the first love, that is to the love for the Lord and His gifts! One "sees" the brethren, and is "seen" of them, one does not "see" the Lord with the eyes, and one easily forgets that the "eyes" of the Lord can "see" quite differently than those of the brethren. He who walks in the midst of the lampstands (His ecclesias, His people) has eyes which pierce everything, as a flame of fire. "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Heb 4:12, 13). Should we not, when the "Living" Word of God shows us the glorious truth through the "written" word, accept it as a precious gift from the Most High and reject as injurious everything that runs counter to the symmetric lines of this word? are we afraid to incur the displeasure of the visible brethren, who in unwisdom or self-conceit are neglecting the first love to the Lord and who (sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously)seek to be the object of the first love themselves? should we not rather fear to incur His displeasure, in whose eyes everything is naked and uncovered—the invisible One? Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Remember this! Let us follow Him where we plainly see His truths, methods and ways in the light of His light. and may we follow immediately, determinedly, without irresolutions. Let us not think that the rejection of one error is unimportant, and therefore need not be done so unconditionally. Let us not think to abstain from doing it because it might give offense to the brethren, and because we would have to expect many a suspicion, many an evil judgment for.ourselves. Should brethren be offended when others (who are also brethren!) call their attention to the true light, and therefore to their own wrong conclusions? Should they not be grateful? do they not also desire to acknowledge the truth? Does not indignation on their part at such attention-calling show that they have need yet to grow in the image of Christ? Is there

DOS105 anyone among us infallible? Are we not dependent upon one another? Does not history teach with overpowering clearness for all of God’s children that the progress in the truth came from just such consecrated ones to God who did not belong to the leading "official" organization?

While we mention all this in questioning manner, we believe that we are thinking soundly and soberly. we believe further, that a consideration of this advice would bring much benefit to many and show them the disadvantages of spiritual fetters, even though they were studded with precious stones; for a fetter remains a fetter. We believe further, that a giving up, on the part of the leading brethren with the Watch Tower, of the thought that the Lord was giving truths only through them as the one and only channel, would diminish the great spiritual war in "heaven" of these present days. Acquainted with the history of the church in the past, we must, of course, say that we do not indulge in the hope that the brethren will favor any such action. Their attitude hitherto toward the brethren, who, from love to the Lord are protesting, does not admit such a hope. And therefore we believe that our warning cries will not be heeded by them. They themselves have declared that they would give no heed to the criticisms of such (in truth, noble thinking) brethren, nor would they give time to consider them (W.T. 1925:355; but comp. Vol. 6:263, 318, where Brother Russell encourages criticism.) Thus they deprive themselves of many a blessing, because the spirit of searching is still alive, and to be found in that very part of the friends whom they designated as the "tail" of the dragon, and "allies of the intrigues of Satan."

From out of these manifold reasons and considerations proceed our entreating and warning cries: Back to the first love, back to the first works! (Re 2:4, 5) Back to the Lord as authority and teacher!

DOS106 THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD UPON ALL FLESH

Every departure from the truth, however small it may be, always brings increasing spiritual losses. Attentive Bible students have noted with increasing astonishment how the Watch Tower during the last decade has reentered the path which has been forsaken by Brother Russell to the great blessing of God’s people, by withdrawing many, many Bible promises, which according to the plain testimony of the Holy Scriptures will find their fulfillment in the Millennium of the completed Christ’s reign of blessing, from this glorious future and applying them to the present time, or even to the entire Gospel Age. This can be ascertained in many very important points of truth. Unfortunately, a great number of dependent friends, who look upon the watch Tower as " direct food from the Lord," and who read it only with the intention of sanctioning it, fail to perceive it. This course can be noticed only by the earnest and thorough student. The endeavor to apply promises due in the future, of which we will mention a few more in the course of our considerations, to the present time, shows itself plainly also in the exposition of the familiar prophecy of Joel concerning the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all flesh. Every Bible student acquainted with the older Watch Tower literature knows that Brother Russell applied the Scripture passage Joel 2:28 to the thousand-year reign of Christ. And this exposition is the only correct and possible one, because confirmed by many scriptural proofs. In opposition to this the Watch Tower asserts (W.T. 1925:340) that the outpouring of the Spirit upon "all flesh" in the sense of Joel’s prophecy took place once in the end of the Jewish Age, and is also taking place in the end of the Gospel Age. It says expressly: "The text does not seem to be applicable at all to the Millennial Age." (See also W.T. 1926:143, where it says verbatim: " A careful study of the article in the Watch Tower will demonstrate that the Holy Spirit being poured out does not include the millions class who expect to live on the earth. The Holy spirit will not be poured out on anyone during the Millennial Age.")

DOS107 Beloved! Hear and be astounded: The Holy Spirit is already poured out upon all flesh! And this is said to be new greater light! But if this is really light, then the former exposition has been error, for, of course, both cannot be truth. We need on to question the facts, to look at our surroundings, to ascertain whether the promise of Joel 2:28 is fulfilled, i.e., whether the Spirit of God is poured out upon all flesh, or not. Even a literally blind man knows that all flesh does not yet possess the divine spirit. "Now the world is full of suffering; Sounds of woe fall on our ears.

Scenes of wretchedness and sorrow, fill the eyes with pitying tears," sings the poet, and he therewith strikingly characterizes the conditions among all flesh in our days. Are these the consequences of the Spirit’s outpouring upon all flesh? Let us not follow "cunningly devised fables" (2Pe 1:16; 2Ti 4:4), frivolous assertions which have no weight with God, which are as light as Belshazzar upon God’s judgment-balance. We look at the world—it "lieth in the evil one," and is worse than ever. These are the facts surrounding us, which cannot be denied.

But let us examine the Scriptures and see if they teach that the Spirit is poured out upon all flesh.

The answer is clearly "No!" Wherever we meet in the Scriptures the expression "all flesh," all mankind is meant, and not a selected class out of it. When we read in Ge 6:12 of Noah’s time, that: "... all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth," then we know that it concerned the whole world of mankind of that time. The same is true of the Scripture passages, Ps 145:21; 65:2; Isa 40:5,6; Zec 2:13; Joh 17:2 and all others where the words "all flesh" occur. If we are still able to think clearly and logically, then we must admit that in these passages all men are always meant. A limitation of the expression "all flesh" to an elect part of men surely would be a twisting of Scripture. It remains then to ascertain when the Spirit of God will be poured out upon "all flesh" (Joel 2:28), upon all mankind therefore. The Joel promise gives the answer plainly in the word "afterward" (Joel 2:28). After what? A thorough perusal of Chapters 1 and 2 is necessary if we would have the correct answer. Before Joel announces the prophecy under discussion, he describes the day of time "afterward." Connecting therewith the expression.

DOS108 is given in Joel 2:18, etc., that God’s favor would be granted again to His people Israel in connection with that terrible day. And then follow the words in question: "And it shall come to pass afterward, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaidens will I pour out my Spirit in those days." Afterward," therefore, means after the day of Jehovah, the day of desolation, and when natural Israel is, after many centuries, turning again to its God. We know that the day of desolation, also called the day of vengeance, constitutes the end of this age. If, therefore, the outpouring of the Spirit of God follows the day of desolation ("afterward!"), then this Scripture passage of Joel 2:28 can find its fulfillment only in the Millennium, never before! Only then, because only then all flesh is spoken of . Before the Millennial kingdom only a little flock indeed, and elect class, is blessed with the Holy Spirit, according to the well known facts. This is the clear testimony of the Scriptures, verified by the facts which we may not oppose. And, "the many which (today) hear, understand and love the message of the kingdom and ...who blow the trumpet" (extracts for a letter in German W.T. 1926:144), are not "all" however, not "all flesh!" The exposition of the Watch Tower is consequently man’s bungling work, an unsupported theory, a transparent design, wet up to designate all those protesting as being against the "work of the Lord" (it should be called "work of the Society"), "as dreamers and air-castle building old men!" Oh, dear people of God, violence is thus done to the word of God! For, be it noted, that the prophesying of the sons and daughters and the dreamings of the old men, etc., are the consequences of the poured out Holy Spirit and, therefore, can be only good and holy. How could those old men (elders) "build air castles," or dream foolish "dreams" as a consequence of the Spirit of God? (And this is the question here!) "Those who quit in 1918 are in darkness of have dreams," says the Watch Tower article cited, and in exposition of the word: "Your old men shall dream dreams," it declares: "Many who have long been in the truth continue to build air-castles" (!!) Hear, therefore, oh people of God: The Holy Spirit of God is working

DOS109 this! But we say: Away with such Watch Tower "dreamings!" All flesh will be blessed in the Millennial kingdom of Christ, as we have shown in the foregoing. The Watch Tower has the thought that the Holy Spirit is working only in the sense of begetting, that therefore the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy could take place only in this age. This of course is an error, for the Scriptures, which alone are authoritative, show that others also, who had been begotten of the spirit to a higher nature, possessed the Holy Spirit. Did not Abraham have the Spirit of God? Was not John the Baptist "filled with the Spirit even from his mother’s womb?" (Lk 1:15). were not the prophetic writers of the Bible moved by the divine Spirit? (2Pe 1:21; see also 1Pe 1:2). Were they then begotten of the Spirit? The apostle says in Ro 8:14: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God," and the human beings restored to perfection will also be sons of God and partakers of the Spirit of God (Re 21:7). If "the Holy Spirit will not be poured out upon anyone during the Millennial Age"—when can the outpouring of the Spirit upon Israel, repeatedly promised this people, take place? (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:3; Eze 11:19; 36:26, 27: 39:29; Zec12:10) Will anyone boldly claim that this has already taken place or is taking place today?

The words: "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh" represents a comprehensive description of the blessing in the Millennial kingdom of peace, beginning after the terrible day of Jehovah. Then follows the individual enumeration of the blest ones: first of all the sons and daughters, the old men and young men. These groups refer, according to our understanding, to natural Israel, which receives this blessing of the spirit first.

For let us note that these words are addressed to this people in the words: "Your sons and daughters, your old men (elders) and your young men." But according to Joel 2:29 even the servants and handmaidens also receive the Holy Spirit—all mankind. The words "and also" give us to understand that the servants and handmaidens had until then not been as close as the sons and daughters mentioned in Joel 2:28, etc.—Isa 14:2, with other Scripture passages, shows

DOS110 that the servants and handmaidens of Joel’s prophecy are actually the nations. For the fulfillment of Isa 14:2, and other similar passages, the conditions during the time of the 6000-year reign of sin cannot of course serve as samples; since this fulfillment falls in the thousand-year reign of blessing under Jesus Christ, it must be sought along entirely different lines, in accordance with the justice and love of the new government. Just as Jesus "led captive" the great captivity of the sin-enslaved human family (Ps 68:18), in order to lead them to God, so also must Israel’s reign over their former oppressors be similarly understood. At all events, none will then reign over another to is hurt (Ec 8:9). Let us also keep in mind that the outpouring of the spirit takes place "in those days" (Joel 2:29), i.e., in the time shown by the word "afterward," when the Spirit will be poured out upon the sons, daughters, old men and young men, neither earlier nor later, therefore also in the thousand years of Christ’s reign of blessing. "In those days" (Joel 2:29) points to the time already given in Joel 2:28.

The wonders, Joel 2:30, 31 of the prophecy, occur before the outpouring of the spirit upon all flesh, yes, even before the great day of Jevovah. The words: "Before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come," which is described in the two chapters as so divesting, and after which ("afterward") the outpouring of the Spirit follows, shows this so clearly, that every doubt is excluded. And this has also been wilfully twisted by the Watch Tower, as may be seen in the same article (W.T. 1925:343, par.42), where it is said that "God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh simultaneously with the occurrence of these events." We repeat: Joel 2:30-31 are fulfilled before Joel 2:28-29. To give a better view we here place the events together in their sequence: 1. The "wonders" of verses 30 and 31 occur ("before the day of Jehovah come").

2. Then comes the day of Jehovah, with its terrors and desolations; such as never have been before and never shall be again (Joel 1 and part of 2).

3. Deliverance of Israel (Joel 2:2-27 in part).

4. "Afterward" (after the events preceding) the outpouring.

DOS111 of the spirit upon all flesh, upon "your" sons, daughters, old men, young men, and also upon servants and handmaidens.

When Peter cited Joel’s prophecy on the day of Pentecost, it was done to prove to the mockers that the effects were not produced by new wine. Joel had already spoken of this in his prophecy, that the outpouring of the Holy spirit would result in prophesying, in seeing visions and dreams.

But in order not to rouse the impression that Joel’s prophecy was then being wholly fulfilled, Peter expressly says: "It shall come to pass in the last days." The Pentecostal blessing (which continues to this day, even though its effect is not so conspicuous, so wonderful as then) was only a first fruits (Ro 8:23) before the coming world-wide outpouring of the spirit in our Lord’s kingdom of peace. The question on the day of Pentecost was: "What meant this?" (Ac 2:12) And Peter explained to them what "this" was: The result of the reception of God’s Spirit and not that of wine. That is the point.

Much could still be said of the deductions of the questionable Watch Tower expositions, which are full of errors, but we want to take up only the grossest perversions of the truth. We would mention, however, the artificial, yes, ingenious, exposition regarding the "young men," who are said to represent "the great number of young men and women" having come "to a knowledge of the truth" (but is it a knowledge?) since 1918. these are truly "air castles!" How honored such "youths" feel, and therefore it is no wonder that they also, as has often been experienced, fail to manifest just the best manners in their behavior toward the "old men." Just as in Israel once (Isa 3:4, 5). To be sure, character-development is unnecessary; yes, wrong, yes, of Satan, as the Watch Tower thinks. Alas, "they refuse to receive correction" (Jeremiah 5:3). The main thing is that the youths say "Yes," and go forward enthusiastically (W.T. 1925:79, 118-119, 234, 343; 1927:255, letter). If 1918 was the pivotal year for the "young men," then Brother Russell does not belong to these, but rather to the dreaming old men. And this is also stated, somewhat under cover still, for there are many, we are told ion the letter of a pilgrim brother complaisant to the society, who are "lying down beside Brother Russell twenty years ago...asleep," aged "Results" who are dreaming (W.T. 1926:255, letter)

DOS112 and "which cannot bark." Brother Russell, faithful witness! Do you hear it? We recommend the careful reading of both letters published in W.T. 1926:286, of which the one is published in spite of it being "personal and confidential" (because it contains some character points against the old pilgrim brethren said to be "going to sleep"). Some significant things will be found.

Before we close the discussion of the Watch Tower article, "The Holy spirit poured out," attention will yet be called to a point touched on there, which may possibly have escaped the attention of the friends. It is concerning

THE TIMES OF REFRESHING

of Ac 3:19. This glorious Scripture, referring to the future, is also withdrawn form it and declared as already doubly fulfilled—in the end of the Jewish Age, and from 1875-1918 (W.T.1925:341-342). In contrast to this it is stated in W.T. 1925:93, that "the times of refreshing" count from 1918 onward. At this rate all the promises will be fulfilled shortly, and no promise will be left any more for the glorious future of the the Millennial kingdom of peace. History repeats itself! A subtitle of the latter Watch Tower article runs: "The time of refreshing is here" (page 93), and then it says in par. 2: "Bible students sometimes thought that ‘the times of refreshing’ were not the same as ‘the times of restitution.’ They are not the same." "What wonderful new light," many of the dear ones will exclaim with great rejoicing; but the earnest students grieve over it. Here again we have "strong delusions" (2Th 2:11), dangerous perversions of truth. But the earnest Bible students will blow the trumpet and truthfully proclaim: "The times of refreshing are not here yet! They are future!" They are nothing else but the "times of restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21) which are still future, in the near future of course. Then the "desire of all nations," the refreshing and rest will come (Hag 2:7; Isa 14:3).

The words of Acts 3:19-21 and their connections prove that the "time of refreshing" will be for mankind in general, therefore world-wide. That these times are not here yet for the world, is apparent, for mankind is still groaning under the labor, unrest and hard bondage (Isa 14:3).

We can still

DOS113 sing: "The times of refreshing, of rest, are now near." Many sing this, but do not believe it! In view of all this we repeat our questions: 1. Do the facts of the past and present attest, that the Spirit of God has been poured out upon all flesh? Can anyone affirm this question if he does not want to put himself in contradiction to the visible facts? 2. Does the Word of God attest that the Spirit is poured out upon all flesh? Can anyone who, with a reverent and humble heart, accepts the word unadulterated, i.e., just as it is, affirm the question? Whoever wants to affirm it, may do so. We cannot do this, and we know that other thousands with us do not bow the knees to doctrines which were not spoken by the mouthpieces of Jehovah. 3. Should we, when the true light is shining for us and is focused upon the question discussed here also, think: Well, I will be silent anyway, it doesn’t matter about this one point? Why should any disturbance arise through my conduct? We ask: Should we indeed decide thus?

Dear Israel of God! Whoever of us who is consecrated to Him who made heaven and earth and all that is therein, to Him who has called, accepted and given us His truth, to Him who observes our every step and takes a loving interest in our walk "in the path that Jesus trod"—will, without vacillation, without looking to others, make his decision only in favor of Him to whom he has obligated himself once for all in his covenant by sacrifice, to serve and hear Him alone.

Beloved, if this were not so, what would our service for "god" be? How do we serve God? Is it not in joyful submission to His Word? If not in this, then we are no longer His servants, for then we seek to please men more than Him (Gal 1:10). Do we recognize our duty? Then up, let us fulfill it, faithful in that which is least, to the honor of His name! Then we will finally hear His "well done!" and enter into His joy in His due time. Then only!

DOS114 ELIJAH—ELISHA

The history of Elijah is a most remarkable one in every respect. The life and work of this prophet of Jehovah falls in a time when Israel was already much devoted to idolatry. Although Israel was God’s covenant people, yet, "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Ro 9:6).

How much patience God had with His elect people, which, without exception after each reformation fell again into the idolatry of their heathen surroundings. Hardly had a champion of Jehovah finished the battle for the restoration of the covenant people to the original pure worship of Jehovah and departed form the scene of this life, when a new apostasy took place. and it wasn’t the few who always found pleasure in the idolatry, but the many; and these again almost regularly only followed the footsteps of their leaders, whether kings or priests, who eagerly indulged in such idolatrous exercises. The entire government therefore, both civil and ecclesiastical, was mostly opposed to the genuine worship of Jehovah, and the few who were loyal to Jehovah were consequently in a difficult position.

Is this not also true with the nominal spiritual Israel of the Christian age? Truly, it is so! Every reform movement was finally intercepted by the world-ruler of this darkness, and guided into paths which would lead to himself rather than to God. and then ever and again new witnesses had to stand up, courageously, fearlessly, to save Christendom form utter corruption during the devilish abominations of the "dark" ages, the "glory" period of the apostasy. How idolatry reigned there! We see therefore how fleshly Israel, with its entire history, was an advance of the history of spiritual Israel. The similarities between these Israels are probably greater than most of us suspect. They are related not only to the entire history of both, but very often even to individual occurrences, crises and persons.

Hail to all those heroes of faith, who obeyed Jehovah in devoted loyalty, whatever he called them! Some day it will be revealed what the world owes to these few unknown, rejected witnesses of His. Their lot truly was not an enviable

DOS115 one. Elijah’s service was in a time when the hand of the persecutors lay heavily upon Jehovah’s faithful ones. Ahab, son of the evil Omri, was king over Israel, and "he did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, above all that were before him" (1Ki 16:30). His wife was a heathen princess, Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon. To take her to wife meant to submit to her domination, and at the same time to worship Baal, whose zealous servant this daughter of Ethbaal was. She seems to have been am imperious woman, unyielding, farseeing, dogmatic and cruel. The somewhat more noble Ahab must have become still more more evil in her proximity.

Ahab was only a shuttle-cock for her demoniacal ideas and passions. It is true that those who have the purest worship of God are the most tolerant toward others; the more corrupt the worship of God (even where its representatives passed themselves off as the "only true church,".etc.) the more unkind, intolerant, and cruel are its adherents toward others.) People of God, take note of this! Under such a king, and still more under such a talented, satanically cruel woman, idolatry and to grow to enormous proportions. And so it came to pass. To receive at such a time Jehovah’s command: "Go, I send you!" meant something. Elijah received such a command, and he must execute it. The biblical account of those days, so full of changing events, is known to all of us.

Elijah was zealous of Jehovah with all his strength, and not without effect. But there were demons of no small power also behind Baal. We may well suppose that there were probably some among the fallen angels, occupying higher positions, who were craving worship, and who could be terribly cruel when anything opposed them. But God is greater than all these gods. If he but spake a word (Job 34:14, 15), then all enemies, all the Baals and Milcoms would suddenly perish. But God lets them continue to a certain degree and to a fixed time, according to His all-wise counsel. In the case of Elijah, God demonstrated on Mount Carmel, in the trial by fire, that he is the almighty God, and that the demons standing behind Baal had only limited power.

But even with such public demonstrations of divine power some were still far from repentance, because they had the

DOS116 spirit of the evil one, which accepts no instruction form God and His faithful ones. On the contrary, they proceeded form impotence to fury against those who were better than themselves.

In a rage over their inflicted disgrace Jezebel swore to exterminate the troublesome servant of Jehovah. Baal had to be justified.

Elijah goes to Horeb. Why? It is said that he fled there solely through fear. But let us not be too hasty. Do we believe that Elijah wrought those things on Mount Carmel, that battle against the world of demons, against the idolatry, against Baal and his 450 priests, against Jezebel and her power, in his own strength? No. He had the command from Hi God to do this. When God gives a command, then we can and should leave all the consequences of our faithful performance of His command to Him, because He conducts the battle. Then we can be quite confident, for just as He has determined, so will it come to pass. This unlimited confidence in Jehovah gave the heroes of faith that lofty courage which still fills us with admiration. But the command to slaughter 450 priests of Baal, God does not give every day. He who would "habitually" carry on such a work of smiting and slaughtering day by day would only show that he fails to give attention to Him who is to do the speaking and the deciding. "When the Lord thee would use, then in strength rise up. If Jesus in the soul be quiet, do thou not then undertake." If, because of too strong a self-confidence, you continue to do the work which once you did upon God’s command, although God had not commissioned you to continue it, then such self-willed act is presumption. Think of Moses who smote the rock a second time (Nu 20:8, 11, 12). Don’t think that you will celebrate victories day by day over 450 priests of Baal! How good it is that God does not give you such a command every day. It is well that we should recognize that we are very impotent. Might not a daily battle and victory over 450 priests of Baal make us heady?

One who believes he has established something special for the life of Elijah, says that Elijah became afraid, and that Elisha, in contrast to Elijah, knew no fear ! But let not such a one forget.his own experiences. Each one, to be honest, in a review of his consecrated life, must confess that it did not always revolve around

DOS117 the heights of victory and of joy. Sometimes one had to undertake a "flight," and—it was the right thing to do. After seasons of special joy there often comes a period in which we walk about oppressed and downcast. How often, for example, are the changing seasons and moods of those devoted to God laid down in the Psalms! How often Jesus met his enemies boldly, without fear, like Elijah upon Carmel, but why did He "hide" himself at times? Was that a sign of fear?

Certainly not! He acted only according to instructions from the all-wise Father.

If then we are abandoned for a certain time determined of God, we would rather undertake a "flight," than to presumptuously, without divine commission, daily slaughter priests. Would that the friends themselves might closely scan that "work of the Lord" which is being done in our days without divine commission ! Has the Lord acknowledged the work? Has He kept the Word which the management of that work pretended He had given so often through them? Why had He left it unfulfilled so many times if He spoke it, as it is claimed?—Simply because a work had been done without divine commission. Therefore the fact that God "did not answer."

Elijah’s "flight" was therefore not so unnecessary as it would seem. Above all, it was very needful instruction for us. When Elijah saw that in spite of the obvious miracle on Mount Carmel a turning of Israel "unto Jehovah" did not result, then he recognized his own impotence, and fled into the proximity of God. He not only went to Him, he went to Him at Horeb, to the place where He had made the covenant wit Israel. Here at the fountain, so to speak, he imbibed strength; here God passed by, as He did 700 years before; here he could realize the events of more than 700 years; here God talked with him. Must we not, each time we experience something like despondency over our seeming failures, go back even unto Horeb, to where we entered into covenant relationship with God? "Call to remembrance the former days" (Heb 10:32)—how often we should obey this! How little of our own selfwise "works" (Mt 7:22) would we do then, of which the Lord will have to say: "It is not my work."

DOS118 Eventually Elijah was carried in the whirlwind toward heaven, and his servant remained behind.

We know that Elijah did not ascend into heaven, the words of Jesus remove every doubt in this respect (Joh 3:13). Toward heaven it says, and the Scriptures are always exact. When we harbor an error, it is because we read something into the Bible which isn’t there. Moses sprinkled ashes from the furnace "toward" heaven and it became a plague, but it would be absurd to believe that these ashes went clear into heaven and were received there. The ascension of Elijah was at the same time just as typical as anything else in his peculiar life.

That Elijah was a type has been felt by earnest Bible students of all times. Long after his days were past it pleased God to mention him and bring him into connection with important prophecies which had reference not to Elijah’s own days, but to the future. this alone would be a good reason for the belief that Elijah with his experiences was typical. But the question is, of.whom was he a type? Many faithful and humble students of the Bible have believed and found found harmony in such belief, that Elijah was a type of John the Baptist, and then, still more, of the witnessing and persecuted Church of the Living God. We confess that we have found nothing that would make such an assumption appear erroneous. The testimony of the entire Scriptures confirms this assumption. We know that John the Baptist was in a certain sense the antitype of Elijah, because the Scriptures so state (Lk 1:13-17, and Mt 17:12, 13). While it is not expressly stated that he was a type of the Church, yet there are so many conspicuous resemblances, that this conclusion cannot reasonably be set aside. Here the Bible contains treasures which greatly rejoice the heart of a student. The last words of Jehovah to Israel, before the coming of the long-for Messiah, spoken by Malachi, make reference to the great and terrible day of Jehovah and say that Elijah would be sent before that day, not the literal Elijah of course, but someone who would accomplish a work similar to that of Elijah. And in the same connection the urgent counsel is given: "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto Him in Horeb for all Israel—the statutes and judgments" (Mal 4:4). how peculiar! The literal Elijah

DOS119 flees to Horeb (he was the first of whom the Scriptures report to have dwelt at Horeb after the time of the giving of the law), there to let the greatness and importance of that distant day of Moses, the beginning, the immediate proximity of God, brought back into the present through the eye of faith, produce its effect upon him. As we have already said: "Call to remembrance the former days"; back to the origin, to the beginning, "to the law and to the testimony!" (Isa 8:20). Had Israel obeyed the counsel, had Christendom also obeyed the counsel and remembered the law of Moses and the law of the founder of the Church, then the great and terrible day of Jehovah, which is mentioned immediately after, in direct connection, would therefore not be necessary. Does this not seem, according to this, that Elijah had to hasten to mount Horeb in order to constitute a type of important things? Thus seen, Elijah’s fear was not the only and perhaps evil cause of this journey, away to the place of the greatest, most exalted revelations of God, to the place of God and Moses. How wonderful also that in the vision on the mount of transfiguration those same two Horeb-men, Moses and Elijah, appeared again! (Mt 17:3).

How wonderful further, that the end of the life of both these men mysteriously went into the hands of God. Both laid to rest by God, supernaturally; the one dying on the mountain top, and buried down in the valley by the Lord, the other lifted up toward heaven by Jehovah’s power and likewise found no more. Is the assumption of established bible students under these circumstances, that on the mount f transfiguration Moses typed the earthly ("valley") plane, and Elijah the heavenly ("toward heaven"), to be rejected as erroneous? we think not.

The "great and terrible day of Jehovah," whose character is described so often and with emphasis under various designations in God’s word, has to do with the punitive requital of Jehovah’s justice in the end (the "harvest") of the various ages. The majority seems to know something of the day of Jehovah in the end of the Christian (Gospel) Age, but there was such a day of vengeance nearly 1900 years ago, in the end of the Jewish Age. Jesus speaks of the desolation of Jerusalem and its treading down till the expiration of the times of the Gentiles (throughout the entire.

DOS120 Christian Age therefore) in Lk 21, and says expressly: "For these be the days of vengeance..." (Lk 21:22). According to this, there was a"day of vengeance" then, to which Brother Russell has also called attention (Vol. 4:47, 529, 570 and others). A "day of Jehovah" forms the end of the Christian Age, the Age of spiritual Israel also. We believe that most of our readers are sufficiently familiar with this, but refer to our expositions in the chapter: "The Outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all Flesh."

As Elijah stood up in the one as in the other case before this day of vengeance. The one was John the Baptist, as already stated, and the other is the Church in the Flesh, according to the opinion of many of God’s people, and our own also. In both cases the message was: "Back to the law and to the testimony!’ or, "Remember ye the law of Moses" and "of the founder of the Church, Jesus Christ." But only a few hearts were turned to the truth, and therefore came and will come the day of vengeance upon the people.

A last day of vengeance might perhaps be mentioned at the end of the 1000 years Restitution Age. There will then be a harvest, a time of final decisions, and the adversaries, angels and men, will go down forever in that day of vengeance. If the suffering and militant Church of this Age is the Elijah, it is perhaps not erroneous to say that the glorified and triumphant Church in a sense will be the Elijah also. "Elijah" truly shall come and restore all things (Mt 17:11), and if it is a fact, that in spite of all admonitions and calls to repentance by the second Elijah all things are not restored, there remains only the assumption, that when the first and second Elijah "comes" again, in the day of the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ, all things will really be restored (Ac 3:21). Therefore, even if the admonitions and calls to repentance of John the Baptist and of the church in the flesh did not bring all the people to repentance, and although the day of vengeance was not averted, it still must be acknowledged that the sending and standing up of this Elijah was necessary in both cases, and accomplished the divinely intended work in a few willing ones. In both cases all those who permitted their hearts to be renewed, were (and will be) preserved from the day of vengeance.

DOS121 Elijah’s ascension toward heaven evidently is a type of the ascension of the militant Church. We believe that the change of the entire Church and her ascension will preserve he from the day of vengeance. We cannot indeed say anything with certainty, nor give any of the details, because these things still lie before us, but this we believe, that similarly as the preserved ones 1900 years ago went to Pella in the north, and thus did not need to go through the days of vengeance, so also the church now will go into the far north, into heaven itself, and thus escape that terrible day. All others will be smitten by the "curse" (Mal 4:6).

*** In the foregoing we have given our thoughts on this question. We now mention the fact that the Watch Tower also sets these things forth since Brother Russell’s death in an altogether different, and according to its thought, better light, of course. It teaches now that Elisha as well as Elijah.were a type of the Little Flock, Elijah indeed till about 1918, and Elisha since 1918. The deductions referring hereto can be read in the article appearing in the Watch Tower in the year 1919 (pp. 227&243): "Blessed are the Fearless," and in many other places (for ex. W.T. 1925:38; 1927:67-72, 83-88). In our opinion the new light is in reality darkness, and we have proved this, according to the grace which the Lord had given us, in the foregoing statements. A little more shall be said in the following. It is really curious to note how indignant the society was at first, when they were told that they were doing the Elisha- work. This assertion they rejected thus: "Thus we see the ridiculous position in which we would place ourselves if we assumed such to be true" (W.T. 1918:53; W.T.R6213 206213). At that time they didn’t want to be the Great Company, which was supposed to be the antitype of Elisha. But lo and behold, in another day that which had been designated a "ridiculous position" at first, was now the correct one, and the divinely appointed way: The Elisha work was being done by them and is still being done!! It is very interesting to learn the motives for the new light. They are more than peculiar. It was the point of the "fear" (!) which gave the brethren of the "Watch Tower" the incentive to present to God’s people their completely changed

DOS122 opinion, and today their opinion is a firm dogma, supposed to be irrefutable truth, in all the Watch Towers. Today this dogma is solidly anchored in the understanding of those who are merely following the Watch Tower. The heading of the article with the new thought (that Elijah and his servant Elisha also typified the church) indicates why the brethren now regard Elisha as a type of the church. Their argument, in the first part of the article set forth at length, is this, that Elisha was a much more fearless man than Elijah and therefore as a type of the church’s work since 1918 wonderfully appropriate. They labor hard throughout the entire article, to make Elisha appear higher than Elijah. That we are not perhaps presenting their expositions with a bias, that the preceding really is their judgment of Elijah, the following citation form a later Watch Tower proves, where it says: "Furthermore, the experiences that would come to the church in the closing days of its earthly pilgrimage would be such as to require double as much courage, faithfulness, loyalty and love to overcome those difficulties as was required thereto. We have observed in the experiences of Elijah that notwithstanding he was bold and fearless throughout most of his earthly journey, yet there came a time when Jezebel threatened his life and he became very fearful and fled, but afterwards recovered his courage. The experiences through which the church passed during the year 1918 would have a tendency to make one to become timid and fearful who had not absolute confidence in the Lord and who did not realize that his battle is not his own but the Lord’s. It would require therefore an increased spirit of love, fearlessness and faithful devotion to the Lord and his cause to grasp the mantle that had fallen from the Elijah class, or in another picture the sword, "The Finished Mystery," and any added message in harmony therewith, and boldly and fearlessly carry it forward and use it as the Lord would have us do." (W.T. 1919:247)* —————-*But in the Watch Tower of Feb. 15, 1918 (article: "Two Classes in the Church," under subtitle: "Signification of Elijah’s Mantle") the Society expressly designates Elisha as the fearful one! It says there: "...it is manifest beyond the question of a doubt that it is the Elijah class that uses it.(the message in the so-called 7 vol), and not Elisha. It is easy to be seen now that the Elijah class, persisting in the proclamation of the message against Babylon, would thus separate themselves from the Elisha class, who would be fearful or negligent of performing any part of this work..."

Thus, at one time fear is imputed to Elisha, and another time on the contrary Elisha is said to be the fearless and Elijah the fearful one!—Just as it suits the occasion.

————— So Elijah’s time continued till 1918 perhaps, thus Brother Russell passed almost entirely through it, and according to

DOS123 this, it distinguished itself by the fear of the church (oh, dear Brother Russell!); 1918 only brought the time of fearlessness, at which time Elijah and Elisha were clearly separated.

(Through whom?) Considering this the Watch Tower writes: "The fiery chariot that separated Elijah and Elisha did not indicate that any animosity existed between the tow, or the classes represented by the two. On the contrary, Elisha was fully devoted to Elijah at all times. The chariot, as a vehicle, is a symbol of an organization and therefore would well represent the society, which the Lord, through his faithful servant, organized, used, and is using as a vehicle to bear his message to his people. Horses represent doctrines. A whirlwind is a symbol of great trouble, war. In the picture the fiery chariot with horses of fire appeared and parted Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up (was taken away) by the whirlwind. In the spring of 1918 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was bearing a fiery message, a message due at that time. At the same time there was a great trouble. There ended the work which Elijah pictured and the taking away of Elijah indicated such ending. This does not mean the taking away of individuals, but it would mean the cessation by the Lord’s people for a time at least, of certain work pictured by Elijah. Elisha standing by the Jordan would indicate a period of time, however short or long, lapsing until Elisha would take up the mantle—the message borne by Elijah—and use it according to the Lord’s direction." (W.T. 1919:247) Here then it is expressly established that the separation of the work did not proceed from the friends, who generally approved and represented the methods and recognized teachings as hitherto administered. In the following explanation the Society has, perhaps unwillingly, well recorded the facts as they now lie behind us: "Without a doubt the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was organized by Brother Russell under the direction of the Lord; and as formerly pointed out, it was his thought that it should be his successor and do the work which he did not do." (W.T. 1919:248; 1927:157) Elijah’s flight and his journey unto Mount Horeb lets this old champion of Israel appear as such a weak character in the eyes of the Watch Tower Society, that Elisha (his servant!), free from all fear, completely overshadows him, this "father" (W.T. 1927:246-247). They seem not to have considered what a disdainful judgment would be passed with this in its antitypical application to the martyrs and warriors of the past.

DOS124 (to 1918). It is true, of course, that since 1918 no fear is shown, but that may be just the fault! They have been fearless since 1918 in the accomplishment of the "works," especially in regard to Babylon; a great end has been in view—to overthrow Babylon; but they forgot that it is better to hasten to Horeb, than to rip up—as has been said—the belly of Jezebel and her 450 priests without divine command. They were truly fearless in their gigantic undertaking against Babylon, intoxicated with the thought that the task to carry out the work of recompense (vengeance) against Babel had fallen to us. Yes, even against Satan a challenge was issued in foolhardy insolence with the following bombastic words: "In the name of Jehovah God...we defy the devil and all his instruments under the sun" (!)( W.T. 1926:200). In a poem of the Watch Tower 1926:380 the exhortation is given to remain loyal and endure patiently, "in order to belong to the army which overthrows Babel." Let us, beloved, see whether God’s people, the Little Flock, are the instruments in the hand of the Almighty for the destruction of Babel. The Scriptures always speak of the instruments for the destruction of Babylon as of a "great army," the instruments of Jehovah’s wrath. We need only to read Isa 13; Jer 50:3, 9, 14-16, 21, 25-27, 29, 41, 42; 51:11, 12, 27, 28, 48 and other passages, to find that God’s people, the Little Flock, are not to do this work on Babylon, but a people from the north, announced long ago, the great nation, the many kings of the earth. Concerning this Brother Russell correctly wrote: As we view these millions of armed and disciplined warriors we inquire, which of all this mighty host is that army to which the prophets point as the Lord’s great army? Can the prophetic references be to any of these? And if so, in what sense could they be considered the Lord’s army, since none of them are actuated by his spirit? Or can this reference be to the people of God, the soldiers of the cross, whose weapons are described by the Apostle Paul as not carnal, but mighty, through the pulling down of strongholds (2Co 10:3-5)? Can it be "the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God" (Eph 6:17), in the hands of the people of God, who are filled with his spirit, shall accomplish the great work of overthrowing all the kingdoms of this world, and giving them to Christ for an everlasting possession?...

It is evidently not the saints who are to constitute the Lord’s great army, referred to by the prophets, for the overthrow of the kingdoms of this world: nor are the weapons

DOS125 of their warfare sufficient to this end. their weapons are indeed mighty as the Apostle says, among those who are influenced by them. among the true people of God, who diligently apply their hearts unto instruction, his Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, truly "casting down imaginations (human reasonings) and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2Co 10:4, 5); but not so do the weapons of this warfare operate upon the world. The army of the saints is, moreover, not a "great army," but a "little flock," as our Lord himself designated it.—Compare Lk 12:32; Joel 2:11. (Vol. 4:542, 543.) But Re 17 removes every doubt. Every Bible student should know that in this chapter.the true church is represented neither in the "beast," nor in the "woman," but in those mentioned in Re 17:6, whose blood the cruel woman had drunk. The beast as well as the woman will be destroyed—the woman first, then the beast. Shall the saints destroy this woman, Babylon, the ‘great city," as the Watch Tower repeatedly, with bold assurance, teaches? We read: "and the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire" (Re 17:16; see Diaglott rendering). If you want to belong to the army which overthrows Babel—would you identify yourself with the beast and its ten horns? Because from this side come 1, the hating; 2, the making desolate; 3, naked; 4, the eating of her flesh (Jezebel!) and 5, the burning of Babylon, the great city. Therefore, if you want to overthrow Babylon, then you must quickly join the "great" army of Jehovah and be enrolled in the lists of the beast and its tens horns. Then you must belong to the beast ! In view of this we ask: Were the many publications of the "Watch Tower," urging to fearlessness in the work overthrowing Babylon, correct? Was the boasted fearlessness in this gigantic undertaking appropriate? Will we not decide: We have nothing to do with the burning of Babylon! Why then encroach upon it? Why squander our powers there? Why such an expenditure in the sphere belonging to the beast and the ten horns? Why? Was it wise? Was it necessary? Were not the warnings of real Bible "students" against this work scripturally founded? Were

DOS126 the urgent statements of Elijah’s fear and the fearlessness of Elisha correct? No, and again no! Does not this show with one blow that the entire exposition of the "Watch Tower" with its motives collapses within itself? Oh, that the dear ones had enjoined more restraint upon themselves! They would not have experienced so many disappointments. For let us look at the separate phases of this smiting work! Are the waters of Jordan parted? This has continually been announced! Have the nominal church-heavens been burned up? How much of this "work of the Lord," so fearlessly done, brought a fulfillment, such as had been announced? Has not the point of the sword (said to be Vol. 7) brought harm than blessing? Is not the word of God this sword, as we read? Didn’t it have a point? Was it necessary to put one on? If Vol. 7 was the point, what was the hilt? Vol. 1 perhaps? We know that the dear ones feel logical questions unpleasant, but we only want to show with these questions how unwise much in this "work of the Lord" was. It had been better if the brethren who brought these foolish doctrines and did things in their own wisdom which do not belong to God’s people at all, had not dabbled in these, if they had rather hastened to Horeb! Truly this would have been much, much better. Then they wouldn’t have found it necessary to estimate Elijah so small and Elisha (because of his claimed fearlessness) so strikingly great. Then we had not experienced either that the time up till 1918, in the last part of which Brother Russell especially played an important part, should be designated as a time of uneasy fear (!) and only the time since 1918—the time of Brother Rutherford, as fearless and blest with a double portion of the Spirit! Oh, the ignominy! Since that article, one of the first erroneous ones which appeared soon after Brother Russell’s death, the Watchtower movement does not want to be the antitype of Elijah, but absolutely of Elisha only! And those who want to remain the antitype of Elijah are accounted as the fearful.ones! We see how even Elijah, that fearless reformer, must suffer, when those who often must protest against particular human undertakings are to be given a rub. But, dear friends, supposing that Brother Russell like other students was right in the assumption that Elisha was the type of the Great Company,

DOS127 and supposing further, that the present Watchtower movement is also right in its own announcement that it fulfills the Elisha-type—what follows thereon? What, if we were to say: Friends, we do not consider ourselves authorized to decide to which class you belong, but if you think that you are the antitype of Elisha, that’s your affair. Perhaps you are not so wrong in this your assumption. We have no cause to dispute this; however, we would rather be like Elijah and not Elisha...

We would not make a positive statement here concerning the double portion of the Spirit. To a certain degree we can assent to the "Watch Tower" when it says in the article: "When a prophecy is fulfilled, or in process of fulfillment, then the consecrated child of God can understand it" (W.T. 1919:243). We believe that the Elijah class has not been taken away yet, therefore we do not yet know for certain today, what measure of the Spirit the Elisha class remaining behind will need in that terrible day of Jehovah’s wrath. Evidently these things are still future. But we would mention the fact that many of the dear friends with the Watch Tower, who like to emphasize the fearlessness in their "work," manifest a great fear when urged to look straight at the truths presented to them, the testimonies of the Scriptures. They evade, and are afraid to account the Bible right and the "Watch Tower" wrong and they flee. If we say: "The Bible says thus and so, in such and such a place," then they say: "But the Lord has placed these brethren at the head of the work..." Now which is the stronger proof, the most decisive? Oh, that they might really be fearless! Since they know fearlessness only in their enthusiasm to do a great work, then this work will also further (as hitherto) remain without the divine Amen. Be more fearless, ye fearless ones! Have you not said yourselves "that the new creature in Christ should fear no man nor anything that man produces (W.T. 1919:227)? Then act accordingly. Cast aside all fear (W.T. 1925:38). Do not give us occasion to ask why you evade us when we meet with Bible in hand. Why must we continually experience it that you avoid every conversation with us?

And this is every place. Because more fearless, ye "fearless ones!" For "we must prove our faith and confidence in God and His promises by our acts and works,"

DOS128 and joint heirship with Christ is given to such "only as confidently rely upon his promises and act upon them and who do not fear what man or man-made ecclesiastical systems or any other system may or can do unto them..." "Such will seek always to know what is the will of God..." (W.T. 1919:228). Thus wrote the "Watch Tower" at that time very correctly, and now we ask directly: Are you "fearless of man or man-made institutions?" (W.T. 1919:229). Will you in truth "...calmly and joyfully obey his commands, not fearing what might result?" (W.T. same page.) His command is, to let the light shine, to proclaim His truth in word and deed, and, not infrequently, to cast down fortresses, imaginations, heights which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God (2Co 10:5). If you but will, you will have plenty to do in this.sphere, for you will meet many enemies. "They have established a great stronghold of error and gnash their teeth and war against everyone who dares hold forth the truth" (W.T. 1919:244). So beautifully and encouragingly wrote the Watch Tower, and we would also encourage you to obey this yourselves without fear, without regard to the great joys you will experience or what enmities it will bring.

Yes, thus wrote the Watch Tower in the article of Elijah and Elisha. It still sounds very well today. But one must understand what the Watch Tower meant thereby. If the article was to be an incentive to fearlessness in the dissemination of the message of truth, then it was meant without the least hesitation, that what was issued by the Society (W.T. 1919:244-45; 247) whether it be the "Mantle," the "Point of the Sword" (Vol. 7) or "any message in harmony therewith..." (something future, unknown then!) had been the command or gift of the Lord. Yes, that was meant. In other words, the Society suggested the thought to the friends that everything it does was truth and command from the Lord "...just as the Lord would direct." Now we understand it (W.T. 1919:247).

That we actually discern the aims of the Society correctly shall be proven here now. The Society was and is so permeated with its divine authority, that it designates even a criticism of its literature as a resistance against the Lord. This will not be conceded perhaps, but we will cite here

DOS129 literally, from the same article the following lines, which throw light on the situation: When the volunteer matter is announced by the Society should not the elders procure copies and meet and determine whether or not it is proper for the respective classes to distribute it? We know of no scripture which even intimates that such an obligation rests upon the elders or even upon the classes. Let us remember that "God hath set the members in the body as it pleaseth him." (1Co 12:18). This means that he has placed the various members in the body this side the vail to perform certain duties. If the hand assumes to do the work of the foot, the person finds himself standing on his head. Each member must perform his own part. Let us ask ourselves: Did the Lord, through his wise and faithful servant create and organize the Society as an instrument for the conducting of his work? We believe that the most of all the readers of the Watch Tower would agree that such is true. If true, then has not the Lord designated certain things for the Society, through its duly constituted servants to do, and is it not the duty of the Society to determine what shall be issued as volunteer matter for free distribution? If not, who shall determine? If this question is to be determined by the various elders or leaders of the diverse and numerous classes, when would the duty ever be performed? Does it not appeal to the reasonable mind of the new creature that the obligation devolves upon the Society to issue for free distribution such volunteer matter as seems to be the Lord’s will? Should not then everything be done decently and in order?

What then shall be done when volunteer matter is received by your class? We answer: The volunteer captain should report to the class the quantity of volunteer matter on hand, how much is allotted to each district and invite all the members of the class who desire to participate in its.distribution to do so (W.T. 1919:230).

We ask: Is this scriptural? Is a critical examination of Christian literature so evil in the eyes of the Lord? Did Brother Russell also, who was very careful in the selection of literature for public distribution, think so? (Compare Vol. 6:245, top).

We cite one more passage from the article "The Divine Arrangement" (W.T. 1921:136): "As an illustration: A short time ago a communication from an elder of a class to this effect: "We are sending for forty copies of the Golden Age and a like number of the ‘Millions’ booklets that we may carefully study and prayerfully

DOS130 consider them, to determine whether it will be in harmony with the Lord’s will and in harmony with the work of the society for us to permit these to be distributed here." We think that such a communication shows the lack of a proper understanding and appreciation of the divine order in the church. Doubtless the brother who wrote the letter was moved by the best intentions; but we mention it merely to illustrate the point."

Did not the elder, thus rebuked, and the class act absolutely right? Was it not their duty to carefully consider the "Millions" booklet and other literature in order to decide for themselves, as they say, whether they should distribute it or not? How evident does the Watch Tower make it that the intention of the elder and class (God bless him and it!) was presumptuousness! We repeat the question again: Will you be fearless in representing the truth? Fearless in the rejection of human self-wisdom? Fearless also toward the "Watch Tower" when it seeks to take away truth and substitute its own theories? Then act! Do not hesitate! And if "God’s organization" should place a ban on you because of this, then be fearless still ("blessed are the fearless!") and feel strong with the hand of the good Shepherd in your own: He leads and brings to the goal. He alone!.

LORD, THY WILL BE DONE!

God’s leadings are known when we’re still Where the foot would rush without thought, The eternal Father’s will By heedlessness is made nought.

Many human undertakings Do not prosper, we often find, When through our own strength they’re done Instead of by grace divine.

The things of God and of the heart, Above all else do not require To be forced in noise and haste, But in stillness to retire.

—Nic. Ludw., Count Zinzendorf..

DOS131 THE ENTERING INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD

To the biblical and umbilical words which have been made into slogans by the Watch Tower Society in the last few years, there also belong the words of the Scripture concerning the entering into the joy of the Lord. It is taken from the parable of the servants to whom the talents had been entrusted to trade therewith (Mt 25:14-30). The good and faithful servants did trade with the talents and were rewarded for it; the wicked and slothful servants mentioned in the parable failed to do this, and therefore lost the reward. Concerning the faithful servant’s reward it is said literally: "well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Mt 25:21, 23). In view of the straying tendency of the Watch Tower expositions, we will enlarge upon this important Scripture.

It is taken as a matter of course in the circles of the present Watch Tower society, that the entering into the joy of the Lord takes place on this side, i.e., in the present earthly life. And, the sad part of it is that further dangerous errors are built up on this dogma (for such only can the tenet of the Watch Tower be called). The thought presents itself again and again in the Watch Tower during the last few years, that if we want to have a share in the kingdom glory, we must have entered into the joy of the Lord here (for example see W.T. 1923:103,181, 297; 1925:89, 190, 278; also 1925:36-38; 1926:380, par. 8). We say, this is an erroneous thought, without support in the divine word! Let us but look at the parable, especially verses 21 and 23. The lord of the servants returns from a far journey, and unquestionable representation of Christ’s return.

He comes to reckon with his servants, his followers, and to give them their reward (Re 11:18). In earthly matters the reckoning, the payment of wages, follows the completed work.

But the Watch Tower proceeds differently in the application of this parable. Surely the question here is not of an advance, or partial payment, but of the final reward. We stress the importance of the established fact that the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13)

DOS132 is related to the parable under consideration, even corresponding, as is shown in the word of transition into the second parable: "For it is as a man traveling into a far country..." (Mt 25:14).

The parable of the servants is to make more plain and to illustrate from a different viewpoint the lesson given in the parable of the virgins. But the same classes are shown in both parables. We find these classes in Mt 24:45-51. For a better view we place them together here: 1. "Faithful and wise servant" (Mt 24:45-47)—"evil servant" (Mt 24:48-51).

2. "Wise virgins" (Mt 25:2)—"foolish virgins" (Mt 25:2).

3. "Good and faithful servant" (Mt 25:21, 23)—"evil, slothful, unprofitable servant (Mt 25:26, 30).

In all three descriptions the question is of classes, not individuals. The faithful, good and wise.class in the final scene receives a high reward in all three pictures, while the evil, foolish, slothful, unprofitable class not only loses the reward, but receives a sharp rebuke from the Lord, and will, as we know, be saved as the Great Company, "so as by fire" (1Co 3:15), to a lower position. Since the question here is above all concerning the high reward of the faithful class, let us place these together here: 1. "Verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods" (Mt 24:27).

2. "...and they that were ready went in with with him to the marriage and the door was shut" (Mt 25:10).

3. "Well done, good and faithful servant! thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Mt 25:21, 23).

What harmony is shown to us in a comparison of the three parables or pictures. The same reward and the same time is treated in all three cases, only in different words. And now we state clearly: The entering into the joy of the Lord (Mt 25:21, 23) is the entering in to the marriage (Mt 25:10) with which the making ruler over many things (Mt 25:21, 23) or over all his goods (Mt 24:47) is connected. The giving authority over so many cities in Lk 19:17, 19 is of exactly the same

DOS133 significance. If we note carefully that the "entering in" is spoken of in both parables, Mt 25:1-30, and that both parables are connected and set forth the same subject matter; then all is clear to us. Apart from the evident agreement between the tow pictures which proves to us that the entering into the joy of the Lord cannot take place while the church is in the flesh, we will furnish further proof from Mt 25:21, from the degree of praise and reward. It says there: "Thou hast been faithful over a few things," i.e., the faithfulness is fulfilled. The past tense of the language proves this. What are the few things? The answer lies in 1Co 4:1; 1Pe 4:10; Eph 4:7. They are the talents, spiritual gifts, opportunities and privileges which have been conferred upon us during our earthly life. By these we are to prove ourselves faithful. But we state with great emphasis: The faithfulness over the few things does not end before the completion of our course! To all who think they already have been made ruler over much here, and that they have received the "Well done, good and faithful servant!" it can be said:"They have their reward." The rulership over many things is on the other side! The authority over the cities is on the other side! The rulership over all his goods is on the other side! All this is one and the same thing. The giving of authority has to do with the exercising of dominion, with the possession of a seat in the throne (Re 20:4; Da 7:20, 26). As long as we are in the flesh, we must take active part in the preparation of ourselves (walking in newness of life), through our service toward the household of faith and also toward all men; here we must work, not sit and rule. But unfortunately! the Watch Tower Society is ruling already; it is judging already. We are not saying this, it is its own assertion, and its devoted servants continually proclaim it. But in this it is judging itself. We would admonish it and its adherents by quoting the words of Paul to the Corinthians who had also fallen into this dangerous ambition: "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us... (1Co 4:8). A pilgrim brother, in reply to a direct question, stated with an air of superiority and positiveness that he was already judging and reigning here. And this is not an isolated case. It is asserted in the Watch Tower itself. We read, for example, the following almost unbelievable explanation

DOS134 in a letter published in the German Watch Tower of 1927, page 32: "How clearly has the Father shown to us that indeed nearly all powers on earth had to yield their right to rule, and that our present king has taken the right to himself, while we, united with him now, standing at his side, may already share his powers with him. One heard it said on every side: "Never was it so clear to me that the king is present and is setting up his kingdom, and that we are indeed the only rulers and divinely acknowledged leaders."

Is not this a reigning before the time, like the papacy engaged in? Brother Russell describes this error in the following words: "The theory that the time had come for the church to cease her suffering and to begin her reign over the kingdoms of the earth would naturally be a pleasing and fascinating theory, and no wonder if gradually enveloped the church to such an extent that any who still held to the old apostolic views were few and considered behind the times—until finally when the error became known as "orthodoxy" and was established by councils of the church, those who held apostolic teachings on the subject were called "heretics." (Pastor Russell Sermon, Oct. 24, 1904.) Oh, that all of Christ’s sheep might perceive whither the Watch Tower Society is steering! Let it be said to you, beloved friends who are being led astray, and you dear champions of the truth also: the time of suffering is not compatible with the exercise of rulership (Ro 8:18). And we still have opportunity to suffer for Christ’s sake! Now we come to the words: "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." If only the Watch Tower management understood how to read aright! But even this is not the case, else they had not then arbitrarily rendered the expression "joy of thy Lord" with "joy of the Lord," or "in the Lord."

Joy of the Lord, or in the Lord is not "the joy of thy Lord!" Of the joy in the Lord it is said in Paul’s first letter to the 1Th 5:16) "rejoice evermore" (always) and to the Php 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always! And again I say: rejoice!" And even to Israel the word applied "... for the joy of (in) Jehovah is your strength" (Neh 8:10). But this is not the joy of the (thy) Lord in the sense of the parable of the talents, into which the servant may enter after

DOS135 his faithfulness is finished. To enter into this means to possess the joy which the Lord has at the time He speaks these words. O f this His joy it is said in Heb 12:2 "...who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." This joy then lay beyond the cross—"Fulness of joy" at the right hand of the throne (Ps 16:11). He entered into this joy, and His followers are to enter into this His joy, when they have been faithful over the few things. For the "Watch Tower"the entering "into the joy of the Lord" dates from 1918 (W.T. 1925:37- 38, 259; 1926:72, 376, par.44). Oh, what a false conception! A year is arbitrarily taken—the year from which approximately the "separation of the work" and therewith the enslaving of the consciences began and the joy was enforced—to support a theory. If then the "Well done!" is being spoken since 1918 and the entering into the joy of the Lord takes place now, what are we to expect further? Does the parable show a further reward?

"The way of man is froward (guiltladen) and strange" (lit.: much twisted), says the Scripture (Pr 21:8), and the new Watch Tower management is also greatly twisted. With what artful jugglery does it manage to mix ideas, to mingle truths with errors. After it had been pointed out from the Scriptures by others (the Protestants!) that the entering in is on the other side only, the Watch Tower does not make a direct retreat, but with proud words speaks of it, "that the Christian...enters into the joy of the Lord to some degree (!) on this side the vail" (W.T.1927:63). To some degree? To what degree? Whoever will have entered into the joy of the Lord will possess that joy not to some degree, but in the fullest degree. And only such as have "prepared" themselves will obtain this joy of the Lord! And here the management dares to say expressly in the very same answer (to a logical and proper question!): "In former days Christians thought that the chief thing which they had to do was to prepare themselves to enter into heaven, and that their whole joy consisted in this, to be in heaven, and to have it easy and comfortable..." "And they that were ready..." Does it not say thus in Mt 25:10? And in the same breath they even dare to cite Heb 12:2 and to say: "When this joy

DOS136 was set before the Lord..." Do we not see and recognize that the Lord endured the cross for the joy set before Him? Here cross and death, there joy for eternity—into this His joy we are to enter, if we are faithful unto death! (never before!)—And finally a still bolder advance is ventured, the Word of God is violated. Because Protestants scripturally set forth the difference between joy in the Lord (on this side) and joy of the Lord (beyond) into which we are to enter, the passage applicable on this side, Neh 8:10, is given in reply thus: "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Hebrew, "the joy in Jehovah"). Thus we see, that the word, the jot and tittle, is not holy to the Bible students of today. The majority do not even notice it! Unfortunately! It is "not brethren who write the Watch Tower for us, but it is the Lord’s own food..." (German W.T. 1927:32).

We summarize our thought, which is scripturally verified: The entering into the joy of the Lord takes place when we have passed from faith to sight, when we have entered there whither our Lord and High priest is entered (Heb 6:20), in heaven. The joy of the Lord is not on this side! Only a frivolous playing with God’s holy word can lead to the fatal error that we can or have already entered into this joy and now do reign and judge.

Oh, the mysterious year 1918! From there on they began systematically, at first carefully, and then with haste and power, to lay the age-old, glorious truth of our God into the dust again. This point treated here also could "not be understood" before 1918—so goes the chorus. But in 1917 the Watch Tower still gave such beautiful and clear expositions (to which we can still assent.after 1917), that we will repeat them here verbatim. Speaking of the joy in the Lord, it says: "...And this is an increasing joy, which day by day, year by year, becomes more nearly complete, although it cannot be altogether complete until that which is perfect shall have come and that which is in part shall have been done away, until in the resurrection we shall see as we are seen and know as we are known. Then we shall appreciate the joys of the Master; for we shall have heard his welcome invitation, ‘Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’"( W.T. 1917:140.)

DOS137 How true! How striking! Only human wisdom (this is the most moderate expression which we can use) could reject the true light of knowledge concerning this and set up the new theory for purposes of their own organization. Yes, here also we designate the much-lauded "work of the Lord" carried out since 1918 in the very words of the last mentioned article as something "organized along the lines of earthly wisdom." (W.T. 1917:137.) But what is the animus of the assertions which the Watch Tower makes? We have already said that the motives from which the new, erroneous doctrines originate are never good ones. This is also the case here. The following is the motive in the question before us: When Brother Russell closed his eyes, then the repressed desire for a different course, which for some time had secretly been working under the surface, could unfold more unhindered. It was not Brother Russell who had the thought that the Watch Tower Society, as his legitimate successor (the first "only one" was not alone then ion solving the question of succession dogmatically!) should carry on the work as he did not carry it on, but it was harbored in the minds of the future leaders. Peculiar circumstances, evidently permitted by God for wise, ultimate purposes, let such plans obtain predominance. New methods, new doctrines, mostly of the sensational kind, a tight binding together of the friends through a strong organization regulating even the smallest details—under this new arrangement their plans developed exceedingly fast. The "work of the Lord," for so long known mostly in the circle of the household of faith, was laid suddenly before the world, the "field," and it prospered splendidly, outwardly considered. Not that we would make any objection to the proclamation of the message to the world, on the contrary, but it has always been the case that cultivation of the world by neglecting the household of faith brought great injuries, mostly compromises, erroneous methods and doctrines, as a consequence. Brethren who put more importance in purity of methods, of life and of doctrines than upon the progress of an outward "work of the Lord," were opposed by the new management as disturbers. To punish such with a "biblical" judgment was not

DOS138 difficult for them to whom the Lord (?) had presented everything. The Bible was searched through, and a paragraph was found. First the "work of the Lord" so-called, which was mightily puffed up, was so continually written about, that the conviction was established in the minds of the friends, that the Society alone was actually and in everything carrying on this work. So eventually there was only one organization of the Lord, the Society, together with all who acknowledged it—and one Satan. then it was said: (and this step was comparatively easy) "Whosoever is against the Society, is against the Lord." If anyone opposed the false methods and doctrines of the management, it was said that he is against the kingdom work, the result was that even their most foolish acts were counted as kingdom work. It was said: "You are lazy, you don’t want to work, you lack the joy to share in the work enthusiastically." then someone conceived the thought to operate with the "joy of the Lord," and quickly it was said: You have not entered into the joy of the Lord because of your refusal to courageously go forward with us in the work. We have entered in! Thus the error grew. So then, God’s children have entered into the joy of the Lord since 1918, not before. But to some who can wait, and who do not want to speak those words of Mt 25:21, 23 themselves, the joyful "Well done!...enter in..." is still future. In this thought these are happy and joyful (Isa 66:5).

The following incident will show how fearful the friends are to oppose the "watch Tower," even if it means a suppression of scriptural testimony. A brother who defends the "Watch Tower" is drawn into a conversation about different points of truth by friends who have been expelled by the Society. The course of the conversation was, briefly described, thus: A. "Brother N. N. have you also entered into the joy of the Lord?"

B. Silent at first.

A. "We mean, Brother N. N., whether you have also entered into the joy of the Lord according to Matthew 25 since 1918, as the Watch Tower teaches?"

DOS139 B. After some hesitation: "No! I have not entered into the joy of the Lord since 1918."

(The questioners, surprised, think that the brother is in the right way and sees the entering into the joy of the Lord still in future.) A. "What do you think about this question?"

B. Who evidently does not wish to expose the "Watch Tower" nor admit the correct view, replies: "I entered into the joy of the Lord when I consecrated myself to the Lord."

(The brother did not consider how he cut off his own retreat.) A. "Brother N. N., we have known you a long time, and you yourself said that you were in the world before your consecration. How then could the Lord say ‘Well done,’ because of the things which you did in the world?" (our readers will be pleased to know that the brother, N. N., referred to above has since comprehended the truth of the matter and is now one of the free brethren in Christ.) In another case the answer was given to the question: Have you entered into the joy of the Lord?