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    Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920)

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    Millions Now Living Will Never Die

    Million now living will never die!

    Published by

    International Bible

    Students Association

    Brooklyn, New York, U.S A.

    THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE

    PEOPLE NOW Living on earth WHO

    DESIRE LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS

    J. F. Rutherford;

    Copyrighted 1920 by

    International Bible Students Association

    PREFATORY

    Judge J. F. Rutherford,

    Brooklyn, N. Y.

    Dear Sir:

    The advance proof pages of

    your brochure, “Millions Now Living Will Never Die"

    which you kindly allowed me to read, have proved to be even more interesting

    than hoped for, and I embrace this early opportunity to express to you my

    sincere appreciation of the work.

    The admirable way in which

    you have marshalled the sayings of the Lord Jesus, of the apostles, and of the

    prophets of old, and supported them by abundant secular evidence, all going to

    show that a time would come when millions then living would never die-and that

    we are now living in that time-will inspire hope and confidence in the mind of

    every honest, truthseeking reader.

    As the one who had the

    esteemed privilege of syndicating Pastor Russell’s sermons in thousands of

    newspapers in many lands, I was naturally anxious to know how you would treat

    the prophecies so often referred to in Pastor Russell’s sermons. I am glad,

    indeed, to note that you treat the major part of your evidence from the

    standpoint of fulfilled prophecy. For one, I am glad that you gathered such an

    array of evidence to substantiate your claims and to show the people, as a

    basis for a worth-while hope, how they may live for ever. It will not be

    necessary for anyone to consider your statements as a guess.

    Again thanking you and

    wishing you rich eternal blessings for your labor of love, I subscribe myself

    as Yours in the best of bonds,

    G. C. Driscoll

    Santa Monica, Calif., May 17, 1920.TABLE of

    CONTENTS

    Divine Plan for Human Redemption

    Human History Divided Into Three Great

    Epochs

    Second Epoch, or World, Now Passing Away

    Times of the Gentiles

    Our Lord’s Testimony as to the Signs of the

    End

    Corroborative Testimony from the Old

    Testament

    Period of Israel’s Exile from Palestine

    Zionism, Its Origin and Purpose

    The Balfour Declaration

    Jews Rebuilding

    Palestine

    Other Evidences that the World Has Ended

    The Interchurch World Movement

    Distress and

    Perplexity World-Wide

    Spiritism’s Part in Current Events

    The League of Nations

    Ecclesiastical Remedy for Human Woes

    The Divine Remedy and Promised Redemption

    The Ransomer and the Ransom Price

    What It Means to be a Christian

    Religious Persecution from the Serpent’s

    Seed

    The Incoming Messianic Kingdom

    Israel’s Jubilee System a Type of the

    Kingdom

    Beginning of Reconstruction Work of the New

    Order

    Why Millions Now Living Will Not Die

    How to Live Forever

    Evidences of Restoration Work

    An Appeal to the Clergy

    Millions Now Living Will Never

    Die

    THE emphatic announcement that millions now

    living on earth will never die must seem presumptuous to many people; but when

    the evidence is carefully considered I believe that almost every fair mind will

    concede that the conclusion is a reasonable one.

    For nearly nineteen hundred years

    Christians have been looking forward to a time coming when life everlasting

    will be offered to all the peoples of earth. Their expectations and hopes have

    been based upon the combined testimony of the inspired prophets of old-from

    Moses to John-upon the testimony of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the living

    God, and upon the testimony of his inspired apostles.

    About 4,000 years ago God made a promise to

    Abraham in which he said that he would bless Abraham and through his seed all

    the families of the earth should be blessed. Not only did he make this promise,

    but he bound it with his oath; and St. Paul plainly tells us that these two

    things, God’s word and oath, are unchangeable, and that his promises must be

    fulfilled. Based upon that oathbound promise and subsequent like promises made

    to the offspring of Abraham, devout Jews of the world have since looked forward

    to the time coming when blessings of life and happiness eternal will be offered to mankind.

    Today the eyes of orthodox

    Jews of earth are fixed upon Palestine. They are looking up and lifting up

    their heads and the hope is springing into millions of hearts that the time is

    at hand for the regathering of the Jews to Palestine and the establishment

    there of a state or government of the Jews and for the Jews, according to the

    divine arrangement. Since the time of Abraham they have looked for the Messiah,

    but have not yet discerned who constitutes the Messiah.

    Life everlasting in a state

    of happiness is the greatest desire of all men. Whether men have faith or not

    in the divine promises, each one would be glad to know for a certainty that

    there was before him life everlasting in a happy state. In view of this strong

    desire, and of the cumulative evidence given by the holy men of old concerning

    such coming blessings, it seems strange that more people have not tried to

    inform themselves upon the subject. The reason, as assigned, by the Apostle

    Paul, is that "the god of this world [Satan, the invisible ruler of the

    present social order of things] hath blinded the minds of those who are

    perishing, lest the glorious glad tidings of Christ Jesus, who is the image of

    God, should shine into their hearts”.-2 Corinthians 4:4.

    Many men of ability in the

    past centuries have entered the Christian ministry. The great adversary, knowing their vulnerable

    points, has used others to flatter and cajole them and to turn their minds

    toward worldly things, and by far the greater, number of these clergymen,

    yielding to the baneful and seductive influence of the adversary, have

    themselves turned away from the Bible, and have blindly led the people in the

    wrong direction. They seem to have lost eight entirely of the fact that God has

    a great plan which he is causing to work out in an orderly, majestic manner.

    But the hour has struck when the people shall know the truth, and they that

    know the truth shall be made free from the bondage of ignorance and

    superstition and their minds shall be turned into the channels leading to

    unending joy.

    It is the purpose of the writer to try to

    turn the minds of the people to a careful and prayerful consideration of the

    divine promises. It is to be deeply regretted that the clergymen would oppose

    an effort to teach the people the Bible truths; nevertheless, we find much

    opposition everywhere, and many clergymen will attempt to prevent the people

    from reading what is here written. We, therefore, assure the reader that we

    have no ulterior motive in putting out this message. It is not propaganda.

    There is no desire for effort to induce the reader to join anything. The motive

    for this publication is wholly unselfish. The writer has but one desire and

    that is to induce the people to read and rely upon the divine promises and thus

    fix their hearts

    and minds in this hour of distress upon mankind; to comfort those that mourn

    and point them to a better day which is near at hand.

    We should have in mind that

    the great, all wise Creator has been now for more than 4,000 years dealing with

    certain people, preparatory to bringing to every man an opportunity for life

    everlasting. If he whose wisdom is perfect would devote so much time and energy

    to the outworking of a great plan, then surely it is worthy of the careful and

    painstaking examination and consideration of every man, without regard to his

    creed, religious training, or his political view.

    Since the days of Abraham

    many men of unusual intellect not only have diligently studied the divine plan,

    but have devoted their lives to having a part in making it known to others.

    There were twenty-four holy prophets, whose messages are recorded in the Bible.

    All of these foretold a coming time of great blessings to the human race. Their

    utterances were not their own, but they spake as the spirit of Jehovah moved

    upon them. It was impossible for a human mind to look down through the

    corridors of the ages and to foretell what the future would bring forth; but

    these various prophets, guided by the all-wise Creator who knew the end from

    the beginning, wrote and spake merely as the instruments of God. God never

    failed in one of his promises. He says, “For I am the Lord, I change not”. (Malachi

    3:6) “There hath not failed one word of all his

    good promise.” (1 Kings 8:56) All students of the Bible agree that the time

    must come when every promise of Jehovah will be fulfilled. Jehovah does

    everything orderly and on time and exactly in his own due time, and not man’s

    due time. One day with him is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one

    day; and what might seem to man a long deferred fulfillment of a promise would

    be to God only a question of a very brief space, of time.

    All students of the Bible

    also agree that it has pleased Jehovah to divide the social order of things

    existing from the beginning of the world into epochs, which epochs we call

    worlds, and which the Lord speaks of as worlds-such a use of the word “world”

    meaning a social order of things existing within a given period of time. For

    nearly nineteen centuries students of divine prophecy have expected and looked

    for the world to end, because Jesus taught it would end. Many Christian men,

    however, failing to recognize the distinction between the symbolic and literal

    phrases of the Bible, have been confused concerning the end of the world. For

    instance, the great John Calvin taught that upon the happening of that event

    Jesus, reappearing near the earth, would cause fire to be emitted from the

    clouds, setting the earth aflame and totally destroying it and everything on

    it. He being a clergyman of great renown was supposed to have based his

    conclusions upon a proper interpretation of the Bible, and great numbers believed his teaching; and for this reason, with fear and

    trepidation, many have looked forward to the ending of the world.

    Reason would lead us to the

    conclusion that Jehovah would not create a wonderful earth like this, permit

    man to bring it to a high state of cultivation in many places, and then

    completely destroy it. Such is wholly out of harmony with his character.

    Likewise such is wholly out of harmony with the plain teachings of his Word,

    which says: “The earth abideth forever”. (Ecclesiastes 1:4) “For thus saith the

    Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it;

    he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be

    inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) When the Bible speaks of the world ending it does

    not mean the literal earth, but it does refer to an epoch or dispensation of

    time during which a certain arrangement of things or social order exists. In

    proof of this the Scriptures disclose that there was a “world” which existed

    from the time of Eden until the great deluge: “Whereby the world that then was,

    being overflowed with water, perished." (2 Peter 3:6) At the end of the

    flood a new “world” began, and the promise is made by the same Scriptural

    writer that it shall end. The period of that world is from the flood until the

    coming of Messiah’s kingdom, and his kingdom is to mark the beginning of

    another new world or new order of things.

    The first world, then, began

    with the creation of man and

    ended with the flood. At the time of the deluge began the second world, which

    the Scriptures speak of as “the present evil world”; and God clearly foretold

    that the second world, or social order of things, visible and invisible, would

    pass away during a fiery time of trouble; and then would follow the world to

    come, the social order or arrangement of things. St. Paul instructs ns to

    “rightly divide the word of truth”; and this means, amongst other things, to

    apply the texts of Scriptures within the period or epoch to which they belong;

    and applying these in their proper place, one can discern the orderly and

    majestic forward movement of the divine arrangement.

    All students of the Bible further agree

    that just before Jesus was crucified he told his disciples that he was going

    away, but that he would return again and receive them unto himself, and that

    his second coming would mark the end of the world, i. e., the social order of

    things existing at the time he was on the earth. Other Scriptures show that at

    that time the great blessing long promised, viz., life, liberty and happiness,

    would be offered to the entire human family.

    All students of divine prophecy agree that

    the promises of God made through the prophets must have a fulfillment some

    time, and that the time for fulfillment relating to the restoration of the

    human race to life, liberty and happiness has its beginning at the end of this

    world and at the

    beginning of the new world, i. e., at the time when the social order of things

    existing in Jesus’ day shall pass away and the new order be established. By

    faith the prophets of old looked for that time and hailed its coming as the

    Golden Age, because during that age the Messiah shall reign and establish

    righteousness in the earth.

    It must be conceded, then, by

    all that the first important question for our determination is, When does this

    world end? If we can definitely fix this period, then it is an easy matter to

    determine when the divine promises with reference to life everlasting will be

    opened to the world in general. We therefore propose to prove in this argument

    that the social order of things, the second world, legally ended in 1914, and

    since that time has been and is passing away; that the new order of things is

    coming in to take its place; that within a definite period of time the old

    order will be completely eradicated and the new order in full sway; and that

    these things shall take place within the time of the present generation and

    that therefore there are millions of people now living on earth who will see

    them take place, to whom everlasting life will be offered and who, if they

    accept it upon the terms offered and obey those terms, will never die. If these

    facts can be established by competent testimony to the satisfaction of the

    reasonable mind, then every man should hail it with gladness, every one should

    be delighted, even thought

    upsets his preconceived opinions, formed from the study of the creeds and plans

    of men. We invite the reader, therefore, to examine each point carefully as

    here made, compare the argument with the Scriptures cited, and view the same in

    the light of present day events which are discernible to all eyes, and upon all

    this evidence reach a conclusion. Every man should he persuaded in his own mind

    and no man should permit himself to be deterred from examining a question based

    upon the Bible because a clergyman or any one else makes the unsupported

    assertion that it is dangerous or unworthy of consideration. Error always seeks

    the dark, while truth is always enhanced by the light. Error never desires to

    be investigated. Light always courts a thorough and complete investigation.

    Light and truth are synonymous. They are progressive, and “the path of the just

    is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”.

    (Proverbs 4:18) The Psalmist plainly tells us: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,

    and a light unto my path”. - Psalm 119:105.

    GENTILE TIMES

    The term Gentile times as used in the

    Scriptures designates a period of time during which the Gentiles were to govern

    the peoples of earth. At the death of Jacob God organized Israel into a nation

    and dealt with that nation, to the exclusion of all other nations of earth, for

    a specific time. Time and again they departed from their covenant with Jehovah and be

    punished them. Time and again he warned them against a punishment of greater

    duration unless they profited by previous experiences. They had many kings -some

    good, some wicked. Zedekiah was the last king, and be became so very wicked

    that God issued this decree against him, saying: “Therefore thus saith the Lord

    God; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your

    transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear;

    because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the

    hand. And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when

    iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and

    take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and

    abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it; and it shall

    be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.”-Ezekiel

    21:24 - 27.

    It is a well-known historical

    fact that Zedekiah at the time here mentioned was taken prisoner by King

    Nebuchadnezzar and carried away to Babylon. Afterward the Israelites were permitted

    to maintain a national existence by other nations exercising a supervisory

    control over them, and this condition continued until the year A. D. 73. What

    happened at the time of the dethronement of Zedekiah was that the crown, or

    dominion, or ruling authority over the peoples of earth, was taken away from the Jews and permitted to be assumed by the

    Gentiles. The first universal empire was that of Babylon, followed by

    Medo-Persia, then by Greece, and later by Rome; and out of the Roman empire

    have grown all the Gentile nations of Christendom. As to how long this

    punishment should be inflicted upon the Jews, and therefore how long God would

    permit the Gentiles to have the dominion, is fixed by the Scriptures as seven

    symbolic times. (See Leviticus 26:18) A time in the Scriptures is used to

    represent a symbolic year. According to the Jewish method of calculation a year

    is 360 days. A day for a year, then, would make each time 360 years in

    duration. The seven times would be a period of 2520 years, during which the

    Gentiles should have the lease of power, and at the end of which their lease of

    power would legally cease to exist.

    The date of Zedekiah’s overthrow and the

    establishment of Nebuchadnezzar’s Gentile dominion, which was the first Gentile

    world government, is definitely fixed both by secular history and the

    Scriptures as B. C. 606. In the year A. D. 1,606 years of the whole period had

    expired. Adding 1914 years to the 606 would make a total of 2520 years,

    therefore bringing the period of the Gentiles’ lease of power or dominion to an

    end in the year 1914, This date corresponds with the circumstantial evidence

    proving conclusively when the world would begin to end, i.e., when the old

    order would

    begin to pass away, and fixes the time for the manifestation of Messianic power

    and the bringing in of the new order of things.

    By way of illustration, if a

    man purchases a piece of property on which is situated a decayed building and

    upon which lot he expects shortly to erect a new structure, the first work in

    which the new owner engages is to clear the lot of the decayed building,

    preparatory to erecting the new. By analogy, then, if the old order began to

    pass away in 1914 and Messiah began to exercise his power, preparatory to

    setting up the kingdom of righteousness, then we should expect that his first

    work would be the destruction of the old systems of unrighteousness.

    We here introduce the

    testimony of a witness whose competency cannot be questioned and whose

    testimony must be accepted as absolutely true. This witness is Jesus of

    Nazareth. To orthodox Jews he was a great teacher amongst the Jews. To

    Christians he was not only a great teacher, but by them is accepted and

    recognized as the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind, the Savior of the world,

    the King of glory. He testified that the Jews should be trodden down of the

    Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24) He gave to

    John the Revelator instruction as to what would take place when that time

    should arrive and when he, the Messiah, should begin to exercise his kingly

    power. He pictures the prophets, the mouthpieces of Jehovah, as saying

    concerning himself, the Messiah: "We give thanks, O Lord God Almighty,

    which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great

    power, and hast reigned [exercised regal authority]. And the nations were

    angry, and thy wrath is come.”-Revelation 11:17, 18.

    Here, then, we definitely see

    that the Gentile times ended in the fall of 1914. At that time, true to the

    prophetic statement, the nations did become angry and God’s wrath has been upon

    the nations since. Every nation under the sun has been growing weaker.

    END OF

    THE WORLD

    Fully corroborative of this

    testimony, we direct attention to the further testimony of Jesus set forth in the

    24th chapter of Matthew only a few days before his crucifixion, to wit, in the

    spring of A. D. 33: “As he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came

    unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall

    be the sign of thy presence, and of the end of the world?” After giving them

    warning not to be deceived by other testimony, the Lord plainly answers their

    question: “Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; and

    there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All

    these are the beginning of sorrows,” (Matthew 24:7, 8) In other words, he

    stated that a great world war would ensue, in which the nations and kingdoms of

    the earth should be involved.

    That great war began exactly on time, at the end of the Gentile times; and

    there the old order began to pass away. The war, involving nearly all the

    nations of earth, continued for about four years, and its destructiveness of

    treasure and human life is unparalleled in any other time of man’s history.

    It will be noticed that Jesus said this

    would be accompanied by famine. Since the coining of the war there has been

    great distress in the world because of the shortage of food. In many of the

    countries of Europe thousands have literally starved to death. The food

    shortage in every country on earth is very apparent and the cost of living

    mounts higher and higher. This is not due to the fact that the earth is less

    productive, nor is it due to the fact of man’s inability to plant and produce

    more; but it is due to the unsettled conditions resulting from the world war,

    which conditions Jesus clearly foretold would accompany the war; and it is

    another evidence that 1914 marked the beginning of the end of the world; for

    Jesus plainly said, “These are the beginning of sorrows”.

    Furthermore, it is observed, Jesus said

    that the war and famine would be accompanied by a pestilence. This has been

    literally fulfilled. The Spanish influenza swept over the earth and in less

    than twelve months the victims from that dread pestilential disease outnumbered

    two to one of those who died during the great world war in four years; and now this is

    being followed in the European countries by the direful pestilence of typhus,

    against which the people are being warned.

    Again Jesus said that the

    war, famine and pestilence would be followed by earthquakes. It was not unusual

    for Jesus to use symbolic language; in fact, he often used symbolic language or

    dark sayings to conceal the real meaning until the due time should come. In

    Biblical symbology earthquake means revolution. Following the war have come

    famine, pestilence and revolutions in many countries-some bloody and some

    bloodless. Russia has experienced her revolution and there the Babylonish

    systems have fallen. The same thing has occurred in Germany, in Austria and

    Hungary; and the spirit of revolution is rife everywhere. This does not mean

    the end of the trouble, but it does mean, according to Jesus’ words, that the

    old world legally ended in 1914 and the process of removing the worn out

    systems is now progressing, preparatory to the inauguration of Messiah’s

    kingdom.

    CORROBORATIVE

    TESTIMONY

    It will be interesting here

    to examine a picture that Jehovah caused to be made centuries ago. The prophet

    Elijah was used as a type of the true followers of Christ Jesus. His journey to

    Mount Horeb pictures the journey of the true Christians down to the time of the

    end of theworld. The Lord

    directed him to go forth and stand on the mountain, picturing the church in

    such a position as to obtain a clear vision of the events about to transpire

    and transpiring. To Elijah the Lord said: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount

    before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind

    rent the mountains [symbolically representing kingdoms], and brake in pieces

    the rocks [strong parts thereof] before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the

    wind [symbolic of war]: and after the wind an earthquake [symbolic of

    revolution] ; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake

    a fire [symbolic of greater troubles]; but the Lord was not in the fire: and

    after the fire a still small voice.” - 1 Kings 19:11, 12.

    In 1898 Pastor Russell, the greatest Bible

    student of modern times, commenting on the above Scripture, said:

    “The four exhibitions of the Lord, given to

    Elijah, represent, we believe, four manifestations in which the Lord is about

    to reveal himself to mankind, the first three of which will prepare men for the

    final one, in which will come the desired blessing to all the families of the

    earth. These are:

    “(1) The mighty winds rending the very

    rocks. Blowing winds seem to be used in Scripture for wars. The wars, whose

    dark clouds have threatened the civilized world so ominously for the past

    thirty years, have been miraculously hindered to give opportunity for ‘sealing'

    the Lord’s consecrated people in their foreheads (intellectually) with the

    present truth. We are therefore to expect that when these winds of war shall be

    let loose, it will mean a cataclysm of warfare which shall divide kingdoms

    (mountains)-prefigured by the mighty wind shown to Elijah (1 Kings 19:11),

    which rent the rocks. But God's Kingdom will not follow the epoch of war; the

    world will not thus be made ready for the reign of Immanuel No; a further lesson

    will be needed and will be given. It is represented in

    “(2) An earthquake. Throughout the

    Scriptures an earthquake seer always to represent revolution; and it is not

    unreasonable to expect that an era of general warfare would so arouse the lower

    classes of Europe and so discontent them with their lot (and especially with

    the conditions which would follow such a war) that revolution would be the next

    thing in order. (Revelation 16:18) But, severe though those revolutionary

    experiences will be to the world, they are not sufficient to prepare men to

    hear the voice of God. It will require

    “(3) The fire from heaven-on epoch of

    divine judgments and chastisements upon a maddened but unconverted world, wild

    in anarchy, as other Scriptures show us. The results of their wars, revolutions

    and anarchy, in the failure of their schemes, will have a bumbling effect, and

    will prepare mankind for God's revelation of himself in

    "(4) The still small voice. Yes; he

    who spoke to the winds and the waves of the sea of Galilee will, in due time,

    ‘speak peace to the peoples’. He will speak with authority, commanding the

    observance of his long neglected law of love. ‘And whosoever will not hear that

    prophet shall be cut off from among the people'. - Acta 3:23.”-The Finished

    Mystery.

    Every close observer will witness that this prophecy has been partially

    fulfilled and is still in course of fulfillment.

    ISRAEL’S

    DOUBLE

    The Jewish people God used as

    a typical people. Their law foreshadowed better things to come in the future.

    (Hebrews 10:1) Keeping in mind that prophecy means history written in advance,

    i. e., that the divine mind foreknew from the beginning the end and caused the

    salient points to be recorded for the benefit of those living at the times when

    they should happen, let us now examine further the testimony of Jesus on this

    point He said: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet

    tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye,

    when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors”.

    (Matthew 24:32, 33) The fig tree here is symbolic of the Jewish nation. We

    reach that conclusion from what Jesus himself said in cursing the fig tree a

    few days before he gave utterance to the words above quoted. - Matthew 21: 19,

    20.

    Jehovah, through Jeremiah his

    prophet, foretold to Israel that the climax of their punishment would come when

    he would drive them out of the land of Palestine into a strange country, where

    they would have to serve others and be oppressed for the same length of time

    that he had shown them his favor, the words of the prophet here being:

    “Therefore will I cast youout

    of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and

    there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favor.

    Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be

    said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land

    of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the

    land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I

    will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I

    will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after

    will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and

    from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all

    their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from

    mine eyes. And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double;

    because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the

    carcases of their detestable and abominable things.” - Jeremiah 16:13-18.

    Here it is to be seen that God not only

    foretold driving them out and punishing them, but that he would ultimately

    bring them back into Palestine; and the length of their punishment would be an

    exact double-a counterpart or duplication-of the time during which he had

    bestowed his favor upon them. “First I will recompense their iniquity and their

    sin double.” The worddouble here means duplication or exact counterpart. If we can

    get the proper location of these time features, ascertain where the double

    began, we can very easily determine when God’s favor should be due to return to

    the Jews and what relation that has to the budding of the fig tree, as above

    stated.

    God is his own interpreter

    and will make plain his plan to those who study to understand it. Through the

    mouth of another prophet he gives us the key to the location of the very day of

    the beginning of this double. The prophet Zechariah records concerning

    Jerusalem these words: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, 0

    daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee: he is just, and

    having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an

    ass”. "Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I

    declare that I will render double unto thee.” (Zechariah 9:9,12) This prophetic

    statement of the Lord must have a fulfillment at some time and it is quite

    evident that its fulfillment would mark the date from which the double counts.

    PROPHECY

    FULFILLED

    On the 10th day of Nisan, A.

    D. 33, corresponding practically with our month of April, Jesus of Nazareth

    rode into Jerusalem upon an ass and offered himself as king to the Jews. St.

    Matthew records the incident in the following words: “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to

    Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto

    them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an

    ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any

    man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and

    straightway he will send them. All this was done that it might be fulfilled

    which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold,

    thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal

    of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought

    the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

    And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down

    branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that

    went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:

    Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”-Matthew

    21:1-9.

    Here, then, is a positive

    statement of the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy, and the very day of it is

    fixed; and so the Lord said, “Today I declare that I will render the double

    unto thee”. That very day, then, marked the middle point in the history of the

    Jews. It is exceedingly important, then, to find out how long they had been in

    God’s favor. The death of Jacob,

    when he called

    his twelve sons before him and blessed them, is the beginning of the nation of

    Israel; therefore the date of the beginning of the favor upon Israel. From the

    death of Jacob until the 10th day of Nisan A. D. 33 was 1845 years. That is to

    say, on the 10th day of Nisan A. D. 33 the double began to count, and from that

    day Palestine began to disintegrate, the Jewish nation began to melt away; and

    exactly forty years from that date Palestine was completely depopulated. In

    other words, a period of forty years was occupied by Jehovah from the time he

    began to execute the double until Palestine was completely depopulated. As

    evidence of this, we cite the following historical accounts:

    "It may be proper to

    mention also what things occurred that show the benignity of that all- gracions

    Providence, that had deferred their destruction for forty years after their

    crimes against Christ” (Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History) "On the 15th day

    of Nisan, i. e., of April, in the year 73 A. D., the first day of the Easter

    festival, the same day on which, according to tradition, the God of Israel had

    led his people out of Egyptian bondage into freedom, the last bulwark of

    Israel’s liberty had fallen, and Israel was delivered into bondage.” (Comil’s

    History of the People of Israel) "Masada attained great importance in the

    war with the Romans. . . . With the fall of Masada the war came to an end, on

    the 15th of Nisan, 73.” (The Jewish Encyclopedia) “The capture of Masada, a

    Jewish fortress on the southwestern shores of the Dead Sea, put a termination

    to one of the fiercest struggles recorded in history (73 A. D.).” (Morrison’s

    Jews Under Roman Rule) "Judea was not entirely subjugated; for three strong

    fortresses were still in arms: Herodium, Machaerus, and Masada. ... The heroes

    agreed to this proposal (of their leader Eleasar) even with enthusiasm, and on

    the first day of the great Feast of the Passover (A. D. 73), after slaying

    their own wives and children, they all perished on their own swords."

    (Graetz’s History of the Jews, Vol. 2) “Eleasar accordingly persuaded all his

    people during that night to kill their wives and children and then themselves,

    but to burn all their treasures first. The next day the Bomans found only 960

    dead bodies, whilst but two women and five children hid themselves in caverns

    and were discovered. The Easter of the year 73, just seven years from the

    beginning of the great movement and forty years after Christ’s crucifixion, saw

    this end of the whole tragedy?’ (Ewald’s History of Israel, Vol. 7) The

    historian Josephus corroborates these dates.

    DOUBLE

    BEGINS TO END

    The double began to count, as

    stated, in the spring of the year A. D. 33; and since the period of favor had

    been 1845 years, the period of punishment should likewise be 1845 years. Then

    adding 1845 years to A D. 33 brings us to 1878; and on the latter date, if our calculations be correct, we

    should find, according to the parallel or double, that some time during the year

    1878 there should be some marked beginning of God’s favor returning to the Jew.

    In other words, here should begin the budding of the symbolic fig tree, which

    ought to be specially marked forty years later, viz., in 1918, if this parallel

    is carried out.

    FAVOR

    BEGINS TO RETURN

    In the summer of 1878,

    exactly on time and when we should look for God’s favor to return to the Jew,

    we find there transpired a certain event of the greatest importance that had

    happened to Jewry in more than 1800 years. I quote from the Jewish

    Encyclopedia, which is a recognized authority: “Russia, at war with Turkey, was

    successful, and by the treaty of San Stephano practically effaced Turkey from

    Europe. Lord Beaconsfield, a Jew, came into power in 1874. As Premier of Great

    Britain Beaconsfield sent the English fleet into the Dardanelles and brought

    Indian troops to Malta and made a demonstration against Russia. She yielded and

    agreed to a discussion of the whole affair at Berlin. Accordingly from June 13

    to July 13, 1878, the Berlin Congress was held. Beaconsfield compelled Russia

    to greatly modify her treaty. Turkey was enfranchised and made independent, but

    upon condition that civil and religious rights be granted to the Jews. Thishad an important bearing on the history of

    the Jews.”

    Other authorities state that Beaconsfield

    presided at that Congress, wrote the treaty and was the leading factor. As you

    well know, his real name was D’Israeli, a thorough, full-blooded Jew, the first

    and only Jewish prime minister Great Britain has ever had. From that time on

    the favor of the Lord began to be shown again to the Jewish people. According

    to the parallel we should expect God’s favor to increase toward the Jew's from

    1878, and should have some special climax in the year 1918.

    ZIONISM

    For many centuries there have been repeated

    efforts to destroy the Jews, all of which have failed. God never intended that

    they should be destroyed and they never shall be destroyed. Their persecutions

    have held them together as a people and increased their longing desire for a

    home in the land of their fathers. In dealing with his people God always raises

    up a man at the opportune moment and often the man who proves his faithfulness

    to the task imposed upon him dies a martyr to the cause. In times past Jehovah

    has proven his purpose of making the wrath of man to praise him, and every one

    who has suffered for a righteous cause will in due time receive a reward for

    his faithfulness to the principles of truth and righteousness.

    In 1860 there was born in Budapest a Jewishchild who grew to manhood’s

    estate. Choosing first the law as a profession, he soon embraced journalism and

    forged to the front amongst the journalists and writers of the world. His heart

    was torn and bleeding because of the wicked and unjust persecution of his

    kinsmen, the Jewish people, which led to the formation in his mind of a scheme

    for their relief. In 1896 he gave expression to this scheme in his splendid

    paper, A Jewish State; and there many Jews of the world began to awaken to the

    fact that their cause had found a champion in this man. When first A Jewish

    State appeared, his office assistant wept, because he thought the author had

    lost his mind; but as the import of this paper was considered, it was hailed as

    a message of deliverance by many of the oppressed Jews of the world. He spent

    his life in the interest of the cause and his last words were: “Greet Palestine

    for me; I have given my life for my people.”

    Today the name Theodor Herzl

    is a household word amongst the Jews of earth and the time will come when the

    peoples of earth, Jew and Gentile, will recognize that Theodor Herzl was raised

    up at the opportune moment to give birth to Zionism, which is destined to

    succeed beyond the dreams of its originator.

    CAUSE

    FOB ZIONISM

    What was the inducing cause

    for the formation of Zionism? Was it due to the prosperity of the Jews? No,

    indeed. Let the beloved Herzl answer: “The scheme in

    question [Zionism] included the employment of an existent propelling force.

    Everything depends on our propelling force. And what is our propelling force?

    The miseries of the Jews”

    If we find that God foreknew

    the condition of misery of the Jews and permitted it to prepare the Jews for

    the Zionistie movement in order that they might be turned hack to their homeland,

    will not that strengthen faith in the promises of Jehovah concerning what will

    he the ultimate result? “And I will cause them to pass over with thy enemies

    into a land which thou knowest not; for a fire is kindled in my anger, over you

    shall it burn.” “Therefore will I hurl you out of this land into the land of

    which ye had no knowledge, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye

    serve other gods by day and by night; so that I will not grant you any favor.

    Behold, I will send for many fishermen, saith the Lord, and they shall fish

    them; and after that will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them

    from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.”

    “And thou shalt become an astonishment, ft proverb, and a by-word, among all

    the nations whither the Lord will lead thee.” - Jeremiah 15:14; 16:13, 16;

    24:9; Deuteronomy 28:37.

    DEVELOPMENT

    OF ZIONISM

    Officially organized in 1897,

    Zionism has advanced year by year. The first congress held inBasle, Switzerland, in that year was

    attended by 206 delegates, only a handful of Jews; whereas today Zionism has

    its organization in every part of the world where there are Jews and there are

    some of them almost everywhere. Large sums of money have been raised and

    expended in the establishment of many agricultural settlements. Scientific

    methods have been employed in agriculture. Schools have been established, and

    the foundation of the great Hebrew University has been laid on the Mount of

    Olives. The organization of colonies is progressing, Jews are acquiring the

    land in Paleslime and building houses; waste lands are being reclaimed and

    gradually the nation is rising.

    DOUBLE FULFILLED

    When Zionism was organized, among other

    things the first congress declared that its aim was and is the procuring of

    such government sanctions as are necessary in the achievement of the objects of

    Zionism.

    As above noted, the favor of God began to

    return to the Jews in 1878 and according to the prophetic double foretold by

    the Lord’s prophets, forty years later, or in 1918, there should be some marked

    and special manifestation of God’s favor toward the Jew. The Jewish year begins

    in the autumn; therefore November, 1917, would be in fact the beginning of

    1918. In 1917 the Allied armies drove back the Turk and took possession of

    Palestine. On November 2, 1917, or about the second month of the Jewish year

    1918, Great Britain officially recognized Zionism, as appears from the

    following:

    "Foreign Office, Nov. 2nd, 1917.

    Dear Lord Rothschild:

    I have much pleasure in conveying to you on

    behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with

    Jewish Zionist aspirations, which has been submitted to, and approved by, the

    Cabinet:

    " 'His Majesty's Government view with

    favor the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people,

    and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object,

    it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the

    civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or

    the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.'

    I should be grateful if you would bring

    this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

    Yours sincerely,

    “Arthur Jamas Balfour."

    Within the year 1918 ten nations of earth,

    including Great Britain and the United States, gave official endorsement of the

    establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. It was in the spring of 1918,

    about the anniversary of the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt,

    exactly forty years from the time when the favor began to return to the Jew,

    that a commission in charge of Dr. Chaim Weizmann, with full authority from the

    British Government, sailed from London to Palestine, clothed with authoritylooking to the establishment

    Of a Jewish commonwealth in Palestine. Thus we see that the double was

    fulfilled exactly on time, as God had foretold through the mouth of his

    prophets.

    PURPOSE OF ZIONISM

    The first Zionist congress,

    convened at the instance of the much beloved Theodor Herzl, made a clear

    declaration as to its purpose and that program has never been altered. The

    purpose is thus stated:

    "Zionism aims to create

    a publicly secured, legally assured home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

    "In order to attain this

    object, the Congress adopts the

    following means:

    "(1) The promotion of

    the settlement in Palestine of Jewish agriculturists, handicraftsmen,

    industrialists, and men following professions.

    "(2) The federation and

    association of entire Jewry by means of local and general institutions in

    conformity with the local laws.

    "(3) The strengthening

    of Jewish sentiment and national consciousness.

    “(4) The procuring of such

    government sanctions as are necessary for achieving the objects of Zionism.”

    JEWS

    REBUILDING PALESTINE

    The Jews are not only laying

    a foundation of a state in Palestine, but they are putting in operation great

    schemes for improving the country by means of rapid transit systems, systems of

    irrigation, the building of houses, establishing of schools, and a great

    university at Jerusalem, and

    many other things. We cite a few of these events that have appeared in the

    public press:

    Special Bulletin No. 469, issued by the

    Zionist Organization of New York City, states that the average rainfall in

    Palestine is twenty-six inches, and that this water stored up in Palestine

    would be sufficient to support a population of 15,000,- 000 people. The present

    population is 600,000. It further states that from the spring sixteen miles

    south of Jerusalem great quantities of water are flowing into the city. The

    public press announces gigantic irrigation schemes which, if carried out, will

    supply all Palestine with an abundance of water for irrigation and other

    purposes.

    The Zionist Bulletin, under date of

    February 25,1920, says:

    “One million seven hundred thousand

    eucalyptus and other kinds of forest trees are to be planted on an area of

    21,135 dunams.

    “In Merchavia 20,000 eucalyptus trees are

    to be planted, in connection with the sanitation of the settlement, on 200

    dunams.

    “In Kinereth and Daganiah 42,000 eucalyptus

    and other kinds of forest trees are to be planted on 175 dunams on the slopes

    of the mountain, the farm of Kinereth, the banks of the Jordan and the shores

    of Lake Kinereth.

    “In Benschernen about 70,000 trees are to

    be planted on 230 dunams.

    “In Hulda 425,000 trees are to be planted

    on 140 dunams.

    "In Bex-Tobiah (Kastinie) 27,000 trees

    are to be

    planted on 380 dunams, apart from those already mentioned above.

    “In the surrounding of the

    colony of Chederah 50,000 trees in all, mostly eucalyptus trees, are to be

    planted on 1,000 dunams.”

    A special bulletin dated

    March 1,1920, says:

    "Three thousand school

    children of Jerusalem, celebrating the Jewish Arbor Day recently, planted 500

    trees in the suburbs of the Holy City, inaugurating the afforestation program

    of the Zionists to plant one million trees this year in Palestine, according to

    a report from the Zionist Commission in Jerusalem.

    “During 1919, 369,000 trees

    were planted in the effort to restore Palestine’s forests, wantonly destroyed

    by Turkish misrule and the war. The afforestation of Palestine, because of its

    importance in the agricultural rejuvenation of the country and in providing

    lumber for construction Work of the future, is considered one of the biggest

    reconstruction projects that the Zionists are attempting in the Holy Land.”

    Another special bulletin,

    under date of March 26, 1920, says:

    “For ten years this struggle

    was kept up, entirely by Jewish labor. Today this once barren soil is covered

    with forests of olive and almond trees, 150,000 olive and 10,000 almond trees.

    Last year 100,000 pounds of almonds were sold, which together with the proceeds

    obtained from the Sale of hides and wool from the extensive raising of cattle

    and Sheep, produced a net profit of 15 per cent, on the original investment.”

    It is of the keenest interest

    to all thoughtful persons to note that these activities of the Zionists were

    foretold by God’s prophet more than 2,500 years ago, who wrote: “I will open on naked mountain-peaks rivers,

    and in the midst of valleys fountains; I will change the wilderness into a pool

    of water, and the dry land into springs of water. I will place in the

    wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oiltree ; I will set

    in the desert the fir-tree, the pine and the box-tree together; in order that

    they may see, and know and take (it to heart), and comprehend together, that

    the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created

    it”-Isaiah 41:18- 20, Leeser,

    "THEY

    SHALL BUILD HOUSES"

    At the Zionist Executive

    Council held February 16, 1920, at London, Dr. Ruppin in the debate proposed

    the founding of a large society which should begin to build houses for workers

    as rapidly as possible. And even now in parts of Palestine houses are rapidly

    undergoing construction for the benefit of the constant flow of Jewish

    population returning to the laud. Again we find that this is clearly in

    fulfillment of prophecy written long ago for the purpose of encouraging the

    Jews to have faith in the promises of the Lord. The houses now built are not in

    the interest of profiteers, nor will the owners be permitted to oppress those

    who live in them; but the owners shall live in them as their own homes, as the

    prophet of the Lord foretold: "They shall build houses, and inhabit them;

    and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them They shall not build,

    and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of

    a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of

    their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for

    they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.”-Isaiah

    65: 21-23.

    Thus the testimony definitely

    establishes the fact that God’s favor has

    returned to the Jew; that the parallel is fulfilled; that the fig tree is

    putting forth its leaves, according to the promise -all of which Jesus said

    would take place at the end of the world.

    EVENTS OF NOAH’S DAY

    Jesus did not leave us to

    make a decision upon the happening of one event, but he enumerated several

    things that would transpire during the period when the world is ending. He

    stated that as it was in Noah’s day, so would it he at the end of the world.

    “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For

    as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking,

    marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

    and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the

    coming of the Son of man be.” - Matthew 24:37-39.

    The first world ended with

    the flood. One hundred and twenty years before the flood God instructed Noah to prepare for it, that

    he might save himself, and to preach to the people concerning the approaching

    end. In Noah’s day the people pursued their usual and customary course of

    action and were wholly indifferent and oblivious to the fact that the old order

    of things was about to pass away in a great flood. So likewise today the mass

    of humanity, pursuing its usual way, is wholly oblivious to and entirely

    ignorant of the great transition period we are now in.

    In Noah’s day while he was preaching to the

    people concerning the coming end of the world many scoffed at him, jeered him

    and mocked him, and thereby testified to their ignorance concerning the events

    that were about to occur.

    Mark the parallel in events now

    transpiring. Shortly after the capture of Palestine by the Allied armies a

    number of good ministers of the gospel met in London and issued the following

    manifesto, as appears from a London press report:

    “The following manifesto was recently

    issued by a number of England’s most noted ministers:

    “First-That the present crisis points

    toward the close of the times of the Gentiles.

    “ 'Second-That the revelation of the Lord

    may be expected at any moment, when he will be manifested as evidently as to

    his disciples on the evening of his resurrection.

    “ 'Third-That the completed church will be

    translated, to be “forever with the Lord”.

    “ 'Fourth-That Israel will be restored to

    its own

    land in unbelief, and be afterward

    converted by the appearance of Christ on its behalf.

    “ ‘Fifth-That all human schemes of

    reconstruction must be subsidiary to the second coming of our Lord, because all

    nations will be subject to his rule.

    “ ‘Sixth-That under the reign of Christ

    there will be a further great effusion of the Holy Spirit on all flesh.

    “ ‘Seventh-That the truths embodied in this

    statement are of the utmost practical value in determining Christian character

    and action with reference to the pressing problems of the hour.’

    “This remarkable statement was signed by A.

    C. Dixon and F. B. Meyer, Baptists; George Campbell Morgan and Alfred Byrd,

    Congregationalists; William Fuller Gouch, Presbyterian; H. Wehb Peploe, J.

    Stuart Holden, Episcopalians; Dinsdale T. Young, Methodist.

    “These are well-known names, and are among

    the world’s greatest preachers. That these eminent men, of different

    denominations, should feel called Upon to issue such a statement is of itself

    exceedingly significant.”

    It is to be regretted that the ministers

    above mentioned do not represent the sentiment of the majority of clergymen in

    the world. To all people who think, it is apparent that there are two classes

    of ministers in the world: the good and the bad, the honest and the dishonest,

    the faithful and the unfaithful. This same rule applies to almost any

    profession. But amongst all the professions of the world, the man who occupies

    the position of a minister of the gospel is honored above all others from the

    divine standpoint, because he is supposed to deal with things pertaining to the

    Word of God. A faithful fulfillment of his commission, then, puts him in the honorable roll

    from God’s viewpoint. On the other hand, a man who assumes the title of a

    minister of the gospel and who yields to the flattery of the world and for this

    reason disregards the plain teachings of the Bible and leads the people into

    error is himself a dishonor to the ministry and a menace to the welfare of

    humanity. No honest minister will take issue with me upon this point. Any one

    who insists that this is not true at once puts himself in the category of the

    bad class. Let each one, then, apply the measuring rod to himself and see which

    class he is in. And if he sees he is in the wrong one, he will if he is honest

    get into the right class as quickly as possible.

    An enterprising newspaper man

    presented a copy of the foregoing manifesto to all the leading clergymen of one

    of the metropolitan cities of America; and their action is an illustration of

    how the majority have regarded the matter. Invariably they scoffed at the

    thoughts therein expressed; and many of them answered, “It is nonsense to talk

    about the world coming to an end. That event will not happen for 50,000 years

    or more. This war is like any other war and these troubles upon earth signify

    nothing."

    For more than forty years

    Pastor Russell, a faithful, consecrated Christian, proclaimed to the people by

    word of month, through the public press and through his books, that 1914 would

    mark the end of the Gentile times; that the world would begin to end at that time, and that Messiah’s

    kingdom would shortly follow. A few ministers here and there joined with bim in

    the proclamation, but the majority of them scoffed at him and said all manner

    of evil against him because of his faithful proclamation of the message. The

    inspired witness of the Lord corroborated his statement that there would be

    scoffers at this time who would oppose the testimony divinely provided, saying:

    “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts

    [selfish desires], and saying, Where is the promise [proof] of his coming! for

    since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the

    beginning of creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word

    of God . . . the heavens [invisible ruling powers] and the earth [social order

    of things], which are now, . . . are kept in store, reserved unto fire

    [destructive trouble] against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly

    men.” - 2 Peter 3:3-7.

    The clear fulfillment of the

    above prophetic statement ought to be sufficient to convince any reasonable and

    thoughtful mind that we are now passing through the transition period from the

    old to the new order of things.

    Concerning this same subject,

    the great Master further said: “The suu [shall] be darkened, and the moon shall

    not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the

    heavens shall be shaken”. (Matthew 24:29)

    These dark sayings or

    symbolic words of Jesus, as shown in the light of other Scriptures, mean this:

    The sun represents the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified, the philosophy

    of the great ransom sacrifice. The moon pictures or symbolizes the Mosaic law

    covenant arrangement, which foreshadowed the development of God’s plan in both

    the Gospel and Millennial ages. And the stars symbolize exalted ones, teachers

    of the divine Word.

    In fulfillment of this

    prophecy of the Lord everybody has witnessed during the past decade a great

    falling away of clergymen from the plain gospel of Christ Jesus and him

    crucified. In November, 1917, there assembled in Carnegie Hall, New York,

    ministers of the Jewish, Protestant and Catholic faiths, to discuss a common

    basis for action. In all that meeting the name of Jesus as the great Redeemer

    was not mentioned. There was a decided tendency to unite upon questions

    relating to civil or political affairs, but the great doctrines of the truth

    taught by the apostles and prophets became darkened and were ignored. One

    speaker at that convention said: “Here are three steps which we may take: (1)

    the preparation of a book of selections from the Bible by an

    interdenominational commission appointed by the legislature or by the Board of

    Regents for use in the schools; (2) the formulation of a plan for non-proselyting

    cooperation between the schools and the various denominations, to the end that

    every child may have its democratical and its

    religious instruction; (3) the granting of Regents’ credits for serious work

    and Bible study outside of the schools.”

    This plan was

    enthusiastically adopted. Another speaker, Dr. Finley, at that convention said,

    as appeared in the public press: “The time is come for Protestants, Catholics,

    Jew and Gentile, to cooperate to the end that every child may have an

    intimation at least of his moral and religious inheritance”.

    As further evidence, the

    Interchurch World Movement has united in action but absolutely ignored the

    doctrines of the truth. Their statement, which appeared in a bulletin issued in

    January, 1920, says: “We believe the time is fully ripe for such unity of

    action on the part of united Protestantism that, without attempting to solve

    the problems arising from divergent and conscientiously held points of view on

    matters of doctrine and policy, the churches are ready for a common program of

    activity”.

    In other words, they are

    ignoring the great fundamental truths of Christianity foreshadowed by the

    typical sacrifices and made certain by the one great sacrifice of Jesus, the

    selection of the church and through the church the restoration of the world

    during the reign of Christ- clearly in fulfillment of the Master’s words.

    The stars, here representing

    the teachers of spiritual things, are pictured as falling; therefore

    representing that men who have claimed to teach the divine Word have fallen to

    the com-mon level of ordinary

    world politics. As to the character of the Interchurch World Movement and

    showing that the purpose is not in harmony with the divine plan and that it is

    ignoring the plain purpose of Jesua and the apostles, we quote language

    recently uttered by some of the leading figures in it. Dr. J. Campbell White,

    Associate General Secretary of the Movement, according to the public press

    recently said: "To carry out the new program of the cooperative churches

    it will require 100,000 new employed leaders during the next five years. They

    must be college graduates. An outlay of from $250,- 000,000 to $300,000,000

    will be required to finance this program during 1920, and it is proposed to

    raise it during the week of April 25 to May 2; one-third of the money to be

    devoted to education, another third to Americanization and a third to reaching

    the billion persons in the nonChristian world. The world will be ruled by the

    forces of Christianity in twenty years.”

    This Interchurch World Movement is what its

    …

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