Souvenir Notes — Bible Students Conventions (1916)

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SOUVENIR NOTES

BIBLE STUDENTS' CONVENTIONS

1916 INTERNATIONAL

BIBLE STUDENTS

SOVVENIR

CONVENTION

REPORT To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

In the Interest of

HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS,

Waiting for the Adoption

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

"To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God." Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things, under Christ."

Eph. 3:4,5,9;1:8-10.

THE MAN WITH THE INKHORN

"And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which

had the bribery by his side, reported the matter,

saying, I have done as their best commanded rue."

Ecumenes 9:11

Introduction

EAR FRIENDS: As soon as we learned that there were to be several General Conventions in this year 1916, we began to make preparations to issue the "Souvenir Convention Report" in sections, one for each convention.

However, as the conventions began to become matters of history, it became apparent that such a course could not be carried out. The war has caused such a general upheaval

of affairs along all lines, which, together with the threatened railroad strike in the United States, made things so uncertain that the friends did not send in their orders so as to give us any definite idea as to the number of copies that would be wanted, and so the orders have strung along all summer.

Therefore, on account of the great advance in cost of all materials for publishing, such as paper, ink, etc., we could not arrange for printing until we knew something at least about the number of copies wanted.

As the title suggests, the book claims to be only "Notes," or a "Souvenir" of the conventions--some of it being verbatim reports of the discourses, some synopses of the discourses and some being from manuscripts furnished by the speakers themselves.

We next thought we could issue the book in two parts, but this, too, has not been possible, but we have done the best we could in gathering as much as possible from many of the conventions.

Nearly all the speakers are represented in at least one convention, some however, in two or three. We regret that we are not able to give a more complete report, but our arrangements for securing same fell through when too late to be remedied.

We are pleased to include two discourses from our dear Brother Morton Edgar, of Glasgow, Scotland. These came too late to be inserted last year along with the messages from other brethren from various parts of the world.

Trusting that these "Notes" will be the means of refreshing the minds of those who were in attendance at some of the conventions, and also bring to the minds and hearts of others not so privileged some of the rich viands the Lord spread at those tables, and thanking the Lord for the privilege of being used in some measure to serve the brethren in general, I remain, as before,

Yours in HIS service,

L. W. JONES, M. D.

4100 Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.

ST. LOUIS CONVENTION

Address of Welcome by Bro. J. H. Hoeveler

T IS my pleasure to speak for the St. Louis class, to welcome the conventioners present.

We thought we might have a little convention with perhaps one pilgrim, but now it looks as though we might have ten or twelve, maybe thirteen, and it will indeed be a joyful and refreshing time.

We wish all to be at home and comfortable there are plenty of restaurants to satisfy the natural man but here we will have the great feast to satisfy the spiritual side.

We desire to extend to all a hearty welcome and wherever you see one of these badges you will know that it is a brother or sister in Christ. So let us endeavor to build one another up in the most holy faith, so that at the end of this convention we will feel stronger in the Lord for the time that is coming shortly, which our beloved Pastor will tell you about Sunday night, "The World on Fire". We realize that there are a number of fires burning furiously so let us make use of this season so that we may be strengthened and prepared. Therefore lift up your heads and rejoice.

Response by Bro. Menta Sturgeon

RO. HOEVELER, Chairman of the St. Louis Ecclesia, we feel very much at home after having been invited by consecrated people whose every act is courteous and especially since the Lord has promised to be with his people and where he is there is love.

We are glad to receive the invitation and to have the hearty words of welcome extended to us at this time.

We have come here from different parts of the country, some of course from near by places, others have come from different states, some from the north, some from the south, and a few from the east, but at least one from the west (Sexton).

We cannot measure a convention like this, by the actual numbers present but more by who it is that is present. If each of the brethren coming from different sections of the country truly represent that section in Christ, and we believe they do, they represent the love and the faith of that section; yea it is one faith and love that fills all the Lord's people everywhere. This means his presence is representative and makes it to be mighty and very characteristic, and when we consider in a higher way the Lord's presence with his people here on this special occasion, and when he is the representative of the Lord and the Holy Spirit and his people, represented both in the Father and the Son, and all here together with one mind and one accord, surely from that standpoint we would call this a really great convention. And yet with this convention it is no doubt like one who visited the historic city of Rome who said that, a person gets from Rome only what he takes to Rome.

So while there are rich treasures here arranged by our heavenly Father, yet it will depend upon our state of mind, upon our spirit, as to what we are to get from the convention, that which is wholesome and good. Well, we believe the Lord will bless us with his spirit of earnestness and the desire to get the most from what he has provided.

So, my dear chairman, we are appreciative of your words and hearty welcome. As a representative of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, or the International Bible

Students' Association, under whose auspices we are now meeting by the invitation of the St. Louis class, and the providential arrangements of our heavenly Father, we are here as ever before in other conventions, and as in others which we believe will be held during the convention season, for the purpose of service. Our Lord and Saviour were the great servants and the Society under his direction we believe are the great servants of the friends, and it is in that capacity that the Society is here at this convention, to serve and because it desires to serve every interest of the conventioners, it has arranged as usual to have all the different things that may be required. Now it is our earnest desire and hope that the sessions of this convention may be marked by a deep spirituality, by a strong faith in the Lord, by a fervent love for one another. We know that that will likely depend on our condition of mind and heart, that only as we first of all appreciate our nothingness and God's greatness, only as we shall take a proper position in the presence of the Most High shall we be able to have the spirit of the Lord at all.

We have from our Saviour, the great head of the church, these words, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls." This we can receive to the extent that we are meek and humble like the Saviour. I believe this grace is growing in the midst of the Lord's people more and more every day and I trust it is now our position in Christ and that means that we are here to be led of the Lord, and not here to lead you. We do not need any men to lead us because the Lord is our leader. Do you see him present by his truth, his spirit, his people, and representatives? I trust you do and that we may see him more fully as we gather day by day and have this faith's vision keen and our minds so clear of earthly things that we may be able to rise above the world, the flesh and the adversary, into the heavenly realms.

We are here to wait upon the Lord to see what he shall have to say to us. So then, with the spirit of meek-

ness we want to watch the leadings of divine providence in all our ways and goings.

We want to be submissive to his will whatever that may be, and as members of the Lord's body and of one another particularly, being very watchful of the Lord's arrangements in order that we may be able to be more helpful to others and receive a blessing ourselves. With this spirit of humility, yes in the language of the poet I trust that our desire is to sing and pray and practice.—

O to be nothing, nothing;

Only to lie at his feet

A broken and emptied vessel,

For the Master's use made meet.

Therefore I need not say, dear friends, God bless you, but I say that God does bless you and in all meekness and humility and nothingness. There is something called the new creature that mounts up as it were on eagle's wings, having a living faith, rising up figuratively into the skies, and attaching itself in Christ to the truth, the blessed truth by faith, the riches of divine faith and mercies in Christ on our behalf.

Now my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if we shall have very clear what this convention might be and practice this spirit of humility and strong faith, I am sure we will be able to see and appreciate the saying:

Lord Jesus make thyself to me

A living bright reality

More precious to Faith's vision keen,

Than any earthly object seen;

More dear more intimately nigh

Than c'en the sweetest earthly tie.

Therefore wherever we go while in this convention we will carry a sweetness and blessedness that is entirely different from any one in the world or any nominal Christian characters. There will be something about the Lord's people here that will differentiate them from all other people having the power of the Lord in their hearts, characters thoughts, deeds and in their very presence, so that wherever we may go while here may we carry the sweet aroma of divine blessing with us, and when we talk to others and invite them to some of the good things which the Lord has here, whether in the various sessions of the convention or the exhibitions of the various parts of the Photo Drama, it shall not only carry with it words but a distinct sweetness that will attract the hearts of those who are thirsting and hungering and who desire to have more of Christ. So that when we go to the homes where we are going to be entertained, there will be something more than how

things look there, how the furniture is placed, etc., but we will have our minds and hearts in such a condition as to bring a blessing in those homes and they will miss us when we go and say they wished they had us back, but they will conclude that when we came we brought a blessing and having gone they will say. God bless them, but the Lord is still here. So they will be glad when we came and glad when we are gone.

We take this opportunity dear friends to call your attention to the beautiful arrangements which we trust are of the Lord in regard to the convention. Here is one day given to the consideration of the Ransom Sacrifice of Jesus. While we may consider it doctrinaly we know that there is a practical side, and we are going to practice that side in laying down our lives one for another. If we will work hard at that we will have all we can do, our hands will be full in trying to build one another up in the most holy faith and it will be a blessed and Christ-like convention. Then the second day of the convention will be devoted to the consideration of "The holy Spirit," so that our minds might be filled with the Lord's spirit. The third day will be for the consideration of "The Lord's Presence." Lastly, Sunday, "The High Day," the last and best day for the consideration of the nature, person and work of the Lord Jesus. Surely this is a wonderful program ahead of all others.

There is one little feature about the convention that greatly impresses us and that is something that we never had before, to have our dear Pastor greet us as conventioners. If I were to tell you any secret I would tell you that it was the most difficult thing we had to do to get him to do it. but he did it and it is about the best thing in the convention; I refer to the special message of greeting from Pastor Russell as printed on the program and this will be found at the end of my remarks in this portion of the Convention Report.

Now my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, while there seems to be ten conventions during this season. God has seen fit to give the first feast to St. Louis, and I am not going to find any fault with the arrangement. This is just where I would be, and you know why. (He used to live in St. Louis). Among all of the great cities these brethren come from I think this is as good as any. I have not found a better place than here in Missouri. If one is not happy here I do not know where to tell you to go. You can be just as near heaven here as in Los Angeles, New York or anywhere else.

Now then we are here as brethren in Christ to serve and be together for four days so let all the glory be to the heavenly Father and his adorable Son, our Lord Jesus in the interests of his dear people. Amen.

Pastoral Greeting

Dear Conventioners:

Just a word of Greeting to you as you gather-an expression of hope that this Convention will be one of great profit to all in attendance, and of wide influence upon others.

The Convention will be well over by the time of my arrival and participation in its program. I am, therefore, giving you a foreword—expressing the hope that you will have experienced great blessings before my arrival in your midst. I am sure that my good hopes respecting your spiritual prosperity at this Convention will be realized, provided you shall have come to the Convention with proper sentiments, and with prayer for God's blessing upon the Convention, and especially upon your own participation and spiritual interests while in attendance.

Let us not forget for a moment, dear brethren and sisters, that "Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of Lights." Let us not forget that while He is waiting to be gracious to His people and anxious to pour us out blessings more than we shall be able to receive, nevertheless, He desires that we shall be in a proper receptive attitude, hungering and thirsting for righteousness and truth, and earnestly craving the sunshine of Divine favor. "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly"—"the called according to His purpose." May the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls supervise every interest of His people!

While the Convention will be in the nature of an "Outing." let us remember that it is a spiritual outing for the New Creature, and lay our plans accordingly. My prayer is that all the Lord's dear people may have rich blessings from the Conventions of this year.

Very truly your brother and servant in the Lord.

C. T. RUSSELL.

Discourse by Bro.

W. M. Batterson Subject: "THE WITNESS AND SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"

HE spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:16).

"Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God: Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:21, 22).

It is most natural and reasonable that those who have turned away from the world its ambitions, hopes and prospects, and consecrated their lives, time, talents and powers wholly to God, and his will in Christ Jesus, should desire some witness from God that their offering is accepted. That they with all confidence may cry "Abba Father." (Rom. 8:15.) And graciously our heavenly Father has given in order to satisfy this craving the witness of his holy Spirit: without which it is impossible to come to that "full assurance of faith" (Heb. 19:22) necessary "to a lively hope." (1 Pet. 1:3.)

Thus is clearly demonstrated the necessity of this witness, and a knowledge of the doctrine as essential "that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.

No doubt a lack of understanding of the doctrine of the Spirit's witness, has been the cause of more unrest, anxiety, and distress of mind among God's dear children than any other. Not only is it true that it has been, but often we discover it still is; and for illustration we recall the words of one who was thus troubled. "I have believed and loved the truth for twenty years, have had regular meetings in my home for years, it has been a pleasure to do everything I could for the truth and brethren, yet I am not satisfied; I would be the happiest man in the world, would gladly give my life, yea everything to be assured that God accepts me as his child." Have some witness from Him.

This alone can satisfy, it is not sufficient that some dear friend should account it so, "It is the Spirit that beareth witness." (Jno. 5:10.) And while this subject is most beautifully and fully treated in Vol. V of Scripture Studies if our crude presentation shall serve to the establishing in confidence so necessary to "the peace of God," any of the troubled ones, we shall be most happy.

The wrong teaching on this subject has led many to expect some kind of a joyful feeling, mistakenly supposing such was the Spirit's witness. Such deceived ones will often get down on their knees and very positively assert that they will not give up until they received the kind of feeling desired, or in other words have their own way if it takes all summer. We do not speak of this matter in order to make light of those who are so deceived, as "We also were sometimes in the same condition in many matters, foolish and deceived." (Titus 3:3.) But in order that the large measure of self will in such an attitude may be decerned and avoided. The futility of such a course in so far as bringing to an atonement with God is concerned is litly illustrated by the child chasing its shadow, it is all the time getting farther from the light, and how many have chased a shadow through life, when had they been going toward the light the shadow would naturally have followed. Others just as earnestly and mistakenly sought as a witness of the Spirit the gifts of healing or tongues, and here again self-will is taking the first place.

The real consecration is to the will of God in Christ, and as it is written "Dividing to every man severally as he will." (1 Cor. 12:11.) That is as the Lord will, those who have consecrated to the will of God could have no self-will as to the manner of experience that should follow the attitude of the true disciple being one of self-denial, it will be manifest in the manner of feelings and gifts just as in other things. So if experiences of sorrow, pain, suffering, heaviness through manifold temptation or of joy come, all is in God's hands, now to be dealt with as He will, not as they: their real satisfaction being formed in the assurance that they are accepted of God to be dealt with as sons: "Only Thee no joy I covet, but the joy to know me thine."

We are admonished by Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 13:5). "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." while in Rom. 8:9 we are assured by the same apostle, "If any man

have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his," and as we proceed to inquire of the word of the Lord as to how the Spirit witnesses if the question has troubled us "Am I his or am I not" it can soon be settled.

First we hear our Lord saying "The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63.) "This word assures us we were by nature children of wrath, and without God in the world, having no hope." (Eph. 2:3, 12.) And those who have recognized this as true, and desired some means of coming to an atonement with God, have in this measure come into harmony of spirit with the spirit of truth, then seeing God's provision through Christ to bring to this condition of oneness; and making that complete consecration to God the spirit witnesses "He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37.) Not because he is so wise, strong or noble, but because of that gloriously sufficient ransom of God's own providing. But in order to receive this witness one must "Set to his seal that God is true." (John 3:33.) It would be impossible to be assured by the testimony or witness of any person that we could not believe: and "he that believeth not has made God a liar." (1 John 5:10.) Now this must become a personal matter, and confidently resting on the witness of the word of God which his spirit and life, "there should come from a grateful heart carnest thanksgiving to God that he receives, even me," and he that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself. (1 John 5:10.) He who, denying self in the matter of feeling and other manifestation, rests wholly on the assurance of the witness of God's word finds peace and joy of the proper sort, not the witness but the fruit of the Spirit.

Now having accepted this witness of the spirit as to being known of God as his children, and desiring to be dealt with as sons. Let us inquire what does the spirit witness, is God's method of dealing with his sons, and if we find our experiences correspond, then we will have witness that we are the children of God—God's own witness.

First we note the spirit's witness. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (Heb. 12:6.) "Every branch in me that beareth fruit he purgeth it." (John 15:2.)

Then by whatever means or power the Lord is pleased to use in order to our being "conformed to the image of His son." whether by suffering temptations, afflictions, persecutions, or reproaches, as the will is wholly yielded to God, and there is a recognition of the need of such experiences in order to proper development in Christ-likeness, the spirit is witnessing. "We know that all things work together for

good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

(Rom. 8:28.) Such "think it not strange concerning the fiery trial." (1 Pet. 4:12.) But if the conception of the perfections of Jehovah be so imperfect that one should think it strange, and murmur against them, I don't see why the Lord should permit such a thing as this, it would be well to heed the admonition, "examine yourselves."

In every experience of trial the adversary is apt to come with the deceptive suggestions: "If you were a son of God then you would not have these things to bruise and hurt you, that is dash thy foot against a stone." But the spirit witness "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." (Rev. 3:19.)

The spirit further witnesses, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) And whoever finds his mind set on things above, has lost interest in the worldliness that once absorbed the thought, has received this witness: and the fact that the worldly minded professor turns against one is another witness. "If ye were of the world the world would love his own." (John 15:19.) But the fact that because of this new condition persecutions come, when bourne in patience and faith, is not only a witness (John 15:20), but St. Paul declares them to be a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom for which ye also suffer." (2 Thes. 1:5; Phil. 1:28.)

If one be without chastening, and find just the same satisfaction in worldly associations as formerly, they would do well to "examine themselves." "For if ye be without chastening then are ye not sons." (Heb. 12:8.)

Many hearts have been troubled when overtaken in a fault as they become more painfully conscious than ever of their imperfection, as the spirit witnesses, "Whosoever is begotten of God does not commit sin." (1 John 3:9.) Which is true of the new creation, but while there is no heart sympathy with the weakness, the spirit witnesses "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Luke 7:23.) "But are rather offended with themselves, their own weaknesses." While "If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves." Such a testimony is contrary to the Spirits' witness which is truth. (1 John 1:8; 5:6.)

The spirit leads into all truth, and whoever is having their eyes opened to behold new beauties in truths well-known has in this the spirits' witness, while if there were a lack of appreciation compared with when we first found the truth it would be well to examine ourselves for "If any branch beareth not fruit he taketh it away." (John 15:3.)

"We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14), with an earnest desire to be helpful to them. Such as are receiving the spirits' witness in these various ways are thus sealed with that "holy spirit of promise." The first fruit of the spirit, the earnest of our inheritance. There is perfect heart sympathy with the Father's will in all things. May the Lord grant us thus to be sealed for His name's sake. Amen.

Discourse by Bro. A. M. Saphore Subject: "THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD"

E have chosen as a basis for our remarks Rom. 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Those who claim that the Bible students do not believe in the work of the holy spirit, either are ignorant of some of the most important features of the views of Bible

students or else are wilfully misrepresenting the matter.

The holy Spirit is the channel of atonement, and the great work of atonement could not be properly considered, nor clearly understood, if the work of the holy spirit, in connection therewith, were overlooked or ignored. The holy Spirit makes manifest to the believer the divine forgiveness, as well as guiding him into full reconciliation of heart to God.

Even upon our Lord Jesus, at his baptism, was it necessary that the holy Spirit's begetting influence should come. enabling him to clearly and distinctly see the Father's will, the proper course, the narrow way of sacrifice, and to appreciate the exceeding great and precious promises whose fulfilment lay beyond his humiliation, ignominy and death at Calvary.

Isaiah said, "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears." Thus our redeemer was enabled to perform his great work, being guided by the holy Spirit to do that which was pleasing and acceptable before the Father.

In a similar way all who have come unto the Father through the merit of the Son's sacrifice, and have presented themselves living sacrifices, in harmony with the high calling to the divine nature held out to such during the Gospel Age, have needed and had the holy Spirit's aid.

Fellowship with the Father and the Son, so as to be able to prove what is that "good and acceptable and perfect will of God," and to do it, is the portion of only those who receive the holy Spirit of God.

They, like Jesus, their head, anointed to preach the good tidings. Any who preach bad tidings are not anointed by the holy Spirit of God so to teach. Such should immediately re-examine their oracle and become assured that the holy Spirit of God and the holy Word of God bear witness to the fact that all who are anointed by the holy

Spirit are anointed to preach the good tidings that, while all were condemned to death in Adam, yet the sacrifice of Jesus is to free all from that original penalty and to give each an individual opportunity to obtain everlasting life. (Jno. 3:16.)

If any will not make use of their opportunity to get life through Christ, they will continue to abide under the condemnation of death. Jesus did not die to change the penalty from death to a worse penalty such as eternal torment that would not be good tidings at all—but to give all one individual chance to obtain life. "Whosoever will may come and those who will not make use of so great a gift shall die without hope the same as though Jesus had not died for them.

The good tidings (Lu. 4:18, 19) is a balm to the brokenhearted. It includes hope for the deliverance of the captives from the grave and during Messiah's reign setting the bruised ones at liberty. It also includes the announcement that now is the time when God will accept sacrifices and that He will reward with the kingdom honours all who present their bodies as living sacrifices and are faithful till death. "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Now, those who

desire may present themselves (Rom. 12:1), but after this time when sacrifices will be accepted, after this Gospel Age, then obedience will be demanded or else the offender will be punished, and if continuously wilful he will be destroyed.

The holy Spirit is variously defined in the Word of God. It is called in our text, "The Spirit of God" and "the Spirit of Christ," and is to be the spirit of all who are truly his people. It is spoken of as the "spirit of a sound mind," "the spirit of truth," "the spirit of holiness," "the spirit of the Father," "the holy spirit of promise," "the spirit of meekness," "the spirit of glory," "the spirit of counsel," "the spirit of grace," "the spirit of adoption," "the spirit of prophecy." It is evident that the same holy Spirit is referred to and it is clear that these titles are descriptive of the spirit, disposition and power of the one God and Father; and also the spirit, disposition and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he is at one with the Father, and also to a certain extent it is the spirit or disposition of all who are truly the Lord's, angels or men, in proportion as they have come into oneness or harmony with Him.

The Bible also refers to "the spirit of fear," "the spirit of the world," "the spirit of bondage," "the spirit of error," "the spirit of divination," "the spirit of anti-Christ," "the spirit of slumber." All reasonable minds must concur with the thought that these titles are descriptive of the wrong spirit, the spirit and disposition of the adversary and of all who follow him, and that "the spirit of fear" and "the spirit of error," etc., do not refer to persons. Therefore it should be evident that "the spirit of truth," "the holy spirit of promise," does not refer to a person, a third god, equal in power and glory and one in person with God, but rather to the good spirit, whereas the other titles, "the spirit of the world," etc., refer to the wrong spirit.

To say the least, the doctrine of the trinity cannot be explained, and is acknowledged by those who claim to believe it to be a mystery. I asked a gentleman once if he would explain the doctrine of the trinity to me, but he said he could not do so because it was the "Mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations." I told him that the Apostle said that the Mystery was now made known unto the saints, so if he was a saint he should now be able to understand the mystery referred to, and I concluded that if the greatest mystery was to be understood by the saints, then the mystery that could not be explained was not expected to be believed because God has said, "Come and let us reason together, saith the Lord." (Isa. 1:18.)

While on an ocean journey I was explaining to a gentleman that the wages of sin was death, and not eternal torment. (Rom. 6:23.) Another man standing near came up and said, "Those who do not believe in torment do not believe in the trinity. Do you?" I said, "If you mean, do I believe that Jesus was his own father and that God was his own son, and the Holy Spirit both the Father and Son, then I say no, I do not believe that." He then said, "Oh, well, none of your arguments are reasoning." I said, "Well see here brother." He said, "Don't you call me brother, I'm not your brother," also saying unkind and bitter words. I then said, "Well, since I think it over, I guess you are not my brother for the word says that 'he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his.'"

The man later attempted to convert a heathen, an East Indian, and the gentleman with whom I had been conversing heard the heathen confound the man in argument, so coming to me he said, "Say that fellow is having it out with a heathen, and the heathen is wiping the deck up with him."

As I approached quietly, the man told the heathen that he had to believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and that these three were one. Also that if he did not believe it he would go to hell. The heathen said, "No splain?" The man said. "No, it is that mystery mentioned in the Bible, it cannot be explained, but all you have to do is to simply believe it." The heathen said, "Me no believe no splain believe. Me believe splain believe. Me believe Jesus Jehovah's boy, me believe Jehovah Jesus' father, me no can believe three one, one three, no splain."

In the afternoon, as I was on the deck reading the fifth volume of Scripture Studies, the heathen approached me saying, "You read Bible?" "I said. "No Bible, but book explain Bible." He said, "Good book splain Bible, Bible need splain." He then asked if I was a Christian, and being

assured that I was, he said, "You believe three one, one three, no splain?" I said, "No, I believe Jesus is the Son of God and God is the Father of Jesus." He said. "Me believe, me good believe, and if you no believe Jesus own father, father own Jesus, Holy Ghost own Jesus own father, you no believe you no Christian, you go hell."

I asked him if he did not believe in Mohammed, and he said, "Yes, he big prophet." I asked, "Do you believe in Jesus?" He said, "Yes, he big prophet, too." I asked if Mohammed and Jesus had died. He said, "Mohammed die, but Jesus no die, say kill Jesus, but no can kill—Jehovah take Jesus way high heaven." "But will Mohammed come back?" I asked; and he said, "Yes, he will come back in resurrect, all come back in resurrect." I said, "Then will Jesus come back?" He said, "Yes, when he come he make everything nice."

It would appear to me that the heathen knew more about the truth of the Bible than the missionary did, and it is no wonder that the heathen will not accept that kind of doctrine when he has something better already.

It is urged that in Jno. 14:26 the holy Spirit must be a person because our common version renders it. "But the comforter, which is the holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things." The thought is made plain in the Emphatic Diaglott rendering, i.e., "But the helper, the holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things." Again it is argued that in Jno. 16:13 the holy Spirit is spoken of as a person "When he the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself." The answer is that the Greek word, hedutou, translated "himself," is also properly translated "itself." In our common version this word hedutou is rendered in the masculine, feminine, common and neuter genders. In our text it is rendered in the masculine gender. In 1 Cor. 13:5 "Love seeketh not her own," it is rendered in the feminine gender. In 1 Cor. 11:31, "Would judge ourselves," it is rendered in the common gender, and in Matt. 6:34 "Let the morrow take thought for the things of itself," the same Greek word is rendered in the neuter gender.

So the word ekinos (ekinos) rendered "he," might with equal propriety, be rendered "that," "this," "those," "the same," "she," and "it," as in 1 Jno. 5:16, "I do not say that ye shall pray for it." Because the Father is masculine, it would be proper that His power, spirit, influence and characteristic should be designated in the masculine form. The sun is universally referred to as "he," and the moon as "She." Nor is it rare for things which are neuter of themselves to be designated as masculine or feminine, according as they are strong and active, or passive and delicate.

The holy Spirit of God moved upon the waters as stated in Gen. 1:2, and also caused holy men of God to speak as they were moved upon by the holy Spirit—(II Pet. 1:21), but this was mechanical in its operation and not in the explanatory and sympathetic sense in which the holy Spirit operates in revealing to the saints the deep things which the Prophets wrote of but did not understand (I Pet. 1:10-12).

If the holy Spirit was the power or influence causing men to write the Scriptures, then it is readily seen that none can understand the Scriptures except by that same power or influence. This is evidenced from II Pet. 1:20, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation" none can privately understand it—they need the holy Spirit's guidance and aid, for it is not of its own solution (Diaglott). Just as we speak of a person as being a musician as covering the fact that he is a pianist, coronetist, trombonist, violinist, etc., so the holy Spirit of God is His power, influence or spirit operated in different manners but always in accord with His holy character.

There are diversities of its operation but the same spirit, eminating from the same God and from all who are at one with Him.

In John 4:39 we read that "The holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified." This signifies that the holy Spirit in the sense of begetting, illuminating and sealing the Church, the new creation had, up to this time, not come upon any but upon Jesus. It states that the reason the holy Spirit had not come was because Jesus was not yet glorified, thus showing the necessity for Jesus to ascend to heaven and deposit the merit of his ransom sacrifice before the holy Spirit in its begetting power could come as it did at Pentecost.

The gifts of the spirit were other operations of the same holy Spirit which later ceased to operate to the giving of gifts in the sense of tongues, etc., but which has raised up for the Church, in each stage of its development, the needed aids—now providing aids to Bible study which if properly used will shield the true believer from the errors of the past and from the increasing falling away from faith as at present.

This same spirit which works the necessary gifts in the Church, also operates to the developing of the fruit of the spirit. "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23.)

This same holy power, influence, disposition, will be upon all flesh during the reign of Messiah. Then the young men, (those not mature when the kingdom is established.) will see the visions, (sights, realities) of which the old men (the ancients, the prophets) have previously prophesied. And in the interim, between the time when the ancients prophesied, and when the realities will occur, in this interim, this Gospel age—God's purpose has been to pour out His Spirit upon His servants and handmaids, the Church, and they are not only believers in the power of the holy spirit of God but they rejoice in testifying the fact to others (Joel 2:29, 28.)

Just as the electric current in the wire is laid hold upon by the trollly and produces power, light, heat or a shock, etc., so the holy Spirit of God, laid hold upon by faith produces works of righteousness, light of truth, warmth of love and, if used without proper care, it may produce death. "There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it,"

(1 Jno. 5:16) no manner of prayer would avail if this sin had been committed, because it is a sin against the spirit of light, and this cannot be done in ignorance; it is a sin against the spirit of power, and this cannot be done where faith was never connected with the power or where one had never known the works of righteousness. It is a sin against the spirit of warmth and love, and this could not be done in ignorance of the love of God and love the fruit of the spirit.

To know the power of the holy Spirit in one's life and then to do that which is contrary to it, is to "grieve" the spirit and to "quench" the spirit, thus sinning the sin in full measure against the holy Spirit of God. The sin of wilfulness against light and knowledge cannot be forgiven but must be purged out (Matt. 12:31, 32), and if not purged out, but continued in, it becomes the sin unto death from which there will be no recovery, for such count the blood of Christ as an ordinary thing and do despite to the spirit of grace and favor, (Heb. 6:4-6; 10-29.)

A sin against light during the world's judgment day will be punished also by stripes and judgments to purge out the sin, but if continued in, the extreme penalty will be inflicted—the penalty of death without further hope. (Acts 3:21.) It will be the spirit and the Bride that will then say "come," and all who will not come will be sinning against the holy Spirit of light and knowledge- and the wages of such wilfulness is death (Rom. 6:23.)

Ever let us trust in the precious blood of Christ. Never let us overlook the mighty working of the holy Spirit of God in our hearts and lives. Let us be filled with the Spirit, the holy Spirit of God. Amen.

Discourse by Bro. E. D. Sexton. Subject: "YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD"

"Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (destroy) the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are." (1 Cor. 16:17.)

HIS text like many other very important texts of the scripture is pretty generally misunderstood and misapplied, and thus become a foundation text for many false teachings; in fact practically all the false religions of our day are built on this text which is made to teach "the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man." Now we surely believe in the fatherhood of God and the

brotherhood of man, but not at present; that is a condition that will obtain at the end of the millennial age and not before; at present there are many in the world that are according to the testimony of Jesus "of their father the devil" and Paul says of the church class, the temple class. "That we also WERE children of wrath even as others."

By the way I have an infallible method of detecting the false religions of our day, it is very simple but very sure. Any religion that has a woman at its head IS FALSE, you do not need to investigate further than the woman—IT IS FALSE!!! Some say, brother, you are rather hard on the women. I reply, not so; I am quite willing to admit the superiority of women over men in many points, but this is not a question of the relative virtues of men and women, but simply a matter of God's order. God placed man at the head, and so whenever I see a woman at the head I know that it is a violation of God's law, and contrary to the teachings of our Lord and the apostles.

Another way of detecting a false religion is by what it has to offer you; any system of religion that will offer you HEALTH, WEALTH, SOCIAL PREFERMENT OR POPULARITY—IS FALSE!!! Jesus said "In the World ye shall have tribulation," Jno. 16:33, "Ye shall be hated of men for my name's sake." Matt. 10:22, "Woe unto you when men shall speak well of you." (Luke 6:26), and it is only if we suffer with Him that we can expect to reign with Him and if we die with Him that we can have any hope to live with him. Well you say, now you are hitting at Christian Science. Not solely, although I certainly have it in mind as one of the cults that bear the marks of a false religion. You might ask if I have investigated Christian Science, and I reply not very much, I once read about twenty-five pages of Mrs. Eddy's book. Ah, you say, you did not read enough, I reply—PLENTY! You see its this way—if I go to the apple barrel in the dark and pick out an apple, I do not need to

eat the whole apple to find out whether or not it is rotten. one bite will give me all the information I desire on the matter, and then I throw it away and exclaim, "Rotten!" That's

what I did with Christian Science. Mind it is not the people that I think are rotten, but the doctrine, and we must

remember that it is not always the fault of the individual that they are blind, although it is indeed a sad case when we see them, as the Apostle Paul puts it "willingly ignorant."

Well, but you say surely no one nowadays is that, anyone would be glad to admit the truth when it is shown to them, and rejoice to be rid of any error they possess, when it is manifestly an error? Let me relate a little incident that goes to show that many who profess to be "walking in the light" really do not want the light and with a measure of wilfulness refuse it when shown to them.

Upon one occasion when traveling from Portland to the Dalles I got into conversation with a lady who was a mission worker in the United Brethren denomination, she had a Bible in her hand, and I noticed that it was exactly like my Bible, I called her attention to the fact that our Bibles were both alike, at least outside; I then asked her if she thought that they were both alike inside, and she replied that she was sure of that. Are you a Bible student? I asked. Yes she replied I have been a Bible student for six years, and more than that I am sanctified and holy and have not sinned for six years. Well now I said probably you can help me on a matter that has given me considerable trouble in times past. Of course you would not believe anything that was not in the Bible? No! she replied. And you believe all there is in the Bible? Yes! Every word? Yes! That's fine; now of course you believe that every man has a never dying soul to save? Yes! And its in the Bible? Why the Bible's full of it! Well Sister will you please get me one text that says it? She was manifestly confused, and said, well I do not know just where it is but it's there! Oh Sister, Sister, been a Bible student six years and not able to find me just one wee little text, however I have a concordance in my grip; and she said—I have a concordance, too—so much the better I replied, two Bibles, two concordances, two Bible students, and the train does not stop for two hours, and there is a Bible full of it, so we shall not have any difficulty,—but we did! She could find nothing. Now Sister I will help you, please turn to Ezekiel 18:4 and read the verse aloud to me. After looking at the verse she said, I'll not read that! Why not? Because I don't believe it! Why, I thought you believed all the Bible? So I do, but I don't believe that! Well is not that in the Bible? Well I don't care, I don't believe it, and I won't read it. Well, Sister, I'll read it for you,—I don't want to hear it, she said. No, I replied, I know you don't, but I intend you shall hear it—"Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, IT SHALL DIE."

And she left me, and in spite of her sinlessness, she was very angry. Why? simply because I had told her the TRUTH, which she evidently did not want. Whilst realizing the blinded condition of many who claim to be Christians, and although not excusing their stubbornness, we must see that the blame is to be laid more at the door of their teachers, many of whom seemingly will have a great deal to answer for. That the leaders in Christendom are largely responsible for the blinded condition is evident from the apostle's statement in 2 Cor. 4:3, 4. Let me give you what I believe is the right translation of that text, and see how it lays the blame on the religious leaders: "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid by them that are perishing. Through whom the god of this world is blinding the minds of them that believe not."

If every preacher, teacher and theological professor were swept out of the way, the gospel of Jesus Christ would sweep over the world like a prairie fire.

It is very evident to all who are being led by the spirit of a sound mind that the text we have taken has no application to the world of mankind at all, but applies solely to the Church class, those who are to be heirs of the kingdom, living stones in the great antitypical Temple "Not made with hands."

Jesus clearly indicates that the Jewish temple was but a type of the greater temple, the stones for which are now being polished for you remember upon one occasion, as he passed by the temple he said, "Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up" and then he told them he did not refer to the temple, of stones and mortar, but to his body; not to his human body for that never was, nor will it ever be raised up; that was given for the life of the world. But Paul tells us what the body is in Eph. 1:22-23: "The Church which is his body."

We should notice also the time our Lord gave—three days—this is evidently the same three-days he mentions when he said—"I do cure to-day and to-morrow and the third day I shall be perfected"—that is, in the third thousand-year day in which Christ "Walks" or in other words the millennial day. There is another way in which this word day is used, and has to do with the temple also, that is the "day of Saul," the day of David," "the day of Solomon." In other words the Jewish Age, the Gospel Age, and the Millennial Age. It is not by accident, but by design that these three kings, who represent the three great ages, should each reign a period of forty years. By the way it is worthy of note that this number, forty, is always a figure of trial, testing or judgment; let me call your attention to a few places where it is mentioned. In the first place let us note that God just before the flood said: "My spirit shall not always strive with man, yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." (Gen. 6:30.) This on the surface would seem to be in direct contradiction to God's other statement that a man's days should be three score years and ten. But I rather take it that God meant that man's days should consist of three great trial periods symbolized by forty years each, i.e., the Jewish Age, Gospel Age, Millennial Age. Three times forty-one hundred and twenty. This would be a very arbitrary interpretation if it were not for the fact that we see the same conclusion in corresponding types. Take for instance the life of Moses in its typical significance. Moses was forty years old when he first essayed to deliver Israel, they refused to accept him as a deliverer, so he fled into the wilderness and took a gentile bride, at the expiration of forty years he returned and this time he was accepted as a deliverer by Israel, forty years afterward he died on Mount Nebo, in sight of the promised land, which he saw, but did not enter. These three forty year periods correspond to the Jewish, Gospel and Millennial ages. At the end of the Jewish Age Christ presented himself to Israel as their deliverer, they refused him, he went away and in a wilderness condition he is selecting a gentile bride, and when he returns with the bride at the end of the second trial period, Israel will accept him, and at the end of the third trial period all Israel as the "sands of the sea shore" will have been brought to the edge of the promised land, but the great anti-typical Moses—The Christ—will not enter therein as a mediator but will cease the mediatorial work on the antitypical Mount Nebo.

Now to return to Saul, David and Solomon we can plainly see now why these three kings reigned just forty years each, there were no temple stones prepared in Saul's reign, just as there were no members of the body of Christ selected in the Jewish age. It was in the Davidic period that the temple stones were selected and polished, and in the reign of Solomon the temple was put up, beginning in the second month of the fourth year of his reign, and finished in the eighth month of the eleventh year, the seven years and a half may have some significance right now, but I am afraid to guess. One thing would not surprise me, and that is, that possibly we shall find out some day, that Solomon's temple had exactly one hundred and forty-four thousand stones in it.

In the meantime let us take just what lessons we can from this typical temple and the preparing of the stones. It should be noticed that God did not tell David to bring all the stones to a certain place and then when he had them all collected to commence on the polishing, but on the contrary each stone was to be prepared in its own particular place, by David (1 Chron. 29:2), and Solomon built the house which "Was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was building." (I Kings 6:7.)

We are inclined to think, when we first come to a knowledge of God's plan, that it is taking a very long time to select merely 144,000 stones for this antitypical temple. If it were only the arbitrary selection of that number that might be true, but we must remember that "many are called and few chosen" and of those chosen only a small proportion prove faithful; probably millions of stones were cut from the quarry, but only a few would submit to the polishing.

As we look back on our career we can plainly see the great need there was of a trimming and polishing in our own individual case, we might at first have thought that we were quite a large stone, and in need of little polishing. and maybe quite surprised as the heavy blows of affliction trimmed us down to a very small, but quite useful size, preparing us for the particular place God has designated shall be ours in that temple.

Too had if we should happen to be TOO LARGE and could fit in no place. We may rest assured that he who is supervising the trimming and polishing will not allow any mistake to be made, so calm your fears on that point. We thought that we would all be polished by October, 1914, but it is very evident we were not. I sometimes wonder just how things would have been if we had all gone home at that time, I am afraid the trial of our faith would not have been finished, we were more or less walking by sight, and furthermore we were somewhat elated, if not exalted. You know at that time we were right on the crest of the highest wave of our popularity, everything seemed to be coming our way, Photo-Drama in full swing, pilgrim, colporteur, volunteer work, in fact all our activities were at top notch, and if we had all gone into the kingdom at that time, there might have been a tendancy to say, "There, Lord, look, WE did it." You might say, well Brother Sexton I object to that, what makes you think that would have been the case. And I reply, I believe that to be the case for there STILL IS a tendency with some of us to be boastful of what WE did in that particular year. And I am sure that all the saints are very thankful to be here to take part in the work still left to do on this side of the vail. Our faith is being tested in all points and in particular as to our own individual standing. Often we hear brothers and sisters say: "I believe that I am worse now than when I first came into the truth," and in some cases that may be true, but in the majority of cases it is not, that they are worse, it is only that they look worse to themselves. As we climb higher up the mountain we come to see how vast the valley is. When we first came into the truth we were so busy crawling out of the quagmire of ignorance, superstition, selfishness or sin—whichever was the case—that we had little time to investigate the quality of the mud that was on us, and now whatever of that mud that still clings to us, seems very terrible in view of our clearer appreciation of the standard of righteousness, and in contrast to the general cleaning up that is going on in each one of us. So I am quite sure it is not that we are worse only that we seem worse—in spots. I think, however, it is a very bad practice to be continually condemning ourselves. We are to exercise as much patience with ourselves as we would with others. You would not expose my weaknesses—at least I hope you wouldn't. Do all in your power to cover up your own weaknesses, as you would those of your brother, and do not constantly berate yourself, it is wrong. I remember Pilgrim Brother Harrison once giving me a lesson on this line. Upon one occasion when in his company I was berating myself, and quite seriously he said, "Now, brother, you are disobeying the word of God, I will not sit here and allow you to speak evil of my brother." "Yes," said my wife, who was sitting by, "and of my husband." So, you see, I was speaking evil of Brother Harrison's brother and my wife's husband.

Our text says that "If any man defile this temple, him will God destroy." I used to be considerably perplexed as to what was meant by "defile," and on looking the word up I found that it was the same word in the original that is translated "destroy" in the same verse, so the thought is that if any man destroy this temple as a habitation of God's Holy Spirit, he has brought upon him God's destruction as stated in other scriptures. The proper understanding of these scriptures should help to encourage us, especially when we recognize our own weaknesses, not to be discouraged nor cast down, but to believe the word of God, that our God is a loving God and abundant in mercy. Many a time I am asked, if I am tempted to be discouraged and cast down. Ah, yes! God alone knows the struggles I have against despondency, but by His grace I am winning, I fight, fight, FIGHT. Then if you are fighting, and in a measure winning, things don't bother you any more, you forget them? Yes, I forget them in the sense that I do not charge myself with them; if God has forgiven my transgressions, what right have I to lay them to my charge; but forget them in the sense of blotting them out of my mind, how can I? My heart is often sad, oh so sad, when I think of my faults and failures, and isn't it good that it is so? For when I realize that I hate sin, and am sorry for all my weaknesses, there is the proof that my body is still the habitation of God's Holy Spirit, and, dear brothers and sisters, I am by His grace going to hold on right along that line. I will believe God. When he says, "Like as a father pitieth his

children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." I believe him! Our Father who is pitiful, is more anxious that I obtain eternal life than I could possibly be, for He understands it. When the Bible says that "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy," I believe it. When he says, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory," I believe it! When it says, "If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus, the Righteous," I believe it!

Far be it from our thought to put a premium on sin or selfishness, but let us take a full measure of comfort out of all the scriptures that are for "our learning," and above all things remember, that as long as we are depressed by the thought of sin that is good evidence that we are still in the body of Christ; and as long as we are making earnest effort to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." we may feel perfectly confident that God's spirit is with us.

And so as we look back on our career and note how much the Lord has done for us, let us take heart and press along the road that leads to a place in that finished temple, keeping in our minds the old motto—nil desperandum—never despair. Bro. Sexton then quoted the following:

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