Golden Age, September 29, 1920
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New York. Wednesday, September 29, 1920
Number 27
Editorial Note
Tp VENTS ot greatest moment have *** happened in this land, of which the people are in Ignorance. These events reached a climax at Los Angeles, California, home «C the multi-millionaires. Muy 17th last, when a highly refined, Christian lady, Mrs. Emma Martin, and three Christian gentlemen V were taken to prison, victims of a conspiracy put in operation by agents of the Department of Justice. These events are so shocking and unbelievable that every editor in the land should have taken up the matter and called for redressive action, but did not. So little has been said through the press that the legerdemain of priestcraft in the days of the Inquisition is brought vividly to mint!
From the Loe Angeles Record of that date we quote:
“Hundreds of members of the International Bible Students Association gathered at the San Pedro dock yesterday to bld farewell to their three friends and associates who departed by the steamer President to serve the federal sentences Imposed upon them during the war for hindering the selective draft The prisoners on the ship and the concourse on the shore joined In prayers and hymns. One stranger Inquired, 'Are these departing missionaries? Sightseers were amazed when told that these were going to the penitentiary for distributing The Finished Mystery*. Mrs. Martin will be taken to State's Prison at San Quentin tonight to serve three years.”
This report Is conspicuous by what
It does not say. Remembering the' -persecutions against Bible Students fu Germany and Austria in 1917 and In Canada in 1913, and how these were instigated and participated in by the clergy on both sides of the ocean. Tn Golden Age, in justice to the people, sent a reporter to Los Angeles to ascertain the facts, and here in New York obtained from Judge Rutherford, President of the Watch Tower Bible A -Tract Society, a general review of the situation and why such things are possible in America. Bls review is so comprehensive and the facts stated are of such vital importance to the people —of transcendently greater Importance than labor and economics, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, tnven-tlon, etc.—that The Golden Aot devotw this entire issue to the subject.
“Distress of Nations”: Cause, Warning, Remedy
WHEN a nation or people suffers loss of rights and such calamities would come upon the nations that forget privileges there is something wrong. It is the duty God and^ignore his fixed principles of righteousness.—
of every law-abiding citizen, to ascertain the cause and if a remedy 13 available, help to apply it.
The nations of the earth arc in a great crisis. Calm, sober and honest consideration was never so nniclfSiccded. The purpose of tins writing is to enlighten, aid and comfort by stating the truth iii plain t?rms, the only motive being love for mankind. Tho-e who refrain from valence, calmly new Lhe facts<nd conditions and deal houcotlv. will be a blessing to thcm.-rlvrs and their fellow mm.
The ~rca*c£t calamity that could befall a ration is controversies and deals honestly with his fellow-man wiU destruction by violence. Jehovah forewarned that just he wue. The following will enable tiim to acquire wisdom.
EPITOME
PART T. “Drsvarss or Nations*: Cdu»«, th? Warning, the Tlemcd'j. To Part I will be found pr<x>t of the following points :
Tlint Christendom is in the greatest crisis nf the age; that present conditions were foreknown and foreshadowed in prophecy ; that the closing events of Israel’s history are fccin* duplicated; that the political, financial rind ecclesiastical leaders are combined acainst the common people; that Bolshevism Is feared by the nations of earth: that th» divine r®mo<ly is foreknown sad forotoM, and. if heeded, would avert untold sufferings.
PART II. “Tut Beast at Wab" : 4 Rev-elution in Politics.
The ffreatest game of politics of th* ages Is uncovered: the "beast’’ identified and his purpose r;.posed.
TART 111. The Grand Finnli.
Psalm 9:17; 33:12,
Bolshevism had its birth fa
Russia, where oppression and unrighteousness have long prevailed. All over the earth “men's heart* fare] failing them for fear”— fearing lest this dread malady be inflicted upon all nations. The cause is not recent, but of long star ding. The remedy is certain. '■Who is the wise man, that may understand this?”—Jer. 9:12.
He who acquaints himself with the real cause of present unrest, who refrains from violence, avoids
PRESENT CRISIS FORESHADOWED
Christendom is composed of those nations of earth which claim to be Christian. Judaism finds its counterpart tn Christendom. Gad dealt with that nation exclusively for more than nineteen centuries and used it to fore* shadow conditions and experiences coming to Christendom. Prophecy is history written prior to the happening of the events. Prophecy of the Old Testament has a twofold fulfillment: (1) To a limited extent upon the nation of Israel; and (2) in a wider scope on Christendom. Through his prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and others, God forewarned Israel of impending disaster, at the same time naming a remedy that would avert such disaster. The fierce hordes of the north country, the Chaldeans, pictured the radical element of Christendom. Warning and remedy apply now.
Israel was ruled by three dominant dements; viz., the king and his household, constituting the professional politicians; the princes, nobles and Pharisees, which embraced. the wealthy, prominent and influential citizens; and the rabbis, scribes and priests, forming the clergy of that time.
In the affairs of ail nations there are usually three elements that work either separately or conjunctively to control and rule the people. These are professional politicians, financial princes and ecclesiastical rulers.
In Israel's time these three elements combined against the common people, were guilty of oppression and extortion, corresponding with present profiteering. Because the clergy in the close of Israel’s experience joined with this unrighteous class, the Lord denounced them for their oppression and designated them as ‘the children of the devil’.—John 8:44.
The clergy shaped the religious course of the people of Israel. They began their career with good intentions, but yielding to selfish desires and flattery, they became lovers of power, desiring and accepting the honor and plaudits of men, and degenerated into an unfaithful clas?i of servants and led the people into idolatry. Time and again Jehovah warned these leaders and showed them his remedy whereby they could avoid great punishment and be restored to his favor. They ignored the divine remedy and the result was their overthrow. This prophecy was fulfilled upon Israel and is certain of fulfillment upon tJhristendom unless the divine warning is heeded. Every sober-minded person should stop and consider and profit by the events of the part.
Christ Jesus organized the church through his apostles. Its beginning was pure, but. afterwards, ambitious men became leaders, tergot th* relationship to God, and formed an^alliance with politicians and financial princes. This alliance is herein designated the "unholy trinity", It has gristed since the early days of the Christian ^ra. These ambitious men in the church formed what his been known as clergy, as dtetingrt?hed from the laity. They have ma te it easy ter protartonal politicians to find a berth in the church. They have tented
the ultra-rich and influential to prominent seats in the synagogues, and at different stages in the world’s history have acted jointly in each other’s interest. In Israel’s time the greatest responsibility rested upon these three . classes. The same thing is true today. This powerful unholy trinity has many instruments it usea, such as suborganizationa and a subsidized, untruthful and dishonest press. The whole scheme is managed by one ' master mind, Satan, whose purpose ever has been and is ■ now to dominate and control the people of earth. ’The proof of this point we particularly set forth in Part II.
In the church systems, Catholic and Protestant, there
are many honest, sincere and lovable people, who because
of the influence of the unholy trinity are prevented from a full service and devotion to the Lord. Jesus particularly manifested his love for the meek and oppressed and
so he still manifests his deep interest in the same class.
Jeremiah’s prophecy is especially applicable to Israel ' $ and to Christendom, and the parallelism is marked dis-
tinctly; and for this reason this great prophecy has a
special interest now to all order-loving people who calmly
view the present stress of humanity.
The prophet Jeremiah typified the Christ. In soma
instances the prophet represented Jesus alone, while in ' , • other instances he typified some specially favored servant of the Lord, and afc other times represented a collective / number of the members of the body of Christ. .
Where the words Israel and Judah are used by the prophet Jeremiah Israel represents the Roman Catholic . hierarchy, while Judah represents the Protestant ecelesi-astical systems. Where the word Judah alone is used in referring to the Jews the reference in antitype is to the ‘i
entire ?ystem of churchianity, including the Papal and
Protestant systems, together with their subordinate organizations such as Knights of Columbus, Y. Af. C. A., etc.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was rulerover Chak dea, and other provinces lying north of Palestine. These
people of the north foreshadowed or represented the com- "
mon people of the present social order. From chapters 1 to 49 of the prophecy of Jeremiah the king of Babylon pictured particularly Bolshevism, which exercises a great governing o1" controlling influence over the radical elements of Society at this time. Bolshevism, true to the * prophetic picture, had its origin in the "north country’ ,
or Russia and threatens to overrun the nations of earth. ;
In chapters 50 and 51 of Jeremiah’s prophecy the type changes and Babylon (meaning confusion) represents Christendom, including all ecclesiastical systems. Catholic and Protestant, who have mixed politics and worldlings with their religion, forming the unholy alii- , ance. it is the same picture that is shown in Revelation ' 17th and 18th charters, which pictures murt be completely fulfilled before the inauguration of Afeteiah’s ’
kingdom in power and glorv.
’
WORLD ENDED
Jesus was asked by his di?ciples as to That would be : proof of the end of the world and he gave the answer. By J
the word “world” is not meant earth, but the order of society during a given or stated period of time. The disciples were informed that when the period of the end of the world was reached there would be “upon earth distress of nations with perplexity,... men’s hearts failing them for fear [of what they see] coming upon the earth”; that “nation” [would] rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom” in a great world-war which would be followed by other distressing conditions. This prophetic statement of Jesus began to have its fulfillment in 1914 with the coming of the world war, which war God had foretold through the mouth of his prophets many centuries before* (Joel 3: 9 - 14; Matthew 24:17; Luke 21: 25) The world war has greatly weakened the nations. All the great industries were employed to win the war. Wages were high while the war progressed. Suddenly the war ended, but the cost of living does not decrease with the end of war and the workers insist on a living wage. Profiteering has influenced the spirit of discontent. Injustice and unrighteousness have so long prevailed that the mass of mankind have lost faith in the clergy cud their allies, and the spreading of discontent goes on at a rapid pace. The burden of the common people increases, while ecclesiastictsm and Big Business raise more money, hoping to strengthen their position.
THE REAL CAUSE
It will be conceded by every one that had all classes of people dealt justly with each other, had their actions been prompted by love and unselfishness, had they put into operation the golden rule, there would have been no world war, there would be no widespread discontent cr threatened troubles following the war. For nearly eighteen centuries the clergy have posed as the mouthpieces of the Lord on earth, claiming to be his followers and the teachers of his Word. But it is fact that needs no proof that as a class they have failed in their mission. God foreknew and foretold the exact condition we now see on the earth. Therefore we should expect to find that he also foretold the cause for such conditions. The facts disclose that the greater blame lies at the door of the clergy class, including the Catholic hierarchy and its Protestant allies; that they have not only gone wrong themselves but have led the people into forbidden paths, and that the divine judgment is at hand unless the divirnsxemedy is heeded.
Jesus commissioned his followers to preach the glad tidings of his coining kingdom and to announce that the blessing of the world would begin with its establishment; and until then the duty devolving upon all his true follbwer^ was and is to keep themselves separate from the^worVd and from all entangling alliances with politics of othftr things of the world. We should therefore expect that if these who claim to be his followers and mouthpieces in the earth should depart from the plain in>truct!or.a of the Master and form alliances with earthly irjWir.'-'r?, Ji-a-t-T would befall th^m and choir allies unless they should fully repent anl rrferm.
Satan, the prince of darkness, has always been the personification of fraud and deceit, wickedness and wrongdoing. The Scriptures foretold that Satan would have a seed; that is to say, men who would be his representatives, either consciously or unconsciously—and such is called in the Scriptures, 'the seed of the serpent’. The Scriptures also show that the true followers of Jesus, without regard to denomination and creed, are designated as "the seed of promise” and that there would be a great conflict between the seed of the serpent and the seed of promise until Satan’s kingdom is utterly de-troyed. It would follow, then, that any one of the class of men, even though professing to be followers of Jesus, who would depart from his teachings, allying himself with the powers of darkness, misrepresent his Word and engage in the persecution of the true and humble followers of the Master, would be included in the Scriptural term, ‘the seed of the serpent’.
Jesus designated the clergy of the Jewish time as “the seed of the serpent”. (John 8:44) The class of the present time forming the counterpart of that Jewish order must be placed in the same category, according to the words of the Master.
INDICTMENT FOR CONSPIRACY '
A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons or classes to do a wrongful act. A conspiracy may be established by an express agreement or may be inferred from the acts or conduct of the parties working for the accomplishment of one general purpose. The clergy as a class openly claim to be the Lord’s representatives on earth: therefore the allying of themselves with.; worldly classes or organizations to accomplish a purpose contrary to the Lord’s command would bring upon them the special indignation of the Lord, which would necessarily involve those allied with them.
Jehovah, through his holy prophets, laid an indictment against the unfaithful leaders and rulers of Israel, which* indictment is also laid, according to the rules of prophetic application, against the clergy and allies of the-present time. The charge in this divine indictment* briefly, is unfaithfulness to the Lord. Stated in prophetic phrase, the formal part of the indictment reads: “Be; astonished, 0 ye heavens [high ones in ecclesiastic systems] at this and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my [professed] people have committed two evils: (1) they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters [source of life and truth] and (2) have hewn them out cistern [man-made system* and creeds], broken cisterns that can hold no water [really contain no life-giving truth].”—Jeremiah 2: 12, 13.
A conspiracy is formed amongst the men of antitypical Judah and Jerualom, namely the hypocritical and unfaithful clergy, Catholic and Protestant and their suborganizations, Knights of Columbus, Y. II. C. A., etc., together with the financial giants and professional poli-licans, to estatblish a sysrem on earth for the control of mankind, and against the anointed of the Lord, the "seed of promise”, and against the common people and to deceive the people by setting up a counterfeit of Messiah's kingdom. To accomplish this wrongful purpose "they [have gone] after other Gods to serve them”, to-wit: gods of power, wealth and fame.—Jeremiah 11: 9,10; 18:18.
OVERT ACTS
In furtherance of such conspiracy the clergy in particular* and their subordinate organizations and allies have committed the following overt acts, to-wit:
(1) They have forsaken the Word of God, formulated and taught doctrines and creeds of their own, and set up other idols which they worship:
(2) The ecclesiastical systems, under the leadership of a disloyal clergy, have committed fornication with the powers of state, political and financial; and
(3) Posing as the representatives of the “Prince of Peace” a disloyal clergy have openly advised, encouraged and advocated deeds of violence and “on [their] skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents7* (Jeremiah 2: 34) ;
(4) ’They have resorted to lying, fraud and deceit, thereby leading the people into paths of error—and destroyed their faith in God and his Word (Jeremiah 12:10,11; 14:13,14; 5:25-30; 8:9-11; 9:3, 9);
(5) They have scattered the flock of God, the true Christians, and suffered them to starve;
(6) Hating the light that exposes them and their disloyalty to God, they have persecuted the light-bearers (Matthew 5:14), and by and through their wicked spy system they have sought out, arrested, persecuted, imprisoned, and killed the loyal servants of the Lord;
(7) Although divinely commissioned to teach the people concerning Messiah’s coming kingdom as the only chaj|nel and means of lasting peace, righteousness, liberty, life and happiness, they have, contrary to this command advocated and endorsed the formation of an earthly “league of nations” and hail it as the savior, deliverer and blesser of mankind; all of which is a pollution of the office assumed by them and contrary to and against the peace and dignity of Jehovah and his Word.
THE PROOF
It is but necessary to call attention to the well-known and indisputable facts that have developed in recent years to establish beyond question the truthfulness of eveay overt act charged in the indictment. We consider the main charge of the indictment and the overt acta in the order named.
(1) The forsaking of the Word of God and the establishment of man-made creeds instead:
Nineteen centuries ago Jehovah began the development or the^seed of promise’’, Jesus the Head and the churchftiis body. Jesus referred to the members of his body as 'branches of the true vine’. (John 15:1.2) The church began its development in purity of practice and in action. Of it Jehovah said: ’T planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right jeed; how then art thou turned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine [vine of the earth] unto me?”—Jeremiah 2: 21; Revelation 14:19.
Jehovah gave to the church nominal, particularly its leaders, the greatest commission ever held by any earthly creature, viz.: To preach the glad tidings-of great'joy of Christ’s coming kingdom through which all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 9:60; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 9:16) What a wonderful and blessed opportunity to carry to a sad and sin-cursed world the very message of comfort all needed 1 To deviate from that message, or to teach instead man-made doctrines amounts not only to a falling away but to positive disloyalty to the Lord. Christians are plainly told: “Love not the world [honor, plaudits, and the things that the world can confer] neither the things in the world”. “Be not conformed to this world,” but “keep [yourselves] unspotted from the world".—1 John 2:15; Romans 12: 2; James 1:27.
The early church grew rapidly and at first there was, no distinction between the members, such as clergy and laity. The early history of the church nominal is full of beautiful stories of self-sacrifice and loving service. But Satan was active in planting *his seed* among the loyal ones; prosperity and wealth came, and with them came men ambitious to be leaders—lovers of the world*. Office seekers crept in, obtained control and soon substituted formalism for simplicity of worship. Theological contentions took possession of the church organization and the religion of Jesus Christ became a political society. The church nominal surrendered to the Emperor of Rome, Constantine, who notwithstanding he put to death his own sister, his son and his wife, was fawned upon by the ambitious clergy and was chosen as the champion of the church. Christ and him crucified then became and still is a reproach to the self-seeking ones. The state became so-called “Christian” and the church became imperialistic. True Christianity in its organization was supplanted by politicians and bishops and the divinely given commission was cast aside. The selfish, ambitious clergy paganized and impcriah’zod the religion of Jesus, and their disloyal course caused vast numbers to accept the new nominal Christianity, and thus true Christianity was turned into a political religion. The clergy loved the honors of the world and still love them and despise the sclf-sacrificing position of the one who faithfully performs his God-given commission. With tho edict of Justinian came the parting of the ways between the true church of Christ and the church nominal— between Christianity and churchianity—and they have never met again. From then till now the true Christian has been ruthlessly persecuted by the church nominal.
The clergy took away the Bible and forbade the common people to read it and enacted laws making the possession of the Bible by a layman a criminal offense. From Arias till now some of the true followers of Jesus hare dared hold aloft the banner of truth and thereby subjected themselves to wicked persecution. Time came
when there was a great Protestant reformation, but alas, today the so-called ‘•Protestant” church is a system without the protest. The God-dishonoring doctrine of eternal torment originated by Satan and first taught by the Papacy is eagerly taken up and proclaimed to the people by many Protestant clergy who know they are teaching a falsehood, a defamation of God's character. In all the theological colleges the doctrines of higher criticism and evolution are substituted for the message of the Lord, k his sacrifice and his kingdom. Instead of keeping themselves unspotted and separate from the world the larger percentage of the clergy—Catholic and Protestant—seek * an alliance with the professional politicians and the financial giants who can confer wealth and honor upon them. Instead of humbly serving and worshipping God, they serve the worldly minded, and set up idols of gold, earthly power, and influence which they freely worship. The proof of the first overt act charged in the indictment is common knowledge and fully apparent to all.
Second: Spiritual fornication, the second overt act charged, means illicit relationship between the church and the $t'ate.
The true church of Christ is spoken of in the symbolic language of the Bible as a “pure virgin”, while the apostate church system—one that has forsaken God—is symbolized by an impure woman and in the Scriptures des* ignated as a “whore” or “harlot”. Papacy being the first to forsake God and ally herself with the political powers is designated as “the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth”. (Revelation 17:5) The Biblical language clearly implies that the church nominal is guilty of illicit conduct. With whom? Jesus answers, ‘'With the kings,” political ruling classes, and the “merchants”, the financial powers.
“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” (Revelation 18:3) The clergy—Catholic and Protestant—openly seek an alliance with prominent men of the world, either political or financial, thus committing spiritual fornication. The prominent men are in symbolic language of the Bible designated as “a green tree”. (See Psalm 37:35) It is an indisputable fact, well known for centuries, but more particularly made manifest in modern times, that whenever a person rises to profcunence in a community, either a politician, merchant or other wealthy man. the clergymen and their chief parishioners conspire together to induce such prominent person to become a member of their church, regardless of whether such prominent person claims to believe on and lo\e th? Lord or not. To such unfaithful ones the Lord J$ys: “Cpon every hi'/h hill and under every erren ‘rc«‘thou wandercst, playing the harlot”.—Jeremiah 2: 20.
The clcrtry claim for themselves the divine right to interpret the Bible and they interpret it to suit their own
selfish passions. In modern times they have adopted * worldly methods in their work. Organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, Y. M. C. A., etc., are the children or offspring of the church systems. They use the v Bible in a distorted attempt to show the propriety of c' controlling the political affairs of this world through the church and their offspring organizations. They run after the political lords and professional politicians and $ brazenly offer the church systems as an added means to control the people. The church system’s methods are bo very brazen in her attempt to ally herself with unholy earthly interests that the Lord says to her: “Thou hast | a whore's forehead and refusest to be ashamed". (Jeremiah 3:3) And so abominable is the conduct of the church system, her clergy and her children in seeking the companionship of the professional politician and the ? financial powers that the Lord likens her to a certain I wild beast who at the time of her regular heat seeks beastly gratification from any one who will accommodate her, saying to her, "How canst thou say I am not pol- -luted, I have not gone after Baalim ? Sec thy way in the ' valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; a wild ass used to the |
wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in ,
her occasion who can turn her away ? All they that seek her will not weary themselves [to locate her]; in her . month they shall find her.”—Jeremiah 2: 23, 24. *
Third: The third overt act charged is that of respon- ’ sibility for the great wars that have afflicted the peoples of earth and particularly the world war which began in 1914 at the end of the Gentile Times. And for this I
cause the Lord says to them: “On thy skirts is found
the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I [Jehovah] have not found it by secret search but upon all these”. । —Jeremiah 2: 34.
Whether or not it is right for a nation to engage in war need not be here considered. The sole question here is, What is the proper position for the church to take. -
From God's viewpoint the church must stand for things ' spiritual as distinguished from worldly governments. The commission to the followers of Jesus nowhere commands them to go to war, but exactly the contrary course is prescribed. Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this ' world: ... [if it were] then would my servants fight”. When the mob assaulted him he said he could call for twelve legions of angels to fight his battle, but he declined . to resort to force. He even forbade his disciples to use weapons of defense. The church is his body, the members of which are called to follow in his footsteps. (1 Peter 2:21) If worldly nations want to fight that is . ’ their business. The followers of Jesus to be faithful must obey his expressed will and refrain from shedding blood.—2 Corinthians 10: 3, 4.
But the majority of the clergy have abandoned the will of the Lord and set up their own will. This they do. It is the clergy who taught the kings to believe that they ruled by divine right. From their teaching . came the axiom, “The king can do no wrong—this upon the theory that the king (political governing factor) represents the Lord on earth, and since God can do no wrong, neither can the king—ruling by divine right—do wrong. But rulers have convinced themselves that to make war upon a neighboring nation is justifiable, because the clergy have so held and taught. Had the professed Christian clergy taught the people the truth, and had the people received it, there would have been no wars between Christian nations nor wars of Christian nations against other nations. The truth would have turned the people away from an evil course and saved them from the horrors of war. The preachers have preached war contrary to God’s Word, as he says: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to,them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel [Word] and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings”. (Jeremiah 23: 21, 22) Hence the responsibility of the clergy for “the blood of the poor innocents”; and God will require at their hands a fearful accounting, un/esa they speedily avail themselves of the divine remedy.
Fourth: The clergy have forsaken God in this, that they have resorted to lies, fraud and deceit to build their own systems, and thereby led the people into error and away from God. Tor centuries they have maintained their organizations by imposing upon the people the fake, doctrines of eternal torture, purgatory, masses for the dead, etc., and thereby induced many honest people to support them morally and to contribute large sums of money for their upkeep. They have taken the position that all who are saved must go to heaven and that such must unite with one of their church systems in order to secure a passport to heaven; whereas,, on the contrary God's Word shows (and they should have told the people this) that the mass of mankind will be saved on earth and restored to perfect manhood during Messiah's reign. Since the great war the clergy are saying, “We must have some new religion, the soldier will not stand for the old,” some new stories by which to deceive the people and hold them in bondage.
The people greatly desire peace, liberty and life in happiness, all of which blessings the Bible teaches are coming to man during the Millennial reign of Christ. The clergy scoff at these great truths, deny the Millennial reign of the Messiah, and resort to fraud and deceit in order to keep the people in subjection and to feed fat their own selfish desires. Hence God says to them:
• “For among my people are found wicked mon: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares: they set a trap, they catch mep. As a cage is full of bird.-, so are their houses full of deceit-; therefore they are become great, and K-ixen ri®(i. They are waxen fat. they shin*; yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked: ih«*y judge r.of the eausm the cause of the fathorlr-s. yet they pm.-p-’r: and the right of the needy do they net judge. Shall I not
visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets । prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my [professed church] people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof F'—Jere-miah 5: 2G - 31. ,
Many of the clergy class have claimed to have power to forgive sins and use this fraudulent and deceitful means to extract money from the pockets of the people. They have claimed to be the friend of the common people, ; i Xhoreas they deceive and defraud the people. Hence ■ ’ God says of those unfaithful stewards: “And they de- j ceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the ■
truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and
weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation ; J is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to
know me, saith the Lord.... Their tongue is as an arrow
shot out; it speaketh deceit;-one speaketh peaceably to ; his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth his wait. Shall I not visit them for these things saith
the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation
ns this? [A nation forming an alliance with such un- . faithful stewards] ... Then the Lord said unto me, The
prophets [preachers] preach lies in my name: I sent
them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy [speak] unto you a false ’ vision and divination and a thing of nought, and the
deceit of their heart.”—Jeremiah 9:5, 6, 8, 9; 14:14.
Fifth: That the clergy,t pastors, priests, etc., have ' scattered the flock of God, and left them to starve and ■ * die. The Scriptures refer to the followers of Jesus as “the flock of God”. The positive command given the : elders and leaders (who became clergymen) was “Feed ; the flock of God which is among you, taking oversight ;
thereof, not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy
lucre but of a ready mind; not as lording it over the j heritage, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2,
3) The only food that would sustain the true followers j-of Jesus is the pure Word of Truth—the Bible. The
clergy failed to teach the people the Bible truths which
satisfy the hungry soul, namely, the Hansom, Resurrcc- ; tion and Restitution blessings which will be extended to • all people during the reign of Christ now beginning. : And when any of “the flock” sought and found the truth the clergy have scolded, threatened and persecuted them : and scattered the Lord’s sheep among the ravenous beasts ‘
of the earth—and have destroyed the faith of many thou- , sands. When some of the humble followers of the Master !
brought forth the pure message of truth, exposing the j
error, this unfaithful clergy class caused the suppression I of that truth and the prosecution and imprisonment of the humble teachers of the people, for which denunelation is pronounced upon them by Jehovah.—Ezekiel 34:1-8. : j
“Woe unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the she^p of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus
saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doing, saith the Lord.... Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the ‘ preachers: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem [interchurchianity] is profaneness gone forth into all the land?’—Jeremiah 23:1, 2,15. / *' Sixth: In forsaking the Lord and following the evil tendencies of their own hearts the unfaithful clergy and assistants have committed the overt act of hating and ' wilfully spying out and persecuting the true and humble followers of Christ Jesus.
God foreshadowed and illustrated this in the life experiences of Esau and Jacob. Although heir to the Abra-hamic promise—Esau, because of his love for fleshly ‘ gratification and earthly pleasure, sold his birthright for a mess of savory meat, -and then persecuted Jacob because the latter made effort to avail himself of the prize he had justly bought. Esau pictured the class of Christian people—laymen and clergy—who have loved the pleasures of the world, honor and preferment of men, and despised the promises of God concerning his kingdom blessings. Jacob pictured the humble and faithful j z Christians who purchased the heavenly birthright by ' selling their all in full consecration to the Lord. The Esau class—faithless ones—have persecuted the Jacob class, faithful ones, who preferred to suffer persecution and death, remaining faithful to God rather than yield to the spirit of the world and lose the promised prize. The very faithfulness of the Jacob class has been a rebuke to that class who have desired to use the Christian religion as a camouflage to hide their evil and selfish course. Of the true Christians Jesus said: ‘’Ye are the light of the world”. The selfish, faithless clergy have hated this light. The true Christian prog!esses in the knowledge of God’s plan. “The path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day.” Every progressive step of the true follower of Jesus has met with vigorous persecution at the hands of the clergy cla^s.
CHURCH-STATE DESTROYS RELIGIOUS LIBERTY'
-The Lord divided the development of his church into sevetFepochs, progressive in their order. To each epochal stage ho provided a human messenger. Each of these in turn was persecuted by the leaders or clergy class. The persecution of Arias. Waldo. Wycliffe, and Luther was led by the Papacy. The messenger to the seventh epoch ’<?f the church vas Pastor Russell. For forty yev5 he held aloft the light of the gospel of Messiah’s kingdom, which light exposed the deceitful and fraudulent claims, doctrines and practices of the clergy, and true to their matir.ct ar.d pas: history the unfaithful, dishccest clercv — Cath:-’:., and Protestant—wickedly and releu-.iCi-ly persecuted Faster Ru-.mll and his a::o-ciates in service. In 1916 he finished his earthly course and others took up the burden where he laid it down and vigorously carried it forward, and like him they have been objects of persecution.
The Catholic hierarchy and the Protestant nominal church systems have created societies, such as the Knights of Columbus, Y. M. C. A., Interchurch World Movement, etc., to aid in their work, and these have rendered valuable aid to their parents. It has been another means to cement firmly the “unholy trinity”. Their members are active in politics and fill important offices in every branch of the Government. They respond readily to the wishes of a parent clergy. These members of the antitypical Esau class have hated and maliciously slandered Pastor Russell, the friend of the people, and his zealous associates. The great war furnished the opportunity to make manifest that hatred. In 1885 Pastor Russell began the publication of a series of Bible comments—Studies in the Schiptubes—in seven volumes, six of which he published in his lifetime, and the seventh, “The Finished Mystery,” was published after his death. It is an interpretation of Ezekiel and Revelation. These prophetic books of the Bible contrast the course of the true with the nominal church. In prophetic phrase the Lord foretold the persecution of- the true by the false, and the great hypocrisy of the clergy. Necessarily “The Finished Mystery” explained these1 Scriptures in the light of the historical facts—recording fulfilled prophecy. This greatly angered the clergy, because it interfered with their scheme to further defraud the people, and they sought an opportunity for vengeance.
The so-called “Espionage Law” furnished an effective weapon. It was to be expected that this law would search out spies. But what spy was prosecuted under the law? The chief selected for its enforcement was a well-, known, ultra-nominal churchman, who is known ta a heretic-hunter, having heretofore prosecuted Rev. Crapsey for heresy. He was aided in the collection of evidence by a “dyed-in-the-wool” Knight of Columbus, and both of these men have ready ears for the cry of the clergy. The penalty for violation of the Espionage Law did not seem sufficiently severe. Early in 1918 a convention of clergymen was held at Philadelphia, at which a resolution was adopted calling upon congress to provide that alleged violators of the Espionage Law should be tried by court-martial and death inflicted as a penalty. A general in the United States army was authority for the statement that the purpose and intention of this proposed law was to punish the officers of the International Bible Students Association and the publishers of “The 1 im-hed Mystery” by putting them to death
A bill was pending before Congress to amend the Eipiona^e Law so that one charged with its violation n"'ght have an opportunity to make further defense. The member of the Department of Justice having in charge, the enforcement of th:s !a^, namely, Joznr Lor.3 O’Brian, appeared before the Senate committee
> £
having in charge the bill and argued that the amendment be defeated, assigning as his reasons therefor three classes that he could not prosecute successfully if the amendment carried, the three classes named being “The Finished Mystery/’ the “International Bible Students Association/’ and the “Kingdom Notts”. Mr. O’Brian well knew at the time that the three represented but one class of Christians. No other conclusion can be reached than that he deliberately misled the United States Senate into defeating this amendment. His report appears in the Congressional Record of May 4th, 1918.
Public sentiment must be worked up against the "offensive Bible Students”. Th? clergy started the ball. Another member of the unholy alliance, big business, dominates the public press. Unscrupulous politicians holding office are ready tools. First the books of account of the Bible Students were seized, on a pretext that money was being obtained frpm the enemy, Germany. For five weeks experts searched them and found not one penny coming from a questionable source. It was then discovered that before the war a little wireless receiving instrument had been presented to Pastor Russell and placed on the roof of the Bethel Home, and some of the boys had been attempting to learn the code. It never had a sending instrument. No messages ever were sent or could be sent from it. In November, 1917, this instrument was removed and stored in the basement. In the search by the secret service agents it was found packed away in the basement, hauled out and then a deliberate lie was sent by the Associated Press throughout the world, announcing tha t the Russellites were maintaining a powerful wireless on the roof by which they could send messages across the ocean to the Germans—all of which was necessary to work up public sentiment. Thon followed the indictment of the officers of the Association and their trial amidst a great excitement'of the war. Being thus staged, a verdict of guilty was easily obtained. Sentence followed, in which seven of these Bible Students were sentenced each for eighty years’ imprisonment. Bail was denied and they were immediately incarcerated and remained in prison for nine months, without the privilege of bail, pending appeal. Later they were released and upon a hearing of the case in the Appellate Court that court reversed the judgment of the lower court, holding that the defendants had not been given^fair trial. On May 5, 1020. the indictments were dismissed by the Government and the defendants discharged. The defendants were thereby exonerated after suffering nine months illegal imprisonment: but the subsidized press industriou-ly avoided publishing any facts abot\t that part of it.
While these men were in jail their friends circulated a petition calling upon the authorities to grant them bail or a re-trial. Mr. John Lord O'’Brian. contrary to all precedent known to American legal ethics, sent circular Liters throughout the country defending h:= position in the prosecution of these men.
WIDESPREAD PERSECUTION
The spring and summer of 1918 witnessed a widespread persecution of Bible Students, both in America and in Europe, at the instigation of the clergy in every t c&ss. The homes of the Bible Students were searched ! without warrant, their hymn books, Bibles, “Studies in . the Scriptures,” and other Bible literature were seized, : carried away and in many instances destroyed. In Lo<s , Angeles, California, every kind of Bible literature was seized by officers without a search warrant, and ' , many of the Bible Students were arrested and thrown , into jail. Others were beaten, their ribs broken, their I heads cut and some permanently injured. Inoffensive men and women were mobbed and thrown into jail and held there without charge or without trial. •
We give a brief statement of the facts in a few of the sample cases of persecutions, all of which occurred in a i so-called Christian land.
WHEN AND WHERE MINISTERS WERE ANARCHISTS
Against the rights guaranteed under the Constitu- । tion of the United States, namely, the selling of Bible । study textbooks not under ban of any kind:
Baptist ministers, taking advantage of war conditions, ; caused the following outrages:
March 1, 1918, at Salem, Virginia, C. W. Morris was ; arrested at the instance of Rev. R. Ch Smith. March 23, i < 1918, at Checotah, Oklahoma, Charles J. Crews was
jailed nine days at the instance of Rev. E. D. Cameron,
his teacher’s certificate was revoked and his home and furniture lost, all in accordance with the Reverend’s ; throat that he must give up his belief or go to the peni- !
tentiary. No offense was ever charged and the case was
never brought into court. April 23, 1918, at Miami,
Texas, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Bayless were jailed several i
days at the instance of Rev. J. C. Stalcup. May 30. 1918,
at Post Oak. Missouri, W. L. Bowen’s new automobile
was disfigured and carried, to Leeton, Missouri, by a mob " :
associated with Rev. L. Newkirk, pastor of Providence Baptist Church, after threats by members and deacons of
his church. Rev. Newkirk is now insane.
Methodist ministers caused the following outrages:
February Io, 1918, at Anadarko, Oklahoma, A. H. ■ J Sempley was threatened with imprisonment. April 19,
1918, at Winnsboro. Texas, G. W. Wilcox was jailed in a filthy privy over night. April .28. 1918, at Farmington, ■ . Washington. Mrs. C. A. Imhoff was threatened with 1 imprisonment. At Tamaha, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. > < B. Merriman and M. R. Charley were jailed six days at the instance of Reverend Phal. Mr. Charley, 65 years » of ago. died from the effects of his imprisonment. May i
1. 1918, at Mc.-a, Arizona, an Episcopalian minister
joined with a Methodist minister in causing the jailing j for twn days of P. R, Starks.
Tn March. 1918. at Enid. Oklahoma. L. F. Hall was
jailed three time- and bonded for $12,000 on complaint
of a L'rhcrcv. miui.-icr. On Mav 2?, 1918. at Harrah,
- - •
Oklahoma. Jesse Hearn was jailed two days without warrant or explanation and beaten into insensibility in his ' own field by a mob organized by a minister of the so-called CAru’rian denomination. • .
Other ministers, acting individually, or in groups procured the following outrages:
March % 1918. at Chickasha, Oklahoma, A. H. Sam, pley and Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Croy were jailed and fined. March 17, 1918, at Walser, Idaho, two colporteurs were / threatened and compelled to stop work. April 30, 1918, - at Thayer, Missouri, Charles Franke, Edward French, M. R. Griffin and Mr. and Mrs. D. Van Hoesen were taken to the Y. M. C. A. and threatened by a mob. Griffin was forced to leave town and sacrifice home and business. The postmaster here held mail in the Post Office six months without delivery, April 30, 1918, at ' Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, Mrs. Minna B. Frank was mobbed and compelled to close out a $10,000 stock in - one day and leave town. At Garfield, Washington, Donald Main and Mr. Ish were jailed and threatened with death. At Minerva, Ohio, S. EL Griffin was first jailed . and then released to a mob, then lectured fifteen minutes by the minister, then struck repeatedly, cursed, kicked, trodden upon, threatened with hanging and with drowning, driven from town, spit upon, tripped repeatedly, jabbed repeatedly with an umbrella, forbidden to ride, J* followed five miles to Malvern, Ohio, rearrested, jailed for safety at Carrollton and finally taken home by brave and faithful officials who, after examining his literature, said, in so many words, “We find no fault in this man".
Companies of ministers, acting together, procured the following outrages;
March 20, 1913, at Checotah, Oklahoma, T. H. Bradford was jailed two nights, his home entered and Bible study textbooks seized and he was driven from town. March 27, 1918, at Corpus Christi, Texas, the home of Mrs. Clara Hanke, a native American, was raided, her person attacked and threatened and Bible study textbooks seized. April 24, 1918, and April 28, 1918, these raids were repeated, accompanied by more threats and by an invasion of Mrs. Hanked bedroom when she was resting on the bed. The Court’s final disposition of the matter, April 30, 1918, was that no more literature of the kind should be circulated during the war inasmuch as it hurt the feelings of the clergy. At Globe, Arizona, IL Bender and P. R. Starks were jailed two days and three-ministers were heard to urge the officials to “Give the boys the limit”. -
April 12, 1918. at Medford, Oregon, E. P. Taliaferro was mobbed and chased out of town for preaching the gospel and George R. Maynard was stripped, painted and driven from town for permitting Bible study in his home. April 14^,1918. at Denison. W. E. Murphy, P. E. Wiltiams, A. M. York. J. \V. Safford. B. Drake and A. E. Class were mobbed and attorneys forbidden to accept the case. Knights of Columbus assisted the clergy in. the Denison outrage.
April 2Z, 1913, at Camanche, Oklahoma, O. M. Davis and son were insulted and threatened. May 1, 1918. at Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mrs. Beulah B. Covey was arrested and suitcases and Bible study textbooks seized without warrant. May 4, 1918, at New London, Ohio, Clyde Morrison and Claude Morrison were mobbed and arrested. May 8, 1913, at Greenville, Mississippi, Mrs, L. F. Lartigue was arrested, but after Avamination of the literature the sheriff dismissed her with the statement, ‘‘No one could find fault with those papers except
—From The Xeie Era Enterirlee.
‘•In Thx SK-tiTs Is Foe nd the Blood of Socls ar the Pooa Ix.nocs.nts."—Jerenrih 2:2-*.
the clergy". At Celeste, Texas, a mob demanded the arrest of A. J. Tolbert, G. B. Weaver and Mrs. Harvey Huddleston; the demand was refused by the authorities but the parties hud to leave town to escape violence. June, 1919, at Rochester, New York, William E. Wheeler was twice arrested and bro* beaten for circulating a petition appealing for the release of Bible Students unjustly sentenced to prison. All the foregoing outrages were directly incited by two or more clergymen.
Church member*, acting as tools of clergymen, caused fr-mtiar outrages as follows:
March 28, 1918, at Monroe, Louisians, Henry C. Humble was made to lose a government position and was jailed three months at the instance of two Methodist church members, one of whom secured his job. April 28, 1918, at Centreville, Iowa, E, A. Talbott was abused, threatened and jailed three days at the behest of a mob of whom four announced themselves as church members determined to secure his imprisonment. October 16, 1918, at Marshfield, Oregon, Fay R._ Smith was thrown out of employment and jailed twenty-four days on complaint of two prominent Presbyterians.
Catholic priests were not in any mobs that attacked Bible students. They have had centuries of experience in getting results otherwise. At present if they want any rough work done for them they tuse the Mollie Maguires, alias the Ancient Order of Hibernians, alias the Knights of Columbus. Also, they prefer to put these people in office first and then use them with a show of legality, instead of following the coarser, less efficient mob tactics of the Protestant ministers. This is the Beast in action. Attention is invited to the following, by way of illustration of the point in question:
March 4, 1918, at Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Benjamin Kimmel, Reuben Platt, Amos K. Smoker and William Kimmel were jailed by two alleged officials named McKelvey and OJLarnic, given a hearing before Curcio in the office of Gorman, questioned by O'Brien in the presence of McHenry, McDermott and Boyle. March 4, 1918, at Scranton, Pennsylvania, Clayton J. Woodworth, M. L. Herr and Stanley Young were arrested by McCourt and McHenry and arraigned before Kilcullen. April 28, 1918, at Boise, Idaho, Dr. H. D. Morris and nine others were jailed and covertly threatened with mob violence by McClear. That night Dr. Morris' house was disfigured. April 30, 1918, at New Orleans, Louisiana, James M. Wilbon, carrying a permit from the Mayor for distributing his literature, was jailed two days by Mooney, the Chief of Police. At Jacksboro, Texas, Miss Lula E. Jackson was visited by the sheriff twice, once with McCombs and once with Keith, demanding the surrender of Bible study textbooks. May 18, 1918, at Houston, Missouri, a poor woman, Mrs. Gertrude Kimpe, was jailed by McCaskill because she was unable to buy bonds. At Henderson, North Carolina, Mrs. K. W. Edwards was repeatedly threatened, the threatened including a Judge and a Roman Catholic. At Kennebec, Main^Mrs. Frederic Holmes was grilled three hours by McKean. At Rossville, Georgia, G. W. LaFerry was visited by Finley, who demanded all his religious books and literature.
JUDGES DO SCALE WONDERFUL THINGS
March 14, 1918, at Pomona, California, J. Eagleston was jailei? nfreen days in prison tanks, four of them with no bsd or mattress, insufficient covering and insuffi-cenr feed. When th? jury disagreed, 5 to 7. the Judge SiLd in open court, ‘'ll there is no law to sevrle these cases, they will be settled, if it is done by the American people themselves". What did this Judge want done by the American people? ‘
April 17, 1918, at Shawnee, Oklahoma, G. N. Fenn, George M. Brown, L. S. Rogers, W. F. Glass, E. T. Grier and J. T. Tull were jailed. During the trial the Prosecuting Attorney said, “To hell with your Bible; you ought to be in hell with your back broken; you ought to be hung". When G. F. Wilson, of Oklahoma City, attempted to act as counsel for the defense- he also was arrested. Each was fined $55 and costs; offense, distributing Protestant literature. The trial Judge encouraged mob action following the trial, but the mobs were foiled.
April 22, 1918, at Kingsville, Texas, L. L. Davis and Daniel Toole were chased by a mob led by the Mayor and a County Judge and subsequently caught and jailed without a warrant. Davis was forced out of his job. In May, 1913, at Tecumseh, Oklahoma, J. J. May was seized and incarcerated thirteen months in an insane asylum by the order of a Judge, after threatening and abuse. His family was not advised as to what had been done with him. '
In June, 1918, at Roanoke, Virginia, C. W. Morris was jailed three months for being “a strict adherent of the Pastor Russell sect" and was warned that if, after his release, he preached his doctrine he would receive much worse treatment. In fulfillment of this, in the same city, February 15, 1920, Alex. H. Macmillan was jailed by the Mayor, without warrant or charge, at the hour when he was advertised to lecture to the public on the topic, “Christ's Second Coming Near; Millions Now Living Will Never Die".
In the spring of 1918, at Los Angeles, California, Ernest D. Sexton, with twenty-five others, was tried for distributing Protestant literature which the trial Judge, Benjamin Bledsoe, admitted contained nothing whatever seditious. The only charge against several of these men was that they had attended a prayer meeting. Not a scrap of evidence was produced against a number of them. The jury disagreed and the case was dismissed, but while en route to the bull-pen these innocant Christian men were assaulted and terribly beaten by the Roman Catholic police; one of them received serious injuries.
November 8, 191S, at Iroquois Falls, Ontario, A. R. Wood, Peter Wood, Thomas Phillips, Mrs. A. E. Holland, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. McCurdy and Mrs. Atcheson were fined $100 each for having a prayer meeting. The Bibles sei-cd at this meeting, together with the Bible study. Textbooks were all burned in the furnace by order of the trial Judge J. K. Ebbitt, member of the Church of England.
BANKERS AND DIG BUSINESS ANARCHISTS
March 17, 1918. at Grand Junction, Colorado, a meeting for Bible study was broken up by a mob composed of ;he Mayor, leading newspaper men an! ocher prominent business men. April 20, 1918. at Brownstown, Indiana, Curtis Plummer was threatened and coerced by a mob composed of the county sheriff and business men. Muy a, 1913. at Corpus Christi. Texas. Mrs. Bertie M. Chalk was threatened and insulted by officials. May 10. 1918. at Tarboro. North Carolina, C. F. Dullard was jailed ten days, a local banker refusing to honor a cashier's check intended to effect bis release on bail. April 14. 1913, at Denison, Texas, J. R. May was forced out of business by the Denison bankers for not buying bonds. He entered the secret conference where they were deciding to ruin him, laid down five onc-hundred-dollar bills in front of them and offered to give the entire amount to any Denison banker who could show where the war had cost him.one dollar of his own money, and not one of them could or did open his mouth in reply.
June 5, 1918, at Indianapolis. Indiana. William Darby, after thirty-two and one-half years of honorable service os a letter carrier, was discharged by J. C. Koons, First Assistant Postmaster General, for the offense of being a Christian; no other details available. At Fontanelle, Iowa. Etta Van Wagenen was forcibly driven from 'town by a banker and another silk hat anarchist. Subsequently, men in the uniforms of officers of the United States Army endeavored in vain to force her employer to dismiss her. At Fort Cobb, Oklahoma. A. L. Tucker was driven penniless out of town by a mob of ten men, which included his own banker with whom he then had funds on deposit. He was forced to leave the county and sell his property at great loss.
OTHER SICKENING EXAMPLES OF ANARCHY
In March, 1918, at Shattuck, Oklahoma, J. B. Sieben-list, a native American, was jailed three days without warrant aud without food, except three pieces of spoiled cornbread, was taken from jail by the mob, stripped, tarred with hot tar and whipped with a buggy-whip having a wire at its end, for the offense of applying at the depot for a package of Protestant literature. April 22, 1918, at Wynnewood, Oklahoma, Claud Watson was first jailed and then deliberately released to a mob composed of preacher?, business men and a few others that knocked him down, caused a negro to whip him and, when he had partially recovered, to whip him again. They then poured tar and feathers all over him, rubbing the tar into his hair and scalp. April 29. 1913, at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. W. B. Dunean, 61 years of age, Fdwurd French, Chailcs Franke, a Mr. Griffin and Mrs. D. Van Hoesen were jailed. The Jail was broken into by a mob that used the most vile and obscene language, whipped, tarred, feathered and drove them from town. Duncan was compelled to walk twenty-six miles to his home arid burelv recovered. Griffin was virtually blinded and diedjrom the asi-ault a i^w months later.
For distributing the same Protestant literature, which no Government official has ever found ob/w-tionable except that it hurt the feeling? of the clergy, the following other riots and outrages were arranged;
March 26. 1913. nt Jacksonville. Toxa®. C. L. Schell-inger was jailed twenty-six days; April 10, 1918, at Vinita. Oklahoma. Hay Walrod was jailed ten weeks. April 22. 1913. at Harrisburg. Pennsylvania. H. A. Wen rich and Mr*. -lames G. Zea were arrested and placed under 82,500 Ixind. April 29, J918. at Pasadena, California, Clayton IL Loose was jailed one night. April. J'J 18, at Missouri Walley, Iowa, A. C. Northop was jailed.
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