Golden Age, September 26, 1923
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Contents of the Golden Age
. ' I— . — ■ «■! II ...
’ ' Social and Educational
The Plight of Christendom
President Habdtng in Retrospect.......
Impressions or Britain—An Inquzkt......V
Erratum
Political—Domestic and Foreign War ob Peace—Which?
Deplorable Conditions and Thsb Remedy
Reports from Britain
Agriculture and Husbandry The Llano Estacado, or Staked Plains
Travel and Miscellant A Trip to the Thousand Islands
The Doodle-Bug
' Religion and Philosophy
The World Crisis
Sheep and Goats
Resolution
Armageddon
The Reason..................
Prophecies Fulfilled...............
Armageddon Defined
Could It Be Averted?
Gathering for the Battle
The Result
Some Escape
Divine Remedy
The Panorama of the Ages
Cause of Humanity’s Failure
Human History In Brief
Messiah Came in Due Time
’ Reformation and Searching for Truth..........
End of Satan's Empire Near
Retrospective^ and Prospective
Studies in "The Harp or God”
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Golden Age
Volume IV
Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, September 26, 1923
The World Crisis
Bi) Our Western Correspondent
THE Los Angeles Examiner of August 27th says: ‘Thirty thousand people heard Judge Rutherford’s lecture on ‘Armageddon’ yesterday afternoon at the Coliseum.” Many thousands more vainly attempted to reach the Coliseum in time for the lecture but were prevented from so doing because of the inadequate transportation facilities. Without doubt it was the greatest religious gathering ever held on the Pacific Coast.
This lecture was the grand finale of the annual convention of the International Bible Students Association held at Los Angeles August 18-26 inclusive. At the afternoon session of the convention on Saturday Judge Rutherford, President of the Association, delivered a thrilling address on the parable of the Sheep and Goats, particularly emphasizing the fact that in all the denominational churches the Fundamentalists are making a heroic fight for the Bible as God’s inspired Word and that it is the duty of the Bible Students to encourage them in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. At the conclusion of his address he read a resolution, which this great assembly of Christians by a rising vote unanimously adopted. We set out herewith the resolution in full, together with a synopsis of the lectures on the “Sheep and Goats’’ and “All Nations Are Marching to Armageddon.”
Sheep and Goats
WHEN the followers of Christ Jesus can plainly see prophecy concerning the kingdom in course of fulfilment they have cause for rejoicing. Prophecy means foretelling events which are to happen in the future, the fulfilment of which marks a definite period in
God’s plan. Uppermost in the minds of Christians since the days of Pentecost has been the coming kingdom of God, for which Jesus taught His followers to pray. He prophesied the events that would mark that important date. Bible chronology shows that the Gentile Times ended in 1914, which date also marks the time when Messiah took unto Himself His great power to reign, at which time the old world ended. Jesus said that the end of the world would be marked by a world war, famine, pestilence, revolutions in various parts of the earth, the persecution of Christians, and the favor of God returning to Israel. These things began to have fulfilment in the year 1914, and in rapid succession each prophecy has been fulfilled. To the saints Jesus said: 'When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your deliverance draweth nigh? Let all Christians, therefore, rejoice because the proof is conclusive that this important time has come. As a further mark of this important date, Jesus said that there would be a great falling away from the faith by those who compose the membership in the denominational churches, and that particularly this would be true with reference to the clergy and the ‘principal ones of the flock? Just now we see this prophecy in course of fulfilment. In the denominational churches there is now a great controversy between two contending factions, namely: (1) that faction which names itself Modernists and which denies the fall of man and denies the blood of Jesus Christ as the redemptive price of man and the coming of the Messianic kingdom; and (2) that class designated as Fundamentalists, which believes that the Bible is God’s Woi8 of truth, that man was created perfect, that he fell because of sin, that
Jesus 'died to redeem man and will come again. Yet these fail to separate themselves from those who deny the faith, contrary to the admonition of God’s Word.—1 Timothy 6: 3-5.
"Those who wholly trust in the Lord should call the attention of all believers to these facts and warn them to take heed to the Scriptures and to come out from amongst the unrighteous systems.
"Jesus foretold that there would develop in the church denominations two general classes, considered from another viewpoint; one of which He designated under the term of 'sheep’ and the other under the term 'goats.’ Aptly these two animals portray the characteristics of the two classes named. A goat is stubborn, heady, selfish, proud, covetous, disobedient, refusing to be taught or led, fierce and cruel even to the point of forsaking its own; A sheep is meek, gentle, teachable, manifests a desire to do right, to be led in the right way and to learn righteousness.
"Jesus said that those of the goat class would pretend to be Christians and do great works in His name, but that they would neglect to minister to His brethren, the true saints, and would despise them and cruelly push them aside. Thus Jesus speaks to that class: T was hungry and ye gave me no meat, thirsty and ye gave me no drink, a stranger and ye took me not in, naked and ye clothed me not, sick and in prison and ye visited me not.’ They ask: 'When did we fail to do these things?’ to which Jesus replies: Tnasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me.’
"To the sheep class He said: 'Ye did these good deeds unto my brethren, therefore I count it as though ye did them unto me.’
"The Lord came to His temple in 1918 and there began the judgment of His own people. The Scriptures show that shortly thereafter follows His judgment upon the nations of 'Christendom,’ made up as they are of the clergy, financial and political classes, who are rulers in the world and in the denominational churches, in which are also many of the sheep class. Furthermore, the Lord points out that this judgment would result in the goat class receiving great punishment similar to that to be ministered unto the devil, whereas the sheep class are to be granted full opportunity for life everlasting. To the goats Jesus says: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ And unto the sheep class He says: 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Thus is shown that the goat class have no further opportunity for existence because of their unworthiness thereof, whereas the sheep class, or teachable ones, are to have full opportunity during the Millennial reign, and all those who
. will learn righteousness and obey the Lord will receive everlasting life.
“The judgment of the Lord is upon all Christendom, and the saints are to participate therein. (Psalm 149:5-9) The time has come for those who believe in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ as man’s Redeemer, to completely separate themselves from those organizations and systems whose leaders and rulers deny 'the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ,* whose blood is the redemptive price of mankind (Jude 4; 1 Peter 1:18,19; 1 Timothy 2: • 3-6), and to point them to the warning words of Jesus from heaven saying, 'Come out of " her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’— Revelation 18:4.”
Resolution
WE, THE International Bible Students in general convention assembled, again de-’ clare our absolute faith in and allegiance to Jehovah God our Father and to His beloved Son Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and King, and our absolute confidence in the Bible as God’s inspired Word of truth given to man for his j guidance and instruction in righteousness. i,
"As followers of our Lord who are diligently L.
striving to be His true and faithful witnesses, "J
we deem it our privilege and duty to call the attention of all peace- and order-loving peoples of all the nations to the deplorable conditions now existing in the world and to point them to- -; Messiah's kingdom as the only remedy for national and individual ills.
"We hold and declare that Jesus Christ or-ganized His church in purity to represent Him < • upon earth; that selfish and ambitious men, loving earthly honor and glory more than the approval of God, have brought in false doo-trines destructive of faith in God and His ' J
Word, and as a result there now exist in the various denominational churches two general classes, to wit:
“First: Those who pretend to be Christians but do not believe in the Bible as God’s inspired Word of truth, who repudiate the doctrines of the fall of man and his redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, which class is made up of apostate clergymen and 'the principal of their flocks/ who are worldly men of strong financial and political influence, which class exercises the controlling influence and power in the denominational organizations; and
“Second: That great multitude of peoples who claim to be Christians and who hold and believe the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, namely, that the Bible is the Word of God written under inspiration of the holy spirit; that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem man from sin and death; that He gave His life a ransom for mankind; that He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and will come again and set up His kingdom, as He promised. -
"The class first above mentioned are lovers of self, covetous, boasters, unthankful, unholy, fierce, despisers of those who strive to be good, heady, highminded, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, and slander, misrepresent and persecute those who faithfully try to represent our Lord. (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 24:9; Mark 13: 9) While claiming to be representatives of our Lord, they misrepresent Him in this, to wit:
“(1) They have forsaken the Word of God, denied the fall of man and denied the .Lord Jesus, by whose blood man must be redeemed. —Jude 4.
“(2) They have used the name Christian and the Christian religion as a cloak to hide their unrighteousness and to enable them to deceive the people, and have committed spiritual fornication by uniting church with political and financial power.—Jeremiah 2:21-24; Revelation 18:3.
“(3) While posing as the representatives of the Prince of Peace, they have sanctified war, openly advised, encouraged and advocated the same, and by appealing to the patriotism of the people have induced them to engage in war; they have wrongfully preached the men into the trenches, caused them to fight and die, have filled the land with a host of widows and orphans, and thereby increased the sorrow and suffering of mankind.—Romans 13:9; Matthew 26:52; Hebrews 12:14; Galatians 6:10; Luke 3:14.
“(4) They have with selfish design invaded the schools, colleges, seminaries and universities with their God-dishonoring doctrines of higher criticism and evolution, have led the people into gross error and destroyed the faith or multitudes in the inspired Word of God.— Jeremiah 12:10,12; 13:13,14; 5:25,30; 8: 9,11; 9:8,9.
“(5) They have spurned the true teachings of Jesus and the apostles, have scattered the flock of God and produced a famine in the land for the hearing of the Word of the Lord, and caused the hungry and thirsty to starve for spiritual food.—Amos 8:11; Psalm 107:4,5; Ezekiel 34:4-6.
"(6) They have hated the light and the bearers of the light (Matthew 5:14), refused to give meat to the hungry and drink to the thirsty Christian, turned away the stranger, failed to minister to the sick, persecuted and caused to he imprisoned honest and faithful Christians, resorted to deeds of violence against peaceable and order-loving Christians, and *on their skirts is found the blood of the souls of poor innocents/—Jeremiah 2:34; Matthew 25: 42, 43.
“(7) They have wilfully repudiated and rejected the teachings of Jesus and the apostles concerning the Lord’s second coming and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth for the blessing of the people, and have substituted therefor a man-made, Satan-directed league of nations which they hail as the savior of mankind and as the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth, thus blaspheming His name and cause. They have taken counsel together against the Lord and His kingdom, which counsel Jehovah declares shall not stand.—Psalm 2:1-12; Isaiah 8:9,10.
“Furthermore we hold and declare that of those described in the second class there is a multitude of the peace- and order-loving ones in the denominational churches, both Catholic and Protestant, who have held and yet hold to their faith, who have been kind and considerate with and respected the faith of their fellows
regardless of creed or denomination, have fed the hungry and given drink to the thirsty, have taken in the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick and ministered to those wrongfully imprisoned, all in the name of our Lord; that these have hope in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and its attending blessings; and that for such the Lord has declared His love. —Matthew 25:3140. .
rfWe point to the fact that God through His Word has declared His vengeance against all unrighteousness and particularly against the present evil order (Isaiah 34:14,8); that the Lord Jesus is now invisibly present judging the nations of earth; that the end of the world has come and the dashing to pieces of Satan's empire is in progress (Matthew 24:7-14); and that all who willingly ally themselves with Satan and his organization shall suffer at Jehovah's hand a terrible punishment; that those espousing the righteous cause of the Lord and faithfully serving Him shall pass through the trouble and receive boundless blessings (Zephaniah 2: 2,3; Zechariah 13:8,9; Psalm 41:1,2); that the line of demarcation between the two classes of Christendom is clearly drawn and the time has come for the separation of those who prefer evil from those who love righteousness and desire the Lord's kingdom.
“We, therefore, in the spirit of love sound the warning to all such peace- and order-loving and God-fearing ones who are associated with the denominational churches, and point them to the fact that they can have no part in nor fellowship with that class of pretendingfChris-tians who repudiate the Word of God and deny the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom; and we call upon them to heed the Word of God and separate themselves from the unclean thing (2 ‘ Corinthians 6:17), to withdraw themselves from the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems designated by the Lord as Babylon, and to come out from her, lest they be partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues (Bevela-. tion 18:4); and
"We appeal to all such to recognize Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords and that His kingdom now at hand is the hope and salvation of the peoples; and that they individually and collectively declare themselves on the side of the Lord and in sympathy with His cause, and be ready to receive the blessings of
God's kingdom, which He has prepared for them from the foundation of the world.”
Armageddon .
THE greatest crisis of the ages is upon tho nations of earth. It therefore becomes the solemn duty of all Christians to sound the alarm. Concerning this day Jehovah said: ‘Sound an alarm ... let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is nigh at hand.' (Joel 2:1) It is likewise important to point the people to the divine solution of the world’s perplexing problems.
"As a result of the World War the nations are bankrupt and the flower of humanity has gone into the grave. Selfishness, fraud, profiteering and hatred are ever on the increase, making the burdens of humanity unbearable. Distrust, perplexity and fear have taken hold upon men in all walks of life. The nations are feverishly preparing for war, and are vying with each other in producing the most devilish and deadly instruments of destruction.' Internal disturbances increase daily. The fiery volcano rumbles and roars and ever and anon breaks forth into flame. Many cry, Teace, peace,' when there is no peace. Thoughtful men of the world sense the approaching horrors and speak of them in no uncertain terms. From t some we quote: ‘There is no settlement in Europe. There is no peace in Europe. Governments can do nothing. They are afraid to do anything and they stand by and allow things to go from bad to worse.- 1923 is worse than 1914.’—Ramsay MacDonald, M. P. ‘A new chapter opens in the history of Europe and the world, with a climax of horror such as mankind hag never yet witnessed.'—Lloyd George. ‘No man unless he is drunk with optimism can deny that the world is very sick, and it may be a sickness unto death.'—Sir Philip Gibbs. j think it is certain that if there be another such war again civilization will never recover from it? —Viscount Grey.
The Reason .
WHY, in this period of the world's greatest enlightenment, do we find the people in such distress and perplexity! Jehovah through His prophet answers: ‘Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people; let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies. . . . For it is the ’day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of the recompences for the controversy of Zion? (Isaiah 34:1,2,8) But why God's indignation? Because the old world has ended. Satan’s empire has come to its full in wickedness, the time for its fall and the establishment of the Kingdom of Righteousness is here. But how may we know that this is true? The prophets of God foretold the events as we now see them. Jesus had informed His disciples that in due time the old world would end, that He would return and set up the kingdom of God, which would bless the people of earth. With these thoughts in mind the disciples propounded to Jesus the question: 'Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?’ The answer of Jesus was given in prophetic phrase; that is to say, He foretold what we should expect to transpire at the time implied by the question.
“For many years Bible Students have been telling the people that a great change in the world’s affairs would begin in 1914. They based their conclusion upon the fact that God overthrew Israel in 606 B. C.; that there began the Gentile Times; that through His prophets He indicated that the Gentile dominion should continue without interruption for the period of 2,520 years and then the Lord Jesus, whose right it is, would take unto Himself His power and reign. It is easy to see that this period must end in 1914. We should, therefore, expect at the end of the Gentile Times the old order to begin to pass away. Answering the question propounded to Him, Jesus said: 'The nations will be angry and God’s wrath is come.’ 'Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom’; and this shall be followed by pesti-. lence, famines and revolutions in various parts of the earth, which will mark the beginning of the downfall of the old order. (Matthew 24:7) Exactly on time in 1914 these things began to come to pass and in regular and progressive order famines, pestilence and revolutions have followed the World War. As further evidences of the time, Jesus declared that God’s favor would begin to return to the people of Israel;
that there would be a great persecution of Christians; that there would be a great falling away of Christians from the faith once delivered to* the saints; that upon earth there would be distress of nations with perplexity; that men’s hearts would be failing them for fear because of what they see coming upon organized society.
Prophecies Fulfilled
LL of these prophecies of Jesus have been fulfilled. God’s favor began to be especially marked toward the Jew in 1918; about the same time there was a great persecution of Christians in Europe and America, which persecution was instigated by apostate clergymen. Now we mark a great falling away from the faith. Modernists, claiming to be Christians, are denying the inspiration of the Scriptures, denying the fall of man, the redemption by our Lord’s sacrifice and the coming of His kingdom. These faith-destroying doctrines have invaded the schools, seminaries, colleges and universities. Another branch of the denominational church is known as Fundamentalists; and these are they who believe that the Bible is God’s Word of truth, and that redemption of man comes only through Christ Jesus. While these two factions are fighting between themselves the perplexity of the people increases. Therefore, we see that faith in God’s Word is terribly shaken, internal destruction threatens the nations, while all the nations themselves are gathering their forces and preparing for war. Naturally the people ask: {Where are the nations headed? What shall we expect?’ We answer: All the nations are marching to the great battle of Armageddon, and there they shall fall to rise no more as unrighteous nations.
Armageddon Defined
ARMAGEDDON means the great and final conflict between right and wrong, truth and error, God foreshadowed this in dealing with Israel That which transpired with Israel foreshadowed like events to transpire in Christendom on a far greater scale. Armageddon was the great battlefield of Palestine. There Gideon and his little army put to flight the Midianites, who in their distress and excitement destroyed each other. Gideon and bin band typified the Christ, while the MidijmitAg
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pictured the contending hosts of Christendom. Jehovah, through His prophet, foretelling the gathering of the nations to Armageddon, said: ‘Assemble yourselves and come, all ye nations, and gather yourselves together round about . . . Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat [Valley of Graves]: for there I will sit to judge all the nations round about . . . The Lord also shall roar out of Zion . . . and the heavens [eccle-siasticism] and the earth [organized society! shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people/—Joel 3:11-16.
Could It Be Averted?
IS THEBE no possible way to avert the battle of Armageddon T Five years ago it was possible; now it is impossible. Jesus gave the clear evidence, which should have been proof conclusive to all pretending Christians, as well as real ones, concerning His second presence, the end of the world and the establishment of His kingdom. Had the clergy and the principal of their docks taken heed to Jesus' words (Matthew 24:7-14) and told the people the truth; had the profiteers ceased defrauding the people and dealt righteously with them; had the politicians faithfully represented the people, and had all these accepted the testimony of Jesus and yielded to the establishment of His kingdom, the great trouble just ahead would have been averted. (Jeremiah 18:8; 23: 19-22; 26:12,13) Due warning was given; they failed to heed the warning.
Gathering for the Battle -
THERE are three factors assembling the nations to the great battle or Armageddon.
In symbolic phrase the Lord described it thus: ‘And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. . . . And he gathered them together to a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon/—Revelation 16:13-16.
"Dragon means the devil’s organization arrayed against Christ’s kingdom, seeking the
destruction of it (Psalm 2:2,3) Beast symbolically represents selfish world powers wickedly controlled by the influence of Satan, ruling by military or other force. False prophet sym- !
bolically means religious systems claiming to
represent the Lord Jesus on earth, yet denying
Him and His power and, in fact, representing
the devil. They sanctify war, advocate violence and pronounce a benediction upon the unright-.
eous ruling factors of the world and claim that the present powers are ruling by divine author- 1 ity. Frog symbolizes a system or organization , that is windy, assumes to have great wisdom, : makes much noise and boastfully claims the only power and authority to rule. Unclean spirit* symbolize impure and unrighteous doctrines . emanating from these three factors; namely, the dragon, beast, and false prophet. These are ; , doctrines of the devil sent forth for the purpose of deceiving and defrauding the people^ •
“The doctrines or messages of these three evil organizations may be briefly summed up as follows: ‘Give no heed to the teachings that the kingdom of Christ is at hand; those who ’ advocate such are enemies of the government and should be destroyed. (Psalm 2:3) A great • league or world court is the one way to safeguard the rights of the people; the present constituted authorities are ruling by divine right. Therefore let all the people patriotically ' and religiously support the present order and refuse to yield to the kingdom of Christ. All must support our religious system, which has joined hands with big financiers, profiteers and • big politicians. We must sanctify war and prepare for war in times of peace; and all the people must patriotically support war regard- , ;
less of the cause/ While these three thus boast- , -fully claim to know the only way to rule’man- \ kind the nations because of fear are madly ;*
preparing for war; and thus, as God foretold, •
they are hastening on to the great battle of Armageddon.
“Christ, the antitypical Gideon, is now turning the light on the nations of 'Christendom/ typified by the Midianites, exposing their unrighteousness. The light of truth is frightening them and they are madly rushing to the • great conflict Sober-minded men of the world see the impending world-battle between the nations. They note the strife between the radical and conservative elements; between capital
Beptsmbeb 26, 1929
and labor; between Knights of Columbus and the Ku Klux Klan; that selfishness rules, and in fact every man’s hand is against his neighbor and that the world cannot survive the impending crash. Sir John Foster says: *It is enough to make the angels weep that after the greatest tragedy the world has ever known the nations should be showing their teeth more in 1923 than they did in 1913.’ Mr. Warden of the London Mail says: 'The next war will last but a few days. With the new air and gas attacks, which have been planned by headquarters 'staffs, London and Paris will be wiped out in
a night.’ '
. "Describing this conflict Jesus said: 'Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.’ (Matthew 24:21,22) His testimony is corroborated by that of the prophets.—Daniel 12:1; Jer. 25:32,33; Psalm 107:25-30; Hag. 2: 7.
The Result
THIS great conflict will be sharp and quick.
Satan’s empire will fall. The Beast and the False Prophet, including those pretended Christians particularly described by our Lord as 'goats/ will suffer a like punishment to that which is to be inflicted upon Satan, while the people who pass through the trouble will be symbolically slain, that is to say, brought under subjection to the Lord by the message of truth. —Revelation 19:19-21.
Some Escape '
SEEING this trouble rapidly approaching many will ask: Ts it possible to escape it; and, if so, how?* Jehovah answers thus: 'Before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you, seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger?—Zephaniah 2:2-4.
"Righteousness can be had only from the Lord and by those who accept and obey Him. The pretended religionists who deny the Lord openly and repudiate the ransom-sacrifice cannot ob
“E’en through harsh noises of our day, A low, sweet prelude finds its way. tain righteousness so long as they continue in that course. These pretended religious systems have become unclean and the habitation of evil spirits, with which true Christians can have no -part nor fellowship. Therefore let all who love Jehovah and the Lord Jesus and believe the Bible as true, heed the words of the Master directed against the unrighteous systems: 'Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues?—Revelation 18:2-4.
Divine Remedy
WORLD peace will be established only by the Prince of Peace, whose kingdom is now here. (Isaiah 9:6,7) The God of heaven is now setting up His kingdom that shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44) The time has come for truth to triumph. Those who deliberately ally themselves with Satan and his evil organization and fight against the Lord and His kingdom shall suffer destruction. (Matthew 25:41-46) All who willingly ally themselves with the Lord ; and His kingdom and who obey righteousness shall be granted the blessings of life everlasting.— Zephaniah 3:8, 9; Ezekiel 18:27, 28; John 8:51; 11:26; Acts 3:19-24.
"In the name of Christ, the King of kings now present, I call upon all peace- and orderloving people, who have faith in God and in His kingdom, to separate themselves from the wicked systems dominated and controlled by selfish and apostate men and to take their stand firmly upon the Lord’s side. Thus doing and becoming obedient to the Lord’s will, they may pass through the great time of trouble and be of the millions now living on the earth who will never die, and who will inherit the kingdom which God has prepared for them from the foundation of the world. ;
“The Prince of Peace is now invisibly present.
His reign has begun. The government of righteousness shall be upon His shoulder. (Taaiah ' 9:6,7) Let all the nations and all the people' hear and render allegiance to the King of kings I ‘ By Him the world shall be established that it cannot be moved. He shall judge the people righteously. (Psalm 96:10) His kingdom shall endure forever.—Daniel 2:44.”
Through-douds of doubts and creeds of fear, A light u breaking calm and clear.”
War or Peace—Which? (Contributed)
The Beast Wants More Wab—The Common People Desire Peace
THE Beast is a Scripturally symbolic term applied to world power, made up of three elements, the predominating onq in our day being big business, supported by professional politicians and an apostate olergy. Another prophet describes the combination as shepherds or clergy and the principal of their flock, using religion as a cloak for their real motives. The beast is really the governing factors of the nations of earth, otherwise described as the kings and nobles of earth. Kings do not mean merely men who wear crowns, but those who really control the nations. The masses of the nations are known as common people. The common people never do want war. They want to be let alone, to follow peace and enjoy the comforts of home. The master mind behind the ruling factors is Satan, the god of this world* He sees his power rapidly waning; and he causes the governing factors who exercise the greater influence to cry out from various vantage points: "The old order of things in this world is the only thing that can safeguard the interests of the people. It must not be disturbed, The people should patriotically support the old order."
This old order of things, say the false religionists, is the political expression of God's kingdom on earth; therefore the people should support it In order to induce the common people to be submissive to his unrighteous rule Satan stirs up various kinds of trouble, such as Bolshevism and other forms of radicalism, and uses these to induce the people to believe that they must stand solidly behind the order that now exists so as to preserve their interests and rights. War is a means of appealing to their patriotism. It serves as an excuse to enact and enforce conscription laws; and thus Satan in his desperation is urging his representatives to another war.
Some months ago Mr. Fred Smith of the ‘Johns-Manville Company of New York city was selected by the Federal Council of Churches and the World Alliance for International Friendship and Good Will to make a tour of the world and to report his findings. On Sunday afternoon, June 3, 1923, Mr. Smith addressed a session of the annual convention of ’Associated Advertising Clubs of the World at
Atlantic City. Many of the expressions used by Mr. Smith in this speech were studiously avoided by the metropolitan press. The following quotations from his speech were taken by, a reporter who was present, and who is thoroughly reliable and vouches for the correctness of the statements here published. The quotations are all from the copy furnished by the reporter in question.
Frequently during his address Mr. Smith used the expression: "The common people cry for peace." This he stated was the sentiment of the masses in all of the nineteen nations he visited. Then with great force he added: "However, I am compelled to say there are rumblings everywhere that more war is on the way. Out of the nineteen nations I visited sixteen are actually preparing for another war.
"I am simply stating the facts. Europe today _ is a seething vortex of jealousies, misunderstandings and ominous rumblings of threatening revenge. There hardly seems to be any nation in Europe satisfied with the verdict of November 11, 1918, or with the Versailles Treaty or with anything that has been done since. Most of them are feeling that they have been wronged and that the only way to remedy the present situation is to resort to arms. In making this statement I am not undervaluing the beneficent influence of certain activities which are now ‘carrying on'; and I am not belittling the work of the League of Nations."
Again continuing along the same line, Mr. Smith specifically and with great force stated: "The common people cry for peace, but the inside people [evidently meaning the rulers] say, ' More war."
Concerning India he said: "While the Hindoos are taught not to destroy any life, they are now saying, Tt looks like we will have to go to war like you Christians? "
Mr. Smith himself was not advocating war; but discussing the world situation further he * said: "Our issue now is before the altar of ■ human justice. The' supreme issue is, Can we find any way by which war can be averted! -We Americans say that we won the war. In ** all the other nineteen nations they say we got -rich out of it. I say that we are living in a kind of-fool's paradise. Under the slogan of
aie
preparedness the militarists everywhere are again precipitating a deluge of war.
"I would like to make all of my countrymen [Americans! really alarmed about war ahead. We have not made war terrible enough. The fact is we still put too much halo about war. Let us tear off the mask."
Then discussing rules to forestall war, Mr. Smith added: "First, send no young men to war. Second, send only old men to war. Third, every man that voted for war should be sent to the front to carry a gun.” This last statement brought forth a most terrific applause of the advertising delegates. Then as a further suggestion to prevent war and its devastating effects, Mr. Smith with great vehemence cried out: "Bally the church! Bally the church! Bally the church! We have tried the politicians. We have tried the newspapers. For God’s sake let us try the Christian church.”
Thus do men flounder about and, even though with an honest purpose, imagine a vain thing. We are here forcibly reminded of the words of the Psalmist: "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing! The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.” (Psalm 2:1,2) The marginal reading of this Psalm is: "Why do the nations tumultuously assemble!” And thus we see them doing. And the people are imagining a vain thing, that international conference and the nominal church can save the day. The Lord answers: "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion”; thus stating that the time has come when the Lord Jehovah through Christ Jesus is taking possession of the affairs of earth. The King is here. His kingdom has begun. It is the only remedy for the deplorable conditions of the world. Big business, big politicians and big preachers fail to learn the lesson that Jesus taught concerning the war and its effects. The Lord Jehovah through His prophet further advises them, saying, "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.”—Psalm 2:10-12.
Instead of heeding this, under Satan’s direction they are rapidly gathering the people to another great conflict, described in the Scriptures as Armageddon. (Revelation 16:13-16) It is time for the common people to heed the words of Jehovah. To such, speaking through His prophet, He said: "Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.* Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek qf the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger."—Zephaniah 2:2,3.
The cry for war on behalf of the commercial and political power, joined in by the clergy, is to force the peoples of earth to accept and endorse the League of Nations, which League long ago foretold in the prophecies is a form of Satanic government for the purpose of controlling mankind in opposition to the Messianic kingdom. The Mail and Empire (Toronto) quoting Rev. Dr. S. D. Chown, General Superintendent of the Methodist Church in Canada, says: "The nations of Europe appear to be dancing a dance of death upon the very verge of a moral volcano, whose eruption may at any moment lay civilization in its ashes and us in our graves. Between mankind and the possibilities of momentary destruction stands no organized opposition but the League of Nations, fortified by the conscience of Christian people."
Dr. Chown further said that he had been authorized by the General Conference Special Committee to urge each Methodist minister and probationer to preach upon the subject of ‘World Peace* He continued: "The very existence of a League of Nations, is a direct and inescapable challenge to the Church of Christ to realize its divine function as the representative of the Prince of Peace; and shouM it fail at this crucial time, it will add immensely to its indisputable responsibilities and go down in history meriting and receiving the condemnation, if not the execration, of mankind/7
Big business wants war; and they will get it in the great conflict of Armageddon foretold by the Lord. The common people want peace; and they will get it after the war and trouble are over. The Lord has given this premise when He says: "I will shake all nations, and [then] the desire of all nations shall come." —Haggai 2:7.
The Plight of Christendom By J. W. Reimer
I HAVE for some time been persuaded that nothing less than a shock will change the process of thinking, mental tendencies, and actions of this degenerating world. Deliberate stoicism of the sentiments and stifling of the reason are resorted to when reform is mentioned. Optimism gives the mind a bed of ease to rest upon, but never alters any existing condition. Optimism blocks action by a systematic method of self-deception.
This is especially true in the formation and breaking of injurious habits. After deliberating upon the impropriety of a course of action, the power of nerve cravings and the deep-rooted mental attitudes overcome the desire to follow sane reasoning; and the individual sinks back into the polluting practices against which a slumbering sense has for the moment been excited into action. The gigantic problem is how to get past the crisis of resisting tendencies, and to break in cultivated habits which carry the being along channels of wisdom, justice, and love. The power to accomplish this should receive careful attention.
The mind and body are inseparable, and one must react upon the other. Ill health and diseased organs, through the instinctive efforts of self-preservation, drive men and women to seek diversions, and are a potent factor in the polluting of the higher sentiments of man; and the poisons generated by fear, pride, anger, and vice, only steep the character in greater degeneracy.
Few succeed in tearing away from the deep-seated habits of thought and practice; and the developed, routine responses of cultivated senses fasten upon the being with great permanence. The majority factor of contact with other beings, similarly affected, deepens the impressions of established tendencies upon the brain. Therefore nothing but a terrific reverse ing of human tendencies, by shocking repulsions, can get society started up the “highway” to “holiness.”
Corrupting Practice* Aggravated
TH E corrupting contamination of vile thoughts and of evil designs has made the world a seething, cantankerous mass, which sends its polluting streams into every nook and corner of human activity. The purification of this mass can be accomplished only by purging it with such impressions as will bring about the needed reactions. That the strength of this arresting force will be sublimely powerful can be grasped by a glance at the present condition of human affairs.
. As it is, the inertia of human passions carries this seething mass into ever-quickening pulsations of corrupting practices. It is as if a gigantic engine had lost its engineer and was plunging onward with maddening speed, burning out the bearings and paving the way for its own destruction.
Human society is sinking into an abyss; and the surrounding, threatening clouds and surging waves of hatred and resentment encircle its waning powers of resistance, to engulf it in their fathomless depths. The next social order must be essentially new, from foundation to pinnacle; for so great will be the revulsion against the old order that in the fabrication of the new human endeavor will not permit the welding of anything having the least taint of a spirit which created its own destruction.
Is this then a hopeless condition? It is, from the human standpoint; and the efforts of six thousand years to extricate society from this destructive effect, caused by the violation of the divine laws, stands as an eternal witness of the helplessness of man. The despondency created by this hopelessness finds expression in the numerous homicides and suicides, vicious habits and degenerated morals. The divine remedy is the only solution, and in the promises of God’s Word is the only hope. And this is a golden hope. Its effects are triumphant in producing a living faith, which looks with longing expectancy to the culmination of the divine processes, which will eventuate in the perfecting of the holy spirit of Jehovah God in man.
Human Effort* due for a Jolt '
WHEN the brakes are put on, the train of human events will be jolted by the concussion of the onward rushing wheels of “progress in the wrong direction.” The jarring of self-satisfied security and mental tranquillity produces action. This mental attitude is well illustrated by an incident occurring in Chester, Pa., when a bridge collapsed and a number of people were drowned, due to the rusting of the
Bbptekbbb 26, 1923
Bupports. Immediately action was secured in Philadelphia on defective bridges, same being closed to traffic, and the needed repairs made. But it required a shock to get the action. The World War was a shock. A few were awakened by it, but many still require a more vivid impression.
The instincts of man have been measurably diverted; for they are subject to the diversion which the intellect may place upon them. Had man been obedient to God He would, no doubt, have guided these instincts into correct channels of culture, until such a time as the development of intellect in the human family had reached a point where the control of all the instincts would have produced the most favorable results, and trained the cell cultures of the body to tune up with the responsive chords of God's spirit, and coordinate with the laws of man’s Maker.
Better times will come when the simple laws are obeyed. The lesson that tjieir violation is destructive has not yet shocked the world into putting them into practice. "Thou shalt not kill” is accepted as a formula; but murder is legalized by destructive wars. "Thou shalt not steal,” the preacher says; but he condones the stealing of millions by clever business trickery. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods” is praised as pious; but grabbing the lands of the weaker peoples by the stronger is the order of the day. "Thou shalt not bear false witness” is a statute upon the law books; but the "lying press” is a by-word in the mouth of millions.
Every now and then there appears a shaft of light amidst the encircling gloom, as the divine judgments force submission in some matter. The shadows of future things awe reflected in the glare. “Self-determination of nations” is .the cry; and then the flash is swallowed up in gloom. "We will not war upon our fellow Russian workmen,” British Labor shouts; and silence reigns. Another cry, "Let us disarm”; and the shroud of black enfolds it Still another flash, and the candles of the Greek Orthodox Church go out.
A bright light is arising: it is the Sun of Righteousness. A two-edged sword is flashing: it is the truth. The spirit of the truth, because of its wonderful results, will finally be the dominating factor in human affairs. Let all who wish to escape the retributive method of correction by a just God begin to cultivate in their hearts, right now, "the Spirit of the Truth.” .
Deplorable Conditions and the Remedy By E. e. Cassel
OUR political, social, religious and industrial system is now passing through the most critical period of its existence.
In every line of private endeavor this is visibly apparent; and the deplorable conditions existing are wholly due to the fact that representative government has been cleverly and astutely taken from the hands of the people. The Legislative, Executive, and Judicial personnel is controlled absolutely by an interlocking of fiscal agents, comprising the most vicious money oligarchy the world has ever witnessed. ’
This oligarchy is decidely non-partisan to the extent that it nominates (under the corrupt convention system) the Presidential candidates of both major parties and with the explicit under-Btanding that their wishes in congress, executive office and court are to be served first and to the letter. Thus are destroyed every right and possibility of suffrage, as the people have only destructive equals from which to make their choice at the polls.
The thoroughness with which this monopoly eystem is entrenched is the sad commentary which casts gloom upon all who hope to perpetuate our institutions as founded.
Thorough explanation here would require many pages of print; but briefly stating, there is not a single industry of note (except Ford’s), corporation, bank, agricultural college, chamber of commerce, nor seat of learning that is riot directly connected with the twelve banks constituting the monopoly, and now generally termed the government.
In order to maintain a system of this magnitude every avenue of information, inclusive of the Radio, is controlled to the extent that the truth of a state, national or international question cannot reach the people. Only such speeches as will give expression to specially
Hu GOLDEN AGE
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prepared propaganda are staged by the masters in full control today.
The Press the Servant of Piute
THE press, however, affords greater possibilities ; for it reaches all of the people and therefore is the greatest medium for propaganda work. With this completely controlled, as it is today, Christ appealing for peace, justice, and a return to the policies of Washington and Lincoln, would be vilified in the columns of nearly every daily news medium in the country.
The vilification of Senator La Follette in nearly every daily paper in the United States because of an editorial in his magazine dealing with the machinations of the monopoly just described is an example of their ability to persecute effectively any representative who will not yield to their policy of absolute control of government.
oligarchy be dislodged and freedom of thought * able to exercise the right of suffrage on equality
Ninety-five percent of candidates for office upon a specific platform for relief of economic conditions are defeated and politically ruined by continued vilification through the daily press, which the monopoly controls; therefore, how can government of the people by the money and political action be restored 1
The answer to this important question can be found by turning to the policies of Washington and Lincoln, and the solution is quite easy. But the adoption of the same when every source of learning, of finance and of information except through The Golden Age, the Nation, La Follette's Magazine, the Searchlight, Dearborn Independent, New York Call and three or four smaller publications, is controlled as described, the task ranks with the impossible.
It would be possible, however, if Congress would abolish the National Convention (the key to oligarchy control), abolish electors, and permit the people to choose and elect the President, Congressmen and members of the Supreme Court in the November elections. It would be possible if laws could be passed taking from Congress the right to declare war and leave this to a Referendum vote of the people and forbidding vilification and personal attack, through the press, radio, or movie, upon any citizen without publishing or displaying a verbatim copy of the position such citizen has taken on the questions at issue, so that the peo-pie could have opportunity for the formation of a correct opinion whereupon they could decide who is the guilty party in the case. Furthermore, a newspaper or magazine, in order to continue as such, should be compelled by law to publish. free, as news, the platform of each candidate in a fair and impartial maimer.
A Political Remedy
WITH these laws placed on the statutes by
Congress at the eleventh hour, which is near, reconstruction would be thorough and consummated with quick dispatch; the masses then, for the first time, would individually enjoy strict equality with each person of the Monopoly class. Consequently wars and preparation therefor would be heard of no more in civilized countries; for no war ever received the support of the masses until false propaganda and force were applied by the monopoly class at least on the one side and wholly for the purpose of territorial expansion, oppression or general profiteering. The teachings of Christ were never taken into consideration, and the dollar, not human lives, has always been the unit of value.
Most important of all, the people would be and with effect, the only just and legal means of correcting county, state, national or international conditions, and could thus select and elect, in one day, for President of the United States some public-spirited man who is independent of the money ring and who has recognized statesmanship ability. They could select a man who has upheld the policy of Washington and Lincoln in their fight against foreign alliances such as is embodied in the League of Nations, Four-Power Pact and World Court; who has fought or will fight for a neutrality, which would have kept us out of the World War; one who is against the Esch-Cummins Kailroad Law and the Ship Subsidy, and who would return the government to the people.
Unless such timely action is taken by Congress, Coolidge, or perhaps Underwood (exact equals as viewed by the Monopoly), will be elected under the corrupt convention system, whereupon Monopoly will have a greater strangle hold, such as is necessary in the adoption of a complete military despotism, designed for greedy profiteering, the summit of autocratic control. But will it be done! It will notl
President Harding in Retrospect
WE MAY not be too sure as to the cause of President Harding’s death. The statement accredited to the associate editor of > the New York Commercial that he died from "mental assassination” due to the growth of ' radicalism in the United States may be set . down as sheer nonsense. The possession by ? others of opinions different from one’s own never killed anybody.
- Quite as liable to be nonsense is the idea
that has been widely circulated that he worked himself to death. It is open to question whether any man ever worked himself to death. Without doubt the presidential office is hard to fill, although Mr. Roosevelt made the statement that he "liked the job,” and it is noteworthy : that most presidents seek reelection, which they
' would hardly be likely to do if the position were distasteful.
We are not so sure that there is any truth in the suggestions of the anti-Catholic organs that he was put out of the way by the hier-. archy, though it is odd that some of these papers received preceding his death unsigned letters stating that he was to be put out of the -way. The Fellowship Forum claims to have received such a letter. Other such papers call 1 attention to the claim that Mrs. Coolidge is an . ardent Boman Catholic, and express wonder-1 ment at President Harding’s narrow escape ; from death in the automobile accident that killed one of his companions, and in the ramming of his boat by another boat in San Francisco harbor just before he began to show evi' - dence that he had been poisoned. It is claimed that three days before his death there was a Western Union despatch received in Pittsburgh stating that he was dead, and that when qties-, tioned on the subject the Western Union people ‘ refused either to deny or to affirm. Mr. Harding was a Mason; so also, we understand, was Mr. Thomas Watson, the famous anti-Catholic sen, ator from Georgia, who also died recently under circumstances not unlike those attending 1 the death of Mr. Harding.
It may be that Mr. Harding’s death came as ' an act of God, a determination on the part of ■ the Almighty to cut short his efforts to draw p the United States into the World Court, the back-door entrance into the League of Nations. J It will be recalled that President Wilson was
stricken while in the far West on a similar errand. The words of the Prophet, "Say ye not, A confederacy” (Isaiah 8:12), come with the force of a command at this time, and are evidently backed with the power of God. The American people by an overwhelming majority ordered President Harding to keep out of European affairs; big business has been and still is determined to get this country in, and uses its great influence accordingly.
There is talk of providing an Assistant President who shall have power to take from the shoulders of his chief much of the routine, thus leaving the time of the chief more free to grapple with the larger questions that come to him. This seems to us like a good plan, if such an assistant is made responsible to the people.
President Harding was one of the best loved men in American public life. He did not claim to have outstanding ability; he even acknowledged that there was no particular reason why he should be President; but he was genial, kindly, well-meaning, and tried, as far as "he could, to please everybody. This disposition of trying to please everybody was perhaps his greatest handicap. Those who make their voices most heard and their influence most felt at Washington are the moneyed interests of New York; it is impossible to do as they wish, and as they insist, and to do as the plain people wish and as justice demands. President Harding was acknowledged, even by his critics, as modest, patient, considerate, and trying to be fair-minded and disinterested. He was not wilful, overbearing, cold and autocratic, as have been some of his predecessors in the high office which he occupied. He was not a natural leader, but rather tried from day to day to adjust America to its new and difficult positions by using the plans and methods of long ago. He was said to be eager to retire to private life and to have aged rapidly while in his position.
Mr. Harding sensed the value of the Christian life. In his last talk he urged Christianity in language rather unusual for an American president to put forth in a public speech. He said, as reported in the press:
"I tell you, my countrymen, the world needs more of the Christ; the world needs more of the spirit of the Man of Nazareth. If we could bring into the relationships of humanity, among ourselves and among the nations <rf the earth, the brotherhood that was taught
by the Christ, we- would have a restored world; we would have little or none of war, and we would have a new hope for humanity throughout the globe. There never was a greater lesson taught than that of the Golden Rule. If we could have that one faithfully observed, I would be willing to wipe out the remainder of the commandments. I should like to say further that if we are going to make of this America of ours all that the fathers sought, if we are goin^ to make it true to the institutions for which they builded, we must continue to maintain religious liberty. As you remember, we builded on the foundation of civil liberty, and we capped that with the stone of human liberty, and the third fundamental was religious liberty. The United States never can afford to deny religious freedom.”
President Harding’s failure to insist on the immediate and unconditional liberation of all political prisoners, and the consequent death of many of these poor fellows in prison while their semi-orphaned children suffered for the
necessities of life, five years after every other country had released its political prisoners, will remain the greatest blot upon his name, greater even than his opposition to the bonus for the soldiers, or his lukewarm attitude to- 4 ward labor. No doubt he did what he believed to be for the best interests of the people as a _ '
whole, or at least he did the best that he could n! under the circumstances in which he found himself placed It requires tremendous courage and great ability to discharge properly the duties of president of this great country. No\. president ought to be harshly criticised who ’ ' does the best he can for the whole people, and especially should such criticism be mild when so kind and genial a man as Mr. Harding finds the office a burden and ends his days trying to carry the burdens which fortune fastened upon his shoulders.
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