Golden Age, January 30, 1935

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The Golden Age

A JOURNAL OF FACT HOPE AND COURAGE

in this issue

WHAT ABOUT MODERN-DAY "DIVINE HEALING"?

PUBLIC OPINION

TELEVISION: WHEN?

NEWS NOTES

SHEEP AND GOATS

every other

WEDNESDAY

five cents a copy

one dollar a year

Canada & Foreign 1.25

Vol. XVI - No. 401

January 30, 1935 CONTENTS

LABOR AND ECONOMICS

A Flaw in the Argument . . . . 271

"Atlantic and Pacific" . . . . 271

"Homework Protective League" . . 271

Tax Arrangement in Britain . . . 275

Capitalism at War with Society . . 276

What $2,000 Can Be Made to Do . 276

Born into Bondage . . . . . . 278

Public Ownership League . . . . 279

In the Land of the Free . . . . 279

SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL

PUBLIC OPINION . . . . . . . 234

Only 65 Percent? . . . . . . 278

"Organized Christianity" . . . . 280

Trying to Maintain Independence . 284

Cardinal to the Rescue . . . . . 286

MANUFACTURING AND MINING

The Biggest Steel Plant . . . . 275

Opposition to Progress . . . . . 277

FINANCE—COMMERCE—TRANSPORTATION

Freight Transportation by Plane . 272

What Frank Hawks Said . . . . 272

Sleeper Plane to Chicago . . . . 272

Cooperation of Murderers . . . . 277

The Soley Armament Company . . 279

POLITICAL—DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN

League of Nations Badly in Debt . 279

"The Unholy Alliance" . . . . 280

Trial by Lynch Law in Quebec . . 283

The Truth About Mexico . . . . 283

Mueller's Nazi Church Plans . . 285

Publicity for Priestcraft . . . . 286

AGRICULTURE AND HUSBANDRY

Potatoes at 15c a Bushel . . . . 270

Russia's Plant Wizard . . . . . 275

On Shores of Dead Sea . . . . . 275

Biggest Dam in India . . . . . 275

SCIENCE AND INVENTION

TELEVISION: WHEN? . . . . . . 268

Radio Direction Finders . . . . 272

Patents Earn Millions . . . . . 272

HOME AND HEALTH

Parents Can Forbid Vaccination . 239

Trail of the Aluminum Trust . . 239

Not Public Property . . . . . 239

Utilizing Surplus Foods . . . . 270

Fuller's Earth for Sore Feet . . 270

When Scalded or Burned . . . . 270

Food Adulteration in Britain . . 287

TRAVEL AND MISCELLANY

Sundry British Items . . . . . 275

Cremating the Dead . . . . . . 276

Prince Henry at Church . . . . 282

Dedicating the Shrine . . . . . 282

Items of Interest from Mexico . . 285

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

WHAT ABOUT MODERN-DAY "DIVINE HEALING"? . . . . . 259

SHEEP AND GOATS . . . . . . 273

A Jonadab in Austria . . . . . 274

Truth Spreading in Egypt . . . . 275

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The Golden Age

Volume XVI Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, January 30, 1935 Number 401

What About Modern-Day "Divine Healing"?

TO DECEIVE the people, Satan brings forth a false remedy. First he induces men to teach that there is no death. Tempting Eve in Eden he said to her: "Ye shall not surely die." (Genesis 3:4) Many men have long taught that very false doctrine. Jesus said such doctrine was Satan's first lie. (John 8:44) In modern times Satan gets up religious organizations and falsely attaches the name of Christ thereto in order to mislead the people. One such organization teaches that there is no death and that all health or sickness is a mental conclusion, and that men and women can heal and give health to all who exercise faith in the so-called "science of health". Many persons seeking temporary relief have been inveigled by the Devil into this trap and bodily healed.

It is true that Jesus did some healing of the sick when He was on earth, but He stated that such was done merely as an example to foreshadow the great work He would do in His kingdom. It also served to establish faith in Him as Messiah, the Christ. But as for Satan the Devil, so far as possible he uses his invisible power to cause some healing from sickness, and his very object therein is to turn the people away from God by in fact turning them away from God's truth. One thing all must admit: that no one who claims to have been healed by the so-called "Christian Science" or by so-called "divine healing" of other religious systems ever stayed healed continually, but in the course of time sickened and died, and even the leaders and practitioners of the said "divine healing" themselves have grown sick and died in like manner and do still die.

Jesus and all the apostles stated repeatedly that death is the result of sin and can be eliminated only by the sacrificial value of the life of Jesus (Romans 5:12; 6:23); and that only by faith in the shed blood of Christ Jesus can anyone possibly be saved; and that the healing blessings do not come by the operation of men, but come only through Christ Jesus, all which cannot begin until His kingdom is in full operation.—Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26.

To point out here that "divine healing" practiced by religious organizations now for years is by Satan's power is not meaning to say that in the past God has not worked cures by His true servants and that He will not make the obedient ones of mankind perfectly well under the kingdom of His anointed Son, Christ Jesus. The first Bible mention of sickness concerns Abimelech, king of Gerar, a pagan. Of course, the Bible mentions the deaths of all the patriarchs and others before Abraham's time; also it must be agreed that aside from old age, accidents, murders and other causes, some of such died from sickness, to which all were now subject due to Adam's fall from human perfection and its complement, perfect health. But this first specific case of sickness on record, how was it treated? The Great Physician, Jehovah, reports: "So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife," whom Abimelech had taken from Abraham to be one of his wives. (Genesis 20:17, 18) And Abimelech and his household did not, either, have to become believers in Jehovah God and worshipers of Him in order to be healed or to stay healed. They remained Philistines, even though friendly to Abraham.

And Does Satan Cause Disease?

Thus early is established the fact that, to accomplish His purposes, Jehovah can send illness and plague as well as remove such, and that without human physicians. Other cases are of record where Jehovah sent disease upon those not in a covenant with Him and who were opposing Him: page that plague upon Egypt, when Jehovah smote them with the "boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast”; also the smiting of King Herod for not giving God the glory, so that Herod was eaten of worms. (Exodus 9:8-11; Acts 12:23) This should not be understood as proving that all cases of disease and pestilence among the peoples of the world are afflictions from God for not being in covenant relationship with Him or for opposing Him. Excepting the cases definitely marked by the Scriptures, the cause of all sickness and physical disabilities upon all peoples is set out at Acts 10:38, to wit: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy [spirit] and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.”

Well, then, the Devil also has power to induce sickness, has he? So other scriptures show.

Concerning the “woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together”, and whom Jesus healed, He said: “Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16) Concerning that “man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job”, it is written: “And the Lord [Jehovah] said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown.” (Job 2:6, 7) There it was the three false “friends” of Job that proved to be “physicians of no value”, because they argued that Jehovah God had sent disease upon Job because of wickedness and that God was even then exacting less of Job than he deserved to get.—Job 13:4; 8:1-6; 11:1-6.

The Scriptures positively set forth that Jehovah has sent sickness, plague and pest only when His name is involved, and the cleanness and soundness of His organization and its members. This was so respecting the pagan, Abimelech, who was ignorantly about to defile Sarah whom God had given His word should bear a seed to His friend, Abraham. (Genesis 17:15-22) For like reasons Jehovah sent disease on those who were in covenant relationship with Him. He smote Moses’ sister, Miriam, with leprosy (Numbers 12:9, 10); also Elisha’s servant, Gehazi (2 Kings 5:25-27); and also presumptuous King Uzziah. (2 Chronicles 26:16-21; see also 21:14, 15, 18, 19) In the terms of the covenant which He made with the Israelites in the land of Moab just before crossing Jordan river, Jehovah warned that chosen people that if they sinfully departed from their covenant He would smite them with “all the diseases of Egypt”, “also every sickness, and every plague.” (Deuteronomy 28:59-61; 29:22) The purpose of this was to prove that Jehovah is the only source of life and health, that His is the way of life, and that only by faithfulness and integrity toward Him and by obedience to His Word through His great Mediator can anyone in the covenant get life.—Deuteronomy 18:14-19.

Sickness of Christians: a Punishment?

Many have concluded that sickness or bodily infirmity upon a Christian is a punishment for sins committed, and that if a Christian leads a faithful life he will never be sick: God will see to that. They will quote Matthew 9:2-6: “Behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. . . . For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” Also the case of the man at the pool of Bethesda, who “had an infirmity thirty and eight years” and whom Jesus cured at a word on the sabbath day: “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”—John 5:5-14.

That certain sins, as gluttony, drunkenness, uncleanness, etc., may, even to Christians, result in disease of body is not disputed, no, not by the Scriptures. (Proverbs 7:10, 22-27; 9:13-18; 23:21, 29-35) But if all sin committed by the Christian must be punished with some physical distress, then no Christian would be normally well at any time. Writes the apostle John: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Also what would be the value of asking and receiving forgiveness of sins? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 1:8, 9; 2:1, 2) To insist bodily affliction must certainly accompany as a result of sin, which sin is confessed to and forgiven of God, lines up with the Roman Catholic doctrine that forgiveness of sins is not sufficient, but that penance must be performed by the forgiven one by self-infliction of bodily pain and torment; all of which would make of no value and power the blood of Christ Jesus, who has "washed us from our sins in his own blood" and who "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."—Revelation 1:5; Romans 4:25.

That the aforementioned is an incorrect diagnosis as to cause or reason of a Christian's maladies, occasional or rare, is clear from Scriptures. Against it is the testimony of John 9:1-3: "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man [an Israelite] which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Lest this record be not enough to prove to sticklers for "divine healing" that servants of God have gotten sick, and may and do get sick, even while continuing faithful, hence not as a punishment from God for sins committed, note the following (Genesis 48:1; 50:2): "It came to pass, after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father [Jacob] is sick: . . . And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel [Jacob]." A thousand years later (2 Kings 13:14): "Now Elisha [the prophet] was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!" Over two hundred years later: "And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days: afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it."—Daniel 8:27.

Now as to Christians (John 11:1-4): "Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, . . . Therefore his sisters sent unto him [Jesus], saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." Had Lazarus' sickness been punishment from God for sin and unfaithfulness, would Jesus have raised him out of death? Some years later: "Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber." (Acts 9:36, 37) Had her fatal sickness been a divine visitation for sin, would the apostle Peter pray God to raise her from the dead? And how about the apostle Paul's missionary associates? He writes (Philippians 2:25-27): "Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow." And to Timothy Paul wrote: "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (1 Timothy 5:23) "Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick." (2 Timothy 4:20) Paul had gifts of healing. If (as some claim) the gifts of healing are to be used on Christians to keep them well or to recover them, why did not Paul heal and recover Trophimus before he left him at Miletum? or heal Timothy of his "often infirmities" rather than tell him to use alcoholic liquor, wine?

What Means of Treatment, Then?

If it be God that sends bodily afflictions to punish sin, then nothing the Christian does for relief by applying natural remedies or using services of a human doctor could make him well; because, would God then allow a human creature to undo punishment from Him? Likewise one would reason that those who backslide from the church permanently would henceforth never have a well day physically in their lives. But does it work out that way? Can you prove it, from Scripture or from your actual observations? But sickness of Christians, not to speak of those not in covenant relationship with Jehovah God, cannot Scripturally be charged up to God.

What, then, should be the means of cure that would have God’s approval if used? Here “Christian Science” will point to its healing practitioners and will recommend a course of mental treatments. (Strange, the Bible nowhere prescribes a course of mental treatments to heal, by denial to oneself that sickness and injury exist in oneself or at all.) Those strong for a sanctimonious (or even shouting) form of “holiness” will stoutly argue for “divine healing”, and will warn against using natural medicines, herbs, osteopaths, chiropractors, or other human doctors and remedies, as being frowned upon by God and as showing lack of faith in His power to cure.

True, the Bible does at places make out cases against human physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12): “And Asa, in the thirty and ninth year of his reign, was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.” At Jeremiah 8:22: “Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” At Luke 8:43, 44: “And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him [Jesus], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.” But if always service of a human doctor were contrary to divine arrangement, why did the apostle Paul write: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.” “Only Luke is with me.” (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11) Besides, Paul had gifts of healing; were not his gifts to be used? Ah, yes, but not upon himself and fellow Christians for personal comfort; but upon those outside the faith, to establish the belief of such non-Christians that the apostles and fellow believers were of God’s organization and were His servants and instruments, and that their teachings were the truth, the doctrines of the only true and living God, Jehovah, and which must be believed and obeyed to gain life.

The apostles of Jesus Christ were commissioned to heal by divine power (Matthew 10:1, 8), and gifts of healing were bestowed upon them and their immediate associates. (Acts 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30) But as Jesus refused to follow Satan’s suggestion to use His divinely given power to turn stones into bread to satisfy His forty-day-old hunger (Matthew 4:1-4), even so the apostles with gifts of healing were not to use them for easing of themselves or of others already established in the faith, fellow Christians. Hence, back there and since, informed Christians used what natural means of relief and healing were available in times of sickness, rather than praying and seeking for a miracle of healing from Jehovah God.

It is eighteen hundred years from the time of the apostles and their personal associates. Gifts of healing have therefore long since ceased to be available and to be conferred and exercised. Many religionists, deceived by the scripture Mark 16:16-18, Authorized Version, but which scripture is omitted by all revised and modern versions as spurious, try to revive such gifts of healing, but cannot; not from the Lord. Gifts of healing, being no longer needed to establish faith in the gospel, have ceased, God’s written Word being complete and sufficient for the man of God. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) As stated in 1 Corinthians (12:28-30; 13:8): “God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that [fourthly], miracles; then [fifthly] gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? Charity [love] never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” Apostles have now passed out; so have prophets and prophecies; so have teachers, the teachers being now, not men, but Jehovah and Christ Jesus (Isaiah 30:20; 54:13); and so have miracles! And the apostle listed all such as ahead of gifts of healing. As well try to revive the preferred list as to revive gifts of healing. Hence all who take only convenient portions of the Bible or spurious verses thereof and try to practice “divine healing” fall into Satan’s trap, and Satan uses his power through such deceived ones to work apparent miracles, cures and tongues (languages). This explains all the un-Christlike, selfish, commercial use of such latter-day miracles, cures, etc., for financial and material gain.

The case is clearly made out: there is no Scriptural prohibition against use of doctors or natural remedies by Christians or others in hours of physical ailments. If necessary, have a physician, as Paul did; or use a little wine, as did Timothy; or lay a lump of figs on a boil, if that’s good, as in King Hezekiah’s case (2 Kings 20:7); or use some ‘balm of Gilead’ (Jeremiah 8:22; Genesis 37:25), if you can get it; or pour on some soothing oil (Mark 6:13). But, above all, avoid spiritual sickness; there human physicians and earthly remedies are powerless. (Jeremiah 30:13; 46:11; Ezekiel 30:21; 1 Corinthians 11:30) In such cases also, as the Bible shows, even the clergy shepherds of “Christendom” and “elective elders” are “all physicians of no value”. (Job 13:4; Ezekiel 34:4, 16) Were such latter of any value spiritually, “Christendom” today would not, like Judah and Jerusalem of old, be a “sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, . . . The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.”—Isaiah 1:4-6.

In Spiritual Sickness

This query may now be raised: If the natural Israelites in the law covenant with God were punished of Him with physical afflictions for unfaithfulness, why should not Christians, who are in the new covenant with God? If Christians are not afflicted with bodily troubles for sins, not those due to inheritance from Adam, but sins which are willful and against light of truth and rebellious, do they, then, go scot-free, without adverse dealing by the Lord? Certainly not! But Christians are not known of the Lord “after the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16), and they are not, to Him, “in the flesh, but in the spirit.” (Romans 8:9) Hence, when they take a willful course of transgression against the Lord, they become sickly spiritually, and that is far worse and more serious in possible consequences than bodily sickness. The Lord withdraws from Christians who sin with willfulness the light of knowledge and understanding of His Word of truth, and they may at last become totally blind and deaf spiritually, and uselessly lame in God’s service, and go into eternal destruction, “second death.” (Revelation 2:11; 20:6) And the Lord takes away and withholds from them His blessings and privileges of service and the evidences of His favor. “How much sorer punishment!”—Hebrews 10:28-31.

When one is spiritually sick, ah, then is when only the Lord Jehovah, by Christ Jesus, can heal and restore one to spiritual health and strength. Then is when sins and sickness are directly related to each other as cause and effect. Then is when the sick one must turn to the Lord and pray: “Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.” (Psalm 41:4) And the Lord says: “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. [And the humble and repentant respond:] Behold, we come unto thee [not to priest, preacher, or healing practitioner]; for thou art the LORD our God.” (Jeremiah 3:22) “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily.” (Isaiah 58:8) Then Jehovah God is One “who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases [spiritually]; who redeemeth thy life from destruction [in Gehenna: second death]”.—Psalm 103:3, 4.

A professed Christian may lapse into error of thinking and action and become so weak spiritually that he cannot approach the Lord alone. He needs help of the faithful ones, firmly established in God’s truth and service, and who are mature, elders in fact by growth and not made such nominally by election votes of churchgoers. Such elders “make straight paths for [their] feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed”. (Hebrews 12:13) Now is when the counsel of James (5:14-16, 19, 20) applies: “Is any sick [spiritually] among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil [of joy of the Lord (Isaiah 61:3)] in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults [under aforementioned conditions] one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Brethren, if any of you [Christians] do err from the truth, and one convert him [help him to discern the error of his course, and the way back to God’s organization], let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death [second death], and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

It is written (Psalm 107:19, 20): “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble; and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Hence the one desiring recovery must turn to the Lord’s Word, which He sends by His faithful servants; and such one must take the course of full devotion to God and of active service of Him, confessing His name publicly, sacrificing the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declaring His works with rejoicing. Then Jehovah will heal him and raise him up, through Christ Jesus, who “died for our sins”.—Verses 21, 22.

As to the mentally, morally and bodily sick world of mankind, permanent healing for all obedient ones is nigh at hand, yea, even the resurrection of their dead. The radiant “Sun of righteousness”, arising, will soon shine forth “with healing in his wings”. (Malachi 4:2) Those who please the Lord and conform to His arrangement will not try to run ahead of the Lord by now trying to do the miracles of healing physically which the Lord has prophesied in His Word that He will perform by the King, Christ Jesus, during His thousand-year rule over earth. Of those coming miracles of healing the miraculous cures by Jesus when here in the flesh nineteen hundred years ago amongst men were but glorious and prophetic foregleams.—Revelation 21:4; 22:2.

Public Opinion By Alex. Smith (Queensland)

THE fact that public opinion is formed by the influence exerted by the political press is eloquent. That fact is like a voice crying in the wilderness and needs to be heralded far and near. Let the people understand that they are being led by the nose to think along certain lines, even by that section of the press that is supposed to be raising up a standard of reform for the people.

Some of the people are already conscious that they have been misled and are beginning to think for themselves. Others are so prejudiced by certain schools of thought that they unconsciously put their heads under the yoke; they allow themselves to be used as propagandists to spread the teachings of these greedy parties or cliques. Let each one who reads these lines ask himself: Am I easily led? Does a certain point of view appeal to me? What is the true reason why it appeals to me? Am I looking forward to getting something for nothing? Or am I looking forward to and longing for an opportunity for getting my own back? Am I unsatisfied or dis-satisfied?—there is a difference. Would I be satisfied to live and let live, if I got the opportunity? Am I afraid of poverty? Am I ambitious to be rich, even though it means hardship and want for others? There is plenty for all; would I be satisfied if I had my share of it?

Seeing that we all take ourselves far too seriously, we need a little self-examination now and again. By the same token, it does not do one any harm to imagine oneself in the other fellow’s place, to decide what one would do or say under similar circumstances. We may be victims of circumstances or environment, but there is no reason for intelligent people to be slaves of prejudice.

About 18,000 do the governing throughout the world today. Part of this governing business is to cultivate prejudice in the minds of the people; and so, to this end, the press of the world is harnessed. It does not matter whether it is the merchant in his office, the engineer in the works, or the laborer on the job; either the daily or the periodical newspaper is read with interest, eagerly devoured or maybe criticized. Prejudice is a ruling element today, and many good people would like to get from under the yoke and look about them with clear mental vision.

It is only by making a great effort that we may succeed in escaping from the evil of prejudice. We can do so only by ridding ourselves of all those things that we have learned to take for granted. Very few people will take the trouble to make such an effort, because a great mental inertia lies over the human race like a heavy wet blanket. The people have got into the habit of allowing others to do their thinking for them. In not thinking for themselves they have allowed their reasoning faculties to become dormant; and so we begin to understand how it is that many people are so dogmatic, in voicing opinions that did not originate in their own minds. They have acquired a mental leaning-post.

Some people are capable of mental gymnastics, and will jump from one conclusion to another without careful thought. These people are undergoing the devastating mental process or condition of mental chaos. Something has happened to demolish the support on which they leaned so comfortably. Something has undermined the false teaching of one or more of the conflicting schools of thought. Take religion, for instance. There are over 430 religions in the world today. Of this number, 213 are so-called "Christian" religions, all teaching differently. Whether it is a "Christian" religion or Mohammedan, Confucianism or Shintoism; whether they worship a little tin god or a large wooden one, a cast-iron god or a gilt-edged god, those at present responsible for any of these 430 religions go through a series of formalities. Such formalities consist of various forms of make-believe; and, whether it is the Gippo in Cairo or the desert, or the Mohammedan priest in the mosque, bowing to the sun at sunrise and sunset and gabbing his prayers (either of them will steal your eyeteeth the next minute if he gets half a chance), or the sleek, well-fed, sable-gowned divine, "Doctor of Divinity" if you please, in London, Berlin or New York, etc., telling his beads or gabbing prayers for the repose of some poor soul (for which he requires payment in advance), it is all formality, just make-believe: something mysterious, to fool the person most concerned; a cloak, behind which to conduct a business. Of the two here mentioned, the Gippo is the more honest, if such a word can be introduced where everything is founded on dishonesty, robbery and graft. And then again, all this make-believe, formality or ceremony is just sheer hypocrisy.

Of all the religions practiced in the world today, those claiming to be Christian are the greatest hypocrites, because they claim to understand God's Word and also to teach God's Word to the people. If their claim to understand and teach God's Word were a just and truthful one, then there would be just one teaching, and not 213 conflicting teachings, as obtain today. If the teachings of these 213 conflicting sects and creeds were founded on God's Word, there would have been no Great War, because God's Word is that the human race of black, white, yellow and red are all brothers, and will eventually live as brothers in God's appointed time. The appointed time is very close now. It is man's own fault that they have lived in enmity so far. What we see happening today, in fact since 1914, is just the crumbling of the present oppressive evil system.

It is the conflicting teachings of these "jarring sects and schools, fettering reason with their rules", that has caused so much hatred, bitterness, suffering and bloodshed throughout the world.

Real Christianity is a form of government, without politics, without commerce, without religion. 'Do unto others as you would they should do unto you' is a law, and the one law that man needs to understand. When the appointed time comes, then no nation or league of nations can delay its establishment even for one day; no, not even for one minute. We see, today, a time of transition, a state of change from evil to truth, from hypocrisy to sincerity, from dogmatism and prejudice to sane understanding and cooperation in the widest meaning of the word; in a nutshell, from misery and unreality to REALITY AND HAPPINESS.

God's Word says that when man's understanding is opened, all the make-believe, formalism, ceremony and hypocrisy will be exposed, and that the people will speak a pure language—truth; and that the people will seek a good government, a righteous government, when 'nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and man shall learn war no more', but each man shall live under conditions of comfort and security, and "none shall make them afraid".

At that time there will be no such thing as politics, to lead the people by the nose and to breed prejudice and misunderstanding. For the government shall be upon His shoulder, when He comes whose right it is. At that time there will be no such thing as religion, to blind the mental outlook of the people; for He will give to the people a pure language—truth; and they shall all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent. And at that time there will be no such thing as commerce, which, as we see it today, means the exploitation of the people, and the resultant degradation.

Instead of the sordid struggle for existence and of the greedy striving after gain, we shall emerge from this welter of selfishness and darkness into the glorious light of love and truth. At one time, long ago, man stepped aside from that course, allowing Satan, that evil genius, to overreach him, and forgot about his Great Benefactor, Jehovah, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Becoming more greedy and selfish, the further man got from God’s Highway of Truth, he has at last brought himself to the present sordid, filthy state of society.

These are just a few of the links in the chain of evidence, taken from God’s Word, to show the people who are breaking away from the yoke of prejudice that there is a world of information waiting to be explored by each individual who chooses to do so. Each one has a responsibility to God, concerning one’s own course. Each one has a freedom of choice, and can either choose to explore this evidence or allow prejudice to override one’s reasoning abilities and to go the road of least resistance.

The Great War pricked the gasbag of “organized Christianity”, that filthy image built up by this hypocritical civilization. Many people had been church-goers until the Great War opened their eyes to the hypocrisy of religion. They consequently experienced a condition of mental chaos, and turned from the Bible and everything associated with it, to seek something ‘more substantial’ on which to lean. Since 1914 the daily newspapers and periodicals have provided an ever increasing supply of “scientific” reading matter; devils’ doctrine. To such an extent has this taken place that many people have again been caught by plausible writers. These writers always have their eye on the main chance, money; and so, with copy and matter more or less “scientific”, they endeavor to make their writings interesting. Millions of people have thus been led to think along unsound lines, until now these people find themselves in a dead-end of prejudice.

In the press the reports read of conferences here and conferences there, of conversations between leading politicians or so-called “statesmen”, and special reports by certain newspaper associations, are just blither. Good word, blither; it just fits, and fills the bill. In point of fact, all this blither is just the mainstay of the condition of unreality which like a dense fog or mist has spread over humanity since 1914.

The present system, this financial parasite-ridden system, is possible only while politics and religion work hand in hand to exploit the people. When the understanding of the people has been opened, so that all may see this great make-believe, hypocritical system in all its slimy filthiness, then we may look forward to a much better condition; a condition or state of reality, when men will live without any make-believe at all; when each individual’s abilities will be directed along natural lines.

According to the press, war is inevitable. Well, if war is to decide men’s differences, then the strong physically and the robust ones will be destroyed first. Anyway, war with its poison gas and disease germs would undoubtedly let loose such a deadly pestilence that it would sweep through all nations and wipe the human race off the earth altogether. Again, if another great war should come, then some new form of habitation would need to be invented; at least, for those engaged in hostilities. And no scientist can devise such a contrivance. Don’t expect too much from the scientists.

Science is, according to one of its leading spokesmen, merely in its infancy. It is just like a child paddling on the beach. Science is dabbling in the shallows of knowledge. The great potential depths of knowledge are ahead of us. Scientists hope, some day, to plumb those depths of knowledge, and to harness the great unseen forces of the universe for the purpose of doing man’s work.

The present is flooded with unreality or blither. The past has been nothing but unreality in various forms; at least, since man stepped down from his original high estate, when, throwing away his birthright of life, he wallowed in the cesspool of greed and selfishness. Autocracy and feudalism prevailed for a time, and then gave place to democracy in its various forms. Democracy has failed. Then what of the future?

To be candid, the human race is bushed and has just about completed one great circle since the old feudal system gave way and the era of free competition began. Commerce and profit-taking have ever been associated with politics. It is an interesting study to follow the moving picture of history down through the ages, and note the so-called “progress” under the ever changing forms of government. One thing is apparent to the student of history who refuses to take things for granted; and that is, that, right down through the whole of the sorry spectacle, there have always been unscrupulous men, ever ready to plot and plan to seize the leadership, to gratify either their own or their employer’s ambition. Whether, under the régime of feudalism, when the favorite courtiers of the king were granted private ownership of land that belonged to the people, or monopolies to deal in certain commodities, and were thus enabled to make large profits from which they provided the king with spending money; or, under the system known as constitutional government, when charters were granted to the East India Company, Hudson Bay Company, South African Company, and others; or under the peculiar system known as democracy, when the banking corporations throughout the world dictate to the governments, and politicians run with cap in hand to do the bidding of the plutocrats of finance—yes, money talks, and always has done so. Yes, money talks, either with the smooth, polished speech of the diplomatic toady or by the devastating roar of shot and shell and other deadly forms of frightfulness.

And yet the scientific writers (save the mark!) have the intestinal fortitude to state, in a very convincing manner, that this record of greed and selfishness is an evolutionary process, and that the more-near perfect or socialistic state will eventually emerge from such a welter of filth. When one views the ever widening slough of despondency into which the human race is being either led or driven or is rushing headlong, one must ponder for a while and wonder at the attitude adopted by these plausible writers toward two of the greatest truths ever brought to the notice of men. First is the diabolical ingenuity of that evil genius Satan, who as bright, intelligent Lucifer, overseer of mankind, rebelled against God and set out to accomplish the evil scheme to ruin mankind in the eyes of Jehovah God the Creator. The second and most important truth is that the great and wonderfully provident purpose of Jehovah deals very effectively with the rebellion of fallen Lucifer and also with the sorry results of that rebellion. God’s purpose has been, right from the beginning of evil, to arrange a way of escape from the trap that the fallen one, Satan, had arranged for fallen man. When God’s holy name has been vindicated, then man will fall no more, but will put forth all his endeavors to become worthy of the benefits which will be the gift of God to everyone who is of good will and teachable.

The political press does not tell the people that the race for armaments by the nations is the preparation that Satan is making for Armageddon, the last tribulation of mankind. Of course not, because Satan has now blinded the minds of these men; and if they have not the light, how can they give it to others? Satan sees to it that they give something that passes for enlightenment; that is, scientific writings, more or less. God’s Word sums it all up by telling the seeker after truth, ‘Man’s wisdom is foolishness.’ Knowledge is not wisdom. God’s Word says: ‘The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom’; ‘only the wise shall understand.’ Knowledge means information gained from truthful testimony. Understanding means to take hold of and comprehend the true meaning of the testimony received, and to thereby be enabled to know for a certainty what is the right course or road to take. One who pursues such a course is wise, and the final result to him is certain to be good. One may have knowledge of the existence of a thing, but have no understanding of its meaning. The two are necessary to go together that good may result.

The fact that a man is educated and graduated from a theological university is no proof that he has a knowledge and understanding of the Bible. He may be able to repeat from memory every text in the Bible, and yet have no understanding of the meaning thereof. The majority of the educated clergymen of today repudiate the inspiration of the Scriptures, and have set up man’s wisdom as superior to that expressed in the Bible. God’s Word says: “They have eyes, and they see not; they have ears, and they hear not.” Jesus said that they are “blind guides”.

Those people who are of good will, or teachable, have ears to hear the Message of Truth from either radio sets or the transcription machines which are being used where the radio is not available. Those who have eyes to see are reading the literature at present being placed in the homes of the people by Jehovah’s witnesses.

Such books as The Harp of God, Deliverance, Creation, Reconciliation, Government, Life, Prophecy, Light, Vindication, Preservation, Preparation and Jehovah are wonderful books. There are also a number of booklets, such as Who Is God? What Is Truth? Cause of Death, Hereafter, Good News, Liberty, The Final War, What You Need, Health and Life, Home and Happiness, Keys of Heaven, Where Are the Dead? The Kingdom the Hope of the World, The Crisis, Escape to the Kingdom, Dividing the People, Righteous Ruler and Angels. All of these publications are Bible helps, and are issued by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, which is a world-wide organization.

The Bible is no longer a book of mystery. It is like a diamond, in that its pages throw light in many directions. Those people who regard the Bible as God’s Word of Truth find the above publications of great benefit because of the help given to “search the Scriptures”. They are not deceived by plausible writers. They are not deceived by the so-called “scientists”; and they are not deceived by either clergymen or politicians. They desire to live as Christians, with Christ Jesus as their King, when real Christianity brings peace on earth to men of good will.

Television: When? By James M. Robinson (Indiana)

“WAIT until we get television.” How often have you heard that expression? Few people know that the first system of television, and incidentally the principle of scanning on which the present commercial outfits are based, was patented in 1884, by a German named Paul Nipkow. The feeble attempts to perfect the Nipkow system have failed, primarily, because the number of lines per picture is limited to the number of holes or apertures in the single revolving scanning disc and, secondly, because of restrictions in the use of television; that is to say, advertising and sponsored programs will not be permitted as in radiocasting; and, last but not least, no attempt has been made on the part of station owners to standardize on a certain number of lines per picture, number of pictures per second or the type image, that is, negative or positive.

Television is similar to motion pictures in that both are optical illusions; but television is much more complicated, because each picture must be broken up into small elements according to its color value by means of a scanning system, and each element converted into an electrical impulse which is amplified and transmitted. These transmitted impulses are received in the usual manner, as in radio, amplified and converted into corresponding light variations, which, when passed through a suitable scanning system, operated at the same speed and “in step” with the transmitter, reconstructs the picture just as the televisor at the transmitter saw it.

Some advancement has been made in the cathode ray type of television, but so far the cost involved makes this system prohibitive for the average person. At present a 4- or 5-inch picture is produced with an 18-inch cathode tube, and these tubes cost from $60 to $90 each. In order to produce a picture that would be acceptable to the public, a tube at least 6 feet long would have to be produced, and the cost of such a tube would be several hundred dollars.

The writer is the inventor of a new system of mechanical scanning in which any number of lines per picture can be produced without decreasing the size of the picture and which reproduces the natural colors of the objects scanned. This is accomplished by the use of two circular discs which overlap and which revolve at different speeds. One of the discs carries small rectangular cylindrical lenses radially spaced and revolves at a high speed, while the other disc carries three curved cylindrical lenses, placed elliptically around its periphery, each of which is one of the prime colors, red, blue and green. The two discs are arranged in such a manner that when operating the small lenses intersect the curved lenses at right angles, which in effect produces a perfect spherical lens. The number of lines per picture is determined by the number of small lenses that intersect the curved lenses per picture, while the number of pictures per second is determined by the number of revolutions of the disc carrying the three curved lenses.

No one knows just how soon television will be perfected to such a degree as the radio is today; however, we can be sure that in due time it will be accomplished.

Hitler Shot [At]

THE press report of an attempt upon Hitler’s life was headlined by the statement “HITLER SHOT”. Honesty and accuracy require the addition of the “at”, as in our headline. We regret the necessity of making this correction, trusting it will not be necessary a second time.

Home and Health

Parents Can Forbid Vaccination

THE American Medical Liberty League, Inc., 35 E. Van Buren St., Chicago, Ill., suggests the following notice to school authorities, if parents refuse to have their children vaccinated and are prepared to defend their rights in the courts, if necessary:

To Principal and Teachers of..................................................................

School, (address)............................................................................................

You are hereby given legal notice that I refuse to permit the vaccination or medical inspection of my children, (names)................................................................................. at school, and that I shall hold you LEGALLY AND FINANCIALLY LIABLE FOR DAMAGES if you allow such trespass upon my right as parent; also if you exclude my children or any one of them from school for failure to be medically examined or vaccinated, you will be held responsible in damages for all loss and injury accruing therefrom.

Your attention is called to the fact that my refusal, as above, invades no right of others and imperils no one. Failure of my children to be vaccinated cannot endanger the vaccinated—all being vaccinated who wish—since, if the vaccinated are not protected by their own vaccination, they would not be protected by the vaccination of others. Any children found at school with contagious disease have already exposed others, so that the claim that medical inspection prevents the spread of contagion is untrue. In sending my children to school I delegate my control over them to you, BUT ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION AND NECESSARY SCHOOL DISCIPLINE. You cannot delegate even that control to others. Therefore I trust you will refuse any and all orders to commit the trespass referred to and save yourselves troublesome and costly litigation.

Date ....................................................................................................................

Name ..................................................................................................................

Address ..............................................................................................................

The Trail of the Aluminum Trust

IN The Encyclopedia Americana (1927 Edition, Vol. 1, page 453, column 2, paragraph 4) we read:

The healthfulness of foods containing aluminum compounds, and baking powders in particular, have been carefully investigated by the United States government (Bull. No. 103 U. S. Dept. of Ag.). It was found that baking powders containing aluminum compounds were no more unhealthful than any other baking powders. Seventy percent of all the baking powder used in the United States contains an aluminum salt. Large amounts of aluminum salts are also used in purifying water. Aluminum cooking utensils are in common use and the corrosion of these utensils doubtless results in small quantities of aluminum compounds being mixed with the food. Alum is used in the preparation of pickles and of maraschino cherries; the amount of alum left in these usually amounts to less than two-tenths of one percent. No case of injury or ill health has ever been reported due to aluminum compounds ingested from any of the above sources.

But the 1903 edition told the truth, in Vol. 1, as follows:

ALUM POISONING. This poisoning may be acute or chronic, the latter being much more common.

In the acute variety, often the result of accidental swallowing of a gargling solution, symptoms are nausea, vomiting, purging, cold clammy skin, small thready pulse, thirst, muscular tremor, followed by rise in temperature in those who have recovered. Treatment: Wash out stomach and use white of eggs as a chemical antidote.

Alum being much used as a preservative, as a means of clarifying water, and as an adulterant in baking powder (aluminum sulphate), the question of chronic alum poisoning becomes of great importance.

Symptoms most frequently observed are disturbances of digestion and constipation. The question as to its harmful action on the kidneys is not decided yet, but it would seem to be harmful rather than the reverse.

The foregoing item from the 1903 Americana was sent in by A. L. Wood, Florida, who says, "All cheap baking powders and self-rising flours contain aluminum sulphate; so be warned."

Not Public Property

MRS. A. S. FAHL, New York, writes: "Your articles on aluminum touch the spot. And to think we ate out of it for the last twenty-five years! Personally I had come to the point where I couldn't eat rhubarb, cooked fruit, salty things, etc. Since I put the aluminum all out everything agrees with me. All around me I can cite any number of cases of illness and pain that disappeared when the aluminum pots were discarded.

"I live in a little village; 35 children in the school. When the M.D. came to vaccinate, the other day, only 9 would submit to it. The strongest girl there took sick right away after the injection. I sent a note to the teacher that my boy was not public property, and in case they vaccinated without my consent I would hold the M.D. responsible for any sickness my child would be subject to for six years."

Utilizing Surplus Foods

ELSIE SMITH (New York) offers the following suggestion: "Due to the fact that prices on foodstuffs keep advancing, I am trying to utilize everything along this line. Sometimes one has an oversupply of a certain fruit or vegetable or meat on hand. This is what I do: Cook it in a granite or good enamel kettle until tender, and season or add sugar. Then have a good jar and cover (not chipped) thoroughly sterilized in another kettle or pan of boiling water. Drop the jar rubber into the boiling water for a few seconds. Fill jar quickly and seal and stand it upside down for a couple of hours to see if it is air-tight. If there is any leakage, contents should be reboiled for a few minutes, jar again sterilized and a new rubber put on jar, proceeding as before. (It is always best to use new rubbers.) Berries should be washed thoroughly, and boiled a few minutes only, leaving them almost whole. Cook other fruits until tender; chicken, meats and vegetables, the same way."

Fuller's Earth for Sore Feet

MRS. M. M. CAMPBELL, Texas, writes: "Here is a sure cure for athletic foot or sore, raw feet: Wash your feet in warm water and with a mild soap. Dry with a soft cloth and apply fuller's earth in all the cracks and crevices between the toes. Many have spent a great deal of money to heal athletic foot, when with one dime one can perfect a cure by means of a few applications. Most drug stores keep fuller's earth. It comes in bulk [or in cans] and is more easily applied if put in an old powder can or salt shaker. It is also fine for infants when sore and chafed and when nothing else helps. It soothes and heals rapidly."

Potatoes at 15c a Bushel

IN OCTOBER, in Wyoming county, New York, farmers were marketing their potatoes at 15c a bushel and some farmers were letting them rot in the ground rather than dig them and handle them at such an infamous price. Now that it is up to the taxpayers to feed the hungry of the whole country, it would seem as if attention should be given to the potato producers, as well as the producers of cotton, corn and wheat, and that this food should be saved. What is more delectable than a baked potato, buttered, salted, and eaten jacket and all?

When Scalded or Burned

THE usual dressing for burns, of wet boracic acid compresses, has been replaced by a dressing made of clean cloth or sterilized bandages placed over the burned or scalded area and then sprayed with a five-percent solution of tannic acid. A supply of the tannic-acid powder should be on hand in every medicine cabinet for such emergencies, but if, for any reason, it is not at hand a good strong brew of tea, made fresh and cooled, can be applied through the bandages. The tea contains enough tannic acid to make a good covering. This will form a brown covering over the burned or scalded surface, which will turn black and finally peel off. This treatment of burns is of inestimable value if resorted to at once, particularly if it is impossible to get a doctor quickly. The tannic-acid solution is made by adding six teaspoonfuls of the powder to a tumbler of water. The cloths must be kept soaked with this solution until the burned skin turns a deep brown and pain is gone.

White Bread for Rheumatism (?)

DR. LUELLA STARKEY, of Oklahoma, writes: "If you want to publish something about white bread that will be a help to the readers of The Golden Age, tell all that are suffering with rheumatism this: Go on a strict bread-and-butter diet for ten days, eating nothing but bread and butter—I mean white bread, with a lot of butter (cow's butter). The white bread to be white 'baker's bread', white 'homemade light bread' or white common homemade biscuits (just so they do not contain hog's fat [lard]). You do not need to tell them what to do next, after the ten days on white bread with butter have expired. They will have the secret by that time, and there will be no more argument." (This may be true—but—?—Ed.)

Discriminating Pets

JANET HORNE, of New York, writes: "I read with interest, in a recent issue of The Golden Age, that if one desired to put one's dog out of existence a good way would be to feed it white bread for a time. I wish to inform you that this method would not work in all cases, because neither our dog nor either of our two cats, which are habitually fed homemade whole-wheat bread, will touch a bit of white bread; in fact, they will go hungry rather than eat it."

Labor and Social

A Flaw in the Argument

THE American Federation of Labor proposes a thirty-hour work week for all industries, and figures it would work out about as follows: As the average length of the work week is now forty hours, a reduction of ten hours would mean that there would be work for 25 percent more workers than are at present employed, or one-fourth of nearly 40,000,000. Instead of 40,000,000 workers, there would be 50,000,000, and these would receive as much for the thirty-hour week as was formerly paid for the forty-hour week. Employers would thus be paying out 25 percent more for labor, but it is argued that the increased income of these millions would result in the sale of more merchandise. So far so good, but the increased demand for merchandise would require more workers, and these also would want more goods, and, of course, they would all be taken off relief rolls. It sounds as if the thirty-hour work week would be worth trying, but meanwhile it is well to continue to keep in mind that the kingdom of God is the only hope for the world. Big business will not consent to paying their servants 25 percent more for the same amount of work.

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