Consolation, September 30, 1942
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Contents
All Nations Drunk (WBBR Broadcast) 3
Anglo-Catholic Betrayal of Britain 8
Elementary Lessons in Honesty 10
Kansas Stands for Liberty 11
The New Government
In the San Francisco Bay Region 12
Reaping Twenty-sevenfold 13
Picking on Children 14
"Thy Word Is Truth"
What Became of the Rest Day? 16
The Creator's Aviators 18
A Twenty-Pound Swan 18
Submarines Kill the Birds Also 18
Hummingbird Still Ahead 18
The Industrious Woodpecker 19
180,000 Beetles 20
The Shrinkage of Ira Y. Baker 21
The Theocracy the Only Solution 22
Einstein Rejects God 23
Presenting "This Gospel of the Kingdom"
When to Use Different Translations 25
The Catholic Bible 25
Jewish Translations 26
Out Come the Plastics 29
Roger Bacon's Forevision 29
New Ideas in Houses 30
Crank Case Oil as Fuel 30
Index to Volume XXIII of Consolation 31
Published every other Wednesday by
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Notanda
Tons of Propionate Salt
◆ Nature is so ordered that when bread gets a few weeks old one will know better than to eat it, because it will be moldy. But nature is now far behind in the race for profits and other things. It is estimated that in 1942 half a billion loaves of bread will be "protected against mold" by the addition of propionate salt. Along with the plaster of Paris to make it white, and the nicotinic acid (now called "niacin") to make it "enriched", maybe after a while it will be possible to build a loaf without any flour in it at all. And also! maybe, by swallowing a little cement along with it, the needless waste of tombstones can be saved. The corpses can be set up in the cemetery and the inscriptions chiseled in the walls of their abdomens.
More "Fortified" Bread
◆ Pretty soon you will be eating bread that has everything in it but flour. That seems to be the drift of the recent patents. General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, owns patent No. 2,239,543. The patent admits that in the milling process the valuable minerals and vitamins are removed. The patent proposes to put them back by adding copper, iron, manganese, phytic acid and phosphoric acid; so now, when you are eating, if you chance to run across an old horseshoe or a piece of dog chain, don't think anything of it; you are merely keeping up with the Joneses.
A Throat Microphone
◆ The Western Electric Company has invented a throat microphone, which picks up the vibrations from the flyer's vocal cords, and no matter how the motors roar and the machine guns are chattering he gets his message through. His mouth and eyes are wholly disengaged for other work. He can talk and work at the same time.
CONSOLATION
"And in His name shall the nations hope."—Matthew 12:21, A. R. V.
Volume XXIII Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, September 30, 1942 Number 601
All Nations Drunk
(A WBBR* Broadcast)
* WBBR, 1330 kilocycles, has been broadcasting the message of The Theocracy regularly, 28½ hours per week, for more than 18 years, from its main studio, at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N. Y. It serves the metropolitan area, some 200 miles in diameter. As a novelty, it is believed that many readers of Consolation, living outside of the area served by the station, will enjoy one of the recent broadcasts, which is reproduced herewith as given over the air.
ANNOUNCER: Did you ever hear of a nation getting drunk? Could you imagine such a thing as all the nations getting drunk? You may be saying to yourself: "How could a whole nation get drunk? Such a thing has never happened. Christian nations wouldn't get drunk." ... We cannot be wiser than the Word of God, and it says: "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad." ... John Witness, one of Jehovah's witnesses, is again visiting Mr. and Mrs. Goodwill in their home. They're probably listening to this very announcement. Let's drop in on them and see.
Man: Did you hear what that announcer said on the radio, Mr. Witness?
Witness: I didn't quite catch it all; he was talking just as I came in. What did he say?
Man: He was quoting a scripture from one of the prophecies about the nations drinking wine, getting drunk and being mad. Mrs. Goodwill's trying to find where it is ... Did you find it, dear?
Wife: Not yet! He didn't say just where it was; so I don't know just where to look. I'd like to read that verse again; that's the first time I ever heard of a nation getting drunk.
Witness: D'you mind if I show you how to find any verse in the Bible?
Wife: Can you do that? That would certainly be valuable.
Witness: Yes, it's quite simple, Mrs. Goodwill. Anyone can do it. You see this comparatively small book.
Wife: Uh huh.
Witness: It's a concordance. Do you remember one of the principal words in that text he quoted?
Man: Yes, "drunken."
Witness: Well, we just turn to the word "drunken" in the concordance and it will give you the texts in the Bible with that word in.
Witness: Let's see now—"drunken"—Here we are. Here's one in Job 12, verse 25.
Man: What does it say?
Witness: '... and he maketh them to stagger as a drunken man.'
Man: No, that wasn't it. But that sounds like a good one—Who is that text talking about?
Witness: The nations. Just like the other text. Just listen to this. "He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, . . . They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.”
Wife: The chief of the people stagger like drunken men! What can that mean?
Witness: Wait until we find the other text, Mrs. Goodwill, and then perhaps we can find the meaning. Do you remember another word in that text the announcer quoted, Mr. Goodwill?
◆ Man: Yes, I remember distinctly he mentioned the “nations”.
Witness: Nations—nations—here’s one in Jeremiah, chapter 51, verse 7. Got your Bible handy, Mr. Goodwill?
Man: You bet! I bought one o’ my own during the week. I’m gonna prove these things for myself, by God’s help. Did you say Jeremiah 51, verse 7?
Witness: Yes.
Man: (turning leaves) Jeremiah—Jeremiah—here it is! Jeremiah 51, verse 7. “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken; the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.” Boy! that’s the one. What d’you think of that, Mr. Witness?
◆ Witness: What do you think, Mrs. Goodwill?
Wife: I’m sure I don’t know what it means: It says the nations have been drinking wine, have been made drunk and are mad. They’re certainly mad enough to kill each other now. Whatever kind of wine could do that?
Witness: How about you, Mr. Goodwill? What’s your idea?
Man: Well, I couldn’t say to be sure. I notice that other text you read, from Job, said the chief of the people of earth grope in darkness and stagger like drunken men. That’s what it said, isn’t it? Who are these chief ones? If we knew that, it might help us to understand the rest.
◆ Witness: I think you’re on the right track there, Mr. Goodwill. D’you remember last week you read some verses from the 56th chapter of Isaiah?
Man: I remember. It spoke of the shepherds that cannot understand.
Wife: I remember it also said the shepherds were watchmen who are blind! And, Mr. Witness, you said it was a description of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and also in our day.
◆ Witness: That’s right. I see you both remember pretty well. Suppose you read those verses again, Mrs. Goodwill. That was Isaiah 56, verses 10 and 11. Read them slowly.
Wife: Isaiah 56, verses 10 and 11: “His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter.” We read those verses last week, didn’t we?
◆ Witness: We certainly did! But we didn’t read the 12th verse; and that’s the one we want right now. Read it, Mrs. Goodwill, please; will you?
Wife: Verse 12: “Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.”
Man: Read that verse again, dear, d’you mind? I just want to make sure I got a point clear as to who gets drunk.
Wife: “Come ye, say they.”
Man: Who d’you suppose it refers to when it says, “Come ye, say they?”
◆ Witness: That’s referring to the watchmen, the shepherds. There’s none other spoken of.
Man: That’s just what I thought. But go ahead, dear, let’s hear the rest of the verse.
Wife: “Come ye, say they. I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.” What was your point?
Man: D’you remember the question you asked Mr. Witness?
Wife: Yes, I do. I asked him who were the "chief of the people" in that text he quoted from Job.
Man: Right! That's my point. Who are they, Mr. Witness?
Witness: Well, what does it say happened to them?
Man: It says—wait a minute till I find it. I'll read it, then I'll be sure I have it right. Here it is. "... they grope in the dark without light." And then it says "he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man".
Witness: Isaiah says, "His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant . . . they are shepherds that cannot understand."
Man: Right! that's what it says.
Witness: Well, what makes them blind? What makes them ignorant of what's happening on the earth, so that their senses are so dulled? They're like dogs that give no warning bark—they're dumb dogs, as Isaiah says. What makes them dumb? Why do they lack understanding?
Man: Because they're cockeyed drunk! That's why!
Witness: That's the answer, Mr. Goodwill. Because they're drunk. And that's what Job meant when he said the 'chief of the people stagger as a drunken man'. The chief ones are their leaders, particularly their religious leaders. They are the shepherds. They are the watchmen.
Wife: But you don't mean they are literally drunk with literal wine and strong drink, do you?
Witness: No, Mrs. Goodwill. Isaiah makes that point clear in another place. He shows it isn't literal wine. Suppose you turn to Isaiah 29, verses 9 to 11. Read carefully, so we get all the points.
Wife: Isaiah 29, verses 9, 10 and 11: ". . . they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed."
Witness: Do you understand that, Mrs. Goodwill?
Wife: I understand that it says they're drunk and stagger, but not with literal strong drink. And that they're blind and they're asleep as it were. But I don't quite understand what made 'em so if it isn't literal wine and strong drink. I'd like that point made clear.
Witness: Let's clear that point up, then. Mr. Goodwill, suppose you read that 12th verse of Isaiah 56 again; there's a point I want to call attention to.
Man: Isaiah 56—Boy! got it first shot. I'm beginning to know where these different books are now. Isaiah 56:12. "Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves."
Witness: (interrupting) What are they going to do?
Man: Fetch wine and fill themselves.
Witness: They'll need more and more wine then, won't they, to do that?
Man: That's right! And they go on to say "and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant".
Witness: Now, if this isn't literal wine, what d'you think it could be?
Man: Well, it's certainly something that makes them like drunken men. You know how they go. "Come on, boys; let's have another drink! (drunkenly) Hail! the gang's all here; what the—"
Wife: Yes, dear, that's all right; we know the rest of it.
Man: Well, if the Bible says they're drunk, why, they're just drunk. Whatever it is that makes 'em drunk, I don't know; but they're drunk, that's certain. And if they stagger, as it says they do, then they're cockeyed drunk. When a fellow's so full he staggers, then he can't see where he's going—everything kinda goes round and round. But what makes 'em drunk?
Witness: Well, what do the religious keep saying we need more of?
Wife: Religion; we need more religion! Religion will save the world!
Man: That's right! "Tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant."
Give us more religion and we'll have peace and prosperity. Why, there it is!
Wife: Could that be what it means, Mr. Witness? Does this wine represent religion?
Witness: That's what the Bible shows, Mrs. Goodwill. Wine is used to represent two separate and distinct things in the Bible. In the true manner it represents God's word of truth. The effects of drinking this wine is joy of heart and mind and stimulation to further activity in the interests of God's kingdom.
Wife: And the other use of wine, what does that represent?
Witness: Just as we've found. The false doctrines of men and devils—the traditions of men, particularly as expressed in religious practices—are pictured as "wine and strong drink" which makes the drinkers thereof filthily drunk: gives them the blind staggers and makes them mad.
Man: That's certainly a vivid picture. Can you give us any scripture to support your statements, Mr. Witness?
Witness: Yes, I can, Mr. Goodwill. I wouldn't make those statements unless I knew God's Word proved them. My opinion doesn't amount to anything anyway. God's Word is the only true and safe guide.
Wife: Where does wine represent God's Word of truth?
Witness: D'you want to read it, Mr. Goodwill? Isaiah 55, verses 1 and 2.
Man: Isaiah 55, verses 1 and 2: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness."
Wife: That's the first time I ever saw that point clearly! God's Word is spoken of as wine and as milk and also as bread. Why, of course! The apostle Peter speaks of the "sincere milk of the word". I remember reading that.
Man: Yes; and didn't Jesus say, somewhere, "I am the bread of life"?
Witness: Yes, that's right. And now to show where wine represents the doctrines that make them filthily drunk.
Wife: That's what I'm waiting to hear.
Witness: In the Bible, the true church, the body of Christ, the complete aggregation of consecrated and anointed Christians, is pictured as a chaste woman.
Man: Where does it say that?
Witness: In 2 Corinthians 11:2 the apostle Paul says of the Christians at Corinth: "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
Man: A chaste virgin! I wonder why the true church is spoken of as a virgin?
Wife: Yes, I wondered what that meant! Does it mean that Paul meant the true church didn't have a husband yet?
Witness: That's just what Paul meant, I believe. The Lord had not yet taken His espoused church to himself. That He would not do until He should come again.
Man: And in the meantime she was to remain a virgin?
Witness: That's what the Bible says. Jehovah God has a great universal organization called "Zion", invisible to human eyes, of course. This organization is pictured as God's woman. True Christians, the true church, are brought forth of this woman, this organization.
Man: This certainly is interesting. And entirely new to me. But what has this to do with getting drunk?
Witness: We're coming to that. Not only does the Bible show that God has an organization, pictured by a woman, but it also shows that Satan, the Devil, the adversary of God, has an organization pictured by a woman.
Man: That's another new one to me. What kind of woman does it picture Satan the Devil as having? Surely not a virgin.
Witness: That's right. Not a virgin, but an immoral woman.
Wife: And that's in the Bible?
Witness: Yes, Mrs. Goodwill, that's in the Bible. Please turn to Revelation, chapter 17. You'll read there of a woman having her mother's name on her forehead. The name fittingly describes the kind of woman the mother is; and remember, this mother is Satan's woman.
Wife: Which verse shall I read?
Witness: Read verses 1 and 2.
Wife: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
Man: You're not reading that from the Bible, are you?
Wife: Of course I am. Revelation 17.
Man: I didn't know there was anything like that in the Bible.
Witness: Suppose you read verses 4 and 5, Mr. Goodwill, and notice particularly what it says about the mother.
Man: Revelation 17, verses 4 and 5: "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication."
Witness: (interrupting) Now notice what it says about her mother.
Man: "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Say, that is significant! That would mean, then, that having the name of the characteristics of the mother in her forehead would show that this daughter organization pictured by this woman is mentally and morally just like her mother!
Witness: That's what it does mean. This is proved by the description in contrast of those who are faithful to God, mentioned in the 22d chapter of Revelation, verses 3 and 4, and are so identified by what is in their foreheads. Suppose you read those verses, Mrs. Goodwill.
Wife: Revelation 22, verses 3 and 4: "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." That certainly makes a remarkable contrast. The Lord's true organization of consecrated Christians is spoken of as having their Father's name in their foreheads, while this false woman organization is pictured as having her mother's name in her forehead. Is that correct?
Witness: That's what I understand the Bible to teach.
Man: Well, what organization does this harlot picture? It says she's made all the inhabitants of the earth drunk. It must be some large organization to affect all nations; all the inhabitants of the earth.
Witness: I'm going to let Mrs. Goodwill and you find that out for yourselves.
Man: How are we to find out?
Witness: Simply by answering a few questions. Who do you understand the people of God to be?
Man: I'd say that God's people—are Christian people on earth.
Witness: And where are they?
Wife: They're in the various church organizations—the religious organizations—aren't they?
Man: I've heard Fleesum speak of 'em as "all 'Christendom'"—but wait a minute! you're not going to say that "Christendom" is pictured in this harlot of Revelation 17, are you?
Witness: What do you think? Suppose you read it for yourself. Revelation 17, verse 18, and then read Revelation 18, verses 1 to 5. Read it carefully.
Man: Revelation 17, verse 18, and Revelation 18, verses 1 to 5: "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies—"
Wife: (interrupting) But surely God's people are not in such a terrible organization as is described there. That couldn't represent "Christendom". How could Christians have anything to do with such a horrible thing as that?
Witness: You'll be surprised, Mrs. Goodwill. Read the next verse, Mr. Goodwill, and you'll see the whole thing.
Man: "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, (surprised; repeats) "Come out of her, my people," come out of "Christendom!" and, "that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." So it's "Christendom" that has made the peoples of earth drunk!
Wife: And the wine she uses represents what?
Witness: Well, you remember what we read from Isaiah 56 about the watchmen of "Christendom", the shepherds of "Christendom". "Come ye, say they, we will fetch wine—" Remember that?
Wife: Yes, I remember, the "wine and strong drink"—the religious doctrines of men and devils.
Man: And those doctrines have made all nations filthily drunk and they're mad.
Witness: Do you still think we should have more religion?
Man: I should say not. What we need is more Christianity.
British Comment
By J. Hemery (London)
[Compiled, this issue, in America.—Ed.]
Anglo-Catholic Betrayal of Britain
THE Anglo-Catholics are on this excessive ritualing game. Originally they, no doubt, did it because they were superstitious mutts and believed in it, and, of course, they slavishly imitated their great exemplars. No doubt they thought that making a peep-show of religion would attract larger congregations. And doubtless it has had this effect. Watching a peep-show entails less effort than taking an intellectual interest in the service. But ritual has the effect, dear to the Becketeers, of increasing the importance of the clergy. The clergy are the center pieces of ritual. The costumes and the patter are both a glorification of the clergy and carry the idea that the clergy are a superior cast. By ritual the clergy try to give the impression that they are the privileged experts by whose means ordinary folk can approach the heavenly hierarchy—in fact, without whose aid the approach cannot properly be made. "Priests" take a lot of trouble to impress on the laity the great importance of the virtue of humility. The "confession" ritual makes the dupes more than humble: it degrades them to the status of mere chattels. When "confession" becomes common, then the Becket game is well on its way. Becketeering is quite taken for granted in the case of papist "priests". The Vatican gang is quite open in its claims that the ecclesiastical organization is superior to all secular political organizations. The Anglo-Catholics have not quite dared to be as brazen as this—yet. But they are in the stage immediately preceding it. They brazenly assert the superiority of "priests" above the ordinary run of humanity. To those who are not familiar with the impudence of these swelled-headed clerics we select a few quotations from many that were gathered by Mr. Walsh in his Secret History of the Oxford Movement:
"The lay element already too greatly preponderated (in the Church of England), and no more of it was needed. It was not that he undervalued the office of the laity whose high and noble prerogative it was to listen and obey, but it was for the ministers of the Church, with all their responsibilities, to magnify their office."
"The 'priest', as far as his 'priest'-hood is concerned, is Christ Himself, the Sovereign and Eternal Priest."
"The 'priests' are, on earth, the spiritual police of Almighty God; they must hunt out, track, pursue, and arraign sinners, as the police pursue and apprehend thieves and rascals."
"You are not, then, to look upon him (the Confessor-'Priest') as a friend only, but as one who is over you in the Lord . . . with whom you are not to talk as you would to others, as on an equal footing . . . he is neither to be spoken to, nor of, in any manner approaching familiarity."
"Fear the eye and voice of the 'priest'."
"A penitent,
PROSTRATE AT THE FEET
of the 'priest', is a man raised, and elevated, and supremely honorable." (!!!)
"The obedience which alone befits the human soul in spiritual relations must be free and unquestioning, preventing, with a settled purpose of submission, every command which the judgment of the 'priest' may see fit to lay upon us."
--To which we say : The authors of the above sentences are swelled-headed mutts. And all those clergy of the Church of England who teach similar things and schemes and conspire to make them general are the same. And bishops who do not use their disciplinary powers on these people are as bad themselves and make their ordination vows into lies. And anybody who lets any such person be ordained or put into any office of the Church of England is at least a fool.
Here we may fittingly describe a typical sample of the ritualing which these ecclesiastical lawbreakers perpetrate in Anglican churches.
The ceremony was announced as "High Mass, and Sermon by the Bishop of London" at St. Alban's, Holborn. Practically the whole of the business was illegal, of course. A throne was specially erected for the bishop (Winnington Ingram) near the (illegal) "High Altar", with a canopy, the drapery of which was Roman purple. To meet the bishop was a procession consisting of the vicar and his curates in "cope, dalmatic and tunicle, in Roman purple, along with 'thurifer', 'crucifier' and candle bearers. The bishop was rigged out in a trousseau to correspond to the rest of the circus; he was in "alb, girdle, white stole, cope and mitre," along with two chaplains in "lace cottas" and two servers in cottas and scarves, these batmen being required to hold the bishop's walking-stick and hat (technically called "crozier" and "mitre" respectively). The bishop was conducted to the throne and the performance began. The first item was called "asperging", which is a fancy name for sprinkling. Next came some "collects", one entitled of St. Melchiades (who was a pope). Next the bishop himself put incense into a censer and "blessed" it (though we doubt the quality of his "blessing"). However, the deacon and subdeacon knelt to him for a "blessing". Then there were
GENUFLECTIONS AND "ELEVATIONS", tolling of a bell, sounding of a gong, "Host and chalice censed up to," and other bits of play-acting whose esoteric meaning was disloyalty to the church that paid the participants' salaries.
The morality of Anglo-Catholicism is very poor; indeed, Anglo-Catholicism is a bastard Jesuitry and is tarred with the Jesuit brush. "The end justifies the means" is the immoral principle on which you Anglo-Papists proceed.
You take your salaries under false pretenses. You yourself, Archbishop, draw your salary for, amongst other things, superintending bishops and clergy and seeing that they conduct religion properly, decently, and in order, i.e., according to the rules and regulations of the State church. Are you doing your duty as you ought? Many of your underlings openly advocate a so-called "reunion" with Rome, which is merely a euphemism for putting the English church under Rome. There was recently a meeting in the Albert Hall where this renegadism and treason were voiced outrageously. What have you done about it?
In an issue of the Churchman's Magazine is published a letter sent to you from Mr. Kensit telling of illegalities in a certain church you were advertised to visit. In addition to illegal Italian ceremonies you were told you would see a number of images that had been illegally set up. What was the result? Your chaplain wrote to say you had been unable to visit this church. But not a word of condemnation of these illegalities; not a word about looking into the matter; not a word of disciplinary measures; not a word of thanks for having your attention drawn to a gross scandal in the church which pays you £15,000 a year for seeing that its affairs are conducted decently and in order.
If the management and superintendence of a coal mine had been offered to and accepted by a man, and he had agreed, in return for a large salary, to do his best in the interests of the proprietors, and, having taken over the job, he then allowed the proprietors of a neighboring colliery to send underground workings into the mine he was supposed to be looking after; if he not only allowed but actually encouraged his own foremen to help in the nefarious work and actually to brag about it, what would be thought about him? Of course, such a proceeding in English commercial life is unthinkable, as the standards of honesty and honorable dealing are so high. But we have got to try and imagine such an outrageous violation of commercial standards if we want a parallel to the behavior of Anglo-Catholic bishops and clergy. In commercial life that manager and his foremen would be called rogues and scamps and they would land in jail. Instead of your asking men in commerce and industry to "return" to your religion it would be better if you Anglo-Papists went to them for some
ELEMENTARY LESSONS IN HONESTY and honorableness.
Most people seem to be unaware of the quite opposite nature of the religion of the Anglican Church as expressed in its constitution and accepted (in words) by all the clergy on ordination, and the religion actually taught by the false-swearers, the Anglo-Papists. The Anglican religion is formulated in the Thirty-Nine Articles and (e.g.) the 22nd says: "The Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well as Images as of Reliques, and also Invocation of Saints, is a foul thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God." The 31st Article says: "The sacrifices of Masses in which it was commonly said that the 'priest' did offer Christ for the quick and the dead were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits." Anglican clergy have to subscribe to the Thirty-Nine Articles, and when they do so they are understood to do so honestly, and it is, of course, also understood that they intend to be loyal servants of the English Church. Would they be accepted on any other understanding? Obviously not. Yet these dishonest Anglo-Papists will subscribe to the Thirty-Nine Articles and then straightway perform masses, set up and venerate images and relics, and do numberless other things quite contrary to the Articles and quite illegal. If they believe in the clotted superstition they purvey and were also reasonably honest they would not subscribe to the Articles, but would take employment with the "church" that specializes in clotted nonsense. A man who subscribed to the Articles honestly and later changed his opinion would, if he still retained honesty and the instinct for honorable dealing, clear out of the church. But Anglo-Papists have no honesty. Instead, they behave like swindlers—not common swindlers, but swindlers who add renegadism and treason to their roguery. In Canterbury Cathedral itself illegal vestments, illegal stone altars, and other illegalities have been introduced. We have not yet heard that "mass" has been started there, but evidently the approach is being made.
And there are cathedrals where mass is performed. If archbishops and bishops thus set an example, what can you expect of the lower clergy? There are hundreds of churches where the illegalities are rampant. In all these cases the clergy are DRAWING THEIR SALARIES DISHONESTLY. They are (in our opinion) no better than common swindlers. They break the law of their church, the law of England, and the moral law. By commercial standards they are rogues; and, in addition (let us repeat), renegades to their race, traitors to their breed.—C. B. Westgate, in the Ulster Protestant, January, 1942.
Why Be Fanatical?
Kansas Stands for Liberty
◆ Kansas stands for liberty. The Kansas Supreme Court unanimously decided that school children may not be deprived of education merely because some fanatic insists on compulsory flag saluting contrary to the child's conscience. The Kansas Constitution, the court pointed out, is very specific on this point, i. e.:
The right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any persons be compelled to attend or support any form of worship; nor shall any control or interference with the rights of conscience be permitted.
In telling the fanatics on the school boards where to get off, the court said:
We are not impressed with the suggestion that the religious beliefs of appellants and their children are unreasonable. Perhaps the tenets of many religious sects or denominations would be called reasonable, or unreasonable, depending upon who is speaking. It is enough to know that in fact their beliefs are sincerely religious, and that is conceded by appellee. Their beliefs are formed from the study of the Bible and are not of a kind which prevent them from being good, industrious, home-loving, law-abiding citizens.
The Druggist and the Veteran
◆ Out in the street witnessing work in Hermosa Beach, California, two of us witnesses were speaking to one another on something relating to the service in which we were engaged, when a rude-mannered, bald-headed druggist slammed between us, cursing us as he did so. This was at 2 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. he did the same thing and ordered us out of town. At that time we were placing God and the State with those who wished it. I am a poor hand at going out of town on a druggist's order.
A week later the same druggist bumped into me, cursed me, and expressed interest as to how much it would cost to beat me up. I told him he could easily find out, and began to sit up and take notice. The situation was getting interesting.
Last week he tried the same tactics again. I thought he had gone far enough, and told him I was in the last war as an expert sharpshooter; that I had five victory battle clasps, an award stripe, and a hospital record a mile long. The people began to rubber, and he stepped inside. I don't expect any further bald-headed attention.—J. B. Sias, California.
RIGHTEOUS RULER
THE NEW GOVERNMENT
In the San Francisco Bay Region
◆ About the 1st of November, 1941, while working in St. Helena, California, in the residential section, I called at a house, and there met the man (one Peter Dal Porto, an Italian) of the house, who proved to be very sincere in the message which I had. He took the book Children and Comfort All That Mourn. I saw he was a "bachelor" and that he lived alone, but did not realize the reason. After I talked with him a little he seemed to confide in me, and then told me his story. He said he had been very severely dealt with because of the truth, that the Catholic priests had caused him a lot of trouble because he would not listen to what the priest had to say about his family, and because he would not go to the Catholic church they took his wife and sixteen-year-old daughter away from him, and at this time he does not know where they are; he gets a card from them now and then, but no address. The priest had him arrested and put in the city jail. The chief of police is a Catholic, too. But before this the priests sent two big representatives of the local parish to deal with him, and he relates how they threw him down on the ground and the both of them got on him and tromped him, trying to get him to confess to the Catholic church. But all this to no avail, as he had gotten his eyes open and would not change, and that was final. So, after they could not make him turn, then they let him go, only now they are trying to turn all of his friends away from him, telling them he is a very bad man. This is one household the priests have broken up, but he is determined to remain faithful to the Lord, trusting that He is able to save him and bring justice to the Catholic church. I visit this gentleman once a week or so.
On the 13th of December, while working in the magazine work on the streets of the town Napa, California, I was accosted by three big ruffians, who tried to cause me trouble about not saluting the flag. They were told with kindness that they should go on about their business, which they had a perfect right to do, that I had a right to do the work I was doing without molestation, and turned to walk away. But, lo and behold, that was not all. One of them had been drinking, and had about all he could waddle with; he wanted to express his opinion, but he didn't get started until he was kindly told that if he would go on home like a good little fellow and sober up, as all good citizens should be, then I would be very glad to talk to him, and walked away from him, leaving him standing on the street muttering to himself. Then the leader of the three came at me again, stating that he was going to see about this affair, and have us stopped. He was then by himself, so I got a few words with him in quietness, and finally he took the Consolation on "Jesuit Destroyers in Action" and agreed to read it.
The next Monday morning I went to see the chief of police, and related to him what had happened, and offered him some literature which explained our work. He did not let me get very far until he said he was not interested in the work Jehovah's witnesses were doing, and that he would not read the stuff if I gave it to him, but he did take the little booklet Jehovah's Servants Defended, and agreed to read it. He also stated that the people of the town got pretty rough sometimes. I told him that that was merely his opinion on the matter, that he was here to keep order if the necessity arose. I then went to see the sheriff, and told him the circumstances. He was a fine fellow, an old-time Mason, and realized something of what the trouble was all about. He took the last two copies of Consolation on "Jesuit Destroyers in Action", the booklet Jehovah's Servants Defended, and agreed to take them home and read them, and said when I left, "If you need any help, call me."
Watchtower study, New York assembly
I then requested a nearby company of Jehovah's witnesses to be on hand the next Saturday, that every available witness was needed on the street with the magazines. They came. Watchtowers were to be found on every corner in the business section. More magazines were placed that day than had ever been placed before. Unidentified friends had cameras ready to get a picture of the trouble-makers, should anything materialize. There were quite a few good-will people reached, and no trouble. A concerted effort always gets results, and the Lord wins the battle.
Mrs. Minnie Wood when starting her two little girls (ages five and one-half and six and one-half years) to school, accompanied them that she might inform the teacher that her children were Christians, and did not believe in saluting the flag. The teacher informed her that that would be all right. So not the whole room were required to make the salute. Some time after that the oldest girl of the two wore to school a red, white and blue dress, which her mother had made for her. She really looked cute. The teacher happened to see her and remarked: "Why, Helen! I thought you didn't like the United States flag!" To which the little girl replied: "Why, sure, I like the American flag; I think it is beautiful; but, because I have a flag dress on, that is no reason you should salute me." The teacher, not having the truth, could not understand. —Burton E. Cox, California.
Reaping Twenty-sevenfold
◆ Somebody sent a nine-word telegram to the Derby Evening Telegraph, England. It was a good investment. It read, "Protest against persecution and unjust treatment of Jehovah's witnesses." The editor came back with a holler almost half a column long and containing two subheads and all together 243 words, which comes to twenty-sevenfold. Not bad at all. Every knock is a boost. He unintentionally advertised The Theocracy.
Picking on Children
◆ Following bad examples set elsewhere the Los Alamos, California, school board picked on some school children for conscientious and respectful refusal to salute any flag; and when the little folks presented a pledge of allegiance to Almighty God and obedience to every law not in conflict with God's law the school board refused to accept it and wants the little ones denied any education. Some board!
Los Alamos is in Santa Barbara county, and the Santa Barbara News-Press thought it time to give some good advice to those whose only idea of patriotism is to make it hot for somebody who sees something differently from themselves. Hence, October 25, 1941, it said:
OUR FLAG AND OUR GOD—
THEIR TREATMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS
Good Americans in Santa Barbara county, whose loyalty to their country is not and cannot be doubted, are quarreling with each other concerning a formality of patriotism. Their quarrel is an old one. It has been fought in many places, many times before. It has never profited either side or this country as a whole. It is about saluting the American flag in the public schools.
Theocracy publisher at Flatbush and Church avenues, Brooklyn
This Oregon Jonadab, over 80 years of age, averages over 60 hours' Theocracy service monthly.
Several district school boards in Santa Barbara county are expelling children who refuse to salute the American flag. The children, of course, are simply obeying parents who belong to religious sects which consider any flag a form of "graven image" which they are forbidden to "bow down before" (salute) by their Bible. The school boards have the legal right to expel these children.
It is not charged that the parents of these children offer or wish to offer their support or allegiance to any other country. It is not charged that these parents order or permit their children to salute some other flag or that the children do honor any other flag. Also, the parents involved in the immediate local situation are willing for their children to sign an allegiance pledge.
Let us remember this last point. Then let us remember that "in the name of freedom", in this most blessed of all nations, we, as a people, have ordered that the Bible shall not be taught in the public schools. We, as a people, have held that no child shall be excluded from the public schools of this free nation because the child or the child's parents do not worship God or Christ. We have gone farther than that. We have ordered, "in the name of freedom," that no child shall be excluded from our schools because the child or the child's parents worship some "other god", or even an idol.
Dolores (5) put in 56 hours in one month; placed 9 of the book Children, 15 booklets, and 27 magazines, and made 6 back-calls with phonograph. She being ladylike and businesslike, her parents, who do not participate in the witness work, nevertheless permit her to do so in company with an aunt.
The point to be kept in mind is that children are being expelled from our public schools because they do not salute the American flag, not because they salute some other flag. Yet we admit to our schools not only those who do not worship God and Christ but also those who worship in religions that deny the existence of God and Christ and religions that—in other parts of the world—persecute those who do worship God and Christ.
All this we elected to do long ago, in the name of real freedom. All this we continue to do, as a means of preserving that freedom. All that we ask—in relation to God—is that no one hinder those who would worship God. Are we justified in asking more for our flag?
Surely, in this country, we have not come to the point where we set our flag above our God and thereby provide opportunity for the chief bearer of that flag soon to claim worship before God.
And—if we have not come to that point—how can we expel from the schools the child who does not salute the flag and continue to give the blessing of education to the child who does not worship God and who may—without our interference—bow down before an idol?
Unless we change our Declaration of Independence, the preamble of our constitution, the constitutions of every state in this nation, the oath of office for all our public officials, and the motto on our coinage—this nation remains founded on belief in a God that is greater than any nation and any flag.
We do not force the worship of our country's God in our country's schools because we have a deep and abiding conviction that an enforced religion is viciously unreal and less to be desired than no religion at all.
In that conviction is the foundation for unbiased thinking about this flag that we love.
In Italy
◆ Recently we wrote to all addresses in Italy known to us, so as to see who could answer. Up to the time of writing several answers have been received and more should yet come. Two or three were from brothers, but the majority from sisters who confirmed that their husbands were still in prison undergoing sentences up to eleven years (from 1939 to 1950), as above mentioned. It therefore clearly appears that most of the Italian brethren are behind prison bars.—From the 1942 Yearbook of Jehovah's witnesses.
(To be continued)
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” Jehovah's witnesses, like the Master, bring the message of the Kingdom to those who will hear. Note phonograph.
"THY WORD IS TRUTH" —John 17:17
What Became of the Rest Day?
(Concluded)
DOES the sabbath law of God's covenant with ancient Israel still bind any man? The inspired Record answers No; not since the coming in of faith in Christ, the promised Seed of Abraham. Israel's law covenant was to operate till the promised Seed came. (Galatians 3:19) Christ Jesus that Seed having come, then all Jews accepting Him were made free from the law. Writes the converted Jew Paul to other Christianized Jews: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [the law]." (Galatians 3:23-25) Hence he also states, at Romans 10:4, that "Christ is the end [both the objective as well as the fulfilling] of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth".
Christ Jesus did not annul Jehovah's law covenant, as the Jewish scribes and Pharisees did in effect by teaching traditions of men. He fulfilled it, He himself saying: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew 5:17) When its fulfillment begins, then its typical purpose has been served and its typical observance is no longer carried out, as, for example, by eating the literal typical passover lamb. Hence the Scriptures, at Colossians 2:14, state that law was taken out of the way through what Christ Jesus did: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; ... by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby."—Ephesians 2:15, 16.
Sabbatarians claim that two laws were given to natural Israel, a ceremonial and a moral law, and that only the ceremonial law was done away by Christ, whereas the other commandments, such as the fourth commandment, remain. However, the Scriptures are clear that to the Jews there was just one law, the ceremonial and the moral being interlocked because the ceremonial features provided typical cleansing away of their sins due to violating the moral laws. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." —James 2:10, 11.
Jehovah God "wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments". (Exodus 34:28) "He declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." (Deuteronomy 4:13) Thus those ten commandments were inseparably linked with Israel's law covenant, which covenant in its entirety passed away to make way for the "new covenant" sealed by Christ's blood at Calvary.
This does not give the Christian the liberty to commit sin, because "all unrighteousness is sin" and sin is always condemned by Jehovah God. Hence, while not bound by the letter of the law of God's covenant with natural Israel, the Christian keeps the spirit of the law, and does so out of love for God. (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 5:19) Hence the apostle Paul writes that Jehovah God has made Christians to be "ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life". (2 Corinthians 3:6, A. R. V.) The Jewish scribes and Pharisees kept the letter of the fourth commandment, but Jesus said: "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) The spirit of the law is higher and more searching than the outward keeping of the letter of the law, and this is the sense of the inspired words at Matthew 5:21, 22, 27, 28; 1 John 3:15; and Galatians 6:10. Hence the Christian keeps not merely one day in seven, but every day, holy unto the Lord God, fully devoting himself to doing God’s will all days.
True, Christ Jesus and His apostles kept the seventh-day sabbath, but that was prior to His shedding of His blood which seals the new covenant. They were natural Jews, born under the law covenant, and therefore properly carried out its various requirements. They were circumcised, ate the passover, and observed the sabbath, abstained from pork, etc. Their doing such things prior to Christ’s death is no rule or precedent or command for Christians to do so. After His death the apostles went into the Jewish synagogues on the sabbath day, not to keep that day as formerly, but merely to take advantage of the opportunity there to preach the gospel and reach a large assembled audience and give a big witness.
Christians are not under the law covenant sealed with the blood of the passover lamb in Egypt, but are under the new covenant sealed with the blood of the Greater Lamb, who fulfilled the law of the old covenant. (John 1:29, 36) The new covenant, with its laws written in the hearts and minds of Christians, is in every way higher and more glorious than was the old covenant “written and engraven in stones”. (2 Corinthians 3:7-11) Therefore they practice, not fleshly circumcision, but that which is “of the heart”. They feed on a greater passover, because “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us”. (Romans 2:28, 29; 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8) Likewise Christians enjoy a far greater sabbath than that typical sabbath of the fleshly Jews. “Sabbath” means “rest”, and Christians have entered into a higher and more complete than physical rest. Concerning this sabbath-keeping the apostle writes: ‘There remaineth therefore a sabbath-keeping for the people of God: for he that hath entered into his rest [God’s sabbath or rest], he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.’—Hebrews 4:9, 10, marginal reading.
God’s rest or sabbath here mentioned means something far more than ceasing from physical or mental labor one day a week, such as the religious Pharisees were very zealous to do. Despite their zeal in this way, such religionists did not enter into God’s rest or sabbath. Why? Because not exercising the faith by which alone such rest or sabbath-keeping can be enjoyed. (Hebrews 4:1-6) Hence, says the apostle: “We which have believed do enter into rest”; that is, into God’s rest, whose rest continues from man’s creation at the close of the sixth creative day down through the present and until the close of Christ’s millennial rule.—Hebrews 4:3, 4.
Since the Christian ceases from his own works as God did from His, he no longer tries to justify himself by the works of the old law covenant, but accepts Christ’s finished work in fulfillment of that law covenant and he rests therein by faith. This is the Christian’s rest or sabbath now, a perpetual rest, and which is not violated by their preaching the gospel on each and every day of the week, at great physical exertion. Having the “testimony of Jesus Christ”, they “keep the commandments of God” to be His witnesses faithfully unto the death. (Revelation 12:17) They are “judged by the law of liberty”, which liberty is in Christ. Hence the apostle writes: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [the substance or solid reality] is of Christ.” —Colossians 2:16, 17; James 2:12.
The Creator's Aviators
A Twenty-Pound Swan
◆ When a twenty-pound swan collides head on with an airplane going at 270 miles an hour he hits the plane with an impact force of 56 pounds per square inch. The swan can't take it, and passes out of this life; but when he passes out he takes a terrible vengeance, because the plane can't take it either. In three years 61 American planes collided with birds. In a third of these cases the airplane windshield was broken, and the government is now trying to install a kind of glass that will be bird-proof. In several of the bird-collision cases some or all of the plane occupants were killed or injured. The birds probably think these two-legged people that have no wings should stay on the ground, where they were born.
Submarines Kill the Birds Also
◆ The life of a submarine is spent in works of destruction. It sinks a vessel, and all on board may perish. When the sunken vessel goes down, it often leaves oil on the surface of the water. The birds don't understand. They see the apparently peaceful water, and settle down on it; the oil gets into their plumage and they drift helplessly into starvation and death, no longer able to fly. When the submarine itself is sunk, it also leaves its patch of oil, and that kills more of the feathered beauties.
That Bad Crow, Henry
◆ That bad crow, Henry, lives at Teaneck, New Jersey. He has a split tongue and talks; he loves children and has a sense of humor. He sits atop a telegraph pole until he sees a child coming that he thinks he can have some fun with. He dives at him. If the child runs, that is one part of his fun. If the child stands his ground, the crow lights on his shoulder and converses with him. That's the other part.
Hummingbird Still Ahead
◆ Man does pretty well with his aviation contraptions, but a hummingbird not much larger than a big butterfly can fly backward, forward, up, or down, or "stand still" in midair with its wings going so fast that the eye cannot trace them. Moreover, it has a double-tubed tongue with which to sip the nectar of flowers while "standing still" in the air.
It's nice work, making a hummingbird. Its breast muscles are 100 times as powerful, relatively, as those of a man. It can start going instantly at a speed of 45 miles an hour, which means that its wings vibrate at about 65 beats per second. Don't try making your legs or arms move that fast: it will tear your underwear all to pieces.
If you were a hummingbird you would not be able to walk. You would use your feet only for perching, and whenever you wanted to move anywhere you would use your wings only. But you could do something no other bird can do. You could fly in any direction.
Giving the Gulls a Treat
◆ Gulls are fond of locusts, or grasshoppers, as America prefers to call them. So in the summer of 1941, when there were millions of the 'hoppers in North Dakota, a group of farmers and businessmen got together and imported several thousand sea gulls. The gulls disappeared at length, but the locusts disappeared first. The farmers say this way was less expensive and more efficient than the spreading of poison mash, and much safer also. Looks like a practical and sensible idea.
Guineas Show Grief
◆ Luther Clark, in Our Dumb Animals, for June, 1942, tells of accidentally running over and killing a guinea cock. The flock of which he was a member dragged him from the road and gathered in mourning.
The Industrious Woodpecker
◆ The woodpecker is industrious. Many years ago this scribe shied a rock at one for mistakenly trying to hammer a hole in the slate roof on his house. In Mexico, singular results sometimes accompany his labors. He and his wife dig a tunnel in a palm tree. It makes a nice home for their young. At length it is empty. And how empty a home is after the children have gone! Then the birds bring in the small seeds of the wild fig and deposit them in the nest. In the rainy season they sprout and grow tendrils that finally reach to the ground. The next step is the growth of the fig and the choking to death of the palm which got the raw deal at the bill of the woodpecker.
New Way of Gathering Ergot
◆ Ergot, a black or purplish growth that affects rye, but that is used in the treatment of hemorrhages, is now gathered by a new process. Formerly it was hand-picked out of quantities of rye grain that had been inoculated or infected with it. Now the work is done the other way round. The Department of Commerce, at Staten Island, has found that if it spreads the rye and ergot out on wire meshes in the sunshine pigeons will come and carry away the rye, but they don't interfere with the ergot. They leave that for the two-legged birds without wings; and so everybody is satisfied.
254,000 Farmers Raise Bees
◆ In the year 1940 there were more than 254,000 farms in the United States that maintained beehives. The honey product, useful direct as a food and also in the making of jams, jellies, fruit butters, preserves, cakes, pickles, fruit sauces and medicines, was worth more than $12,000,000. During certain seasons of the year bees have to be fed sugar, dissolved in water, and each hive needs about fifteen pounds a year for this purpose in order to keep in flourishing condition.
The Flight of a Kittiwake Gull
◆ During the summer of 1938, on the island of Kharlov, 200 miles within the Arctic Circle, off the coast of Murmansk, Russia, a worker of the Central Bureau for Bird Ringing, banded a kittiwake gull and released it. The next time the gull was found it was in Bonavista harbor, Newfoundland, in the autumn of 1939. It had crossed Sweden and Norway and perhaps gone via the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and Labrador to its new home across the Atlantic. Gulls of this type are rare in North America except on the East Coast, so it is quite evident the bird flew west.
40,000 Pigeon Lofts
◆ It is estimated that there are 40,000 pigeon lofts in the United States, and their owners are now being asked to register the lofts with the United States Army headquarters. Experiences in the present war have shown that in case of a blitzkrieg the pigeons will get their messages through when all other means fail. A sample army pigeon loft is housed in a fifteen-foot trailer and thus can be taken anywhere. The birds find their way back to it, no matter what. Messages go both ways, to and from the front, and the service is 96-percent reliable. The birds do their flying at night.
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