Religious Intolerance (1918)

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NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 15, 1918

No.1

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE PASTOR RUSSELL'S FOLLOWERS PERSECUTED BECAUSE THEY TELL THE PEOPLE THE TRUTH

Treatment of Bible Students Smacks of the "Dark Ages"

"The Servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you."—John 15:20.

IN 1869, young Charles T. Russell, being a diligent student of divine prophecy, discovered that the Bible contains an outline of Jehovah's wonderful plan of salvation which will ultimately bless mankind. So enthused was he with the message of hope that he at once devoted all of his time and money to making it known to others. At the very beginning of his ministry, he spent $40,000 out of his own pocket to distribute freely in the city of New York and other parts of the world a little booklet entitled, "Food for Thinking Christians." A few clergymen saw he was right and with gladness joined with him in the work. The greater majority of clergymen, instead of explaining these Scriptural truths to the people and helping them, began a cruel and systematic persecution of this great reformer, and thus they persistently continued to persecute him until his death in 1916.

Pastor Russell clearly proved from the Scriptures that the doctrine of eternal torment of human souls is the flendish doctrine of the great Adversary and a defamation of God's holy name: that the doctrine of the Divine right of the clergy to teach the Bible and the Divine right of kings to rule is wholly unscriptural, and that both have been the cause of untold suffering of the peoples of earth.

Pastor Russell wrote and published six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, and shortly after his death the Seventh Volume of the series was issued, the latter more particularly explaining the prophecies of Ezekiel and Revelation and proving how the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems have grown up in the earth and oppressed the people. This volume also points out that Messiah's Kingdom is near at hand and that soon indescribable blessings will flow out to mankind.

More than twenty years ago Pastor Russell pointed out from the Bible that God had granted to the Gentiles a lease of power which would legally end in 1914, and that then the nations would become angry and God's wrath would come; that a great international war would begin at that time and would be followed by greater trouble, and that the trouble would usher in Messiah's Kingdom of righteousness, which would be the desire of all nations. Long ago he showed that it would be impossible for the United States to keep out of that war. The facts, now well known by every man, prove the correctness of Pastor Russell's interpretation of the Bible. His exposition of Scripture has greatly angered the majority of clergymen, because it shows that their teachings in the past have been out of harmony with the Word of God; and if he is correct in his interpretation of the Bible teachings, their position as clergymen must soon come to an end. The clergy were challenged to show the people that these Scriptural interpretations are wrong, or to join in explaining them to the people and thus to help in leading them into greater light and happiness. This they failed to do. They had no answer to the clear exposition of Scripture given by Pastor Russell and those who joined with him in the work.

In Jesus' day, the clergy of the Jewish order of that time, being unable to meet his forceful words, stirred up the people against him and had him arrested, charging him with treason against the Roman government and with blasphemy against God.

Early in the month of February, 1918, the clergymen of Canada began a systematic denunciation of the International Bible Students Association and its publications. For instance, the Winnipeg (Canada) papers announced that certain clergymen had denounced the publications of this Association from their pulplits and stated that the attention of the Attorney General had been called to the matter. Later, the Attorney General examined certain of the Association's publications and the

public censor placed a ban upon them in Canada. The Winnipeg Tribune says, "The censor's order is believed to be the direct result" of these representations of the clergy. Shortly thereafter, in various parts of Canada, members of the International Bible Students Association were arrested, their houses were searched and their books and other publications taken away from them.

About the same time the President of the Association addressed a great mass meeting at Los Angeles, Cal., one of the leading papers of that city carrying a full-page report of the meeting the morning following. The ministerial alliance waited upon that paper with a view to preventing further publication of the Bible truths as proclaimed by the International Bible Students Association. The clergy failed in this mission. A few days later, certain officers swooped down upon the Bible Students' headquarters, took possession of their various publications, including Bibles and hymn books, and took them away. They forced an entrance into the private office of one of the elders of the class, without even having a search warrant. In various parts of the country, men and women were arrested and thrown into jail. In Arkansas, a poor woman selling books at a small profit for a living, was arrested because she was selling "The Finished Mystery," the seventh of Pastor Russell's series of books; her bond fixed at $20,000, which was impossible for her to give, and she was compelled to stay for some time in a jail too filthy to house swine.

In big headlines, the clergymen have advertised the publications of Pastor Russell as "German propaganda." Their evident object was to stlr up the minds of the people against these Bible Students, because of the enmity that exists against the Germans. As an example, the Edmonton (Can.) Journal printed in bold heading, this statement of Rev. Dr. Oliver: "Russellism is Hun Propaganda Under a Cloak." "'An infamous German propaganda under the cover of religion,' said Dr. French E. Oliver to a crowded audience at the First Presbyterian Church of Winnipeg."

PERSECUTION IN GERMANY

To show a well-organized effort on behalf of the clergy to persecute these Bible Students, we see their activities have not been confined to our country alone, but to many countries. For a number of years the International Bible Students Association has maintained an office in Germany and in many other foreign countries. A paper in Copenhagen, Denmark, recently published the following:

"A Warning Against the Millenium Sect

"The Consistory of Kiel (Holstein, Germany) is calling the attention of the (Lutheran) priests to the activities carried on by the Millennial sect, which calls itself 'Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,' and also 'Bible Students Association.' The Imperial War Department has recently requested us to keep a watchful eye on the activities of this sect, which consist in selling the writings of its founder, the recently deceased Pastor Russell, of Brooklyn, North America, in untiring propaganda work, accomplished with American money. The Consistory does, therefore, call the priests' attention to this sect and requests that they take action against it and report to the Consistory their observations of its dangerous activities."

Long has the Papacy looked with lustful eye for the control of American institutions. The same ambition that actuates the Kaiser of Germany lurks in the mind of the Pope. Since the days of Napoleon Bonaparte, it has been the desire of the Papal head to exercise temporal power. We now sound a warning to the liberty-loving people of the world against the encroachments of the Papal system, aided and supported by a class of clergymen from other systems who have greed for power and who are willing to persecute any who seek to enlighten the people upon the true teachings of the Scriptures. Success of that Ecclesiastical Trust will mark the end of religious liberty. There are thousands in the world today who believe that the Pope recently betrayed Italy into the hands of the Kaiser; but when his wrongful course was discovered, he faced about. We quote from The Literary Digest for Jan. 19, 1918:

It is no secret that the clergy for years past have diligently sought to acquire greater political power amongst the nations; and particularly is this true in the United States. They now take advantage of the condition of stress to further their selfish aims.

"A scapegoat has been found for the recent reverses in Italy in the person of Pope Benedict XV., and one of the leading English papers does not hesitate to accuse him of having turned from a passive Austrophil into an active worker for the Austrian, as against the Italian, cause. In a long editorial in the London Morning Post the Vatican and all its works are roundly denounced. The London Tory organ says: 'The time has come when it is necessary that the Allies should consider with some care what is their position in relation to the Vatican. That the recent Italian reverse was largely due to the influence of treacherous representations disseminated among the Italian armies is known; that the Vatican was implicated in that propaganda is also known; and the result was a disaster so grave that its effects cannot yet be measured. Since the beginning of the war, the Vatican, in so far as political action is concerned, has maintained an attitude which, as it was temporarily neutral, was spiritually incomprehensible, inasmuch as violations of law and offenses against humanity were tacitly condoned.'"

It is no secret that the Catholic and Protestant clergy are joining hands in the persecution against the International Bible Students, both in America and other countries; not because they believe that the Bible Students are disloyal to any government, but because they know that the true teachings of the Bible expose them and show how they have kept the people in darkness for so many centuries. Now the clergy, posing as patriots and supporters of the government, are really taking advantage of the occasion to further their selfish purposes. We take this opportunity to warn the American people and order-loving people everywhere against a bigoted class of men who have systematically endeavored to prevent the people from understanding the Bible and to throttle all Bible teaching unless it comes through them. While America's sons are fighting for the principles of liberty, the clergy are seeking to establish a policy of religious intolerance which finds a precedent only in the Dark Ages.

We are glad to recognize that in all the churches, Catholic and Protestant, there have long been some true, loyal Christians. But it is the church trust, composed of the clergy class, that is seeking to crush others who differ from them. We speak here against the church trust and in the interest of the common people generally. We have malice toward none, but love for all men. We would not even do our enemies an injury; but we conceive it to be our duty to call the people's attention to these facts, that the principles of religious liberty may still be recognized in this government.

We are not against the war. We recognize and have long taught that the Bible, three thousand years ago, foretold the present great war, and that God's hand would be in the matter When President Wilson asked the ministers to pray for peace, Pastor Russell, in an address in the New York City Temple said, "While I have the greatest respect for our honorable President, I must decline to join in a prayer for peace, because the Word of God shows that this war must come at this time; and for me to pray for peace now would be to ask Jehovah to change the Divine plan."

These clergymen, Catholic and Protestant, who are joining hands together to gain greater political power in the land and who are unable to answer the teachings of the Bible concerning themselves, like the persecutors of our Lord, have raised a great howl that the International Bible Students are disloyal and against the Government of the United States, and therefore guilty of treason. Nothing is further from the truth. There is not a disloyal one amongst the members of the International Bible Students Association.

We are not against the Government in any sense. We recognize the United States Government as the best on earth and Mr. Wilson as the greatest of earth's rulers.

For more than thirty years, Pastor Russell and other members of the Association have been telling the people that the war would begin in 1914. The clergy throughout the land ridiculed and scoffed at the idea. Had the advice of Pastor Russell and the International Bible Students Association been heeded, the people would not have been so surprised when the war came, and would have been better prepared and fortified for it.

We recognize that this war, foretold by Jehovah, will be overruled by him and result in much good to mankind. The Bible says, "There shall be a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, even to that same time." (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21) If it is disloyal to call attention to the meaning of this great trouble upon the earth, then it is disloyal to repeat the Lord's prayer. He taught all his followers to pray, "thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven."

Furthermore, the Lord said; "Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy [not literal fire]. For then will I turn to the people a pure message, that they may all call upon the

position to interfere with the draft or the war in any manner. The fact that some of our members have sought to take advantage of the protection of the law, has been used as another means of persecution. Congress passed the Selective Draft Act in May, 1917, and in that act provided that no person shall be compelled to engage in combatant military service who is a member of a well-recognized religious organization, the principles of which preclude its members from engaging in war. Thus the law makers of the land recognized that there are conscientious objectors who cannot conscientiously engage in mortal combat. The reason for this is that some have fully consecrated themselves to the Lord and they conscientiously believe if they are faithful to him they shall have a part in his Kingdom of righteousness, and that if they engage in the taking of human life this will destroy them eternally. The law provides that such shall be given non-combatant service.

WHAT BIBLE STUDENTS BELIEVE

The International Bible Students believe that Jesus Christ is the great Redeemer of mankind; that he promised before his ascension into heaven that he would return again and receive his church unto himself; that he would reign for a thousand years thereafter, during which time he would give every man a fair trial for life and all the obedient ones would be restored to human perfection, happiness and eternal joy, the wilfully wicked being everlastingly destroyed. that ultimately the earth will be filled with a race of happy, joyful people. The word "millennium" means one thousand years; therefore the millennial reign of Christ means the thousand-year reign of Christ mentioned in the Scriptures. (Revelation 20:1-4) They believe that the Lord's reign and great blessing is at hand. The bringing of this hope to the people at this time has greatly angered the olergymen and they have vehemently denounced it, because, if true, the power

"WIRELESS SEIZED"

About the same time that arrests were being made in other places, the public press throughout the country announced that a "raid" had been made on the Bethel Home, Brooklyn, and a powerful wireless receiving station was found in the cellar and a sending station on the roof, intimating that this was maintained in the interest of pro-German work. The facts are these: Some three years ago, Mr. Edward Kuser of Pottstown, Pa., presented Pastor Russell with a receiving radio machine and it was erected on the roof of the Bethel Home. There never has been a sending apparatus about the premises; not even the receiver has been used, except to experiment with by some of the younger members who were trying to learn the operation of the wireless, and not even this has been done during the past two years. More than a year ago, the wireless was dismantled and the poles sawed up and used for other purposes, and the receiving instrument safely stored away in the art room. It was voluntarily produced and by consent removed, because we have no use for it. There is not a person about the Bethel Home, nor has there been for two years, who knows anything about the use of a wireless instrument.

We here insert the affidavit of the person who manufactured and erected the wireless:

COUNTY OF NEW YORK) : ss

I. Edward Kuser, being duly sworn, do depose and say, as follows:

In 1915, about the first of the year. I made a present to Pastor Russell of the wireless receiving set which was found on the premises of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society at Bethel Home, 122 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York, as my own personal gift. Being a manufacturer of wireless equipment I can positively state

THE CLERGY WOULD CENSOR THE BIBLE

name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." (Zephaniah 3:8, 9) Thus Jehovah points out that after the trouble is over. a great blessing shall come to the people.

Now we are attempting to teach the people what is going to follow after this war—not teaching according to our own wisdom, but according to what the great Teacher, Christ Jesus, made clear. Again the clergy are trying to keep both the governments and the people in ignorance. The clergy cry long and loud about their own loyalty and patriotism; whereas, as a matter of fact, they are really a menace to both governments and people. The American people can be trusted with all the knowledge possible to be given them. Knowledge of righteousness will do good and not harm. Let the people understand what the future holds and their fears will be calmed. The International Bible Students Association is earnestly endeavoring to help the people along this very line.

THE DRAFT

We recognize that the United States Government, being a political and economic institution, has the power and authority, under its fundamental law, to declare war and to draft its citizens into military service. We have no disof a hypoortical clergy is about to end. As a sample, we quote from Dr. Shirley J. Case, of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, who has recently written a book against Millennarianism, and who, speaking against the work of the International Bible Students Association, says: "Two thousand dollars a week is being spent to spread the doctrine. Where the money comes from is unknown; but there is strong suspicion that it emanates from German sources. In my belief, the fund would be a profitable field for government investigation." Have such representations had anything to do with the investigation of the Bible Students Association's books? Something has caused it. We have nothing to conceal. We here mention that recently the Government officials took possession of the books of the Bible Students Association and made a thorough investigation. No trace was found of German influence or the use of German money. We gladly state that all the money used in our work is voluntarily contributed by conscientious men and women throughout the country who regard it a great privilege now to declare the message of peace and hope that the Bible holds out, to the poor, groaning creation.

that there was no transmitter connected with this instrument. The instrument was purely a receiving one. Messages could be received, but could not be sent. This was more or less between Pastor Russell and myself. Several of the residents there also knew of its presence. I know certainly when I presented the instrument to Pastor Russell that there was no one residing at the Bethel Home who could operate it intelligently. I was at the Bethel Home in August, 1917, and I saw at that time that the aerial system was dismantled, the pole being sawed off even to the roof, but I did not see the instrument and was informed that the apparatus had been out of commission for over a year.

The sealing of wireless apparatus consists of taking down the aerial system and placing the apparatus where it would not be possible to use it. As near as I remember, the said receiving instrument has not been in use as a receiver for the last twenty months.

I have just now made a personal inspection of the instrument, which was taken from the Bethel Home on March 6th,1918,and find that

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the detector bulb upon which the success of the apparatus entirely depends is the original one I furnished in 1916, and is completely burned out, hence rendering the instrument of no practical use whatever. Twenty months ago I was asked to renew this said bulb by Mr. Crosby, but it was not renewed and has been out of commission ever since. In order to renew this bulb it would have been necessary to send the old one to the factory and procure a new one in its stead, this being the requirement of the manufacturer, De Forest Company. The De Forest Company have the patent on this bulb and they would not have renewed it without the return of the old one, and this was the original one I furnished. I found with the instrument a telegraph key, which was not a part of the said receiving set, being used to practice the code, as it is necessary to know the telegraphic code before any one could intelligently receive or send a message.

(Signed) EDW. A. KUSER. Sworn to before me this 14th day of March, 1918 (Signed) Thomas F. Keenan, Jr. Notary Public—Bronx County No. 51; Certificate Filed N. Y. Co. No. 295; Term Expires March 31, 1919. "THE FINISHED MYSTERY"

At the first intimation that there was any objection to the language used in "The Finished Mystery," a special representative of the Association was sent to Washington, D. C., and took the matter up with the Censor Committee of the Intelligence Section of the War Department. That Committee, after looking over the book, would not declare that any part of it is seditious, but advised that pages 247 to 253 be removed. Nearly all of the matter on these pages is quotations from two ministers of New York City, written prior to the United States' entry into the war, and who there discussed the advisability of war. The Association immediately proceeded to instruct all of its Colporteurs throughout the country to remove the pages above mentioned, before offering the book for sale. The manufacturers were notified to hold up the work until new plates could be supplied for these pages. And thus every effort has been made to comply with the advice of the public censor. The purpose of the Association is not in any wise to interfere with the war and its progress, but its mission and purpose is to teach the people the plain meaning of the Bible

The Prophets of the Lord describe Mystic Babylon and show that the ecclesiastical systems constitute Babylon. The book that has recently, been so much commented upon in the press, "The Finished Mystery," is a commentary upon these prophecies, particularly Ezekiel and Revelation. These two great prophecies expose the clergy and show that their doctrines are misleading, without hope, and confusing. Babylon means confusion. The Bible proof shows that the clergy have been preying upon the people and collecting money from them upon the pretense of teaching them the Scriptures; whereas they have kept them in ignorance of the Bible. The creeds taught by the clergymen have held out no hope for any one except the few that go to heaven. They have taught that the mass of humanity would have to spend eternity in hell—a lake of burning fire and brimstone.

On the contrary, the Scriptures hold out a wonderful hope for mankind. In obedience to their country's call, thousands of young men of America are facing the enemy upon the battlefield. Doubtless many of these do not claim to be Christians; and if the teachings of the clergy are correct, then those boys would have no hope The International Bible Students are

trying to teach them and every one also that the Bible proves that only the consecrated Christian is now on trial for life, and that when Messiah's Kingdom is in operation all the living will learn the truth, and all the dead shall return from their tombs and have an opportunity to gain everlasting blessings. Soldiers who die upon the battlefield, those who die at home from disease and other causes; in fact, all, shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth from the tomb. (John 5:33) The Bible is full of consoling promises for mankind. The great Adversary, by his various machinations, has kept the people in ignorance of these great truths for centuries. Now in this hour of great stress upon the world, he is desperately striving to throttle those who are earnestly and faithfully trying to open the eyes of the people to this consoling message contained in the Bible. It is the Adversary's old trick of intolerance in the name of religion against he glorious hope that God has set before those who love righteousness. As a sample of the teachings of the Bible Students and of Pastor Russell's writings concerning this hope set before mankind, we quote from his first volume:

"Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe, degradation and sorrow that yet prevail on account of sin, and picture before your mental vision the glory of the perfect earth. Not a stain

of sin mars the harmony and peace of a perfect society; not a bitter thought, not an unkind look or word; love, welling up from every heart, meets a kindred response in every other heart, and benevolence marks every act. There sickness shall be no more; not an ache nor a pain, nor any evidence of decay not even the fear of such things. Think of all the pictures of comparative health and beauty of human form and feature that you have ever seen, and know that perfect humanity will be of still surpassing loveliness. The inward purity and mental and moral perfection will stamp and glorify every radiant countenance. Such will earth's society be; and weeping bereaved ones will have their tears all wiped away, when thus they realize the resurrection work complete."

How different is this sweet message to that of endless torment taught by the clergy and which had its birth in the Dark Ages.

Surely the people do not wish to return to the Dark Ages and have a few bigoted clergymen tell them that they should not read what the Bible says. We are reminded that in the early days of the Papacy it was made a crime for a man to have a Bible; and now the clergymen would take away the Bible explanation from the people. Our forefathers braved the storms of the Atlantic in open boats and came to wild America that they might find here a safe retreat and establish an asylum of religious liberty where they could worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. These great principles were embodied in the fundamental law of the land. The Constitution guarantees the right of petition and redress, the right of freedom of speech in the interest of humankind. We call upon all order-loving, law-abiding people to protest against this unholy persecution of innocent men and women, who have but one desire, and that to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his glorious Kingdom now at hand.

Religious intolerance has brought Russia to her present condition. An arrogant, religious intolerance has made German autocracy possible. While the peoples of the Allied nations are fighting for principles of justice and right, let all see to it that these principles are not denied to order-loving men and women who are attempting to help their fellow-men to a better understanding of God's purposes concerning their future welfare and blessing. Let the people assemble everywhere in calmness and sobriety and consider the great truths of the Bible, because "righteousness exalteth a nation," and nowhere can righteousness be so well learned as from the Word of God.

THE WORLD HAS ENDED MILLIONS Now Living May NEVER DIE! FREE LECTURE

By HON. J.F.RUTHERFORD Member New York City Bar

In order that the people of New York City may have an opportunity to consider his convincing and heartcheering message, the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS have arranged for Mr. Rutherford to deliver his great lecture FREE to the public.

Thousands of America's sons are gone to the battlefield. Many may die there. Mr. Rutherford's lecture gives conclusive proof of future blessings for them, whether they die Christians or not. This message will bring joy and comfort to every heart.

BROOKLYN ACADEMY of MUSIC

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3 P. M.

SUNDAY

ALL SEATS FREE

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