The Watchtower, October 15, 1917

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Vol. XXXVIII

BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 15, 1917

No. 20

PROPER AND IMPROPER JUDGMENT OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS

"If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But

should not be condemned with the

In this text the Apostle seems to be saying that if we as

Christians would properly criticise, examine and correct ourselves

, it would not be necessary for the Lord to take us in

hand and give us disciplinary judgments, or criticisms. But

if we fail to do this judging of ourselves, then the heavenly

Father must do itj for he has taken us into his family, under

his parental care. The object of this chastening would not

be to injure us, however, but to prevent our being condemned

with the world.

We judge ourselves when we criticise our own conduct, our

own words, our own actions, and try them by the principles

which are found in the Bible — justice, mercy, and truth. As

our Lord has taught us, if we find that we have done wrong

to another, we should leave our sacrifice on the altar, and first

go to make apologies to our brother. (Matthew 5:23) Thus

we would be judging ourselves, obligating ourselves to do the

right thing. When we have done wrong, it is not enough to

say, "Yes I am wrong; but then, no one is perfect." To do

so would not be to act in harmony with the spirit of our text.

That spirit is that if we find ourselves to be in the wrong, then

we have a sacred duty to perform — we must make the matter

right, to the best of our ability.

If the wrong has been along the lines of uncharitable

thoughts toward anybody, it is not necessary that we go to

that person and tell him about the matter. But we should

remind ourselves of all the circumstances, and then judge ourselves

, give ourselves a good setting-down. We are obligated

to give ourselves a lesson along this line. Thus we should

manifest that our heart's intentions are right, and that we

are, therefore, right at heart.

We understand that the will of God concerning us is, that

we should judge ourselves. If we find that we have injured

another with our tongue, or in any other way, we should go

to that person and make proper apologies, thus setting matters

right. Then we should put upon ourselves a penalty that we

shall not easily forget. If the paying of that penalty requires

considerable humility, so much thS better. But if we neglect

to punish ourselves, we would thus demonstrate that we are

not in proper heart condition; and in that case the best thing

that could happen to us would be for the Lord to give us a

when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we

world."— 1 Corinthians 11:31, 32.

severe chastisement. This might not come on the same day or

week or month, however, as the wrong-doing. But we may be

sure that if we fail to do right in the matter, the Lord will

take us in hand and give us some kind of trying experience

which will teach us the needed lesson. He may permit somebody

to do something to us or to say something about us that

will ahow us wherein we have failed to do right. Or he may

permit us to come into such a position that it will bring upon

us some kind of disciplinary suffering.

The object of this arrangement — that if we do not judge

or criticise ourselves, the Lord will do so — is that we shall

not come into condemnation with the world. During the next

age the race of mankind will be on trial, on judgment. (Acts

17:31) If we were of the world, our judgment would come

then instead of now. But we are not of the world; for the

Lord has called us out of it. We are new creatures in Christ,

begotten of the holy Spirit of God. In our case it may be

the same now that it will be with the world in the future;

that is, we might be making marks upon our character which

must be removed. If this is true, the Lord will discipline us

for their removal, unless we come to realize the situation and

remove the marks ourselves. Otherwise we should not be fit

for the kingdom. In other words, if we belong to the church of

Christ, we must receive our judgments and punishments now,

during the present age. If we fail thus to chastise ourselves,

then the Lord will do so for our growth in holiness.

JUDGMENT NOT NECESSARILY CONDEMNATION

We very frequently use the words judgment and opinion

as synonyms, as expressing the same sentiment. A man's

opinion of a matter is his judgment upon the subject. Whether

he expresses it to another or whether he keeps it to himself,

his judgment is his opinion. There may be times when it

would be proper for us to have an opinion, or judgment, that

we would not think it wise to express. For instance, our

Lord said to his disciples, "I have many things to tell you,

but ye cannot bear them now." (John 16:12) There were certain

reasons why he withheld knowledge from them. So it

might be with us.

In the Scriptures the word judgment is sometimes used, in

a special sense; namely in the sense of condemnation. This

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judging, however, the Lord forbids his people to do. We may

say that certain lines of conduct and certain words or acts

are, in our judgment, out of accord with the Lord's standards

of righteousness. This is our privilege. When a matter is

known to be a fact, we ought to have an opinion. Whoever

has no opinion, no judgment, of his own is unstable in character

. Every intelligent person should have an opinion upon

every subject which comes up for criticism. How much of his

mind he might tell others or might reserve to himself would

be for him to determine, according to his own best judgment

in the matter,

"JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME 1 '

Another Scripture says, "Judge nothing before the time/'

(1 Corinthians 4:3-5) This does not relate to the judging

of ourselves, however, but to our judging of others. It is

not for us to judge heart-intentions. We should not denounce

people and declare them guilty of evil intentions. While we

might think that certain conduct is wrong or that certain

teachings are wrong, yet it is not for us to say that the individual

is willingly wrong; for we are not able to read the

heart of any one. God is the only one who knows to what

extent people are willing sinners, wilful wrong-doers. In some

cases it may be that they are under delusion, ignorance, superstition

. In other cases it may be that their environment

gives things a different color from that which we would see.

At the proper time and as may be convenient, we are to do all

in our power to show such people the error of their course;

but, having done so, we are not to attempt to harm them or to

punish them for those things which we esteem to be wrong.

This principle applies to the punishments which are inflicted

by society, such as imprisonment, capital punishment, etc.

The civilized people of the world have reached the conclusion

that mankind cannot read the heart. Therefore the governments

assign different degrees of punishment for different

crimes, not as an offset for the crime, but in order to restrain

evil-doers. As a result, the doer of wrong deeds is often put

into prison for a term of years and -sometimes for life,

that he may be restrained from further wrong-doing and

perhaps reformed in character. Even in capital punishment

the thought is not that the punisment is proportionate to

the heinousness of the crime, but that the taking away of life

is for the restraint of wrong-doing. Thus various methods

of capital punishment have been invented in order that it may

be done in as painless a manner as possible. Some claim

that the breaking of the neck in hanging does not keep the

criminal in suffering. Others declare that the electric chair

is so constructed that the person 'wilt have no consciousness

whatever after the electric current has reached him. So we

see that the endeavor has been merely to curtail the wrong-doer

from the privileges and liberties of life, according to the decision

of those sitting as legislators and law-makers as to what

would be the proper restraint for evil-doing.

PROPER AND IMPROPER JUDGING

Reverting to what the Scriptures say of the people of God,

we may not judge in the sense of determining the degree of

guilt resting upon evil-doers. Love always hopes for the

best, and is not given to evil-speaking or to an expression of

evil judgment. Love ever seeks to think no evil, but rather to

think something favorable, kind, rather to put away anything

in the way of bias, prejudice. Love is rather given to suppose

that the individual whose doings are under criticism did not

discern the right, did not see it clearly, or for some reason

was led into error.

The Master said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

(Matthew 7:18-20) This means that we are to notice the

fruitage of life in ourselves, in the brethren and in our

neighbors. In our own minds we are to judge and disapprove

of what is evil. We should continually judge whether various

acts and words are right or wrong. Every day we see and

hear many things in life which would not be pleasing to the

Lord. Therefore we can exercise our judgment in respect to

all of these things and get the lesson out of them. This would

not mean, however, that we would judge the people who do

and say these reprehensible things. It would be highly improper

for us to relegate them to the second death. While

we may appreciate our Lord's statement that a good tree will

bring forth good fruit, and while we may see that there is

something wrong in the conduct of another, yet we must not

forget that we are not competent to judge as to what degree

of punishment his wrong conduct would deserve. Therefore

we might make a great mistake in endeavoring to judge others

and to decide what punishment they should receive.

The Scriptures state that by and by there will he a* time

when judgments will come upon all those who do wrong. Until

that time comes, we are not to judge others either in our minds

or in our words. All that we may be able to do is to judge

of conduct — whether it is proper or improper; but we should

keep our conclusions to ourselves and not express them to

others. If we are to go through life telling what we think of

this one and of that one, we shall certainly have a hard time

of it. Let us, therefore, recognize the fact that we cannot

judge the heart of any one, just a3 no human being can know

our hearts as well as we know them ourselves.

But in judging even ourselves we should use a certain

amount of leniency, as the Apostle suggests. (1 Corinthians

4:3, 4) His thought seems to be'that when we come to recognize

how high the divine standard is, we might be too apt to

judge ourselves too severely and not take into account the

fact that the Adamic race is shapen in sin and born in iniquity.

(Genesis 3:20; Psalm 51:5) Instead of condemning ourselves

too harshly, we should rather think: "I feel greatly condemned

for what I have done. But while I cannot make any

good excuse for myself, I hope that God will be able to make

some allowance for me in this matter. Perhaps he will see

spme extenuating circumstance which I do not see.'* Thus,

as the Apostle suggests, we would not judge even ourselves.

Those who have the organ of self-esteem small and that

of conscientiousness large are prone to see clearly all of their

recognized imperfections and to suffer much from self-condemnation

. Such persons should endeavor to see matters as they

really are and to judge themselves justly. In fact, all judgment

should be just; for justice is the very foundation of

the divine throne. Therefore we should endeavor to be just in

our judgments to the very best of our ability. All of the

Lord's people will find it profitable to ascertain their own

gains and losses as new creatures, and to perceive how, when

and where these experiences came to them in the constant

battle with the world, the flesh and the adversary. Let them

note the weaknesses and filthiness of their own fallen fleshly

nature, and seek to cleanse themselves of these blemishes, in

order that more and more the new mind will be given full

control, and that every thought will be brought into captivity

to the will of God as- expressed by Christ and illustrated by

his example.

GOD'S PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE NOW

Those who are children of God expect shortly to be made

judges of the world. (1 Corinthians 6:2, 3) Moreover, God

is now seeking to develop in our hearts and lives, in our

character, those principles of righteousness which he desires

and which will be preparatory to our future work of judging

mankind. Therefore unless we are just in our very hearts, unless

we appreciate the principles of righteousness and rejoice

to practise them, we shall not be fit for the kingdom. We

should not he unjust even to an animal. Every creature has

its rights; and we should £ive them those rights, leaving the

results with God. Thus doing, we shall be preparing our own

minds and hearts for the glorious conditions in reservation for

those who love God supremely.

CROWNS APPORTIONED ACCORDING TO JUSTICE

The prize of our high calling will not be given to anyone

on the basis of mercy or of favor. God shows mercy in connection

with the weaknesses and blemishes against which we

are striving; but he will not permit even one individual to

enter the kingdom class whose character is not suitable for

that high position. Those whom he approves for joint-heirship

with our Lord Jesus must represent the principles of

righteousness and must know how to apply these principles

now. Whoever is not disposed to justice to such an extent

as to be willing to suffer los3 rather than to be unjust will

not have a share in the Messianic kingdom.

Let us ever remember that if we are true, loyal children

of God, all our unwilling blemishes are covered by the robe

of our Redeemer's righteousness; and that if we are doing

with our might what our hands find to do in this great matter

of judging, criticising, ourselves with a view to improvement

of character, and are dealing with all others along the line

of the Golden Rule, we are thus demonstrating to the heavenly

Father that we appreciate highly the principle which is the

foundation of his government. If, moreover, we build upon

this sure foundation a superstructure of love, we shall thus

be blessed and made ready for the kingdom of his dear Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ.

Very few have been fully awake to the importance of the

Golden Rule. Very few have been careful to practise it in

all the details of everyday life. Let us remember that there

is comparatively little time left for character-building, that

even now the great Judge is at the door, and that the final

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THE WATCH TOWER

BROOKtYH, N. Y.

testings are upon us. If we hope to be of the kingdom class

we must make haste. This is a very solemn thought. Therefore

we should make the effort to learn what it is that God

requires of those who are to be kings, priests and judges in

the Messianic kingdom, in order that we may be amongst

those who will make their calling and election sure.

DEFEAT THROUGH DRUNKENNESS

[This article with the exception of the paragraphs below was a reprint of that entitled "Elijah's Work Before Ascension/' published

in issue of September l 9 1915, which please see.]

THE CUBSE OP INTEMPEBAtfCE

Intemperance is one of the most dreadful curses afflicting

humanity, and even those who are its slaves will admit the

truth of this statement. Apparently every one who comes

under the baneful influence of strong drink becomes more or

less its slave — the more so in proportion as he has become

weak through the Adamic fall and the six thousand years

of increasing loss of physical and mental strength and vigor.

Only those who realize that inherited weakness has much to

do with drunkenness can sympathize with a fallen one, or

rightly appreciate why intoxicants have so much stronger

influence over some than over others. But while pity and

sympathy are properly called for, yet these qualities must be

exercised in moderation, if we would benefit the fallen and

weak. None are so weak, so degraded, as to be without some

base of character; and our aim should be to strengthen and

build up character, encouraging and stimulating resistance

to these weaknesses, rather than condoning them too freely.

The weak and degraded should be encouraged to know that

they have a will-power which will greatly assist them in the

cultivation of character if they will use it. But all should

know that the greatest strength and stimulus to character

comes from above; and that the weakest, as respects depravity

of the flesh, may obtain such help of heart and of intellect

from the promises, exhortations, admonitions and encouragements

of God's Word as will make them strong in the Lord

and in the power of his might. We need power and strength

of our own wilk daily in overcoming the weaknesses of our

fallen flesh. More than this, we need "grace to help in every

time of need"; and we need to learn whence it is obtained,

and how to approach the throne of heavenly grace with confidence

, so as to obtain the needed blessing.

Here comes in the necessity for an appreciation of the

doctrines of Christ, to assure us that our weaknesses are

understood and sympathized with by our heavenly Father in

every proper sense, and that his provision in Christ is such

that he can foe just and yet justify believers in Jesus — that

lie can be just, and yet forgive us our sins and grant us needed

strength and help in overcoming.

To those wha have friends or neighbors addicted to intemperance

, over whom they desire to exercise a helpful influence

, we* advise that they appeal to the will, to the selfrespect

, and to the rewards of temperance and intemperance,

viewed from a worldly and social standpoint. We also advise

that they go further, and urge that in view of their weakness

of will manifested by the intemperate the latter should recognize

that while all men need the Savior and the help which

he alone can give, yet the weaker the will, the greater the

need. When we are weak in the matter of self-reliance, and

are thereby led to make a covenant with the Lord and to lean

upon his strength, then we are strong. — 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10.

SPECIAL LESSON TO THE CONSECRATED

We have no reason to think that any of our readers arc

slaves to intemperance; for we know that whom the Son makes

free is free indeed. Therefore we urge upon all that the

greater freedom which we receive in Christ, through a clear

knowledge of the divine plan, should lead us more diligently

to bring every talent and every power of mind and of body into

full subjection to the divine will and into the service of the

divine purposes. Those who are imbued with this thought

will surely realize that they have neither mental nor physical

powers to dissipate — that they belong to the Lord and are to

glorify him in their bodies and their spirits, which are his.

(1 Corinthians 6:20) They will perceive that they are merely

stewards; and that any misuse of talents, either through

intoxication or otherwise, would be a misuse of their stewardship

, and would surely lead on to that condition in which the

Lord could not say unto them, "Well done, good and faithful

servant."

But while disposed to discourage intemperance in respect

to intoxicants of every kind, we feel that the special lesson

needed by the Lord's people is in respect to the intoxicating

influences of the world, as these come to us and affect us as

new creatures in Christ. There is an intoxication in wealth,

in luxury, in ease, which tends to say to the soul, "Take thine

ease; forget thy covenant of sacrifice — to walk in the footsteps

of Jesus and be dead with him to the world and its aims."

There is an intoxication of pleasure, of fashion, of pride and

fond desire, which appeals to the new creature very strongly

through various avenues of the mortal body, and which seeks

to intoxicate, to stupefy, the new mind, to make us dull of

hearing as respects spiritual things, to make us lax as respects

our sseal for the Lord, for the truth and for the brethren, and

to make us covet the things that would be approved by the

world and pleasurable to our own flesh, as well as harmonious

to the wishes and exhortations of our friends. To all of these

intoxicating allurements the answer must be, "No! We have

covenanted our lives that henceforth we shall be dead to

earthly interests and alive toward God. Our joys, pur pleasures

, our exhilarations, must be of the spiritual kind." We

must become so enthused, so enraptured, with the heavenly

things, with the joy and peace and blessing which accompany

the eating and drinking at the Lord's table, and so filled with

his spirit, that the intoxications of earthly joys will have

less and less attraction for us. — Ephesiana 5:18.

DIVINE TRUTH

"All truth is calm,

Refuge and rock and tower.

The more of truth the more of calm,

Its calmness is its power.

Truth is not strife,

Nor is to strife allied,

It is the error that is bred

Of storm, by rage and pride.

Calmness is truth

And truth is calmness still;

Truth lifts its forehead to the storm

Like some eternal hill." —

-H. Bonar.

NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER

this article was a reprint of that published in issue of November 15, 1905, which please see.]

CONCERTED VOLUNTEER PLAN

Although we have announced that we would begin making

shipments of the new "Volunteer issue 'The Fall of Babylon"

early in October, it has since been suggested by some that

all orders for the entire country J>e first listed, and then

shipped so as to reach all classes about the same time; then

the Society designate some particular Sunday as a Volunteer

Day, on which date the friends all over the country will dis^

tribute this very important number, Wc think the plan a good

one, and therefore suggest that all classes, including isolated

friends, who have not yet sent in their order for this new

Volunteer matter, do so at once that we may have same

printed up and shipped in accordance with the foregoing

program. We will then designate the date on which all the

brethren, in every city, town, village and country district,

may engage in this stupendous concerted distribution of

"THE FALL OF BABYLON."

CHARGES ANSWERED

The Board of Directors have requested Brother Rutherford title, "Light After Darkness." This reply is not for general

to prepare a reply to the paper recently issued under the distribution, but will be sent to any of the friends on request

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INTERESTING QUESTIONS

THE THINGS WE ABB TO FORGET

Question. — "Forgetting those things which are behind."

(Philippians 3:13) To what things "which are behind" does

the Apostle refer in this text, and why should we forget them?

Answer.— -St. Paul could not have meant by this that we

should not have the things of our previous experiences in

memory at all, that we should forget them all absolutely;

for his writings show that he held his own past in memory. In

our context he tells us of the things he had lost and the

things he had gained; and these things of his past have been

remembered to the extent that they have come down to the

church for eighteen hundred years. The Apostle declared that

he had suffered the loss of many things for the sake of the

truth. He recounted the many persecutions and sufferings

which he had endured, but said that he had borne all this

willingly, gladly. He had relinquished all his worldly advantages

because, as he said, these things had no particular value.

They were as dross compared to hi3 opportunity of becoming

a member of the body of Christ, of the church in glory.

He was forgetting all these in the sense of renouncing them

and easting them behind his back. He was forgetting — in the

■H>nse of not dwelling upon them, being hindered by them —

his previous failures te keep the law, his futile endeavors and

inability to live up* to its requirements. He was giving up

all his earthly ambitions, and was not mourning the opportunities

in life that had gone from him because of his consecration

to the Lord. He was doubtless seeking to forget his own

personal weaknesses and failures in that he would not allow

the memory of them to discourage him. But this did not mean

that he so completely forgot them as to lose the benefit of the

lessons which these weaknesses and failures had taught him.

Our lives would amount to very little If we forgot all the

past. What profit would it be to ourselves to have lived in

the world if we forgot it all? The Apostle uses the word

"forgetting" with somewhat the thought that it sometimes has

now, when used in a sort of slang phrase. A man may say

to his friend, "You did me a great kindness, and I would like

to 'do what I can to repay it" And the friend replies, "Oh,

forget it!" — that is, forget it in the sense of feeling under an

obligation. And, so in the proper sense the Apostle was seeking

to forget the things of the past. If he had made mistakes in

the past, he was now seeking that all of his powers might be

enlisted on the aide of righteousness. He might well forget

these things in the sense of thinking of their being remembered

against him, for they were all covered by the merit of Christ.

So we hive made our peace with God. Having Christ as

our Advocate and Master, we know that God has blotted out

our failures from his book of remembrance. He no longer

holds them against us. Therefore we should not lo3e time

and strength in useless grieving over them. But we are to let

them teach us lessons for the future. We are to forget the

ambitions of the past, in the sense that we will not be controlled

or influenced by them; for we have new hopes. We

have the hope of association with Christ, of membership in

his glorious body. We are to forget the worldly opportunities

of the past that we ' sacrificed, even as St. Paul forgot the

things which he sacrificed; as he no longer craved them nor

sought them.

There are some of the Lord's, professed people who have

difficulty along this line. They say, "Oh, I sacrificed so much

to become a child of God — I sacrificed so much!" And what

they sacrificed is in their eyes too much. But it was not

very much, whatever it was. The more we know of ourselves

the more we realize how insignificant we are in ourselves, and

how little of real value we could accomplish in our -own

strength. And the more we know of the world and the things

of the world the more we realize their emptiness and unsatisfactoriness

. So we decide that we will not think of some

grains of sand that we dropped in order to take hold of the

hand of the Lord; for we have glory, honor and immortality

in view.

St. Paul Baid he was glad that he could suffer something

for Christ. And he was urging others to likewise rejoice in

this great privilege, and inspiring his hearers with the courage

to lay aside every weight and sin, and to run with patience

the heavenly race. So all these glorious things God has promised

are before us as Christians. Everything we had in the

way of earthly ambitions or prospects or fame — these things

are all behind us, and are nothing in comparison to the things

we have already received and those we are hoping for, by the

grace of God.

TBESPASSES, NOT ORIGINAL SIN, BLOTTED OUT

Question. — When the Apostle speaks of the sins that are

past by the forbearance of God, we understand him to mean

the sins that were forgiven when we accepted Christ and were

begotten as new creatures. Suppose, then, that one so forgiven

subsequently returns to wallow in the mire, would the

sins that were past be revived against him, or not?

Answer. — It is our understanding that in accepting the

church the Lord accepts all of that number desirous of coming

to the Father through him, and that he makes an imputation

of hi3 merit sufficient to offset all their Adamic sin and

weaknesses, in order that they may be made the righteousness

of God through him. Being thus justified through faith they

may have full peace with God, and. realize that old things

have passed away and that all things have become new. We

would think, therefore, that nothing in the past would be

revived, jeven if they should commit the sin unto death; for

all former sins were settled for. It would he the sin as a

new creature that would bring his death — it would .not be

necessary to go back to the past, when he was an old creature,

to find something corroborating this.

This blotting out of sins at. the glorification of the church

does not refer to the blotting out of . original sin, but more

particularly to the blotting out of those elements of sin that

are in the flesh, those trespasses for which we need to go

continually to God day by day and pray: 'Forgive us our

trespasses!" All these are blotted out when the flesh itself

shall have been relinquished and we shall have experienced

the "change" to spirit nature.

KNOWLEDGE PROPORTIONATE TO OBEDIENCE

Question. — Is there any text of Scripture, or are there

several texts — and if so, which? — that teach tjiat we must

act upon truth when we receive it, before we may receive

more truth!

Answer. — "He that is faithful in that which is least, is

faithful also in much." — Luke 16:10.

"Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth

therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of

the work, this man shall -be blessed in his deed." — James

1:25. See also verses 22-24.

"Study to snow thyself approved unto God, a workman

that needeth not to be ashamed, .rightly dividing the word

of truth."— 2 Timothy 2:15.

"The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth

more and more unto the perfect day." — Prov. 4:18.

"If any man will to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine

[the truth], whether it be of God.'^John 7:17.

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall

ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you," — John 15:7.

Again Jesus said, "He that followeth me shall not walk in

darkness, but shall have the light of life."— John 8:12.

All the Word of God indicates the necessity of continuance

, of growing in grace and in knowledge— growing up

into him who in all things is the Head of the body, even

Christ. — Ephesians 4:15.

PRESENT BLESSINGS INCREASING DISCONTENT

The question lias been asked us, Has the Millennium any

relationship to present-day strikes, etc.? We answer that the

grandfathers of those men and women who are now rising

up against the present order, received very much smaller

compensation, worked much longer hours and were much more

contented and happy, than is the present generation. Something

has come in which has changed this attitude of mind

and has brought great blessing, great riches, and increasing

discontent. That thing, we believe, is the dawn of the Millennial

day, with the light that it brings— the enlightenment,

the knowledge and realization of power on the part of the

masses.

Some, of course, will be willing to use their knowledge

righteously. We hope that all Bible Students feel so. Others

will be inclined to use their knowledge selfishly. Seeing that

things are wrong they may lack patience, lack love, be unwilling

to endeavor to adjust the wrong in reasonable and proper

ways, as should be the case with those guided by the wisdom

from above. Hence the world is getting more and more bitter j

this dissatisfied condition of mind is increasing. Men are

truce-breakers, breakers of agreements — anything to further

their selfish interests. — 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

We do not know the merits of each particular case, but

we think that what we have said would be applicable anywhere

. We think it safe to assume that the men who strike

at present would average $3.00 per day for about nine hours'

work, and the nine hours' work would not be as laborious

as labor was formerly; for now it can nearly all be done by

machinery. But many laboring men, working for the Standard

Oil Company, the railroads, coal corporations, etc., see that

[6156]

(315-316)

(316-317)

THE WATCH TOWER

Brooklyn, N. Y.

in spite of paying good wages, these corporations are making

much money. They read about the millions being paid in

dividends. They feel in their own pockets. Not a million

do they touch; and they wi9h there was a million there, and

are envious and unhappy because it is not there.

OMNIPOTENT POWER THE ONLY HELP

The Bible points out this increase of knowledge of our

day: "Many shall run to and fro'!; "Knowledge- shall be increased

"; "The wise shall understand" — the rest shall not

understand, and "there shall be a time of trouble such as

never was since, there was a nation." (Daniel 12:4, 10, 1)

This is the prophetic view of the matter in advance. God

permits the Millennial age to come in this way, in a measure,

to demonstrate that it will not be rightly received and that

selfishness would have gone on to even worse lengths if all the

blessings of the Millennial age had been here before. The

'World would have been in a worse condition, more discontented

. Jesus said that the discontent would go on to such

a degree that "unless those days should be shortened there

would be no flesh saved." (Matthew 24:22) Everywhere that

spirit would go; and it is going everywhere. The Lord's

Word seems to imply that this will be so until men shall learn

that their happiness will come, not by might nor by power,

but hy the Lord's Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) As they learn this,

they will see the great Ruler and his power rectifying things

along the line of justice. Every evil of life shall thus be

opened up to view, to correction; everything will be straightened

out; and the world will begin to see the reign of holiness,

of righteousness, harmony with God, justice, equity. Then

the knowledge will do them good.

RELATION OF EUROPEAN WAR TO ISRAEL'S HOPES

We have been expecting great things for the Jewish people,

and believe that these are on the way. Undoubtedly the war

has a very important part to work out under divine supervision

, something that will be advantageous to the Jew, to

Palestine, and eventually to everybody. We would not know

how to forecast the future so as to say what effect the war

will have; for if the Germans should win, then Palestine

would remain under Turkish or German influence; and if

the Allies should win, Palestine would come under the influence

of the Allies, whose fraternal feeling for each other

would lead them to protect each others' interests.

We know the feeling of many of these countries towards

Palestine. The Russians, for instance, treat the Jews very

courteously when people of Russia go to Palestine — not, however

, with any feeling of friendship for the Jew. We know

that the same is the general feeling throughout the world.

Each nation would like to possess Palestine. It is not that

Palestine is such a wonderful country, not that it will be

greatly to the advantage of any of them to possess that little

country; for it has not even one valuable port; but somehow

all have an anxious desire for what is termed "the Holy

Land." Russians, Germans, British and French — all are represented

there; and they would not be willing to give up

their hold on it unless there was some very special compensation

As to the Jews themselves, we believe that they have more

confidence in the Mohammedans, the Turks, who are their

cousins by birth, than they have in any Christian nation.

This is probably because they have been under the Turkish

rule in Palestine, where Jews have had a better time than

they are having in any other country. _ But we are not wise

enough to do any guessing on this question. We simply know

some of the facts as they stand today, and the great fact of

the future as the Bible points it out, that Israel will again

come fully into possession df their own land.

We think that there are many Jew3 now in Russia, Poland,

Germany, etc., who would be very glad had they gone over

to Palestine when they had the chance. We understand that

some of them are going over now, notwithstanding the war

conditions. We had not so understood previously, but information

has reached us that there is now a land immigration

which is taking many Jews to Palestine. We are not, in any

event, to expect that all the Jews will go there; no more

than when God,, through the Prophet, declared that Israel

would be brought again from the captivity of Babylon. We

remember that many of them went into captivity to Babylon ;

and that after being there, some of them for several centuries,

the whole number that came out under Cyrus* decree was

about 50,000, leaving the great mass of the nation "scattered,

abroad," as we read in the New Testament — scattered amongst

the heathen nations, preferring to live where they had become

attached to the soil or land rather than to go back to

Palestine. So we expect that the going back to Palestine will

not include all the Jews now living, 'but merely representatives

of the Jews, of the hopes of Israel.

Without doubt great changes are just ahead, great favors

and blessings, for the devout of the Jewish people who cling

faithfully to the divine promises respecting them. However

we are not to expect their full establishment as a nation

through which tne Lord will operate, until after wars, revolutions

and anarchy of the time of trouble have ceased, and the

ancient worthies have been brought back from the dead in

human perfection. On this point we here append a contribution

from one of our readers, which agrees well with the

presentations of Scripture Studies, Vol. 7, concerning the

resurrection of the ancient worthies and their inheritance of

the land:

WHEN WILL ABRAHAM INHERIT^ THE LAND?

I am basing my suggestions (a) pn the statement of

Tabernacle Shadows, page 34, Par. 1, as .follows: "So, then,

after the body of Christ completes the spiritual 'Seed,* that

additional promise to Abraham respecting an earthly seed

must have fulfillment," (Italics mine.) (b) Also on the fact

that this additional promise is part and parcel of the great

oath-bound Abrahamie Covenant; (c) on the reasonable inference

that Hagar was a type of this additional promise, as

was Sarah of the first promise to the spiritual seed; (d) on

the belief that the 3960 years derived from Genesis 15:9 are

creditably established as a chronological period; (e) and on

the seeming discovery that the additional promise, of the

earthly seed, was confirmed to Abraham ten years after the

giving of the first or chief promise.

Before Abraham moved into the I/and of Canaan there

was the promise of a blessing. The ratification of the promise

was contingent on his obedience to the divine injunction.

When he began his sojourn in the land the promise came

into being as a covenant exactly four hundred and thirty (430)

years before the exodus. (Exodus 12:40, 41.) At the same

time, Sarah came into existence as a type of the promise, or

covenant, then made and pertaining exclusively to the spiritual

seed.— Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:16, 17; 4:28.

After the departure of Lot for Sodom, God made a certain

promise respecting the land to Abraham — "All the land

which thou seeest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed forever

." (Genesis 13 : 15) A certain command was annexed

to the promise: "Arise, walk through the land, in the length

of it and in the breadth of it." (v. 17) Abraham began

at once to carry out this injunction. — V. 18.

Subsequently, his faith having been satisfactorily demonstrated

, God ratified and confirmed to Abraham the promise

of the land, apparently greatly increasing its scope, and made

a covenant with Abraham concerning it. (Genesis 15:18)

The date of the giving of this covenant is of great interest

to Bible students. When was the promise of the land, pertaining

exclusively to Abraham and his fleshly seed, ratified

and confirmed as a covenant obligation, absolutely unconditional

, by Jehovah?

"In the same day, God made a covenant with Abraham,

saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land from the River

of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates," (Genesis

45:18) Here, it seems to me, we have the second part

or instalment of the great Abrahamie Covenant, afterwards

confirmed by oath and called The Promise, although embodying

distinct promises to different classes. (Rom. 4:16) St.

Paul has shown distinctly that the first part of the covenant,

ratified when Abraham became a sojourner in the land, pertained

only to the spiritual seed, which seed is Christ. (Galatians

3:16) Tlie Abrahamie Covenant here came into existence

, hut not as a whole — only as to its first section. The

second section of the covenant, or second covenant, after*

wards merged with the first into the one great unconditional

oath-bound "promise," came into existence "in the same day"

mentioned in Genesis 15:18.

Now if we can find the date of this covenant respecting

the land we shall, with reasonable certainty, be able to fix the

date on which Abraham will inherit the land. God instructed

Abraham to perform a certain strange ceremony of symbolic

significance at the, time that he ratified the promise of the

land and entered Into a covenant regarding it. This ceremony

by which it was customary to ratify covenant engagements

or contracts at that time was in order to strengthen

Abraham's faith, in answer to his question, "Whereby shall

I know that I shall inherit it?"

[6156]

October 15, 1917

THE WATCH TOWER

(317-318)

JEHOVAH'S SIGNIFICANT ANSW2B TO ABEAHAM

We need not suppose that Abraham perceived any symbolic

meaning hidden away in the ages of the victims selected.

This is one of the things "hidden from ages and generations

," but now made known unto us by the Spirit. The

three beasts were each three years of age; the two birds were

young birds. We quote the Biblical comment on Genesis

15:9 — "A bird is usually considered young up to one year

old. Figuring thus, the ages of the- animals represent 11

years. Eleven prophetic years of 360 literal years each equal

3,960 years, the time from the giving of this covenant to

Abraham till the year 1915, when he will inherit the land."

The method here used in obtaining the period elapsing from

the giving of this covenant till Abraham should inherit the

land is sound and in accord with other symbolisms under

which God hid or covered information until due time for it

to be known. The period of 3,960 years seems a well fixed

chronological period. However, we are absolutely certain

that Abraham did not inherit the land in 1915. It may not

seem improper, therefore, for the Bible student to carefully

analyze the above comment, seeking an explanation. In doing

this we can find no fault with the assertion that the 3,960

years begin to count "from the giving of this covenant"; yet,

if the year 1915 is wrong as the date of the end of the 3,960

years, certainly the date fixed on in the comment as the date

from which the 3,960 years begin to count is also erroneous.

Evidently the comment begins the 3,960 years with Abraham's

entrance into the land, 430 years before the exodus, or the

year 2045 B. C. That is the date of the giving of the covenant

, or the first feature of the covenant, meant for the

spiritual seed only. It seems reasonable, however, that the

period intervening until Abraham should inherit the land

would begin with the giving of the covenant respecting the

land. This is the covenant of Genesis 15:18. Regarding this

as the second instalment of the great oath-bound promise

(Genesis 22:16, 17; 26:3, 4), we are perfectly correct in saying

that the 3,960 years begin with the giving of the covenant.

The points in regard to the covenant which were not noted

in the comment are these:

1. Its two specific parts were given at different times.

2. The natural and logical date for beginning the 3,960

years would be the giving of the second part of the oathbound

compact. This was "in the same day" on which the

ceremony attending the slaughter of the victims recorded in

Chapter 15 took place. There and then God established his

covenant with Abraham respectinng the land. — Genesis 15:18.

WHEN "SECOND PABT" OF COVENANT WAS BATIFXED

Has God left us a clue to this date? We answer, that we

believe he has and it is found in Genesis 16:3. It is a reasonable

inference that the event herein recorded followed

immediately upon those recorded in Chapter 15. It seems a

plain deduction that Hagar was a type of the covenant or

promise to the fleshly seed, typified by her son Ishmael. We

are not speaking here of the Law Covenant, of which she

was a type, but of the specific promise to the fleshly seed,

included in and forming a part of the oath-bound covenant.

The law was added 430 years after the promise to the spiritual

seed of Genesis 12:3, and 420 years after Abraham took

Hagar to wife.

The promise, so firmly ratified respecting the land and his

earthly seed, greatly stimulated Abraham's desire for a son,

and moved Sarah. (Chapter 16:1, 2) So Sarah, anxious

to help, offered Hagar to Abraham. "And Sarai, Abraham's

wife, took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian, after Abraham

had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan and gave her to

her husband Abraham to be his wife," (V. 3) Here at this

point Hagar came into existence as a type of that portion of

the Abrahamic Covenant which exclusively pertains to the

fleshly seed. Sarah became a type at the same time that the

portion of the Abrahamic Covenant pertaining to the spiritual

seed was ratified, when Abraham entered the land. Hagar

became a type at the same time that the portion of the covenant

respecting the fleshly seed's inheritance of the land was

confirmed. This was ten years after Abraham entered the land.

Hagar was, of course, a type of the Law Covenant and

Keturah of the New. But these facts do not concern especially

the present inquiry. It is true that the fleshly seed

came under the law, out it is not true that Abraham or his

seed will inherit the promise through (by keeping) the law.

Abraham will inherit the land under the Abrahamic Covenant

— that portion of it pertaining exclusively to him personally

and his fleshly seed after him. — Genesis 15:7, 18; Acts

7:5.

There will be no slip-up. Abraham inherits the land by

faith (as its reward) ; God's oath makes it certain, "The

gifts and calling of God are without repentance." (Romans

11:29) The promise respecting the land is as absolute and

unconditional as the promise respecting the spiritual seed.

"To the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed."

— Romans 4:16.

It seems a reasonable deduction from the foregoing that

the date of the giving of the covenant respecting the land

was coincident with the union of Abraham and Hagar. Here

the 3,960 years begin to count. This union took place ten

years after he entered the land. As he began his sojourn in

the land in the year 2,045 B. C, it follows that the 3,960 years

begin to count from 2,035 B. C. 2,035 plus 1,925 equals 3,960.

Accordingly Abraham should enter upon the actual possession

of his promised inheritance in the year 1925 A. D,

REPORT

Leaving Aurora, Illinois, our journey v was westward, the

first stop heing at Spokane, Washington. Here about three

hundred of the friends had assembled from nearby classes for

a one-day convention. The morning was spent in praise,

prayer and testimony, which was very edifying and profitable

to all. In the afternoon the friends were addressed by Brother

Rutherford on "The Bond of Completeness," text being taken

from Col. 3 : 14. The speaker pointed out the necssity of

putting on this bond of completeness as we near the end of

our course.

In the evening, a public lecture was given by Brother Rutherford

at the Spokane Theater, the subject being, "Are We

at the End of the World?" Fully 'two thousand people were

present, many being turned away. This being a midweek

meeting, it was considered unusually well attended. Interest

was splendid and we hope much good may result.

The next evening, the 16th of August, a public meeting was

addressed by Brother Rutherford at the Everett Opera House,

Everett, Washington, about twelve hundred being present.

Just one year to the day prior thereto, the speaker had addressed

an audience in the same Opera House with reference

to the War, at which time he stated that the United States

would be drawn into the war before another year. The public

press at Everett commented on this fact and the fulfillment

of this statement, which probably had much to do with

bringing out many of Everett's most substantial citizens. The

interest at the evening lecture was unusually good, many leaving

cards signifying a desire for further information.

TACOMA 00NV2HTI0V

Tacoma, Washington, was a four-days convention, August

16th to 19th, inclusive. The discourses were all listened to

eagerly by the friends at each session of the convention, about

fifteen hundred being present. The Photo Dbama of Creation

was exhibited in the evening at the theater where the

OF THE WESTERN CONVENTIONS

convention was held, it being packed to overflowing at each

session. Seventy symbolized their consecration to the Lord.

Several months previous, the Mayor and Board of Trade

of Tacoma had invited out Association to hold a convention

at Tacoma, offering the use of the Stadium, which was accepted

. The Stadium is a mignificent structure built on the

very banks of Puget Sound, with a seating capacity of more

than thirty thousand, and the accoustics are so nearly perfect

that when filled, everyone can hear a speaker addressing the

audience in an ordinary voice. Some weeks after the invitation

had been accepted, some of the ministers of the city

of Tacoma objected to our using the Stadium unless it was

agreed that nothing would be said derogatory to the clergy,

and the Stadium Board asked that this limitation be put uponthe

use of the place. We declined to accept it on these terms

and had no idea of using the Stadium at all. The public

meeting was advertised to l>e held at the Tacoma Theater, but

it was evident that the Theater would not accomodate the

people. The Mayor and Board of Trade then influenced the

Stadium Board to withdraw all conditions on the Stadium and

placed it at our disposal without restrictions. Only two days

remained for advertising the meeting. The attendance Sunday

afternoon was fully five thousand. The Mayor of the

City presided and introduced the speaker, the subject being,

"Are We at the End of the Worjd?" During the course of

the lecture, Dr, Dyer, said to be the leading clergyman of

Tacoma, took exception to some things the speaker said, came!

to the platform and demanded that the Mayor suppress the

meeting, which the Mayor refused to do; then, time and again

he interrupted the meeting, going to the extent of standing on

the platform and calling the speaker a liar three times. It was

evident that the Audience was against him, and when the

meeting was over, the minister left the auditorium amidst

jeers and many of his own congregation were heard to say

vn—22

[6157]

(318-309)

THE WATCH TOWER

Bhooklyn, N. Y.

that never again would they go to hear him. A great number

of the audience left their address cards, signifying their

desire to hear more. The interuption proved a splendid opportunity

for a public witness to the truth, and again the

Lord caused the wrath of man to result to his praise.

On Monday evening, the 20th of August, a public meeting

at Portland, Oregon, was addressed by Brother Rutherford,

fully 1,200 being present. The interest manifested was very

marked and many left their address cards. The day following

there was a gathering of the friends at Salem, Oregon,

being addressed by Brother Rutherford.

From the 22nd to the 26th, inclusive, the convention was

held at Oakland, California, Brother Wisdom being the chairman

. The other speakers of the convention were Brothers

Anderson, Hadley, Heard, Talifaerro and Rutherford, about

six hundred of the friends attended this convention, forty

symbolizing their consecration. Sunday afternoon at Oakland,

a* public meeting *was addressed by Brother Rutherford, about

two thousand being 1 present. The same evening another public

meeting was addressed at San Francisco, about one thousand

being present. The attendance here was small, probably

due to the fact that a street car strike rendered it difficult

for the people to get to and fro in the city. This was a very

blessed convention and everybody remarked that many blessings

were received there.

On August 31st to Sept 2nd, a convention of the I. B. S. A.

was held at Los Angeles, California. It was not expected

that more than four or live hundred would attend this convention

, but the attendance was fully eight hundred. Brother

Heard was chairman here. The other speakers were Brothers

Anderson, Wisdom, Hadley, Sexton, Lee, Sherman and Rutherford

. No public meeting was attempted at Los Angeles

because it was the beginning of the Billy Sunday campaign

and it was thought inadvisable to attempt a public meeting at

this time, we preferring to wait a more opportune season.

Fifty-six symbolized their consecration here.

NOTICEABLE FEATURES OF THE CONVENTION

At each one of the conventions above named, the spirit

manifested was unusual. It has long been a custom at our

conventions to have a committee to whom complaints would

be referred. At these conventions there were no complaints,

hence the trouble committee was without employment. There

was a total absence at these conventions of gossip. The

friends refused to discuss past troubles or disturbances. They

seemed bent on dping but one thing, striving with earnestness

and zeal to prepare for an abundant entrance of the church

into the kingdom of our Lord. The Spirit of the Lord was

everywhere manifest to a marked degree. All seemed to realize

that the end of the harvest is very near, and the necessity

of greater zeal and earnestness on the part of all the harvest

workers. At each one of these conventions, at the conclusion

of "Harvesters* Day," the enthusiasm and zeal to enter some

branch of the work in these closing days of the harvest was

everywhere marked. Many who had heretofore been in the

colporteur work and required to stop, signified their determination

to immediately return to it. Others who had never

been colporteurs expressed a desire to immediately take up

the work. Quite a number of brethren with ability offered

themselves for the pilgrim service, some of whom have been

selected and will shortly enter the w T ork.

The Seventh Volume was enthusiastically received by most

all who attended the various conventions, only here and there

being an exception. At every convention resolutions were

adopted by almost a unanimous vote approving the present

management of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

and its officers, pledging unreserved loyalty to the Society.

As an old soldier expressed it, "A good soldier always follows

his regimental flag. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract

Society is our flag. The Lord has used it all these years and

continues to use it, and where he directs the work through

it, we rejoice to follow."

At every one of these conventions the friends could be

heard enthusiastically saying, "This is the best convention I

ever attended." The sweet spirit of love for the Lord and

the brethren and loyalty to him and to his cause and to the

channel he continues to use for the harvest was everywhere

manifest. It was indeed good to be there, and reminded us

that we are drawing nearer to the general convention of the

church of the first-born where there will be fulness of joy

in the presence of our King.

"MEET FOR THE USE OF THE MASTER WE LOVE"

[This article was a reprint of that published in issue of October 15, 1902, which please see.l

INTERESTING LETTERS

GREETINGS FROM AH ENGLISH P EI SON

Dear Brethren in the Lord: —

Greetings in the precious name of our dear Redeemer,

Seeing that so many of our dear brethren in America are

being affected by the new military measure, we are desirous

of extending to them our warmest sympathy.

We rejoice to know that so many of the dear saints of

God are standing thus firmly by the principles of righteousness

in this hour of trial. Our prayer on their behalf is that they

may have the necessary grace sufficient in every time of need

and that wisdom which cometh from above, so that they

may be enabled to "witness a good confession" and copy

the noble example of our dear Redeemer, following in his

footsteps.

We are realizing, perhaps more than ever, that here we

have no continuing city, that in the world we must have

tribulation, and that the child of (rod must suffer persecution

, for it is only "if we suffer with him" that "we shall

reign with him." Nevertheless we are learning from our

illustrious Example the power of the joy that is set before known.

Now, however, we are enjoying a measure of ireedom,

not being fully subject to either military or prison discipline

. We are rejoicing to be accounted worthy to suffer

on account of the name of Christ, and we hasten to send

these few words of sympathy and encouragement to all the

dear ones who will be affected by the Military Service Act.

We also pray the heavenly father's richest blessing upon

the Bethel Family and send our fervent Christian Love.

Your brethren and fellow-servants in the Lord,

{Signed by 37 Brethren.)

LEARNING TO KNOW HERSELF

My Dear Brethren: —

Greetings in the name of the King of kings! I feel so

very grateful to the Lord that I have a deeper sense of appreciation

for him and for the results of our deceased Pastor

's faithful service in his name. And while my heart is

lauding, magnifying, and praising him, I impose on your

valuable time and with a few pen words make my thanks

us, and we are seeking to cheerfully endure all things that

God in his providence sees fit to bring upon us.

Daily do our prayers ascend at the throne of heavenly

grace foT all the dear brethren throughout the whole habitable

who are affected by the military, and we sincerely trust

that the dear American brethren may continue firm and

steadfast, rejoicing in tribulation, and faithful unto the end,

in all things seeking to glorify the name of our Father in

heaven. We know not what awaits us, but then again we

do know that faith can firmly trust him, come what may.

Under divine providence we have heen before tribunals —

in the hands of the military — and also in prison, but God

has blessed and kept us in all of our experiences. Our

temperaments are varied, our experiences have varied, but

we have all felt the power of a deeper and sweeter communion

with our heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus. We

all testify to the fact of our being drawn nearer to our

dear Father in heaven as a result of these experiences.

Especially good and valued are The Watch Towers. Each

subject seems to be addressed to me. Some bring much comfort

and are as apples of gold in pictures of silver; while

others bring rebukes and corrections to Self. Yes, where

I once thought T was "some one/* now I am learning to

know myself; and I find much dross, not to be desired. How

anxious I am to have this purged out of my life, and to be

transformed into his likeness, from one degree of radiant

holiness to another, as derived from the Lord!

In order to help me remember I am an ambassador for

Christ, I have taken this way as a helper: Each morning

after worship I inscribe with ink on the palm of my hand,

or on the arm, the Scripture citation for the morning, and

also the Bethel hymn, bo that when Satan would overtake

me I see the citation. In what a wonderful way the Lord

speaks! This simple method recalls the text. I find that

T can have the music of God's great plan ring through vofy

heart and life every day and hour.

[6158]

OcroBis* 15, 1917

THE WATCH TOWER

(319-324)

I pray earnestly for you, and surely the .Lord will recompense

your work and a full reward be given you of him

under whose wings you are come to trust. — Ruth 2:12.

Your sister, striving for the kingdom, R. E. Lawkence.

CONTINUED APPRECIATIONS OP VOLTJME SEVEN

"I am glad I can recognize the Seventh Volume as the

genuine article. It has proven a blessing to me, and the

"penny* pay is more than satisfactory. It is more than I deserve

, just like all of our dear Lord's rewards to his little

ones."— C. R. P., Ga.

"We huve not ceased to thank the Lord for the 'penny'

and the desire and hope of riding in the fiery chariot. The

grand old plan gets bigger and grander all the time." —

W. F. McL., Ala.

"I cannot close without expressing my gratitude for the

Seventh Volume, I am now reading it for the second time,

and I thank the Lord that I have been privileged to receive

this volume."— Mrs. C. J. P., Ohio.

"We cannot express in words the joy and comfort the

Seventh Volume brought to our hearts. We are filled with

adoration and praise and thanksgiving to our Father. Have

gone through the book once but am now reading it, looking

up each reference; and oh, the truths that are thus hidden!

What blessing it brings!"— Mrs. R. W. H., Ohio.

"I have received a great blessing from the Seventh Volume.

I believe that it has come at just the right time — a time when

the church would have severe trials and bitter experiences."

—J. A. M., Ind.

"How we are rejoicing in the light of Volume Seven, and

noting its perfect harmony and w)iy our beloved Pastor could

not put that out on this 3ide the veil!" — Mrs. A. T. B., Kan.

"Having just finished the first and second parts of Volume

…