The Watchtower, March 15, 1923
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Upon the e,i. th nisi iss of nations with peiplexity; tne sea and the waves (the le^tless, discontented) roaring; men s lf... , ,‘ln,(l !'’"kjngf J0
things coming upor the earth (society), for the powe 9 of the heavens (ecclesiaslicism) shall be shaken. . 04.00. Mark 1<b*29‘ Iuka
then know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Look up, lift up your heads, rejoice, for your redemption draweth ■Ifb.—Matt. 24.33, Mark 13.29, Luka 4^.? 31.
Vol. XLIV
Semi-Musthlv
alsot”- teaialj
Anno Mundi 6051 — March 15, 1923
CONTENTS
Views from the Watch Tower.........................
Bombardment of Babylon Continues................
Crusade Planned against War ..........................
Preaches for Money Only... ................................
Taking Blame for War .... . ............................
Bible Offensive to Sight and Smell. . . ...........
Turning against the “God of This World”.....
Young Chinese Becoming Aroused .. .........
Church of England Imperiled.. .. ................
Wave of Dishonesty Gripping World..............
Church of England Struck with Lightning......
' ROCK OF AGES
Other foundation can '< no m.an lay
' A RANSOM FOR ALL/< »>
Prayer-Meeting Text Comments
Jesis the World's Savior
The Walk to Emmaus
Abraham, the Hero of Faith
Interesting Letters
“I will stand upon my watch and will set niy foot upon the Tower, and will watch to see what Ue will nay unto me, and what answet I shall make to them that oppose me”—Habakkuk 2‘1
Qw.t.b.st.s
THIS JOURNAL AND ITS SACRED MISSION
THIS journal Is one of the prime factors or instruments in the system of Bible instruction, or “Seminary Extension”, now being presented in all parts of the civilized world by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, chartered A. D. 1884, “For the Promotion of Christian Knowledge”. It not only serves as a class room where Bible students may meet in the study of the divine Word but also as a channel of communication through which they may be reached with announcements of the Society’s conventions and of the coming of its traveling representatives, styled “Pilgrims”, and refreshed with reports of its conventions.
Our “Berean Lessons” are topical rehearsals or reviews of our Society’s published Studies most entertainingly arranged, and very helpful to all who would merit the only honorary degree which the Society accords, uz., Verbi Dei Minister (V. D. M.), which translated into English is Minister of God’s Word. Our treatment of the International Sunday School Lessons is specially for the older Bible students and teachers. By some this feature is considered indispensable. '
This journal stands firmly for the defense of the only true foundation of the Christian’s hope now being so generally repudiated —redemption through the precious blood of “the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom [a corresponding price, a substitute] for all”. (1 Peter 1; 19; 1 Timothy 2:6) Building up on this sure foundation the gold, silver and precious stones (1 Corinthians 3: 1115; 2 1’eter 1:5-11) of the Word of God, its further mission is to “make all sea what is the fellowship of the mystery which. . .has been hid in God, ... to the intent that now might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”—“which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed”.—Ephesians 3:5-9,10.
It stands free from all parties, sects and creeds of men, while it seeks more and more to bring its every utterance into fullest subjection to the will of God in Christ, as expressed in the holy Scriptures. It is thus free to declare boldly whatsoever the Lord hath spoken—according to the divine wisdom granted unto us to undo)stand his utterances. Its attitude is not dogmatic, but confident; for we know whereof we affirm, treading with implicit faith upon the sure promises of God. It is held as a trust, to be used only in his service; hence our decisions relative to what may and what may not appear in its columns must be according to our judgment of big good pleasure, the teaching of his Word, for the upbuilding of his peonle in grace and knowledge. And we not only invite but urge om? readers to prove all its utterances by the infallible Word to which reference is constantly made to facilitate such testing.
TO US THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH
That the church is “the temple of the living God”, peculiarly “his workmanship”; that its construction has been in progress throughout the gospel age—ever since Christ became the world’s Redeemer and the Chief Corner Stone of his temple, through which, when finished, God's blessing shall come “to all people”, and they find access to him.—1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; Ephesians 2:20-22; Genesis 28:14; Galatians 3:29.
That meantime the chiseling, shaping, and polishing of consecrated believers in Christ’s atonement for sin, progresses ; and when the last of these “living >tone>”, “elect and previous,” shall have been made ready, the great Master Workman will bring all together in the first resurrection ; and the temple shall be filled with his glory, and be the meeting place between God and men throughout the Millennium.—Revelation 15:5-8.
That the basis of hope, for the church and the world, lies in the fact that “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man,” “a ransom for all,” and will be “the true light ■which lighteth every man that conieth into the world”, “in due time”,—-Hebrews 2:9; John 1:9; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
“That the hope of the church is that she may be like her Lord, “see him as he is,” be ' partaker of the divine nature,’ and share his glory as his joint-heir.—-1 John 3.2; John 17:24; Romans 8:17; 2 Peter 1:4.
“That the present mission of the church is the perfecting of the saints for the future work of service; to develop in herself every grace ; to be God’s witness to the world ; and to prepare to be kings and priests in the next age.—Ephesians 4 :12 ; Matthew 24 s 14 ; Revelation 1:6; 20 : 6.
That the hope for the world lies in the blessings of knowledge and opportunity to be brought to all by Christ’s Millennial kingdom, tha restitution of all that was lost in Adam, to all the willing and obedient, at the bands of their Redeemer and bis glorified Church* when all the wilfully wicked will be destroyed.—Acts 3:19-23; Isaiah 35.
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Vol. XLIV
Mabch 15, 1923
No. 6
VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER
“And Babylon, the glory of the kinydoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”—Isaiah 13'- 19.
has “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”—Revelation IS: 2.
We quote excerpts from the secular press. A whole page in the Sentinel of Toronto, Canada, gives a description of some of Babylon’s troubles, and shows that her troubles are many. Among other things it takes up what it calls “Russellism,” and in defining it garbles, miscolors, and misrepresents it. What a wondeiful world this would be if the preachers themselves would not lie! Were they to tell the truth about the International Bible Students Association, what a large and good advertising agency we would have! One of their stock arguments is that we deny the resurrection of Jesus. How absurd; for with what consistency could a person profess to be a Christian and at the same time exercise faith in a dead Christ!
That the arrows of the truth are wounding many is evidenced by the cries of the wounded. Minist >rs from various parts of the country are warning their flocks against touching our literature. It often proves to be a bomb which may explode and do immense damage to their previous theological imaginations. Reports of such sermons come from Miami, Fla.. Winnipeg. Mam. Detroit, Mich., Hamilton, Ont., and many other plan's.
Leighton I’arke, D. D., has recently written a book entitled, “The Crisis of the Churches.” There is no question about the crisis being here, and the imminent collapse of Babylon is certain.
Rev. J. Clover Monsma heads an “organization of all Christian forces in the United States into a Christian voters’ league,” to “get a man into the presidential chair who places principles above politics and who will not hesitate to stand decidedly for the application of Christian principles.” Why, then, do preachers plav politics ?
The Right Reverend Edmund A. Knox, of Manchester, England, heads a movement to have “all British churches unite to put business on a Christian basis,” we presume after the American plan—to give it the “money test.”
The Episcopalians think they should have a new prayer book revise some of the old prayers and add some new ones. “The new prayers are recommended 83
BOMBARDMENT OF BABYLON CONTINUES
EWILDERING indeed to the people is the commotion throughout the world today, caused by the political turning ol "the world upside down.” The
old world crumbles under the continuous bombardment of foes from without and revolutions on the part of many within. The Greater Cyrus is at the gates. It is time to lay the foundations for the new world. Only the student of the Word of God can correctly read the signs of the times. To him it is a cause of rejoicing, while to all others it is a cause of terror. Babylon has long been the pride of the world, decorated and embellished by magnificent edifices and temples dedicated to their respective gods. With consternation do the devotees behold one temple after another crumble and fall to utter ruin. They rush to protect and save one part of the city, only to learn that trouble has broken out in many places. They have sacrificed their time and means to erect the costly temples, and have lifted up holy hands to God in supplication for blessings upon their sacrifices. They are asking: “Have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” God’s answer was long since given in his Word; but they have no faith in that and so he proceeds to “do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.”—Isaiah 28: 21.
St. John foretold that “great Babylon came into remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”—Revelation 16 :19.
All Bible Students are familiar with the fact that Babylon of old typified “Babylon the great,” generally called Christendom. Jeremiah 50:14-16, 29, 30 describes the preparations made1 for her overthrow. The papers these days are filled with reports of the difficulties of the leaders of Babylon in their efforts to defend the “city.” There are controversies about creeds, doctrines, management, membership, loss of prestige, replying to criticisms. etc. Often one element of the ecclesiastics seeks freedom from the time-worn traditions which they recognize are not Biblical; others seek reform in their own ranks; still others, dyed in the wool, endeavor to defend and justify those traditions and to uphold the honor and power of the system, which Jesus shows St. John
by the lommission on revision of the Book of Common Prayer, w Inch has been at work several years. They suggest a prayer “For a State Legislature,” “For Our Country,” “For All Nations,’’ and a revised “General Intercession.” submitting outlines of forms for each. They evidently wish to carry out literally, “Pray without ceasing’’ lip service in a heartless religion.
Dr. George B. Taubman, of Long Beach, Calif., before the members of “The New Testament Congress” urged the amalgamation of the two Testaments, and proposed the following articles of belief as necessary to world religion, th'1 first and the last of which show the denseness of the eeclesjmlical mind:
The incarnation—A miraculous manifestation of God in the Ilesh.
The installation—A miraculous recognition of the Messiah.
His death—A miraculous rehearsal of eternal life
His resurrection—A miracle of light.
His ascension—A miracle of hope.
His glorification—A miracle of man on God’s thro
The “incarnation” idea is that God himself abrogated his throne and lost himself for a time, and that his eternal existence was dependent on whether Mary should bring him to the birth; that Jesus as a boy and young man was God; that when Jesus died God died; that really, what Jesus said on the cross instead of “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” should have been, “Myself, myself, why have I forsaken myself!” Th.e ecclesiastics are bound to the foolishness of the incarnation as long as they hold to another inexplicable and incomprehensible doctrine—that of the trinity.
Why do these “wise” men hold to the thought of a “man on God’s throne” in the face of hundreds of texts which imply differently? Jesus was man, human, from birth to the cross, but not such as wTe are, who are imperfect. He was perfect. He experienced a change of nature from human to divine in his resurrection. “No man hath seen God at any time” (1 John 4: 12) ; and Jesus since his resurrection is The express image of the Father's person.’ (Hebrews 1: 3) Nothing is more reasonable than the thought that Jesus is now a spirit being.
CRUSADE PLANNED AGAINST WAR
“The New Crusade” is planning a ten-y. ar Air against war. It will be along educational lines enlisting millions of “Christians” in securing a warless world. They should have heeded that “wise and faithful servant” of God ten years ago and met the lion in his lair.
The Boston Herald gives a picture of one Roman Catholic priest, one Episcopalian, two Baptist and three M. E. ministers training under an officer of the H. S. Army, and calls it a picture of the “Fighting l’ar<ons of Camp Devens.” See 2 Corinthians 10: 4.
PREACHES FOR MONEY ONLY
Rev. Samuel D. McConnell, former rector of Trinity Church in Brooklyn, and St. Stephens in Philadelphia, after fifty years in the ministry announces in a published book that “Christ is a myth,” “that the gospel is incredible on account of its contradictions and discrepancies.” He describes the “Acts of the Apostles” as “an anonymous tract,” and expresses the belief that many Christians are not disturbed by the discovery that the “whole historic fabric of the Old Testament is a pious forgery.” Regarding miracles he said: “I believe the record to be incredible in the strictest meaning of the word. I have been convinced that miracles do not happen, never have happened, and ought not to happen.” In respect to the Jew he said: “Having become possessed with its fantastic conceit of being a ‘chosen people,’ it drew apart and perished in its own shell. Its prophets prophesied in vain; even in their most exalted moments there is a strain of abnormality if not madness.” Dr. McConnell is the author of “Sermon Notes,” used by many clergymen throughout the United States as a preaching manual. He once believed the church a divine institution; but he has been reluctantly led to the conclusion that this is not true. He of course sees only the nominal organization, which the Bible calls the “synagogue of Satan”; but the dear man, looking for his bread and butter, says: “I hope that after I have had my say, the church may decide that I and such as I still have a place in its ministry.”
TAKING BLAME FOR WAR
The 1L>. D. Joseph Silverman thinks that "the Churches can save the world, but disunity must first be overcome. Religion failed to prevent the great war, yet it still holds the power to redeem all peoples,” as reported in the Denver Post.
Rev. Ernest L. Copley, pastor of Decatur Street Methodist Church, has a long article in the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch. in which he says: “The present world chaos can rightly be laid upon the steps of the church as a child of its colossal blunder- - the permitting of world war.”
According to a report from Columbus, Ohio, Rev. B. D. Evans, of the Franklin Park M. E. Church,, advises that the church needs to adopt evolution, and to ditch the Garden of Eden as a “fairy tale.” He also said there was “insufficient evidence to support the teaching of tb.,e virgin birth of Christ.”
The following is from the Baltimore American, as part of a report of the Methodist Episcopal Board of Bishops:
"If the churches of America had opposed the draft of 4,000.000 men during the war in 1917 and 1918 the draft could not have been put over. The church of America indorsed the draft, believing that tlml war was a holy crusade to end all wars. It was a terrible disappointment.
“And now, with all Europe on a precipice, the one push needed to send civilization over the edge is armament and force. If that push is given, we will have anarchy and disaster.”
Thus we have the frank admission of a bodv representing the “Church of America,” that they take the blame for America’s participation in a war which has been proven very unholy.
Bev. Robert Forman Horton, one of England’s most noted non-confonnist ministers, suggests that a fine be assessed against all who do not go to church, “as a mean of raising sufficient revenue to run the country without plunging it into bankruptcy.” Such legislation, he declares, would net £80,000,000 a year.
That’s hard on the siimers; but how is this for America? Magistrate John Kochendorfer in the Ridgewood Police Court, New York, recently sentenced nine young men convicted of disorderly conduct to attend church every Sunday morning for twenty-six weeks and to read good, useful books from the library.
BIBLE OFFENSIVE TO SIGHT AND SMELL
The Brooklyn Eagle, one of the staunchest supporters of the dying apostate churches, reports Rev. Dr. Samuel C. Benson of Brooklyn as saying, on the occasion of his resignation as a secretary of the American Bible Society:
“My resignation from the American Bible Society, which is to take effect today, is the unescapable resultant of . . . two outstanding and shocking facts in the religious world of the present hour.
“ . . . That the Bible is not accepted as God's full authoritative word by the Church and clergy today. This statement, I think, would scarce be challenged by uuy reasonably Informed person. On account of tills repudiation of the Bible by Church and clergy us being the orncle of Divine truth the masses of the whole world are turning away and almost despairingly searching and groping for some other power. They are like lost and shipwncked sailors in a tempestuous sea, and even the Church itself, having gotten off its base, is floundering in agitation and despair. In the sense of being God's Book of Revelation, the Church as a whole turns up its nose and lifts its eyebrows at the Bible.”
Yes; "groping for some other power.” If the power of Christ’s spirit has been in the “churches.” why grope for another? People grope when in the dark. God has rejected the dishonoring and blasphemous systems, and all people will know it soon.
But why multiply testimony out of their own mouths? They have no use for God, the Bible, Christ or the spirit of God. Well did the Prophet describe them: “And in that day seven women fall the church denominations professing to belong to Christ] shall take hold of one man [Christ], saying, We will eat our own bread [supply our own doctrines and take our own counsels] and wear our own apparel [stand in our own righteousness, wo have no need of any other] ; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach [do let us call ourselves Christians, otherwise the people will think we are heathen].”—Isaiah 4:1. See also Matthew 11:20-24.
It is refreshing to hear a man once in a while speak frankly his sentiments. Recently Rev. Dr. I. W. Bagley, motion-picture censor for Camden county. New Jersey, said:
“Let the ministers turn the thought of the people nwuy from sin and toward God. We have a number of wooden men In our pulpits who have no message. If they ever Sneeze they will fill their churches with sawdust.
“If there is a place where red-blooded men r.re needed, It is in the American pulpits. I am n minister of the go<i>el, yet I often remain at home on Sumlay a tn. I read the Bible rather than go to church und hear a mini without a message."
TURNING AGAINST THE “GOD OF THIS WORLD”
"Il'oe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put hitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."—Isaiah 5: 20.
The Apostle said that in his day many sacrificed to devils, supposing them to be gods. The rising Sun of Righteousness is shedding his beams of light upon many truths aside front Bible study. The people are rubbing their eyes and awaking to the fact that something mu<t be radically wrong. They arc frightened by the horrible nightmare of the past night of sin, but not yet sufficiently awake to realize the true situation. A news item from Moscow may scon he true of other localities. How chagrined they will be when fully awake to the fact that the “god” they were, worshiping was really the devil. The truth will be doubly precious by contrast with the gross error:
“The newspapers in Moscow generally devote pages to anti-religious features, some of tbem in colors, In connection with the Russian Christmas festivities which began January 6th, continuing two days.
“Meetings have been held for the purpose of working up enthusiasm among the Communists and urging anti-religious demonstrations.
“The Workingmen’s Gazette gives over its entire front page to an illustration showing young Communists, reinforced by the Red Army, attacking the gates of Heaven. Christ und Abrnham and Mohammed and other ‘imaginary gods’ tire caricatured at the top of the page, with young Communists and armed soldiers climbing parapets to launch an attack on Heaven.
“The demonstration included parades during which millions of anti-religious pamphlets were distributed. The processions ended with the burning of elligies of holy personages In prominent squares in various parts of the city."
Thus is seen a rising tide against everything religious. The “Christianity” taught, really heathenism labeled "Christian,” has undermined the morals and warped the consciences of all peoples. What a reckoning day this is! Preachers are in the. dark. Their Greek. Hebrew, Latin, and college education will not save them. Many of them recognize the inconsistency of their positions; and failing to see that their doctrines are not Biblical, they turn from the Bible and repudiate the very source of light. They have said so much that to accept the truth is surely a bitter pill.
YOUNG CHINESE BECOMING AROUSED
Even the “heathen Chinee” can see the wolf behind the sheep’s mask. The following from Bill Maxwell, Federated Press Staff Correspondent, under date of January 10th, is worthy of note:
"Singling out the Chrlslinn church ns the enemy of humanity und of progress in Chinn, the Non-< 'hristian Students' Fcdcnitlon has been organized in opposition to the World’s Christian Students' Federation. A special protest is made t? these Chinese students gainst the holding of the Christian Federation Conference in Pekin.
“The text of the manifesto against the Christian church reads in part:
“ ‘We oppose the World's Christian Students’ Federation because we want to protect the happiness and welfare of humanity. We now wish to publish our real attitude so that the public can know ii.
“ ‘We know that Christianity and the Christian church have created many evils and committed many sins in the history of mankind. This we are not concerned with for the present, but they are now still creating evils and committing sins and will do so.
“ ‘We know present society is a capitalistic organization. On the one hand the property-holding classes who eat without work, on the other hand the property-less classes who work but cannot eat. Present day Christianity and the Christian church is the evil de\il who helps the former to rob the latter ekes. Tills devil, namely, the present day Christianity and the Christian church, is our enemy. We cannot but tight a decisive and deadly battle against it.
“‘The capitalists of all nations, no matter whether they are English, or American, or Japanese, or French, are taking steps, one following the other, to ru-h into China to carry out their plans of economic exploitation. And present dt’y Christianity and the Christian church is the vanguard of this exploitation. The various capitalist nations who are establishing Christian churches in China have as their object nothing more than to tempt the Chinese people to welcome capitalism. These nations who have established the Y. ii. C. A. in China have as their object to suck the blood and fat of the Chinese people. Therefore, we oppose capitalism and at the same time we have to oppose the present day Christianity and the Christian church which supports capitalism and which cheats the common people.
“ The World’s Christian Students’ Federation is the progeny of present day Christianity and the Christian church. They are preparing to call together Christians from all over the world and hold a conference here. They are going to discuss how to uphold world capitalism and how to extend capitalism to China. We brand this conference to be a conference of robbers, humiliating and polluting our youth, cheating our people and robbing our economic resources. Therefore, following our inner impulses we are organizing this federation to declare upon the conference.
“‘Students, young men, workers! We must oppose them when we see these blood hounds of the capitalists holding a conference to discuss our fate!—The Nou-Christian Students’ Federation.’ ”
CHURCH OF ENGLAND IMPERILED
A report from London, England, by David Edu ards, in a nearly three-column article in a metropolitan daily is headed, “Church of England Attacked by Its Own Leaders in Assembly.” He starts the article with, “Out of the mouths of its very foremost leaders the Church of England has just been utterly condemned. Naturally, as a consequence, England is aghast. Note some of the devastating bombs dropped by the great ecclesiastical warriors.” Then follows a synopsis of the speeches of a number who attended. One archbishop said: “Religion attracts; but the Church of England repels.” “I have no use for a theology which teaches too much humility,” thundered a canon—Canon Bell. The Bishop of Chelmsford cried out “that the modern clergy dare not stand before their congregations, from a text in Corinthians, that some among them are ‘revilers, drunkards and adulterers,'' although they well knew this to be true,” plainly implying that men in glass houses should not throw stones.
A foremost churchman, Dean Inge, said that conversion is not, necessarily a part of a man’s religious experience. The claim was made that not three percent of the male population in the church was converted in any way whatsoever, either suddenly or slowly. The Archbishop of York said that every conversion was a passing from the natural to the spiritual life; but that the method, time, and way by which it was done were “infinitely varied,” thus letting us know that he knew nothing about how or when or where it was clone. He said further: “I am afraid that many clergymen allow the spiritual sense of their ministry to become so low-leveled and so cold that we have almost, ceased to expect spiritual conversions,” thus admitting a fact, that many conversions are not spiritual at all.
The modern clergy were attacked for their strong psychological procin it ies. The general trend of the Congress was one of something closely akin to fright with regard to what was called a “modern tendency toward paganism”; and in this argument as well (it was led by Bishop Chandler), there was an implied attack on various “new” religions and cults, especially those which link themselves with the psychologists. There was a terrific smash at denominationalism, calling it a narrowness of church life and thought and effort.
One big Dean touched the funny bone of his colleagues by piously saying, “We have all known men and women whose characters were beautiful in childhood, and only more beautiful, not different, in after years; sometimes we think it hardly fair that the devil has obviously forgotten them.” This confirms the Bible teaching, and the Bible Students’ contention, that the devil is “god of this world,” and that the present crisis in the world is caused by the long-looked-for King of Glory the Lord Jesus, taking unto himself his great power and beginning his reign, by first dislodging Satan and overturning the churches which have supported Satan's organization, making way for the era of peace and happiness in the joyous time just over the horizon of 1925, when God’s will shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
WAVE OF DISHONESTY GRIPPING WORLD
Mr. B. C. Eorbes, writer on Business and Finance for the New York American, says:
“Has every last one of us become dishonest? Recent developments certainly have been depressing. Rank dishonesty has not been confined to one class or a few classes, but has been revealed among all ranks and on every side. We have had financial dishonesty, industrial dishonesty, labor dishonesty, official dishonesty. Business dishonesty has been perhaps the most widespread and the most lamentable of all. The courts are swamped with broken contracts as never before. Signed, sealed, solemn agreements have been di9-honored right and left. Business- agreements have been treated as mere scraps of paper to be tossed into the waste paper basket.” Then follows over a column giving instances of dishonesty in all lines of business, public and private.
Nearly 1900 years ago the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, and in the letter he sats: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, bom-ters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, uiithank 1'til, unholy, without [even] natural alieetion, trueebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, tierce, de-pisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of (loci; having a form of godliness [posing as Christians—see 2 Corinthians 11:13, 14], but denying the power thereof.”—2 Timothy 3: 1-5.
St. Paul certainly wrote the “news'' ahead of the reporter. However, we are all witnesses of the truth of the situation. We arc “in the last days” of “Babylon’s” existence.
When there is sickness in the family there is much worry and anxiety, and if the patient shows no signs of recovery anxiety deepens into despair. The poor old world is sick, and sick unto death. The terrible disease of selfishness has broken out in very malignant form, and there is no hope for recovery even by its be-t friends. Hurried consultations of the international doctors have been held, and various prescriptions suggested; but the patient either refines to take the medicine or eLe its stomach cannot retain it. If a doctor is sick, he is in no condition to pre.-cribe for himself; nor should a sick doctor be called to prescribe for another. What shall we say of the international doctors who are prescribing for the world? Are they also sick with the same disease of selfishness? We quote from a January, 1923. editorial of the New York American:
"Host of tins thing called diplomacy\ is puie bunk, and that is in the nature of the thing ilselt: bec,m-e to become a ‘statesman’ a man must first be a politicmn .ami politicians must all, more or less, cultivate Ilie art of bunco. If the premiers of England, France and Italy did not have to keep an e.ve on home politics they could settle the questions that trouble Europe in six hours of st rai'iltt talk and commonsense arguments. But Bonar Law, Boineaie. and .Mussolini are all in the same boat. Each one thinks first of his own political position at home, and of vvhal eflect his actions will have upon his chances of holding his job. That is the real reason that the statesmen have been so futile. It was the same with Clemem can. with Lloyd George, with Orlando, and it will be the sane with ai'j one else who takes hold under the same conditions. ... It is impossible tliai matters can go on in Europe as they have been going on for the past five years without creating some tremendous upheaval of popular wrath ai d d'S-pair which will shake the whole structure of government and soviet \ Io its fall—to its tremendous, bloody, fearful fall.”
CHURCH OF ENGLAND STRUCK WITH LIGHTNING
The Church of England, once green and vigorous, has for some time been drying up because of formalistic piety and sanctimonious reserve. The lightning has struck the church; and it is aflame, and the flame will not die down until all the tinder, tinsel, and tintinnabulation shall have ceased. Well do our readers know that we believe Babylon fell in 1878, not used of the Lord in am specific sense since 1881, and forsaken entirely in 1918; so we have been waiting for the fire to consume her. The knowledge of her “fall” was a matter of faith for a time, but not so any more. The whole fabric of churchianity is a blasphemous, devilish, disheartening counterfeit of Christianity, and demoralizing in the extreme because it perverts the doctrines of Christ, develops pride, destroys faith and hope, and leads on to the full fruitage of the age—perplexity and despair. The Church of England is a very important part of the mystic Babylon of Revelation.
In “Christendom,” so-called, church and state have be<m so united and their interests so linked and intertwined that wo find the expression “heaven and earth” joined in the Scriptures. “Heaven” in such instances means the spiritual ruling power—the church systems organized under Satan (Ephesians G: 12) ; and “earth” the physical power in politics and society used in support of the religious s\stems. Both of these constitute Satan’s empire. St. Teter says: “The heavens and the earth . . . are reserved unto fire. . . . The heavens •
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements .'hall melt villi fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. . . . The heavens, being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” (2 Peter 3: 7, 10, 12) The Diaglott translation of “great noise” is “rushing sound,” as though it were one of friction caused by heated arguments of men with inflamed minds. There has been a smoldering of the flames around the edge of Babylon for years; but now there is an internal combustion to which the “fire department” is denied access - lier destruction comes from within and her clergy are now on fire.
The Reverend Doctor Percy Stickney (Irani. rector of the Church of the Ascension, New York City, started the commotion by unburdening his mind on some of the tenets of his church; it rocks her to her foundations and the rumblings are heard afar. Some of his outspoken expi-'’--ions were:
"Shall we consecrate churches?
•‘.Xo'
"Firsi, the idea is inherited from the ace of v ilchcraff. inaeie and taboo. What we ale afier today is mental eman-eipal ion.
- "Second, consecration limits the usefulness of the church to the community. It is a great eionomie waste. According to reliable statistics the waste in the United States is S125 non 000 c,o:) a year. To limit the usefulness of the churches is r<> add to this inc.11< uhible waste.
"’There are 234.000 churches, synagogues. etc., in the United States. They represent three billion dollars in tax-exempt property.
“In return for such a remission of taxes on three billion dollars worth of property the 23 1.000 churches are expected to be of as much use as possible to the community. In many villages the church is the only public building or raeetlrg place. In many places there is no town hall, no movie theater, no fireman's hall.
••The Church of the Ascension for nearly 100 years had a formula that said in effect that nothing common or unhallowed could take place in it. A little speech by a working man is considered by the authorities common and unhallowed, so he cannot be allowed to speak.
“Take the matter of marriage, baptism, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, extreme unction, etc. . . . Priests have no power to make marriage more than it is; its sacredness, we perceive, comes not from a priest but from its essential characteristics, which have to do with the attitudes and lives of the people involved, and cannot be preserved as something independent of their feeling, will and behavior. . . .
“If the ministry is a mechanical service of the sacraments, . . . any plow boy can take the job. In fact, that is the source from which to recruit the minister, for their ignorance and credulity would easily persuade them to the miraculous character of the ministry.
“The trouble with the ministry is not to be attributed to their scholarship. . . . The trouble is the repression of their best thought and study by comfort-loving congregations, who do not want to be stirred up by the problems of the day; also the trouble with the elergj is the repression by ofiicials in ecclesiastical authority who call a halt upon freedom of thought in the pulpit.
“The apostolic succession claimed by the Roman Catholic Church and high churchmen of the Episcopal Church is no longer accepted by the educated classes, and it is through that so-called succession, consult red unbroken from Christ to Bishop Manning, that priests are supposed to be gifted with miraculous powers. . . .
“Some man's hands upon a person’s head, even though they are a Bishop's, have put nothing into the head which was not there before. . . .
“Very few clergymen today, who have been educated in the large universities, accept the idea that Jesus had the power of God,” meaning, no doubt, that Jesus was not co-equal witli God.
The above, of course, aroused a storm of protest—■ from the higher ecclesiastics; but some of the rank and file of the clergy covertly believe much the same as Dr. Grant. Bishop William T. Manning, head of the Episcopal Church in America, issued a letter containing what appears to be an ultimatum. Some of the statements follow:
“The impression which you have given the church and the public is that you deny the miraculous elements of the gospel and that you no longer believe the statement of the Christian faith as contained in the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles’ Creed is the statement of the Christian faith which not only every minister but every member of this church is required to accept. As a minister of this church you are obliged constantly and publicly to declare your belief in it.”
“If you cannot now conscientiously accept and teach the Christian faith as contained in the Apostles’ Creed it is plain that you cannot consistently continue to hold your commission as a minister and teacher in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
“In my judgment, therefore, you are called upon to follow one of two courses. You should at once publicly correct the Impression given by your recent sermon and state clearly that you do accept the faith of the church as set forth in the creed, or if you do not accept this faith you should voluntarily resign from the ministry of this church.”
"The question here involved is not one of theology, but of honor and good faith. According to your own statement it appears that you have not only given up belief In this or that less important doctrine, but that you have lost your belief in the Savior himself as he is presented to us in the four Gospels and in the Apostles’ Creed.”
“I call upon you to correct unmistakably the impression which you have publicly given of your disbelief in our Eord Jesus Christ as God and Savior, or if it is not possible for you to do so, then to withdraw from the ministry of this church.”
The five cardinal points that Dr. Grant is asked to recant are:
“1. That Jesus Christ was a superlath ely good man but did not have the power of God.
“2. That there has not been an unbroken line of holy inspiration direct from Jesus Christ to the modern clergy.
“3. That consecration of churches exclusively for ritual religion is narrow and economically unsound.
“4. That the marriage state is made no more holy by a religious ceremony than it is intrinsically.
“5. That belief in all Biblical miracles is a relic of ‘superstition, witchcraft and taboo.’ ”
Some salient features in Dr. Grant’s retort follow:
“We must sweep the cobwebs from our minds. . . . There must be an awakening of the spirit of tolerance. . . . The Christianity of Christ’s day was typified by a simple man walking about the countryside preaching wherever followers might gather to listen. One of his greatest sermons was delivered—where? From a mountainside—the Sermon on the Mount. . . . Christianity in the early days was the hope, the refuge of the poor and the downtrodden. But I fear the poor are sort of out of it now. . . . Christ was a wonderful man, a beautiful character. He was the superlative of anything you may choose to call him. But to say that a man born upon this earth, created by the power of God, had the power 1 equality] of this God of creation, is superstition. We may accept the spiritual teachings of Christ as the basis of our religion, but we need not believe that He ascended and is stated upon the right hand of God.”
Thus we behold a man breaking away from the shackles of superstition and theological nonsense, and trying to free his ecclesiastical mind from bigotry and cant. But he is not going to come free—yet. A man who denies the resurrection of Jesus Christ, denies that he was put to death in the flesh and raised a spirit being, and denies his ascension as a spirit being into heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us—to lay down the ransom-price for the sin of the world—-cannot be a free man in Christ. St. Paul says: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free”; but this applies only to those who have made full consecration to do the Lord’s will, and have been accepted and begotten of the holy spirit. Not to know that Jesus is now, in his resurrected glory, the express image of the Bather’s person—though not God, but God’s Son—such a man cannot possibly have the holy spirit as his guide into all truth, and therefore could not be a true teacher of God’s Word nor direct men to c'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
An editorial comment on the controversy follows:
“If Percy Stickney Grant had challenged one important article in the creed of capitalism instead of a number of articles of faith he would now be out of a job. Disloyalty to dollars is a greater offense than to question current views of Deity.”
PRAYER-MEETING
TEXT COMMENTS
TEXT FOR APRIL 4
“Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”—Romans 8-' 15.
KD0PT10N means that one voluntarily receives f-X into his family the child of another and makes -1■ such child his own. As human beings we all descended from Adam, and are therefore the children of Adam. Learning that Christ was our Redeemer, when we came to him and submitted oursehes in full consecration, God justified us and accepted us as a part of the sacrifice of Jesus; and God begetting us by his own spirit, we were thereby adopted into the body of Christ; that is to say, those adopted were received voluntarily by the Lord according to his own will into his family. Being adopted into the family of God, he becomes our Father and wc now enjoy the relationship of sons of the most high God. Hence we have the spirit of sonship and can truly address him as "our Father in heaven.” Only those who enjoy the blessed privilege of such relationship with God come within the purview of our year text; and only such can be changed from one degree of glory to another degree of glory by the spirit of the Lord.
In proportion as we appreciate the blessed relationship of being sons of'God, in that same proportion will we strive to conform ourselves to the rules of the house of sons, to the end that we may be transformed into the likeness of Jesus, the Head of that house. When the transforming work' this side the vail is completed, then the promise to us is that we shall be clothed upon with a body of glory, and enjoy actual and tangible membership in the house of God. where there are pleasures for evermore.
The prospect of this blessed inheritance is an incentive to the Christian to give diligence to learn and to do the will of our Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ. As our appreciation of the Father and the Head of the house increases, there will be a corresponding increase of desire to use everything within our power to further his cause and to glorify his name, and to inform others of his wonderful provision for the blessing of the groaning creation with peace, joy, and life everlasting.
TEXT FOR APRIL 11
“But ye are washed, hit ye are sanctified, . . . in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit ... of God.” —1 Corinthians 6:11.
IN this text and its context the Apostle is discussing the proper use of the Christian’s body and faculties, and the proper deportment of himself toward his brethren. He states that no unrighteousness shall inherit the kingdom of God; and then specifically names some of these things and characters that arc unrighteous. Then he tells the Corinthians that some amongst them originally were of this baser element ; but now God having received them, the} have been sanctified or set aside for his list'. This setting aside or sanctification was done in the name and through the merit of Christ Jesus and by the spirit of Jehovah, his imisible power operating toward such. Each one, then, in Christ, who has the spirit of Christ dwelling in him, should direct the use of his body and other faculties in harmony with the spirit of the Lord, to the end that the transformation might be complete and that in God’s due time he might be wholly devoted to the Lord in his kingdom, being made me-1 for the inheritance of the saints in light.
TEXT FOR APRIL 18
“ Like icier the spirit also helpeth our viju — Romans S: 26.
SOMETIMES a Christian is overtaken in a fault or entrapped by the adversary through some weakness of his fallen flesh. When he discovers his error or mistake, he is sometimes disheartened and liesitat”s to to approach the throne of heavenly grace in prayer. He becomes greatly discouraged. When he attempts to pray he can find no words of utterance: but being burdened, his spirit groans within him. The text here under consideration, then, is a precious one. The heavenly Father does not insist that the Christian must formulate a petition in exact and proper language. But instead, he graciously answers the unexpressed sincere desire of the heart of a Christian who honestly desires to be forgiven. The Lord judges not according to the outward appearance or according to the words, but according to the real intent and sincere purpose of the Christian.
It is the spirit of the Lord, then, in us that aids our infirmities. Let no Christian become discouraged. If he makes a mistake, let him go quickly to the throne of heavenly grace, after having t ri-’<l to rectify his mistake. Let his heart cry unto the Lord, knowing that the Lord will grant help in every time of need. Then see to it that the mind is occupied with things pertaining to the Lord and his cause; and to this end it is profitable that the hands likewise be exercised in laboring in the Lord’s cause, 'the more we see of the di\me arrangement and of our situation, the more we will appreciate the necessity of activity, both in mind and in body, in the Lord’s service, in order that wc might be transformed into tho image and likeness of our Head and King.
AFAR FROM SALEM
depart,
‘Tis the meinorj of Salem afar,
Of Salem the ci I \ of God,
In darkness now wrapped like the moon and the star, When the tempests of n.ght are abroad.
JESUS THE WORLD’S SAVIOR
■---March 25---Quarterly Review---
"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.1*
—1 Timothy 1:15, R. V.
THE studies in our Lord’s life and ministry from his forerunner John to the cross (appointed for a six months’ course) are now concluded. Today’s study is a review of the quarter's lessons. The lessons have been drawn from our Lord’s last ministry, sometimes called his Perean ministry. They relate to the last six months of our Lord’s life on earth, to the period which lias been called that of opposition, because during it .l<sus was subjected to much more opposition than previously, when he had ministered either m Jerusalem and Judea or in Galilee. Hitherto he had not visited the towns and villages east ol Jordan, nor those populous centers south of the Lake of Galilee. Now lenxing the northern parts, and coming south, lie took tin so places in his ministry while making ills way up to Jerusalem. Luke says ol this journey: ‘'He . . . set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51) ; and without doubt this ministry was sharpened by the fact that the end of his human life was in view.
-Tlie le-sons have proved very liclpful as a course of studies; tor this ministry is given in more detail than is the Galilean. More personal incidents are recorded, and our Lord's teaching is more lully disclosed in these incidents. Jesus’ ministry at this time was not so crowded witli labor and with calls upon him as when in Galilee. It was, how-ex er. a busy time, as is evident from the records; and we know that our Lord would let no opportunity of service go past him unused. As if to help Jesus to realize something of what awaited him in Jerusalem, and by continual experience to strengthen him in his determination, he was permitted to be troubled more and more with the bitterness of the Pharisees’ persecution. These religionists had an ever-growing hatred and they followed him very persistently. Our studies showed that they set snares for him, and were not at all axerse to using human frailty and suffering in their wicked purposes, as when they exploited the suffering of the man afflicted with dropsy. But the Lord went on with his ministry, healing, blessing, delivering the oppressed from the bondage of Satan, and witnessing to the coming of the kingdom. The secret of his poxver to continue xvith undiminished zeal and fervor xvas his constant communion xvith his Father. By prayer and in humility of heart, and in simplicity of desire and purpose, he xvas in such an attitude of heart that lie carried no burdens, but continually realized his oneness xvith his Father, whom he represented.
3Here is the secret of true service. No servant can do his work xvell xvhen burdened xvith care, nor unless he actively seeks God’s interests. The servant of Christ must bear the yoke, but not be xveighted with anxious care. Bearing the yoke and carr.xing care are very different things. The yoke is the consecration to the xvill of God, xvhich keeps him in tlia xvay of service, as Jesus xvas kept by his. The ox is not expected to carry the farmer’s care; the farmer himself does that. Jesus had a burden, but because he xvas so true and so single in purpose it was a light one. We are not to be unthinking as the ox, but xve are to be as free from care as il is. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”—1 Peter 5: 7.
4The tender mercy and compassion of God xvere shown vein clearly in the graciousinss of Jesus to the sinners and tin1 poor of Israel a-- they crowded upon him. No other Scriptures slioxv in such a telling xvay the love xvhich God has lor his lost ones, or how he “loves and seeks his own.” He seeks not only' his elect, but those human sons who, like the prodigal, have gone far away from him, eating only the husks that this world's pleasures ultimately yield, but who, prodigal-like, will eventually come home and find rest In the Father. Our lessons, too, have shown the responsibility of service and discipleship.
5The Parable of the Unjust Steward, and that of the Pounds set these truths forth very clearly and definitely. By the Parable of the Unjust Steward the Lord let the Pharisees and leaders know that they xvere to be deposed from their office as teachers, and therefore as God’s representatives; for they sat in Moses’ seat. (Matthew 23:2) It xvas also used of the Lord to tell his disciples tliat they xvere to have a similar position of responsibility before God, and that there was an absolute need for singleness of purpose. They xvere to learn from the mistakes of the Pharisees that no man could serve God and mammon. Full consecration to God through their Master Christ is the only xvay by xvhich eternal blessings can be gained, and faithfulness in the small things of life is the only xvay xvhereby one may at last be accepted of the Lord. The Lord’s people frequently fail to notice that the tests xvhich determine acceptance, and xvhich therefore decide character day by’ day, are not generally in the larger things of life, but are in doing every small thing in life as in faithfulness to God.
KINGDOM GLORY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
GThe Master xvould have his disciples never forget that they’ xvere called to the high honor of sharing xvith him in the kingdom of glory, to be seated xvith him on his throne (Revelation 3:21), joint-heirs xvith him in his kingdom. (Romans 8:17) Nevertheless this hope xvas lost sight of during the dark ages; and only noxv since the Lord’s return has it again been made clear to his people. Those xvlio became “Christians” xvere taught to expect to be saved from hell and to enter into the joy s of heaven on account of their faith in the death of Jesus; and in consequence of joining a church. The true idea of discipleship to walk in the footsteps of the Master and to be saved xvith his salvation, that in due time they themselves might be saviors reigning in the poxver of the kingdom, was rarely discerned. While showing by his continued acts of mercy and healing and by his xvords, that lie xvas come to seek and to save that xvhich xvas lost, Jesus always made clear that the time for blessing mankind xvas only after his servants had been prepared for the great responsibility of holding the power of that kingdom.—Obadiah 21.
7The warmth of the almost royal welcome which Jesus received from so many of the people as he entered into Jerusalem soon cooled. Why did the crowd so soon turn against him? Apparently they xvere ready to xvelcome him as king; and very probably if lie had allowed himself to be proclaimed king of the Jews they xvould have rallied to him in force. But he paid no attention to any such desire on the part of the people. Once before, when in Galilee, the people xvould have taken him to make him king. Then he had spoken plainly to them. He told them they sought him for the loaves and fishes he could supply; and he withdrew from them. So noxv in Jerusalem he pursued his course, teaching spiritual things in the temple and, xve must infer, continually disappointing the earthly desires of the people.
^During those days the disciples must have watched their Master xvith xvonder. Now there xvas no retiring from the crowds pressing upon him, but on the contrary there was aggression on his part. He was the center of attraction, and so had but little time to give attention to them. But his determination in purpose, his calmness of spirit, his fearlessness in face of the combined forces arrayed against him, must have made a great impression upon them. What they saw in him then was jusl Ilie example they needed for those dajs after Pentecost, when they were held up in the same place and by the same people. Then without fear they boldly proclaimed the Master’s message; and the Sanhedrin, who knew that these men had run away from Jesus at the most lining moment, saw that they were now bold and con-lident as he had been. The holy spirit brought back to the disciples not only what Jesus had said, but what he had do ic. and how he did it. And we who have the records are able to consider him, that we may follow in his steps.
"The last few days of our lord's ministry and his sufferings are detailed by all the gospels at length, no doubt because this period, though short, was the most important of Ids ministry, and, we must suppose, specially for the disciples’ sake; for he who follows in the Master’s footsteps must also suiter at the hands of evil men. By considering him the disciple is able to endure. (Hebrews 12:3) It is proper also to inter that the accounts are full in order to expose the awful wickedness of the holders of the Jews, that God may be justified in his judgments on that people. (Romans 3:4) Never was such hypocrisy manifested; never was such bitterness shown, nor such malignity disclosed.
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